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Chilled fish sales stay steady, meat and poultry slows
Growth in sales of fresh meat and poultry slowed in the four weeks to 6 September while Brits took advantage of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Both fresh primary (6.0%) and fresh processed meat and poultry (6.4%) recorded single digit growth rates for the first time since February.
Chilled fish – which had been out of the limelight during the COVID-19 crisis - saw stronger sales over the most recent four weeks, growing 7.7%, up from 6.9% in previous four weeks. Smoked fish and shellfish especially played key roles in this – together accounting for half of the gains for chilled fish, as people are increasingly choosing foods to consume in-home for health reasons.
Marcelina Fedczyszyn, consumer insight director, Kantar, said: “Eating for health reasons at home came more to the fore in the lead up to Eat Out To Help Out - consumers looking to get their ‘5-a-day’ played a key role in the resurgence.
“This will be vital to track as we head into the darker, cooler months when consumer choices are traditionally driven less by health and when there’s no longer an incentive to eat out.”
A total of 53.7 million more visits to out-of-home venues were made by Brits in the five weeks to 6 September compared with the previous five weeks, as consumers chose to treat themselves, spending more than usual.
“Consumers took the opportunity to indulge when dining out. Spend per trip increased for main meals despite the discount which came with Eat Out to Help Out,” explained Lucy Chapman, strategic insight director, Kantar.
Despite the surge in eating out, the impressive lockdown growth for fresh sausages (12.1%) and bacon (10.3%) continued throughout August. Another traditional favourite, fresh red meat roasts, continued on a solid run too, registering 11.3% sales growth in the latest four weeks, led by beef roasts attracting 220,000 more shoppers. Fresh lamb (10.5%) continued its recovery since the Easter slump, attracting more shoppers for mince, chops and steaks.
Attentions begin now to turn to the all-important Christmas season. Andy Crossan, strategic insight director, Kantar, commented: “Smaller, more intimate Christmas eating occasions await us this year as it stands, so planning purchases is likely to be key for many - especially older – shoppers.
“This could present more opportunities for frozen meats to play a role in saving shoppers from having to go in-store late in the Christmas season. More manageable, smaller cuts which proved popular for Christmas 2019 are likely to gain traction too.”


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The Port of Rotterdam is considering building a green corridor with Singapore as a rising number of countries explore to test environmentally friendly maritime lanes.
Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority said in a recent maritime podcast that Rotterdam is working to launch green corridors with ports that have similar infrastructure, technology, and operational guidelines as the European gateway."
"We are and we will," Castelein said when asked about Rotterdam pursuing green corridors. "You can imagine that yes, from a point to point perspective, a very efficient green corridor could be created between Singapore and Rotterdam to shuttle back and forth cargo with both ports having the same infrastructure but also the same technology, the same rules regulations, operational guidelines, safety precautions."
"We try and reach out to like-minded and presumably advanced ports and Singapore is one of them and one of the exciting ideas that we have is to create a green corridor between Singapore and Rotterdam for particular cargo and particular liners," he added.
Should the plan pushes through, the green corridor being eyed will connect the Port of Rotterdam — Europe's busiest port — with Singapore, one of the world's busiest container transshipment ports and also the number two busiest container port next to Port of Shanghai in China.
Both ports are vital in the Asia-Europe trade lane.
Castelein said in the podcast that the port will work together with their Singapore counterparts and stakeholders in the industry to fast-track the piloting of the planned green corridor sooner.
"I'm very excited about that opportunity and we will work very hard together with our colleagues in Singapore and the various liners to start piloting that sooner rather than later," he said.
Green shipping corridors
Last April, the United States unveiled a framework document pushing forward domestic and international green shipping corridors as part of its efforts to decarbonise maritime shipping in support of goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
In November 2021, the US signed a declaration setting up green shipping corridors or zero-emission maritime routes between two or more ports along with 18 other countries to push shipping decarbonisation.
Last January, the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Shanghai created the first Transpacific green shipping corridor in one of the world's busiest container shipping routes.

domain: news


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NANA has put together an outline of the latest financial support package announced by the NSW Government covering the New Small Business Support Program, Eligibility conditions and the Amount of the support payment
TAFE NSW has advised NANA they are offering an extensive range of fee free courses which will be useful to small businesses and their staff. Some courses will be suitable for managers and owners of Newsagencies whilst others may be better suited to employees. TAFE offers quality, accredited and recognised training utilising the latest […]
The NSW Government has announced hospitality and retail businesses will be able to apply for a grant of up to $20,000 to compensate for the loss of perishable stock, or claim $10,000 for reduced capacity to sell non-perishable items, if they’re forced to close their doors between 1 December 2021 to 31 January 2022, due […]
The NSW Government has a range of resources and guidance available to Newsagencies which may be subject to a linked COVID-19 case. Closure of the business premises is not automatic and the decision to close will be based on a number of considerations. The NSW Government has a range of resources and guidance available to […]
As the number of Local Government Areas designated as “areas of concern” increase, Newsagents MUST prepare for any increase in restrictions which might suddenly apply to their businesses.


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CLEVELAND — Inflation has effected so many things, but now sushi restaurants having to make changes due to the increased price of seafood.
“A lot of the popular items like the tuna, scallops, and crab that goes in the California roll, those items are up 20% to almost 60%,” said CEO of Sora, Alex Di Iorio.
Seafood is in just about every sushi roll you can think of at Sora, whether served sliced or rolled, but with the change in costs across the board, Di Iorio says they have had to get creative to ensure the quality isn’t lost.
“We look at the dish in its entirety and think okay, well what can we do to either save money on this dish or make it more valuable?” Di Iorio said. “Are we able to make an ingredient substitution that accomplishes the same flavor profile?”
They are not alone. Johnathan Ernest, Assistant Professor of Economics in the School of Management at Case Western Reserve, says the increased price of seafood is just one piece of the nationwide increase.
“Lots of different products have become much more expensive,” said Ernest, attributing the increases to a broken supply chain, increased price of gas and/or more money in the economy.
“So if we double the number of dollars and have the same amount of goods, then essentially everything’s just going to cost twice as much more eventually,” said Ernest.
But Ernest believes “eventually” won’t be too far off.
“So we shouldn’t expect prices to continue rising, you know, 10% year over year for a long period of time going forward,” he said.
Businesses like Sora keep pushing through. Di Iorio says they will continue to provide the same quality for the same price, even with the increase in costs.
“In the short term yes, we’re taking it on the chin a little bit in terms of profit, but that’s for a much bigger game,” he said. “I would rather make less money selling to more guests than make more money selling to fewer guests.”
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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SmarTone has become the latest Hong Kong carrier to participate in Hang Seng Bank’s NFC mobile payments service. SmarTone subscribers join PCCW Mobile, 1010 and One2Free customers in being able to store their Hang Seng MasterCard on an Android NFC phone and use it to make payments at more than 3,000 Hong Kong merchants.
- Lyle & Scott creates contactless payment jacket with bPay
- Android Pay will launch ‘very soon’
- RBC gets Secure Cloud payments patent
- Google ‘shut down’ beacon project
- Singapore commuters trial wristband payments


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U.S. equities continue to drift aimlessly just below the Dow Jones Industrial Average‘s 50-day moving average, with two-month support confirmed repeatedly near the 18,000 level.
Yet, below the surface, as market breadth narrows, a growing number of stocks are rolling over to the downside. Included on the list are several consumer-focused names, many of which have reported disappointing earnings or guidance this week.
The context for all this is growing evidence that the American consumer is cooling their heels. A combination of energy price inflation (higher gas prices), higher healthcare expenses and lingering uncertainty about the health of the job market are conspiring to pinch confidence and snap wallets shut.
As a result, the selling pressure against consumer stocks is likely to continue. Keep an eye on these five stocks for further downside pressure.
Consumer Stocks to Sell: Groupon (GRPN)
Groupon Inc (NASDAQ:GRPN) is suffering a 20%-plus decline on Thursday, taking the stock back to its 200-day moving average for the first time since July, collapsing unceremoniously out of a three-month consolidation range above $5.
This after the company reported better-than-expected earnings and revenues for the third quarter and raised its forward guidance. North American revenue was up 4%.
Investors seem to be getting cold feet about the company’s turnaround plan, including the acquisition of LivingSocial, a change to the equity structure, and narrowing its geographic footprint. The company will next report results on Jan. 25 after the bell.
Consumer Stocks to Sell: GNC (GNC)
Fitness nutrition retailer GNC Holdings (NYSE:GNC) is suffering a 24% decline on Thursday, taking shares below the $16 threshold for the first time since going public in 2011. That fully reverses the company’s much heralded near-300% post-IPO surge and continues the downtrend that started in August 2015.
The company reported weaker-than-expected earnings and revenues Thursday morning, with earnings of 59 cents per share missing estimates by 12 cents while sales dropped 8.1% from last year as people are simply buying less protein powder.
Personally, I find Muscle Milk cheaper at Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN).
Consumer Stocks to Sell: Under Armour (UA)
Under Armour Inc (NYSE:UA), which was supposed to be the second coming of Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), has plunged below its 200-week moving average for the first time since 2010 (yep, six years ago), dropping more than 18% this week after management warned of slowing growth.
Despite reporting a quarterly earnings and revenue beat, the market focused on this tepid guidance and the avalanche of analyst downgrades that followed.
The consensus is that the company will need to buckle down and invest in new talent and infrastructure to keep its competitive edge, something that will weigh on profit margins going forward. In other words: The onetime fast-growing upstart has entered middle age.
Consumer Stocks to Sell: Whirlpool (WHR)
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) shares have dropped to February levels, down nearly 25% from the highs set this summer after reporting a top- and bottom-line miss and lowering forward guidance earlier this week. Earnings of $3.66 per share was 19 cents below estimates on a 0.5% drop in revenues year-over-year.
Management noted they were operating in a “challenging external environment,” but believes the softness in U.S. demand is temporary. Investors, apparently, believe otherwise.
The company will next report results on Jan. 26 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of $4.33 per share on revenues of $5.6 billion.
Consumer Stocks to Sell: Macy’s (M)
Macy’s Inc (NYSE:M) shares look ready to drop out of a three-month consolidation range, with another test of critical support near $35 likely, putting the five-month rebound out of the May lows at risk.
Investors are apparently expressing caution about retailers heading into the holiday shopping season. The company was also recently downgraded by analysts at Credit Suisse on doubts about the execution of a new operations and merchandising strategy outlined in August.
The company will next report results on Nov. 9 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of 41 cents per share on revenues of $5.7 billion.
Anthony Mirhaydari is founder of the Edge and Edge Pro investment advisory newsletters. A two-week and four-week free trial offer has been extended to InvestorPlace readers.


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A lot can happen in a week when it comes to tech. The constant onslaught of news makes it nigh impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of this week’s top 10 tech stories, from what those revelations about the CIA’s hacking capabilities mean for you to a flying car — it’s all here.
If you rolled your eyes when you read about Airbus’s plan for a futuristic flying car last year, then you’ll be surprised at what showed up at the Geneva Motor Show this week. The aerospace giant unveiled a wickedly cool design for its ambitious “” transportation system, an autonomous concept comprising three separate modules.
If you have an Android phone and this week’s revelations about the CIA’s hacking capabilities have you worried, we have some good news. On Thursday, Google told members of the press that many of the exploits and vulnerabilities mentioned in the report have been patched in subsequent versions of Android.
“As we’ve reviewed the documents, we’re confident that security updates and protections in both Chrome and Android already shield users from many of these alleged vulnerabilities,” said Heather Adkins, Google’s director of information security and privacy
If you’re fan of classic cartoons, or your kids have yet to discover the hilarious delights of the shows that had you chuckling when you were a tot, then you might want to hear about a new online streaming service. Launching in the coming weeks, Time Warner’s new stand-alone video-on-demand service will offer much of the fabulous cartoon work created by Hanna-Barbera, Looney Tunes, and MGM that stretches back decades.
IBM said on Wednesday that it has created the world’s smallest magnet by using a single atom. While you may ask what would be the point, consider that hard drives rely on magnetism to store data on their spinning discs. These drives are capable of using around 100,000 atoms to store a single bit of data. But with IBM’s new magnetic atom, one bit of data can be stored per atom, opening the door to new storage possibilities.
The most valuable commodity in Silicon Valley is a new idea. Now a new book by Fortune reporter Leigh Gallagher aims to tell the inside story of one of the Valley’s most remarkable success stories: Airbnb. Digital Trends recently caught up with Gallagher in New York to talk about how she landed the inside scoop in her latest book, The Airbnb Story.
Smartphones are everywhere now, and for many of us they serve as a constant companion. They keep us continually connected, filling gaps in our day, entertaining us, and demanding our attention with a string of notifications. Because they offer a convenient alternative to face-to-face conversations, and at times they butt into our chats directly, there’s a growing realization that they may be killing the art of conversation.
Green has long been the color of nature and envy, even if it’s also associated with money and traffic lights int he modern world. Now however, some researchers think there may be another use for it as a potential pain reliever. University of Arizona professor Mohab Ibrahim was first inspired to undertake the study by his brother’s seemingly unusual treatment for his headaches.
Emma Watson has come a long way since her Harry Potter days. If your memory of Watson as the 9-year-old just beginning her acting career in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is hazy, Jimmy Kimmel was kind enough to offer a reminder. When the actress recently appeared on his show, he screened an outtake from the film that shows an old, bad habit of hers.
Fidget Cube has inevitably been followed by a number of other crowdfunding campaigns designed to appeal to the twitchy fingers of those who supported it. One was a fidget pen called Think Ink, which combines a titanium pen exterior with a number of tactile elements for distracted fingers to play with. It hit more than quadruple its funding target. But is this really a thing — or is the idea that a distracting toy can actually help us just a pseudoscientific marketing ploy?
I want my apartment to be smart, but I don’t want it to look stupid. That is, I don’t mind having a digital frame on display, but I don’t want the cord hanging down the wall, calling attention to the fact that it’s a digital frame. To get a few ideas on how to hide some of the tech in my apartment, I asked Mya McDuffie from online interior design site Havenly for help.


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Only a few years ago, many in the mainstream media seemed intent on writing the obituary for the SUV. Those reports, like those of the death of Mark Twain, were “greatly exaggerated.” Well, maybe not. The traditional SUV definitely isn’t dead, but more and more manufacturers are migrating away from classic truck-based ute designs to lighter, more fuel-efficient car-based crossover-utilities.
The latest to do so is the newly-updated Nissan Pathfinder, the concept version making its debut this week at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. A production version will reach showrooms later this year, following in the treadmarks of domestic competitors Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The alternative should have a big payoff, Nissan officials tell TheDetroitBureau, with the 2013 Pathfinder expected to yield about 25% better mileage than the outgoing, truck-based SUV. While the maker declined to provide hard numbers for the new truck, the current offering gets about 16 mpg in the EPA Combined rating.


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LOVELAND, Colo. — Root Shoot Malting is donating up to 16,000 pounds of corn to Colorado distilleries to make hand sanitizer to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. The maltster has donated more than 7,500 pounds to-date for hand sanitizer efforts to Ballmer Peak Distillery, Big Fat Pastor Spirits, Conflagration Distilling, Denver Distillery, Golden Moon Distillery, Idlewild Spirits Distillery, Molly Brown Distillery, Rocker Spirits, and The Block Distilling Co., with more to come.
Among these efforts is Ballmer Peak Distillery’s donation of bulk hand sanitizer to healthcare providers, assisted living facilities, and other first responders. Ballmer Peak is also sharing 4 oz. portions of sanitizer with customers. Golden Moon Distillery is donating hand sanitizer to first responders and organizations such as the Golden Police and Fire Departments, Golden Civic Foundation, Colorado State Patrol, the Colorado Department of Revenue, and Kaiser Permanente. Firefighter-owned Conflagration Distilling is donating their supply to their local fire department as well. Molly Brown Distillery partnered up with WeldWerks to create more than 275 gallons of hand sanitizer that the Root Shoot crew helped package— more than 2000 500mL bottles of branded sanitizer in all that will go to essential businesses.
The companies involved in these hand sanitizer efforts have been receptive, gracious, and dedicated to making a difference in their communities. “We are incredibly thankful to partner with both Root Shoot and Molly Brown Distillery to produce even more desperately needed sanitizer for our Front Range communities,” says Neil Fisher the Co-Owner, Head Brewer of WeldWerks Brewing Co. “Thanks to our partnership, we will be able to fulfill a much greater percentage of the backlog of requests we have received from first responders, hospitals, medical professionals, senior care facilities and essential businesses in our communities.”
“We saw an opportunity to partner with our Colorado distillers, and more importantly the folks that are receiving the hand sanitizer,” adds Emily Olander of Root Shoot Malting. “With our surplus of corn from last year’s harvest, we didn’t think twice about a donation to help support.”
About Root Shoot Malting
Root Shoot Malting’s family of farmers grow, harvest and malt the finest grains to give brewers and distillers high-quality taste in every glass. Opened in 2016 on 1,500 acres of Olander Farms’ irrigated land in Loveland, Colorado, Root Shoot harvests alfalfa, wheat, corn, rye, and barley. Root Shoot gives breweries and distilleries the ability to procure local, consistent and high quality craft products. Find this craft maltster online at rootshootmalting.com.
For More Information: radcraftbeer.com/covid19/root-shoot-hand-sanitizer


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In six months, one fifth of all mobile broadband deals will feature a 30-day contract, as ISPs respond to the economic climate, says Top 10 Broadband.
The broadband comparison site says it has seen a rise in short and no-contract home broadband deals, which allow users to give just 30 days notice to swap to another ISP, over the past few months and expects the mobile broadband market to follow suit.
Jessica McArdle, marketing manager at Top 10 Broadband said: "One-month mobile broadband deals are soaring in popularity during the current recession as wary users are shunning long-term broadband contracts in favour of 'light' commitments".
O2 is currently the only UK ISP offering mobile broadband on a 30-day contract, however Top 10 Broadband expects the other providers to roll-out similar offerings very soon.
"Last year, mobile broadband changed the UK broadband industry forever; now with new one-month deals, mobile broadband is continuing to cause game-changing shockwaves. Many fixed-line only broadband providers must be quivering in their cabled boots," added McArdle.


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by Bill McBride on 12/15/2015 03:48:00 PM
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
From housing economist Tom Lawler:
Based on publicly-available local realtor/MLS reports released across the country through today, I project that existing home sales as estimated by the National Association of Realtors ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.97 million in November, down 7.3% from October’s preliminary estimate and up just 0.4% from last November’s seasonally adjusted pace. Compared to last November unadjusted sales were either flat or down in quite a few (though by no means all) markets across the country, which seems surprising since last November’s sales face fell well below expectations. Overall I estimate that unadjusted existing home sales last month were up by about 2.4% from last November’s pace. (There was one more business day this November compared to last November, so the YOY % change in seasonally adjusted sales should be lower than that for unadjusted sales).
It was not directly clear what led to the sharp slide in seasonally adjusted national home sales last month. Some realtor groups suggested that the October implementation of the new “TRID” rule in early October may have delayed home closings last month, though others suggested that probably this factor wasn’t a “big deal.” And while in a few markets – notably Houston and a few others with exposure to the oil industry – sharp declines in home sales reflected a weakening housing market – that wasn’t apparent in most markets.
It is slightly interesting to note that the monthly % change in existing home sales for each of the last four November’s has been unusually large, as shown in the table below.
|Monthly % Change in Existing Home Sales (SAAR)|
|Nov. 2012||Nov. 2013||Nov. 2014||Nov. 2015**|
|*includes seasonal factor revisions, done once a year |
On the inventory front, my “best guess” is that the NAR’s estimate of the inventory of existing homes for sale at the end of November will be 1.99 million, down 7.0% from October and down 4.3% from a year earlier. In many markets inventories are down much more sharply from a year earlier, though Houston – with listings up by more than 20% from a year ago – is a big exception.
Finally, local realtor/MLS data suggests that the national US median existing SF home sales price last month was up by about 5.9% from last November.


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Papa John’s International Inc. has launched a text messaging ordering option at all of its 2,700 U.S. locations.
Close to one in five of the Louisville based company’s orders are currently made online. Rivals such as Domino’s Pizza promote mobile orders with Web-enabled phones.
Papa John’s Chief Executive Nigel Travis said the company is the first to offer text message ordering on such a large scale. "Text ordering will allow us to reach a different group of customers who prefer text over online and email," Travis said.
To use the text service customers register online to create accounts. They can save four favorite orders, along with the delivery address and payment preference. Users can select "FAV1", "FAV2", "FAV3", or FAV4,’ to text message orders. Papa John’s sends a reply and the customer has the option to change or confirm the order.
Papa John’s will also send promotions and advertisements to the cell phone users who sign up for the text service. Users can choose to opt out of the ads. Jim Ensign, vice president of marketing communications at Papa John’s said the company would be careful not to deluge customers with promotional messages.
"Consumers today are looking for more convenience," Ensign said in an interview with the Courier-Journal. "That’s the way people live today. They can’t be tethered down to one way of doing things."


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That's right -- Office for Mac 2011 now has an on-sale date; it's October 26th, which is just about a month away. The suite will be the first Mac OS X version that offers Outlook rather than Entourage, and it will come in a few different flavors. Home and Student 2011 will be available for US$119 ...
Microsoft Mac developer David Weiss points to the Macintosh Business Unit's upcoming Global MVP Summit 2007, which will be bringing MVPs to Redmond for some Wii gaming and Mac Office feedback. Apparently, MVPs ("Most Valuable Professionals") are non-Microsoft employees that participate in ...
Deals of the Daymore deals
Software Updatesmore updates
- Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 Update 14.3.4
- Pixelmator 2.2 available with over 100 new features and improvements
- DabKick for iPhone lets you share photos, watch videos and now listen to music in real-time
- Google Now added to search app on iPhone, iPad
- GateGuru for iPhone has been updated and greatly improved
- Twitter updates its OS X client


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Most online marketers recognize Twitter’s power to connect people. This virtual network is great for many B2B marketing types. In some ways Twitter — and microblogging in general — is the new Power To Get In. But what about driving consumer business? And here I’m not talking about ephemeral branding. I’m talking about getting people to your business with money in hand.
Last night I got a few answers.
Among other marketing innovators, I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Woelfle, owner of Blatz Liquor. He was co-hosting a Tweetup in collaboration with JSOnline.com. He contends microblogging has produced tangible results.
Last month Journal Sentinel business writer Tannette Elie (@Telie) cited Woelfle as saying that Facebook is responsible for 10% of his sales. This, he explained, was primarily through the soft-sell of publicizing wine- and beer-tasting events.
One tenth of a “bricks-and-mortar” retailer’s business attributed to Facebook? It seemed a lofty claim, but when I asked Joe earlier today if he would revise that estimate, he said only to throw his newest tactic — Twitter — into that mix.
The wall-to-wall turnout at the event last night certainly suggested that Twitter was powerful at something. But what? Skeptics would say you could use plenty of other methods to spread the word about a free event at a beer, wine and liquor store — one that included plenty of liberally-poured product samples!
Time will tell how effective @BlatzLiquor‘s Twitter efforts are at growing real sales and loyalty. But in the meantime, someone else at the Tweetup has a Twitter-fueled business already road-tested by other entrepreneurs.
Korean BBQ Tacos and Pizza By The Slice
Scott Baitinger is co-owner of Streetza Pizza (@StreetzaPizza). I was excited about connecting with him for two reasons:
- His business just had its official launch this Memorial Day weekend and I was eager to find out how it went
- Scott’s business is a glimpse at a promising future for retail — for everyone from food vendors to dry cleaners to banks
Streetza’s business model uses Twitter to tell hungry customers where its truck will be parked next. It even polls followers on questions such as future locations and product offerings. I wrote about this business model — this promising taste of the Web 3.0 world — last week. It was in a SOHOBizTube article. In that piece, I cited the wildly successful Zogi BBQ, a Los Angeles purveyor of “Korean tacos” that informs its tens of thousands of Twitter followers (@KogiBBQ) where it will be next.
As odd as it sounds, these customer-centric Tweets are truly a taste of things to come.
That’s because the next meaningful digital innovations won’t provide consumers with cooler web sites and more content. They will be mobile applications that provide exactly the content we crave, talking to us when we are physically in a place to scratch the itch.
The future of the web is about place. And like Kogi, Streetza Pizza, in sleepy little Milwaukee, will be leading us there one slice at a time.


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Should businesses consult shareholders before taking a stand on social issues?
In 2017 many businesses took a stand on the Australian marriage equality plebiscite. We saw a comparable trend in recent months, as corporate Australia declared its position on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
This included everyone from the Big Four banks to Wesfarmers, Telstra and Rio Tinto. It was not only most of the ASX top 20 declaring their support but also numerous small businesses. Sectors as diverse as retail, publishing and education were represented.
Such public commitment is part of a wider movement towards “brand activism” through which companies take on issues by publicly supporting or opposing a product or cause.
Brands can adopt a progressive or conservative stance in their activist messaging. But, brand activism is most commonly called upon to challenge a problematic status quo. Indeed, organisations overwhelmingly backed a “Yes” vote for the Voice referendum, to improve critical outcomes for Indigenous people.
This raises questions about the role of business in society and the tensions between commercial and moral imperatives.
Should businesses be accountable to shareholders when deciding to take a public stance on social justice issues? Is it their role to take a stand on social justice issues and will doing so win or lose them support? What are the implications of making businesses “moral leaders” in the current climate?
Shareholders might be right to resist corporate activism
To date, the view businesses exist to maximise shareholder value has prevailed. The corollary is managers are answerable to shareholders and all marketing decisions should protect their interests and augment profits.
A survey by the Australian Shareholders’ Association found 70% of shareholders believed companies should not be funding the “Yes” campaign. Academic research validates shareholder concerns. Corporate activism provokes a negative reaction from investors. It funnels company time, resources and attention away from revenue-generating activities.
In reality, shareholders are not involved in implementating a brand activism strategy. This would most commonly originate from the executive team and the company’s board would play an advisory role. Despite boards being able to make these decisions without referring to shareholders, they are still expected to act in shareholders’ best interests.
Furthermore, in taking a stand on a sociopolitical issue, company boards could and should anticipate shareholder outrage.
While the tension between profit maximisation and social responsibility has existed for decades, this is intensified when the focal issue has a partisan quality. The risks are greater and outcomes, uncertain. This was the case with The Voice.
On the matter of supporting charitable versus political causes, the Australian Shareholders’ Association stated:
[…] broad agreement for companies supporting charities that align with their purpose, strategy, and objectives, but strong opposition to throwing weight behind any political causes.
In justifying their silence or neutrality on The Voice referendum, some companies including Orica and EnergyAustralia said it was not their place to tell customers or employees how to vote. To the contrary, the contemporary academic view of business holds that brands have the potential to not only reflect but also influence market and societal values.
Businesses answer to many more stakeholders than shareholders
Social responsibility is no longer only the remit of not-for-profits and social enterprises.
Businesses today are accountable not only to shareholders but also a broader network of stakeholders. This includes customers, employees, investors, suppliers, governments, communities and more. Even the environment is a stakeholder.
When corporations orient themselves towards the interests of this diverse set of stakeholders, they must balance shareholder value with social responsibility. Recent research on “transformative branding” has highlighted the potential for brands to pursue a hybrid of business and societal goals. Brands that do this with purpose can make real change in the marketplace.
Because activism ties a brand to a partisan issue, it also divides public opinion. Empowering Indigenous Australians is, shamefully, still a contested issue in this country. Taking a stand on social justice issues raises the stakes on the low-risk initiatives companies companies have traditionally favoured.
When brands seek out polarised spaces with their activist campaigns, they must anticipate backlash and carefully consider how to parlay this to advance the cause.
Authentic brand activism is important for business and social outcomes
Most integral is that businesses back their position. Many companies declared they backed a “Yes” vote in the Indigenous Voice referendum. But to seriously affect social issues, brands need to do more than correctly read the zeitgeist.
Qantas has historically supported Indigenous reconciliation. In 2014, Qantas put the “Recognise” logo on its aircraft and in 2019, the company pledged support for the Uluru statement. Yet, when Qantas joined the “Yes” campaign, they should have predicted the scepticism.
The airline was in the news this year for posting record profits but refusing to pay back the government bailout received during the pandemic. There are ongoing allegations poor treatment of employees and bad customer service. Consumer sentiment towards Qantas reached an all time low.
By comparison, NRMA Insurance meaningfully buttressed a “Yes” message with their corporate actions. They announced a landmark partnership with National Indigenous Television, a channel owned by SBS. The funding was the largest investment by a single brand in the station and amounted to 3% of NRMA’s broadcast media spend for the year.
It’s time business was held to account
While many businesses backed a “Yes” vote in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, public opinion wasn’t swayed. The Voice was rejected by a majority in every state.
In the weeks, months and years after this disheartening outcome, we must hold businesses to account. Not just to their shareholders but to all their stakeholders. Did these brands just want to be at culture’s cutting edge or can they now demonstrate the intelligence to continue to advocate for social justice?
Amanda Spry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.


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In new guidance outlined during a session at the company's Ignite conference three weeks ago, Thierry Paquay, a principal group program manager on the Windows Update team, told corporate IT administrators they should transform their update practice -- a process that if adopted would shift older OSes, including Windows 7, to a model very much like the one that Windows 10 will use.
Rather than deploy only security updates, Paquay urged enterprises to also roll out optional updates -- typically one-shot fixes to specific bugs -- as they are released, then back fill with the "rollup" updates Microsoft will regularly issue. Those rollups are collections of dozens or even scores of bug fixes that Microsoft will deliver for older OSes.
"Our recommendation is that you deploy [the optional] hotfixes proactively," said Paquay during a 70-minute talk. He also asked corporations to install the cumulative rollups.
Paquay cited two reasons in asking enterprise IT staffs to change their habits: To help Microsoft, and to help themselves.
Help us..., please
Microsoft already has roped consumers into testing non-security updates by marking them "optional." About 4% of consumer Windows customers -- he characterized them as "experts of some kind" -- manually apply optional updates, resulting in millions of monthly installations that give Microsoft an idea of patch quality and help it resolve problems. (The other 96% rely on a completely-automated Windows Update, which doesn't include optional updates.)
Typically, an update pegged optional is relabeled "recommended" -- meaning it is automatically installed by Windows Update -- a month or so later, once Microsoft has evaluated feedback, made corrections, and given it the green light.
But Microsoft is getting little information on those optional updates from enterprises, which usually ignore them unless they apply to specific problems encountered by the company's PCs or servers. That's what Microsoft has told update managers to do for years: Until recently, the Redmond, Wash. firm has religiously suggested, "Don't apply this hotfix unless you experience this particular problem," in each patch's accompanying advisory.
Paquay wants businesses to "validate" all optional updates -- conduct their normal internal testing, in other words -- then deploy every last one. The reason: To give Microsoft more information, particularly from business-grade machines, about the patch quality so that it can make necessary changes and promote the optional to recommended.
Microsoft will change the language in optional hotfix update advisories to read, "Deploy Hotfixes Proactively," to align with Paquay's plea.
[Note: Paquay did not touch on another tactic Microsoft has used to test patches. That stratagem renames some optional updates as recommended for a subset of its consumer audience. Computerworld experienced that in March when some of its Windows 7 PCs automatically received the then-optional guts of an update-to-Windows-10 "nag" mechanism; the ad campaign update only officially shifted to "recommended" on May 14.]
"We need enterprise feedback," Paquay said. "We don't know what's happening in the IT pro world with those updates, and we need to know. We want feedback to know whether those [updates] are enterprise ready, enterprise quality before we put them 'recommended' in the future."
Help yourselves.... Really, its for you
Microsoft is using two arguments to make its case that rely on self-interest on the part of IT administrators: Optional updates applied proactively can stymie problems before they appear, and piecemeal patching results in a heterogeneous environment that in the end is harder to manage.
"What's bad around [not applying optional updates] is if the problem is data corruption in a database or the file system on the file server, or the problem is a blue screen, or a system hang and happens on a server on a cluster, it's really bad to wait for this to happen," said Paquay. "Then your business suffers."
However, he spent much more time beating the Windows 10-style drum, telling his IT audience that contrary to decades of enterprise practices, they would benefit from having all devices always up to date. That, of course, is the Windows 10 model Microsoft has pushed.
"To simplify your IT process and policy, and make it look very much like Windows 10 will look when it releases into your environment ... having your devices always up to date is the best policy," argued Paquay. "It's the easiest for troubleshooting, it's the easiest when you call us for support."
Rollups, those collections of numerous hotfixes, should also be routinely deployed, urged Paquay, so that the enterprise has a "clean baseline" for a specific OS, such as Windows 7.
Microsoft has even taken to labeling major Windows 8.1 rollups with the same "long-term service branch" (LTSB) name it has used to define Windows 10's most restrictive update channel, one limited to companies running Windows Enterprise, the SKU available only to volume licensing customers who also pay for the Software Assurance (SA) upgrade annuity program. Microsoft applied the LTSB moniker to a November 2014 rollup for Windows 8.1, for instance.
This summer, Microsoft will also issue a Windows 7 rollup, "To get [you] up to speed in one shot," said Paquay, who called it a "convenience rollup" for the post-Service Pack 1 (SP1) world. (Microsoft shipped Windows 7 SP1 back in 2011.) Paquay said he didn't have a firm date for the Windows 7 rollup's release, but his summer timetable was a clue that it will probably appear either before or simultaneously with the launch of Windows 10.
What's in it for us
Although none of the questions asked in the Ignite session contested the advice -- several people said they were already doing what Paquay asked -- a few comments appended to a blogged summary of the presentation wondered what's in it for them.
"If Microsoft wants IT pros to help you, you need to help us," wrote someone identified as "save patch tuesday" in a comment. "We need fewer patches that require a reboot. When Windows can install patches without rebooting, then you can abandon Patch Tuesday. The strategy to release updates whenever they are available may fly with consumers, but it won't benefit my business desktops and servers!"
Another commenter wanted clearer descriptions of what the optional updates do. "Customers would like Microsoft to fully document all available updates offered. Right now there are too many optional updates that are vague in their descriptions and impact," said "Customers of Microsoft."
Paquay, at least, recognized he's demanding a lot from IT, but defended the new guidance. "I know this is a big ask," he said several times in his talk. "But if you do these things, you will be, in many ways, managing devices and servers in the same way you will when Windows 10 comes to your environment."


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I have posed the question before about what Twitter will do with their virtually endless supply of investor capital and while we still don't have a clear answer we now know that it wasn't spent on keeping your information safe. According to the FTC Twitter has had "serious lapses in the company's data security." What exactly does that mean? It means that during January through May 2009 hackers were easily able to get into Twitter admin accounts by using simple password guessing programs. They then reset the password to the accounts so others could have access. In an unrelated instance, another hacker was able to break into a Twitter employees Gmail account in which they had users passwords stored in plain text... IN PLAIN TEXT!
The FTC has given Twitter a written warning about using simple passwords and also for storing them IN PLAIN TEXT. The company will have their security tested every 3 years by an independent company. They will also be fined $16,000 per every instance of a security breach. The icing on the cake however, is that Twitter is also not allowed to lie about their privacy and security settings for the next 20 years. The only reason I can think of as to why 20 years is the requirement is that the FTC doesn't expect them to be around that long.
The evidence has always existed that large corporations will find useful, excellent ways to use torrent services and Facebook has joined the list of big businesses supporting torrents by stating this week that BitTorrent helps with the transfer of new code between each and every one of its servers.
Read more about what the Facebook engineers had to say after the break!
An APB beta participant recently noticed a "VOIP Premium" option in his account management page, which promises to keep ads off of the in-game chat program in exchange for real-life monies. Developer Realtime Worlds was quick to clarify the terms of these ads: they'll only play when traveling between Districts, and only if the player hasn't heard an advertisement in the last three hours.
So you don't need to worry about being in the middle of a conversation and have a McDonald's commercial interrupt you, telling you to get a delicious quarter pounder or something. The reason behind the in-game adds are unknown but I have my own theory. When we talked about the APB payment method a little while ago, I pointed out that for 30 days of gameplay it is only $9.99, making 30 days of gameplay 5 dollars cheaper than your average MMO monthly fee of $15. I believe the in-game ads are what make their price possible. So if I have to listen to a few ads to shave a few bucks off of a monthly fee, sign me up.
Luckily for all you readers and listeners out there, we have been granted access to an exclusive beta of APB, and we will give you updates and details as we're allowed to. We here at the show are excited about this new game! Look out for the PLuGHiTz Platoon!
Bing Entertainment launched this week and with it, Microsoft has given users the ability to stream and purchase music through the Zune MP3 store right from the search results. It only made sense for the Zune store to now also accept credit cards, after a long time of only being able to accept Microsoft points. Zune.net hasn't been able to be used to purchase music until this change was made; users would have to buy Microsoft points before they could actually purchase the songs they wanted. Adversely, consumers would have to access the Zune Marketplace or install the Zune software to accomplish what they wanted to do. Microsoft had to consider all consumers who may not have these devices or software installed who could be potential users of their services.
Hit the break to see what Microsoft had to say about this change.
Sony posted a new entry on their PlayStation blog this week, hoping to clarify some questions and confusion regarding their new PlayStation Plus package announced at E3 last week.
We have some more details about the plan. While this is for Europe (who cares) and other foreign countries, we can assume the details of the plan will be similar here in the States. Sony looks to launch the service on Tuesday, June 29th and it will include games, discounts, exclusive items in the PlayStation Store, full game trials and automatic downloads of content. The current PSN features will stay free, as Sony looks to not alienate their existing customer base with these additions. As we discussed in our original article about this, subscriptions can be purchased in three month or one year duration. One new detail we found out, however, is that if you sign up between launch day and August 3rd for a one year subscription, you will also receive a downloadable copy of LittleBigPlanet for free. The copy will be yours even after your subscription should expire.
Want to know what else is included and some more details? Hit the break and check it all out!
Ever since last week's Nintendo press conference at E3 2010, everyone has been talking about the new Nintendo 3DS. What everyone seems to have forgotten is that no real games were announced, other than Kid Icarus: Uprising.
Satoru Iwata had something to say about that in a Q&A:


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On Friday evening, a lewd photo was sent via the Twitter feed of New York Rep. Anthony Weiner to a young college student in Seattle. Now, that photo has become a topic of much Internet debate, with Weiner claiming that his Twitter and Facebook accounts were hacked as he hires a lawyer to protect his innocence, which many blogs and Internet denizens are questioning. Both Weiner and college student Gennette Cordova deny that the picture in question was sent by the congressman himself.
Archives for May 2011
As a marketer, there's nothing less cool than being seen trying to promote a viral campaign and failing. On the other hand, there's nothing cooler than a viral campaign taking off through no effort of your own. It's a bit like having a flat stomach: There's much more cachet if you have good genes as opposed to constantly hitting the gym. Marketers can curse the gods for this profoundly unfair happenstance or they can get creative and release fake viral videos that are actually ads.
Nestle has selected CheckPoints to power the mobile piece of its summer-long marketing campaign for the Dreyer's and Edy's Grand Ice Cream brands. CheckPoints' iPhone and Android applications will be used to drive consumers to engage with featured products and new flavors at every U.S. retail establishment where Dreyer's or Edy's products are sold.
Joshua Kaufman didn't just sit back and watch when his laptop was stolen -- he continued to watch it being stolen, days later. Yup, thanks to Hidden, an app that collects webcam pics and screenshots when a computer is stolen, Kaufman knows just what his MacBook thief looks like. The MacBook in question was lifted from interaction designer Kaufman's Oakland, California, apartment March 21, along with a few pieces of jewelry.
On Tuesday, Apple made the unusual decision to pre-announce its software lineup for next week's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which includes its long-rumored cloud-based services offering, iCloud. The Wall Street Journal has reported additional information on the cloud service, including the status of Apple's agreements with major music labels.
Google has announced that three Gmail Labs add-ons have graduated and become standard Gmail features. Starting today, users now have access to Superstars, Nested Labels and Advanced IMAP Controls as part of the regular Gmail experience. The Google Search Box lab feature, which was added in April 2009, was retired. The Official Gmail Blog gives an overview of these labs turned features and describes how users can access them in their settings.
More than a year after its debut on the iPad, iWork, Apple's suite of productivity apps, is now available on iPhone and iPod touch. Apple's iWork apps -- Keynote, Pages and Numbers specifically -- have been available on the iPad since the device's debut last year. The apps provide users the ability to create presentations, documents and spreadsheets using Apple's multi-touch interface. The apps were only for the iPad, though -- iPhone and iPod touch users were out of luck.
May started with a bang -- the killing of Osama bin Laden on May 1 -- but then shaped up more or less like any other standard month, at least judging by what people were talking about on Twitter. Though soccer is soccer, it's perhaps a little sad that Justin Bieber beat out bin Laden in the end. Or maybe that's a good thing -- it's hard to tell. Even the end of the world couldn't overtake the soccer/Bieber combo.
Does your company need a mobile app of its own? This question is something we think about a lot at Mashable, and the answer depends a lot on the kind of company and product or products in play. It also shifts based on the demographic you're targeting and the current state of the mobile landscape. One thing to consider is the cost. Developing a native app can be expensive, and it may or may not be worth it for your company.
Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt has announced that the search giant will launch its Groupon competitor on Wednesday, starting with Portland. The news that Google is getting into the daily deals space is not a surprise. Google attempted and failed to acquire Groupon for $6 billion last year. A few months later, Mashable exclusively learned that Google was developing a Groupon competitor called Google Offers.
Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt described his company as part of a "gang of four" kings of consumer technology, along with Amazon, Apple and Facebook. Explicitly not on that list: Microsoft. Speaking at the opening interview of the All Things D conference in southern California, Schmidt seemed determined to sideline the world's largest software company as an enterprise play.


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As of 5 January 2021, fans looking it up on Instagram were greeted with a ‘Page Not Found’ message. It deleted not only its Instagram account but also its Twitter, and had hidden all posts from its Facebook page. The blackout is doubly notable as it came right after the exclusive presentation of its Spring 2021 collection it dubbed ‘Salon 01 London’ in October.
A new direction?
Fans and industry experts were quick to speculate the reason behind it. Was this a new direction Bottega is taking under the helm of new creative director Daniel Lee? Lee has always made his disdain for social media clear, being someone who has never had a personal Instagram account. He once said to Cultured Magazine how he saw social media and its distraction as a danger to the creative process.
In his words, “Everyone seeing the same things is not healthy or productive. It doesn’t breed individuality.”
He has applied the same belief to his approach with the brand since taking over, particularly when it comes to virtual fashion shows that most fashion brands have resorted to now.
“I didn’t think much of the digital presentations. They felt empty and took so much effort in such emotionally turbulent times, yet in the end the concepts lacked depth,” he added.
Or a publicity stunt?
Going off the radar to get tongues wagging is nothing new (just ask one Miss Taylor Swift who has time and again cleared out her Instagram feed at almost every launch of a new album).
This could be a temporary marketing strategy for the brand and its latest collection, which was presented closed doors. It’s an effective one, one which plays with the thrill and secrecy of experiential luxury where only an exclusive select are privy to it instead of being streamed to the whole world.
Additionally, staying offline will not only build the perception of exclusivity, it might just help the brand stand out in today’s overly saturated digital arena. It certainly has got people talking, and articles written about it, as in this instance.
You can run but you can’t hide
It’s important to note that Bottega only went offline on select platforms; it didn’t disappear completely. It’s still online on its Chinese social media pages, namely Weibo and WeChat, proving the importance of an online presence in the China, aka the world’s largest luxury market.
The idea of a billion-dollar brand making its way through fashion weeks and consumer shopping behaviour without social media is extremely titillating, but the Bottega Venetta ‘Careers’ section of its website may hold the answer. Over a month ago, it’s listed a post for global social media manager. Perhaps this is one of the new manager’s strategy to refresh and restart the new year with a literally clean slate? Or perhaps it’s the new person’s idea to go totally off the grid.
Whichever it is, we won’t find out on Instagram.


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The United Arab Emirates has expressed its interest to invest in development projects in Pakistan.
The interest was shown by a UAE delegation headed by the Managing Director of a UAE company (DP World) Mohammed Al-Muallem that called on Minister for Shipping Syed Ali Haider Zaidi in Islamabad.
Chairman China Pakistan Economic Corridor, Lieutenant General (Retired) Asim Saleem Bajwa was also present during the meeting, reported Radio Pakistan.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi and Al-Muallem discussed the prospects of UAE investing in Pakistan.
Without giving any details, the minister said that the delegation told us that Dubai’s leadership is keen to invest in Pakistan’s development projects.
وفاقی وزیر بحری امور، علی زیدی سے متحدہ عرب امارات کے وفد کی ملاقات
ملاقات میں دبئی کی پاکستان میں سرمایہ کاری پر تفصیلی گفتگو
وفد نے آگاہ کیا کہ دبئی کی قیادت پاکستان میں ترقیاتی منصوبوں میں سرمایہ کاری میں گہری دلچسپی رکھتی ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/ATwvTCXnlC
— Ali Zaidi News (@AliZaidiNews) August 10, 2020
The meeting discussed investment in seaport projects in Pakistan.
Dubai port and logistics giant DP World is an Emirati multinational logistics company. It specializes in cargo logistics, port terminal operations, maritime services, and free trade zones.
Back in February, DP World announced that it would return to full state ownership and delist from the Nasdaq Dubai, in a deal worth $2.7 billion.
State-owned parent company Port and Free Zone World had offered to acquire the 19.55 percent of DP World’s shares currently traded on the Nasdaq Dubai stock exchange.


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Trojan horse spies on Internet banking
November 11, 2004
Security experts say they've discovered a Trojan horse that records e-banking user details and Web surfing habits. Antivirus company Sophos is warning that the Banker-AJ Trojan is targeting online customers of British banks such as Abbey, Barclays, Egg, HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Nationwide and NatWest. The Trojan affects computers running Microsoft Windows.
The company said that once installed, the Trojan waits for users to visit their online banking Web sites, then captures passwords and takes screenshots of the session. The information is relayed to the hackers behind the ploy, who use the data to steal money.
Here's the opportunity you were waiting to register your domain name!
"It's the next generation of phishing attacks," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "These rely on people going to real, legitimate sites. Once the Trojan determines that you've gone there, it starts taking keystroke logs and snaps shots of machines and sends it back to hackers."
Phishing scammers typically set up bogus Web sites to capture victims' personal information. They send e-mails that appear to come from trusted companies to lure people to the fake sites, where victims are asked to enter information such as credit card data. Attacks frequently target bank customers, but eBay and Amazon.com have also been recent targets.
Barclays Bank said it had seen the technique of using legitimate sites before. A representative for the company said, "This type of Trojan is something (we) have been aware of for some time. We are working with (the) industry to identify the next steps to help combat fraud and are interested in educating customers."
Sophos also said it had seen a similar Trojan, Tofger, a few months ago, but the technique had mainly been used in Brazil.
"We did see another one a few months ago," Cluley added. "Some of the Brazilian ones just wait for the user to look at a Web site with the word 'bank' in (it), but this one specifically targets many well-known U.K. banks, and that makes it notable."
Source: C-Net News
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When I first learned people were burning Nike shoes, I was shocked.
The shoes look and feel great, sure, but burning a shoe that can run up into hundreds of dollars seems ridiculous.
Then I learned why people were tearing off the emblem and getting rid of their shoes: their own act of protest to Colin Kaepernick.
Now let me just say, before we delve any deeper into this, that I had a neutral opinion to the controversy surrounding kneeling during
the national anthem. While I wasn’t strongly offended by his action, I know veterans and friends who were.
As Americans, we are all garnered the right to freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble. We saw this the day Kaepernick took a knee and hundreds of thousands of Americans were moved by this action in either a positive or negative way. So then how does this go back to Nike?
Kaepernick was recently revealed as the face of Nike’s most recent campaign, and as someone who is slowly becoming more and more of a shoe fanatic, I can see why some people may be burning some shoes.
But let me just add that I am here for Kaepernick’s campaign. The fact that his own peaceful forms of protesting is being tied to people literally lighting shoes on fire is quite a response, and many find the action ridiculous. I am truly intrigued to see how this all plays out. These forms of protest are made to garner attention, and at least on the side of millennials, many appear to be on Nike’s side.
A recent article by Los Angeles Times stated that “…the move was sure to be seen by many as provocative, the Beaverton, Ore., company is betting that more customers will support it — particularly the younger demographic that Nike is courting.”
While Nike’s stock has gone down three percent as of Tuesday, Sept. 4, this idea seems to be supporting it, despite those who are upset by the decision. According to a report from Edison Trends, an advertising research firm, Nike’s online sales grew 31 percent. For their 30th anniversary, Nike’s choices have stirred up America, and we can either contribute to the controversy or further discuss how we got to this point in the first place.


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The App Store in India is featuring a range of Indian-developed games to celebrate the upcoming Indian Independence Day on 15 August.
There is also a series of massive discounts to celebrate, with some games dropping to Rs. 10 - worth a mere $0.15.
These include The Light Inside Us, BLUK (which has also launched early in India to celebrate the occasion), Blyss, Wordifly, and Stay, Mum - four of which are developed by members of our Indian Mavens group.
The Indian market is not traditionally a major source of revenue, especially for those developing premium titles.
The dual barriers of low credit card penetration and little intent to pay are a key part of this problem.
Indian indies are hoping that this will inspire more of the country's gamers to give their apps a chance.
"Sometimes we feel that Rs. 200 is just too much for a mobile game," Ankush Madad, of Blyss developer Dropout Games, writes in a Facebook post.
"This Independence week, you don't get to use that excuse!"
Chirag Chopra, Founder of Stay, Mum developer Lucid Labs, adds: "If you still think the price is high, maybe you should have never bought that expensive iPhone."


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The fashionable folk tapping on BlackBerrys or using apps on iPhones in New York, Paris or Barcelona have more in common than a taste for expensive hand-held devices. They are also likely to be targeted by thieves in a smartphone crime wave fueled by the enormous appetite for the machines that serve as status symbols, essential worktools and mobile entertainment centers.
The Paris police chief sounded the alarm last week when he said smartphones were the hottest item for thieves on the city’s metro and that robbers were increasingly turning to violence to get their hands on them.
Three men were beaten up in Paris and one was stabbed, when they were set upon a week ago by a gang who wanted their iPhones. That was just one of the hundreds of violent incidents that police say happen in the French capital every month, three quarters of them involving telephone thefts.
In Britain, a 30-strong National Mobile Phone Crime Unit is battling what a police spokesman said is “a general increase in the proportion of thefts which involve smartphones.”
Susana Ramirez, a 29-year-old author and newspaper columnist in Barcelona, Spain, said that a blog she wrote about her fear of using her iPhone in public sparked a huge response from her readers.
“I look to the right and to the left before I get out my phone,” she wrote in the blog. “As if, instead of a phone, I was about to take out a knife or a stash of drugs on the street.”
In New York, public announcements warn subway commuters not to display phones or other electronic devices.
However, few heed the warnings and an average train sees many travelers hunched over their devices typing texts, watching video or playing games.
“It’s like smoking. The consumer knows the risks but prefers to ignore them,” said Jack Wraith, chairman of Britain’s Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum.
“You can put applications on smartphones that make it absolutely impossible for a thief to access the data that’s on there or to have any use out of the phone, but very few people will do that,” he said.
Wraith said Britain and many other countries had systems in place that render stolen phones useless by blocking them from national networks by using the handset’s unique International Mobile Equipment Identity number.
However, that has led to stolen phones being shipped abroad for sale in places like eastern Europe, Algeria, Morocco or West Africa, where an iPhone can fetch several hundred dollars and up to US$1,000 if it contains data that can be exploited for credit card or other fraudulent purposes, he said.
Consumers can protect themselves by taking out a good insurance policy or by buying an app that allows iPhone owners to remotely locate their lost or stolen set using its GPS system.
There were two reports in the past week alone — one from Australia, the other from the US — of police helicopters which happened to be in the area tracking down stolen iPhones using the GPS app and arresting the robbers.


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BY Danisha mie orbe
The Legal Battle Between Sonos And Google
Well-known as a manufacturer of virtual surround speakers and sound system, the...
In a legal case, Sonos alleged Google of obtaining confidential information collected...
through their partnership on the now-defunct Google Play Music service.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE LEGAL
The US International Trade Commission found that Google infringed on five of Sonos' patents and...
that Google must delete certain capabilities from its smart speakers and software platforms or...
an import restrictions all over its devices.


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We've discussed some of the hottest trends in retail, including de-malling, shop-in-shop, experiential retail, and even the metaverse's potential impact. But let's shift from the revolutionary to the everyday and discuss what might be one of the most basic forms of retail real estate: the grocery-anchored shopping center.
There's a good chance you're just a few minutes' drive away from at least one of these shopping centers right now, and you likely remember them from childhood, too. Those are two big clues as to why these seemingly mundane properties are worth talking about right now. Grocery-anchored shopping centers have endured for decades. And perhaps even more impressively, they're continuing to endure against the serious headwinds they've faced recently.
Let's take a closer look at grocery-anchored shopping centers. We'll explore their unique advantages as well as their recent performance in tough times to give you a better idea of whether now might be a good time to consider adding them to your commercial real estate portfolio.
Folks gotta eat
It's easy to understand why building a shopping center around a grocery store was a great idea and why the concept has had such incredible longevity. Groceries are a necessity, so people return to grocery stores on a pretty regular basis. Put other retail establishments close by, and those retailers will likely benefit from all the traffic. They may not even have to advertise at all. Remember the real estate saying: Location, location, location.
Of course, the pandemic meant grocery delivery skyrocketed. This left many wondering whether this would be a permanent behavioral shift that supermarkets might not fully recover from. But while there's certainly no shortage of grocery delivery trucks on the road now, the fact is that these retail establishments haven't been harmed a bit by this trend. In fact, grocery-anchored shopping centers saw their second most active quarter in 10 years at the end of 2021, according to commercial real estate services firm CBRE.
But these shopping centers weren't out of the woods yet. Next came inflation concerns, a serious ongoing issue. From stretched-thin consumers with less to spend to supply issues leaving less on the shelves, these problems have been no small threat to supermarkets. And in fact, they did leave a noticeable dent in grocery store foot traffic numbers early in the first quarter of this year. It was beginning to look like grocery might not be Teflon after all.
But remarkably, those numbers were already on their way back up again last month to around April 2019's levels, according to Placer.ai's May 2022 Grocery Deep Dive report. This seems to suggest that many consumers are adjusting to the shock of these ongoing issues and returning to something closer to their usual grocery habits.
This recent bounce back from a brief dip will likely only further fuel the increasing interest investors have shown toward grocery-anchored shopping centers. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) in particular have been taking note of grocery-anchored shopping centers and their strong performance, making up 17% of buyers last year versus just 9.8% in 2020, according to commercial real estate services firm JLL.
So should you invest in grocery-anchored retail?
We're so familiar with grocery-anchored shopping centers that they can almost fade into the background. They don't exactly dazzle us like experiential retail or metaverse shopping. But an increasing number of investors are taking note of the strong presence they've shown, especially through recent pandemic, inflation, and supply concerns.
As you continue to seek out investments likely to perform well against inflation, you may want to make sure your portfolio contains retail REITs that contain plenty of grocery-anchored shopping.
These centers have proven their endurance in an incredibly difficult environment. In the face of so much change, investors can take comfort in knowing that this real estate classic is unlikely to be heading for the retail museum anytime soon.


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The Kansas City Royals announced Tuesday that infielder/outfielder Elliot Johnson was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays as the player to be named in the Dec. 9, 2012 trade that also brought right-handed pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis to the Royals.
Johnson, who will turn 29 on March 9, was placed on the Royals 40-man roster while right-handed pitcher Felipe Paulino was placed on the 60-day Disabled List effective as he continued his rehab from Tommy John surgery.
Paulino will be eligible for reinstatement on June 1. Johnson is expected to join the Royals spring training camp in Surprise, Ariz., on Thursday.
The switch-hitter played in 123 games for the Rays in 2012, batting .242 with 10 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 33 RBI and 32 runs scored.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder also stole 18 bases in 24 attempts playing mostly at shortstop (68 starts), but also making starts at second base and third base and appearing in the outfield. Johnson is a career .223 hitter in 200 Major League games, all for Tampa Bay.
The organization also announced Tuesday that single-game tickets, including a limited number of opening day tickets, will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.
In addition to single-game tickets, fans who visit www.royals.com will also have the option of purchasing one of three, five-game ticket packages available exclusively online. Each of the five-game packages also includes an opening day ticket.
Single-game tickets will also be available by phone at 1-800-6ROYALS, at the Kauffman Stadium box office and at 26 metro-area Hy-Vee stores including Lawrence, Manhattan and Topeka.
For the first time in five years, Hy-Vee outlets will offer a limited number of opening day tickets along with the remaining 80 home games. Fans who choose not to use the club's convenient online, phone or Hy-Vee outlet options, and plan instead to purchase tickets at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday, may begin arriving at Kauffman Stadium that morning no earlier than 7 a.m. and park in Lot M.
Please note that overnight camping at the Truman Sports Complex will not be permitted.
The Royals will implement a random drawing procedure for purchasing tickets at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday. Fans wishing to take part in the random drawing must obtain a wristband at the Gate C lobby on Thursday from noon to 5 p.m., Friday from noon to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 8 to 9 a.m.
There is no advantage to collecting a wristband early within this time frame. Any fan that does not have a wristband will be in a second line behind the fans with wristbands. The drawing to determine line order will be held at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, and tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m.
Fans taking part in the random drawing will be able to purchase up to four opening day seats, while supplies last.
Page 2 of 2 - On Saturday, the Kauffman Stadium Box Office will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or fans may place their orders by phone from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The box office will also be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The Royals will continue its variable pricing structure for all single-game sales in 2013, as games will be categorized as premier or regular games. In addition, the club will join a number of other MLB franchises in expanding its dynamic pricing structure to all 81 home games.
The Royals will establish ticket prices for each game and adjust the price on a game-by-game basis based on a variety of market conditions such as team performance, opponent, pitching matchup, weather and day of the week.
Please note that several season-long ticket offers, such as Value Monday presented by Hy-Vee, will remain in place and are not subject to dynamic pricing.
Please note that the dynamic pricing structure affects the sale of individual game tickets only and does not affect the sale of season tickets.
Through the system, the Royals ensure that single-game ticket prices for the select games will never be lower than the price offered to season ticket holders. Season ticket holders will continue to pay a set price for their tickets, which provides substantial savings over individual game ticket prices.
In addition to single-game tickets, season ticket packages are currently available at www.royals.com and by calling (816) 504-4040.
Fans can guarantee opening day tickets with the purchase of a full season or half season plan. Smaller partial plans, including a Pick 15 Plan that starts at just $165, are also available to fit any budget.


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Retail arrests in San Francisco and Antioch
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – An investigation by the Golden Gate Division of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF), and the San Francisco Police Department resulted in the arrest of one person, the discovery of a retail theft, the recovery of approximately 75,000 US dollars in stolen goods and the seizure of US $ 21,800 in evidence.
Working with retail investigators, a person was identified who was selling stolen goods in a public place, which resulted in ORCTF members obtaining a search warrant on December 21, 2021 at a San Francisco residence.
The San Francisco Police Department’s retail theft unit helped enforce the search warrant and found evidence of a retail theft in the home. Items stolen included items from Lululemon, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, Target, Dicks, and Burberry, among others. The person was not present at the home while the warrant was being carried out and an arrest warrant was issued.
Ingrid Maria Alfaro, 64, from San Francisco, later surrendered to the Oakland Police Department. CHP ORCTF investigators arrested Alfaro and brought her up on December 27, 2021 for organized petty crime.
On December 27, 2021, a separate ORCTF investigation into a retail theft criminal company prompted investigators to obtain a separate search warrant in an apartment in Antioch, California. Task force members found evidence of a retail theft operation and recovered approximately an additional $ 47,783 in stolen goods and recorded an additional $ 26,048 in cash as evidence. Items stolen included products from ULTA Beauty, Express, Nordstrom, Sun Glass Hut, LuluLemon, Hollister, Victoria’s Secret, TJX, and American Eagle, and countless others. Task force members placed 43-year-olds Herlinda Estrada-Mijares, from Antioch, arrested and charged with organized petty crime.
CHP – Golden Gate Division would like to thank the San Francisco Police Department and each of our allied partners for continuing to work with us 24/7 to fight retail crime. The ORCTF’s efforts are in line with the CHP’s mission to provide the “highest level of safety, service and security” and are in line with the CHP’s goal of protecting life and property.
Incidents of organized retail theft can be reported to CHP online at: https://www.chp.ca.gov/notify-chp/organized-retail-theft-program?fbclid=IwAR0yZPd0aPyj99m9sBPvnZVxHkY5PnhsGlz36JpJGsleMeT


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Without a doubt, the combining of live and Virtual events – or hybrid events as they are better know, is the way of the future. Live events have their place in terms of the establishing and nurturing of personal contact with clients, but due to the pandemic making these far more difficult to stage
One of the greatest advantages of holding virtual events is that you have a far greater global reach. Even when an event is held live the way of the future will be hybrid events, combining the facilities of the live event and a Virtual event platform.
A positive aspect of the pandemic is the positive impact it has had on sustainability all over the world. Reports of clear skies and clear rivers in many parts of the world as air travel and industry slowed down and the emergence of more wildlife, where fewer people visited their habitat,
As we go into 2021 we are still facing many of the challenges that Covid-19 has posed to business throughout 2020. Unfortunately, a second wave of the virus has swept the globe and this has even included new strains in South Africa and the U.K.
Despite the huge amount of hardship experienced by many businesses and individuals in the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the upsides to it is that it engendered some innovative thinking amongst local Entrepreneurs.
Assuming that you no longer need to be convinced that Virtual Events are here to stay and that you have treated yourself to purchasing a great Virtual Event management platform, you will also know it is essential to get your Virtual Event Speakers to shine!
One of the positives that have come out of the pandemic is, due to the desire for businesses to communicate on a broader level than just small meetings, Virtual event platforms have become commonly used and the technology greatly enhanced.
There is no doubt that post-COVID-19 the world will have changed in many ways. The way we do things in business will never be the same again for the simple reason that the COVID-19 restrictions on movement and live interaction have sparked some ingenious solutions to overcome these challenges.
While COVID-19 has the world pinned down in their homes, businesses the world over are finding new innovative ways to overcome the challenges faced by social distancing. Online interaction in every form has become the number one priority for any business to keep up with the times and deal with the challenges that the lockdown has posed,


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In the battle for public opinion, Target has shellacked its larger competitor, Walmart. Whether it's environmentalists attacking the concept of big-box retail or workers' rights advocates lambasting the chain's treatment of employees, Walmart has become a poster company for the excesses of capitalism. Target, meanwhile, has built a reputation for cheap chic, pairing with Liberty of London and Michael Graves to churn out high-design at low prices. Walmart gets the blame for putting mom and pop stores out of business, while Target recently opened its first store in Manhattan, a market Walmart has yet to crack.
Recently, however, Target has looked vulnerable, suffering more in the economic downturn than Walmart did, and committing a rare public relations gaffe by making a political.
So what about the merchandise? On its carefully edited shelves, Target offers many good products at competitive prices, but it also sells products you should avoid, either because you'll get a better selection or price at another store, or because there are more environmentally sound options. Here are four items not to buy at Target.
Target's design edge in categories like clothing and housewares, where Target has exclusive deals with fashion stars such as Zac Posen, clearly doesn't extend to home furniture. "You can get comparable quality and cheaper stuff from Ikea, and Ikea's merchandise is a bit more stylish," says Kathryn Finney of The Budget Fashionista site. Finney says that, in particular, Ikea's bookshelves, chairs, and kitchen tables tend to offer better value than those at Target.
Movies and Music
"They can't really beat Amazon or Walmart" when it comes to prices on movies, music, and books, says James McQuivey, a media technology analyst at Forrester Research. Katy Perry's Teenage Dream CD, for example, sells for $13.99 at Target, vs. $9.99 at Amazon and $9.00 at Walmart, while the Blu-ray version of Date Night costs $29.99 at Target, vs. $24.96 at Walmart and $28.99 at Amazon.com.
Target's clothes may be fashionable, but if you want to look great in them, buy your exercise equipment somewhere else. Target's offerings in this category tend toward the $199 "As Seen on TV" Ab Circle Pro and the $100 Tony Little "Gazelle Edge" fitness system. You're generally better off going to a place like The Sports Authority for higher-end exercise equipment. Or join a gym and hire a pro.
Shower Curtains, Some Toys, and Other Products with PVC
Following a national campaign by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) and other environmental groups, Target agreed in 2007 to reduce the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic in its products and packaging. PVC often contains lead and pthalates, which have been linked to reproductive problems in humans and release carcinogens when incinerated. At the time, Target lagged behind Walmart and Sears in removing products containing PVC, says Mike Schade, CHEJ's PVC campaign coordinator. Although Target is now doing just as well as these rivals in removing PVC -containing products, it hasn't gotten rid of all of them, according to Schade.
Of particular concern are toys not sold under Target's private-label brand; Schade says it can be a challenge for retailers to control the materials that its suppliers use. (Toys sold under Target's brand should generally be PVC-free, according to Schade.) And read the labels on plastic shower curtains: Target has removed most, but not all, that contain PVC from its shelves. (Products that contain the recycling symbol with the number '3' in the middle mean they contain PVC.)
For its part, Target says it has eliminated or switched to safer forms of PVC in product categories covered by child safety legislation.
This article is part of a package of stories about consumers and Target. Read our other article on what to buy at Target.
More on MoneyWatch:
for more features.


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Do customers have qualms about buying clothes made in Bangladesh, where just last month 1,127 garment workers were killed in the collapse of a substandard building? "No," says a salesman. "They don't really ask about it."
That may be a brutal truth, but it's good news for Bangladesh. The best thing that could happen in the wake of last month's tragedy is already taking place: Most global brands, despite an uproar over working conditions and fatal accidents in the country's factories, are staying put. At least for the moment.
Whether that remains the case depends on what the retailers do next.
It's a bad bet to believe that consumers will lead much change. They may (or may not) be aware of the death toll in Bangladesh. But don't expect them to parse responsibility for the accident and decide whether it was the fault of a subcontractor, supplier, intermediary, building inspector, corrupt government or negligent brand.
In the 1990s, Nike NKE -0.23 % was hammered by bad press about labor practices at factories run by its suppliers in Asia. Even during the worst of it, customers didn't stop buying. "We had significant reputational issues, but we didn't see that translate to consumer behavior," says Hannah Jones, Nike's vice president of sustainable business and innovation. Consumers liked the product—and the price, too.
One poll taken after the building collapse in Bangladesh found that 30% of Americans said that buying clothes made under safe working conditions is very important to them. According to the Huffington Post/YouGov poll, an additional 30% said it's somewhat important, 16% said not very important, and 12% not at all important. On the other hand, price mattered a lot.
Consumers may not see what economists see: Big brands that source product from low-wage developing countries help those economies grow. The garment industry has been the traditional ticket into that game—the springboard for countries like Taiwan, South Korea and China to move up the value chain. Bangladesh, where four million people are employed in the garment industry, has benefited too. GDP has doubled since 2004. And many of the new jobs in crowded garment factories replaced even lower paying, harsher work on farms.
An OECD study in 2008 noted that multinationals operating in developing economies tended to provide better pay than their local competitors but not necessarily better working conditions. In Bangladesh, factories are run by suppliers who are independent of the global brands.
So what will speed change?
You're seeing it now. The big retailers sourcing goods from Bangladesh are getting pummeled by groups that shape public opinion—unions, students, non-governmental organizations, academics, and the media among them—all lighting up blogs, Twitter and other public squares.
Nike says pressure from these sorts of players also informed its deliberations in the 1990s. And one other key group: "You can't understate the impact of being an employee and going to a dinner party and being asked, 'Why do you work for that company?'" says Ms. Jones. Nike soon overhauled its sourcing rules.
So it is that global retailers with suppliers in Bangladesh are trying to prevent public opinion from reaching a tipping point—one that affects customers and sales. Companies such as Wal-Mart WMT -0.57 % and Gap have promised audits of suppliers or other measures to improve working conditions. (Both companies say they weren't sourcing clothes from the building that collapsed last month.) European retailers such as Carrefour CRRFY -0.66 % and H&M HMB 0.27 % have signed agreements to do much the same. Disney DIS 1.09 % is an exception: It has asked its licensees to halt production in Bangladesh. How effectively the companies deliver on their promises remains to be seen.
There's another costly trip wire that retailers hope to avoid by increasing scrutiny now. "A well-functioning free market is not devoid of laws," says Matthew Slaughter of the Tuck School of Business. "Part of what could be the market solution here is a change in the rules of the game."
That, of course, has happened many times to business. Public opinion reaches a high enough volume that lawmakers step in to regulate—whether factory emissions, bribery overseas or, more recently, the purchase of conflict minerals.
Retailers don't want that. So count on working conditions in at least some of these factories to get better—however slowly.


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A cinema chain has refused to reduce ticket prices at its venue in Carmarthen despite doing it elsewhere.
Vue Cinemas has six multi-screen cinemas in Wales - Cardiff, Swansea, Cwmbran, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhyl and Carmarthen.
But its Carmarthen cinema remains the most expensive Vue cinema anywhere in Wales, with admission costing double what it does to see exactly the same film in Cardiff and Swansea.
Tickets for two adults and two children who want to see the Lego Movie sequel in Swansea on a Saturday would set you back £19.96. This price is exactly the same if the same family went to the Vue in Merthyr Tydfil or the one in Cwmbran.
Filmgoers in Cardiff have things even better, with the price of seeing the new film for two adults and two children set at just £16.00.
But in Carmarthen, buying tickets for the exact same family to see the exact same film on the same day would cost £35.56. That includes two adult tickets at £9.99 each, double the cost in Swansea and more than double the cost in Cardiff, where a single ticket is only £4.
Vue has previously refused to be drawn on the issue of why tickets are more expensive in Carmarthen than anywhere else, insisting that they were “committed to providing customers with discounted ticket opportunities and offers”.
The cinema giant also said it operates a “dynamic pricing policy” and that there was a range of costs that must be taken into account when setting admission prices for movie fans at specific locations.
A Facebook group called Reasonable Prices at Vue Cinema Carmarthen was set up last summer to protest against the “discriminatory” prices. They also called for a boycott and demanded that Vue brings its pricing in west Wales in line with elsewhere.
Vue has reduced its prices in other parts of the UK. The Daily Record reported this week that the Vue cinema in Stirling in Scotland has seen its admission prices cut following a campaign by the local paper.
In 2018, the Vue in Stirling was the most expensive in the country, with adult tickets costing £11.99 each. Following a campaign, which included a petition and a letter written by the MSP for Stirling, Vue has cut the prices there by more than 50%, with standard adult tickets now costing £4.99.
Vue insisted that the decision to cut prices in Stirling was not the result of the media campaign. But the news has not gone down well in Carmarthen.
“It’s as if Vue are rubbing our noses in it now,” said Peter Jones, who set up the Reasonable Prices at Vue Cinema Carmarthen Facebook group.
“They have dropped their prices elsewhere to mirror those in other parts of the country but in Carmarthen the cost is still double. Why can’t they do the same here?"
He added: “The only thing we can do is keep up the campaign and at some point they’ll start to notice how much money they’re losing. They’ll make more money as a business if they reduce the cost because more people will want to go to watch films there.
“I don’t see how burying their heads in the sand is doing them any favours at all.”
Vue said it is normal for there to be different prices across the country.
“Ticket prices have always varied across all of Vue’s UK, Ireland and International sites, so when comparing ticket prices across cinemas or different operators you will always find differences,” a spokesman said.
He added: “At Carmarthen, customers can benefit from Meerkat Movies, Mini Mornings screenings for just £2.49 and Super Monday tickets for £3.99.
“The business is constantly reviewing pricing; any price changes are the result of business decisions only.”
Vue did not respond when asked to clarify why standard ticket prices in Carmarthen are at least double what they are at their other cinemas in south Wales.