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WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (Aug. 27, 2020) – 12 Gates Brewing Company in Williamsville, N.Y. recently implemented a new business management software – Ekos. Ekos works with over 1,500 craft producers to help them manage inventory, production, sales and accounting in a single cloud-based system.
12 Gates Brewing Company. was previously using another software provider, but found it to be too complex and difficult to use. They selected Ekos because it was simple, intuitive, and had the capabilities needed to run their brewery effectively.
With Ekos, 12 Gates Brewing Company can:
- Track raw materials, ingredients and packaging inventory
- Manage recipes and production processes
- Run reports to better understand costs and key business metrics
- Complete accounting tasks easily by integrating with QuickBooks
- Forecast and manage inventory and sales
“Understanding our costs and profit margins has always been difficult to manage. With Ekos, we have a better understanding of our entire operation which will hopefully lead us to become a more profitable business,” said Tom Kirchmeyer, co-founder of 12 Gates Brewing Company. “Less time spent on brewery management software due to added efficiencies allows us to concentrate on brewing world-class beer and spending more time on customer service. Ekos simply makes our job easier.”
12 Gates Brewing Co. is taking full advantage of the features Ekos has to offer, including managing production in the floorplan view and tracking recipes. The brewery has also integrated Ekos with their accounting software, QuickBooks, which can save users 15-20 hours per month by eliminating manual reconciliation and duplicate entries.
“We know that operating a brewery is complex, which is why we created Ekos to help streamline processes, eliminate manual record-keeping, improve communication, and drive efficiencies,” said Josh McKinney, CEO of Ekos. “It is amazing when new customers, like 12 Gates Brewing Co., see the benefits of our system right away. We’ll be cheering on the 12 Gates team as they continue to grow their business.”
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Ekos is the leading business management software for craft producers. With more than 15,000 users in 40 countries, Ekos helps makers manage their day-to-day operations in inventory, production, sales and accounting. As a central digital hub for your business, Ekos delivers valuable insights, drives efficiencies and profitability, and eliminates the need for spreadsheets and manual record-keeping. Ekos is backed by Noro-Moseley Partners. To learn more, visit goekos.com.
Senior Communications Manager


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Nepal Telecom offers free Wi-Fi for a month
Nepal Telecom (NT) which has been offering free Wi-Fi Internet service based on Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) technology in different places will be charging Rs 10 per hour from next month.
According to NT, it will be launching the service commercially from next month and for now it is providing the password for free. Customers need to type Wifi and SMS it to 1416 in the Wi-Fi hotspot area and they will get a password.
Customers will have to then connect to NTWIMAX in their Wi-Fi settings and then open the internet browser. They will then have to put in their mobile number as user name and the password received to enjoy internet for an hour at a speed of up to 512 Kbps.
“We have installed equipment in 21 places in the Valley and the router is being configured now. Though we are yet to launch the commercial service, customers can SMS to 1416 from the hotspot region and get the user name and password for free now as we are testing the quality of the service and receiving the feedback,” said Lochan Lal Amatya, project manager of WiMAX, adding that the customers will be charged Rs 10 per hour from next month.
Currently, NT is providing Wi-Fi service free of cost at 21 different places like Tribhuwan International Airport (both domestic and international terminals), Bir Hospital, Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital, Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Basantapur, Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Square and different offices of NT. NT will soon be providing the service at 30 places in the Valley.
According to NT customers can use Wi-Fi even without the password in many places for free as the router installation work is going on. However, customers will have to compulsorily get the password to use it even for free in all the hotspot areas by the end of coming week.
NT will publish advertisement next week and inform about the places where the customers can use Wi-Fi. “In the first phase NT will be launching the paid service in those places only. However, later we will be introducing it in shopping malls and even Dashrath Stadium,” said Munesh Gupta, system administrator of WiMAX.
Gupta Further told Republica that the service which is targeted towards NT GSM pre-paid and post paid customers in the first phase will soon be made available to the subscribers of other telecom operators as well.
The Wi-Fi service will be available in the range of 100 to 150 meters from the hotspots depending on the access point (AP).
NT is also launching the service outside the Valley soon. “We are fixing the equipments in 80 different places outside the Valley and for this we have already signed an agreement with house owners. We will be reaching to all major cities very soon,” said Amatya.

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Huawei Mate X5 is an excellent foldable to date and played a prominent role in driving the company to the top spot in the Q4 2023 Chinese folding phone market. That says a new report highlighting the growth of Fold gadgets in the native region.
International Data Corporation (IDC) has shared the latest report based on the Q4 2023 Chinese foldable market and mentions that Huawei has firmly occupied the first position – thanks to the excessive demand for the Mate X5 foldable handset.
According to the report, Huawei has secured 37.4% of the China folding phone market. A big credit for this achievement goes to the booming sale of the Mate X5 foldable. Consumers have shown extreme love for the device despite the price hike.
Eventually, the Chinese tech giant surpassed some top tech vendors like Samsung, OPPO, and Vivo with its amazing folding gadgets. As per the details, OPPO falls in second place with 18.3% in the overall folding phone category while standing first in the vertical foldable list with 36.3%.
Next is Honor with a share of 17.7% for the hot sale of Magic V2 folding smartphone. Currently, the company is working on its first-ever Magic Flip device with impressive features and characteristics, to compete with new flip-flop models.
Even though Samsung is well-known for being a foldable beast, it had the fourth position with 11% of the market share. The reason is the highly competitive Chinese market. Finally, Vivo gained the fifth place in this ranking.
Chinese Foldable Market: Growth
IDC report notes that the Chinese foldable market shipment went to 2.771 million units in Q4 2023, which is an increment of 149.6% YoY. The region has grown by more than 100% YoY for straight four years.
On the other hand, the book-type format foldable devices are more in demand, compared to the vertical folding handsets. Though flip-flop models are wearing low-price tags, consumers are more fond of horizontal folding phones for large screens.
IDC senior analyst – Guo Tianxiang believes that thinness and lightness are the primary aspects of a foldable model. Meanwhile, more tech makers’ participation will encourage the growth of the folding phone market.


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Electric vehicles are becoming a very common sight when traveling down a busy road, and with their growing popularity comes growing concerns over their long-term usefulness.
Rivian Automotive, one of the leaders in the electric truck and SUV industry, has announced a recall on 13,000 of its vehicles that have been sold to date.
Due to a loose fastener, the driver’s ability to steer and control the vehicle may be compromised.
According to Rivian, there have been seven reports related to the issue, but none of those reports have involved injury to the driver or passengers.
“If you experience excessive noise, vibration or harshness from the front suspension, or a change in steering performance or feel, you should call immediately,” said Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe in a letter to his customers.
“In rare circumstances, the nut could loosen fully,” he continued.
Scaringe late added that “it’s important not to minimize the potential risks involved and why we are volunteering to conduct this recall.”
“We will begin immediately contacting affected customers to schedule appointments for inspections and repairs if needed,” said another company spokesperson.
According to Rivian, the repairs will be quick, take roughly a few minutes, and will be completed for all vehicles in about a month as long as customers act accordingly.
Rivian became the second most valuable U.S. Automaker last year when it passed Ford and General Motors, losing only to its rival electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla.
Rivian has been one of the most successful companies to take advantage of the growth in the EV market but has seen stock plummet 67% this year (2022).
This comes at a time when Rivian is beginning to lose its grip that it once held on the market and it may cost the company massive amounts of consumer goodwill.
This news comes just days after the company announced that it had ramped up production and is on pace to build 25,000 electric vehicles this calendar year.
It is a massive blow to the company which was steadily moving in the right direction in the eyes of investors.
According to an article by CNBC, many market experts were rating Rivian stock as a potentially strong growth investment leading into 2023.
Other concerns focus on the fact that this is not the first large recall by Rivian.
Earlier this year the company recalled its popular pick-up truck for faulty passenger seat airbags.
“If a child seat or a child is seated in the front passenger seat, the passenger airbag might not be deactivated as required. In the event of a crash which deploys the front passenger air bag, the infant in the child seat or child occupant may have an increased risk of injury,” says the reason for that recall.
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We’ve become desensitised to the stratospheric price tags of exotic new cars, so much so that when McLaren announced the figure for its new Elva roadster — £1.425 million ($2.55 million) plus taxes and options — it scarcely caused a ripple. Inspired by the fearsome McLaren-Elva sports racing cars that company founder Bruce McLaren designed in the 1960s, the new model will have a limited run of 399 units. Simple math tells you the extraordinary boost such cars can provide to a maker’s income, particularly when the quoted price is only for standard models. Many will be heavily tailored to the owners’ tastes by McLaren Special Operations, hence lifting the average price considerably.
Whether relatively high volume, such as the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2 twins, or wildly expensive one-offs, such as Bugatti’s La Voiture Noire (which sold for US$18.7 million), the limited-edition special has become a major part of almost every premium carmaker’s business. The Elva (the name was originally a pun on the French elle va, or “she goes”) is one of at least 20 new cars in the past few years with a price tag exceeding US$1.5 million.
The Elva is described as the lightest road car ever from the British carmaker. That’s thanks to the extensive use of carbon-fibre — and all things that aren’t there, such as a roof, windscreen and side windows. McLaren won’t yet provide a specific weight but lets on that Elva’s twin-turbo 608kW-V8 engine will power it to 100 km/h in under 3 seconds, and to 200 km/h in 6.7 seconds. The company’s design director Rob Melville says the mission was “to create an open-cockpit, two-seat roadster that delivers the most elemental of driving experiences”.
The Elva has been homologated for major markets, though in some countries, it will need to be fitted with a windscreen for road use. Not that that’s an issue for some buyers, who will merely park the vehicle at home, in the hope that the price will appreciate. And chances are, it will — several previous McLaren special editions are now worth considerably more than their original price.
The story is similar with the Sian coupe, Lamborghini’s first petrol-electric hybrid. The Italian company is making 63 examples — a number chosen because 1963 was its foundation year. Despite a price of US$3.6 million (ex-factory), every example was spoken for even before it was unveiled at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show. To heighten the exclusivity, the purchase of a Sian includes time with head designer Mitja Borkert at the Centro Stile design studio, who’s promised to work closely with each buyer to craft a “one-off jewel”.
“They will be like art cars, really unique pieces,” he tells us, pointing to adventurous choices of colours and colour zones, carbon-fibre finishes, metals, exotic materials and leathers. Borkert wants to go beyond that. He hopes that technology like 3D printing (used on certain parts of the Sian) will afford greater variation on higher-volume models. “People want character, they want something special on exclusive cars like the Lamborghini. Just imagine sitting here in eight or 10 years, and it is possible to be able to create fenders bespoke.”
Today, a unique “one-off” body is the ultimate expression of individuality for wealthy collectors and high-net-worth enthusiasts. Lamborghini, along with Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Bentley and McLaren, have produced such vehicles. It usually happens with the head designer working closely with the client; during the golden days of coach-built cars, for instance, film director Roberto Rossellini had a special Ferrari built for his actress-wife Ingrid Bergman.
We spoke to Bugatti design director Achim Anscheidt at the launch of Divo, a restyled, low-volume version of the company’s principal model, the Chiron coupe. He said modification was technically challenging because so much of the Chiron’s componentry, including its 10 radiators, are just below the surface. There’s also the matter of packaging an enormous 8-litre W16 engine: “I think that’s what kept former generations at Bugatti away from coach building. But now… we’re launching into this idea of an even more exclusive type of car: tailormade for selected customers, very exquisite and exclusive.”
Furthering this exclusivity — just 40 examples of the Divo will be built — is new technology. The Divo is the first Bugatti to be entirely digitally designed, without a traditional clay model. Management examined it by walking around a virtual car wearing Hololens 3D glasses.
Another aspect of this new age of bespoke is a jump in the number of regular models by exotic carmakers. Two decades ago, Ferrari brought out one or two new models a year at most. Now, it announces them so often it’s hard to keep track. In 2019, it presented five new models — including the curvaceous Roma coupe — and has promised another 10 by 2022. It is the most frantic model activity in the company’s history, yet it is open about plans to increase production and prices substantially. For companies at the very top, the market for rare, unusual and bespoke is positively booming.
10 Multi-Million Dollar Cars You Can Try Getting Your Hands On (US$)
Bugatti La Voiture Noire $18.7 million / 1 unit
Rolls-Royce Sweptail $13 million / 1 unit
Bugatti Centodieci $8.9 million / 10 units
Bugatti Divo $5.8 million / 40 units
Ferrari SP275 RW Competizione $5 million / 1 unit
Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 $3.6 million / 63 units
Aston Martin Valkyrie $3.2 million / 150 units
Mercedes-AMG One $2.72 million / 275 units
McLaren Speedtail $2.25 million / 106 units
Ferrari Monza SP1/SP2 $1.75 million / 499 units
This story first appeared in the January/February 2020 issue of A Magazine.


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In March 2011, Amanita Design announced three new games. The first, Osada, was released a little later that year. The second, Botanicula, launched in 2012. Today, the Czech studio has announced that Samorost 3, the third game and arguably the most anticipated, will not be ready until 2015.
This is a sneaky peek at what’s in store – it’s the third in a series of adorable point-and-click adventure games set in strange, outer-space worlds and starring a little astronaut dude. Like Amanita’s other projects – including Machinarium – the unique, atmospheric art style and dreamy music have set Samorost games apart from other titles, with developer Jakub Dvorský known to take his time to get things perfect.
This time, we just wish his standards weren’t quite so high – but we’ll wait until 2015 to see Samorost 3 on PC, Mac, iOS and Android, because it will be completely worth it.


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This brings bad news to the pub sector, which already saw consumer spending slow by 1.2% for pubs, clubs and bars in May versus the same period in 2021, as inflation rates soar.
The FSA found the number of people using a food bank continued to grow – from around one in ten in March 2021 (9%), to nearly one in six in March 2022 (15%). What’s more, more than one in five (22% in March 2022) said they had skipped meals or cut portion sizes as they did not have enough money to buy food.
Chefs in hospitality venues are also having to navigate inflation rates through reducing their menu sizes and cutting down on portions to cope with the “tsunami of cost pressures” facing the sector.
Two years of hell
The cost-of-living crisis adds to issues facing the sector including high VAT rates for food and drink, the shortage of staff and cost of energy and fuel. Leading sector investor Luke Johnson said the industry should buckle up for “two years of hell”, and needed to “batten down the hatched and probably pray” at the UKHospitality conference yesterday (7 June).
He added: “At the end of the day, we're a discretionary spend, when people get their heating bills in winter and they see the increased food prices, they're only going to be able to spend on essentials - we're in denial if we pretend otherwise.”
Call for support
Volunteers have also called for support and advice on handling donations, including storing, preparing and distributing food safely, while avoiding food waste according to the Project on Community Food Providers.
FSA chair Susan Jebb said: “In the face of the immediate pressures on people struggling to buy food, food banks are playing a vital role in our communities. We are urgently working with industry and other major donors, and food bank charities, to look at what more we can do together to ensure that food which is safe to eat can be redistributed to people who can benefit from this support.”
“Food banks can be a trusted lifeline in the short term, but governments and regulators must also look more widely at other ways to enable people to reliably access safe and healthy food in the long term.”


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In April, Disney CEO Bob Iger broke down the company’s streaming plans, creating fervor in the market. As the company highlighted its plan to enter into the streaming business, bulls came out of the woodwork.
Disney shares broke out above the $120 resistance level that had held them down since the summer of 2015 when the cord cutting phenomena became the number one threat facing traditional media names.
During the fall, the excitement around Disney cooled off a bit and some wondered whether or not the rally was over. As shares fell from their 52-week highs in the mid-$140’s down to the $130 range, investors began to question whether or not we’d see that $120 level tested again, this time to the downside. Oftentimes, prior resistance becomes support after long periods of consolidation, but shares never sunk that low as the Disney+ launch ignited about wave of buying.
And now, almost a month after Disney’s streaming service launched, it’s clear that the market underestimated the power of Disney’s content and fan base.
Disney+ had over 10 million subscribers after the first 24 hours of its existence. Several weeks later, reports surfaced claiming that the Disney+ momentum was far from over, with the service adding 1 million new subscribers every day.
During its 2019 Investor Day Presentation, management said that it expects to have 60 to 90 million Disney+ subs by 2024. At this rate, it appears that Disney will hit those figures sooner, rather than later.
And, on top of the growth in the streaming space, Disney continues to execute in the other areas of its business as well.
Theme parks have shown strong growth throughout 2019, with revenues increasing 6% and operational earnings up 11% during the trailing twelve months.
The company has already broken its own global box office record this year and with Frozen 2 currently starring in theaters and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker still on the docket, it’s likely the new record will approach the $10 billion mark.
Frozen 2 just set a Thanksgiving Day weekend record and it likely to be yet another $1 billion film (it will be the 6 $1 billion blockbuster that Disney has released in 2019 alone).
The Mandalorian is one of the most popular shows across all streaming platforms at the moment and the interest this exclusive show is creating will likely be a boon for the upcoming Star Wars film that is set to launch in theaters on December 20.
The “baby Yoda” character from The Mandalorian is already a pop culture phenomenon and Disney is sure to reap the benefits of this craze on the merchandise front during the holidays.
All of this exciting growth has inspired the market to re-rate Disney stock. Disney shares are up nearly 35% year-to-date, beating the broader market by a wide margin. This rally wasn’t built on the back on earnings growth, but instead, multiple expansion.
Disney is no longer trading with the sub-market multiples that many of the traditional media names have been known for. Instead, has placed a large premium on Disney shares, amounting to nearly 26 times trailing twelve month earnings. This is the highest multiple that Disney shares have traded with since the early 2000’s.
And who could blame investors? This is a proven blue chip company with renewed growth prospects that is firing on all cylinders. Well, as it turns out, all but one.
While many investors were focused on Frozen 2’s $750 million worldwide box office figures announced early in the week, dividend growth investors were focused on another, less joyous aspect of this company: the dividend.
When Disney declared its January dividend on Wednesday and it turns out that Elsa isn’t the only thing that was frozen. As it turns out, the 2020 dividend appears to be as well.
Now, I want to be clear, there is a big difference between a frozen dividend and a cut dividend. Disney did not lower its dividend payouts. However, it did not increase it on schedule, either.
The December declaration is usually when Disney increases its annual dividend. The company has increased its annual payment for nine years in a row now. But, instead of increasing the payment this year, the company maintained its $0.88/share semi-annual payment, meaning that it’s likely that this streak will end.
Disney could increase its dividend during the July declaration in 2020 and maintain its current consecutive annual dividend increase streak, but at this point in time, it appears that management is going to focus its cash flows on paying down debt from the Fox deal and the continued heavy investments required for the company’s streaming services to flourish.
Obviously seeing a streak like this end was disappointing to some (myself included). Younger dividend growth investors rely on dividend increases, alongside dividend re-investment, to compound their wealth. And retirees rely on dividend increases to protect the purchasing power of their passive income stream from being eroded by inflation.
All investors should always be aware that dividends can disappear in a heartbeat. Although there are a handful of dividend aristocrats with annual increase streaks much longer than my own life span thus far, a company is not obligated to pay, more or less, raise, its upcoming, undeclared dividends.
However, when we’re talking about a blue chip company like Disney known for being generous to shareholders, investors expect to see cash flows returned to their pockets, directly.
In the recent past, Disney’s has done exactly this. During the past five years alone, the company’s annual dividend has more than doubled. The problem is, this is the type of growth that certain income oriented investors have come to expect.
It’s worth noting that Disney is not a dividend aristocrat. Unlike other companies in the market, Disney has not proven that it can increase its dividend throughout a wide variety of macro environments. This company’s earnings are fairly economically sensitive and therefore, historically, management has been conservative when it comes to growing the dividend.
Disney last froze its dividend in 2009-2010 in the aftermath of the Great Recession due to falling earnings per share and a lack of bottom-line clarity moving forward.
Obviously the macro environment today is much healthier than it was a decade ago. Today, Disney isn’t being frugal with its cash flows because of rampant fears of recession, but instead, negative bottom-line growth pressure being put on to the stock due to the capex associated with the fierce competition in the streaming wars.
Although I expected to see Disney raise its annual dividend from the $1.76 level to the $1.90 level or so and the fact that this did not happen is upsetting, I haven’t lost faith in this company as a long-term investment.
I think the Fox acquisition was a great move that helped set up Disney for success with its multi-tiered streaming plans involving Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. The company’s debt load is now triple what is was five years ago, but to me, this debt is a necessary evil as Disney attempts to re-imagine itself in the digital era.
Frankly put, I don’t mind seeing management focused on repairing the balances sheet and the billions that it will have to spend in the coming years on original content to keep up with Netflix (NFLX) - Get Netflix Inc. Report and others in the streaming space.
This company might not be a dividend aristocrat any time soon, but I think it still has the potential to generate significant long-term wealth for shareholders.


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Springfield Homegoods store to open July 22
Home fashions retailer HomeGoods intends to open its Springfield location at 8 a.m. July 22.
The 23,945-square-foot store is set to open in the former OfficeMax at 2951 W. Iles Ave.
HomeGoods specializes in off-price home fashions — priced 20 to 60 percent off department and specialty store prices, according to its Facebook page. There are more than 400 stores in the United States. Among its offerings are furniture, rugs, lighting, decorative accessories, kitchen and dining, bedding, bath, kids’ décor and toys, pet accessories, storage, workspace, outdoor, gourmet, wellness and more, according to a news release from the company.
"Our amazing values, brand names, and vast assortment make HomeGoods an exciting destination for shoppers," HomeGoods President John Ricciuti said in a statement. "With a large variety of special merchandise from around the world, customers will always find something thrilling in our treasure hunt environment at great values. We are happy to provide Springfield with a local HomeGoods."
OfficeMax, an office supply and technology store, closed in November after 25 years at the location, parent company Office Depot previously said in a statement. Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013.
HomeGoods expects to fill about 65 full- and part-time positions at the new store. Grand opening hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with regular store hours set for 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.


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17:23 | 30/10/2015 Society
(VEN) - The Craft Villages Tourism in Hanoi 2015 Festival ended successfully, opening up opportunities for the development of local craft villages in the coming time.
The Bat Trang pottery booth always attracts lots of visitors
The locally held event has attracted lots of artisans from 21 craft villages in Hanoi as well as from 15 provinces and cities across the country to showcase their products including embroidery, silk, flowers and pottery via 300 booths, receiving good response from visitors. Several travel companies have also take advantage of promoting themselves at the event.
According to Artisan Thanh Thuy from the Quat Dong Embroidery Village, her first objective is to introduce the original characteristics of Quat Dong’s embroidery to visitors, while sales the second.
“Although lacquer ware sales have decreased in recent years, I still believe that our fine-art articles, with their outstanding traditional characteristics, will continue to look for by tourists,” said Artisan Vu Thi Le Hang.
All participating artisans considered the festival as a bridge linking domestic craft villages in a move to sustainable development, especially in terms of tourism.
Artisan Tran Thi Thanh Huyen from the city of Da Lat in Lam Dong Province brought to the festival her flower products with a view to introducing a new craft of her homeland while receiving feedback from consumers for better improving her career.
According to Director of the Hanoi Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs To Van Dong, last year, the festival attracted more than 18.5 million visitors, including 3 million foreign visitors. The event reflected the city’s tourism potential. This year’s festival has further promoted Hanoi’s tourism and the city wish to receive more support from other provinces and cities to make the festival an annual event.
Director of the Hanoi Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs To Van Dong said, “The Craft Villages Tourism in Hanoi 2015 Festival, which was held from October 7- 11, was viewed as the right way to protect and promote traditional crafts and cultural identities while boosting local tourism development.


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Revealed: the best global brands
The top global brands for 2010 have been announced in, branding consultancy, Interbrand’s annual report which lists the top 100 brands for the year.
‘The 2010 Best Global Brands’ report saw Coca-Cola in the top spot for the eleventh year. In 2010s top ten, Google moved up three positions (gaining a 36% increase in value over the last year) and Intel moved up two positions from ninth to seventh place. Noticeably absent from the 2010 top ten is Toyota, who dropped to eleventh place, allowing HP to enter the top ten for the first time.
Some brands did not fare as well as others in 2010, with BP, for instance, failing to make the 2010 ranking. Instead, competitor Shell moved up 11 places from 92 to 81, emerging as a stronger player than last year.
Technological brands took the leading places in the ranking, with IBM (second), Microsoft (third), Google (fourth), Intel (seventh) and HP (10th) all in the top ten. Apple (17th) managed to gain 37% in brand value, moving up from 24th position in 2009.
Luxury brands were not hindered by an anticipated downturn in spend in 2010, with Louis Vuitton (16th), Gucci (44th), Hermes (69th), Tiffany & Co (76th), Cartier (77th) and Armani (95th) all making the ranking.
The report aims to chart how consumers are behaving, what brands they are buying and brand trust levels. Damian Borchok, CEO of Interbrand Australia commented about the rankings, “The increasing complexities of the global economy reinforce the importance of protecting and growing a brand. It is a company’s most valuable asset but it is clear that today’s brands cannot hide anything from consumers – brands must say, do and be everything the brand has been built to represent.”
Interbrand’s 2010 Best Global Brands report is available online.
Interbrand 2010 Best Global Brands Top Ten


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Motor State Distributing has added the Alpha Gloves (ASC) product line to the company’s expanding list of quality brand vendors.
The latest in high-performance glove technology, Alpha Gloves are built with the 21st century mechanic in mind. Alpha Gloves are engineered to be able to perform the task at hand without having to take them off, according to the company. Alpha uses the latest materials available offering comfort in high-performance hand protection.
For more information, call Motor State Distributing at 800-772-2678, or visit www.motorstate.com.


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This article originally appeared at The WHIR
Liquid Web, a Michigan-based web hosting provider, announced on Wednesday that it has received an investment from Madison Dearborn Partners. Liquid Web has not disclosed the financial details of the investment but says the Chicago-based private equity firm has provided a “substantial investment” in the company.
Matthew Hill, Liquid Web founder and CEO will be succeeded as CEO by Jim Geiger as part of the transaction. Madison Dearborn previously worked with Geiger in his role as founder, chairman and CEO of Cbeyond.
Liquid Web was founded 18 years ago and has grown to serve more than 30,000 clients from data centers in Michigan, Arizona and Amsterdam. The company’s suite of products include its Storm Platform, which provides VPS, dedicated bare metal cloud servers, and dedicated server solutions as well.
The company’s headquarters will remain in Lansing, Michigan. It has provided further details about what the transaction will mean for customers on its blog.
Cale Sauter, Liquid Web public relations, says that the company has been exploring growth opportunities for the past nine months.
“This is a really positive change for our ability to add new products and grow much faster than the rate we even have been at this point,” Sauter tells the WHIR in a phone interview.
“This is actually something that our founder and CEO Matthew Hill – he started the company 18 years ago – he had noticed that there were other opportunities for the company to grow a little faster and be competitive with the way the market has changed since we started. He was on the lookout for any kind of investor that could really accelerate this for us. He talked to a number of people over the past nine months and this is the team that we found best suited to the needs of the company going forward.”
Last year, Liquid Web expanded its space in Ann Arbor and announced hiring efforts to grow its workforce in the area.
“I am pleased and humbled to join such an impressive company founded by an entrepreneur and supported by employees who share my passion for taking care of customers,” said Jim Geiger, incoming CEO said in a statement. “Liquid Web is an extraordinary company and, as an entrepreneur myself, I will work tirelessly to ensure that the company continues to thrive. I look forward to working again with Madison Dearborn, and together we will focus our efforts on scaling the Liquid Web business globally while remaining dedicated to its core values of unparalleled customer service and hosting solutions.”
The transaction is expected to close over the summer, subject to customary closing conditions.
Disclosure: Liquid Web provides hosting to the WHIR and Data Center Knowledge.


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‘Doom’ creators John Romero & Adrian Carmack kickstart new game ‘Blackroom’
id Software co-founders John Romero and Adrian Carmack, best known for co-creating 'Doom' in 1993, have joined forces to create a new shooter named 'Blackroom'.
The duo have launched a Kickstarter campaign for the game, which is looking to raise $700,000 by May 28th 2016.
The description for the campaign describes Blackroom as "a visceral, action-packed FPS set in a holographic simulation gone rogue" which is set to launch sometime during Winter 2018 on PC and Mac. No other platforms have been announced.
If it reaches the Kickstarter campaign goal before the deadline, the game will feature a roughly 10 hour long singleplayer campaign alongside competitive and co-operative multiplayer modes. Blackroom aims to return to the old school, super fast and violent first person shooters that were all the rage during the 1990s.
Romero and Carmack should certainly be well placed to pull such a game off - both are co-founders of legendary game development studio id Software, and worked on the original Doom and Quake games. Blackroom is being developed by their new game development studio Night Work Games.
Romero left id after Quake's release in 1996. Blackroom is Carmack's first major project in the game industry since being fired in 2005 and then suing his former employer. He claimed he was forced out after refusing to accept an offer to sell back his stake in the company for an amount that was below its true value.
You can read more about their new game and all the features it will bring on the Blackroom Kickstarter campaign page.


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The Intersection of High Fashion and Luxury Tech: Embracing Elegance in Everyday Gadgets
At the recent Emmy Awards, Jessica Chastain graced the red carpet in a stunning, custom-made Gucci dress, capturing the essence of luxury and elegance. This event, a celebration of artistic talent and fashion, highlights an intriguing trend in the world of luxury goods: the fusion of high fashion with technology, particularly in the realm of luxury phone cases.
The Rise of Designer Tech Accessories
In recent years, technology has become more than just a tool; it is a fashion statement. Luxury brands like Gucci have recognized this shift, moving beyond traditional fashion items to embrace tech accessories. This transition mirrors a society that values style and functionality, evident in the growing market for luxury phone cases.
Jessica Chastain's Influence on Fashion and Tech
As an icon of style and elegance, Jessica Chastain's choice to wear Gucci at the Emmys is more than a fashion statement. It reflects the growing relationship between high fashion and everyday technology. Gucci's venture into tech accessories, much like Chastain's dress, is characterized by bespoke design and unparalleled craftsmanship.
Design Principles in Luxury Phone Cases
What makes a phone case a luxury item? It's the meticulous attention to detail, premium materials, and often, the brand's heritage. These cases are not merely protective gear; they are fashion accessories designed to complement the user's lifestyle and status, much like a custom Gucci dress on the red carpet.
Brand Value and Consumer Perception
The value of a luxury phone case extends beyond its physical attributes. Brands like Gucci imbue their products with a sense of exclusivity and prestige. Consumers who choose these luxury cases are buying into a lifestyle and a statement about their personal brand, akin to wearing a designer dress at a high-profile event.
The Future of Fashion-Tech Synergy
The fusion of fashion and technology is just beginning. With icons like Jessica Chastain leading the way in showcasing high fashion on global stages, the potential for luxury brands in the tech world is immense. This synergy promises to bring more innovation, style, and elegance to everyday technology, making it an integral part of our fashion choices.
Jessica Chastain's appearance at the Emmys in a custom Gucci dress is more than a moment of fashion; it's a symbol of the evolving relationship between high fashion and technology. As luxury phone cases become more prevalent, they represent a new frontier in fashion, where elegance meets practicality, mirroring the ethos of brands like Gucci and their embrace of bespoke, luxurious designs.
（video from： https://youtu.be/cZiVh-sv6dU）


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Hendersonville Chick-fil-A is going through intense on-line criticism after issuing a callout on social media for volunteers to work the restaurant’s new drive-thru specific.
The fast-food rooster restaurant, positioned at 52 Highlands Sq. Drive, promised entrees as a substitute of financial compensation.
“We’re on the lookout for volunteers for our new Drive Via Specific!” the Hendersonville Chick-fil-A mentioned in a Fb put up that has since been deleted after a flood of damaging feedback.
The put up from earlier this week mentioned volunteers would earn 5 free entrees per shift (one hour) labored, and requested these to message for particulars.
Hendersonville Chick-fil-A has declined to remark, and directed all media inquiries to the company press room. Questions submitted to the company group weren’t answered as of Wednesday night.
The Chick-fil-A Fb web page has been attracting feedback on the matter, even after limiting who can touch upon the web page’s posts. A put up that includes a back-of-house worker holding a younger youngster consuming an ice cream cone acquired feedback reminiscent of “Discovered a volunteer that works for ice cream as a substitute of sandwiches? It’s even cheaper. Remember there are youngster labor legal guidelines on this nation.” One other mentioned, “Man these volunteers certain are younger!”
One-star Google opinions of the Highlands Sq. location additionally began to pour in on Wednesday.
A thread on Reddit, a preferred social information discussion board and dialogue web site, containing a screenshot of the put up gained huge consideration and acquired practically 18,000 interactions and about 2,700 feedback by Wednesday afternoon.
The highest commenter requested, “There’s a lot flawed right here I don’t know the place to begin. However initially: Why not simply (give) cash as a substitute of vouchers? Aren’t they greater than the minimal wage?”
The incident has additionally gained nationwide media consideration, together with an on-line article on Vice. Along with mentioning the identical Chick-fil-A used to make use of Rep. Madison Cawthorn, the information outlet identified that Chick-fil-A is a “massively in style fast-food chain whose homeowners are price roughly $14 billion…” and linked to a June 2021 article from Enterprise Insider that highlighted the Cathys, the household behind the rooster chain restaurant.
The Hendersonville areas are franchised. Joel Benson is the restaurant proprietor for each Hendersonville Chick-fil-A areas, 640 Spartanburg Freeway and 52 Highlands Sq. Drive.
Whereas the restaurant is now looking for volunteer labor, Hendersonville’s Chick-fil-A gained consideration final summer time after proudly asserting pay raises for workers. The franchise mentioned full-time staff would begin at $19 per hour beginning Aug. 23, 2021. That was a soar from the earlier April, when Chick-fil-A Hendersonville had promised employees $15 per hour. Not all staff have been eligible for the $19 charge although. Staff who have been 14 or 15 began at $12 per hour, and part-time staff at $14.
This text initially appeared on Hendersonville Occasions-Information: Hendersonville Chick-fil-A faces backlash after asking for volunteers to work drive-thru


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Wewell, a startup that has a Georgian co-founder and head Guram Jobava, has attracted several hundreds of thousands of euros of investment from Zero Gravity Capital in the pre-seed round.
Bank of Georgia continues to create new opportunities in the direction of technological innovations. For the first time in Georgia, the bank launched the largest data project - a series of Data Challenges.
Sprenty was born out of frustration at how hard it was to find football stadiums for rent. It seems like, the founders were not the only one, since Sprenty's platform has already reached 600,000+ people.
In collaboration with USAID's Employers for Vocational Education initiative, POSTRED Academy was established to instruct those who are interested in sound design and music for visual media.
An educational platform Nebula has advanced to the finals of the Social Impact Award. Nebula encourages young people's drive to learn by creating high-quality digital educational resources.
Impact Hub Tbilisi is launching the final stage of the Social Impact Award, an international youth program.
Kangaru is a B2B marketplace that connects restaurants, hotels and cafes with their suppliers and also simplifies the product ordering process.
QuickShipper is a newly-founded startup, serving as a delivery solution for businesses across various industries. CBW had an interview with its team.
The laboratory is an opportunity for inventors and entrepreneurs to create initial prototypes of any innovative product, produce test batches and lay the foundation for building their own start-up companies.


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Apple launched the new iPhone 12 Pro Max a few days ago and updates about it have been rolling in ever since. Firstly, the amount of RAM on the phone was leaked soon only to be followed by the battery specs to be leaked as well. Read More
Apple’s newly awaited tracking device is all set to launch anytime soon now. AirTags have been in the making for a while now and fans cannot wait to try them out. A recent report revealed that the device might come in two different size choices for the users. Read More
The single thing that differentiates phones of the same model from each other the most is the wallpaper. The look of a wallpaper makes or breaks the visual aesthetics of a phone. One can simply Google wallpapers and use them, but it is very difficult to set it in coordination with the exact proportions of the screen size of every model. Here are some apps that will provide you with exceptional wallpapers, customized specially as per the proportions of your phone’s screen. Read More
Apple is now going to ship its hardware products using its network of Apple Stores as de-facto fulfillment centers. To get to its customers faster, the company will now be shipping products directly from the stores, instead of sending them out directly from China or from local warehouses. Read More
Everyone loves to take a sneak-peak into the future and know what challenges and surprises lie ahead. Here’s where astrology comes into play. It is a study that has intrigued all of us, at one point or another. Those who believe in astrology want to know their horoscope and thus act accordingly. Whether you’re a newbie, or an expert, and want to explore the world of astrology, downloading a daily horoscope help will be of great assistance. Here are the Top 5 Astrology Apps For iPhone. Read More
China has been one of the biggest Apple suppliers, second only to Taiwan. However due to some recent clash with the Trump Administration’s new tariff rules some tension has developed over Apple’s dependency on China for the manufacturing of their products.
According to a new report, Apple is being forced by the White House to reduce its dependency on China and Taiwan, and on top of that Apple has already been planning on shifting its assembly plants in countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and India. Which is being assisted by government incentives. Read More
After the official announcement of the iPhone 12 event, Apple has published the placeholder for the “Hi, Speed” live stream. Here’s a guide on how to has published the placeholder for the “Hi, Speed” live stream.
Similar to the September “Time Flies” Apple Watch and iPad event, Apple will live stream the whole event on YouTube where it will also be available for replaying later. Other than that, it will also broadcast the event through its Apple TV app and Events webpage. Read More
Apple has officially announced its iPhone 12 event scheduled for October 13 with the tagline “Hi, Speed.” Apple also has in store for us a hidden AR surprise on the iPhone 12 event site.
On Apple’s Events website, users will find the date and time for the October “Hi, Speed” event. You’ll also find the option to add the event to your calender and the event’s graphics. First spotted by Parker Ortolani, if you’re on iPhone and iPad, you can also tap on the October event’s image to open a hidden AR experience. Read More


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By Lisa Johnston
New products on display at the American International Toy Fair, held in N
Northridge, Calif. — Harman has brought in five new executives, all in new positions for the company.
The new additions and positions include:
A company spokeswoman said that some of the new hires would be home-based while others will operate out of its Harman Lifestyle office in Northridge, Calif.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.


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The NYC-based Korean artist and Chinese-Japanese collective DiAN unveil a collaborative music video with director WEiRDCORE for the classic video game PAC-MAN titled ‘PAC-TIVE’.
Yaeji wrote and produced ‘PAC-TIVE’ by using the original PAC-MAN video game’s sound effects as samples.
Working with China and Japan-based collective DiAN, the track features a trippy animated music video by London-based visual artist WEiRDCORE.
The surreal video stars a hybrid character made up of Yaeji’s animated companion dog Woofa and PAC-MAN.
Inspired by Yaeji’s childhood memories of Korean market fronts, the animated doggy chases around a virtual city center and passes through characters from the iconic Japanese video-game as well as neon signs designed by renowned visual studio The Designers Republic (whose work have been prominently featured in the Wipeout video game series).
Commissioned by video game company Bandai Namco, the MV is part of their ‘BE-PACTIVE!!’ initiative – a campaign to inspire PAC-MAN fans to stay active.
The initiative aims to create innovative music videos by some of the world’s renowned creatives.
A longtime fan of the game, Yaeji says,
“PAC-MAN is a game my parents and I can both remember playing in arcades growing up. It connects me to my previous generation and possibly to future generations too.”
This latest video by the Korean electronic artist follows her previous MV of ‘When In Summer, I Forget About The Winter’.
Yaeji also recently performed her visual ‘Kreaji w/ Yaeji’ livestream with OHHYUK from Korean indie band HYUKOH.
DiAN, who made their debut via label U/M/A/A last year, fuses music culture from Japan and China. Formed by vocalist Saku, sound producer A-bee, and composer immi, they have released electronic-pop music inspired by the 80’s.
They recently released a multi-language retrowave song in celebration of PAC-MAN‘s 40th anniversary at the end of 2020.
WEiRDCORE has frequently collaborates with Aphex Twin, as well as having worked with many artists from the XL Recordings label (of which Yaeji is a part of) including M.I.A, ARCA, Radiohead, Smerz, Overmono, The Horrors.
His work has been featured in museums and galleries around the world including his first large-scale solo exhibition ‘ORIENT FLUX‘ in Beijing.


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Echtra Games announced a major shift in direction for their free to play RPG Torchlight Frontiers. The game was originally conceived as an MMORPG, but gamers often expressed disappointment how far the game strayed from its old school ARPG roots. After a year of complaints, Echtra Games and publishers Perfect World Entertainment have decided to listen to feedback and return the Torchlight franchise back to its roots.
Torchlight Frontiers will be rebranded as Torchlight 3 as part of the change in development direction. The horizontal progression is returning to the classic vertical progression model. The zones are being reorganized into acts for a more linear experience. While public towns will remain an MMO-style space, combat zones will now be private by default. Those who prefer to avoid social interaction or have poor internet connections will now be able to enjoy the game with the new offline characters support.
The changes will also require a different business model. Torchlight 3 will be a premium game and will be sold on Steam. The in-game real money store will be removed as a result. Anyone who played the Torchlight Frontier alpha will receive a Steam key for the closed alpha test in the near future. The game is expected to launch on Steam this summer (winter 2020 for those in the southern hemisphere).


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Libraries are well known for lending out books and DVD's, but the Temple Terrace library is expanding their services.
The "Beyond Books Lending Program" lets patrons check out things like power tools, sewing machines, and cooking items.
"It's expanding what libraries do, we've had great feedback on this, everyone we've mentioned it to," said librarian Teressa Fraser.
She said all of the items the library has have been donated.
A patron can check out the items for one week then renew the item if nobody else is waiting for it. Patrons need a library card to checkout the items. Fraser said other libraries across the country are starting to be creative.
"I recently read an article about a library that loans out men's neck ties and that's for jobseekers," said Fraser.
She said the program is an effort to make the library feel like a resource for the entire community.
"A lot of times people go to neighbors and family members to borrow items that they may only want to use one time, a plumbers wrench, something like that, now you can come here and borrow it," said Fraser.
The library is still taking donations. Click here for more information on the items available for checkout.


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Judge throws out Internet copyright suit
Los Angeles — The distributor of the Kazaa software for sharing songs, movies and other files on-line cannot pursue an antitrust lawsuit against major recording labels and movie studios, a U.S. federal judge has ruled.
Sharman Networks made the antitrust claims in January as part of its defence of a copyright-infringement suit filed by the entertainment firms.
Sharman argued that music labels and studios conspired to keep authorized and copy-protected versions of their songs and movies off Kazaa. It essentially blamed piracy on the entertainment companies, saying they failed to work with Sharman to create a legal alternative.
U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson dismissed Sharman's claims, which many copyright lawyers had considered a stretch. AP


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- Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Uprising now on PSN and Steam
- Manhunt just made things messy on PSN, joins PS2 Classics line
- Anomaly 2 now available on Steam, Anomaly Korea for PC launches
- Two more powers revealed in new Dark gameplayer trailer
- Payday 2 to be released online for PC, in stores for 360 and PS3
Fancy A Date?
Daily Archives: October 1, 2012
The buildup to Forza Horizon’s release at month’s end begins today with the reveal of the launch trailer. The footage features a winding race through Colorado’s busy streets and its sprawling countryside. The trailer also doubles as an announcement that the demo will launch next week, on October 9. The demo will feature the locations from the trailer, as well as several events that span numerous environs and cars.


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UK: Marks & Spencer launches plus size range online
Marks and Spencer has launched a range called Plus running from size 20-28
Marks and Spencer has launched a range of women's wear aimed at plus-sized shoppers.
The UK retailer said today (27 October) that the Plus winter collection will be for women sized 20-28, and sold exclusively online. It will include dresses, tops, skirts, trousers, suits, cardigans and coats, with feature fabrics like satin, velvet and sequins.
"There is always the classic black dress but choosing one of the more daring, eye-catching prints can speak volumes about fashion sense and can make you stand out from the crowd," said M&S dresses buyer Danielle Hill. "Red is a key colour featured in prints and solid colours for that wintery feel."
Prices range from GBP9.50 (US$15.30) for a cotton top to GBP89 for a party dress and can be accessed here.
Help test our new apparel sourcing tool.
In his fifth, and final, article in a series looking at strategies to succeed in a period of industry decline, David Birnbaum explains why he believes US retailer Gap has been going consistently downh...
Tesco, the UK's largest retailer, today (18 April) revealed that it has been working to improve its clothing offer after it recorded a drop in full-year profit across its UK operations....
Tesco today (18 April) said it would spend GBP1bn (US$1.55bn) in a bid to revitalise its domestic operations as it confirmed that full-year like-for-like sales and profits in the UK have dropped. Neve...
After Marks & Spencer today (17 April) posted a surprise decline in fourth-quarter sales, the industry's reaction to the results was mostly positive - despite the retailer admitting to running out of ...
Top stories on just-style this week included a reality check about uncompetitive China, Marks & Spencer admitting to running short of its best-selling women's wear lines during its fourth-quarter, and...
Efforts to stem job losses in the South African textile and clothing sector have been helped by government support and a union campaign to try to revitalise the country's manufacturing industry....
Denim brand Levi Strauss & Co has today (19 April) appointed Troy Alstead to its board of directors, expanding the board to ten members. ...
Major changes should be made immediately to safeguard the future of organic cotton as production falls, according to sustainability pressure group Textile Exchange (TE)....
- Trump and the apparel industry – Infographic
- How US border adjustment tax could affect apparel
- British Brexit plans prioritise tariff-free trade
- Apparel factory auditing is in the firing line
- NRF 2017 – Retail tech launches and developments
- Cambodia clothing exports at risk from Brexit
- Apparel brands urge Bangladesh PM to address wages
- New project to digitalise European fashion chains
- Brands need to tackle Turkey factory refugee abuse
- JC Penney to roll out hundreds of Nike "shops"
- Outdoor performance apparel 2016: A broader perspective
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar
- Anti-odour clothing: fresh fashion for an active lifestyle
- Global apparel markets: product developments and innovations, October 2016
- Global market review of lingerie – forecasts to 2022


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LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION
Auto Emissions Lawyer Interviews
September 29, 2015. By Brenda Craig.
Read [ Car Sellers in Class Action against VW Germany ]
Los Angeles, CAVW diesel owners were stunned to learn last week that their vehicles don’t meet federal emission standards. VW and independent dealerships are now stuck with millions of dollars of inventory they can’t legally sell. Like individual VW owners, dealers are now filing their own lawsuits against the company that sold them container loads of defective cars.


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Light commercial vehicle SUV crossovers are common on the Continent but, asks George Barrow, could a change in the law see their numbers increase in the UK?
New light commercial registrations totalled 2.1 million units in Europe last year – an increase of 2.8% compared with 2018 – but it was the introduction of Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) testing for vans in September that caused the biggest upset in the market.
Numbers surged ahead of the deadline as people pulled forward registrations, resulting in a slowdown from September to November, but the impact of this new testing regime, and the wider fallout of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and the European Parliament’s introduction of Regulation (EU) 2019/631 from 1 January 2020 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles, means that models producing high CO2 are in jeopardy of being removed from sale.
In order to understand what might happen to the van market it’s important to look at the car sector and the history of this drive for lower emissions targets.
The process started in 1998 when a voluntary agreement was reached between the European Commission and the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) to reduce average CO2 emissions from new cars. The level was set at an average of 140g/km of CO2 by 2008, with Japanese and Korean manufacturers agreeing to reach the same limit by 2009.
While progress was made over the next decade in reaching the target, during a review in 2007 the European Commission felt the newer objective of 120g/km of CO2 by 2012 was going to be missed, resulting in hard deadlines and punitive measures entering discussions.
By 2009, Regulation No 443/2009 – covering new cars – was agreed, and set the average CO2 target at 130g of CO2 per kilometre by 2015 for newly registered passenger cars in the EU.
But it was new measures introduced in April last year by the European Parliament that will sculpt the product ranges of manufacturers in the years to come, with CO2 emission performance requirements for new passenger cars set at 95g/km of CO2 by 2021.
For new light commercial vehicles, Regulation No 510/2011 set the average CO2 emissions target at 175g/km by 2017 with a target of 147g/km by 2020. Rules are being phased in so that the top 5% of most-polluting vehicles are exempt from the calculations this year, but from 2021 all sales will contribute to the total.
The surge in demand for SUVs of all sizes has left carmakers struggling to balance their emissions averages, and while some compensation is given to those that manufacturer heavier cars (like SUVs) the targets will likely still end up with some manufacturers receiving penalties – particularly those that sell a large proportion of small cars whose engines do not have low CO2 emissions.
Fiat-Chrysler is one of the manufacturers who experts predict will not meet the lower targets, while others including Peugeot-Citroen as well as Ford with its new small SUV strategy might come close to missing the mark.
Rapid plans by many manufacturers to bring to market hybrid and zero-emission vehicles emitting less than 50g/km – which provide their own “super credits” and in 2020 count as two vehicles (and as 1.67 vehicles in 2021) – will likely not yield significant reductions in averages in time. Instead, there’s the possibility of manufacturers creating “pools” to jointly meet emissions targets – making a zero-emission manufacturer like Tesla potentially an invaluable partner for a manufacturer exceeding the limits.


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In the spirit of the adage “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” a creative animal sanctuary in California is promoting an affirmative upbeat attitude in the face of the harsh reality of the coronavirus pandemic.
In addition to wearing face masks, avoiding crowds, and developing closer bonds with their families than they ever imagined, millions of working people have been subjected to video calls and other online applications to keep communications flowing and businesses thriving during the crisis. While this option is arguably better than no communication at all, the novelty quickly seems to have worn thin for many.
Bring in some farm animals. Sweet Farm, an animal sanctuary in Silicon Valley, came up with an idea to bring a little fun to video conferencing while offsetting the losses they’ve suffered since the Coronavirus lockdown. For anywhere between $65 and $250, you can request a cameo appearance in your business video chat from Sweet Farm’s llamas, goats, sheep, pigs, cows, and turkeys. The project, dubbed Goat 2 Meeting after the popular conferencing software program, allows people to bring farm animals into their online happy hours and company conference calls.
For $65, you receive a 20-minute virtual tour of the farm for up to six video call participants. For a meeting with more participants, you get a 10-minute animal cameo for $100. A 25-minute virtual tour of Sweet Farm for a large group costs $250.
Sweet Farm co-founder Anna Sweet told Business Insider that since launching Goat 2 Meeting last month, she’s completed more than 300 requests for animal cameos and virtual field trips for clients from all kinds of companies, from Fortune 500 brands to brand new tech startups. She noted that one law firm even brought their kids along to take a virtual tour of the farm and meet the animals.
Sweet Farm’s Story
Sweet Farm is a groundbreaking non-profit animal refuge dedicated to alleviating the devastating impact of factory farming on animals, plants, and the planet at large. They recognize that the global food web is exceptionally complex, and that it’s not possible for us to progress without first recognizing how all its parts are connected. By creating links between vegan agriculture practices, farm animal rescue, and proper education and training, Sweet Farm is reinventing the parameters of the term “sanctuary.”
Sweet, who also works in the Silicon Valley tech world, co-founded Sweet Farm as a non-profit animal rescue and sanctuary intended to “connect people to where their food comes from.” For that reason, the sanctuary also provides free virtual field trips to schools and other non-profit groups. Schools in the United Kingdom and Brazil have already taken their students on some of these virtual tours, and there’s another one planned soon for a homeless shelter in North Carolina.
“I think we’re all a little stressed with what’s going on — many of us have been sitting inside,” Sweet recently told Business Insider. “We’re just hoping to bring some smiles to people’s faces while bringing them out to the farm at the same time.”


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Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today hosts its Galaxy Unpacked virtual event to introduce its new suite of Galaxy devices.
The company is scheduled to announce Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Note20 Ultra, Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+, Galaxy Watch3, Galaxy Buds Live, and Galaxy Z Fold2.
Watch the Galaxy Unpacked virtual event livestream below.
Let’s know what you think about the new Samsung Galaxy devices
Check out other stories from the region.
- 1150 students participate in UmojaHack Africa 2021 ML hackathon
- Microsoft is inviting female software engineers in Nigeria and Ghana to participate in a SE skills workshop
- 60 students across Nigeria and Kenya participate in Microsoft Hackathon
- Zimbabwean company gets Microsoft OEM certification, produces Infinity laptop and desktop computers
- Nigerian tech startup develops online meeting solution
- 1.1M Africans acquire digital skills during COVID-19
- Kenya student team qualifies for Microsoft Imagine Cup World Championship
- Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal Wireless Headphones for Xbox, price and specs
- 30 million learners participate in the free Microsoft digital skills initiative
- Accelerex to launch RexPay and RexRetail in Q2 of 2021


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The competition watchdog has launched enforcement action against a number of hotel booking sites over concerns about pressure selling and hidden charges.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had “widespread” concerns about the sites, which it has declined to name; including the role commission paid by hotels could influence their rankings and the extent to which they included all costs in the upfront price or introduced them later in the booking.
Pressure selling, involving claims about how many people were looking at the same room, how many rooms were left or how long a deal would be available, could also create a false impression of availability or rush consumers into making a decision, the CMA said.
It also raised concern about the fairness of discount claims made by the sites, such as comparisons with higher prices that were only offered for a brief time.
The CMA said it believed the sites could be breaking consumer protection law. The sites must now act to address the CMA’s concerns or face court action.


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DETROIT Actor Charlie Sheen, known for his antics in and out of clothes, will appear in a TV ad campaign with Michael Jordan for Hanes underwear starting next month.
Two spots, via IPG’s The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va., will debut on June 2 during the NHL finals on NBC. They will also air later in the week during the NBA finals and Nascar coverage on ESPN.
In both spots, Sheen is featured as a dedicated Jordan fan that finds out he is wearing the same brand of underwear as the basketball celebrity.
One spot, called “Phone Toss,” shows Sheen running up to Jordan’s car as he is exiting a hotel and telling Jordan that someone turned him on to the new Hanes Lay Flat Collar Undershirt. He suggests Jordan do the same, not realizing that he’s already wearing one. As Jordan starts to drive away, Sheen keeps talking, inviting Jordan to dinner and asking for his phone number. Jordan is finally forced to drive away, prompting Sheen to throw his phone in the back seat of Jordan’s convertible and asking to call him.
The commercials will be part of an online push that launches July 14, with ad banners and sponsorship of the Fantasy Baseball Hanes Comfort Zone on ESPN.com. The campaign’s messaging will also be placed in select XboxLive.com games, including Nascar 2008, NHL 2008 and MLB’s The Bigs. Additionally, Hanes will launch a special landing page on June 2 at Hanes.com/Charlie, featuring the TV campaign, outtakes and other content targeted to men.
“I had a great time working on the campaign,” Sheen said in a statement. “It’s nice to poke fun at yourself, sell great products and work with a legend — not much to complain about in a day’s work.”
The campaign will run through the end of this year.
Hanes has a fondness for using celebrities to pitch its products. In addition to Jordan, Hanes in the past had used actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and actress Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Hanes, Winston-Salem, N.C., spent $12 million on ads last year, and $8 million through March, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.


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A few mysterious and unreleased Macs have been spotted in Steam’s usage data for November 2022. Labeled “Mac14,6” and “Mac15,4”, the devices are likely machines with M2 Pro and/or M2 Max processors that be ready for launch in 2023.
You can view the data by going to Steam’s survey page and clicking on the line labeled “OSX Hardware Model Summary”. The two models are at the bottom of the list, each assigned to 0.00% of users. Note that this indicates a very low number rather than none at all, as the numbers are rounded to two decimal places; indeed, this makes perfect sense to a pair of engineers conducting tests on prototypes of an unreleased machine.
It may seem strangely careless for Apple employees to test unreleased products on a public platform, given the company’s penchant for secrecy. But at certain points in development it seems inevitable, and this is how the existence of several Apple devices has been revealed for the first time.
As MacRumors points out, the specific designation “Mac14,6” has been seen in the wild before. On two separate occasions in November and December 2022, Geekbench scores for the device – believed to carry an M2 Max chip – have appeared online. My colleague Jason Cross discusses the implications of those leaks in his Rumor Reality Check column.
It’s unclear when these new Macs will be announced and available to buy. There is minimal chance of further announcements before the end of 2022, and January and February are generally quiet months for Apple. Normally we would expect new products in the pipeline to be delayed until spring, but the company has surprised us in the past and may shock us again.
For more on what’s coming, read: Every new Apple product coming in 2023.


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?Modern Warfare 3′ sets day-one entertainment record
Modern Warfare 3, the latest installment in Activision's juggernaut shooter franchise, has set a new entertainment industry record for the biggest product launch of all time, selling 6.5 million copies in the U.S. and U.K. in its first 24 hours and earning $400 million in the process.
That tops the $360 million Call of Duty: Black Ops made last year in its first 24 hours and the $310 million Modern Warfare 2 took in during its first day in 2009.
"We believe the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we achieved this record with sales from only two territories," said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. "Other than Call of Duty, there has never been another entertainment franchise that has set opening day records three years in a row."
Kotick also points out that overall sales for the Call of Duty franchise now "exceed worldwide theatrical box office for 'Star Wars' and 'Lord of the Rings,' two of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time."
Analysts expect Modern Warfare 3 to sell nearly 20 million units by the end of the calendar year, generating roughly $1.2 billion in revenue. Black Ops cracked the $1 billion mark in six months.
Pre-orders for the game were also the biggest on record, and given that the last two installments of Modern Warfare previously held the launch record, this achievement isn't exactly a shocking one.
It's still notable, though, given the competition Modern Warfare 3 faces this year from EA's Battlefield 3, which sold 5 million copies in its first week. Some also thought Call of Duty's numbers could be hampered by lingering negative feeling among core gamers following the abrupt dismissal of series creators Jason West and Vince Zampella after the release of Modern Warfare 2.
Both factors put Modern Warfare 3 under the microscope, but the success of the game certainly backs up what analysts have been saying all along: Most players are more concerned about the game, rather than the developers behind it. And with so many people buying a copy, even those who held a grudge or resented the game because of its success, still purchased (and will likely purchase) the game so they can play with the people on their friends list.
"Call of Duty is more than a game," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. "It's become a major part of the pop cultural landscape. It is a game that core enthusiasts love, but that also consistently draws new people into the medium."
Activision also announced that they've donated $3 million of the game's sales to the Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit corporation that seeks to provide job placement and training for veterans.
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NEW YORK — If you’re prone to mistyping email addresses, here’s a new thing to worry about: You could be a target for spammers trying to sell you a dream vacation or a diet product by pretending to be one of your friends or colleagues.
In a clever twist on spam, some websites with names that are confusingly similar to legitimate sites have been set up to reply to any mail sent to them. The responses are framed as out-of-office replies, but sneak in mentions of a new product or service you should try.
Here’s a real-life example of how it works: An Associated Press reporter accidentally sent a message to a “verizonwireless.co” address instead of the proper “.com” and got this response, ostensibly from his contact “tom”:
“I am out of office right now on a my (sic) dream vacation and will get back to you when I return. If you don’t hear from me, my assistant should contact you shortly. You should check this site to see how I scored the best travel deal for my trip.”
That’s followed by a link to a site that advertises luxury resorts. Presumably, the owner of verizonwireless.co makes money when someone clicks through to any of the resort sites.
Only a handful of sites were set up to produce the autoreplies tracked by the AP, and they stopped after the AP’s inquiries. But there are hundreds of thousands of sites out there that could be set up to reply to Mr. and Mrs. Butterfingers, with names that are slight variations of major sites — like “yaoo” instead of “yahoo.” They’ve been registered by so-called “typo-squatters,” whose goal is to make money from advertising as people accidentally visit the sites after mistyping an address in their Web browser.
If more typo-squatting sites start autoreplying, that could be particular problem for Internet mailing lists. If a participant mistypes his or her address when joining a mailing list, every message to the list could get a response from a typo-squatter. This infestation is already apparent on a few Internet mailing lists, including one about Django, a free software package, and one for Communist University, a group based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Tom Pica, a spokesman for Verizon Wireless, said the company’s legal department is looking at the matter and intends to pursue the owner of “verizonwireless.co.” Patrick Flaherty, a lawyer for Verizon, said the company will probably try to seize the domain name through legal action.
Verizon Communications, which controls Verizon Wireless, has gone after typo-squatters before. In 2008 it won a $33.1 million judgment against OnlineNIC, a San Francisco-based company that according to Verizon had registered 663 domain names like “myverizionwireless.com.”
Unwanted out-of-office spam isn’t the only reason to be careful about typing email addresses. A small security firm recently reported setting up 30 Web addresses, with names similar to those of major corporations, and saving every email that came in over six months. The firm, Godai Group, ended up with 120,000 emails, with contents that included trade secrets and network usernames and passwords.


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In September, alongside the debut of the Roku Premiere and Premiere+, Roku also announced that it was planning to add support for Google Assistant, which should help the company fend off increasingly stiff competition from Amazon. The feature now is available on some Roku streaming devices and TVs, and included in the new Roku OS 9 for Roku devices, and Roku OS 8.2 for Roku TVs.
The two new OS versions bring some other features too, including support for the premium version of Pandora and Spotify (including Spotify Connect compatibility), automatic volume leveling, and the ability to perform voice searches specifically for free content. That last feature is clearly aimed at highlighting the content available within Roku’s free, ad-supported Roku Channel.
Alongside the previously released Google Assistant functionality, Spotify premium has now officially relaunched on compatible Roku devices, allowing listeners to stream their favorite new music to their TV with ease. To get Spotify to play on your
So far, everything is rolling out just as Roku said it would.
“In the coming weeks,” a September press release stated, “you’ll be able to use Google Assistant devices to control select Roku streaming devices to pause and search for content and launch channels.”
This news came amid rumors that Amazon is planning a free content-streaming service to compete with the Roku Channel. In the past, there have been some clever workarounds for getting Google Assistant and Alexa to work with Roku, but this marks the first time
To get Google Assistant on your Roku, you’ll need the Google Home app. In the settings, under Home Control, select the option to add a device and you should see “
Roku TV users who also have a set of
Unfortunately, some Roku users may have to wait a while before issuing commands to their TVs. The new software is rolling out very slowly, with some
Updated on November 1, 2018: Edited to add that Spotify is now available on some devices.
- Roku Pro Series TVs finally go after the high(er) end, start at $899
- What does the Star button do on a Roku remote control?
- YouTube TV is finally fixing the biggest problem with multiview
- Don’t like giant ads on Amazon Fire TV? Then don’t buy one
- Tidal vs. Spotify: Which music streaming service has the features you need?


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Xiaomi Redmi is expected to launch the cheapest Snapdragon 855 smartphone very soon. At least that's what the rumours and leaks suggest. Back in February this year Redmi's General Manager Lu Weibing confirmed the coming of Snapdragon 855 Redmi phone. Ever since then we have heard a lot about this unreleased Redmi phone. Beginning this month, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun was spotted using the Snapdragon 855 Redmi phone. Now, Weibing is pictured using the phone in a mall in China.
In the photo, Weibing is seen holding the alleged Redmi Snapdragon 855 phone in his hand. Similar to the previously leaked pictures, in this photo too the Redmi phone appears in Red colour. Considering Xiaomi has brought funky colours for all its newly released Redmi phones, we expect the same for the same from the Snapdragon 855 Redmi phone too.
In the newly leaked photo, Weibing is seen using the Snapdragon 855 Redmi phone. The phone bears an all-screen display. This means that the phone will not have a notch on the screen. A Xiaomi phone with no notch, finally. The all-screen display also suggests that the Snapdragon 855 Redmi phone may include a pop-up selfie camera on the front similar to the latest Vivo and Oppo phones.
Redmi Snapdragon 855 phone specs leak
In another leak, the full specs of the Snapdragon 855 Redmi phone have been revealed. The leak suggests that the Snapdragon 855 Redmi phone will pack a 6.39-inch display, up to 8GB of RAM, up to 128GB storage, 32MP front selfie camera, triple rear camera setup one of which includes a 48MP sensor similar to the Redmi Note 7 Pro. The leak suggests that on the back there will be a 48MP primary sensor, 8-megapixel secondary sensor and lastly the third one will be a 13-megapixel lens.
A couple of days ago Redmi's Weibing confirmed that the Redmi flagship phone will come support for NFC connectivity and also pack a 3.5mm headphone jack. In addition, Weibing also revealed that the Redmi flagship will offer powerful performance, great cameras and high screen-to-body ratio. Some other rumours suggest that the Redmi Snapdragon 855 powered phone will include an AMOLED panel and an in-display fingerprint sensor.
As for the launch timeline, rumours suggest that the Redmi flagship may launch in two months -- possibly by June. Xiaomi is yet to confirm the launch timeline of the Redmi phone. Rumours suggest this Redmi phone may come to India as Poco F2.


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Jaguar Land Rover Reportedly Eyeing BMW Platform For Future Crossovers
According to a recent report, Jaguar is working on two new crossovers that could be based on a BMW-sourced platform.
Nothing is official, but Autocar says the models are in the early stages of development and could arrive in the middle of the next decade. However, that’s far from certain as the crossovers haven’t been green lighted yet.
Regardless, the publication says one of the vehicles would be a traditional crossover while the other would be a crossover coupe. They could potentially ride on BMW’s FAAR architecture which underpins the new 1-Series.
The report goes on to say the expanding partnership between BMW and Jaguar Land Rover could pave the way for a new entry-level Land Rover model. Little is known about it, but there’s speculation it could adopt the Freelander name.
If that wasn’t enough platform sharing, Autocar also claims the next-generation Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport could be “sibling vehicles” to the next BMW X1 and MINI Countryman.
A lot remains to be seen, but Jaguar hinted at an entry-level crossover in July. At the time, it was reported that model would be “considerably less expensive” than the E-Pace and could be called the A- or B-Pace.
The decision to base so many models on a BMW-sourced platform might not sit well with some Jaguar Land Rover fans, but it could save the company a lot of money. As Autocar noted, the FAAR architecture is more modern than the JLR’s Premium Transverse Architecture and can accommodate conventional, hybrid and electric powertrains. It’s also flexible as it should be able to underpin models that are between 165 inches (4.2 meters) and 181 inches (4.6 meters) long.
If BMW and Jaguar Land Rover strike a deal, it could potentially save the latter from having to develop an all-new architecture to underpin its smaller models. Of course, that remains to be seen.


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But what is ‘the power of choice’ after all? Exactly what the BMW X3 range is offering right now. The German company always said it will adapt to what the customers are asking for. Hence, its goal was to provide anyone interested in a new BMW with all the choices they could ask for. That’s why, in the BMW X3 range, for example, you now have internal combustion engine options, plug-in hybrid choices and fully-electric ones as well.
To be more precise, the BMW X3 can be had with diesel 2-liter and 3-liter mills, petrol 2-liter and 3-liter mills and, in xDrive30e guise, even as a PHEV. Of course, availability will depend on the market. For example, since diesel isn’t exactly a crowd favorite in the U.S., the X3 is not available with such an engine over here. Europeans, on the other hand, can still get one if they want to. It’s the same story with the BMW iX3 too.
Right now, the all-electric model is not available in the US, BMW focusing its efforts on the Asian and European markets. The former is expected to perform rather well, especially since the iX3 is made in China, BMW’s largest market at the moment. What the video below shows though, is that you can have an X3 in a variety of different guises and that’s all for the benefit of the customer.


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"GearHost experienced an entire network outage earlier today. This was due to a large DDOS attack against a hosted web site. We are currently working on repairing the problem but we are still under this attack so network connectivity will be intermittent."
From what the owner of gearhost is saying it is... the person who "got the scammer" was very irresponsible. Just think of of the businesses on Gearhost that lost money today. Then again, getting a scammer back, on a personal level, would have been cool. The sender may have also broken some laws using the postal service (unless sent otherwise) to get "even."
If you have not read the story... it is funny though.
what would have been real funny, is if the escrow would have went through... and the scammer turned out to be legit...
I never said the owner said that (not my intention anyway)... that was my openion. The story was not only on slashdot but on every other forum on the net. go to google and type: P-P-P-Powerbook.com. I said he was irresponsible because it cost gearhost to be down for almost 4 + hours, per gearhost site. The guy who got scammed slammed gearhost with an attack... or at least that is what gearhost is claiming.
I do business on the net and I would have been darn mad if someone caused me to lose 4+ hours of sales just to "get even" or show someone a lesson.
Actually, it was due to p-p-p-powerbook.com I understand getting back at someone but there is good in letting things go. A personal vendetta has cost a lot of businesses sales, money etc etc. I personally took a big hit as the downtime came right after I had just come back from advertising at a trade show that cost me 3K... not good. I am just an innocent business owner that got caught in the crossfire :-(
Correct ... as hekwu stated this was due to the p-p-p-powerbook.com site. The attack was against this and this site only but due to the severity of this attack it brought us down, almost our DC that we're in and is now pushing Level3's border routers over 30% normal usage. There are quickly looking for it's root otherwise UUNET will have to block it.


text: WinFuture has leaked new specifications and images of the GoPro Hero 10 and they suggest that the device will have a larger sensor and an upgraded processor. The Hero 10’s exterior design elements resemble those of the Hero 9 Black. However, the Hero 10’s mechanics are more advanced. According to reports, the camera will have a 23-megapixel sensor that will allow for higher resolution photos. The model will also feature the long-awaited GP2 processor. This processor can produce higher resolution photos at 60 frames per second and has a resolution of 5.3Kequi. Keep checking back for more information.


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There has been major progress on transformation of the palm oil industry –
but significant challenges remain.
In the last 10 years, in the face of greater transparency, closer scrutiny and continual criticism, the palm oil industry has started to change. Since 2009, this progress has been charted by the WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecards. And the results of this 2016 Scorecard confirm that leading parts of the industry have made genuine steps toward the transformation of their own practices.
More than 3,000 companies are now members of the RSPO. Close to a fifth of the world’s palm oil is produced to the RSPO standard, with 6 million tonnes being bought and claimed as CSPO by brands across the world. Up to 80% of European and even US use of palm oil is being met by CSPO. Recently, some commentators were declaring that 90% of the world’s palm oil is covered by a no-deforestation commitment.
The RSPO has also kickstarted change that in some cases has gone even further than originally envisioned. There has been a wave of commitments by many global brands to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains; several of the major palm oil producers and traders have committed to zero deforestation, zero peat and zero exploitation; and we’ve seen sustainability platforms develop among producing companies, local NGOs and brands. The Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG) has come together as a coalition of innovators and has already succeeded in encouraging the RSPO to develop its NEXT version of the standard for sustainable palm oil.
Well, not quite. Despite this progress, deforestation is still happening at an alarming rate. Palm oil in Southeast Asia is growing at half a million hectares a year – and almost half of that is on forest land. In 2015, fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra cleared 2 million hectares of land and forested areas and created critical health issues in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. Conflicts with communities and the workforce continue to hold back the industry’s progress.
So if companies are doing what we ask of them, and in some cases making their own commitments to go even further, why do the problems still persist?
The reality is that, despite their best intentions, innovators can only take things so far. The industry may be dominated by a handful of massive global players with headline-grabbing commitments to no deforestation, but it is built on a foundation of thousands of small and mid-sized companies and millions of independent smallholder producers. And unfortunately, those foundations are often illegal and unsustainable. Until the whole industry changes, commitments at the top will have only a limited impact on the ground.
At the same time, limits to change are also being imposed by the very authorities who should be setting policies and regulation to make the industry more sustainable. Rather than welcoming the sustainability efforts of individual companies and industry coalitions, the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia have been sending mixed messages. On the one hand, Indonesia has extended its moratorium for new palm oil developments on peat and even established an agency to restore degraded peat area. On the other, it recently put pressure on leading producers to roll back some of their more progressive developments, such as the Indonesia Palm Oil Pledge (IPOP), because it saw them as inherently critical of the rest of the industry. This pressure led to IPOP’s demise in 2016.
Both Indonesia and Malaysia have introduced national certification schemes based on legal compliance in an attempt to eliminate the worst practices within their industries. But at the same time the Malaysian authorities are blocking the RSPO from collecting and publishing maps of landbanks controlled by the large industry players – an essential element of transparency.
Unfortunately it is not just mixed messages that are holding back progress. WWF’s work shows that a lack of enforcement means that independent palm oil producers are free to illegally clear protected land. Systemic governance weaknesses undermine the progressive actions of some parts of the industry to eliminate deforestation from the global supply chain.
So it is hardly a surprise that global brands and progressive producers working within this environment are failing to implement their own commitments to end deforestation. Not only must they try to persuade thousands of other stakeholders to change, but they are doing so in a climate where change is unsupported and sometimes actively undermined by governments.
Ultimately, it seems unclear whether the countries where the most palm oil is produced can truly visualize the future of their industries without deforestation. Unless this changes, responsible parts of the industry will inevitably decide that the risk of doing business under such conditions is not worth the rewards. We can already see this happening in the US and parts of the European market where some companies are choosing to substitute palm oil with other edible oils.
If this industry is going to stop deforestation then it urgently needs governments to play their part. The fundamental truth is that the absence of good governance has created a “Wild East”, which is exploited by the unscrupulous and which constrains the more responsible parts of the industry. This has to change.
Despite the progress, deforestation is still happening at an alarming rate. Palm oil in Southeast Asia is growing at half a million hectares a year – and almost half of that is on forest land.
We cannot afford to ignore the truth and simply pretend that everything is fine. However, the answer is not more knee-jerk criticism by the authorities of NGOs, the RSPO or even those responsible industry players who are exposing poor practices. But neither is it a good idea for consumers or international brands to boycott palm oil.
Instead, the answer is to create a level playing field where unsustainable practices are eliminated and every company is allowed, encouraged, supported and maybe even forced to act responsibly. This will only happen if governments collaborate with the innovators.
One ray of hope for closer company-government working is the emergence of the "Jurisdictional Approach", which focuses on the governance capacity of a particular region and provides some framework around good governance as a market requirement for palm oil. This approach is taking root in the Malaysian state of Sabah and the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan, where the governments are working together with key stakeholders to implement pledges that all palm oil produced must meet RSPO certification standards. Bringing government to the table is galvanizing both large multinational plantation owners and smallholders to engage.
WWF co-founded the RSPO in 2004 because we saw the potential within the industry to change. To date that change has been driven by the market and the companies themselves. This Scorecard measures that change – but it also highlights that corporate change alone is no longer enough. The industry leaders are reaching the limits of how far and how fast they can progress. Although there is considerable scope for other companies to match their efforts, we are not convinced that the next 10 years will see enough further progress to end deforestation without governments changing too.
WWF asks companies that use palm oil to engage with governments in producer countries, both at the national and jurisdictional level, asking for a level playing field that eliminates unsustainable practices and mandates responsible production. Industry leaders must work together with governments to make this happen. What’s at stake are some of the world’s most valuable forests, and the species and people that depend on them as well as the long-term viability of the palm oil business and the economic benefits it brings to producing countries.