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Every week, there is a trend on the internet. Whether it be memes of moths or eating Tide pods, almost everyone is exposed to these short-lived trends. Normally they are harmless, including the Tide pod thing, as long as you didn't swallow the detergent. Sometimes the trends are beneficial, such as the fundraising campaign that was the Ice Bucket Challenge.
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These images and the permission you give the company provide everything that is needed to train artificial intelligence to create better and more believable fake images and videos. The more you use the app, the more help you could potentially be giving Russian organizations to create these photos and videos.
Just like with the personality quizzes on Facebook that became the basis for the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the problem comes down to users carelessly and willfully giving away their data. Before you use these types of gimmicks, think about the information involved and how it can and will be used by others.
The past year has not been kind to independent unlimited movie passes. The European brand Sinemia that came to the US in 2018,
shut down operations, citing their inability to find profitability. This followed the nearly constant disaster that has been MoviePass, which has struggled for over a year to keep its lights on. The company has changed its offering several times, reducing the unlimited movies, changing prices, and canceling the one-year prepaid subscriptions.
This week, the company made another big move for the worse, temporarily shutting down operations. At 5 AM Eastern, the MoviePass mobile app ceased functioning, making it impossible for subscribers to purchase movie tickets, making the service completely unavailable.
according to a statement, the company said that the move is only temporary, and is being done to improve the mobile app. According to CEO Mitch Lowe, There's never a good time to have to do this. But to complete the improved version of our app, one that we believe will provide a much better experience for our subscribers, it has to be done. We have listened and we understand the frustrations of our subscribers. To provide the level of service you deserve and we can be proud of, we need to improve our mobile app. We plan to make this improvement by utilizing an enhanced technology platform, which is in the final stages of completion.
However, this explanation has been met with skepticism. Updating a mobile app does not require the developer or publisher to terminate operation of the existing version to complete a new version unless the team is completely incompetent. While some aspects of the way the app works have suggested some incompetence on the part of the development team, this is a bold and stupid move for a company already on the verge of collapse.
The most likely scenario here is that the company is actually making a big business move behind the scenes and cannot have the brand fully active to complete. With rumors of Regal Cinemas planning to launch its own in-house competitor, with
details leaking this week, it's possible that MoviePass is analyzing the market to decide whether or not to continue operations at all.
Since Amazon got started its business model has changed significantly. Originally, the company sold only books, and only through its own distribution channel. As the company grew, it expanded its offerings, selling products other than books, and eventually opening the platform up to third-party sellers. That change took Amazon from being a traditional retailer and made it more like a flea market, where they provide the space and others use the space to sell their own products.
That virtual store concept has allowed the retailer to grow its product assortment while not having to grow its distribution network. It has also kept the company separated from potential lawsuits, especially in sales that are between a third party seller and a customer. That is until a
recent court ruling in the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, which stated that Amazon can be held liable for sales in which the company only acts as a payment processor.
The case revolves around an incident in which a customer, Heather Oberdorf, purchased a retractable leash through the Amazon Marketplace from seller Furry Gang. Furry Gang shipped the product directly from their facility in Nevada to the customer. The leash broke, and the cord struck the owner in the eye, blinding her. She sued Amazon in 2016 for the defective product after she was unable to locate any representative of the seller. Amazon was also unable to contact Furry Gang since they stopped selling on the Marketplace in 2016.
The ruling is a reversal of several lower court rulings, all of which have said that Amazon has no legal liability for products and sales that they are not involved with. The ruling was mostly based around the idea that Amazon's Marketplace allows the sellers to separate themselves behind a level of anonymity. This separation leaves customers with little or no recourse in the event of a defect. This reversal could potentially open other sites, like eBay or Craigslist, up to liability for sales that they broker. This will likely cause sites like Amazon to require sellers to identify themselves, either as individuals or corporations, giving customers direct recourse.
It's not unusual for the details of a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign to change between the funding and fulfillment phases. In most cases, the changes are minor, not affecting the usability or deliverability of the product. In the case of
Shenmue 3, the change is enough to require refunds to backers.
During the funding phase of the campaign, the company promised that backers would receive a Steam key on the day of the game's launch. That promise was logical at the time, as Steam was really the only game in town. In the three years since the campaign ran, things have changed.
Epic Games and Discord have both launched their own game stores, with Epic taking the approach of signing exclusivities.
Unfortunately for backers of the
Shenmue 3, developers YSNET and publisher Deep Silver made a deal with Epic for a year of exclusivity on the Epic Games Store. This means that it is not possible for them to accurately fulfill their obligation, as there will be no Steam access to the game at launch. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney claims that the fault lies with Valve, who will not allow them to generate Steam download keys a year before the game will be available for purchase, though this is an insane claim. The fault lies with the publisher who has chosen to change the promised distribution method at the last moment. Plus, giving backers a key that they cannot use for at least a year would not have been a better situation than not fulfilling the obligation at all.
Because of this exclusivity deal, backers who are not interested in participating in the Epic Games Store ecosystem can
request a refund from the company. The refunds will be paid out by Epic Games, as part of the deal. If backers are still interested in receiving their fulfillment via Steam, the keys will be sent out one year after Epic Games Store launch, but you must specifically request this option.
Starting with the release of the Galaxy S7 in 2016, Samsung has produced all of its flagship phones with an IP68 water-resistance rating. This rating means that the device can survive for 30 minutes or less underwater at depths no more than 1.5 meters. As part of this addition, the company has featured the capability in its advertising, both online and on television. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) claims that the advertising has misled consumers on the reality of the phone's water response. According to ACCC Chair Rod Sims,
The ACCC alleges Samsung's advertisements falsely and misleadingly represented Galaxy phones would be suitable for use in, or for exposure to, all types of water, including in ocean water and swimming pools, and would not be affected by such exposure to water for the life of the phone, when this was not the case.
According to the claim, in many of the advertisements, Samsung featured people using their phones at the beach and in swimming pools, suggesting that the phone would be safe in these environments. Unfortunately, IP68 only applies to freshwater, not saltwater or chlorinated water, such as in pools. The commission claims that Samsung has rejected warranty claims because of water damage, and notes on
its website that the phone is only rated for freshwater.
Samsung recognizes the complaint and plans to fight it in court. According to a statement,
Samsung stands by its marketing and advertising of the water resistancy of its smartphones. We are also confident that we provide customers with free-of-charge remedies in a manner consistent with Samsung's obligations under its manufacturer warranty and the Australian Consumer Law. Customer satisfaction is a top priority for Samsung and we are committed to acting in the best interest of our customers.
There is no timeline for the case, but it would appear that Samsung is not going to let the accusation stand. The company has had enough negative publicity in the past year, especially with the Galaxy Fold failures, and cannot afford additional controversy.
With the rise of streaming video services has come a new way for traditional TV shows to get a second chance at life. Some shows have seen massive popularity through Netflix and Hulu long after their cancelation.
The Office is the best example of this, continually representing the top show on Netflix. Others have been resurrected after a network has canceled the series. The Mindy Project was saved from oblivion by Hulu, while Arrested Development was revived by Netflix.
This week, the script was flipped, as Netflix original series
One Day at a Time was saved by cable network Pop TV after being canceled by Netflix. This represents a first for the industry, as a series has never been canceled by a streaming service and picked up by a traditional appointment television channel. While at first, this appears to show the resilience of cable television, the reality might be a little different. Pop TV is owned by CBS, who has their own struggling streaming service. By picking up a popular former streaming exclusive series and potentially making it available only on CBS All Access after airing, they could be looking to bolster the subscriber count for their service.
For now, this is all conjecture, however. Neither CBS or Netflix has said what the fate of the original 3 Netflix seasons will be, or the future of season 4. It is possible that the two companies have an agreement to allow the original seasons, and potentially the new seasons as well, to stream on Netflix. The two do have an existing cooperative agreement, with
Star Trek Discovery being available on Netflix outside of the United States. However, this would be the ideal scenario for CBS to try to lure some One Day at a Time loyal Netflix subscribers over to the CBS All Access dark side.


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Johnson & Johnson’s recent logo and identity overhaul has ignited intense debates among branding experts. Here’s a concise breakdown:
The healthcare giant is ditching its iconic cursive script, in use since 1887, in Favor of a modernized logo. This change aims to reflect its exclusive focus on healthcare innovation.
Renaming its pharmaceutical arm as Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine and retaining the medical tech sector as Johnson & Johnson MedTech signifies strategic restructuring. Meanwhile, consumer products will transition to Kenvue.
This logo shift is aimed at enhancing digital visibility and social media presence. Johnson & Johnson aims to project a more contemporary and personable image online with the short-form ‘J&J’.
This rebranding prompts a critical question: Is it necessary to part with iconic branding to thrive online? While digital adaptability is vital, the trick here is the delicate balance between preserving heritage and embracing innovation. Perhaps brands should not completely discard their iconic visual assets, rather than simply extend their repertoire.

domain: news


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It’s McDonald’s 50th anniversary in Australia and to celebrate it, they made a celebration announcement last week. The event includes a week of streams and giveaway prizes of McDonald’s customised DualSense controller. No doubt, the themed PS5 controller looks delicious and attractive. You can see the attached image.
Though the custom design becomes popular in that short time period, Sony has cancelled it.
The anniversary event was scheduled to start on 1st August, but it is postponed with no further date.
McDonald’s confirmed in a statement that the stream event on their anniversary had been postponed and there is no confirmed date for now. Besides, the declared prizes for the celebration was also changed.
The exact reason behind Sony’s step is not confirmed yet. It seems Sony is very strict about the custom PS5 controllers from the release of the PlayStation 5 in November 2020.
Overall, the entire situation indicates, Australians won’t get that delicious looking custom PS5 DualSense Controller in the future. And it will definitely affact others who has plans for custom controllers.


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Yesterday, Ballast Point Brewing president Marty Birkel informed employees at the company’s Scripps Ranch brewery and tasting room that beer-production would soon cease. The brewing company—San Diego County’s largest—is moving forward with plans to relocate much of its production and bottling equipment to its pair of Miramar locations, its 107,000-square-foot headquarters and primary production brewery in on Carroll Way and cross-street production and warehouse facility on Trade Street.
An internal communique clearly stated that no employees will be terminated in conjunction with this development. Staff at Scripps Ranch will be transferred along with many of the apparatuses they’ve worked with for the past decade-plus. As Birkel puts it, “It’s an opportunity to take the best of what’s worked at Scripps and bring it to Miramar to continue to improve the quality of our beers.” Birkel says the company will relocate equipment from Scripps Ranch’s quality-assurance lab and use those items as the base for a second, larger lab at its HQ. Also coming over is Scripps’ kegging and bottling lines and metal shop. The latter will be installed at Trade Street, in the third of the building not being used for sour or barrel-aged beer production.
Ballast Point is looking to establish a brewing “campus” in Miramar. Birkel says he and his colleagues still need to figure out exactly what a brewing campus is and will entail and says Ballast Point will remain open to acquiring additional structures as future growth opportunities present themselves. When constructing the company’s East Coast brewery in Daleville, Virginia, the company was sure to select a site with plenty of options for appurtenant growth.
As far as the future of the Scripps Ranch facility, Birkel feels that, at around 24,000 square feet, it provides ample space as well as a proven, highly efficient brewhouse that has served Ballast Point well. The vast majority of the indoor fermentation tanks will remain in place, while most of the outdoor tanks will be relocated to Miramar, but the bones for brewing success will remain. This includes the patio-equipped tasting room, which will remain in operation under the Ballast Point flag until a new tenant takes over the space.
When asked about the ideal tenant, Birkel specifically noted the wealth of quality local breweries he felt were capable of making a go on a larger scale at Scripps Ranch. Ballast Point currently has a very short list of local breweries that could be good fits and is consulting with BP vice president and San Diego industry veteran Colby Chandler to identify other well-suited interests. The company also notes that, with so many ex-Ballast Point brewers making names for themselves and their new breweries, there are a number of Scripps Ranch facility alums who know its brewhouse backward and forward.
Birkel predicts all machinery and employees will be transferred from Scripps Ranch by summer. With much of Ballast Point’s specialty beers brewed in Scripps Ranch, he says it’s essential to have those capabilities operative at headquarters by then.
The Scripps Ranch facility opened in 2006. It was the second location for a then-small brewery, coming on as an offshoot from the business’ original location as an enclave to Linda Vista’s Home Brew Mart. Over the years, a tasting room was installed, then expanded, then expanded again to include a patio. Behind the scenes, brewing and cellar capacity increased, a distilling operation was added (that led to what is now Miramar’s Cutwater Spirits) along with a speakeasy. Though not as visible as Ballast Point’s other locations, it was arguably the most influential and important of them all from a historic perspective.
Winners from the 2017 edition of the Great American Beer Festival were announced earlier this morning. Held annually by brewing-industry trade organization, the Brewers Association, in Denver, Colorado, this year’s GABF saw nearly 8,000 beers entered by more than 2,000 breweries in 98 style categories. 293 were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals after being evaluated by 276 judges. GABF is the country’s largest and most prestigious professional brewing competition. San Diego County breweries have historically fared incredibly well. This year saw another strong showing with the region’s brewers racking up double-digit awards.
Eleven local brewing companies brought home 14 medals this time around, including five golds in the Robust Porter (Second Chance Beer Co.) Honey Beer (Karl Strauss Brewing Company‘s Carlsbad brewpub), Imperial India Pale Ale (Ballast Point Brewing) Other Specialty Belgian Ale (Stone Brewing World Brewing & Gardens – Liberty Station) and Session Beer (Pizza Port‘s Ocean Beach brewpub) categories. That went along with six silver medals and three bronzes.
Notable is the fact only one individual brewing facility in the county won more than one medal, Carmel Mountain Ranch’s Second Chance with a gold and a silver. Newly launched SouthNorte Brewing Company garnered a bronze medal in the Specialty Beer category for a beer called AgaveMente that hasn’t even been released to the public yet. And Monkey Paw Brewing, which Coronado acquired earlier this year, earned a silver medal in the English-style Summer Ale category. Also, Vista-based Mother Earth Brew Co. medaled in the Fresh or Wet Hop Ale category for Fresh As It Gets, a beer brewed at its Nampa, Idaho production facility.
Adding to the unofficial medal count was Belching Beaver Brewery, which for the second time in its history won top honors at the Alpha King Competition. Held in conjunction with GABF each year, this friendly competition crowns the brewing company that submits the hoppiest offering amid a stacked field of IPAs. Belching Beaver previously won Alpha King in 2014. On top of that, Chula Vista Brewery owners Timothy and Dalia Parker received the Samuel Adams Brewing and Business Experienceship, following in the footsteps of Ramona-based ChuckAlek Independent Brewers, who earned the same opportunity in 2014.
The following is a complete list of the winners from brewing facilities located within San Diego County…
Before Ballast Point Brewing was a company capable of commanding decuple figures, before it grew into San Diego County’s largest brewery and one of the biggest beer-producers in the country, before there even was a brewery called Ballast Point, there was Home Brew Mart (HBM). That Linda Vista hobby shop—one of the first to grace America’s Finest City—opened quietly in 1992 and, over the following quarter-century, has ignited a fire for recreational fermentation within a great many ale-and-lager neophytes. That includes individuals who now own breweries and brew professionally. Some of that contingent even worked for HBM in its early days. In celebration of the big two-five, Ballast Point is creating Family Reunion collaboration beers with those ex-employees as well as former BP brewers, an impressive assemblage of well-known, award-winning talent.
Several of the beers have already been released, while others are scheduled to be brewed in time for them to all be on-tap at HBM’s 25th anniversary event on September 24. The following is a breakdown of the collaborators, their creations and their past.
In an effort to increase its current employee base’s knowledge on the history of BP and its eldest venue, vice president Colby Chandler asked each collaborator to speak to present-day brewers about their time with the company, how it was then and how it prepared them to venture out on their own. Many said that making beer at such a fast-growing brewing company provided them wide-ranging experience as well as reference points for overcoming myriad obstacles. According to Chandler, many brewery owners, in particular, felt their time with BP made it much easier once they were working for themselves.
In addition to the HBM anniversary event, BP is also holding a series of beer-pairing dinners incorporating the aforementioned collaboration brews at HBM. The next will take place on August 24 and include five courses served with Swemiceros, Bay to Bay, Scripps Tease and various other BP beers. Chandler, Tweet, Stephens, LeBlanc and Ceniceros will all be in attendance.
Brett Gent lived in Linda Vista and passed vaunted recreational supply-store, Home Brew Mart, almost daily. On one such day, he finally turned his steering wheel, pulled into the driveway, entered the store and purchased his first home-brew kit. Ten years after that watershed occasion, he is in the process of opening his own brewery, and its name was inspired by the movie that was playing during his first day using the aforementioned kit—Goodfellas. As he mashed in, boiled and lautered, one word kept getting thrown around via that cinematic classic…wise-guy. As a result, Carlsbad residents can look forward to receiving Wiseguy Brewing Company come the front-end of 2017.
Over the past decade, Gent won numerous awards for his home-brewed ales and lagers, leading him and his father, Tom, to take things to the next level. Wiseguy will be located near the McClellan-Palomar Airport off El Camino Real, and have a tasting room equipped with around 10 taps. Gent likes breweries where visitors have a communally driven experience that allow for the striking up of conversations and friendships, so he plans to lean in that direction with his sampling site. Aesthetically, the team will aim for a beach theme, using imagery from Gent’s brother—a professional photographer—to help convey that.
Wiseguy will have a 10-barrel brewhouse and a cellar consisting of five 20-barrel fermenters. Gent says he is a fan of all styles, but is a card-carrying hop-head. So, there will be a number of India pale ales and other hoppy beers augmented by a pilsner and German classics such as an altbier, doppelbock, schwarzbier, dunkelweizen and more. But don’t expect a Brett beer. Despite the fact it would be his namesake creation, Gent is a purist where beer is concerned, to the point where he also won’t be adding fruits, flora or other adjuncts to his beers.
Above all, Gent wants to create high-quality beer. With this being San Diego County, a hotbed of brewing ingenuity and success, he says he knows there will always be a bigger or better brewery than his, but also states he’s not in this for the money. He says getting into the brewing business is all about his legitimate love for beer, and that his main goal is for people to leave Wiseguy feeling every beer they had was really good.


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British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori was awarded the Emerging Design Medal at the London Design Festival 2020, the accolade honouring creatives who have made an impact within five years of graduating
Yinka Ilori was one of four designers to win a medal at the virtual awards ceremony held during the London Design Festival 2020.
Known for his bold use of colour and pattern, and buried narratives within his culturally clashing designs, Ilori is currently one of the design world’s most exciting and demand designers, despite only establishing his own studio in 2017. He started his design career upcycling old furniture with designs inspired by traditional Nigerian parables and West African fabrics.
Two notable projects that contributed to his award include ‘Happy Street’, his first public installation, situated at a railway bridge in South London. The installation comprises 56 patterned enamel panels decorated in sixteen different colours. The Happy Street installation forms part of the local council’s campaign to make the area more welcoming.
Another colourful installation can be found at an indoor skate park at La Condition Publique in Lille, France, a cultural institution set within an early 20th-century warehouse that was renovated in 2004 by architect Patrick Bouchain. Ilori’s used saturated colour to transform a former exhibition hall to give it a strong identity and also make it a vibrant and enjoyable space.
It feels good to know that my work has been recognised by the London Design Festival 2020 – in a time where design is more important than ever…I hope my work is an inspiration to young designers of a similar background to me. I am grateful and excited for the future”


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Your business can now schedule posts on Instagram!
Much to social media manager’s delight, Instagram has announced on their business blog that they will be introducing new features to their API, such as allowing businesses to schedule photo posts directly from a third-party apps like Sprout Social or Hootsuite.
The long awaited update was not facing a lack of demand. Ryan Holmes, CEO of Hootsuite recently stated, “Scheduling and publishing of Instagram content has been the number one request for our 16 million customers.”
Instagram has historically been very encouraging of posting in the moment. Though, with recent changes, they have removed the chronological timeline—allowing users to post stories that are more than 24 hours old—and added the ability to highlight past stories. This could be an indication that the platform may be moving away from real-time posting.
Before, if businesses wanted to schedule posts their only option was to pre-write captions and receive a push notification when they had “scheduled” their post.
This new update can save social media managers a ton of time, and will make scheduling in Instagram content much more efficient.
The first update to Instagram’s API will only allow scheduling for business accounts and you’ll only be able to use the feature on one of Instagram’s partner programs like Hootsuite or Sprout Social.
According to Instagram the new post scheduling feature should be available to personal accounts by early 2019.
READ MORE: Facebook’s Algorithm Change
Need help managing your business or corporate Instagram account? Get in touch with us today!


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Company plans to operate more than 5,000 stores in China by 2021
Starbucks said Thursday it will close all of its Teavana stores that will affect more than 3,000 employees.
The compay said in a statement the 379 stores will be closed next year, with the majority coming in the spring.
"The approximately 3,300 partners impacted by these closures will receive opportunities to apply for positions at Starbucks stores," the statement said.
The company noted it is planning to create 240,000 new jobs around the world, and 68,000 in the U.S., in the next five years.
Starbucks bought Teavana in 2012 for $620 million.
The Seattle-based firm, however, is aiming to concentrate on China.
In a separate statement earlier Thursday, Starbucks said it would acquire the remaining 50 percent of its shares in East China JV business for $1.3 billion, dubbing it "the largest single acquisition in the company’s history.
"Starbucks will assume 100 percent ownership of approximately 1,300 Starbucks stores in Shanghai and Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, building on the company’s ongoing investments in China, its fastest-growing market outside of the U.S. in terms of store count," the statement said.
Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Starbucks, said the company aims to operate more than 5,000 stores in China by 2021.


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With help from Doug Palmer, Megan Cassella and Barbara Moens
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Morning Trade will not be published on Monday, Feb. 17. We'll be back on our normal schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Please continue to follow Pro Trade.
Editor’s Note: Morning Trade is a free version of POLITICO Pro Trade’s morning newsletter, which is delivered to our subscribers each morning at 6 a.m. The POLITICO Pro platform combines the news you need with tools you can use to take action on the day’s biggest stories. Act on the news with POLITICO Pro.
— The “phase one” U.S.-China deal that takes effect today contains a dizzying array of deadlines for Beijing, and the obligations go beyond purchase commitments.
— A Republican senator is getting into the Huawei game with legislation that would codify further export restrictions the administration is now considering.
— The chair of WTO fisheries subsidies talks is urging other members to seek a compromise on a deal he still believes is possible by June.
CHINA DEAL TAKES EFFECT TODAY: The “phase one” U.S.-China deal that takes effect today could bring relative peace on the bilateral trade front this year as President Donald Trump runs for reelection. But while much of the attention will be on how close China comes to meeting a commitment to buy an additional $200 billion worth of goods over the next two years, the agreement also contains a number of deadlines for China, and to a lesser degree, the United States, to take regulatory actions to pave the way for increased trade.
Within the next seven working days, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and China’s customs agency are required to sign a protocol to allow for the importation of U.S. potatoes. China is also required by Feb. 24 to formally recognize the U.S. dairy-safety system is as safe as its own and to allow imports of pork inspected by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
In two other agricultural areas, China is required by March 14 to lift its ban on U.S. pet foods containing ruminant ingredients and to eliminate cattle age requirements for imports of U.S. beef and beef products. The two sides are also required by that date to begin technical discussion aimed at clearing the way for China to import U.S. breeding cattle.
There are also a number of deadlines associated with increased intellectual property rights protection scattered throughout the deal. Those include requirements for China to produce an “action plan” within 30 working days to strengthen IPR protection and to “significantly” increase IPR enforcement actions by May 14.
U.S. businesses wary of phase one enforcement: A survey released Thursday by the U.S.-China Business Council found that only around 20 percent of member companies that were polled would use the agreement's dispute settlement process.
The agreement creates a multilevel process in which government officials from either side can try to resolve complaints. U.S. companies can raise issues with administration officials. A dispute that cannot be resolved can result in tariffs being reimposed. Most companies indicated they would raise complaints through trade associations or anonymously, the survey found.
“That caution is probably a good thing because what we don’t want is small or idiosyncratic issues, perhaps at the local level, to be raised as large systemic issues,” said council President Craig Allen, who added that the agreement “absolutely helps to solve problems in China.”
CONGRESS ENTERS THE HUAWEI FRAY: Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) wants Congress to codify further restrictions the administration is currently weighing against Huawei and its subsidiary HiSilicon. The legislation introduced Thursday would put into law a change to the amount of U.S. content a foreign-made item can contain, from 25 percent to 10 percent, before it can be sent to Huawei without being subject to export controls. U.S. semiconductor companies have found the loophole a useful way to continue business despite Huawei’s placement on the Commerce Department’s entity list, which amounts to an effective export ban.
“We know Huawei is supported and controlled by the communist regime in Beijing, which continues to violate human rights and steal our data, technology, and intellectual property," Scott said in a statement. "Companies in the United States should not be allowed to sell to Huawei, and my legislation will further restrict their ability."
COMMERCE EXTENDS HUAWEI WAIVER: The administration is still debating whether to tighten export restrictions on Huawei, but Commerce on Thursday said it would extend a waiver that provides some relief for U.S. companies on a limited range of business activities. Commerce decided to extend the so-called temporary general license for another 45 days. Extending the temporary export waiver will allow Huawei to purchase any U.S.-origin hardware or software it needs to continue supplying rural internet providers in the U.S.
“The TGL is intended to allow time for companies and persons to shift to alternative sources of equipment, software and technology (i.e., those not produced by Huawei or one of its listed affiliates),” Commerce said.
WINE INDUSTRY BRACES FOR MORE TARIFFS TODAY: U.S. wine importers, distributors and retailers are on edge as they wait for an expected USTR decision late this afternoon that could result in higher retaliatory duties on $7.5 billion of European wines and many other goods.
USTR is considering the action in a long-running dispute over European support for Airbus. USTR imposed a 10 percent duty on European aircraft and a 25 percent duty on a variety of products in October. But it has proposed raising duties to 100 percent, and revising the retaliation list by taking some items off and adding others.
The trade agency has received over 28,000 comments from parties affected by the dispute. Many are from wine importers whose businesses have already been hurt by the duties. In contrast, the intended target, French wine producers, have been able to make up for lost U.S. sales by shifting their exports to China and other markets, they said.
“When faced with a problem like this, the Europeans will not hesitate to sell to China or wherever they can,” Jamie Graves, an employee at Skurnik Wines and Spirits in Brooklyn, said in his comments to USTR. “Once that starts, it will be very hard for the U.S. to recover.”
Reality check: One Washington trade veteran said his sense was USTR would rotate some items on the list but would not greatly escalate the duties because of the negative impact that could have on ongoing efforts to reach a mini deal with the EU.
THROWING COLD WATER ON THE WTO TARIFFS IDEA: USTR is distancing itself from a report that the Trump administration is considering a plan to increase the U.S.’s bound tariff rates at the WTO, or the duty levels the country has long agreed not to exceed.
Bloomberg reported this week that the administration would potentially make the move as a way to further shake a global trading system that Trump has long criticized for being tilted against the United States. But when asked by POLITICO about the report, USTR replied that “there are no plans at this time to raise our bound tariff levels at the WTO.”
The spokesman did, however, underscore that the administration "has expressed numerous times that we are very troubled that many of our trading partners have tariffs that are much higher than the United States."
View from the Hill: Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley also fired a warning shot at the administration, noting that Trump could not make such a move without a go-ahead from Congress. “If anybody’s thinking of moving ahead and leaving Congress out of it, they can't do that,” Grassley told reporters.
FISHERIES CHAIR ASKS FOR SUPPORT OF WTO AMBASSADORS: At a meeting with the heads of delegation at the World Trade Organization on Thursday, Santiago Wills, the chair of the fisheries negotiations, called on WTO members to “step out of their trenches” to seek a compromise, he told Morning Trade.
Wills, who is the ambassador for Colombia and just recently became chair, is eager to reach a deal by the next Ministerial Conference in June. “I called the meeting to report back to ambassadors what we have been doing in the negotiations on the level of delegated and to seek political support for the way forward,” he said, explaining that “on certain issues we need to get a certain engagement at a higher political level.”
What are the main obstacles? Wills didn’t want to say which topics of the fisheries negotiations are the most sensitive. “Some sensitive topics are political, others sensitive issues are technical. It also depends on each of the members. I’m requesting flexibility and a will to compromise. … [Members must] step out of their trenches even if that means leaving behind years-old positions and defense tactics instead of compromising.”
Wills remains optimistic that a deal is possible by June. “We are going to need a lot of effort and work very hard, but that’s still my aim and I think it’s still realistic.
Unintended burden: The WTO sees the fisheries negotiations as important not only to help stop overfishing but also to help rebuild trust in the multilateral trading system. Wills is fully aware of the importance of the talks for the WTO, he said. “It’s an unintended burden that I take with the biggest responsibility. We need to show the world the WTO is still relevant and deliver on what’s been asked from us.”
— British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not visit Washington for talks with Trump before the G-7 meeting at Camp David in June, The Sun reports.
— Liz Truss will remain as the United Kingdom’s trade minister after a cabinet reshuffle, POLITICO Pro reports.
— The economic impact of the coronavirus is mounting around the world, The Washington Post reports.
— India is offering the U.S. access to its dairy and poultry markets to try to seal a deal for Trump's visit, Reuters reports.
— The U.S. charges Huawei with decades-long theft of U.S. trade secrets, POLITICO Pro reports.
— A new White House report says other countries don’t pay enough for pharmaceuticals, Bloomberg reports.
— U.S. companies question what they view to be an opaque process for getting excluded from China tariffs, NBC News reports.
THAT'S ALL FOR MORNING TRADE! See you again soon! In the meantime, drop the team a line: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] and [email protected]. Follow us @POLITICOPro and @Morning_Trade.


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The Port of Los Angeles processed 835,516 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in January, an increase of 3.6% compared to January 2020 and the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year increases as US consumer spending continues to drive demand for goods.
“All indications point toward a strong flow of imports over the next few months as consumers continue an unprecedented buying surge which began last summer,” said Gene Seroka, Port of Los Angeles director.
“However, US exports continue to lag, down 25 of the last 27 months. What we’re experiencing is one-way trade, which has created challenges for the entire supply chain.”
January 2021 loaded imports reached 437,609 TEUs compared to January 2020. Loaded exports decreased 19.5% to 119,327 TEUs. Empty containers, heavily in demand in Asia, increased 14.5% compared to January 2020 reaching 278,580 TEUs.
A total of 87 cargo vessels arrived in January, including eight extra loaders, Seroka said with no cancelled sailings.
The Port of Los Angeles remained open with all terminals operational during the COVID-19 pandemic.
North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated US$276 billion in trade during 2019.


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This week, Viking announced that it would resume some river cruises in Portugal, France and along the Rhine River in July. However, the cruises will only be available to passengers vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Viking revealed five itineraries that will sail in July as part of its “Welcome Back” collection, including voyages on the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, as well as cruises on Portugal’s River of Gold, and the Seine and Rhône rivers.
“It is clear that many people are eager to get back out into the world, and I would like to thank all of our destination partners for their support as we plan our return to service,” Torstein Hagen, Viking’s chairman said in a statement. “We have been delighted to greet our first guests back on board in England this week—and we are looking forward to welcoming travelers back on board some of our European river vessels in July.”
Viking announced that it would resume some European river cruises for vaccinated passengers in July. The cruise line’s Longship is pictured on the Rhine. (Courtesy of Viking)
Viking had previously launched its “Welcome Back” cruise series with fully-vaccinated ocean voyages in the U.K., Iceland, Bermuda and the Mediterannean. The cruise line said it is “actively working on developing” more cruises to add to the series, “with the goal of announcing further 2021 sailings as soon as possible,” Viking said in its announcement.
The cruise line said it has a full health and safety program in place, which includes frequent PCR coronavirus testing of crew and passengers, other health checks, sanitization and social distancing protocols, the announcement said.


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Franchise Industry Product Announcement
Keep on top of the latest products, services, and promotions from franchise companies in all industry sectors. Discover what franchisors are offering, or will be--from new menu items, price changes, and limited offers to new services from both established and emerging brands. Keep a step ahead and make the most of your opportunities in today's competitive market.
Jamba, Inc. debuts two watermelon smoothies, the Poolside Fit™ pre-boosted with collagen and the Watermelon Breeze™.
Arooga’s is doubling down with its famous Wagyu Burgers on National Hamburger Day.
This Memorial Day weekend Kona Ice will introduce the most American way to enjoy a shaved-ice treat: a red, white and blue cup displaying the words to the Star-Spangled Banner, the country’s national anthem.
No matter which team you’re rooting for in this year’s National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, everyone can agree, team Taco Bell is a team every fan can support.
Veterans who want to own their own business can now do so with lower start-up costs, thanks to a 20 percent discount announced by ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc.
Starting today, Arby’s restaurants nationwide will offer new Pizza Sliders, featuring pepperoni, salami, melted provolone cheese and roasted garlic marinara sauce on a warm, soft slider bun.
- May 23rd, 2017
- By: Arby's
Smashburger's latest menu innovation is also its newest way to burger. For the first time in the company's history, Smashburger will include turkey burgers alongside its existing menu line of iconic burger options.
Hooters is offering all veterans and active-duty military personnel a meal on the house this Memorial Day as a sincere “thank you” for their service.
Prepare the home now before summer hits with these tips from the experts at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating®.
Marble Slab Creamery® and MaggieMoo’s® Ice Cream and Treatery are shaking up their menu offerings.
Dream Vacations A CruiseOne Company has given 25 military veterans the dream business opportunity of owning a travel agency franchise, at no cost, as part of its annual “Operation Vetrepreneur: Become Your Own General” contest.
Papa John's International is kicking off summer and grilling season by introducing a new addition to the burger-pizza lineup - the Bacon Cheddarburger Pizza - with Wisconsin Cheddar, zesty burger sauce and pickles.
Ranch lovers rejoice. Pie Five Pizza Co. has created a pizza that's everything you've dreamed of ... plus bacon!
Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh is hosting an epic, month-long celebration in honor of International Falafel Day.
Ben’s Soft Pretzels, America’s fastest growing pretzel franchise has launched its first free mobile application, available to users on Apple and Android devices in the App and Google Play stores.
Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries is ready to make company history on that day - Sunday, May 28, 2017 - with $.55 Lil’ Hamburgers in hopes of setting a record for most hamburgers sold by Hwy 55 in a single day.
Temperatures are starting to heat up outside, but this week brings one of the coolest days of the year inside Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants, as the brand serves a free taste of its newest coffee beverage, Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee.
Realogy Holdings Corp. announced that it will host the fifth annual Realogy FWD Innovation Summit (#RealogyFWD) on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 in New York City.
Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries and All Pro Eating will host 11 of the world’s fastest eaters at the World Hamburger Eating Championship at the Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh Saturday, May 20 at noon.
Cold Stone Creamery® announces a wondrous new Ice Cream flavor, Dark Chocolate Triple Berry, in honor of its partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures and the release of their action adventure film Wonder Woman.
Church’s Chicken has announced its largest giveaway ever for its Church’s Scholars Program.
The Entrepreneur’s Source® (TES), North America’s leading alternative career coaching franchise, celebrated the 5th anniversary and 32nd event of Start A Business Weekend with the most recent virtual expo which ran in March.
This summer, early education child care provider Kiddie Academy® will teach children to discover their inner courage as they learn about Amelia Earhart, Gertrude Ederle, Rosa Parks, and Katherine Switzer.
Cousins Subs® adds two ‘Hog Wild’ flavors to its menu for a limited time -
the Cubano and Wisconsin BBQ Pork.
Available starting today at all PizzaRev locations, the new Thai Chicken pizza features two distinct flavors and ingredients new to the Craft Your Own™ restaurant’s menu: Thai sizzle sauce & sweet chili chicken.
Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt® is proud to be answering the demand for an affordable, accessible and delicious option by introducing a variety of fresh squeezed juices at its locations across the country.
To the haters, the doubters and the fast food skeptics - Wendy's wishes You a Happy National Salads Month.
Golden Corral, the nation’s #1 buffet-grill chain, announced the introduction of 7-Day Brunch.
Now, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is unveiling its technology suite for the first time directly to consumers in a series of advertisements titled “Storytelling.”
Tomorrow is Dickey’s Barbecue Pit’s favorite holiday: National Barbecue Day.


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EA has set the A/NZ release of Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel for March 28.
EA used the end of 2012 as an opportunity to host its first ever Asia Showcase.
Namco Bandai has set the A/NZ release of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 for March 7.
With the original Crysis setting the benchmark for graphics and gameplay, and Crysis 2 marking the debut of the series on consoles, the stakes are high for next year’s release of Crysis 3.
When it comes to describing Fuse, Insomniac Games creative director, Brian Allgeier, says it contains the dry humor and teamwork of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and the alien weapons from District 9.
It has been a while since Agent 47 has graced the video game world with his presence.
Following its launch November 2006, the Sony’s PlayStation 3 has now sold 70 million units worldwide.
When the original Tekken Tag Tournament was released, it was a launch title for the PlayStation 2
Following the integration of GamePro content into the PC World website in December 2010, the PC World team has expanded its focus to covering the latest video game industry experts, in addition to reviewing the most recently-released gaming titles.
Sony's long-promised 3D Blu-ray update for the PS3 rolls out today, sooner than originally expected, and all it'll cost you is the time it takes to apply a firmware update.
Sony has released a minor PS3 firmware update this week that provides "additional security features," according to a post on the PlayStation Blog. However, many in the PS3 hacking community say the new update is meant to counteract system jailbreakin...
Australia's Federal Court has extended a ban on a handful of local retailers selling or importing hardware - commonly known as 'mod chips' - that allows unauthorised software to run on Sony’s PlayStation 3.
PlayStation 3 owners will finally be able to watch movies in 3D by October, Sony CEO Howard Stringer promised during his speech Wednesday at the Internationale Funkaustellung (IFA) trade show in Berlin.
Sony's PlayStation 3 mod chip lawsuit could be just the first of many gaming giant-initiated cases in Australia, according to a lawyer who defended a client against Nintendo in a similar case earlier this year.
Australia's Federal Court has slapped a temporary ban on a handful of local retailers selling or importing hardware -- commonly known as "mod chips" -- that allows unauthorised software to run on Sony's PlayStation 3.
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UK economy's recession could be WORSE than thought after construction output slumps
Hopes that the estimate of a GDP contraction in the first quarter was overly pessimistic have been shattered by new data showing construction output was even slower than feared.
The gloomy building sector figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will have a negative impact of around 0.1 per cent on GDP, which means last month's 0.2 per cent contraction could become 0.3 per cent - a stronger recession than thought.
While revised data from other parts of the economy will have a bearing on the final result, economists said the update shattered hopes that the figures will be revised back in line with other more optimistic surveys.
Building for the future? Data 'paints a very worrying picture' says economist
The total volume of construction output fell by 4.8 per cent compared with the previous quarter, down from the 3 per cent decline previously predicted, the ONS confirmed.
Infrastructure showed the largest decrease at 15.9 per cent.
The extent of the construction slump has surprised the City, while the Bank of England said the contrast with other industry figures was perplexing.
Markit chief economist Chris Williamson said: 'If these official data are correct, it paints a very worrying picture of the health of the UK economy, especially in relation to infrastructure investment.
'However, our belief is that surveys give a better guide to the underlying state of the economy and that, although far from enjoying a period of robust and sustainable growth, the country is managing to see some expansion after the weak patch seen late last year.'
However, today the European Commission predicted that, amid the slow economic recovery which lies ahead across Europe, the UK is in line for 1.7 per cent growth next year compared with an EU average of 1.3 per cent.
The Commission's spring economic forecast described UK growth as 'likely to remain subdued this year but with a brighter outlook'.
The document, analysing the economic data for all 27 member states, said of the UK: 'The overall outlook for 2012 remains uncertain but, with an anticipation of stronger real wages improving household consumption growth towards the end of the year and more stability in the UK's export markets, GDP growth is expected to remain positive at 0.5 per cent in 2012 with a further improvement in 2013 to 1.7 per cent as investment rises.'
That compares with an estimate of a 1 per cent average rise next year in the 17 eurozone countries, and a 1.3 per cent average growth rate across all 27 EU member states.
According to the figures, GDP will be stagnant this year in the EU as a whole, falling by 0.3 per cent in the eurozone, and rising by 0.5 per cent in the UK.
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Zomato on Tuesday said that it has received a show cause notice on December 26 from the Directorate General of GST Intelligence, Pune Zonal Unit, which is seeking Rs 401.70 crore from the food-tech company in tax liability for the period between October 2019 and March 31, 2022.
In a filing with the market regulator SEBI, Zomato said the amount alleged in the show cause notice is based on the sum collected by the company as delivery charges from the customers on behalf of the delivery partners during the said period.
“The Company strongly believes that it is not liable to pay any tax since the delivery charge is collected by the Company on behalf of the delivery partners. Further, in view of the contractual terms and conditions mutually agreed upon, the delivery partners have provided the delivery services to the customers and not the Company,” the company said.
In January 2022, Zomato and other food delivery companies were mandated to pay 5% GST on restaurant services they offer. Before this regime, restaurants collected and deposited the tax. The changes in the GST rules, however, did not address delivery charges.
For the uninitiated, when someone orders a food on Zomato, the bill shows the following components – item total (food price), GST and restaurant charges, delivery partner fee, and platform fee. There’s also an optional delivery partner tip component.
Zomato started charging platform fees (albeit a relatively small amount) since August 2023 as part of efforts to improve revenues. It’s worth noting that Swiggy had introduced a similar fee a few months earlier.
After turning profitable for the first time on a quarterly basis, Zomato saw its profit after tax increase by 18-fold to Rs 36 crore in the second quarter of the current fiscal year or Q2 FY24. If we compare year-on-year, the firm reported Rs 251 crore loss in Q2 FY23.
The Gurugram-based company registered a nearly 18% jump in its revenue to Rs 2,848 crore in the September quarter against Rs 2,416 crore during June quarter, according to a stock exchange filing. During the last quarter, the firm’s total revenue stood at Rs 3,060 crore including other income of Rs 212 crore.


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MADISON, Wis. – Oscar Mayer relays it is rolling out one of the largest advertising campaigns in its brand's history to support the launch of Oscar Mayer Selects – which is being billed as the first nationally available complete line of meats that have no artificial preservatives.
The new campaign ("It's Yes Food"), which was designed to be humorous and contemporary, marks a new direction for the Oscar Mayer brand as it aims to reach new consumers, according to a news release.
The new campaign includes multiple TV, print and digital executions to support the new Oscar Mayer Selects line of Hot Dogs, Cold Cuts and Bacon. This campaign marks the first time in more than 20 years that more than one category will be showcased in a TV spot and the first time multiple Oscar Mayer product categories will be featured in online banners.
Oscar Mayer explains the campaign, developed by mcgarrybowen in Chicago, uses highly relatable examples to show how the word, "no," is often times the sensible thing to say. The executions attempt to amusingly establish the prevalence of the response, "no," in daily life; then, show how easy it is to say, "yes" to the taste of Oscar Mayer Selects that have no artificial preservatives.
Over the last five years, the Oscar Mayer brand has become increasingly differentiated from its competition, according to the Landor Brand Health Update BrandAsset Valuator. Consumers reportedly find the Oscar Mayer brand to be more relevant, authentic, distinctive and straightforward.
"We know that 'no artificial preservatives' is an important attribute to consumers and, by launching Oscar Mayer Selects, we can reach new consumers by meeting this consumer need," said Tom Bick, director, marketing communications and advertising at Oscar Mayer. "We're now poking fun at the messy, imperfect moments experienced daily as we struggle to make better choices. This allows us to show that Oscar Mayer Selects is an easy and delicious choice when it comes to breakfast, lunch or dinner."
To view the new television spots, visit www.youtube.com/OscarMayer. For more information about Oscar Mayer Selects, visit www.OscarMayer.com.
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Online retail biggies such as Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon have joined hands to raise concerns regarding tax collection at source (TCS) norms under the draft model GST law.
Online retail biggies such as Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon have joined hands to raise concerns regarding tax collection at source (TCS) norms under the draft model GST law. Under TCS, e-commerce marketplaces will have to deduct a portion of the amount payable to sellers on their platform and remit it to the government.
The companies said this would result in a capital lock-down of about Rs 400 crore per annum and also discourage merchants from selling online. The draft model GST law is due to be finalised at the end of this month.
“We believe we have made a significant difference to the whole ecosystem… There are hundreds and thousands of sellers online and a lot of them are entrepreneurs, some of them are offline retailers… we have come a long way in creating this ecosystem,” Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal told reporters here at a FICCI event.
He added that the e-commerce industry believes GST is one of the most foward-looking tax initiatives and will have a transformative impact on the sector.
“This is apart from the TCS issue. Our estimate is that at current scale, Rs 400 crore per annum of capital will be locked into the system that will not be accessible to sellers and will eat into the working capital of the sellers and will deter them from coming online and listing with us,” he said.
The three companies — which are locked in intense competition for leadership of the booming Indian e-commerce market — have come together for the first time to voice their concerns on an industry issue. They, in fact, have taken potshots at one another on social media platforms like Twitter and offline.
The companies said the TCS clause is discriminatory towards online sellers and the same does not exist in the offline retail segment. Also, in the online world, it covers those operating under a marketplace model and does not cover those with an inventory model.
The companies contended that the clause, therefore, is detrimental towards e-commerce companies that have brought in billions of dollars of investment.
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“All of us are investing ahead of scale and a lot of the investment is going into building the right infrastructure and ecosystem, in training/educating sellers and bringing them online and that attracts consumers to come to our marketplaces… This flywheel has been spinning for the last few years… when the ecosystem gets excited, a lot of other industries benefit,” Amazon India Head Amit Agarwal said. He added that the TCS would be a “dampener”.
Snapdeal co-founder and CEO Kunal Bahl said “e-commerce is vociferously for GST.” “To enable the success of these small businesses, we must do. TCS goes completely against that spirit. E-commerce is at an interesting confluence of Digital India, Make in India and Start Up India… The government should seriously look at TCS as this will be serious impediment for our industry,” he said.
E-commerce still accounts for 2 per cent of consumption and is poised grow from $20 billion to $350 billion in 10 years.
By 2021, the Indian e-commerce industry is expected to have 1.3 million online sellers with 70 per cent of them coming from smaller towns, creating 10 million new jobs.


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Back in May, Campden FB and leading law firm Mishcon de Reya joined forces to launch a survey that aimed to assess what impact the current economic turmoil has had on families in business. Katie Barker reports on the latest findings
The preliminary results of the Campden FB/Mishcon de Reya survey confirm that family businesses are not escaping the effects of the recession. Forty five percent of respondents rated the current trading conditions as bad or very bad, so although family businesses are seen as being better placed to see the recession through, there is no escaping the force of this economic downturn.
"The fact that family businesses are struggling tells us this recession is a big deal. It is real and having a huge impact," said Jonathan Berman, partner in the Families in Business Group at Mishcon de Reya.
The negative trading conditions in turn cause businesses to make cutbacks, one of which is staff. Fifty five percent of respondents have had to lay off staff in the past six months, shattering the theory that family businesses can afford to keep on staff when bottom lines are threatened.
Tensions between family members are usually heightened during difficult periods, and this was reflected within the survey. Twenty six percent noted increased tensions between active and passive family shareholders, highlighting the impact that increased pressure is having on family businesses. "It is probable that passive shareholders are becoming more interfering during these difficult times and so creating tensions," speculates Berman, who has seen these problems at work first hand when working with family businesses. "Tension is often the reason Mishcon de Reya has to get involved, not just with big litigation cases, but also acting as intermediaries to help solve problems," said Berman.
On a more positive note, the economic climate also presents opportunities to those family businesses that can afford to take them. When asked if they had seen an increased opportunity to purchase companies in the last six months, 63% of respondents said yes. "This makes sense with so many businesses failing," said Berman. "Other businesses can become more predatory and potentially do very well."
Despite the difficult times very few family businesses are considering selling. Ninety percent said their preference would be to continue the business under the current ownership structure, with only 15% saying the downturn has increased the likelihood of selling the business. The principal reason given for selling the family business by 63% of respondents was receiving an offer you can't refuse. Of this statistic Berman said: "Even in this climate families are never going to sell for the wrong money. This is one of the things that sets family businesses apart."
However it is always important in business to plan for the worst-case scenario, something the survey suggests is not happening within family businesses. Seventy nine percent have not planned for the possibility of selling the family business.
The responses so far suggest family business owners are giving an honest assessment of the problems they are facing, according to Berman. "Family businesses are fragile and the results are showing that there are problems. But it is positive they are able to highlight the issues and that they want to talk about them," he said.


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SEATTLE, March 15, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Rewarded engagement company Influence Mobile today announced that Inc. Magazine has ranked it No. 28 on its third annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Pacific list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies based in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington.
The list measures growth between 2018 and 2020, during which Influence Mobile grew by 490%. This impressive growth can be traced back to the company's work ethic combined with the success of its rewarded engagement platform [E]ngageTM. This platform has allowed Influence Mobile to compete with companies like Google as one of the top five return on investment and retention ad networks on Android in North America.
"It's an incredible honor to be recognized for Influence Mobile's record growth," said Daniel Todd, founder and CEO of Influence Mobile. "Ultimately, the company's success is a tribute to our outstanding employees who are committed to innovation and ensuring our players and clients receive tremendous value from working with us. With plans to start our expansion internationally this spring, we look forward to continued growth driven by our ultimate goal of becoming the best unified rewards platform in the world."
Influence Mobile is transforming a part of the mobile ecosystem that has largely remained untapped: rewards through advertising. As one of the only rewarded engagement providers, Influence Mobile has a proven track record of success both supporting app developers and publishers like Scopely, Playtika and Peak Games as well as mobile gamers looking to earn high-value rewards.
Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals Pacific, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at inc.com/pacific.
"This year's Inc. 5000 Regional winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of America's off-the-charts growth companies. They're disruptors and job creators, and all delivered an outsize impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies you'll be hearing about for years to come," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc.
About Influence Mobile
Founded in 2012, Influence Mobile is a rewarded gaming platform that entices and nurtures high-value mobile gamers by engaging them with relevant rewards. With its owned and operated apps, including Rewarded Play, the GooglePlay Store's top rewarded gaming app in the US, Influence Mobile boasts a community of highly-engaged players that create ongoing value for its growing list of clients.
More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals
The 2022 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2018 and 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2018 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.
About Inc. Media
The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multi-platform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent.
The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
Allie Razo, Influence Mobile, +1 (419) 349-2558, [email protected]
SOURCE Influence Mobile


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Massive iPhone 6 Sales Help Apple Smash Profit Records
Coming off a better-than-expected holiday season, tech giant Apple brought in an estimated $74.6 billion in revenue in one quarter.
The most profitable quarter of any company ever. Let that sink in. Coming off a better-than-expected holiday season, tech giant Apple made a record $18 billion profit from an estimated $74.6 billion in revenue in one quarter.
That's more money than the worldwide coffee industry will generate in a year.
And while sales for the iPad have continued to fall this quarter, it is still performing better than any other tablet on the market. That means you, Samsung Galaxy, Amazon Kindle Fire and Lenovo Yoga. Apple still controls more than 20 percent of the tablet market.
US infiltrates big ransomware gang: 'We hacked the hackers'
Officials said the targeted syndicate, known as Hive, is among the world's top five ransomware networks and has heavily targeted health care.By Jose Luis Magana / AP
Where Gen Z gets its news: Social media
A 2022 poll shows network and cable TV news came in fifth and sixth place, with newspapers dead last.By Martin Meissner / AP
Next Level: AI art is almost human, but fueled by unwilling artists
What are the ethical, legal and moral boundaries of creating AI-generated content from other people's works?By Scripps News
Protests erupt following release of video of Tyre Nichols' beating
The protesters said they intend to remain peaceful, but they wanted to express their support for Nichols and their disgust for the police.By Gerald Herbert / AP
Minnesota man builds impressive 30-foot-tall snowman in his yard
It's so big that his nose is a traffic cone!By Scripps News
Tyre Nichols remembered as beautiful soul with creative eye
Tyre Nichols died after an encounter with police in Memphis after they pulled him over on Jan. 7.By Nichols family / AP


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Almost a year ago, cannabis firm Tilray (NASDAQ: TLRY) went public to much fanfare. Within just around 50 days of trading, the stock had propelled almost 800% as investors rushed in to take advantage of the possibilities weed legalization would offer.
The mad rush towards cannabis stocks seems to have ended a year since then, with the industry more stabilized today. Thanks to the rising competition and the better understanding on the challenges facing the industry, marijuana investors have become more choosy and performance-driven.
When Calgary, Alberta-based weed firm Sundial Growers (NASDAQ: SNDL) went public on August 1, investor response was relatively muted. Priced at $11, the stock closed lower at the end of the first day at $8.48. It picked up slightly since, but is currently trading around the same level as its offer price.
Two weeks into its stock market debut, Sundial on Wednesday posted its second-quarter financial results. It reported net revenues of $19.3 million, essentially placing itself in the elite list of top 10 weed firms.
The company, which has operations in both Canada and the UK, said it sold 4,700 kg of marijuana in the three months ending June 30, a 14-fold sequential increase.
Sundial also cut down its losses sequentially from $16.7 million in the first quarter to $12.4 million in the second. Adjusted EBITDA loss came in at $0.5 million, narrower than $5.5 million in the prior sequential quarter.
The company, which has an indoor growing space spanning over 300,000 square feet in Alberta, received approval from Health Canada two months back, to add extra licensed space of 115,000 square feet.
The company made two major acquisitions in the past two months, with a focus on production ramp-up. The first is a UK-based edible herbs supplier Bridge Farm Group, which is expected to boost Sundial’s CBD products sale in Europe.
The company has also bought a 50% interest in Pathway Rx, a company that uses machine learning and other advanced technology to identify treatments from cannabis strains.
The acquisitions underpin Sundial’s long-term growth plans; so if you are in search of cheaper weed stocks that have the potential to rise, you might be looking at one.
The recent optimism about economic recovery waned slightly this week after jobless claims increased more-than-expected to about 778,000 amid concerns over a resurgence in coronavirus cases. With the healthcare system
Yunji Inc. (NASDAQ: YJ) Q3 2020 earnings call dated Nov. 26, 2020 Corporate Participants: Kaye Liu -- Investor Relations Director Shanglue Xiao -- Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer Chen
Amazon Web Services (AWS), a leading cloud computing platform, went down in the morning hours of Wednesday. Many applications – including Anchor, Adobe Spark, Flickr, SiriusXM and Roku reported disruption


text: With the States legalizing recreational marijuana, and many other states having legalized medical marijuana now is the time for a full country wide legalization! States like Washington and Colorado have had “weed” legalized for some time now with no shown ill effects. In the year of 2014 Colorado brought in $3,002,000 in tax dollars just from legalizing marijuana. This money could go to building better schools, roads, or whatever else the state may need. Also, by legalizing marijuana it gets it off the streets and makes the buying process safer for individuals and the community. Not only do we have these benefits, but the actual cost of buying from a retail store has not increased the cost to the buyer which keeps legalization competitive with underground markets. Many presidential candidates have said that they will legalize at federal level, and rightly so!


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A local non-profit animal rescue organization in Southwest Florida is hosting a designer purse auction to support their efforts in rescuing and rehabilitating animals in need. The auction will feature a variety of high-end designer purses donated by individuals and local businesses. Proceeds from the event will go towards medical expenses, food, and supplies for rescued animals. The organization hopes to raise awareness about animal welfare and continue their mission to provide a safe and loving home for animals in Southwest Florida.
Designer purse auction benefits animals in SWFL
Every year, an exciting event takes place in Southwest Florida that raises money for a great cause. The Designer Purse Auction is an event that not only benefits fashion enthusiasts, but also helps to support the well-being of animals in the community. This annual event attracts hundreds of attendees who come to bid on authentic designer purses, enjoy live music, and take part in a variety of activities – all while raising money for a worthy cause.
Raising money for animal shelters
The Designer Purse Auction has been held for several years now, and it continues to grow in popularity each year. While many people may attend the event for the chance to win a high-end designer purse, the true purpose of the event is to raise money for animal shelters in Southwest Florida. All proceeds from the event go directly to local animal shelters.
Creating awareness of animal welfare issues
In addition to raising funds for animal shelters, the Designer Purse Auction helps to create awareness of animal welfare issues in Southwest Florida. The organizers of the event work hard to educate attendees about the importance of animal rescue and adoption, and they remind people that there are many animals in the community who are in need of loving homes.
Building community support for animal rescues
Another important aspect of the Designer Purse Auction is that it helps to build support for animal rescues in the community. By bringing together people who care about animals, the event helps to create a sense of community and solidarity around this important cause. The more people who are involved in animal rescue efforts, the more effective those efforts are likely to be.
Encouraging fashion-forward and animal-friendly choices
Finally, the Designer Purse Auction encourages attendees to make fashion-forward and animal-friendly choices. All of the purses that are auctioned off at the event are authentic designer bags, but they are all cruelty-free. In other words, none of the purses are made from leather or other animal products. By choosing to bid on these purses, attendees are able to make a fashion statement while supporting a cause that is close to their hearts.
In conclusion, the Designer Purse Auction is an event that benefits not only fashion enthusiasts, but also animals in Southwest Florida. By raising money for animal shelters, creating awareness of animal welfare issues, building community support for animal rescues, and encouraging fashion-forward and animal-friendly choices, this event is making a positive impact on the community. If you are a fashion lover who also cares about animals, be sure to attend the next Designer Purse Auction and show your support for this important cause.


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The tide has changed for cannabis in the U.S., and the beverage alcohol industry is noticing—and increasingly, getting in on the game. Cannabis sales in the U.S. are expected to reach $16.2 billion in 2021, with cannabis beverage sales comprising $1 billion of that, according to BDS Analytics.
These blockbuster sales come as cannabis legalization spreads; only three states—Idaho, Kansas, and Nebraska—lack some form of legal cannabis, according to the National Cannabis Industry Association. New Jersey and Arizona, among others, passed adult recreational use of cannabis this past November, and New York is poised to be next.
While past studies have been mixed on whether cannabis legalization impacts alcohol sales, health and wellness have increasingly become consumer priorities, and 81 percent of cannabis consumers believe that cannabis is safer than alcohol, according to a New Frontier Data survey. Many alcohol companies have been hedging their bets and making significant investments in cannabis—specifically, the cannabis beverage space.


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GWANGJU, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – The Gwangju Metropolitan City declared it will aggressively foster an eco-friendly hydrogen fuel cell automobile industry as its core and strategic industry, according to the sixth largest city in South Korea.
With an aim to take the lead in the eco-friendly hydrogen auto industry, Gwangju already laid out plans to foster the hydrogen vehicle industry and put them into practice; The plans included developing technologies involved in the field, installing a city-wide charging stations for hydrogen-powered cars, and providing commercially available hydrogen cars.
As part of the “action plan,” the metropolitan city established a state-of-the-art charging station at Jingok Industrial Complex in which an infrastructure for clean-diesel vehicle components was built and the station is under the test operation.
Unlike an electronic vehicle, once a hydrogen vehicle is charged, it can run 415km, so it is known as an eco-friendly future vehicle suitable for long-haul driving.
According to the global trend of regulations on environment, eco-friendly hydrogen cars have emerged as promising alternatives for conventional cars, and Gwangju has put its emphasis on supporting the local auto components industry and the relevant technologies development.
“We will take the lead in the field of the eco-friendly next-generation cars, hydrogen cars, as stepping up our effort in establishing the Gwangju Auto Valley, our core and strategic business as well as one of the president’s pledges,” an official of the city said.
By Eugene Yu (email@example.com)


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Pssst…your child’s favorite cartoons on Nickelodeon aren’t as cute and innocent as they look. In fact, they’re quite guilty of teaching your child to want junk food and to pester you for these unhealthy products. They’re making your child believe that junk foods are “kids’ food” and that’s what they’re supposed to be eating. Quite simply, your efforts to raise a healthy child are being undermined by corporate interests.
With one in three children overweight or obese, kids’ entertainment companies should not be exploiting the love that children have for their characters nor parents’ trust that they support children’s best interests by promoting unhealthy foods to their young fans. Yet, your child’s favorite Nickelodeon characters, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, are used to make unhealthy foods like imitation fruit snacks, Popsicles, PEZ candy, Cheese Nips crackers, and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese more attractive to children. Nickelodeon and NickToons routinely advertise unhealthy foods like Cocoa Puffs, Air Heads candies, Chuck E. Cheese's, and Fruit Roll-Ups. And Viacom’s children’s websites, including Nick.com and Neopets.com, have more unhealthy food advertising than any other children’s entertainment sites. Even Nick Jr. and NickJr.com accept advertising to preschoolers.
There’s an abundance of research that shows that food advertising affects children’s food choices, food purchase requests, diets, and health. According to the American Psychological Association, companies should not advertise to children under 8 years old because they are unable to understand the persuasive intent of advertisements. And advertising on the internet is more difficult to defend against. Even many 12-year-olds do not recognize advertising in the form of entertaining games and videos on their favorite websites. Nickelodeon is preying on the vulnerability of our children and pushing products that make them sick and set them up for a lifetime of unhealthy eating habits.
Earlier this month than 80 health groups, doctors, and nutritionists sent a letter urging Nickelodeon and its parent company, Viacom, to adopt stricter standards for its marketing to children. The letter, coordinated by the Food Marketing Workgroup and addressed to Viacom’s president and CEO Philippe Dauman and Nickelodeon’s president Cyma Zarghami, acknowledges that Nickelodeon has taken some steps to limit food marketing to children but that it’s not enough.
“We appreciate Nickelodeon's efforts to promote healthy lifestyles to children,” stated the letter. “However, such efforts are insufficient given the magnitude of the problem. Your public service announcements, philanthropic activities and partnerships with children's groups do not counterbalance the effect of Nickelodeon's core business and children's exposure to food marketing. The mix of Nickelodeon's marketing remains out of balance, doing more to promote unhealthy than healthy eating."
Another leading children’s entertainment company, the Walt Disney Company, recently implemented standards aimed to reduce junk food marketing to kids so why can’t Nickelodeon do the same?
As parents, we do have power. Here’s our opportunity to put pressure on Nickelodeon to make change. I really like what Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, said in her blog, Food Politics, “Short of regulation, public pressure might be just what’s needed to encourage Nickelodeon—and food companies—to stop marketing junk foods to kids. We can make a difference – we just need to take action.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has organized a letter-writing campaign to pressure Nickelodeon to adopt nutrition standards when it comes to food marketing. I urge you to take part in it. We owe it to our children. Together we can make a difference!


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New Indian Express, October 28, 2020
A Joint Committee of Parliament issued a notice on Wednesday calling representatives of telecom operators Reliance Jio and Airtel and cab aggregators Ola and Uber to depose before it on the issue of data security.
The committee, chaired by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, is examining the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019.
According to the notice, representatives of Reliance Jio Infocomm and Jio Platforms have been called to depose before the panel on two different sittings on November 4.
Representatives of Ola and Uber have been called to appear before the panel the next day.
Representatives of Airtel and Truecaller are scheduled to depose before the panel separately on November 6.
Representatives of social media giants Facebook and Twitter and e-commerce major Amazon have already deposed before the panel.
Google and Paytm are scheduled to appear before the panel on October 29.
The Personal Data Protection Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on December 11, 2019.
The bill seeks to provide for protection of personal data of individuals and establishment of a data protection authority for the same.
The bill was later referred to a joint select committee of both Houses of Parliament.
The proposed law seeks bar on storing and processing of personal data by entities without the explicit consent of an individual.
This news can also be viewed at:


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is a niche platform that will focus on documenting business culture in South Africa.
The platform is aimed towards the youth of South Africa, but anyone with a smartphone or that is active on social media can access the content.
Key factors of Andile Mathobela include:
- Mathobela is the co-founder and founding editor of one of the leading digital youth magazines in South Africa, Zkhiphani.com.
- He previously launched TheJournalistDJ.com dance culture magazine in 2020.
- He started a spiritual platform called VumaniBo.com in 2021
Mathobela says that he aims to create one of the biggest digital publishing companies in Africa.
According to Mathobela, he sold his shares at Zkhiphani
— after it was acquired by M&N Brands holding company — succeeding in building the platform over a period of ten years. This is because he saw that there are more opportunities in developing focused content hubs.
"I think there is a gap in the market for a business lifestyle magazine. Younger South Africans are starting to build really cool businesses and this platform is here to document their stories," concludes Mathobela.
Mathobela plans on launching several more platforms over the next couple of months.
For more information, visit www.kebusy.com
. You can also follow KeBusy.com
or on Instagram


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Around a decade ago second generation Suzuki Swift was launched in Pakistan. This was a huge success by the company as it was sold very much. Therefore, the company is still selling it avoiding the introduction of third-generation.
New Swift models
In August 2021, the company will stop manufacturing first-generation cars.
By the mid of the year 2021, the company is going to expose new Swift models. However, it will be on sale towards the end of the year.
The company has yet not revealed any specification regarding the car. It is supposed that the car will have an engine of K12M that is about 1.2 liters. It is naturally articulated. It has a 5-speed manual and auto gears. Moreover, it will also be sold in Africa and India with the same engine power.
Suzuki Swift has huge fame all over the state. It is going to earn more fame with the launch of the new Swift model. All the old cars are loved and the new ones are going to be sold greatly.


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Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, which in January ran apology adverts in newspapers for selling beefburgers that contained horse meat, ran a two-page national press campaign with the headline “What burgers have taught us”.
The ad campaign said that the problems that have arisen with meat is “about more than burgers and bolognese”. “It’s about some of the ways we get meat to your dinner table. It’s about the whole food industry,” it added.
The Advertising Standards Authority received two complaints, one from an independent butcher, that the ad was misleading in implying that there were issues with meat standards across the whole food industry.
Tesco said that the ad was designed to show that it was serious about the horsemeat issue and was listening to the public. It ended with the line: “We know that our supply chain is too complicated. So we’re making it simpler … Seriously. This is it. We are changing.”
The company said that although not everyone in the food industry had been implicated in selling horsemeat, each time testing was rolled out into another sector further meat contamination had been found.
The ASA said that the ad featured words such as “we” and “our” to focus on Tesco – but had omitted them in the line “It’s about the whole food industry” – which gave consumers a different understanding of the rest of the ad.
“Therefore, we concluded consumers would understand the ad referenced all food retailers and suppliers, rather than Tesco alone,” said the ASA.
“Because the ad implied that all retailers and suppliers were likely to have sold products contaminated with horse meat, and because relatively few instances of contamination had been identified at the time the ad appeared, we concluded the ad was misleading.”
The ASA banned the ad campaign.


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Nissan took its sweet time, but after 12 years the latest-generation Z coupe is just about ready for the big time
Perhaps Nissan has had a lot on its plate lately, with a former president engulfed in an arrest and trial case, and a failing luxury arm to worry about. So we can understand why a halo sports car sat somewhere near the bottom of the to-do list. However Nissan has finally got around to it, unveiling a much anticipated concept car which previews the next-generation Z coupe.
The current 370Z has been around since 2008, which makes it archaic in the sports car segment and a successor has been rumoured for ages. According to Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida, the wait is nearly over.
“The Z represents the joy of driving in its purest form and has helped shape Nissan’s DNA as a passionate, innovative challenger,” he said. “Ever since the first generation, it has captured the hearts of car enthusiasts all over the world. That’s why we’re so excited today to be able to say to them: Yes, the next one is coming!”
In a tribute pearlescent yellow harking back to the 1969 original, the new Nissan Z Proto concept pays plenty of acclaim to its predecessors. The sloping bonnet, squared off grille, and teardrop LEDs are all cues taken right off the original Z cars. At the back, inspiration came from the 300ZX represented in a blacked-out LED strip running across the width of the car. Details include carbon fibre side skirts, carbon fibre front spoiler, 19-inch wheels, and big, dual exhausts.
Going up against competing sports cars like the Toyota Supra, the next Nissan Z will feature a 3.0-litre V6 shared with the Infiniti range. Twin-turbocharging could ensure around 400 horsepower, and Nissan is committing to a six-speed manual transmission, while Toyota doesn’t offer one in the latest A90 Supra. With dimensions almost identical to the Supra, the old rivalry should play out interestingly.
Inside the Z Proto, the concept car looks ready to hit the showroom, with a deep-dish three-spoke steering wheel and a digital 12.3-inch driver’s instrument cluster. An additional touchscreen sits in the middle of the dash and analogue clocks show you boost pressure, voltage, and for some reason turbine rpm.
Nissan isn’t being entirely clear about the new Z’s vehicle platform or chassis specifications, but chief product specialist Hiroshi Tamura seems fired up: “Z is more than just powerful and agile,” he said. “It is designed to create a connection with the driver, for the car to be a ‘dance partner’ for their on-road adventures.”