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The world needs to adapt to living with the coronavirus and cannot wait to be saved by a vaccine. This is the sentiment which served as the basis of Giuseppe Conte’s speech announcing a new decree which maps out easing restrictions in the coming days.
“We are confronting this risk, and we need to accept it, otherwise we would never be able to relaunch,” Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte said, acceding to a push by regional leaders to allow restaurants, bars and beach facilities to open Monday, weeks ahead of an earlier timetable.
On Sunday, Italian Prime Minister, signed the decree which authorises activity’s restarting.
On Saturday Conte said the country could not wait until a vaccine against the virus is developed because “we would end up with a strongly damaged economic and social structure”.
There have been 31,763 recorded deaths from the coronavirus in Italy, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, although the country’s infection rate has fallen fast in recent days.
Shops, restaurants and hair salons prepared to reopen in Italy on Monday as the government further eased one of the world’s strictest coronavirus lockdowns, saying it was taking a “calculated risk” to put the country back on its feet.
The euro zone’s third biggest economy is slowly emerging from more than two months of hibernation, with businesses allowed to gradually go back to work as long they can enforce tight sanitary protocols and keep people at least 1 metre apart.
At Milan’s upscale Rinascente department store, guards will keep count through an app of how many people are in the store at any one time. Clothes tried on in changing rooms will be quarantined for 24 hours and shop assistants will spill perfumes on paper tissues rather than having customers handle testers. Access to restaurants will be strictly limited, with only family members allowed to sit close to each other.
Rinascente’s Chief Executive Pierluigi Cocchini said it was difficult to predict what appetite there would be to shop after weeks of isolation. The store is reopening with markdowns of up to 60% as, like most retailers, it needs to clear unsold stocks.
“The hope is to take a step towards normality. It won’t be business as usual given all the protocols, but this is the new normal for now and we have to accept it,” he told Reuters. Tourists, still absent, would normally generate a third of the store’s sales.
Italy‘s fashion industry alone, boasting brands like Armani, Prada and Moncler, accounts for 5% of gross domestic product.
Business association Confcommercio expects consumer spending for clothing, which stood at 60 billion euros ($65 billion) in 2019, to shrink by 20% this year and a quarter of the country’s 115,000 fashion retailers to go bust. “I know that for several sectors of the economy, reopening does not mean recovery,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said late on Saturday as he announced the lifting of the restrictions.
With its economy facing severe recession and public debt expected to spiral to more than 150% of its annual economic output, the government has been desperate to get the country back to work without triggering a second wave of the epidemic. “We have to restart,” said Rosy Riente, which runs the Cafe de l’Ange in the posh Alpine resort of Courmayeur, even though distancing rules mean that she can now sit a maximum of 35 people at any one time in her bar instead of 100.
“So far all we have done is spend money to buy sanitising gels and disinfectants,” she said. Others prefer to wait until European borders reopen on June 3. Tourism contributes 13% to the country’s economic output.
“My shop looks like a hospital, with plexiglass screens at the till, sanitisers, face masks and gloves,” said Maurizio Di Rienzo, owner of suitcase shop Pellux in central Milan, whose eight employees have been furloughed. “90% of my clients are tourists, most of them Chinese. It doesn’t make sense for me to reopen just yet.”
Summer weather is enticing much of the world to emerge from coronavirus lockdowns as centers of the outbreak from New York to Italy and Spain gradually lift restrictions that have kept millions indoors for months.
People are streaming back to beaches, parks and streets just as a heat wave hits southern Europe and spring-like temperatures allow Americans to shed winter coats. As they venture out again, most are keeping their distance and some are wearing masks. However, protests are also heating up from Germany to England to the United States, arguing the government restrictions demolish personal liberties and are wrecking economies.
Greeks flocked to the seaside on Saturday when more than 500 beaches reopened, coinciding with temperatures of 34 Celsius (93 Fahrenheit).
Umbrella poles had to be 4 meters (13 ft) apart, with canopies no closer than 1 meter as the country sought to walk the fine line between protecting people from COVID-19 while reviving the tourism sector that many depend on for their livelihoods.
“This is the best thing for us elderly … to come and relax a bit after being locked in,” Yannis Tentomas, who is in his 70s, said as he settled down on the sand.
White circles were painted on the lawn in Brooklyn’s Domino Park in New York City to help sunbathers and picnickers keep a safe distance. About half the people in the park appeared to be wearing some form of face covering as they congregated in small groups on a warm Saturday afternoon with police officers in masks keeping watch.
In Paris’ Bois de Boulogne, health training worker Anne Chardon was carrying disinfectant gel and a mask but said she felt a sense of freedom again for the first time after weeks of confinement.
“It’s as if we were in Sleeping Beauty’s castle, all asleep, all frozen, and suddenly there’s light and space, suddenly we can experience again the little joys of everyday, in the spaces that belong to us, and that we’re rediscovering.”
On the French Riviera, many who took a dip in the sea wore protective masks. Fishing and surfing were also allowed, but sunbathing was banned.
“We’re semi-free,” said one local bather sporting a straw hat as he strolled the rather empty pebbly beach in Nice. Bathers seeking relief from the heat in Tel Aviv in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan Valley mostly tried to stay apart.
“We hope that the hot water, weather, make corona go away,” said Lilach Vardi, a woman who came to swim in the Dead Sea in Israel, as a lifeguard tried to fry an egg in a pan in the scorching sand nearby.
In Tunisia, which reported no new COVID-19 cases over four consecutive days last week, people flooded into the streets and to recently reopened shops with little social-distancing.
Muslims are nearing the Eid al-Fitr holiday ending the holy month of Ramadan, when many celebrate with new purchases.
“I stayed at home for two months and almost went crazy,” said one woman at Tunis’ Manar City Mall. “I’m surprised by the crowd but I need to buy clothes for my children for Eid.”
But throughout the world, small pockets of protesters bristled at any restrictions. In the U.S. states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, protests demanding states reopen faster have drawn demonstrators armed with rifles and handguns, which can be carried in public in many parts of the country.
Thousands of Germans took to the streets across the country on Saturday to demonstrate against restrictions imposed by the government, and Polish police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Warsaw.
In London’s Hyde Park, police arrested 19 people on Saturday for deliberately breaking social distancing guidelines in protest at the rules, on the first weekend since Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a slight loosening of England’s lockdown.
The scene elsewhere in the city was much calmer on Sunday as children climbed trees, kicked footballs and threw Frisbees in Greenwich Park. Couples and larger groups sunned themselves on the open lawns, mostly observing social distancing as they chatted and drank beer.
“We’re really happy to be out,” said Niko Privado, who brought his three brightly colored Macaws to the park, each tethered to a portable perch. “It’s only the second time we’ve been able to take them out (since the lockdown),” he said, watched by his wife and daughter.
Nearby, however, a woman working at an ice cream van said business was far from brisk despite the crowds and warm weather.
“It’s very bad — only three to four people every hour,” said Zara Safat. “It’s social distancing and they don’t want to wait in long queues.”
Reuters / AP / ANSA


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Manufacturers’ response to COVID-19 uncoordinated, unprepared
Many manufacturers have taken steps to mitigate COVID-19's effects, but it is largely reactive and uncoordinated and they often don't have plans for managing an outbreak.
Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have examined how manufacturers are — or aren’t — pivoting successfully in response to major manufacturing disruptions as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two faculty members from the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas found in a report that manufacturing response to the disruption has been largely reactive and uncoordinated, and many firms’ crisis communication plans do not include managing an infectious-disease outbreak.
The researchers identified the supporting enablers and competing barriers of manufacturing repurposing within the context of disruption caused by COVID-19. The article offers practitioners and policymakers best practices for pivoting successfully.
“The research was an eye-opener in terms of understanding the challenges for manufacturers in dealing with such an abrupt, massive disruption,” said Dr. Ramesh Subramoniam, clinical associate professor of operations management. “The COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a standstill. Even before that, supply chain disruption frequency had increased in recent years. Establishing a resilient framework to meet such supply chain disruptions is the immediate need for practitioners,” he said.
Because of the extensive scope of disruption distributed across countries and industries, pandemics are different from typical disruptions, which are generally focused on specific industries or products, Subramoniam said.
According to the International Labour Organization, approximately 47 million employers, representing some 54% of all employers worldwide, operate businesses in the sectors hardest hit by COVID-19: manufacturing, accommodation and food services, wholesale and retail trade, and real estate, business and administrative activities.
Manufacturing is expected to be one of the most severely affected sectors in terms of the negative economic impact, said Dr. David Widdifield, a co-author of the paper, clinical associate professor of operations management and director of the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management program.
“A sudden disruption, such as the pandemic, opened up questions on the critical need for companies to reevaluate their existing supply chain risk mitigation strategies — this includes the sectors of manufacturing responsible for the mass production of personal protection equipment (PPE) for health care workers,” said Widdifield, who also serves as assistant dean of graduate programs in the Jindal School.
The researchers surveyed employees of manufacturing firms. Completed between June and July 2020, the study assessed online responses from 71 manufacturing practitioners across 39 facilities and six continents.
Some companies supplied critical equipment and devices needed by the public and health care workers, oftentimes exploring new technologies.
Others found “repurposing and pivoting” — the process of manufacturers rapidly switching to a new product or process — more challenging. Manufacturing repurposing includes adapting production plans, lines and capabilities to meet new demand goals.
“The research shows a lack of capability among some manufacturers to deal with the increased demand for new products, such as medical devices, while other manufacturers have the ability to pivot to a new normal,” Widdifield said. “The study also brings forward the impact of digital technologies such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and how they prime organizations to respond faster and be more resilient to such rapid disruptions in the future.”
The study found:
- Almost all the organizations (94%) were operational during the peak of the pandemic. Of those, 56% were at full operations capacity, and 44% were at partial capacity.
- Multiple manufacturing firms repurposed during the pandemic. Target products included respirators and their components, medical PPE and hand sanitizers.
- Repurposing was less likely and did not occur for several product families, including mobile X-rays, surgical gloves, screening test kits and other diagnostic equipment.
- Despite the increasing number of disruptions caused by epidemics, natural disasters and other large-scale regional and global events, many firms’ crisis communication plans do not specifically include managing an infectious-disease outbreak.
The research also has implications for consumers, Subramoniam said. Companies were tested on how well they took care of their employees during the pandemic.
“The average consumer should look at how companies responded to the pandemic in treating them, their friends and relatives,” he said. “These are very strong indications of an organizational culture and capability. Future employees want to work for such companies with a strong culture of product and process innovation and growth, with the employees as the core asset.”
– Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, firstname.lastname@example.org.
Do you have experience and expertise with the topics mentioned in this content? You should consider contributing to our CFE Media editorial team and getting the recognition you and your company deserve. Click here to start this process.

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The Spike Video Game Awards (VGA) have become as much a celebration of video games as a platform to announce new unexpected projects over the past 10 years. Yes, it has really been a full decade since the VGAs first premiered.
The 2012 VGAs, once again hosted by Nick Fury himself, Samuel L. Jackson, will carry forward the tradition of big new announcements, as has been teased by Geoff Keighley over the past week or so. Apparently one announcement will trump them all and has been in the works for “16 months.” I take it to mean that this announcement will be along the lines of Skyrim or Batman: Arkham Asylum. One confirmed gameplay reveal will be for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.
Speaking of Skyrim, now that Bethesda Softworks has released the Game of the Year nominee Dishonored, there’s a strong possibility their next project could make its grand debut tonight. Is the world ready for another entry in The Elder Scrolls or Fallout series? If so, would that entry appear on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, or the next-gen consoles expected to be released in late 2013?
There will be plenty of love for 2013 games we already know about as well. Expect new trailers or footage for, at minimum, The Last of Us, Gears of War: Judgment, BioShock Infinite and Tomb Raider.
Tonight’s “X” factor could very well be Nintendo with the advent of their more mature gaming console, Wii U. If Nintendo wants the world to know their new machine can cater to the hardcore gaming crowd, announcing a new Metroid or Super Smash Bros. Brawl title at the VGAs would put the console on a few more Christmas lists.
In North America, you can watch the live high definition version of the 2012 VGAs on Spike HD. International viewers will want to tune into their Xbox Live console or Spike.com for the free online streaming version. Additionally, Gametrailers will be live streaming the event, and I have taken the liberty of embedding the stream below. The 2012 VGAs begin at 9pm EST/8c.


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Several times in the past, Acer has made moves that directly affected Lenovo's business. Could it be that, with all of the senior-level shake-ups at Acer, that Lenovo is ready to make its master-move? KitGuru hears the rumours, does some digging and looks at the possibility that we're about to witness the birth of the world's largest PC manufacturer.
From its humble beginnings as the brainchild of Stan Shih and his wife Carolyn, Multitech grew from a handful of employees in 1976 and evolved into Acer with revenues of almost $20Bn in 2010.
Lenovo is an ambitious company. While its posted revenues are more than $3Bn lower than Acer's, the company has grown differently and now has reported assets of almost $9Bn with over $1.6Bn in equity. That's in the wake of its takeover of IBM's PC division in 2005 and its more recent partnership announcement with NEC in January 2011.
OK, so both companies are huge and well-established. Why the rumours about a takeover?
Acer has been built on growth. Rapid expansion has been the order of the day and, until recently, every financial report seemed even more glowing than the previous one. A continuous cycle of re-investment in product and aggressive sales tactics, meant that Acer was able to climb to the top of the tree in shipment terms.
Another key element the company's success was its ability to control costs and run with the lightest possible management structure. In many cases, Acer would have a cost advantage over rivals like HP, by up to 10%.
In a head-to-head bidding situation, for major orders, Acer could go in at 10% below HP and still make the same profit margin on the business (or 8% below – and be cheaper as well as more profitable).
When new technologies came to market, Acer was also able to deliver quickly. In plenty of cases, Acer's rivals could take 12 weeks from processor launch until the new product was in the stores. Acer was turning around the new technology in half that time. By the time rivals had launched, Acer had made its money and was ready to discount.
So what changed?
Well, if your company is built on (a) continuous expansion, (b) aggressive pricing and (c) time to market for new technology – then the things you don't want to see are :-
- Flat market – with much less growth
- Prices collapsing, so that your competitors are right on top of you and there is not enough space to differentiate
- Slowdowns in the launch of new technologies, which extend the shelf life of existing chips
The rapid deceleration of the market in the wake of the global crisis in 2008 was rapidly followed by the launch of Apple’s iPad range. These two events have caused a huge challenge for Acer.
In terms of pricing, go into any branch of PC World and have a look at the laptops. There can be 50 offers in the £300 to £500 price range. Mathematically, if they were evenly spaced, that would mean a new offer every £4. It’s crazy to try and differentiate on price when the next model up or down is so close.
If you’re not sure about product slowdowns, then you were not watching the shelves in January. Intel’s new Sandy Bridge technology was sweeping all before it, but the chip giant only launched a handful of models and none of them were i3. Rumour has it that, as the world went into 2011, Acer was still trying to shift some of the stock it had bought in summer 2010.
In the past, Acer would have churned through stock – realised the money – and reinvested it into new ranges. Not so easy these days.
The last item of background you need to know, is the way that the media has spun the relationship between Lenovo and Acer. When Lenovo’s interest in acquiring the Gateway or Packard Bell brands surfaced, Acer moved in rapidly and secured the deals. Rightly or wrongly, many saw this as a deliberate effort by Acer to upset Lenovo’s plans.
At the same time as Acer was scooping up small, but important local brands – Lenovo was forming a partnership with Japanese superhero NEC.
OK. Enough background. What would the benefits be for Lenovo and Acer?
Lenovo is not only massive, it has a huge amount of cash on hand, it has significant assets and – in the latest figures from industry analysts – it has broken into the world’s top 5 producers list with sales volumes up by more than 5%, while Acer had to give up its leadership spot to HP.
Acer has been fantastic at moving its products into the world’s top retail chains, while Lenovo has struggled in comparison.
So there you have the marriage.
Lenovo has the depth and backing, while Acer has the ‘whizz’ when it comes to marketing and running the channel.
If a deal could be done, then it would not only create the world’s number one vendor in an instant, it would give the new company (on paper at least) a lead of 25% over HP. You would have to imagine that, in the all important emerging markets, the new company would have a huge advantage.
In terms of who might run the combined company, it's probably worth noting that Acer's Wang thought buying IBM's PC brand was a bad idea and he believes that Apple sales will slump to less than 20% of the tablet market, while Lenovo's Yuanqing Yang is Forbes Asian Businessman of the Year. Who knows.
KitGuru says: Changes have already been made at the top of Acer in recent months, was that a prelude to bringing together two of the Far East’s biggest companies to form a mega-manufacturer? Right now, this story is speculative, but KitGuru has spoken with 3 industry experts over the last 2 days – and they have all heard the same rumours. Is HP's worst nightmare about to come true?
Comments below or in the KitGuru forum.


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JUNEAU (AP) -- A black bear wandered into a Juneau convenience store Monday searching for supper.
The 2-year-old bear entered the liquor section of DeHart's Auke Bay store on Glacier Highway about 4:15 p.m., police said. The animal might have been attracted to the smell of chicken and potatoes cooking inside the store, said Sgt. Ben Coronell.
Responding police chased the animal out.
Shelli Galbreath, a store employee, said the bear ran out a side door and down to the beach. She said it didn't hurt anyone or damage any property.
And it didn't take the cooked chicken, either.
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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Voting is now live for the 2022 Young Wood Pro contest.
young wood pros
The Young Woodworking Professionals contest is not your normal woodworking competition. You don’t need to have a fancy title, work for a big named company, or have a shop full of high-tech woodworking machines.
A look at the outstanding craftsmanship of Young Wood Pro's previous winners, finalists, and favorites in a slideshow.
The winner of the competition will be announced at the Woodworking Network booth on Feb. 15 at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Entries are being accepted for the popular Young Woodworking Professionals competition, which recognizes outstanding projects and the young wood pros that created them. The free competition kicks off Young Woodworking Professionals week, Woodworking Network's salute to woodworkers ages 18-35, which takes place Jan. 8-12.
AWFS released the second poster in the 'Meet the New Face of Manufacturing' campaign, a comprehensive marketing effort to acquaint and interest young people in careers in wood products manufacturing.
In tandem with the launch of Young Woodworking Professionals Week - Woodworking Network is also announcing the first annual Young Woodworking Professional of the Year Award!
Woodworking Network is proud to announce the first ever Young Woodworking Professionals Week. YWPweek is full of discovery, celebration and meaningful conversations about the most critical part of your career.


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New Delhi : The Swadeshi Jagran Manch has shown solidarity with some groups opposing Goods and Service Tax(GST) in its present form and demanding the Government to address their concerns for a balanced GST.
The new tax regime in the form of Goods and Service Tax (GST), will be launched at midnight on June 30.
“Swadeshi Jagran Manch has been saying for long that though GST will make compliance easier for big businesses and multi-state operators, but at the same time onus of compliance for small scale industries may cause a host of problems, putting them at loss,” said a statement released by the organisation
According to Swadeshi Jagran Manch, while deciding the rates of the GST, care has not been taken to keep rates low for commodities being produced by small scale industries.
Beedi, crackers, beverages, biscuits, pickles, confectionery, scissors and host of other products produced by SSIs and cottage industries are attracting higher rates of GST, which is likely to affect their competitiveness.
“The Beedi industry provides direct and indirect employment to nearly 5 crore people and needs to be protected. In the new GST, Beedi attracts a highest tax rate of 28 percent endangering the employment of crores of tendu patta collectors and Beedi rolling workers, especially women,” said the statement.
The small scale industries are of core importance for India in terms of output, employment and exports. Moreover, SSIs, despite various disadvantages, have been giving tough competition to Chinese onslaught.
The Swadeshi Jagran Manch has also said: “If new tax regime works against their interests, the influx of Chinese products will increase, causing a huge balance of payment deficit”.
A large number of SSIs and traders organisations are opposing GST in its present form, seeking redressal of their concerns.


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Seventy-four per cent of employers say women should be forced to admit they’re pregnant when applying for a job.
The retailer has settled with Samantha Elauf, who launched a religious discrimination case in 2008 – but at what cost?
The Seattle-based entrepreneur who took a 98% pay cut – and set a $70k minimum wage for staff – now faces a familial legal fight.
The company’s CHRO has inherited a new title and the revised job description illustrates exactly how HR is changing.
The social media platform has stepped its game up to give employees a better working environment, a reason to stay – and a hidden bar.
A new study has found a link between income level and average nightly sleep – but long hours aren’t exclusively for executives.
A global furniture chain has become the first national retailer to offer all UK employees the recognised living wage.
The theme park’s strict “look policy” has been called into question once again after a Sikh employee was repeatedly segregated.
Is insolence really more infectious than the common cold? One psychologist says it can spread around the office in no time – with devastating effects.
The woman in charge of the tech giant’s HR team has promised “real progress” but warns changes wont come overnight.
Female staff at the Perth Mint might be banned from wearing underwire bras
Here are tips for transforming solo achievers into team players with a strong sense of commitment to group goals
We ask three HR and leadership experts about their views on the effectiveness of leadership programs


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Pharma giant Johnson & Johnson is expecting to have a better 2023 performance after reporting strong second-quarter earnings on Wednesday. The company benefited from a well-performing medical devices business that saw significant sales growth in the first part of the year. It also benefited from the increased demand for its cancer medication Darzalex and over-the-counter drugs.
Johnson & Johnson beat the Wall Street estimates in Q2, seeing $2.80 in adjusted earnings per share compared to the $2.62 EPS expected by the analysts. Its revenue came at $25.53 billion versus an estimated $24.62 billion, with a net income of $5.14 billion.
The company now expects to reach between $98.80 billion and $99.80 billion in sales, which represents a $1 billion increase compared to the previous estimate after Q1.
It also raised its earnings prediction to $10.70 to $10.80 per share compared to the $10.60 to $10.70 per share forecast in April. The analysts expected the company to have profits of $10.65 per share for the year.
Johnson & Johnson stock saw a slight movement in pre-market trading on Thursday, at one point reaching $159.30 per share compared to Wednesday’s close of $158.65. The company’s shares have been down almost 11% year-to-date.


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The Asia MarTech Society (AMS) has appointed Ken Ip as chairman of its 2021–22 board of directors for a two year term.
An award-winning marketing and brand communications strategist, Ip has previously held several senior roles, from corporate consulting to public affairs advisory, for leading multinationals and conglomerates.
He is currently the group head of marketing at B.S.C. Group, overseeing the digital transformation of its engineering, design, construction, wholesale, and retail business, with a portfolio of more than 200 lifestyle brands.
Based in Hong Kong, Ip is an active keynote speaker, columnist, and regular contributor on MarTech and e-Commerce. He is also an associate professor and the author of two best-selling titles, Life Hacks and Growth Hacks.
Commenting on his new role, Ip said: “I’m honoured to be taking on the chairmanship for the AMS and excited to carry on the excellent work laid by my predecessor.
“We will continue to advocate for our growing membership’s varied needs and strive to be a positive contributor to the MarTech society through more initiatives and collaboration.”
Ken has agreed to take up the role on a voluntary basis and will roll up his sleeves and work with the team to champion the cause of co-creating the future of MarTech in Asia.
OOH transit company Adflow has announced the success of the first phase of its regional expansion program. Adflow’s regional footprint has increased by 60 per cent to now include 65 regional locations. With 9.1 million people living regionally in Australia (growth of 1.1 per cent experienced in the 19/20 Financial year) and most regional centres […]
Freshworks, a leading software company, has started trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, marking an important milestone for the company. The company priced its IPO at US$36 per share (AU$49.76), raising about US$1 billion (AU$1.4B), resulting in a total market capitalisation of AU$13.7 billion (US$10B). Freshworks, which was founded in India, has strong roots […]
Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is the biggest player in the holiday shopping game and Google’s most recent research suggests consumer interest for the peak sales season starts much earlier than retailers may realise. The pandemic has fundamentally changed buyer behaviour over peak sales season, with Google suggesting that global consumer interest in Black Friday […]
Awindependent PR Agency Agent99 has added The Distilled Spirits Council of the US (DISCUS) to its client roster, alongside thought leader and commercial property specialist, Helen Tarrant. DISCUS is a national trade association representing U.S. producers, marketers, and exporters of distilled spirits. The account was won following a competitive pitch earlier this year. DISCUS has […]
Melbourne-based independent creative agency, By All Means, has today released limited edition ‘Locktown’ t-shirts to create a positive, artistic commemoration of their city, while shining a spotlight on the significant impact of lockdown on the mental health of Victorians. After 235 days under strict stay-at-home orders, Melbourne today claims the unenviable crown from Buenos Aires […]
Global marketing agency, Komodo, has announced it will be launching a dedicated TikTok arm to the business in Australia, following a series of key industry hires and new creators signed to their roster. The agency, who partners brands with social influencers across the globe, aims to bring a new dimension to influencer marketing by assisting brands […]
According to Fifth Dimension CEO Lyndall Spooner, whether you like roller coasters or not, we have all been riding ‘Dashed Hopes’ the COVID-19 emotional roller coaster for over 18 months and many of us have turned to online retail therapy to cope. Spooner uses the analogy of an emotional roller coaster to depict consumers’ […]
Underscoring its ongoing commitment to team care and wellbeing, during and beyond the pandemic, Havas Village Australia has introduced be together – a reconnection initiative to enable staff to reconnect with loved ones for longer when domestic and international borders reopen. The initiative, which reflects the Havas core value ‘Better Together’, gives staff from Host/Havas, […]
Global ecommerce and marketplace specialist Pattern has ranked a group of 50 brands selling on Amazon.com.au based on a set of best practice criteria it has developed. Pet brand Zenify topped the ranking in Pattern’s Amazon Australia Benchmarking Report, scoring 82 per cent of the possible marks against a set of criteria designed to measure […]
Fifth Dimension Consulting has announced the expansion of its executive leadership team in response to the organisation’s significant growth over the last 18 months. Lyndall Spooner has moved from the position of managing director to the role of chief executive officer (CEO). As CEO, she will lead Fifth Dimensions’ innovation arm, as well as the […]


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Over 4.5 million people flew abroad for Christmas in 2017 (source: ABTA), with even more expected to jet off this year. For lots of children, getting on a plane is the start of Christmas and as they lose themselves in the excitement of what’s coming, many of them also lose their toys; travel buddies set down on chairs, left on tables or dropped on luggage belts.
A lost toy can ruin Christmas for a child, so this festive period London Luton Airport (LLA) is trying to reunite lost toys with their owners in time for the 25th.
Clare Armstrong, Head of Passenger Services at LLA, said: “From a child’s point of view, losing your favourite teddy can be really upsetting. Plenty of parents will have experienced that situation first hand, so this Christmas we’re asking for help to reunite lost toys with their owners. We’ve put pictures of lost toys online, so if you know a child who lost their teddy during a recent trip then please check it out and get in touch.”
To view the unclaimed toys visit: www.london-luton.co.uk/reunite-ted


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Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
Moda Operandi recently revealed that it is underwriting 2013's The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute exhibit "Punk: Chaos to Couture," and now the landing page for the Met Ball theme has just debuted. Head there to preview select images, tap into that punk'ed out inspiration early, and enter to win a private preview of the exhibition with Costume Institute curator, Andrew Bolton. Also keep an eye on the page for forthcoming trunk shows launched in tandem with the exhibit. [Racked Inbox]


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More than a quarter of enterprises globally are behind on introducing a mobile app. Despite the ubiquity of mobile apps, companies still need help building them. “No code apps” are gaining ground as a viable path; they don’t require heavy IT developer resources and are affordable even for SMBs. One core strategy businesses are adopting is a “no-code” platform with an open API. Open APIs can extract data and content that can then be pushed to a mobile app, driving higher rates of customer engagement, retention, and satisfaction. The good news is that businesses can fast-track mobile app development and solve multiple challenges while meeting strategic company goals, says, Thuy Vi Nguyen. Head of Marketing, Guidebook.
THE NEW RULES OF (MULTI-CHANNEL) CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT: HANDBOOK FOR GROWTH MARKETERS
Winning CX will come from Brands who can balance relevance, consistency and convenience to drive engagement. The kind of engagement that drives optimal customer lifetime value and real business impact.
Despite our growing reliance on mobile devices, a large number of enterprise companies are slow to incorporate mobile apps into their business. In fact, more than a quarter of enterprises globally haven’t built, customized or virtualized any mobile app, according to a Gartner mobile app survey. Even as mobile apps become ubiquitous to business and app development is more attainable, companies still need help fast-tracking building mobile apps.
Learn More: The Future of Digital Advertising: How “Mobile-first” is turning into “Mobile-only”
The first hurdle is deciding what type of app to develop and how it will be developed. There are pros and cons to which type of mobile app business may choose –native, hybrid, progressive web app– so careful consideration should be taken examining overall objectives, requirements, industry, customers, employees, etc. to arrive at the direction that makes the most business sense. Today, native mobile apps still dominate. A recent report by Comscore found that 80% of mobile time is spent in apps, while Yahoo’s Flurry put that number closer to 90 percent. Native mobile apps still rule because the user experience on native apps is superior to responsive web sites. Native mobile apps provide a visually appealing experience that is faster, smoother, and more capable of leveraging smartphone features, such as the camera, accelerometer, or GPS. Personal or payment information on native mobile apps can also be saved, making users’ shopping experiences more efficient and appealing. A high quality, native mobile app provides customers with a user experience they expect and prefer.
As businesses continue seeking out viable avenues for native mobile apps, “no code apps” have gained in appeal as they don’t require heavy IT developer resources and are affordable even for small to medium-sized businesses. Mobile app development platforms allow even the smallest businesses to build native mobile apps without shouldering the costs of in-house or outsourced developers. Another benefit to no code apps is that a business can keep pace with enhancing features and functionality users want without timely constraints: updates can take minutes, hours or days vs months. In the end, lower total costs and overall ROI of no code apps are quite substantial.
One core strategy that businesses are adopting is to leverage a “no-code” platform with an open API. In addition to enhancing agility for businesses, open APIs can even further fast-track mobile app development. Open APIs provide businesses with a powerful way to extract valuable data and content that can then be pushed to a mobile app, driving higher rates of customer engagement, retention and satisfaction. Mobile APIs also help in several other ways.
- An API removes the heavy-lifting typically required in building native mobile apps. By simplifying the app development process via the mobile API, businesses have a faster, better way to tap into valuable data needed to drive the app. This simplicity, speed and ease allow the non-IT or developer team to focus on the app’s functionality and user experience.
- Mobile APIs open up new channels for apps to tap into, thus creating additional revenue streams. New payment and monetization strategies include in-app purchases, gamification elements, upgrades, and premium capabilities.
- Open APIs act as the glue between different apps, allowing the exchange of a plethora of data that can be leveraged by users and businesses to gain more efficiencies, provide better insights, improve customization and performance, etc.
Learn More: Key Milestones on the Path to Improved Trust in In-App Inventory
For those who want to fast-track their app development efforts via an open API, here are some useful tips to look for in selecting a platform:
- Comprehensive API documentation that provides developers with a clear framework for building their native mobile apps should be available.
- The API can seamlessly access valuable data that can be pushed into the app to improve the experience, performance, and customization.
- Core functionality such as security, customer support, messaging tools, and user engagement should be included.
- The API delivers deep integration around mobile app technology.


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Handmade gifts featured
The Garrison Art Center’s Annual Holiday Pottery Sale will open Friday, Nov. 21, and run through Sunday, Nov. 30. The Riverside Galleries will be brimming over with unique pottery and other items by more than 30 regional artists, including works from artists at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut.
The sale lets visitors avoid chaos at the malls while offering one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts, purchases of which support artists and keep the Art Center pottery studio thriving.
The Member Preview and Sale runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 21. Members not only get first dibs but also receive a 10 percent discount. Non-members may join at the preview for the discount, with the membership lasting through December 2015.
The public opening and party is Nov. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. The sale will be open every day except Thanksgiving through Nov. 30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.


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Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Isn't Going to E3
Posted on Thursday, June 5 @ 16:30:00 Eastern by Alex_Osborn
Nintendo president and CEO Satoru Iwata will not be attending E3 this year, Nintendo has confirmed.
"He's been instructed by his physician not to travel overseas in the immediate future, and so he will not be making the trip to Los Angeles," Nintendo's Cindy Gordon told Polygon.
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H&M always seems to surprise and delight with their designer collaborations – from their first one with Karl Lagerfeld in 2004, right up until this year when we saw the high street retailer team up with couturier Giambattista Valli. H&M has now, for the first time, collaborated with a Latin American designer after partnering with a plethora of international brands from fashion capitals including, Paris, London, New York and Milan – and now, Colombia.
We’ve been seeing Johanna Ortiz’s feminine, yet statement, silhouettes paired with bold prints on red carpets and in the pages of fashion magazines – and now the high end designer is hitting the high street with a capsule collection of 4 dresses that convey her signature design aesthetic, through the medium of retail giant, H&M. The 4 dress capsule is part of the collab’s pre-drop, which will go online and in store on December 3rd2019, and will be followed by a full collection in March 2020.
The Colombian designer said in a statement about the exciting high street partnership, “Reaching out to the world while still living in Colombia, in Cali, a small city—you can go global and still be in your hometown. I’ve never lived for a long time in any fashion capital, but now I’ve been reached by H&M. They came down here to visit me to start working together. It feels like I’m doing things right.”
Johanna Ortiz only emerged as an international designer all but a few years ago, with her first global online stockist being the luxury fashion platform, Moda Operandi, now followed by Matches Fashion and Net A Porter.
Having been perfecting her art and developing her brand since 2003, Ortiz also pays her success forward as she runs a local training program at her own factory at which she offers free embroidery and sewing courses, nurturing her potential employees to be financially independent, “We have plenty of talented hands, but they haven’t been exposed to learning,” she says.
The soon to be released four dress collection at H&M features a wrap dress, a tunic, a mini dress, and a floor length gown in her signature floral prints from her archive. Not only do her prints make her pieces recognizable, but also her trademark frills and ruffles, which subtly hint at her Latin heritage. March 2020’s full collection will also include swimwear and summery separates, “All of us Colombians and Latin Americans will be so proud of getting around the world a little bit our Latin flair. It’s positive communication around the world about this part of the world,” says Ortiz.


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Baidu (BIDU) is one of the Chinese technology companies that investors are following closely right now. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, BIDU stock made good money for investors in 2020. The stock gained more than 70 percent. What is Baidu's stock forecast in 2021 and should you consider adding it to your portfolio?
Baidu is best known as the "Google of China" for its popular internet search engine in the Asian country. However, the company has built a diversified operation spanning cloud computing, autonomous driving, video streaming, and hardware in addition to its advertising mainstay. So far, BIDU stock has gained 50 percent in 2021.
Baidu's stock price forecast
Baidu sports a consensus target price of $256, which it has already passed. The highest target price is $376 and implies a 15 percent upside potential. The lowest target price is $162 and implies a 50 percent downside.
There are many catalysts that could continue to lift Baidu stock higher. Investors think that the digital advertising industry is becoming crowded and more competitive with limited growth opportunities. Therefore, they want to see companies that grew off advertising sales diversifying their business to more lucrative industries. Baidu is doing exactly what investors expect of it.
Baidu's autonomous driving business
Baidu is investing heavily in the auto space as it seeks to diversify its revenue sources. Recently, the company secured regulatory approval to test its self-driving cars on public roads in California. Baidu will join Alphabet’s Waymo, GM’s Cruise, and Amazon’s Zoox on autonomous driving tests in the state.
In China, Baidu has started offering ride-hailing services in autonomous cars under the Apollo Go program. Also, Baidu is setting up a new subsidiary to compete with Tesla and NIO in making electric vehicles.
Baidu's chip business
Baidu is raising money from investors to set up a semiconductor subsidiary company. The company wants to capitalize on the huge demand for AI chips in industries like auto and cloud computing. The rise of digital gaming and cryptocurrency mining inspired by bitcoin’s furious rally has been fueling the huge chip demand. The semiconductor venture would help open a new revenue source and diversify Baidu's business.
Outlook for Baidu stock
Baidu is diversifying its business into industries with bright prospects. The global autonomous driving market is on course to exceed $556 billion by 2026. The electric vehicle market will grow to $803 billion by 2027 from $162 billion in 2019. Meanwhile, the cloud market is on track to hit $832 billion in 2025 from $371 billion in 2020. The growing adoption of cloud computing and the expanding autonomous driving and electric vehicle markets will continue to drive big demand for AI chips.
Baidu has diversified into consumer electronics, where it's one of the top smart speaker companies in the world. Also, the company is investing more in video streaming beyond iQiyi—its subsidiary that's called the "Netflix of China." It’s in the process of acquiring Joyy’s live streaming business.
Don't forget that Baidu’s mainstay advertising industry also continues to expand. The company should benefit from businesses ramping up marketing in 2021 to try to bring back the sales lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Baidu’s revenue is forecast to grow 14 percent in 2021, while the EPS should increase by 12 percent. The company is setting up business units that it might take public later, like iQiyi, with the potential for huge returns for its investors.
Is BIDU stock a good buy in 2021?
As Baidu continues to diversify its business, it’s starting to look like a representative of electric vehicle, cloud computing, semiconductor, and video streaming stocks all rolled into one.
For investors seeking exposure to the electric vehicle industry, BIDU stock offers a better NTM price-to-sales multiple than Tesla, NIO, Li Auto, and Xpeng. For those looking for video streaming stocks, Baidu trades at more favorable NTM earnings and sales ratios than Netflix.


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According to findings from the latest Small Business Trends report released by Guidant Financial, 32 percent of small business owners are women, a 13 percent increase from last year’s 27 percent.
The report’s findings are based on the annual Small Business Trends survey conducted by the Small Business Trends Alliance (SBTA), a group of companies dedicated to supporting small business with data insights. The SBTA teamed up to conduct a joint survey of over 2,400 current and aspiring small business owners across the nation.
“We’ve seen an annual increase in the number of women who own small businesses,” said Guidant CEO David Nilssen. “This excellent growth shows how women are increasingly able to access funding and take control of their entrepreneurial journey.”
Thirty-two percent of small business owners are women, a 13 percent increase from last year, according to findings from the latest Small Business Trends report.
The following are some additional Small Business Trends report findings.
• 51% of women small business owners
are Gen X
• 31% are Boomers
• 17% are Millennials
• 1% are Gen
Reasons for Women Starting Their Own Business
• 29% wanted to be their own boss
• 20% wanted to pursue their own passion
• 13% were dissatisfied with corporate America
Top FOUR Industries for Woman-Owned
• Healthy, Beauty, and Fitness
• Food and Restaurant
• Business Services
Top FIVE Non-COVID Challenges Faced by Women Small Business Owners
• Lack of Capital/Cashflow
• Recruiting/Retention of Employees
• Managing/Providing Benefits
• Administrative Work
Political Party Affiliation for Women
Small Business Owners
• 36% said they didn’t belong to or feel represented by any political party
• 33% Democrat
• 24% Republican
• 7% Libertarian, Green, or other
• 55% of female small business owners surveyed voted for Biden
• 27% voted for Trump
• 18% didn’t vote or voted for another candidate
• 44% of women small business owners feel somewhat or very confident about small business post-COVID
• 40% feel somewhat to very unconfident
• 16% are neutral
• 21% of women-owned small businesses lost revenue due to COVID-19
• 77% percent of respondents expect their small business to survive the pandemic
Founded in 2019, the Small Business Trends Alliance (SBTA) is a group dedicated to supporting small businesses with data trends and insights. These data-backed insights are intended to help small business owners confidently make key decisions, and to bring transparency to small business for prospective entrepreneurs to learn more about their options. The 2020 SBTA includes Guidant Financial, Deluxe, Flippa, MyCorporation, FRANdata, and AP Intego.


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PayPal payment option rolling out for App Store, Apple Music, and more on iPhone and iPad
PayPal has announced that users around the world will soon be able to select the payment service as a payment method option for the App Store, iTunes Store, iBookstore, and Apple Music right on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. The option comes first to Canada and Mexico, with a worldwide rollout beginning soon afterward.
When setting up a payment method on your iOS device, you'll just select PayPal and sign in to your account.
If you use the iTunes Store, App Store, or any of Apple's other digital marketplaces on your Mac or PC, you've been able to set up PayPal as a payment method for some time. This is the first time, however, that you've been able to set up PayPal as your chosen payment method on Apple's mobile devices.
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Our news, reviews, opinions, and easy to follow guides can turn any iPhone owner into an Apple aficionado
Joseph Keller is the former Editor in Chief of iMore. An Apple user for almost 20 years, he spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS and macOS, always finding ways of getting the most out of his iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.


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A longtime theme park watcher is fighting in court after he accused a company of refusing to pay for Disney items, merchandise and props he sold in a “handshake deal,” according to court records.
Ricky Brigante, known for founding the popular Inside the Magic website, which he sold last year, is suing Georgia-based Studio Service Group. He filed the lawsuit earlier this year in Orange Circuit Court. His lawyer said he is owed $57,000 for two sales.
Named in the lawsuit are Brian Ramsey and Mark Hurt, who had received national media attention for running the Orlando-based Theme Park Connection, a 16,500-square-foot warehouse filled with souvenirs and memorabilia. The store has since closed, but they now run Studio Service Group.
When reached for comment, Ramsey said it was a “private matter” and that an employee didn’t keep accurate records, which led to the dispute.
Ramsey said the two sides have reached a deal. Brigante’s lawyer said his client has not been paid and there is no agreement.
In the lawsuit, Brigante said he made a deal with Ramsey to sell his collectibles worth $50,000 at Theme Park Connection in November 2016.
According to the lawsuit, “At the time, Brigante and Ramsey made a handshake agreement that Ramsey would pick up all of Brigante’s items in exchange for retaining 40 percent of the profit, after fees and costs."
Some of the items were rare, such as a movie poster for a canceled Disney movie called “My Peoples,” Brigante said in a text message to Ramsey that was included in the lawsuit.
“We hunted all over Central Florida for this stuff for months,” Brigante texted. “Antique sales and estate sales mostly. It was meant to run our show for a long time but things didn’t work out so well. But it is a lot of really nice stuff. Would made great movie pieces for sure.”
A list of items included a Tomorrowland musical snow globe, a bronze Mickey Mouse statue and dozens of figurines, according to the lawsuit.
Brigante’s items were sold on eBay and the store’s website, and although sales were “brisk," Brigante said he never received payments in installments after the first few months, according to the lawsuit.
Brigante made a second deal in January 2017, offering to sell $20,000 in items to Ramsey, who was now running a company called Studio Service Group that rented and sold props to movies and television studios.
Brigante never got the money, he said, accusing Ramsey of faking documents that falsely showed low sales for Brigante’s items in 2017.
In the months since, Brigante said he has eventually received $17,300 but that he hasn’t heard from Ramsey since August 2018.


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Heathrow Airport is running a month-long whisky event in all terminals until May 25, giving passengers and visitors the opportunity to taste and learn more about the popular spirit .
From travel exclusives by renowned distillers to premium single malts, there are more than 300 different whiskies on sale at Heathrow and a number of experts will be on hand during the festival to introduce people to the range.
Jonathan Coen, retail director at Heathrow, said: "Whisky has become increasingly popular in recent years.
"Whether you’re a fan of the classic whisky advertisements of the 60s or simply love an Old Fashioned cocktail from time to time, we’re proud to stock a diverse range of whisky across our terminals.
"From Scotch, bourbon or single malt varieties, there’s something for everyone, and for anyone struggling to make up their minds, our expert tasters will be on hand to offer passengers advice on how best to enjoy this iconic British drink."
With 1.1 million bottles of whisky sold at Heathrow every year, the airport has teamed up with top fashion designer Giles Deacon to create a set of bespoke whisky stones, complete with custom pouch, which will be offered as an exclusive gift to customers spending £70 or more on whisky at Heathrow.
The whisky stones have been handcrafted using soapstone and are intended as a substitute to ice cubes because of their cooling properties and ability to retain their temperature without compromising the flavour of the drink.
Top 10 best-selling whiskies at Heathrow:
- Johnnie Walker
- Chivas Regal
- Jack Daniels


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Mob rule: Crowdsourced listmaker Ranker grows by 300% in 18 months
Los Angeles-based interest graph company Ranker is based on the theory that the best answer to any question is one drawn from “the wisdom of the crowd.” Currently, the site receives more than 5.4 million unique visitors a month – up threefold from a year ago – who view and create ranked lists over an extremely wide variety of subjects.
Ranker aggregates this data around subjects like Best TV Shows and Best Basketball Player into its CrowdRankings database, which founder and CEO Clark Benson describes as “Yelp for everything else.”
The power of Ranker from a business perspective is its ability to draw connections between various topics that can drive advertising decisions. For example, by combining lists for Best Movies of 2012, Best Cereals, and Best Luxury Sedan, the company could tell marketers that people who like The Dark Knight Rises also like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lexus.
This powerful data is otherwise extremely difficult to gather, which is what has allowed market research companies like Nielson and Kantar to drive a $33.5 billion dollar per year industry.
Ranker’s current interest graph has more than 3 million “edges,” or connections between items, and grows every time users vote on a list. The three-year-old startup is seeing extremely strong engagement figures, with 15 percent of visitors to its site voting on at least 10 items per visit.
For consumers, Ranker ties into the increasingly common online behavior of searching for aggregated opinions. Since 2006, searches including the word “best” have increased nearly 100 percent to 840 million searches per month, according to Google Trends. Similar superlative searches like “funniest,” “hottest,” and “most overrated,” have shown similar trajectories.
Unfortunately, as Benson points out, in many cases the results delivered through these searches are the opinion of a single individual and, unless they’re a true domain expert, are therefore of limited value. By offering crowdsourced results, Ranker delivers what could be considered the most accurate answers to these questions on the Web. Also, because 60 percent of Ranker’s visitors come to its site through organic search, its cost of user acquisition are extremely low.
The Ranker product is continuing to evolve, with one of the most interesting recent additions being that of an embeddable list maker that can be inserted onto any site on the Web. The company recently launched an integration in partnership with the Canadian government to rank answers to, “What should be the official food of Canada?” Similar integrations with leading brands and publishers are said to be in the works. Most importantly, by establishing itself as the de facto list-building service on the Web, Ranker will continue to collect the extremely sexy data that drives its business.
Benson is an experienced entrepreneur who is now on his fifth startup. His most notable success was online dating site eCrush, which he sold to the Hearst Digital Media in 2006. Ranker has raised $3.1 million through its series A round from Timothy Draper, Rincon Venture Partners, Siemer Ventures, Factual founder Gil Elbaz, Newport Coast Investments, Pasadena Angels, and Tech Coast Angels. The company is in the process of raising an additional round of financing to build out its data products.
The three-year-old company is actually generating lifestyle business levels of revenue off pageview-based advertising, but is now reaching the scale where it can begin delivering the breadth and depth of correlation data that marketers drool over.


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After a collaboration with sportswear brand Reebok on the Dance India Dance apparel range, Zee TV has announced its latest merchandising and licensing deal with fashion powerhouse Provogue.
Zee TV has created many iconic brands over the last 20 years and licensing has become an integral form of marketing and brand extension.
The association with Provogue for its music reality show 'Hero Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2012' takes its merchandising and licensing initiatives to an all new level.
The exclusive clothing line was showcased at the Provogue store in Infinity Mall, Mumbai with Arshpreet, Jasraj and Padmanav from Zee TV's 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2012' enthralling the audiences with their spectacular performances and a ramp walk by well-known models.
Provogue is the official wardrobe partner to the first-ever musical talent hunt show on Indian television.
Celebrating the success and grandeur of 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2012', Provogue has designed a clothing line that reflects the multi-faceted persona and panache of the contestants.
This exclusive apparel range will retail in 131 Provogue outlets across the country.
Akash Chawla, Head - Marketing, National Channels, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), said: "With unmatchable quality and unique variety, Provogue's new line provides its customers a choice that is an ideal brand extension.
"The contestants are already known for their distinct vocal styles and now, wearing Provogue's collection will only add to their personality making them fashion icons as well.'
Speaking on this occasion, Nikhil Chaturvedi, MD, Provogue said, "The collection is specially designed for the 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2012' contestants keeping in mind their personalities and also the fact that these youngsters are the face and voice of the nation."


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Apple on the its press site has just posted the picture of October 19, 2011 — Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks on stage to employees at a celebration of Steve Jobs’ life.
In the video below, CNET, caught part of the event. Tim Cook, Bill Campbell and Al Gore spoke and Norah Jones and ColdPlay played music — ending with “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”.
Apple retail employees shut down Store operations from 12-3 ET to view a private screening of the event.
Click to zoom


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- Blackberry fell below $5 per share retreating by almost 2% during trading hours as issues that have plagued the security company continued.
- Total revenue came in at $168 million, with gross margins coming in at 63%.
- IoT revenue increased by 28% YoY coming in at $51 million, and cybersecurity revenue declined by 8% to $111 million.
“This was a solid second quarter for BlackBerry, where we delivered both revenue in line with, and EPS ahead of, expectations,” said John Chen, Executive Chairman & CEO, BlackBerry. “Our IoT business continues to gain market share, and design-phase revenue remained at near-record levels. A major design win in the quarter was with Volkswagen, who chose QNX for their new VW.OS, to be deployed across all Volkswagen Group brands. IVY remains firmly on track, with the latest product release in August, proof of concept trials progressing well, and the IVY fund continuing to invest in exciting ecosystem partners.
“In our Cybersecurity business, we delivered double-digit sequential billings growth, including securing significant business in both government and financial services, as well as in the middle market. We’re executing on our plan and we’re seeing the decisions made in recent quarters starting to pay off, with Cybersecurity ARR expected to resume growth early next fiscal year.”
Blackberry (NYSE: BB), continues to struggle with its SaaS and cybersecurity business, meanwhile, on the other hand, the IoT division continues to grow relatively rapidly making up for declines in revenue elsewhere. The company’s management has reiterated that it will increasingly focus on the IoT segment moving forward, which is surprising because not long ago Blackberry always featured among the most preferred cyber security companies, but is now increasingly being overlooked for companies such as Crowdstrike (Nasdaq: CRWD). Issues from the previous quarter remain but the overall results were better and some green shoots have begun to show for the security and IoT company.
Blackberry IoT Flourishes but Cyber Security Continues to Struggle
Management has guided that IoT revenue for the fiscal year 2023 will come in at around $200-$210 million and that the future looks bright with an increasing number of car makers adopting the main IoT software program QNX, including the likes of Volkswagen. QNX is now also embedded in 7 out of the 10 largest OEMs in China, and the company remains hopeful that IoT can be the backbone of Blackberry’s revenue in the future. The good news is that as the IoT division becomes a larger percentage of revenue the company’s gross margins are likely to head much higher to around 70%, which would push the company towards profitability, something that investors will look for before they start to dip their toes in the stock again. Cybersecurity meanwhile continues to struggle even though the company’s systems are increasingly preferred by governments to protect their network. But the private sector continues to prefer competitors leaving Blackberry in a tight bind.
Financial Outlook Remains Lukewarm
The company continued to produce losses for the quarter with GAAP earnings-per-share coming in a 9 cents, and investors will be disappointed that Blackberry has not been able to turn a profit despite relatively healthy margins. Many would take a look at the lack of return on investment in research and development that has gone into the various business divisions, and wonder whether the management competency is at stake. Despite the losses, the company remains well capitalized and currently has $432 million in cash and cash equivalents on its books. But investors will be worried about the negative free cash flow, with operating cash flow coming in at -$23 million.
Blackberry’s revenue is expected to increase by around 15-20% in 2023, but it remains to be seen whether IoT and QNX will bring in enough customers to get the company back on track to sustainable growth and away from the limbo it is currently in. Management has guided that revenue from cyber security products will witness growth once again next year, as a lot of the issues that had affected growth previously have now been resolved. It remains to be seen whether Blackberry will finally turn that corner in 2022.
Analysts have continued to cut Blackberry’s price target, and now the average analyst target currently stands at around $8 per share, with most analysts recommending a ‘hold’ rating. But the market is unlikely to bring the stock back to those levels unless management shows prospects for a turnaround.


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Microsoft Announces Windows 10 Will Arrive July 29
Posted on June 1, 2015
Microsoft has announced that the new version of its Windows operating system, Windows 10, will be available on July 29. New features in Windows 10 include a personal digital assistant, called Cortana. It will also have a new browser, named Windows Edge, instead of Internet Explorer.
Microsoft says four million Windows Insiders have been testing Windows 10. The company says the new operating system is fast and has quick startup and resume features. It also says it is its most secure platform. It uses a product called Windows Defender for anti-malware protection.
There are also new apps on Windows 10 for photos, video, maps, mail, calendar and more. The Start button is back with Windows 10. Windows 10 uses tiles to let you see and access your most frequently used programs. For entertainment, Microsoft says it is bringing the Xbox to the PC through an Xbox app.
Microsoft says Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for users that have Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 in its first year. This is a great deal for those who are not ready to upgrade their computer but want the latest operating system. Microsoft told Neowin that Windows 10 Home will cost $119 and Windows 10 Pro will cost $199 for those who don't have Windows 7 or 8.1. Here is video from Microsoft explaining the features in Windows 10:
- Jeff Bezos Stepping Down as Amazon CEO
- Microsoft Unveils Together Mode Feature for Microsoft Teams
- Adobe Launches Photoshop Camera App
- Google Ramps Up Google Meet to Challenge Zoom
- Reddit Disables Start Chatting Shortly After Launch


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20th July 2022 Content supplied by: Meatable B.V
Meatable Reveal Their Groundbreaking Pork Sausages
Meatable has revealed images of its pork sausage for the first time. The cultivated sausage is the first product to be announced by the Dutch company, which aims to create real meat that can serve the planet’s growing appetite without harming the environment or animals in the process.
- Industry-leading food company Meatable is developing cultivated pork and beef with groundbreaking technology
- Meatable is on a mission to create real meat that can serve the planet’s growing appetite without harming the environment or animals in the process
- Major milestone reached for the Dutch company as it reveals images of its pork sausages for the first time
- Meatable expects to sell its first products to consumers in 2025 – if not sooner
The sausage of the future
The reveal of Meatable’s cultivated sausages marks a major breakthrough for the company. Since launching in 2018, Meatable has been developing and refining its process to grow cultivated meat using opti-ox™ technology, without ever needing to use FBS (fetal bovine serum). The company only needs one single cell sample, taken harmlessly from an animal, to replicate the natural growth of muscle and fat to create real meat. In the last few months, huge steps have been taken by the team to create the cultivated sausages which have the same structure, texture, glossiness and pronounced pork flavour that customers know and love. The product even produces the signature sizzle in the pan, just like traditional sausages – this is because it isn’t like meat, it is real meat.
It takes only a few weeks to grow Meatable’s sausages. This demonstrates the potential of cultivated meat to deliver the delicious meat that consumers love and enjoy without the negative effects on the planet, with studies showing that cultivated meat could reduce the meat industry’s environmental impact by up to 92%. With 14% of the world’s global emissions caused by the farmed meat industry, Meatable believes cultivated meat will be essential to combating climate change and creating a healthier planetCreating a new food order
Meatable decided to create sausages to satisfy potential customers in Europe and the US with Germany alone comprising around 27% of the total volume of sausages consumed worldwide. Meatable hopes that its sausage will be the first step to making cultivated meat more accessible to the wider public.
However, as delicious as the sausages look, currently cultivated meat is not legal to sell in Europe. Meatable has been working closely with regulators in the Netherlands to support the passing of a motion that will look to enable the wider tasting of cultivated meat by the end of the year. As regulatory and safety standards develop over the next few years, Meatable hopes this will enable it to have its products widely on sale to consumers in 2025, if not sooner.
In the meantime, Meatable will continue to develop and optimize its meat with the support of its sensory panel as well as a team of world-renowned food scientists and chefs to ensure the final product boosts the right tastes and characteristics of traditional meat, as well as further the development of other products in the Meatable range.
Krijn de Nood, co-founder and CEO of Meatable, said: “This is a truly exciting moment for the entire Meatable team. To be able to see and cook our sausages for the first time was an incredible experience especially as my co-founder Daan and I were able to finally have our first taste. This was particularly exhilarating as we know that all of our hard work over the past four years has been successful in creating a real meat sausage that is indistinguishable from traditional pork sausages. We believe that cultivated meat is the future of food – meat that will satisfy the world’s appetites but without harming the planet or animals in the process. We can’t wait to enable more people to taste Meatable meat on the next step of our journey to create the new natural meat.”
Daan Luining, co-founder and CTO of Meatable, said: “Over the past four years, we’ve been constantly innovating and developing our technology to get it to this stage today where we can hear the sausages sizzle in a pan, see and, for Krijn and I, even taste this incredible product that we’ve created. I hope more people can taste it soon following the Dutch government’s motion to enable controlled tastings. This will ensure that people can experience that this isn’t just like meat, it is meat – 100% delicious meat, identical on every level, but without any of the drawbacks. This is one step on our journey to creating the new natural meat and I’m looking forward to seeing how the product develops before we can bring it to consumers in the next few years.”
Discover The New Natural today or contact the supplier for more details using the green "Request Information" button below.
Date Published: 20th July 2022
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Symrise and Wageningen University Research,
GNT Expands its EXBERRY®


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Cipla Remains Upbeat On Abraxane As US Generic Competition Looms
Indian Firm Continuing Talks With FDA For Complex ANDA Product
Cipla has provided the latest on its US complex pipeline ahead of several potential launches in the firm’s upcoming 2022/23 financial year. The Indian firm enjoyed 6% group revenue growth in Q3 FY2022 and is on track to hit its EBITDA margin target.
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Apotex has confirmed launch of a generic version of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Abraxane, with details thin on the ground.
Hikma has warned of renewed pressure on generics in the US after a “gradual worsening of the pricing environment” in 2021. However, the company still managed to achieve growth of a tenth in its generics segment last year, on the back of key launches.
This month, generic competition to several lucrative brands, not least Bristol Myers Squibb’s $8.7bn Revlimid, are set to fall to generic competition in the US. Meanwhile, Sawai is looking to close on a key deal.


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The PGA, which stages the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in even-numbered years at Harbor Shores, is looking for diversity among its vendors and suppliers. In a statement this week, the PGA invited local firms owned by a wide range of interest-groups to get involved in doing business with the Tournament.
Here’s the PGA’s appeal:
The PGA of America is encouraging diverse and locally owned vendors to provide sourcing in support of the following PGA of America events:
- 2022 PGA Championship – Southern Hills C.C., Tulsa, Okla. (May 17-22)
- 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship – Harbor Shores Resort, Benton Harbor, Mich. (May 24-29)
- 2022 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – Congressional C.C., Bethesda, Md. (June 21-26)
Minority-, women-, LGBT-, disabled-, Veteran-, service-disabled Veteran- and locally owned businesses are invited to participate in PGA VendorMatch. Companies can register through Nov. 9, 2021 at PGAVendorInclusion.org to potentially interview with larger, direct PGA vendors (known as prime or Tier 1 vendors) for opportunities during any of the three Championships.
Golf is an $84 billion industry, and events like these generate substantial entertainment and tourism dollars for host cities and surrounding areas. Accordingly, the PGA is committed to building a supply chain representative of America’s population.
“We are excited to foster local entrepreneurship through PGA VendorMatch,” said PGA of America Chief People Officer Sandy Cross. “PGA VendorMatch enhances our ability to provide an outstanding experience through our Championship operations. We look forward to extending this exciting initiative to vendors in support of our major Championships in 2022, while positively impacting the local economies in Oklahoma, Michigan and Maryland.”
Companies interested in registering should visit PGAVendorInclusion.org. A variety of services are needed, such as catering, temporary housing, florals and labor. A full listing of needs is featured on the website.
All registrations must be received by Nov. 9, 2021 to be considered.
About the PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of nearly 28,000 PGA Professionals who work daily to grow interest and inclusion in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.


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North Palm gives initial OK to banning dog, cat sales in pet shops
An ordinance to prohibit the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores received unanimous initial approval Thursday from the village council. The ordinance is aimed at eliminating puppy mills, large breeding operations that raise and sell animals in substandard care that critics say contribute to pet overpopulation. Second and final reading is scheduled for Aug. 14. To view the ordinance, go to www.village-npb.org.


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Ministry invites applications to open KR1M shops
KUALA LUMPUR: Individuals and corporations have been invited to operate Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) shops as the government targets to open at least 85 such retail outlets nationwide by the year-end. The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, in a statement yesterday, said to date, only 26 KRIM were in operation. "The conditions and application form can be obtained from the ministry's website at www.kpdnkk.gov.my and from the ministry's branch offices," it said.
On the issue of safety of KR1M products, the statement said the ministry had instructed that all the 200 types of foodstuffs sold be sent for laboratory testing. All the products to be sold at these outlets must first obtain the approval of the Health Ministry. The statement said the ministry had formed special monitoring teams, comprising officers from its enforcement section, Health Office, Agriculture Department and Islamic Religious Department, to check on food products sold at the KR1M.
Up till Dec 31 last year, the 26 KR1M nationwide had received wide support from the people and sold more than RM12.4 million worth of products. KR1M sells 250 types of products using the generic brand label 1Malaysia. KR1M also sells Co-op 1Malaysia products from Felda. The 1Malaysia products sold at KR1M are cheaper by up to 50 per cent, compared with those of other brands.


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The billionaire's strategy was one of the secrets to Patym Payments's success.
Covid-19 is a wake-up call for the watch industry to refocus on quality: Favre-Leuba CEO Philippe Roten
The pandemic is an opportunity for the industry to prepare for the future, adapt and become stronger, said the CEO.
The delay had nothing to do with Jeff Bezos, but with the Delhi crowd, said the Infosys co-founder.
Making workplace millennial-ready: Sanjiv Mehta says companies must set flexible goals, be open to feedback
One thing that sets the new generation apart for Mehta is their focus on feedback. “People expect to be given feedback constant ly and in real-time,” he said.
HUL boss Sanjiv Mehta bats for apprenticeship, says Indian education system must inculcate training in curriculum
Academia and business need to co-create a curriculum that will address present-day skill needs, he said.
From coming up with his first start-up idea in a coffee shop to facing failures like Siddhratha, for Daryani, a lot did happen over coffee.
A year after she stepped down, Nooyi recalls how customers were once aggravated by PepsiCo’s healthier product line.
New York-based Tiger Global Management recently invested Rs 130 crore in the QSR chain, taking its valuation to Rs. 860 crore.
Here’s a count of 23 Amazon’s shareholder letters that fared better than the others.
Nayar's career as an investment banker taught her how to be more financially prudent.
ET Global Business Summit: Smriti Irani, Ritu Kumar, Ananya Birla bat for women’s economic empowerment
The designer spoke about what it takes to challenge the status quo.
Not flexible work hours or casual Fridays, Pepperfry & Nykaa founders credit an intense work culture for success
Nykaa’s Falguni Nayar credited a young, millennial culture for success.


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The acquisition of data storage provider EMC continues the reinvention of Dell in the post-PC era.
Check out CNET's coverage of the New York International Auto Show 2015.
On Road Trip 2015, CNET takes a look at the tech scene in the Big Apple, and how it has quietly emerged from the ashes of the failed "Silicon Alley."
New York has steadily grown into a force of technology thanks to its diversity of people and industries to draw from.
Subscribers with unlimited data plans will see their bills rise after November 15.
The software giant hopes to reinvigorate its smartphone lineup by creating mobile devices it claims can be as powerful as PCs.
Today Russ and Jeff quickly wrap up the hot mess that is New York Comic-Con, debate the commercialized celebration of Back to the Future, run through Microsoft's impressive event and decide whether or not Apple Music has failed (so far).
Analysis: A pair of newly unveiled Lumia phones are Microsoft's flagship mobile devices, but they're not the marquee products Windows fans have been waiting for.
Despite objections about the film from people close to the Apple co-founder, the Jobs biopic draws crowds to the four theaters that showed it this weekend.
In addition to its new five-floor location in Manhattan, Microsoft says it will open its first international flagship store in Sydney on November 12.
The larger Volkswagen Passat, aimed at the North American market, get a refresh for the 2016 model year.


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“Mender” Supplement Firm Hopes To Reopen After Mending Its Violations
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
BioAnue Labs says it temporarily stopped selling its products, which FDA warned are unapproved new drugs due to claims the firm made. BioAnue’s website and others associated with the firm continue to advertise supplements under brands that include a common disease name and terms that refer to treating the condition.
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A federal judge soon will decide whether Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals CEO Jared Wheat goes to jail for failing to recall weight loss products marketed with false claims. Wheat has a history of run-ins with FDA, FTC and DEA for marketing supplements adulterated with drugs and making false claims for products.
Dickinson installed as permanent chief counsel; Schwabe’s Umcka homeopathics deemed new drugs for cold/flu claims; inadequate GMPs weigh on Vitagenic; more FDA In Brief.
Abbott’s’s distribution of its BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Self Test to US retailers increases to three the number of OTC tests for the virus that CVS offers, along with Ellume’s and Labcorp’s test kits also available under EUAs granted by FDA.


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Today, EA became the last company to release their financial results for the previous quarter, and there was one game that clearly didn’t perform as well as the others: Battlefield 2042. EA CEO Andrew Wilson stated that the game “didn’t live up to expectations”. The company later declined to reveal actual sales figures or even player numbers when pressed during the Q&A portion of the call, despite doing so for other titles.
How well has Battlefield 2042 sold?
Battlefield 2042 has not lived up to EA’s expectations for its sales and they have declined to disclose how many units it has sold. EA did say that it currently makes up less than 10% of their business and the company has the amount they expect to make at $100 million this year just because of the game’s poor launch. EA expects the game to make up only about 5% of the company’s revenue next year.
Reasons for the game’s disappointing launch included the challenging difficulty of working on an ambitious title for two years from home. While the team thought the game was ready for launch, it became clear during the beta period that there were “unforeseen performance issues” that needed to be addressed. Finally, Wilson said, “Some of the design choices we made with the game didn’t resonate with everyone in our community either.”
DICE makes every effort to solve the game’s problems. There will be “meaningful updates in the coming weeks” and Season 1 has been postponed to summer so the team can focus on fixing the game rather than adding new content. But will the game ever get to a state where it will be able to “doing really well over time,” as claimed during the conference call, remains to be seen.
In other news, worms Developer Team17 has canceled their MetaWorms NFT project after backlash from players, their own team members and their developer partners. Elsewhere, Far Cry 6 got an update today introducing the second free crossover mission based on a Rambo superfan.


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When it comes to digital payments online, the clear leader in the arena is PayPal. Much of the success PayPal, at least early on, can be attributed to its close ties with eBay and fact that pretty much every transaction on eBay uses PayPal. PayPal has announced that it will be launching a new Android SDK for developers on May 15.
That means tomorrow, the new software development kit will be available for Android developers and it promises to make it easier for the developers to accept in-app payments via Android. Developers on the iOS platform had access to a similar SDK about two months ago. PayPal had promised Android developers that they would get their own version of the SDK soon when the iOS version launched.
The new PayPal Android SDK supports Android version 2.2 and up. The new Android payment solution will allow developers to accept payments via PayPal and via credit cards. PayPal believes that giving users the option to pay quickly and easily via their PayPal account or by scanning a credit card will lure more customers into paying developers for their work.
PayPal says that offering two forms of payment via the SDK “removes payment friction so developers can focus on creating amazing experiences.” With more and more apps watching that are supported by in-app purchases, easy payment systems are a necessity for developers.
PayPal says that it is also offering security features that will allow developers to “significantly reduce” fraud they encounter with payments. The one downside to this new SDK is that it likely means an increasing number of freemium applications. Getting an interesting game or app for free only to realize that you have to spend money in the game to make it playable frustrates everyone.


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According to data from FICO and Euromonitor International, card fraud losses increased 6 percent in 2012 from 2011 while 80 percent of this increase came from Russia, France and the United Kingdom.
Card fraud losses in France comprised €435 million, or 29 percent of losses for all of Europe, the highest of any nation. The UK, which had Europe’s highest card fraud loss share for several years, was not far behind with 27 percent (€405 million). Meanwhile card fraud losses in Russia totaled €91.4 million, making up 6 percent of all card fraud losses in Europe, which totaled €1.5 billion. While Russia still makes up a relatively small share of the total card fraud losses in Europe it was the nation with the largest increase in loss volume. The volume of card fraud losses in Russia has tripled since 2010 and the rapid growth in card fraud has occurred in conjunction with the strong increase in use of payment cards as usage doubled in 2012.
All types of card fraud were considered for this study including Card Not Present fraud, counterfeit cards, lost/stolen cards, cards taken via mail, and ID fraud. The type of fraud that was most prevalent in 2012 varied greatly by country. CNP fraud was the biggest contributor in the UK, making up more than half of total card fraud losses, as well as in Germany, Greece and the Netherlands. In France, however, lost/stolen card fraud made up the largest share while in Russia lost/stolen and counterfeit cards were the biggest sources of card fraud losses. 2012 marked the largest volume of card fraud losses in Europe since 2008.
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Jennifer Lopez and Verizon Launch Mobile Stores for Latinos
LAS VEGAS — Jennifer Lopez unexpectedly took the stage at a Verizon Wireless press conference Wednesday to talk about Latinos and wireless service. “As modern Latinos we do things differently, including how we shop for mobile devices,” said Lopez. With that in mind, she's launching Viva Movil, a new wireless store and online presence designed specifically for the Latino community. Lopez will serve as the Chief Creative Officer for the company and is also the majority shareholder Verizon will be the exclusive wireless provider for Viva Movil, but it does not own a portion of the company.
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NEW YORK - Searle, best known for its coats and shearlings, is making the move into sportswear. While the company has offered sportswear items before, such as chenille sweaters, the new spring collection consists of full groups and will be carried in...
NEW YORK - Searle, best known for its coats and shearlings, is making the move into sportswear. While the company has offered sportswear items before, such as chenille sweaters, the new spring collection consists of full groups and will be carried in department stores as well as Searle's own retail stores.
According to Steve Blatt, president of Searle, department stores such as Bloomingdale's and Saks have bought the line.
"We've always made sportswear, but we've never offered it wholesale," he explains. "The sportswear will round out our offerings in department stores so that there is more than just coats."
The sportswear collection is an eclectic mix: everything from a classic linen sheath dress with matching swing coat to a miniskirt in microfiber, the fabric the company uses for its signature quilted coats. Other interesting fabrics - denim-look linen, matte jersey, linen crepe and cotton canvas - accent the collection's clean lines. Wholesale prices range from $75 for canvas shorts to $200 for a rayon dress.
Supermodel @helenachristensen teamed up with longtime friend and designer @camillastaerk on a joint @paredeyewear collaboration. The lineup features three styles and 11 offerings, all of which embody a vintage feel. Get all the details on how they celebrated the collab on WWD.com. #wwdaccessories #wwdeye (📷: @slovekinpics)
“It’s a hard industry to keep motivated, as well, so finding different subjects and people is what makes it worth it – when you’re like, oh, I’ve met great people, I feel like I’ve done something good, and I feel proud of having done this,” said French actress Stacy Martin on being grateful for the variety of roles she’s take on. Read @ktauer’s full interview with Martin on her her latest film “Godard Mon Amour.” #wwdeye (📷: @danieldorsa)
After showing in front of the Eiffel Tower for his last two women’s ready-to-wear collection, it looks like @anthonyvaccarello may be heading to the Big Apple. Sources say the designer will stage his next @ysl show in NYC on June 6. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @aitorrosasphoto)
EXCLUSIVE: Two and half months after John Targon, cofounder and codesigner of Baja East, was hired as creative director of the contemporary division at Marc Jacobs, he has left the company, WWD has learned. Marc Jacobs International, which is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, confirmed Targon’s departure in a statement: “John Targon is a talented designer and we appreciate the work he has done here. Ultimately working together did not make sense for the brand and we wish him the best.” Read the story by @jessiredale, link in bio. #wwdnews
@theluxurycollection is officially launching a collection, tapping Sofia Sanchez de Betak for the capsule. Over 30 styles will be featured in the Chufy x The Luxury Collection, debuting next month at Bergdorf Goodman, The Webster, FiveStory and more. De Betak, known as “@chufy,” drew inspiration for the collection from her trips to Japan in the past year #wwdfashion
@lhd, founder and CEO of @thewebster, has teamed up with @lebonmarcherivegauche for the European launch of her ready-to-wear line, LHD. The launch will come with an exclusive pop-up opening today that’s set to run through May 20. Located on the second floor, it carries her debut Miami-themed resort collection, launched in November as see-now-buy-now. #wwdfashion


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Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Software (OS X)" @ 03:00 AM
"With Macs making up a record high percentage of computers accessing the Internet, Apple's browser is also reaching new heights."
5.02% to be exact, according to Net Applications. Also according to them, it's the first time Safari has broken that 5% barrier. The breakdown is Internet Explorer at the top with just under 55%, followed by everyone else. No big surprise there really. Also, in similar news, Mac Web access is at 6.45% worldwide, up from 6% in August, which is also a first. This is pretty small potatoes when compared to Windows, since Windows has 92% of the worldwide market cornered. Also, not a big surprise. But improvement is improvement so kudos to Apple.


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Gold prices fell Rs 327 to Rs 49,274 per 10 gram in the futures trade on Thursday, as speculators reduced their positions amid low demand.
On the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold contracts for the August delivery traded lower by Rs 327, or 0.66 percent, to Rs 49,274 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 12,352 lots.
Analysts attributed the fall in gold prices to trimming of positions by participants.
Globally, gold traded 0.61 percent lower at $1,898.30 an ounce in New York.
Gold in the national capital on Thursday dipped Rs 339 to Rs 48,530 per 10 gram following decline in global precious metal prices, according to HDFC Securities.
In the previous trade, the precious metal had closed at Rs 48,869 per 10 gram.
Silver also tumbled Rs 475 to Rs 70,772 per kilogram from Rs 71,247 per kilogram in the previous trade.
In the international market, gold was trading lower at $1,893 per ounce and silver was flat at $27.79 per ounce.
"Gold prices witnessed selling from five month highs trading below $1,900," according to HDFC Securities, Senior Analyst (Commodities), Tapan Patel.
(If you have a story in and around Mumbai, you have our ears, be a citizen journalist and send us your story here. )