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As a first seen move, China has launched a digital asset market on a national level. As a result, trading NFT collectibles are popular with the Chinese.
Although Chinese collectors have been trading digital collectibles through heavily regulated platforms, this is their first official entrance into the world of NFTs.
China is introducing its first NFT-based trader funded by the state, signifying their acceptance of the technology, which was previously in a legal grey area due to their stringent cryptocurrency regulations.
To commemorate the marketplace launch, a ceremony will be held on January 1st in Beijing, China’s capital. China Technology Exchange, Art Exhibitions China (both government-supported), and the privately held Huban Digital will run the platform jointly, based on a report from the Chinese state news agency China Daily.
The Chinese-named “China Digital Asset Trading Platform” will also buy and sell digital copyrights, property rights, and collectibles.
The report states that the platform’s blockchain is the “China Cultural Protection Chain.”
Over the last two years, Chinese traders have been into NFTs, just not in the same way as other parts of the world. As per Chinese laws, these digital collectibles cannot be bought with cryptocurrency and are referred to as something different than “NFTs.”
Digital artwork, as opposed to its open counterparts, is generally traded on tightly controlled platforms. However, just this month, a court in China announced that digital assets should be given similar property rights to those sold on e-commerce sites – a milestone in protecting them.
The China Hangzhou Internet Court Made The Call
Last month, the Hangzhou Internet Court in China decided to protect digital assets to be comparable in value to e-commerce goods. This was a significant milestone in recognizing the rights attached to these assets.
With characteristics such as value, scarcity, control, and traceability, NFTs fall under the category of virtual property rights and should be protected by the country’s legal system.
Digital assets mark a new form of trade in terms of industry control and direction; there is still much that needs to be improved when it comes to laws, guidelines, and regulatory measures about the launch.
This has resulted in significant uncertainty; At the same time, digital assets are more exposed to legal controls than intellectual property and digital copyrights; it is the platforms’ responsibility to list and trade them.


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GUWAHATI: During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 300 youths have been employed under the ALPCO (Assam Live Stock & Poultry Corporation Limited). "This has been made possible after an initiative of the ALPCO to open door-to-door sale centres of poultry and dairy products in different areas of the city. The employed youths also include sportspersons, actors, singers, and students," said the corporation's chairman Manoj Saikia. The ALPCO chairman underlined that the initiative to open the sale centres was taken following the appeal of the Chief Minister and the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister to the corporation to help the unemployed youths amid the pandemic.
"The sale centres bring hygienic meat from ALPCO Khanapara Slaughterhouse. From May 7 to 31, the ALPCO has been successful to sell meat worth around Rs 78 lakh from the centres. This includes 8,500 kg mutton, as many as 8,750 kg chicken, and 430 kg duck meat," said Saikia. Further, Saikia asserted that there are many opportunities to generate employment in the Animal Husbandry sector.
"The Animal Husbandry sector can vastly improve the State's economy by generating employment," he said.
Lastly, Saikia informed the media persons about the ALPCO programme — Pothar O Aamaar, Bozar O Aamaar. "This is a very promising programme and so far, around 18,000 youths have been trained under it. Out of the total youths, around 4,000 have already become self-sufficient by domesticating cattle. Moreover, modern slaughterhouses are being constructed across the State which will also help scores of youths to become independent," Saikia added.

domain: news


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Apple goes to meet programmers. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing meets itself. Deutsche Bank goes nowhere. And the events in Afghanistan lead to an increase in semiconductor exports from the United States to China - but this is not accurate..
Disclaimer: when we talk about, that something has grown, we mean comparison with the same quarter a year earlier. Since all US issuers, then all results are in dollars. When creating the material, sources were used, inaccessible to users from the Russian Federation. Hopefully, you know, what to do.
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) decided to let app developers, выставленных в App Store, давать пользователям возможность осуществлять покупки в приложениях в обход системы платежей Apple. As you remember, изначальное нежелание Apple терпеть это привело к эпичной судебной тяжбе с Epic Games.
Apple also created a $ 100 million fund to help app developers, у которых в период с июня 2015 по апрель 2021 размер годовых продаж не превышал миллиона долларов. Разработчики получат от 250 долларов до 30 тысяч долларов каждый. По иронии судьбы это никак не влияет на исход тяжбы с Epic Games, where are the main charges, charged by Apple, состоят в том, that the company abused its monopoly position and removed the Epic Games apps from the App Store.
Basically, решение Apple позволить разработчикам получать платежи за пределами экосистемы компании в долгосрочной перспективе может даже навредить ее планам. After all, Apple is about to move to a business model, в которой доминирующую роль играют продажи услуг, а не устройств. Если покупки в приложениях осуществляются внутри системы Apple, то она получает комиссию — в пределах 15—30% от суммы транзакции, в зависимости от размеров годовой выручки разработчика.
But so far, it is not possible to determine the scale of the lost income from this decision.. With the new state of affairs, users will have to agree to the transfer of data to application developers, before they are offered the option to pay bypassing Apple.
More money to the god of chips
Semiconductor Manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) decided to raise the prices of their chips. The most advanced chips will become more expensive by 10%, and older ones - by 15-20%. Changes will take effect on 1 quarter 2022.
This is very good news for TSM shareholders.. Considering the importance of supplying these components for the operation of the final goods, in which these chips end up, TSM customers will have no other choice, except pay more.
For the same reason, this is bad news for almost everyone else., since the cost of manufacturing electronics will become significantly more expensive. Manufacturers, most likely, will invest increased costs in the price of goods, and such prices can force consumers to hesitate in their purchasing decisions. However, will it really be, we will find out only next year.
For slander and voluntarism
US authorities - federal prosecutors and the Securities Commission - are investigating Deutsche Bank's investment arm. More precisely, in relation to the investment fund DWS Group, which is owned by Deutsche Bank. The former head of sustainable development is suspected of, that he exaggerated the use of sustainable development criteria in investment decisions.
DWS is suspected of, that they misled investors about the ethics of their investments. for example, in March 2020, the investment fund approved, which is over $ 450 billion, and this is more than half of the fund's assets, invested based on the use of ESG analysis. But internal audit, earlier, showed, that only a small fraction of the investment has used such an analysis. Moreover, audit showed, that DWS does not have a well-thought-out methodology for such analysis.
DWS speaks in its own defense, that ESG criteria are constantly changing and that DWS itself simply adheres to more conservative ESG standards.
In the ESG article, we mentioned, that over time, a witch hunt will begin in this area: “Orthodox” advocates of ethical investing will start looking for those, who is "insincere" in this regard and is engaged in "greening" the business, which de facto does not meet the ESG criteria at all. And as you can see, this hunt started even earlier, than you could have imagined.
After this case, a wave of similar investigations of the work of other organizations may begin., who put an ESG stamp on their company in the hope, that the progressive get-together will not poison their business and even contribute to the improvement of the conditions for its functioning - simplified access to loans and pumping up quotations.
It turned out, that ESG is not just three letters, and also a bunch of related duties. Therefore, in connection with the history of DWS, I would expect a whole series of such checks in the corporate sector..
Can, but a little
US officials approve licenses for Chinese company Huawei to purchase hundreds of millions of US products, which they previously blacklisted. clear, what is good news for Huawei, but these events can be interpreted in a broader context.
One of the most important exporting countries for American companies, in particular in the field of semiconductors and high-tech equipment, - this is the PRC. The Chinese are now intensively developing their own high-tech production, in this connection they need a large amount of appropriate equipment. This export item is very vulnerable, since at any time the American authorities may close the export of such advanced products to China for reasons of national security. It is also worth considering the significant tension in relations between the United States and China..
Against this background, the indulgence for Huawei allows us to cautiously hope that there will be no significant restrictions in the future.. And for that, what companies, which are highly dependent on Chinese revenue, will be able to work calmly and further.
The reasons for such indulgences for Huawei can only be guessed at. maybe, influenced by recent events in Afghanistan. PRC is on very good terms with the new Afghan regime thanks to Pakistani mediation. But the United States is on very bad terms with the new Afghan regime., with whom they are fighting almost 20 years. In the capabilities of the PRC to simplify the evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan - and in their own capabilities to spoil this evacuation as much as possible. If the Afghan version is correct, then it raises concerns. Means, no long-term warming is in question: as soon as the last American leaves Afghanistan, US government may immediately renew pressure on China's tech sector with a vengeance.


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Over 23,000 Databases Offered for Free at Popular Darknet Forums unicc reddit, the dump furniture store near me
A recent report reveals that over 23,000 databases have been hacked from redundant data breach index site and made available for download on lots of dark web forums.
Cybersecurity experts and threat intelligence units have called the leak the biggest security leak of all time.
According to the report, the leaked database came from a private service Cit0Day.in and advertised to other cybercriminals on the darknet forums .
Cit0day carried out its operation by gathering hacked databases and provided cleartext passwords, addresses, emails, and usernames. This makes it easier for other cybercriminals to access the leaked database.
With the information and details provided by Cit0day, the cybercriminals had access to targeted users’ passwords, as they try to breach their accounts on other high-profile sites.
The Cit0day site is not entirely new, as it is a rehash of similar “data breach index” sites such as WeLeakInfo and LeakedSource, which were taken down by 2020 and 2018 by authorities.
Cit0day began gathering data in 2018 after the LeakedSource site was taken down. Before its launch, the owners heavily advertised the site on the darknet and hacking forums . It was also advertised on major forums on the internet such as BitcoinTalk.
But in September, when the owners of the site saw DOJ and FBI seizure notice, they took the size down on September 14.
On major hacking forums, there were rumors that the FBI has arrested the owner of the site, named Xenovi4, just like how it played out with site owners of the defunct data breach index sites WeLeakInfo and LeakedSource.
However, with the recent release of the leaked data from the same site, it’s obvious that the takedown notice by the FBI wasn’t directly from the FBI.
Raveed Laeb, Product manager at KELA, revealed that the seizure notification on the Cit0day site was taken from the Dee.io takedown notification, edited, and pasted on the Cit0day site to make it look genuine.
An FBI spokesperson who was contacted by the press declined to make any comment about the situation, saying any disclosure will go against the internal policies of the agency.
Additionally, the DOJ or FBI didn’t make any announcement regarding Cit0day arrest, which is unlike them. Both agencies usually arrest the creators of criminal sites after shutting down their sites.
While the public believed that Cit0day has been shut down and everything about their activities have ended, the site only went underground and continued to operate, as the latest database leak showed.
It is not clear whether the leaked database was leaked by Cit0day or a rival data leak center, the entire collection of the site’s hacked databases was offered last month for free on darknet forums and a very popular forum for Russian speaking hackers.
Based on the report, there were 23,618 hacked databases provided for free download through the MEGA file-hosting portal. However, the link provided for the download was taken down only a few hours after the report of abuse was lodged against the site.
The entire database, regarded as the largest ever leaked file in the internet’s history, containing 13 billion user records estimated to be around 50GB.
Although the database was only made available for a short time, it was enough for a hacker to download some files that can be used for future attacks. The few hours the data stayed exposed ensured that it has entered the public domain, giving cybercriminals access to a rich database to launch attacks on other sites.
After it was briefly exposed in October, the file has been distributed online among hackers. However, the leaked database was shared again online on an even more popular hacker forum.
Many of the leaked data included in the database were from sites that were compromised many years ago. So, it may not be very useful for hackers as most of the affected users may have changed their login details. However, what will be more interesting for hackers is the new content from recently breached sites.
Also, some of the leaked data are from big-name sites while others are from smaller sites not widely known.
Many of the sites did not use high-security measures, which makes them vulnerable to future attacks when the hackers get hold of the right details.
unicc reddit the dump furniture store near me


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People seen outside the Apple store at Marina Bay Sands. In a shape of a giant orb, Apple’s third retail store, Apple Marina Bay Sands officially opened on September 10 this year.
Maverick Asio | LightRocket | Getty Images
Apple said Tuesday it has named Monica Lozano, chief executive officer of College Futures Foundation, to its board.
Lozano also is on the boards of Target and Bank of America.
Before becoming CEO of the foundation, Lozano worked as an editor and publisher of the largest Spanish-language paper in the U.S., La Opinion. She also was chairman and CEO of the paper’s parent company, ImpreMedia, and is a former board member of The Walt Disney Co.
The appointment brings the total number of Apple’s board of directors to eight.
“Lozano brings with her a broad range of leadership experience in the public and private sectors, as well as a long and storied track record as a champion for equity, opportunity, and representation,” Apple said.


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Apples may be few, but Apple Days are on
The Apple Days Festival, Julian’s annual two-day celebration of its native fruit, gets under way Saturday with fresh-baked pies, gold-panning, pony rides and an antique tractor display. But one item that will be about as scarce as a hen’s tooth is the celebrated fruit itself.
Extreme weather conditions have withered the mountain hamlet’s apple crop, and all but a couple of its 13 “U-Pick” orchards have already closed for the season. Festival goers can still buy boxes of Julian-grown apples along Main Street this weekend, but some local farmers are calling this year’s harvest one of the worst in history.
In a good year, Julian native Woody Barnes said his apple trees will produce 20 to 40 large bins of fruit. This year’s bounty was zero, among the worst crops since his family started growing apples on the mountain in the late 1800s.
“We didn’t even have enough apples to eat this year,” said Barnes, 79.
Barnes said a “perfect storm of complications” hurt most of the Julian orchards that lack irrigation. Among the weather-related woes were the ongoing drought, a warm winter (which kept the trees from getting the chill hours they needed), a frost and hot spell that killed many apple blossoms, and out-of-season Santa Ana winds that blew baby fruit off the branches last spring.
But Barnes said he isn’t daunted by his paltry pickings.
“The farmer’s motto is wait until next year,” he said. “We had quite a bit of fruit last year and it tends to alternate every other year — a lot and then less.”
Of course, apples or no apples, Julian merchants are expecting a bumper crop of visitors for the Julian Apple Days Festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5, along Main Street. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under.
“We usually get about 5,000 people each year,” said organizer Tracy Turner. “In spite of the small crop, people are still coming up, but a lot are calling ahead to make sure we still have apples.”
Encinitas resident Tiffany Fox said she has enjoyed taking her children, ages 2 and 5, to Julian for apple-picking, but because most of the U-Pick farms are closed, she and her kids will instead focus their energies on eating apple pie and cider doughnuts when they visit on Sunday.
“It’s a blast,” said Fox, a science writer at UCSD. “It’s like good old-fashioned fun.”
Liz Smothers, owner of the Julian Pie Co., said she’ll sell from 1,000 to 2,000 pies at her Julian and Santa Ysabel stores this weekend, and she doesn’t expect demand to let up until January.
“It’s like clockwork. We turn on the ovens the first week of October every year and don’t turn them off again until the first of the year,” she said.
Smothers blends whatever Julian apples she can find with Granny Smiths to create her top-selling Dutch apple and other varieties of pie. She said that on a busy October weekend, lines of customers will snake down the sidewalks and the pies will sell out by late afternoon.
At nearby Mom’s Pies Etc., a store employee said they expect to sell about 800 pies this weekend, particularly their top-selling apple crumb.
Town historian and apple farmer David Lewis said Julian has been nationally known for its apples since 1907, when the local fruit won the apple industry’s top prize, the Wilder Medal. The village’s 4,200-foot elevation is just cool enough for apple trees and Julian’s fruit is renowned for its sweetness, tree-ripened freshness and suitability for cider.
Lewis said that in 1896 there were 650 acres of apple trees in Julian. The industry thrived until the 1970s, when a decline in home-canning (spurred by the availability of new varieties year-round) caused a drop-off in sales. Barnes said Julian growers looked for new ways to commercialize their fruit, so many of them opened farm stands, offered a “U-Pick” option or turned their fruit into pies and cider. Today there are just 286 apple-growing acres left in the county, according to the San Diego County Farm Bureau’s 2010 crop report.
Lewis, the president of the Julian Pioneer Museum, grew up on an apple orchard where two of the trees date back to 1895. He moved back to the 18-acre property three years ago. He said his crops have been small and it’s difficult to pick fruit from the overgrown trees, but he loves carrying on a tradition his grandparents began in 1955.
“I’m a historian, not an apple farmer, so it’s just a hobby,” he said. “But because of my interest in Julian’s history, it’s important to me to keep this land as an orchard.”
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In an era dominated by digital revolutions, India stands as a beacon of technological advancement. The inception of the Digital India Programme in 2015 marked a pivotal shift in India’s digital landscape. But, how has India’s journey evolved since then, and what’s in store for the future?
Digital India Week, commemorated annually, offers a glimpse into this transformative journey. The 2023 event promises to be a continuation of this legacy, highlighting India’s commitment to digital progress and innovation.
- Summary of Digital India Week 2023
- A Brief Walk Through India’s Digital Evolution
- An Overview of Digital India Week 2023
- The Significance of India Stack Knowledge Exchange
- Diving into Digital India Bhashini
- Envisioning a Trillion-Dollar Digital Economy
- The AVGC Promotion Task Force Initiative
- The Electronics Ecosystem and Semicon India Programme
- Gearing Up For a Digital Future
- Digital India Week 2023: A State-wise Breakdown
Summary of Digital India Week 2023
|Launched in 2015
|Digital empowerment and inclusion
|Digital India Week 2023
|July 25-31, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
|India Stack Exchange
|July 7-9, global digital collaboration
|Bridging the linguistic digital divide
|Sculpting a dominant digital economy
|Elevating the Indian AVGC sector globally
|Electronics & Semicon
|Becoming a global electronics powerhouse
A Brief Walk Through India’s Digital Evolution
Launched on July 1, 2015, by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Digital India Programme was India’s ambitious project to morph into a digitally empowered society. The overarching goal was to drive digital inclusion, ensuring that the benefits of various services and initiatives reach the farthest corners of India.
From its early days, India’s digital story has been one of innovation, large-scale implementation, and inclusion. This transformative endeavor has not only revolutionized service delivery but also significantly impacted the daily lives of its citizens.
An Overview of Digital India Week 2023
Digital India Week 2023 is set to take place from July 25-31 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The event embodies the spirit of ‘Digital India: Catalyzing New India’s Techade’, underscoring a decade of technological breakthroughs.
- Dates and Venue: July 25-31, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
- Objective: To highlight India’s tech accomplishments and to pave the way for the next decade.
- Major Theme: ‘Digital India: Catalyzing New India’s Techade’.
The Significance of India Stack Knowledge Exchange
The India Stack Knowledge Exchange is a monumental initiative geared towards globalizing India’s digital prowess. Scheduled for July 7-9, this three-day orientation program serves as a confluence of digital transformation leaders.
By showcasing India’s digital products and services, this platform fosters global collaborations, further amplifying India’s position on the world digital stage.
Diving into Digital India Bhashini
Promoting inclusivity, Digital India Bhashini is the nation’s endeavor to bridge the linguistic digital divide. The program’s aim is to empower those unfamiliar with English, bringing the internet closer to them.
With a repository of open-source AI models in various Indian languages, Digital India Bhashini promotes linguistic diversity in the digital sphere, making the internet more accessible to all.
Envisioning a Trillion-Dollar Digital Economy
India’s digital ambitions don’t stop at inclusivity and accessibility. The nation is on a relentless pursuit to sculpt a trillion-dollar digital economy. This vision has sparked a myriad of opportunities for startups, aligning with the goal of digitizing government functions and public services.
From leveraging GIS technology to the monumental PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, India is harnessing digital technologies across sectors.
The AVGC Promotion Task Force Initiative
India’s vision extends beyond just conventional tech. Recognizing the potential in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting initiated the AVGC Promotion Task Force. This move aims to globally elevate the Indian AVGC sector.
The Electronics Ecosystem and Semicon India Programme
India’s ambitions in the electronics sector are grand, aiming to establish itself as a global design and manufacturing hub. Through strategic steps, including the Semicon India programme with an impressive INR 76,000 crore outlay, India is set to become a dominant player in the global electronics value chain.
Gearing Up For a Digital Future
In conclusion, Digital India Week 2023 is more than just an event; it’s a testament to India’s digital journey. From humble beginnings in 2015 to global tech leadership, India’s story is both inspiring and promising. As the week unfolds, the world will witness India’s digital prowess, marking milestones and carving the path for future advancements.
Q: When is Digital India Week 2023 scheduled?
A: It’s scheduled from July 25-31, 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Q: What is the focus of the India Stack Knowledge Exchange?
A: It aims to showcase India’s digital products and services, fostering global collaborations.
Q: How does Digital India Bhashini promote digital inclusivity?
A: It offers a repository of open-source AI models in various Indian languages, making the internet more accessible to non-English speakers.
Q: What is the vision behind the Semicon India programme?
A: It aims to establish India as a significant player in the global electronics value chain with an outlay of INR 76,000 crore.
Digital India Week 2023: A State-wise Breakdown
Digital India Week 2023, which concluded on the 31st of July at 5:00 PM, witnessed enthusiastic participation from states across the country. The data reflects the increasing interest and engagement of different regions in the digital wave sweeping the nation.
Leading the pack was Rajasthan, with an impressive 124,511 registrations. Uttar Pradesh followed closely behind, registering 93,543 participants. Bihar, not too far behind, recorded 80,561 digital enthusiasts joining the initiative.
Madhya Pradesh and Punjab also showed significant interest, with 74,315 and 69,789 registrations, respectively. Maharashtra came in just a notch below Punjab with 69,693 entries, and Gujarat tallied at 56,503.
Moving towards the southern part of the country, Tamil Nadu registered 44,948 participants, while neighboring Andhra Pradesh recorded 41,891. Jharkhand and Haryana were next in line, with 36,077 and 30,233 registrations, respectively.
Odisha reported a participation of 27,903, whereas Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh were neck and neck with 11,121 and 11,087 entries, respectively. Delhi, the nation’s capital, saw 8,420 individuals join the initiative.
Other states like Uttarakhand and Assam had 5,832 and 5,164 registrations. Numbers then slightly tapered off with Tripura at 4,110, Telangana at 3,580, Kerala at 3,393, and Chhattisgarh with 3,356 participants.
States like Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, and Puducherry had a more modest turnout with 2,437, 2,402, and 1,349 registrations, respectively. Sikkim, Meghalaya, and West Bengal had figures in the lower thousands and high hundreds.
Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Ladakh witnessed registrations in the hundreds, with numbers ranging from 616 to 240. Goa, Manipur, Lakshadweep, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands had participation ranging from 206 to 126.
Finally, The Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu collectively registered 69 participants, while Dadra and Nagar Haveli itself had a participation of 19.
In conclusion, the Digital India Week 2023 showcased a broad spectrum of participation from states big and small. It’s heartening to see India’s collective eagerness to step into the digital future.


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The power in ageing
21st Century women are stepping into their power and breaking the boundaries of what ageing really means. Our team of scientists and experts have been exploring what it really means to age in 2022 and discovering how women feel they are becoming their most authentic self in their forties and beyond.
Globally, women in their forties feel more powerful (61%), more in control of their lives (66%) and more comfortable in their own skin (55%) than they did when they were younger.
It seems in 2022, turning forty really is a turning point, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. Almost three quarters of women polled agreed the pandemic has made them realise that life is fragile and getting older is something to appreciate (74%), and two thirds agree ageing is not something to fear anymore (63%).
From ‘Anti’ to ‘Authentic’ Ageing
Almost two thirds (62%) of women aged forty or above said the pandemic has made them feel confident in how they look, and almost half said the pandemic has made them want to embrace their wrinkles (49%) and grey hair (46%). This refreshing form of self-acceptance shows the need for an acceleration in the beauty industry’s move from ‘anti’ to ‘authentic’ and ‘pro’ ageing.
When it comes to skincare, only 42% of women over the age of forty feel like they have cracked their skincare regime and a third (32%) still change their skincare products regularly looking for the right solutions for their needs.
Ageing comes with countless changes to our bodies, but one change above all others remains the most dramatic: the perimenopause. In our research, we found that almost three quarters (72%) of women feel intimidated by the perimenopause. Less than a third (29%) of women in their forties feel knowledgeable about perimenopause, with less than half (43%) saying they know where to seek information.
Learn more about our efforts to raise awareness of the perimenopause and menopause in our TLI Report.
In our research, an overwhelming 72% of all women polled said they want to focus on looking healthy rather than young as a result of the pandemic. Many women ditched make-up while working from home, and that’s made us a lot more aware of our skin’s condition and we’ve been taking a lot more care of it as a result. Women are really starting to understand the importance of looking after their body’s vital natural first line of defence.
This is an existing trend that is set to continue because the pandemic and economic issues have made us more cost conscious and value driven. In our research, half (51%) the women polled said they use multi-purpose skincare products that deliver more than one benefit in their routine. We’re looking for those concentrated formulas that give us the best bang for our buck, not only in terms of money but also benefits.
We’re now all far more educated and savvier about the power of science. Consumers are used to challenging companies to deliver on scientifically proven benefits, as our research also shows that almost two thirds of women (64%) choose to use products that have been scientifically proven. We’re going to see women look for products that have the goods to back up what they promise to do. That will come in the form of an increased number of clinical trials and on claims to demonstrate a product’s ability to deliver.
In our research, 59% of women polled said they choose to use products with smart formulas that can boost their body’s natural process. This is evident in the recent increased interest in the power of collagen in supercharging your skin and giving it that much-coveted plumpness. Exclusively at Avon, Protinol™ restores years of collagen loss by giving a dual boost of collagen 1 and 3 – also known as ‘baby collagen’ as it’s the secret behind baby skin’s bouncy plumpness.
ANEW Renewal Power Serum
Over two thirds (70%) of women prefer skincare products that have a gentler formula, and say they avoid skincare products that can have harsh side effects, even if they deliver fast results.
ANEW Renewal Power Serum is powered by Avon’s world exclusive Protinol™ technology, which helps to restore 7 years of collagen loss in just 7 days for dramatically firmer, smoother, healthier and more radiant looking skin, and at irresistible value. What’s more, it is proven to smooth lines and firm skin - and without the irritation that some Retinol users experience.


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Baby formula shortage continues, but a Detroit Facebook group is trying to get babies the formula they need
There is still a baby formula shortage causing empty shelves across the country. One mom in Metro Detroit is trying to ease that burden through a Facebook group.
The group is connecting people who want to help with caregivers in need of baby formula.
Heather Chesnutt created Detroit Area Formula Finder — a group that now has over 2,000 members.
Members post where they’re finding formula and sell, exchange and give away formula to caregivers.
Chesnutt said one of the biggest issues she’s seeing is caregivers who use WIC benefits cannot purchase formula online.
"With gas prices over $5 dollars now, it’s just not possible for people to be driving around to six different stores and hoping to find what they can," she said.
There’s been a nationwide shortage since Abbott Nutrition shut down a Michigan factory in February over concerns of bacterial contamination.
The crisis started when several babies were infected by bacteria, and two of them died. The same bacteria was later detected at Abbott's Sturgis, Michigan plant, but Abbott maintained there was no conclusive evidence to link its formulas to the illnesses.
Babies under six months need formula or breast milk. It's their only food source.
The Facebook group has a daily post called "Last Can" where caregivers can post if they're down to their last can, meaning they'll run out of formula in less than 24 hours.
Group members also post sightings of formula and purchase needed brands for caregivers.
Abbott Nutrition has restarted production — but it's not clear when the baby formula shortage will end.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated that Abbott Nutrition was a Michigan based company. They are headquartered in Illinois.


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A & B TO SEE RECORD BREAKING CRUISE SHIP ARRIVALS Monday 9th October 2017
St. John’s, Antigua (October 8th, 2017) - Following a series of vital meetings with its major cruise line partners last week, Antigua and Barbuda was successful in reassuring its cruise line partners of the readiness of the destination to receive additional calls for the upcoming 2017-2018 winter cruise tourism season.
The country’s tourism Minister the Hon Asot A. Michael, after leading a delegation of tourism Ministers and officials from St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda was able to confirm extremely positive news for the destination.
Between October and December 31st this year, the destination will welcome and receive a projected 459,138 cruise guests, from 226 ship calls. Of these calls 57 were recent additions to the schedule and 12 will be inaugural calls from ships that have never visited our port before.
This means that the total estimate of cruise ship visitors to Antigua and Barbuda for the entire year will be the highest ever with some 907,172 visitors, making 2017 a record-breaking year for cruise tourism.
While the country is receiving an unprecedented number of calls this season due to the reassignment of itineraries, as a result of the recent hurricanes Tourism Minister, The Hon. Asot A. Michael commented, “This great milestone would not have been possible without the hard work and investment done by the Government in upgrading our cruise facilities. In record-breaking time we lengthened the Heritage Quay pier and completed the dredging of our harbour and turning basin to safely accommodate the visiting ships. It is the ABLP administration’s foresight in returning the Cruise Tourism sector to the front burner that is now yielding dividends for the entire country” said Minister Michael.
Several days in December will see multiple calls with the largest number of cruise passengers ever to visit the island scheduled to arrive on December 26th ‘Boxing Day’ with over 20,000 passengers and crew members from 8 ships arriving on island.
Preliminary meetings and contingency plans have already started with all key cruise tourism stakeholders along with the various support and security services, to ensure that Antigua and Barbuda offers our cruise guests a first-class experience to mark this special day along with the additional cruise ship calls in the upcoming days and weeks.
This trend of increased cruise ship calls will continue into the first quarter of 2018 and result in significant impact to the Antigua and Barbuda’s economy. One of the criteria that is evaluated by cruise itinerary planners to determine where ships are deployed is the feedback from guests as to their experience in each port of call.
It is therefore critical that while the country continues in its efforts to attract more cruise ship visitors, a collective effort must be made by all residents to ensure that we provide a warm and unforgettable welcome to our many cruise passengers who will be visiting us for the very first time.
Click here for all News and Specials for Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority


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The Irish Examiner broke the news this morning that an Irish online retailer’s computer security was breached by criminals who managed to compromise an undisclosed number of credit card details belonging to Irish customers. The breach was apparently discovered after the criminals tried to test if the cards were active by making small online purchases against a New York based online food retailer. Most major Irish banks are in the process of reissuing credit cards to those affected by the breach. While most people who hold credit cards are frantically checking with their provider to see if they have been victims.
At the time of writing there are no public details as to which retailer was compromised, how that compromise happened nor how many people affected. This is one of the reasons I believe that we need Data Breach disclosure laws here in Ireland.
Knowing who the retailer is could save a lot of unnecessary worry for people who may think their cards have been compromised. Knowing how the attack happened will also be useful for other companies so that they can ensure they have appropriate mechanisms in place to prevent and detect a similar attack, be that an attack via the Internet or an insider using the information.
It will also be interesting to know if the retailer was PCI DSS compliant. And if not what steps the credit card companies and the acquiring bank will take? My experience in dealing with a lot of companies is that many are not yet compliant with PCI DSS. With all its various faults at least PCI DSS provides organisations with the minimum best practises and standards that they should have in place. Despite many of the vendor hype PCI DSS should not be that hard for most companies to achieve. Indeed if a company is serious about protecting their customers’ data the PCI DSS standard should be a by product of their own efforts.
Lets keep a close eye on this case and see what lessons can be learnt from it.
UPDATE: John Collins has a piece in 9th August edition of The Irish Times covering this story with some commentary from myself.


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What you need to know
- Roku issued a statement calling Google out on its unfair treatment of the platform.
- In response, Google has decided to pull the YouTube app from new Roku devices.
- Current users will not be affected by this change.
The ongoing battle between Google and Roku continues as the YouTube app is being pulled from new Roku devices after December 9.
The decision came on Thursday after Roku posted a statement calling Google out for allegedly asserting its dominance to request special treatment on the platform. More specifically, for requiring YouTube as a search preference over other results and requesting special features on Roku that it doesn't mandate on other platforms.
In response, a YouTube spokesperson told Android Central that it's pulling its YouTube app from new Roku devices.
That means current users should still have access even after the December 9 deadline, but new devices will not be able to download either YouTube or YouTube TV.
This year, the two companies have been involved in a very public dispute over negotiations regarding the YouTube TV app. Roku refused to give the service special treatment on its platform and accused Google of "unfair and anti-competitive requirements to manipulate your search results."
This scuffle previously led to the removal of the YouTube TV app until Google folded it into the regular YouTube app. Meanwhile, Google has maintained that it's, in fact, Roku that is seeking special treatment by requesting "exceptions that would break the YouTube experience and limit our ability to update YouTube in order to fix issues or add new features."
In Thursday's statement, Roku highlights the ongoing antitrust lawsuits that Google faces for allegedly asserting dominance and giving its own apps and services preferential treatment on the best Android phones.
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Notably, this follows the introduction of a bill introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Chuck Grassley that will prohibit dominant platforms from "favoring their own products or services."
Derrek is a long-time Nokia and LG fanboy who loves astronomy, videography, and sci-fi movies. When he's not working, he's most likely working out or smoldering at the camera.


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ROCKINGHAM, Va., Feb. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Soli Organic Inc. BB #:187801, the nation’s only soil-based, indoor farming company delivering 100% USDA certified organic produce, has announced a new membership of the leadership team, building on its track record of attracting top talent across admired companies, and bringing the best thinking from across innovative fields to controlled environment agriculture.
The Company has named Jeff Jackson as Chief Infrastructure Officer, leading building, geographic expansion, clean and low-carbon energy sourcing, scaled design, and facility innovation.
Jackson joins the Company following its recent close of a nearly $125 million Series D funding round. His expertise, combined with Soli Organic’s existing facilities design and development team, will drive the build-out of additional high-tech, automated, soil-based indoor farms in key locations across the country, supporting the Company’s position as a leader in innovative agriculture.
“We are committed to flipping the paradigm that organic must be more expensive. Our indoor farms provide sure supply of fresh, nearby, sustainably grown produce, and our technology allows us to provide the quality organic produce consumers want at prices they can afford. Demand in key markets is high and we are gaining leadership as we rise to meet it with expanded facilities in strategic locations,” said Matt Ryan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Soli Organic.
“Jeff will further accelerate our efforts in this next phase of growth, drawing on decades of experience with global brands well-known for fast growth and world-changing technology to drive the evolution of industries.”
Jackson will leverage more than two decades of experience in operations, engineering, and construction to support the strategic development of Soli Organic’s high-tech facilities and infrastructure. This will include leading the completion of forthcoming facilities in Brooks, Texas, and Marysville, Washington, as well as identifying and building new site locations in proximity to key markets, in partnership with communities and local officials. Jackson will also play a central role in executing the Company’s sustainability and clean energy sourcing strategies.
Prior to joining Soli Organic, Jackson spent more than seven years at Tesla, where he was most recently Director of Infrastructure, and previously held senior leadership roles in operations and facilities at Samsung Austin Semiconductor.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the pleasure of working with world-changing, visionary companies and leaders. I was attracted to Soli Organic’s powerful combination of unmatched technology innovation, strong consumer value proposition, and increasing momentum,” said Jackson. “I’m joining the Soli Organic team at an exciting time and look forward to further cementing the company’s reputation for applying innovation to reduce the climate impact of the food system and expand access to organic, affordable options.”
About Soli Organic Inc.
Founded in 1989 as Shenandoah Growers, Inc., Soli Organic Inc. is the leading grower and marketer of fresh organic culinary herbs in the United States, providing sustainable, USDA certified organic, regionally grown produce to retailers coast-to-coast. The Rockingham, Virginia-based company has developed the nation’s largest commercial indoor organic, soil-based growing system and continues to redefine how to bring fresh, organic, and sustainably farmed produce to market – operating across a nationally integrated platform of farms, production, and logistics facilities. For more information, please visit www.soliorganic.com.
Jackie Attwood-Dupont, Soli Organic Inc.


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Paytm, the digital wallet platform, has partnered with Mother Dairy to offer wallet payments at their booths in Delhi-NCR. The wallet payment facility was launched in Noida with further expansion in the coming months. Mother Dairy, one of the leading milk suppliers in the country, has milk booths around the country and partnering with Paytm helps in establishing a online mode for customer transactions. Paytm’s digital wallet will help its customers to make cashless payments at several locations.
Paytm’s Digital Life
Paytm’s digital wallet platform has been part of growing trend of cashless payments for several services in the country. The company has partnered with many startup companies across several categories to offer its customers varied options to seamlessly make payments for products and services. Speaking about the partnership, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder and CEO of Paytm, said, “Paytm is focused on creating solutions for everyday payment use cases for Indians. Starting from the morning milk supply to all other everyday necessities, it is our mission to make everyday payments extremely simple. Working with Mother Dairy we would be able to bring a seamless payment experience to millions. We are very proud that mother dairy has taken a step towards consumer experience and we will be creating an incredible payment solution for their consumers.”
Mother Dairy’s Digital Services
Mother Dairy has introduced digital services as part of its brand to help consumers with easier transactions at its outlets. Along with partnering with Paytm for cashless payments, the company has also introduced SmartChange cards in partnership with State Bank of India which can be used to make payments at all Mother Dairy booths. Speaking about introducing digital solutions to customer transactions, S Nagarajan, Managing Director, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Limited, said, “We believe that with more and more people using smartphones, such initiatives will help consumers immensely. This will also help our booth concessionaires in bringing down the physical cash handling.”
The Paytm digital wallet services will be available in 100 Mother Dairy milk booths in Delhi-NCR region with further expansion to over 750 outlets in the coming months.


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Jason Gibb, founder of Vauxhall-based Nudo, says the image used by M&S on its 2011 olive oil range bears a striking resemblance to the tree design he has used since 2005.
Mr Gibb, 40, set up his company eight years ago with partner Cathy Rogers. Her sister Madeleine designed the logo for the firm, which produces 20,000 litres a year of extra virgin olive oil from Italy. Mr Gibb, from Earl’s Court, said: “I just want these big players to stop ripping off the small guy.”
Marks and Spencer denied it had copied the Nudo design. A spokeswoman said: “This olive oil range launched in 2011 and its design development dates back to 2010. Olives and olive trees are a common design theme for this product category, as customers instantly associate them with the product.”


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Interview with the National Peanut Board
When it comes to peanuts, farmers play a crucial role in the country’s economy as the world’s fourth-largest peanut producers. Inspired by this responsibility and the love for their crops, farmers from the major peanut-producing states in the U.S. joined forces to create a program with a solid and clear vision. Established in 1999, the National Peanut Board is a farmer-funded group committed to helping groundnut farmers to improve production practices through scientific research. These studies have contributed to the development of more sustainable varieties with high yields and brought new findings on food allergy. In this interview, NPB marketing and communications associate Keegan Treadaway gives us an overview of America’s peanut production and comments on the latest studies and trends.
Can you tell us about some of the latest groundbreaking studies funded by the National Peanut Board?
K.T. The Board has contributed millions of dollars toward both production research and food allergy research since its inception. Some of the outcomes that have resulted from production research funding include new peanut varieties that are resistant to disease and pests, as well as the mapping of the peanut genome which will help peanut breeders with marker-assisted breeding to more quickly produce sustainable varieties without using genetic modification. More recently, the Board is investing in research to reduce water use and develop more drought-tolerant seed varieties.
In terms of food allergy research, the Board contributed to the groundbreaking research study known as Learning Early About Peanuts (L.E.A.P.), which changed the paradigm in infant feeding around the world, by encouraging parents to feed peanut foods to infants early to help prevent peanut allergy. As a result of that research, the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), as well as the world’s leading health organizations, have issued new guidelines on early peanut introduction. The Board is now focusing on research that looks into improving diagnostic tools for peanut allergy.
How is the consumer’s perception of peanut nowadays? Have the way people used to think about peanut changed?
K.T. Americans still love peanuts and peanut butter. In fact, a recent consumer survey that the National Peanut Board commissioned found that peanuts are the preferred nut among millennial consumers. How people eat peanuts has changed, though. Many consumers are now eating peanuts in the form of snack products (like energy bars, trail mix, granola) because they’re portable so that you can eat them on the go. Peanut butter has also seen a gradual shift toward snack products with major brands launching more convenience foods featuring peanut butter as an ingredient.
Who are the major peanut-producing American states today?
K.T. There are 11 major-peanut producing states in the U.S.— Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Peanuts are also produced in Louisiana and Missouri. This year’s peanut crop is estimated to be about 2.46 million tons according to USDA, which is a little lower than some previous years. But yields have continued to rise with the average yield at over 4,000 tons per acre.
What is the biggest challenge peanut farmers face today? How can the Board help them to overcome it?
K.T. Probably the greatest challenge that peanut farmers—and all farmers—face is being able to sustain the farming operation and maintain a profit year-after-year. The National Peanut Board’s investment in production research will hopefully continue to lead to advances that can help increase yields without having to increase inputs. That means if a farmer can plant a crop that can yield more without having to increase the amount of resources like water to grow the crop, then they are ultimately saving on the cost of production and improving their bottom line.
What are the latest trends in the peanut industry at national and global levels?
K.T. Sustainability is the fastest growing trend that we’ve seen on the national level (and really across the world). As more consumers incorporate sustainability into their lives, they are going to look for ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Major brands are already making changes to become more sustainable. Just look at the sudden growth of plant-based meat alternatives that are now available at chain restaurants across the country. Peanuts have an excellent sustainability story since they give back to the soil through nitrogen-fixation, and require significantly less water to grow than other nuts. They also offer more plant-based protein than other nuts. The Board is going to continue to promote the positive peanut sustainability story as it continues to be of interest to consumers.
To know more about the National Peanut Board, visit: https://www.nationalpeanutboard.org


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Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp already playable for some Switch users
We're still awaiting a new release date.
Nintendo's plans was to launch Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp on April 8, but as the conflict in Ukraine started, Nintendo decided to delay it as a result of the war theme. Some people had pre-loaded the game already though, and it seems like a few of them actually got to play the game this weekend as it unlocked as planned.
A reasonable guess is that people who didn't have their Switch units connected to the internet, simply didn't get the update with the new release date and thus got to play it. A video has been shared on social media show what it looks like.
While we still don't have a proper release date for the game, we assume it won't be too far off, as it is already finished. And if you really care about spoilers in a game like Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (it's a remake of titles that are not too story heavy to begin with), it could be an idea to tread lightly online.


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I am delighted that I can now buy irradiated beef at my local supermarket. It’s safer than regular beef but I would buy it just to spite the anti-science hysterics who kept this technology off-the-shelf for decades. Irradiation has recently been approved for Hawaiian sweet potatoes – the expense of the previous technology, methyl bromide fumigation kept these purple spuds out of mainland markets.
Of course, the mainland-based U.S. Sweet Potato Council is worried about competition. Mainland growers produce 1.3 billion pounds annually and Hawaiian output is only 1.8 million pounds leading the Potato Council to a unique argument for protectionism, “Hawaiian production is a mere pittance . . . and therefore, Hawaii should be able to consume every sweet potato they produce and then some.”


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Fortnite launches season 2 with a ‘spy’ themed gameplayEstimated reading time: 0 minutes, 57 seconds
Fortnite Chapter 2 : Season 2 has been finally launched last week. The second season launch of the popular online battle royale game was anticipated in the early January but was launched on February 20th after a considerable delay. Season 1 of Chapter 2 now becomes the longest season of Fortnite ever.
The season 2 is officially called “Top Secret” as Fortnite’s gameplay is now spy-themed. There are no major changes to the game’s map, but this update brings new landmarks with vaults that contain unusual in-game weapons and items.
A couple of new weapons like a minigun and drum gun have been introduced. The season 2 launch trailer and battle pass trailer hint at some exciting things that will be launched over the course of this season. Helicopters and the famous Hollywood character “Deadpool” has been teased although they are not present currently. The price of battle pass remains 950 V-bucks or $9.50.
Fortnite has also told that players will have to choose between two teams titled “Ghost” and the “Shadow” and this spy-themed gameplay would change the map forever. Fortnite has also surprisingly announced the end date of this season as the season is scheduled to conclude on April 29th.
Thank you for reading OnlyTech! For the latest tech news, follow us on Twitter, Google News, Telegram and Facebook. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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Sellier Knightsbridge has announced the acquisition of luxury resale platform Worn in a bid to become the UK’s largest luxury reseller.
Through an asset sale via cash, the acquisition will bring together the two companies, both of which serve a similar high-net worth consumer base.
Worn’s buyers and sellers will be onboarded onto the Sellier platform as part of the deal, growing the latter’s business by around 25 percent in the coming year, a press release stated.
Speaking on the acquisition, Bella Buchanan, CEO of Worn, said: “I am so excited that Worn and Sellier Knightsbridge have joined forces. We are two companies with a joint mission to provide the best resale experience in the industry.”
Noting Worn’s initial mission of contributing to a sustainable shift in the fashion industry, Buchanan added: “This partnership allows us to take that mission even further. I believe that we are stronger together and I’m so excited to see what this new chapter brings.”
Sellier itself was founded in 2019, and now operates physical stores in Knightsbridge and Monaco alongside its online presence.
Acquisition to expand Sellier’s retail presence
The platform is particularly successful due to its stock of rare modern and vintage pieces, contributing to its reported double revenue growth on a yearly basis since its launch.
In 2023, the company said it is expecting its revenue to grow even further, hitting an upwards of 20 million pounds as the luxury resale market booms.
Sellier’s founder and CEO, Hanushka Toni, commented: “Consolidation in the resale market is about so much more than getting bigger. In an industry filled with incredible companies all redefining sustainability in their own way, smart-scaling has always been at the heart of my vision for Sellier.
“Building something defined by the pursuit of the best-in-class resale, never compromising on quality or curation.”
In the coming year, Sellier added it is planning to continue its expansion through further locations, also backed by Worn’s retail space in Belgravia, and making additional acquisitions as part of the Sellier Group.


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So hidebound and dimwitted are U.S. newspapers that it’s predictable that their idea of breaking all the rules is something U.S. newspapers were doing a century ago. The latest example is running ads on Page One and section fronts, as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal now do, with more papers to follow.
As W. Joseph Campbell writes in his excellent history The Year That Defined American Journalism: 1897 and the Clash of Paradigms:
Some leading regional newspapers, such as the Boston Globe and Cleveland Press, routinely devoted large portions of their front pages to display advertising, for products such as patent medicines, men’s suits, and the latest models of bicycles.
Even though the placement of profane pitches on the sacred acreage of Page One hasn’t corrupted USA Today, which has long run them, nor the European press, some press ethicists worried that they might give advertisers too much power over newspapers. Business Week’s Jon Fine ridiculed their worries in August, observing that ad placement only becomes an issue if it causes newspapers to coddle advertisers. How ads on Page One are more potentially corrupting than ads on A16 is something I don’t understand. In any event, Page One of today’s (Sept. 7) Wall Street Journal shows that while prime space can be bought, the paper can’t: It features an HP ad on the front page, and the lead story is about the ongoing HP boardroom scandal.
Last spring, when the New York Daily News experimented with a “new” ad concept in which it distributed 40,000 free copies of the paper containing front- and back-page ads, Kelly McBride, “ethics group leader” at the Poynter Institute, gasped in revulsion.
“To give the whole front page away seems to me a dangerous message to send to readers,” she told the New York Times. “The front page is for the news you consider most important to the community.” Oh, yes, it would be much better if the Daily News messaged its readers that it’s folding instead of selling Page One ads in the tough New York market.
The Daily News’ sellout may horrify you, but it’s hardly unprecedented, as this second historical nugget from Campbell’s book explains:
The front page of the New York Herald in the 1890s contained no news at all. The first two or three pages of the Herald were typically devoted to classified advertising, including personal advertisements that were sometimes fairly risqué.
The advertising side of the newspaper industry is desperate for new ideas. Ad revenues have been flat-lining since 1998, and not all the blame can be laid at the feet of Craig Newmark. What was the last big idea to come out of daily-newspaper advertising? Full-color printing, something magazines beat them to by almost a century? Those annoying “sticker” ads that some low-rent newspapers glue onto their front pages? Telephone personals, which the alternative weeklies pioneered?
The most remarkable thing about today’s newspaper advertising is how unremarkable it is. When was the last time somebody nudged you at the water cooler to say, “How about that newspaper ad!” The only current newspaper showstoppers that come to mind are the wacky advocacy ads placed by Dr. Matthias Rath and other promoters of world peace that read like the copy lifted from Dr. Bronner’s soap bottles. (The PDF format makes it possible for you to experience Dr. Rath’s ad from the Aug. 26 Times in its complete typographical glory.)
While your standard newspaper ad exudes all the life of flattened road kill, other media are investing research and development dollars in inventive attempts to reach people. A few examples: magazines stitch talking and singing ads to their pages; television runs “fake” commercials for products; ad agencies place big-budget commercials exclusively on YouTube, ignoring regular television; and Budweiser creates an entire online entertainment network for its ads.
Newspaper companies do experiment with ads, but mostly in their online ventures, which sends the message to advertisers and readers—the boomers-and-older generation still habituated to newspapers—that they’ve given print up for dead.
None of this is to suggest that the tired newspaper ad template can’t sell goods and services. Of course it can. Indeed, one of the main reasons people read newspapers is to consume classified, real estate, and entertainment ads. But ask anybody who has ever tried to place a stimulating advertisement in a newspaper and you’ll hear all about antiquated rules about ad location, size, configuration, and taste that are designed to prevent imaginative ads from running. Newspapers are as complacent in today’s competitive ad market as they were when they held a near-monopoly over advertising.
Instead of treating the arrival of front-page ads as some sort of last straw for a distressed industry, newspapers would be smarter to treat it as the first step in their modernization. If they don’t tell anybody that that their revolutionarily idea is a retread from 1800s, neither will I.
I have the vague recollection that European and South American newspaper advertisements are more creative, compelling, and offensive. Am I right? Send word to email@example.com. (E-mail may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise. Permanent disclosure: Slate is owned by the Washington Post Co.)
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RaceTrac offers limited-time breakfast sandwich made with Eggo waffles.
RaceTrac and Kellogg’s partnered recently to provide c-store guests a breakfast sandwich created with Kellogg’s Eggo waffles.
RaceTrac and Kellogg worked together to develop a new foodservice offering that met their customers’ need for a high quality, quick and tasty breakfast or snack offering. The limited time menu offering featured the Eggo brand, which has a strong brand awareness with the RaceTrac consumer. The RaceTrac breakfast sandwich made with Eggo waffles features maple-flavored sausage, egg and cheese layered between two classic Eggo waffles.
“The partnership with the Eggo brand tied in perfectly with our quality breakfast offerings, providing a tasty and affordable breakfast choice for our on-the-go guests,” Steven Turner, RaceTrac executive director of food programs & offers. “We supported the Eggo sandwich launch with signage and social media, as well as partnered with Kellogg on their Kellogg’s Family Rewards. The Family Rewards program helped draw new guests into the stores. Guests have come into our stores specifically looking for this product, which is a win!”
This limited time offer is exclusively available at RaceTrac now through Nov. 7.
Kellogg’s also took the opportunity to meet up with their RaceTrac partners at the NACS show in Las Vegas and awarded them the WK Kellogg Excellence in Convenience Store Foodservice 2018 award. Don Davis, vice president, Kellogg’s Specialty Sales added, “We’re proud to partner with RaceTrac on providing solutions that meet their on-the-go customers’ needs – and about future opportunities that bring our great brands together.”
Headquartered in Atlanta, RaceTrac now operates almost 500 convenience store locations in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Texas.


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The Ministry of economic development of Russia on Monday introduced an updated version of the macro forecast to 2024, which has worsened expectations for the coming biennium.
Of the 10 national development goals, which were approved in may, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and was conceived as a way to implement the may decrees of Vladimir Putin, a minimum of five to perform in the 2019-20 biennium will not happen, the MAYOR acknowledged.
Complete failure turns into an attempt to increase the birth rate. Instead of reducing the natural population decline, the country will receive its acceleration by 27% over the previous year and 110% in comparison with 2017, to 284,4 thousands of people.
Last year the death rate exceeded the birth rate in 224,1 thousands of people. According to the plan Medvedev, this year the natural decline needed to stabilize (of 219.1 thousand). And since next year is to reduce by 40% annually to 2023, the year she fell in the 7.5 times (to 29.9 thousand people) and in 2024-m would be replaced by even symbolic (per 1 thousand people), but natural population growth.
In fact, the annual forecast natural decline in five months, was completed by 82% although the number of deaths decreased (17.7 thousand), the rate of decline in the birth rate was three times greater (50.1 thousand people). In 39 subjects were dead people in 1,5-2,2 times more than were born.
Will not work and raise the standard of living, recognizes the MAYOR. For the year real disposable incomes of Russians will add only 0.1%. The increase of the level of error that is noticed by people, but which will allow Rosstat to avoid acknowledging the continued degradation of the situation will be in 5 times below, “Medvedev’s plan” (0.5%) and 10 times less than the original forecast MAYOR (1%).
After the income was defeated and the plan to reduce poverty. In the past year below the official poverty was 12.9 percent of Russian citizens, or 18.4 million people.
According to the plan Medvedev, this year the number of poor had reduced to 12%. However, in the first quarter of Rosstat recorded a jump to 2-year-old record in relative terms (14.3%) and almost 13-year-old record in absolute (21.6 million people).
By the end of year target will be narrowly missed by 0.5 percentage points, or 730 million people, according to the MAYOR: 12.5% of the population will be living with incomes below the subsistence minimum, which at the end of the first quarter was $ 11069 rubles for the working population, 8464 of the ruble, for pensioners and 9950 rubles for children.
The goal for 2021 would also remain unfulfilled: instead of 11.1% the poverty rate will be 11.7%.
Fails to increase non-oil and non-energy exports. According to the plan, exports of products other than hydrocarbons or simple mineral raw materials, this year should increase from 214 to 230 billion dollars. In fact a reduction of up to 210 billion dollars a year, warns the MAYOR.
The forecast for GDP growth will be fulfilled this year (1.3 per cent), but the bar for the next year the economy can not take instead of 2%, it will add 1.7 per cent.
Below expectations in 2019 will also be the amount of investment (growth of 2% instead of 3.1%) and retail trade turnover (the growth by 1.3% instead of 1.6%). These figures are not included in the development.
The Outlook for exports is reduced by all the next five years: in total until 2024 the economy will receive 125 billion dollars of foreign exchange earnings. In these circumstances, consumers and businesses will have to reduce purchases abroad of goods and equipment: imports will be less than forecast at $ 10 billion this year, 15 billion in the next 17 billion each year in the period from 2021-24 gg (in the amount of 93 billion dollars).
That the plan “breakthrough” is on the verge of failure, to blame the external environment and internal credit bubble, according to the MAYOR.
The global economy is slowing, and in 2019 for the first time in 10 years will grow less than 3%. The rate of about 2.5% per year will continue throughout the 6-year horizon. Europe’s aging population and debt Laden governments cannot include fiscal incentives and the have to pursue a policy of “living within our means”; the rise of China will hold high quasi-debt; the US economy threatens to overheat and trade wars, lists Ministry of.
Inside Russia, meanwhile, people rapidly climb in consumer debt, increasing loans from banks with a speed of 22-24% per year (1.5-1.7 trillion rubles). This situation is “features of social problems”, says the MAYOR: the average borrowers are given to repay the debt from 43.9% of their income, and 15% on payments to the Bank out 70% of earnings or more.
In a negative scenario, it faces a “sudden stop” in credit market and failure of consumer demand, which could send the economy into a recession in 2021 (down 0.6%), according to the forecast.


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Model Mate gets photographed for the latest collection of Marcuse by Hungarian photographer Attila Kiss. Take a look here.
Photographer Clifford Prince King and stylist Avena Gallagher team up for Calvin Klein’s Spring Summer 2022 Naturals Collection. Check it out at MMScene.
Our Instaman award this week goes to Dawn Tang.
Models Yiorgos Paraskeva, Edoardo Fresia, Emiliano Marku, Sergio Perdomo, and Alex Villamayor star in the new Emporio Armani underwear campaign photographed by Matthew Brookes. Get a glimpse in Menstyle Brazil Magazine.
Don’t miss our 4th Birthday Sale: 25% to 70% off everything at Men and Underwear – The Shop.
New, see-through arrivals from Barcode Berlin!
Dozens of new styles by Andrew Christian now at Men and Underwear – The Shop.
Watch the video of the new collections just released by Marcuse on our YouTube Channel.
A brand new collection of briefs and thongs called Astra has just been released by Marcuse!
Spring Sale on all jewellery and cockrings at the eShop of Esculpta up to 40% off!
New website and many new collections just launched at jockstraps.com
Huge sale, 50% off everything at aussieBum this weekend!
The French Bikinis and socks by TOF Paris now available
Check out the new Sprint briefs and Pow Thongs just released by Supawear!
New swimwear called Night Bloom now available at 2EROS.


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Shares in Game Group were suspended on the London Stock Exchange today "pending clarification of the company's financial position".
A statement issued by the board of Game Group today admitted “there is no equity value left in the group”.
The video game retailer, which employs 6,000 people UK-wide across 600 stores – 52 of which are in Scotland employing around 500 staff – is reported to be trying to raise £180 million this week in an effort to avoid administration.
Game Group, which has 1,274 stores worldwide trading under the Game and Gamestation brands, employing more than 10,000 people, admitted last week suppliers were refusing to extend credit on stock.
Game has suffered poorer sales as consumer spending has scaled back, but has also been hit by game developers pushing more of their products through secure online download platforms in an effort to counter piracy.
The boom in online game retailers, the largest being Amazon, has also contributed to Game's current trading difficulties.
In a statement published today, Game Group said: “Further to the announcements of 12 March 2012 and 14 March 2012, the board of Game has assessed the status of the ongoing and regular discussions between Game and its lending banks and between its lending banks and a potential third party provider of finance to the business.
“The board now considers itself to be unable to assess the business's financial position, and is of the opinion that there is no equity value left in the Group.
“Therefore the company has requested that the listing of its securities on the Main Market of London Stock Exchange plc be suspended from trading with effect from 7:30am today.
“The company will provide a further update in due course.”
The group reported in a first half trading update in July its net debt had risen to £91 million against £63.5 million a year earlier.
Game has already signalled losses for the 2011 year to January are likely to be around £18 million following a dismal Christmas for the group when sales were down nearly 13 per cent on the previous year.
The group said a lack of new game consoles coming onto the market and a drop in consumer spending had contributed to the drop in sales.
Game agreed a new bank facility with a consortium of banks last month, though the new loan was not enough to reassure suppliers.
The company is reported to have hired advisory firm Rothschild to help it sell all or parts of the business.
Game has also lined up accountancy firm Deloitte to handle any insolvency process.


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Major Costco update as the retail giant announces store changes – and it’s great news for shoppers
COSTCO continues its expansion across the country and around the world. The wholesale chain will open 24 new stores this fiscal year, including 15 in the United States.
The announcement was made by CEO Richard Galanti on Thursday during a earnings call transcribed by The Motley Fool.
Costco opened seven new locations in the first quarter, which ran from September 1 to November 20, including its first stores in New Zealand and Sweden.
The chain also recently opened warehouses in South Korea, Australia and Lake Stevens, Washington.
The wholesaler is to open at least three new locations in the US in 2023 – one in Queen Creek, Arizona, in January; another in Kyle, Texas, in March; and a third in Longmont, Colorado, in April.
Also this fiscal year, Costco plans to open its third and fourth locations in China this fiscal year.
In all, the chain will have opened 27 new locations by September next year as three of its existing stores will relocate.
Currently, Costco has 847 Locations including 583 in 46 US states and Puerto Rico.
The expansion announcement came after Costco slightly underperformed Wall Street’s expectations in the first quarter.
Costco posted earnings per share of $3.07 for the quarter, down from the $3.12 some analysts, Insider, were expecting reported.
https://www.the-sun.com/money/6880895/costco-opens-new-stores-locations-us/ Major Costco update as the retail giant announces store changes – and it’s great news for shoppers


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Every weekday, host Kai Ryssdal helps you make sense of the day's business and economic news — no econ degree or finance background required. "Marketplace" takes you beyond the numbers, bringing you context. Our team of reporters all over the world speak with CEOs, policymakers and regular people just trying to get by.
At last, the labor market is showing signs that it’s finding a happy medium: New unemployment claims are inching up while overall unemployment is still at a historic low. While this isn’t the gangbusters labor market of summer 2022, it’s also not the COVID shutdown, with sky-high furloughs and layoffs. In this episode, why slowed hiring is a good sign. Also, retail stories, big and small: big-box stores cut costs where they can, street vendors scrape by and Toyota sticks to hybrids.


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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shocked observers on Tuesday by pricing the iPhone 5c at $549 rather than the $300-$400 price point many people expected. In the aftermath, a variety of analysts downgraded the stock, reduced their earnings estimates, or both, sending the stock down 8% from its weekly highs.
Apple Weekly Price Chart; data by YCharts
While the high price will probably boost Apple’s margins, many analysts are worried that iPhone sales will stagnate because of a lack of innovation and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s unwillingness to offer a lower-priced smartphone. However, Apple still has plenty of room to grow its iPhone sales numbers — even without a cheaper iPhone. The key is expanding distribution: selling the iPhone through more wireless carriers around the globe.
Distribution is crucial
By now, you’ve probably heard a lot about Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s two new iPhones: the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. While the hardware is obviously very important, Apple’s moves to expand distribution of the iPhone are a critical (and sometimes overlooked) growth driver for the company.
The iPhone 5C was introduced last week, but that may not have been Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s most important announcement. (Photo: Apple.)
To put this in perspective, pundits have been criticizing Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) for a lack of innovation in its smartphones ever since the iPhone 4s was released two years ago. Despite these complaints, Apple has roughly doubled iPhone unit sales from 72.3 million in FY11 (before the iPhone 4s release) to 143.4 million over the past four quarters.
One of the main drivers of that growth has been the addition of new carrier partners. In the U.S., AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) was still the exclusive iPhone carrier at the beginning of 2011. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) first received the iPhone in February of that year, while Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE:S) began carrying the iPhone when the 4s launched in October 2011. T MOBILE US INC (NYSE:TMUS) has had the iPhone only since April of this year, making this the first time it’s participating in a global iPhone launch.
Apple has also added carrier partners abroad, such as China Telecom . It’s the smallest of China’s three major carriers, but it’s still comparable in size to Verizon (the largest U.S. wireless carrier). However, Apple has been missing two major pieces in Asia: China Mobile Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:CHL) and NTT DoCoMo. These two carriers are the largest in China and Japan, respectively.
More carriers, more sales
Sure enough, Apple announced a new partnership with NTT DoCoMo on Tuesday. NTT DoCoMo is by far the largest wireless carrier in Japan, with 61 million subscribers (46% of the market). Even though NTT DoCoMo has not sold the iPhone previously, Apple has already captured around 36% of the Japanese smartphone market.
That performance demonstrates the strength of Apple’s brand in Japan. Based on this strong market-share figure, bringing the iPhone to NTT DoCoMo could potentially drive more than 10 million incremental iPhone unit sales in the next year.
However, the NTT DoCoMo news was overshadowed by the lack of a China Mobile Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:CHL) announcement. While the vast majority of China Mobile subscribers couldn’t afford an iPhone, China Mobile has more than 700 million users! Reaching just 10% of this humongous market would create significant upside for Apple.


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Streaming services have enabled people to instantly access music on their devices – but they’re also normalising substandard audio quality. In their quest for high-fidelity experiences, some audiophiles are now seeking venues that put music first, prizing purity of sound over all other factors.
Ian Hsieh is a Cornwall-based journalist specialising in music, technology and visual arts. He writes words for global brands and publications, including Audi, Kodak, Highsnobiety and Bandcamp.
From bass-heavy cans to Apple’s signature white earbuds, headphones are now ubiquitous; 41% of Americans wear them. Yet there are few pairs that can complement an outfit. Enter Frends, which produces luxury headphones for women, transforming audio equipment into a fashion accessory.
Spotify may allow users to hear virtually any track or artist on their devices, but it can’t deliver the physical experience of a live gig – that pumping bass line that pounds into your chest. Enter the Basslet – a wrist-mounted, matchbox-sized subwoofer that lets people really feel their music.
Despite Japan’s reputation as a world leader in technology, the nation’s audiophiles have been slow to embrace music streaming, with many people still craving vinyl and making regular trips to CD stores. What’s got the world’s second-largest music market stuck on physical media?
Can out-of-home leisure destinations lure people away from screens? Why does travelling like a local beat being a regular tourist? And is AR a real game-changer? As part of our Expert Outlook 2017 series, we speak to three leisure experts about what the future holds for how we unwind and explore.


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The iMac celebrates its 25th birthday!
The Apple iMac was released on this date in 1998. I remember it well. I was working at Hitmakers Magazine as VP/Sr. Director of Production. The publisher Barry Fiedel asked me if the iMac would benefit the production of the magazine. I responded “yes” and explained why. We ordered five of them. There were some complaints from staff that it didn’t have a floppy drive, only a CD-Rom drive. Who knew the iMac would keep evolving today and still be the best desktop all-in-one computer.
Excerpts from Apple’s original press release:
CUPERTINO, California — May 6, 1998 — In a major move in to the consumer market, Apple Computer, Inc. today unveiled iMac — the “Internet-age computer for the rest of us.” iMac features a striking design, easy Internet access and Pentium-toasting PowerPC G3 performance for US$1299.
“We designed iMac to deliver the things consumers care about most – the excitement of the Internet and the simplicity of the Mac,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s Interim CEO. “iMac is next year’s computer for $1299; not last year’s computer for $999.”
“Today we brought romance and innovation back into the industry,” added Jobs. “iMac reminds everyone of what Apple stands for.”
Watch Steve Jobs’ iMac unveiling on May 6, 1998


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Dick’s Sporting Goods Moving Forward In Glen Carbon
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GLEN CARBON - Glen Carbon trustees unanimously approved a site plan for a Dick’s Sporting Goods in the village’s Orchard Town Center. With an estimated open date in spring 2025, Dick’s is the latest tenant to claim their spot in the rapidly developing area.
Tim Lowe, senior vice president of Leasing and Development at The Staenberg Group, said Dick’s will bring something new to Orchard Town Center and to the Glen Carbon market in general.
“We really felt that Dick’s Sporting Goods was really a niche that was not here in the market - there are no quality sporting goods in this market and Dicks’ does a really great job,” Lowe said. “They’ve done a lot of cool things, they’re putting interactive things in their stores now between golf simulators and batting cages. It’s really the place for higher-end, better quality apparel and sporting goods.”
Dick’s normally builds stores in one of three sizes, the smallest being 30,000 square feet, the standard size being 50,000 square feet, and the largest - named the “House of Sports” - adding extra space for a batting cage, golf simulator, and other areas to test out sporting equipment. Lowe said Dick’s is working on a new model which adds indoor sports facilities into a standard Dick’s store, which he believes is what will be built in Glen Carbon.
The site plan for Dick’s was approved with two variances - one for parking and one for signage. Lowe said the village code didn’t allow for the parking needed for a multi-use shopping facility like the proposed Dick’s site. He also wanted to allow for greater connectivity between the Dick’s parking lot and Meijer parking lot so that someone can easily get from one lot to the other.
Lowe said Orchard Town Center has one tall pylon sign listing multiple tenants, and all other signs around the development will be short monument signs. He said Dick’s wanted a pylon sign of their own, but they agreed to use an existing monument sign that currently says “Orchard Town Center.”
Village trustees unanimously approved the site plan with both variances. With the site plan approved, Lowe said Dick’s is expected to officially open sometime in spring 2025.
A recording of the presentation and more from the Sept. 26 Village Board meeting is available at the top of this story or on the Village of Glen Carbon Facebook page.
More like this:


text: China’s property developers, stymied by a months-long ban on showroom exhibitions and the worst economic growth pace in decades, are girding themselves for a new sales strategy in the age of the coronavirus — online sales . Country Garden Holdings and other major Chinese developers are putting some of their new homes on Tmall Haofang, a new sales channel by the world’s largest e-commerce platform, operated by this newspaper’s owner Alibaba Group Holding. Selected real estate projects sold on the channel, which means “good homes,” will be entitled to discounts of up to 15 per cent off their catalogue prices. “Developers are all under pressure to sell homes this year and we are hoping that Tmall Haofang can help us,” said Zhu Rongbin, an executive at Sunshine City Group in Shanghai. “E-commerce platforms will change the landscape of China’s property industry.” Tmall Haofang is the latest example of how e-commerce has upended consumption and retail sales in the world’s second-largest economy. One in every two mobile phones sold in China is an internet-enabled smartphone, which allows consumers to shop anywhere, and pay for their purchases any time. The ubiquity of e-commerce has expanded the available universe of purchases for the average Chinese consumer, from fresh produce and seafood to holiday packages and even large items like luxury cars and real estate. Online shopping has been given a further shot in the arm by the coronavirus pandemic, as bricks-and-mortar shops, showrooms and sales centres close to contain the spread of the disease. To attract homebuyers to adapt to the new way of shopping, Tmall Haofang has prepared 10 billion yuan (US$1.46 billion) in subsidies to fund the developers’ discounts. That is likely to intensify the price war among developers, as they pull out all stops to attract buyers. The sales channel, launched on September 16, is likely to expand on November 11, the annual online shopping festival known as Singles’ Day, packed with discounts and special offers that have surpassed Black Friday and Cyber Monday since its inception in 2009. Alibaba operates several online shopping portals, with Tmall acting as the market place comprising branded stores, while Taobao is the venue for ordinary sellers. Tmall Haofang said it will use 3D technology, live streaming and offer financial services to allow buyers to complete every step of their purchase experience online, without having to step into a show room or bank. About 150,000 units of residential properties were traded on e-commerce site Taobao in 2019, according to Lu Weixing, general manager of Tmall‘s property business. The additional sales avenue is particularly vital to China’s real estate developers, which are among the most leveraged in the world, as they have tend to finance their construction with bank loans before they are allowed to sell completed property to buyers, for cash. Developers are making up for lost time, as they struggle to generate cash to repay their outstanding loans. Developers are under pressure to keep their debt-to-asset ratio at 70 per cent after excluding advance receipts, net debt-to-equity at 100 per cent, and short-term borrowings at no more than cash reserves. Failing to meet those “red lines” specified by the People’s Bank of China may result in them being cut off from access to new loans from banks, the state-owned Economic Information Daily reported in late August. “Developers will offer more discounts, betting on Tmall’s reputation, to shore up their sales and collect as much cash as quickly as possible,” said Yan Yuejin, director of the Shanghai-based E-house China Research and Development Institute. “They need to drum up their sales to gain access to cash to meet the central bank’s requirement, and the upcoming ‘property gala night’ on the new platform will be their best shot.” China’s economy shrank 6.8 per cent in the first quarter, its worst in decades, before rebounding 3.2 per cent in the three months ended June. As a result, several top developers have either reported lower contracted sales in the first half, or sustained them at lower margins, to generate cash flows. China Evergrande, the biggest home seller in the county, raised panic among investors last week when a letter – denounced as “fabricated” by the developer – was circulated online showing that it had appealed for the speedy approval of a 2016 business reorganisation plan involving another Shenzhen-based developer, to avoid cash flow issues. Even though Evergrande stressed the stability of its finances – adding that it had not defaulted once on a loan in 24 years – the size of its borrowings disclosed at more than 800 billion yuan gave some investors cause for pause. Evergrande’s shares fell 14 per cent over two days last week after the fabricated letter surfaced, wiping out HK$30 billion in market value.


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-Ogilvy India and Singapore created this “#SeeWhatHappens” spot featuring a young boxer hiding her training from her family (video above). What’s with the cheap shot at libraries, though?
-W+K Portland and Nike celebrated the U.S. Women’s World Cup championship in style with “Never Stop Winning.”
-U.S. Women’s National Team co-captain Alex Morgan talked with Adweek about not settling for less than equality.
-Adweek unveiled its list of “The 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports.”
-WPP merged AKQA with digital media consultancy Switched On in Australia.
-A minority marketer tells Digiday that people are afraid to speak up about racism in the workplace.
-Colenso BBDO hired Teresa Luckman as experience design lead.
-A Zenith global ad spend forecast found that half of all spending will be online by 2021 but growth in online spending will decline over the course of the next three years.
-According to a study by Dectech, consumers exaggerate how often they engage in ethical behaviors. Is it really that hard to recycle, people!?


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WALLDORF — SAP SE today announced the results of a survey into the use of data visualization tools by business decision makers. The survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of SAP found an overwhelming 86 percent of business decision makers say they believe all employees in a company will eventually need to be “data geeks,” meaning they will require skills to analyze company data and make decisions based on that analysis.
In less than five years, the number of employees who have access to company data and utilize it for decision making has jumped from 33 percent to 50 percent. However, with one in four business leaders giving their company a below average grade on their ability to leverage data for decision making and 31 percent of business decision makers saying they do not currently use or don’t have plans to integrate data visualization tools into their operations companies may simply be gathering and storing data rather than deriving insights from data. Survey results back this up with an alarming 61 percent of respondents acknowledging their company data is not being used to its full potential.
As the volume, velocity and variety of data continues to increase, trusted data discovery tools, like SAP Lumira software, provide agility for analysts, instant insight for decision makers and scale and trust for IT and management enable data-driven decision making for companies.
Other key findings include:
- Ninety-five percent of U.S. business decision makers are frequently using their company data to back up their decisions and recommendations, and 95 percent frequently ask their direct reports to do the same kind of data-driven decision making
- On average, those using data visualization tools report it would take an average of nine hours longer to see patterns, trends, and correlations in their company’s data without data visualization
- Ninety-one percent of business decision makers believe the best data analysis comes from specially-trained data scientists
- Ninety-one percent of business decision makers predict the demand for data visualization tools on mobile devices will increase in the next five years
“With more than half of the survey respondents saying they don’t use their companies data to its full potential it’s clear that there is an opportunity for companies to leverage data discovery tools in order to help with decision-making,” said Jayne Landry, global vice president and general manager of Business Intelligence, SAP. “The overwhelming amount of data in business today means we’re all going to have to become more data-savvy. Knowing what happened is no longer enough, we need to understand why it happened, what will happen next or even what the best that can happen is. And these types of insights are no longer confined to a handful of small experts in an organization — everyone within an organization should have the ability to contribute their knowledge and derive insights from data.”
Jason Grosse, SAP, +1 (415) 694-8554, email@example.com, PDT


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Lochner, a leading provider of infrastructure planning and engineering services, announces its refreshed brand identity and website in celebration of 80 years in business. The rebranding initiative is a cornerstone of Lochner’s strategic vision, underscoring its dedication to serving clients and communities nationwide.
The new brand identity reflects Lochner’s evolution and growth, embodying its core values and guiding principles. The updated logo incorporates an “L” logomark as a nod to Lochner’s long-standing history. The forward motion of the logomark signifies Lochner’s commitment to embrace the future as a source of new possibilities, and the tandem forms represent the interconnection of people and clients, working in partnership to move communities forward.
“For eight decades, the Lochner brand was built on being client-focused, performance-driven, and community-minded,” said Terry Ruhl, Lochner Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The refreshed identity reflects our evolution, values, and aspirations, representing who we are, where we’ve come from, and where we’re headed as an organization. It’s about reaffirming our dedication to delivering exceptional services, fostering meaningful connections, and making a positive impact.”
In conjunction with the new brand identity, Lochner has launched a redesigned website featuring improved navigation, updated content, and enhanced functionality. The website serves as a comprehensive resource for information about Lochner’s services, projects, and company news, offering users a seamless experience across all devices.
Lochner’s strategic vision aims to position the company as a top infrastructure services provider. Mergers and acquisitions are a key pillar of the growth strategy as the company continues to be acquisitive, welcoming four new companies in the last 15 months – Armstrong Consultants, KOA Corporation, K Friese + Associates, and Triunity, Inc. The new brand and website reflect the collective strength of the Lochner Family of Companies.
Lochner partnered with the Hansen Belyea marketing agency on the rebranding initiative.