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- An estimated 36% of Americans have had a package stolen from outside their home at least once.
- Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, the U.S. Postal Service expects to ship more than 800 million parcels and one of these could be yours.
- Take these extra precautions to help protect your merchandise this holiday season.
The "porch pirate" has become the real-life Grinch of many Americans' holiday season.
An estimated 36% of Americans have had a delivered package stolen from outside their home at least once, according to C+R Research. The more proactive among these bandits are even starting to think outside the box, tailgating delivery trucks to steal parcels as soon as they've been delivered.
The holiday season is a gold mine for porch pirates. So much so that Texas lawmakers passed a bill that would fine anyone convicted of porch piracy between $4,000 to $10,000, along with a possible six months to 10 years in prison. Some police departments have even stepped up to serve as package drop-off locations.
Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, the U.S. Postal Service expects to ship more than 800 million packages — perhaps one is yours.
Reach out to the company that shipped the item. You may be issued a full refund if a package gets stolen.
It may also be worth filing a homeowner's or renter's insurance claim, if the item was expensive. State Farm's standard homeowner's insurance, for example, does cover package thefts as a personal property loss, subject to the policy's deductible.
"The vast majority of State Farm renter's policies have a deductible of at least $500 — not all, but most," said Gina Morss-Fischer, a public affairs specialist for State Farm. "The value-conscious insurance customer likely has a deductible that is higher than the value of most deliveries."
When it comes to delivery middlemen, it's a matter of shipper and recipient beware. UPS, for example, has a strict policy: If a package a sender has authorized to be left without a signature is delivered successfully, the company says it is not responsible for reimbursement to the shipper or recipient if a theft occurs afterward. UPS suggests consumers who've lost a package to file a police report that can then be submitted for a potential reimbursement.
Some delivery services do offer some peace of mind. UPS and FedEx both offer a declared value of $100 in maximum liability on their part for every package shipped. Customers sending a shipment can pay more to declare a higher value. FedEx allows customers to file a claim within 60 days of the shipment date.
Alert your local police. If it happened to you, it could have happened to someone else.
Consider a non-traditional delivery method. If you're the one sending the package, USPS offers a Hold for Pickup option. This allows customers to have their shipment held at the post office for pick up, instead of getting dropped off and left unattended.
Amazon offers deliveries to Hub Locker locations. Some are located inside grocery stores or retail centers.
UPS recommends requiring a signature for package delivery or pickup at a partner location such as a Duane Reade drugstore.
There is an app for everything nowadays, including finding designated package holders in you area. Apps such as eNeighbr let stores and neighbors earn extra cash for holding packages. The app is currently available in New York City. The first 30 days are free and then the service costs users $2.50 a package.
It also never hurts to ask for help yourself. See if a friendly neighbor or a trusted friend can hold onto your shipment.
"Anyone ordering items high enough to meet most deductibles should be especially conscious of theft prevention," said State Farm's Morss-Fischer.
She recommends that anyone ordering expensive items online take every precaution possible to protect themselves, from custom delivery instructions to installing surveillance cameras. The online public shaming of porch pirates can be a deterrent, and elaborate glitter prank videos might also help catch, or at least record, the thief in action.


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Der Bote, Nuremberger Land
Anniversary Issue of DER BOTE
“Every morning, fresh off the press – for 175 years.” This is the motto of the 175th anniversary issue of the regional daily newspaper of Nuremberg, DER BOTE.
The publisher of this traditional paper commissioned us with the entire concept and design of their expansive Special Issue honouring their 175th birthday. Together with the editorial office, and the publisher’s advertising department a special Issue, with a unique design emerged from our agency.

domain: news


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Lavazza is the official coffee partner of the 2022 US Open Tennis Championship
Lavazza, the 127-year old iconic Italian coffee company, is returning as the official coffee sponsor for the US Open taking place 29 August- 11 September while celebrating the renewal of their ongoing partnership until 2025. Having served as the exclusive coffee partner since 2015, and the official coffee of three of the Grand Slams, Lavazza is dedicated to creating premium experiences for coffee and tennis fans alike. The brand is ready to play anytime, anywhere, and “Sip into the US Open”, with their convenient ready-to-drink (RTD) organic Cold Brew Coffees that will be available on-site throughout the tournament grounds. Launched earlier this year, and making its way throughout the country all summer, Lavazza is excited to bring their newest coffee innovation into the hands of US Open attendees, providing them the energy and refreshing sip they’re looking for.
As a preview to the US Open, Fan Week returned last week for the first time since 2019 allowing the public a sneak peek to the excitement surrounding the tournament. Lavazza created a “Journey to Italy” activation for fans to escape the concrete of New York and take photos with scenic Tuscany views. Beginning at Fan Week and continuing throughout the remainder of the tournament, guests will be able to participate in a variety of ready-to-drink organic Cold Brew Coffee giveaways and sign up on-site for the chance to win a trip to Italy.
In celebration of this year’s partnership, Lavazza is teaming up with fellow Italian heritage brand and one of its partners, Harry’s Table by Cipriani, to create a curated “Breakfast of Champions” menu featuring “coffee-tails” made with Lavazza’s ready-to-drink Cold Brew Coffees. The menu includes best-selling breakfast items from Harry’s Table by Cipriani like an Italian V-Mule paired with a Mini Panino Cotto and Asiago; a Cold Brew Tonic paired with a Mini Croissant Prosciutto Crudo di Parma and Mozzarella di Bufala; a Bittersweet Paloma paired with Mini Croissant Eggs and Smoked Salmon with Lemon Zest; and a Cappuccino Cold Brew paired with Mini Bombolone Crema Pasticcera. This limited time menu complements both brands’ Italian roots and will be available to customers during the US Open finals with the unique “coffee-tails” also being served on-site at the US Open in Lavazza’s VIP Suite.
“It is an honor to be back at US Open in 2022 for the Tournament’s return in grand style after two very difficult years, and we are thrilled that our partnership has been extended until 2025. To mark this moment, we will be again serving up new and innovative products to fans, including our ready-to-drink Cold Brew Coffees. This celebration of sports, tradition and excellence is something we look forward to and cherish each year.” said Davide Riboni, President of BU Americas at Lavazza & CEO of Lavazza US.
With cafes located on-site at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center’s Food Village, Lavazza will be showcasing its latest invention to athletes and fans attending the sporting event with a variety of specialty coffee beverages – allowing attendees to “Sip into the US Open”. Lavazza’s ready-to-drink organic Cold Brew Coffee products, which will be showcased for the first time at this year’s US Open, marrying coffee excellence with convenience in the form of four ready-to-drink cans: Original Cold Brew, Nitro Cold Brew, Cappuccino Cold Brew with Milk, and Double Shot Cold Brew with Oat Milk. Each low-calorie can offers premium flavor profiles from sweet and fruity aromas to tastes of nutty, creamy chocolate, helping to elevate the category that traditionally focuses on high caffeine content over flavor quality. Made with USDA Certified Organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified, 100% Arabica coffee, these flavors deliver a refreshing twist to the authentic Lavazza coffee experience … a journey of the senses with every sip.
To mark the Group’s dedication to the world of professional tennis, Lavazza has also recently renewed its partnership until 2025 with Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, while continuing to be a Platinum Partner of the Nitto ATP Finals 2021-2025 held in Turin. These collaborations showcase Lavazza’s ongoing commitment to support tennis on a global scale and form part of Lavazza’s wider narrative to champion premium sporting events. This year, Lavazza also is proud to have Italian professional tennis player Jannik Sinner as an Ambassador of the brand further showcasing their roots in the sport and support for Italy in the US.


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East Village spot the Brindle Room, known for its caramelized onion-topped burgers, is returning to neighborhood this spring. EV Grieve reports that the restaurant and bar is headed to the former location of Virginia’s, at 647 East 11th Street, near Avenue C, which shuttered earlier last month. Brindle Room had been at its previous location at 277 East 10th Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue, for 11 years. Owner Jeremy Spector closed the spot in spring of 2020, after attempting takeout during the first couple months of the pandemic.
Edy’s Grocer is opening for dine-in service for one night only
Edouard Massih is teaming up with former Meme’s Diner owner, Bill Clark this Valentine’s Day for a special pop-up dinner. The duo will transform the Lebanese grocer into a “chophouse,” where, for the first time since its opening, Edy’s will welcome customers inside for a full-service meal. The $75 ticket includes tahini Caesar salad, pistachio-crusted lamb chops, a twice-baked potato with labneh, and a pomegranate Cosmopolitan, with a portion of proceeds going to the LGBTQ+ non-profit, the Ali Forney Center. Seatings can be reserved for 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the Edy’s Grocer website.
A Nashville hot chicken favorite gets the kolache treatment
Hattie B’s, a beloved Nashville hot chicken chain — hailing from, you guessed it, Tennessee — has headed up north. Brooklyn Kolache has teamed up with the Nashville favorite for hot chicken-stuffed kolache, the Texas-Czech sweet rolls that the bakery has come to be known for. For the entire month of February, Brooklyn Kolache is selling Hattie B’s kolaches at both its Bed-Stuy and West Village locations. According to its Instagram post, 10 percent of proceeds from the collaboration will be split between the food security organizations, Campaign Against Hunger and Giving Kitchen.
Whole Foods inches closer to opening in FiDi
Tribeca Citizen reports that progress is finally happening at the incoming Whole Foods at One Wall Street, on Broadway, although an exact opening date has not yet been disclosed. The local news publication first reported that plans were underway more than five years ago, when, at the time, the 44,000 square-foot supermarket was originally slated to open in 2018.


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News & Reviews: chromebook
Oct 24, 2022
According to a report, Apple was going to release a plastic version of the iPad. However, the company didn't carry out the plan and released the 10th generation of iPad, mainly built on aluminium. It's said that the tech giant would have made the tablet cheaper and more competitive.
Feb 16, 2022
Google has announced the Chrome OS Flex that aims to breathe new life into your old PCs or Macs today. The free software tool allows users to turn their old PCs that no longer receive official updates to Chromebook-like devices.
Dec 10, 2021
Mobile gaming is certainly one of the favourite entertainment things to go to for Malaysians and they should be even happier with this news. During The Game Awards 2021, Google showed a teaser of a Google Play Games app that will allow you to play mobile games on your Windows devices.
Sep 01, 2021
Google has announced its in-house processor Tensor alongside the Pixel 6 series earlier. Recently, there's also a report claiming that both products will launch on 13 September, one day before the Apple iPhone 13 series. After the event, the company might move on to make new processors for future tablets and Chromebooks rather than just for smartphones.
Aug 03, 2021
Due to the pandemic, most schools in Malaysia had to resort to e-learning for students. For that, a laptop is definitely needed and Chromebooks are ideal since they're affordable. With the new Chrome OS update, we can expect more convenient models to launch.
May 25, 2021
It seems that Qualcomm has recently unveiled the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip which will be embedded into most entry-level laptops and Chromebooks that are priced less than ~RM1200. While not much is known in regards to the exact laptops that will come with the aforementioned chip, it does give us a better idea of what kind of performance to expect from budget-oriented laptops.
Mar 25, 2021
When it comes to Chromebooks, it's usually never viewed as a notebook for gaming because of its association with education. Well, that could be changed in the future as there is evidence that Google is working on a Game Mode for ChromeOS.
Mar 24, 2021
Although schools have reopened in Malaysia, e-learning has become a big thing these days. However, some people can't afford new Windows PCs, which is where the Chromebook comes into play. In fact, Lenovo will be launching a new range of laptops in Q2 2021.
Mar 03, 2021
It seems that a report by ChromeUnboxed.com seems to hint that upcoming Chromebooks could be powered by the MediaTek MT8195, which makes it the first Chromebook to come equipped with a MediaTek Processor. While not much is known in regards to the Malaysia release date, our source did mention that the processors could be codenamed ‘Cherry’ and it’s expected to be unveiled somewhere within a few months.
Feb 08, 2021
Like some smartphones, most laptops and tablets are quite expensive. But you don't need a RM3K device just for your kid to do online classes, there are actually some laptops and tablets at a decent price. For example, you can get a Chromebook laptop for around RM400 only. Sounds good, right? You can check out the rest of the devices with special discounts for students right below!


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January 31, 2022
2022 State of the Restaurant Industry
When can the restaurant industry expect to recover?As the industry navigates its way through the worst pandemic in generations, restaurant operators face ever-changing conditions that challenge their businesses.
The 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry report offers current data and identifies developing trends that are critical to the industry’s success in the coming year.
The report shows how the pandemic is reshaping the industry’s sales, operations, workforce, menus and use of technology. It also details consumer preferences, and which trends are likely to stick.
Key findings in this year’s report:
- The foodservice industry is forecast to reach $898B in sales in 2022.
- The foodservice industry workforce is projected to grow by 400,000 jobs, for total industry employment of 14.9M by the end of 2022.
- More than half of restaurant operators said it would be a year or more before business conditions return to normal. Food, labor, and occupancy costs are expected to remain elevated, and continue to impact restaurant profit margins in 2022.
- 96% of operators experienced supply delays or shortages of key food or beverage items in 2021 – and these challenges will likely continue in 2022.
- 51% of adults say they aren’t eating at restaurants as often as they would like, which is an increase of 6 percentage points from before the pandemic.
Despite it all, consumers’ pent-up demand for restaurant services remains high.
Get the Report


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The Sweat team has informed their fans on social media about their new expansion to nine additional countries. A bag of 690 million $SWEAT tokens is allocated for users at launch.
Expanding to the US & More
People from the U.S., the Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Ghana, Jamaica, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Uganda will be able to start earning from their SWEAT in just a few hours.
The expansion, especially to the U.S., has been awaited since the start of the network in 2022. This moves Sweat Economy to Phase 3 out of 4 phases outlined in the roadmap.
Sweat Economy is the biggest move to earn blockchain platform powered by the SWEAT token. Your daily steps are converted to tokens, which you can freely transfer, store, or trade at the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges.
Users from the previously mentioned countries can sign up and use the app starting from October 16th, 11:59 UTC.
To celebrate this launch, the team has allocated 690M SWEAT tokens that will be divided between new users based on their activity. You can invite friends using your unique link to boost your sweatcoin share.
These rewards are backed by the effort to help the world be more active. “We’re tokenizing steps to put a direct value on your movement.”
New and existing users can also enjoy a new NFT game utilizing the same token, called Sweat Hero Matchmaking. Sweat Hero Matchmaking is a free-to-play NFT quick-tapping reaction game.


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Erode Textile Mall Ltd is going good on its vision by launching Tex Valley, largest textile mall in South India and Asia's Iconic B2B trading centre. The project, a PPP initiative, is being supported by the Ministry of Textiles , Government of India under its Comprehensive Power Loom Cluster Development Scheme (CPCDS) that aims at bridging the Infrastructural gap of the Textile Industry in India.
Texvalley, a mega integrated textile park being set up at Erode with an investment of Rs. 450 crore with the initial contribution of Rs.50 crore by Erode-based Lotus Agency and URC Constructions while the Union Textile Ministry has granted a subsidy of Rs.40 crore. The construction work is nearing completion and the park will cater to the textile merchants in the region which is expected to become operational by June this year
The project, taken up under the CPCDS of the central and state textile ministries, is coming up on a 16-acre site at Gangapuram, a village panchayat in Erode district, Tamil Nadu having 6,500 stalls, Texvalley Managing Director P Raajashekar said on Wednesday. Already more than 5,000 merchants have booked stalls in the TexValley.
Texvalley aims at offering a platform for textile merchants who are presently doing their business in the weekly shandies in three locations in the city.
The integrated marketing facility would provide adequate opportunities for the textile industries in this part of the State to market their products effectively. The complex would primarily benefit the small and medium textile manufacturers and traders, as it would bring in all the weekly markets in Erode under a single roof.
A weekly report covering market and price information on the entire chain of polyester along with online access to daily polyester chain prices.
One-time reports that are issued annually cover the demand and supply trends in individual products including polyester, nylon, acrylic, viscose, and cotton.
One-time reports that are issued annually cover the demand and supply trends in the individual country's natural and manmade fiber/filament industries.
Countries Served Worldwide


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Jim Cramer on Salesforce, Dell, and Gap
- Salesforce (May 24, 2021). TheStreet's founder, Jim Cramer, sees Slack as a 'major overhang' for Salesforce.
- Dell (May 21, 2021). During CNBC's Mad Money, Cramer says the company will have a “terrific quarter”
- Gap (May 26, 2021). , Cramer said that the apparel retailer Gap is a "buy."
'"I look forward to the continuation of remarkable movement. It's up gigantically at 64% and it's not done," said Cramer. "I think there is more to it, so I'm not betting against Gap here."
Watch the video above to know more.


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Myanmar and Germany saw fortified economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries in 2013 encouraged by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelles’ visit to Myanmar in 2012.
During 2013, the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) signed an agreement with its Myanmar counterpart, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), to open its representative office in Yangon.
GCCI became the first such business representative office from Europe to open in Myanmar and the new office is expected to support Myanmar’s efforts to finalise the draft of a small and medium enterprises (SME) law.
The move is also aimed at helping German companies starting business in the recently-opened country, connecting them with Myanmar partners. GCCI also offers Myanmar firms a forum to discuss any difficulties they may have in working with them.
German companies have also shown interest in Myanmar’s infrastructure projects including railways and electricity supply as well as consumer products and automotive industry. Myanmar has also seen German companies starting tourism businesses in a bid to tap the burgeoning tourism market here.
In the fiscal year 2012-13, bilateral trade between Myanmar and Germany amounted to $187.53 million of which Germany’s import from Myanmar totalled $42.98 million, according to official figures.
Germany’s investment in the Southeast Asian nation amounted to $17.5 million as of July last year.
In the cultural and educational sector, Germany’s Goethe Institute is to open in Myanmar to introduce initiatives for bilateral cultural, educational cooperation and to conduct language proficiency courses.
The institute will work for Myanmar-Germany cooperation in promoting sports sector through mutual exchange, conduct courses for youths and seminars on German language, send Myanmar scholars to Germany, cultural exchange of musicians and cultural troupes and media exchange. The Goethe Institute has opened about 150 branches in 95 countries, offering Germany’s culture and arts and conducting paper-reading sessions on German culture. German scholarship programs for Myanmar students are also planned for 2014.
Germany has also announced resuming full-scale development aids to Myanmar following EU’s sanction lapse against Myanmar. Germany is currently the second-largest donor to Myanmar after Japan.


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Australia myGovID biometrics pilot ends, state considers offering digital version of photo card
Throughout the month-long pilot, only a small number of Australians used myGov to authenticate themselves instead of the original two-factor system. It ran between April 30 and May 24, and “was available to test for 149 participants” who opted in, a spokesperson told iTnews.
The government wants to turn myGovID into the main identity credential for access across online services and for real-time verification of passports, driver’s licenses and Medicare cards. Future plans include adding biometric facial recognition for citizens to access services that ask for proof-of-life. The biometric component of its digital ID was to be released for public testing in the first half of 2020.
Since last year, the DTA has been struggling to boost interest in the biometric digital identity platform. Despite an investment of AU$67 million (nearly US$46 million), Australians were still not very familiar with the project. Since it started, some $200 million have been spent on myGov in total.
“The DTA and Services Australia are currently considering the insights from the pilot,” according to the spokesperson. “This will inform the next steps before a fully public integrated system is released.”
The Australian government has accredited the Taxation Office’s myGovID and Australia Post’s digital ID service. Now, Eftpos is promoting its digital identity solution for use to access government services, has announced a trial phase and finalizing a proof of concept with 17 Australian businesses.
Since myGov replaced the previous PKI-based AUSkey authentication solution, nearly 1.3 million identities have been created. The DTA is looking into replacing myGov’s authentication with myGovID.
ATO and DTA have been working with Idemia since 2018 to test liveness detection software. A decision has not been made on which software would be used for comparison of a selfie to a passport photo.
According to a government brief published last week, the DTA is considering a national digital identity framework used by both the government and the private sector.
“Non-Commonwealth use of the Digital Identity platform will need to be funded through a charging arrangement,” reads the brief. “The next part of this process involves the development by 30 June 2020 of a charging framework discussion paper to support consultation with Commonwealth stakeholders.”
NSW looking into replacing physical photo cards with digital IDs
This year, the NSW government wants to introduce a digital alternative for physical photo cards, Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said on social media, according to iTnews.
“I will digitize the NSW Photo Card this year – I will keep you posted,” Dominello wrote on LinkedIn.
In November 2019, Digital Driver’s Licenses (DDLs) became generally available on smartphones for drivers in New South Wales.
Over 1.4 million motorists are already part of the state’s digital license network and there are currently some 1.6 million physical card holders.
The digital license includes holograms for privacy protection and liveness. Digital photo cards were implemented for boat driver and recreation fishing licenses three years ago. They share the same security and identification methods as driver’s licenses. Other digital cards available are for work that involves children, alcohol and gambling.


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|Residents buying fish at the market.
The price fall is mainly due to abundant catch as the seasonal fish migration towards the coast for reproduction helps netting fish without going into the deep sea.
Customers are swarming the fish market on the Corniche which operates from 7am to 12pm as abundant supply has reduced fish prices.
Saleh Mubarek Al Hajiri, supervisor of the market said that fish price has marked a steep fall.
Jassim Rustom, a fisherman said that the price fall in this season is higher compared to previous years. Another reason for the higher supply is the increase in the number of fishing boats going into the sea.
The price of the highly demanded hamour fish has come down from QR35 to between QR5 to QR7. Similarly the price of other varieties also came down much more below the usual prices.


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Faced with the possibility GM may sell or terminate the Saturn, Saab and Hummer brands, potentially affected dealers have been advised by legal experts to press for stronger franchise-law language.
It's designed to guarantee “fair-market value” damages or an equivalent franchise as compensation.
New York State has pioneered in adopting such an amendment in its franchise law. In the aftermath of the Oldsmobile discontinuance, several other state associations also submitted such protective clauses to their legislatures.
The Olds termination cost GM about $1 billion. In the absence of fair-market value clauses, many dealers were forced to go to state courts in disputes over the amounts of compensation offered by GM.
Several proposals define fair-market value in ways that cover a facility upgrade or all-new building, as well as loss of future sales and profits.
Saturn dealers are particularly concerned about GM's avowed intention to peel 1,750 dealers from the U.S. total of 6,450 stores overall. Saturn has 425 dealerships owned by 211 principals and although GM has not yet handed the 25-year-old brand an Olds-like death sentence, its dealers are not encouraged by GM CEO Rick Wagoner's admission to Congress that “Saturn has not met our expectations.”


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Sony are expected to announce a number of devices at IFA 2014 next month, one of those is the Sony SmartWatch 3, and now it would appear that we have some more details about the device.
The latest smart watches that have been released are launching with Google’s Android Wear, although according to a recent report, the new Sony SmartWatch 3 will not come with Android Wear.
According to details obtained by DigiWo, the new Sony SmartWatch 3 will come with a similar square design to the existing model, it is said to come with an improved display with a higher resolution that the current version.
Another interesting point is that the device will not come with Google’s Android Wear, instead the smartwatch is said to come with Sony’s own OS.
It is also rumored that the Sony SmartWatch 3 will come with WiFi built in, this means that the device will be able to be used on its own without having to pair it to a smartphone of tablet.
Sony are also making a number of other changes to the SmartWatch 3, it is said to be both dust and waterproof and will come with the ability to charge the device wirelessly.
Sony are holding their IFA 2014 press event on the 14th of September, we are expecting to find out more details about the Sony SmartWatch 3 then.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
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In recent days, more and more media reports have been reporting that the Fremantle Highway, loaded with almost 4,000 new cars, did not cause a fire at the end of July this year.
A fire that broke out on a car transporter off the coast of the Netherlands in the last week of July caused more than half a billion euros in damage, killing one crew member and injuring several others. It has now been determined that the ship was carrying a total of 3,784 new vehicles en route from the German port of Bremen to Egypt.
The 12 floors of the transporter housed products from BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Bentley, Porsche, Lamborghini, Audi, Seat and Škoda, as well as about 500 electric vehicles, including the extremely expensive Porsche Taycan.
Initially, the suspicion of the cause of the fire fell directly on electric vehicles, but now it turns out that it will have to be looked for elsewhere. The latest news about the ship’s crash shows that the fire was located on the upper floors, the eighth floor, where there were no electric vehicles, was most affected – they were on the four lower floors of the hold and all 500 are in relatively good condition. Thus, the initially widespread version that the electric car became the cause of the fire is refuted.
Dutch media reports that the unloading of the burned ship’s cargo will continue for several more weeks, while experts are trying to assess the overall damage and determine whether it is still worth repairing the Fremantle Highway.
It is known that the ship was seriously damaged, so it will depend on the assessment of specialists whether it will be taken to one of the shipyards for repairs or towed to Asia, where it will be finally disassembled at the ship graveyard.
There is no doubt about the cargo – all cars will be written off, despite the fact that some of them are practically not damaged.
Read more on the iAuto portal:
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Everyone’s favourite heroes in a half shell are coming back in a classic arcade-style fighting game with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge.
The game was revealed on 10 March with a fast-paced gameplay trailer.
No ad to show here.
It is being developed in collaboration by Dotemu and Tribute Games.
Tribute is primarily known for developing Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game.
What to know about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
In Shredder’s Revenge, players team up to play as Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, and Rafael to take on the evil Foot Clan and its terrifying leader.
The group is working on a nefarious plan with the help of supervillain Krang, and it’s up to the turtles to stop them.
And it’s not just the Foot Clan they have to deal with. Other famous foes such as Bebop and Rocksteady are also wreaking havoc across New York City.
Playing in teams of up to four players, gamers will yield the turtle’s unique weapons to fight their way through pixel environments and pull off awesome combo moves in spectacular fighting scenes.
While inspired by the original 1987 cartoon, Shredder’s Revenge is a spiritual follow-up to the TMNT video games of the 1980s and 90s.
The turtles’ first outing, simply called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, came out in arcades in 1989. A sequel, TMNT: Out of Time, followed in 1991 and later arrived on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
The last TMNT video game to be released was TMNT: Mutants in Manhattan in 2016.
The game released to mixed reviews and was eventually pulled from digital storefronts in early 2017.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is set to be released on consoles and PC.
No release date has been set yet. But players can wishlist the game on Steam.
You can check out the reveal trailer for the game below:
Feature image: Dotemu
Read more: ‘Watch Dogs: Legion’ online mode launches for consoles


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Many projects have used NFTs to support a noble cause, from women empowerment to nature conservation and more. The latest entrant to this ‘NFTs for social good’ space is PIXXTASY. Essentially, the charity project is utilising NFTs and blockchain technology to fight drug addiction and facilitate rehabilitation. Let’s take a closer look at the PIXXTASY NFT project and how it works.
What is PIXXTASY?
PIXXTASY is an NFT project focusing on supporting anti-drug charities. The artwork of the NFTs takes inspiration from real-world drugs. Often, real drugs’ shapes are influenced by pop culture icons or major brand logos. Therefore, PIXXTASY too will follow a similar creative process. This way, the project aims to raise more awareness about what illegal drugs may look like and the dangers of consuming unknown contents in them.
The first mint of the NFT collection will go live on September 7, 2022. If you are interested in buying the PIXXTASY NFTs, you can sign up for the whitelist, which starts at 18:00 UTC today (August 31). In fact, anyone who signs up will have the opportunity to be selected to mint one of the NFTs in the collection.
Who created PIXXTASY?
PIXXTASY is the brainchild of Zoltán Egri, who overcame a two-year drug addiction. Since then, he has been actively advocating against drug use. His passion for the cause, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology gave birth to the PIXXTASY NFT project.
At its core, the project recognises how lengthy and complex the road to recovery from drug addiction is. As a result, it supports rehabilitation centres and NGOs helping in deaddiction. This is especially helpful since these centres have long struggled to establish themselves in online communities.
The project boasts many partners
Firstly, the PIXXTASY NFT project is joined by KingIT Solutions’ CEO Edvard Bene as its Business Development Advisor. The company and Bene are working closely with the project for website development, marketing, and NFT development. KingIT Solutions is well-experienced in designing mobile and web applications, websites, and web shops.
Furthermore, the project has partnered with BSW, a hip-hop group from Hungary. The two-member rap group has over 12 years of experience in the music industry. Now, they are collaborating with PIXXTASY to promote its anti-drug campaign.
Notably, BSW has a massive viewership of over 20 million users. Because of this, the project hopes that the group can take its message to the masses and educate its viewers about the dangers of drug abuse.
Finally, PIXXTASY has also partnered with a range of Hungarian and German charity projects to aid their initiatives. The list includes SUCHTKRANKENHILFE OSTFRIESLAND, MRE KIMM, and tinirehab.hu.
All things considered, PIXXTASY is an innovative project to watch out for this year. To know more about the project, check out its website. Make sure to follow the project on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates. You can also join its Discord server.
All investment/financial opinions expressed by NFTevening.com are not recommendations.
This article is educational material.
As always, make your own research prior to making any kind of investment.


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CAKE Electric Bush Bike Anti-Poaching Initiative going to the Amazon.
CAKE and Treesistance partner to expand the Electric Bush Bike Anti-Poaching Initiative to protect the Amazon rainforest from illegal deforestation.
CAKE, the Swedish leader of premium, lightweight, electric, off-road motorcycles, today announced the partnership with Treesistance to spread the Electric Bush Bike Anti-Poaching Initiative to the Amazon rainforest, with the focus not only on animals, but illegal deforestation too.
This partnership marks a new phase of the renowed anti-poaching project which began with the protection of endangered species from poaching in Africa. The 100% solar powered, quiet and fast heavy-duty motorcycles engineered for wildlife conservation now expands to include the protection of trees and nature of the Amazon rainforest.
The devastation caused by illegal deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time, and the Electric Bush Bike Anti-Poaching Initiative aims to combat it head-on. By utilizing specially developed electric off-road motorcycles, the initiative will enable quiet patrolling of the vast and remote areas of the Amazon rainforest, where the use of heavy traditional combustion engines become ineffective due to their roaring engines.
“These motorcycles will become very useful for our surveillance team, which does the territorial monitoring process in defense of the forest. In addition, by using the electric motorcycles, we contribute to climate change having less of an impact on the world. On behalf of all our forest guardians, we are very happy with this partnership.” says Dadá Borarí, Chief of the Maró Indigenous Territory and Head of Forest Guardians Program for the Treesistance.
“We’re delighted to collaborate with CAKE on this initiative. The Forest Guardians put their lives on the line during each patrol and the CAKE electric motorcycles will enable the community members to travel silently through the forest, providing an extra level of security. We believe these types of brand partnerships are essential to tackling the challenges being faced, whilst also igniting the public imagination and inspiring other businesses to contribute towards environmental activism and support of Indigenous peoples.” says Tom Wheeler, Executive Director of Treesistance.
The Amazon is home to an estimated 10% of known species on Earth, with a new species discovered every other day on average. Additionally, it's estimated that there could be nearly 400 billion trees standing in the rainforest, with a single large tree releasing over 1,000 liters of water in 24 hours. The Amazon stores an estimated 150-200 billion tons of carbon in its forests and soils, making it a critical tool in fighting the climate crisis. Human activities such as logging, the practice of cutting down and extracting trees for commercial purposes, pose a significant threat to the vital Amazonian ecosystem. Protecting and conserving the Amazon is essential for preserving global biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and supporting the wellbeing of local communities.
Photo credit: Fabio Quireli and Cosmo Roncon Jr from Curupira - A WaterBear film production
To strengthen our dedication towards sustainability and technology, we have undertaken a significant initiative with the development of the Kalk AP. This project focuses on creating a bike that constantly evolves to better serve wildlife conservation efforts, preventing illegal activities while simultaneously testing and learning.
Expanding the anti-poaching initiative to protect trees and nature in the Amazon rainforest will create opportunities to work with local communities to provide better tools to successfully prevent deforestation. Traditional gas motorcycles alert logging poachers from miles away and the need for maintenance and spare parts is high, making it critical to begin the switch to more accessible and quieter electric bikes.
"The Electric Bush Bike Anti-Poaching Initiative is a groundbreaking project that combines technology and environmental conservation in a way that has never been done before. By working with Treesistance, we hope to create a model that can be replicated in other parts of the world to combat illegal poaching and deforestation, as well as protect the environment." Stefan Ytterborn, CEO and Founder of CAKE.
The initiative is a significant step forward in the fight against illegal deforestation in the Amazon rainforest and will help protect the rainforest's trees and nature for future generations. By the end of August 2023, the electric off-road bikes will be fully operational and put to use, marking a new era in the fight to protect the Amazon rainforest.
Treesistance is a movement and an impact blueprint centred on the protection of primary forest in the Amazon. Launching in June 2023 as a public face to the projects led by Sinchi Foundation, a Dutch NGO that is both ANBI and CBF accredited). Its approach is Indigenous-led and backed by science. Focusing on the prevention of forest crime by training, equipping, and helping local communities protect their lands. By the end of 2023, they will have over 1500 km2 of primary rainforest under protection through their Indigenous Forest Guardians program. Their mission is to revolutionize attitudes towards climate action, how we interact with the natural world and inspire systemic change.www.treesistance.com, @treesistance
CAKE is a Swedish maker of premium lightweight, electric motorcycles, and mopeds, with a clear mission to inspire towards a zero-emission society, by combining excitement and responsibility. The model range currently consists of five different platforms – the off-road beast Bukk, our versatile off-roader Kalk, the modular utility bike Ösa, the urban commuter Makka, and the strong and practical e-bike Åik. Thanks to an extensive range of accessories and configurations, CAKE is addressing a wide matrix of users and applications, including commercial use for last-mile delivery and other short-haul urban transportation. Along with numerous awards and recognitions for its design and innovative approach to mobility and other societal challenges, CAKE was identified as one of the world’s most innovative companies by Fast Company in both 2020 and 2021 and received the Time Magazine 100 most important inventions award in 2021.Explore with respect.


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April 13, 2010 Stewart Baines , Connectivity
The UAE has been revealed as the top country in the Middle East for using technology to create a better economic and social environment, according to a report by the World Economic Forum. That report, 'The Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010' ranks the Emirates as the 23rd in the world on how it uses IT to create a more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable world.
That attitude to technology use has been borne out by a mature approach among users in the Emirates to web content. According to a recent Nielsen survey, 88% of consumers want the web to remain free but many are willing to pay for content, provided that the quality is of a high standard.
"Compared to many of their peers around the world, UAE consumers are more willing to buy professionally produced online content," commented Sevil Ermin, managing director of Nielsen in the UAE. "But content that has been generated by fellow users, such as blogs and video has far less appeal."
That stress on value, is emphasised in the report's finding that 66% of respondents said the quality of information online needs to improve significantly before they would be prepared to pay for it.
I've been writing about technology for nearly 20 years, including editing industry magazines Connect and Communications International. In 2002 I co-founded Futurity Media with Anthony Plewes. My focus in Futurity Media is in emerging technologies, social media and future gazing. As a graduate of philosophy & science, I have studied futurology & foresight to the post-grad level.


text: Rdio got in ahead of Spotify’s expansion announcement last night with its own news of global growth. The streaming service added 20 more countries across Latin America, Europe and Africa, taking its total to 51 countries. That sparked a cheeky boast in Rdio’s announcement of being “the second largest music subscription service in the world” although to its credit, that sentence came with an “in terms of countries serviced” qualifier. This morning, Rdio lies third in that table behind Deezer (180+ countries) and Spotify (55), but for now it’s not joining those rivals in announcing how many active users and/or paying subscribers it has. Rdio did give a couple of stats on its global growth though: at the start of this year, 30% of its monthly active users were outside the US, but that has since grown to 57% as it has launched in more territories. All good? Maybe, but without figures we can’t tell if this is all about big growth overseas, or whether there may be an element of churn in the US where the competition has grown ever more intense.


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Not so jolly shopping season lies ahead
Just over a month after The Oaks shopping center in Thousand Oaks unveiled its 103,000-square-foot expansion, the mall will have to face one of the most challenging holiday shopping seasons in recent years.
Sixty-one percent of those polled last month in GfK Roper Consulting’s Holiday Shopping study said their holiday shopping plans will be delayed due to the current economic and political situation.
“We are doing whatever we can to bring shoppers through our doors, so they’ll be one step closer to our retailers,” said Traci Weber, senior vice president of marketing for Macerich, which owns and operates The Oaks and other tri-county shopping centers.
“Throughout the holiday season, we are laser-focused on leveraging advertising, promotions and public relations to drive traffic. Nearly two-thirds of our media buying is done during the fourth quarter, and we ramp up all our marketing efforts to support retailers when they need it most.”
To view this story and all other full stories and offerings in the Business Times, see this week’s print version or SUBSCRIBE for $49.99 today.


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Supply chains have historically been driven by lean standards, with efficiency as the top priority. Due to the success of lean business models for supply chains, industries from nearly every corner of the world have adopted elements of these standards. But unanticipated internal and external shakeups known as “black swan events” have cast doubt on the efficacy of lean processes. To both reduce risk and sustain efficient practices, industry leaders must stop relying solely on lean. They must also design “flex” into their corporate thinking.
The Rise of Black Swan Events
One of the most significant black swan events in supply chain history, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, caused a complete breakdown in Toyota’s supply chain when the sole supplier of a key component was devastated by the disaster. Toyota’s commitment to the leanest possible supply chain resulted in the lack of a failsafe, brought an industry leader to its knees, and launched a reevaluation of corporate policies across the industry. Fukushima was not the first or last event that caught companies unawares, which had significant effects on both global local and markets. Other examples of external black swan events include the September 11th attacks in 2001, the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, and the rise of technology (including AI, IOT, and machine learning). But black swan events can also come from within organizations, such as the sudden passing of a company’s CEO or a devastating fire at a primary distribution center. Some of these events have short-term impacts, while others can produce unforeseen long-term effects on individual companies or entire industries.
Many of these events cannot be anticipated. Some give warning signs that executives must be cognizant of as they design and evaluate their ongoing corporate strategies. Even when a company cannot plan for an event, they can create contingencies that allow their businesses to pivot when the ground beneath them shifts. At the Board level, many companies have strategies for dealing with internal black swan events, but external events are increasing both in pace and in impact, as business operations are increasingly globalized. To mitigate risk for their companies, executives must think about external black swan events, analyze their potential impact, and plan for their eventuality. Most importantly, they cannot fall victim to these seven fatal words: “But we’ve always done it this way!”
Lean’s Not Dead - It Just Needs Backup
After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster revealed significant failings in the “lean” model, analysts were quick to make sweeping dismissals: “Lean is dead!” But as is often the case, the truth is not that simple. Lean processes are crucially important in many ways to companies; however, relying solely on lean is a short-sighted strategy. So rather than eliminating a lean mindset altogether, executives should embrace a combined approach. Keeping processes streamlined and efficient can be helpful when things are going smoothly, but companies should also create “flex” backup processes in the event of black swan events that disrupt standard operations.
In addition, leaders can apply “flex thinking” to their hiring and retention strategies. Rather than seeking candidates with siloed expertise, many hiring managers are now pursuing applicants with extra skill sets. For instance, a supply chain planning expert is a stronger hire if they also have some finance expertise. Or consider the versatility and added value that a distribution operations professional with strong IT credentials can bring. These types of flex workers can come when making new hires or when upskilling current employees who are hungry for growth and continuous learning opportunities.
Plan Ahead or Get Left Behind
However a company that has maximized lean today will almost certainly not be the leanest strategy for long, due to the velocity and vectors of local and global market changes. By shifting perspectives from “lean is king” to “flex is power,” executives can broaden conversations within their organizations so that they de-silo existing business units and de-silo the new employees they hire.
A great starting point for leaders who want to shift to flex thinking is this: consider what the company is doing differently today than it did in March of 2020, before the full weight of COVID struck. Every company does something differently, and most companies had few or no plans for those changes at that time. However, the companies that are successfully navigating these murky, turbulent waters managed to find ways to address the challenges that arose, shifting their perspectives and strategies to meet the new needs of their employees, clients, and stakeholders. They pivoted. They flexed. And they survived.
***The next installment of this series will focus on the importance of hiring skills “translators” and de-siloing business units and employees.


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Samsung is changing its plans for 2021.
Rumours suggest the South Korean tech giant is ditching its Note series and launching the S21 series a month early. Another shift next year is reportedly the release of a more affordable Galaxy Z Flip.
The model number ‘SM-F720F’ was spotted by Galaxy Club. The model number indicates that the handset is the international version of the smartphone and that it supports only 4G/LTE connectivity. This means that the device features a more affordable mid-range processor as higher-end chipsets now typically support 5G.
There will also be a more expensive 5G version of the Flip in 2021 as well.
Previous rumours indicate that Samsung will launch four foldable handsets next year, including a 4G Flip 3, 5G Flip 3, the Fold 3 and a Fold 3 designed specifically for the Chinese market. Rumours also point to Samsung calling Z Flip successor the Z Flip 3 as the company launched two different Z Flip models in 2020.
It’s unclear when Samsung will launch these Flip 3 devices, but going off this leak, the company could unveil these devices in May or June.
Source: Galaxy Club


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Europe is lacking in Artificial intelligence
With the market booming in the United States, the EU is hesitating to invest in artificial intelligence.
In Need of Artificial intelligence
Meanwhile in the United States of America, the private sector has invested a
huge amount in Artificial Intelligence. And even having a governmental plan launched in 2016, the
Europeans are falling behind. As the report of Claire states, Europe needs the
technology for a future position in the global market.
With AI becoming more and more important, countries like
the US, Canada and China have already acted upon it. With Europe just starting
to realize it’s needed to have an actual plan. So “25 European countries
pledged to increase the national research funding for AI as part of a common
‘European approach’” (CLAIRE, 2018).
Possibilities in AI
As a European Company ourselves, we see huge potential for Artificial Intelligence.
We see potential for enhancing existing technology with AI, or creating new
innovative products with AI. For the private sector as well as for the government,
AI is the way to go forward and be future proof.
Governments from different countries are already experimenting with Artificial
intelligence. Subjects that are interesting to combine and enhance with AI are:
Immigration, Environment & Energy, Education, Healthcare and Security.
As in private sector everyone has their own industry, the options have no limit.
It’s possible to tackle the problems (for example) with customer service,
administration, product development, and learning about our clients.


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Sun Mobility, a leading supplier of sustainable urban mobility solutions, has joined forces with Bluwheelz in a strategic alliance.
Sun Mobility is an electric mobility energy infrastructure and services provider. Sun Mobility, which was founded in 2017, aims to make electric cars accessible and inexpensive to everybody.
Sun Mobility’s unique battery-switching approach solves critical challenges such as high initial costs, range anxiety, and lengthy charging periods. Users can change out a drained battery with a fully charged one in minutes using Sun Mobility’s battery swapping technology, making electric cars a more practical alternative for daily commuting.
Sun Mobility is now only available in India, but it intends to expand into other markets in the future. The firm has collaborated with a number of big car manufacturers and fleet operators, and thousands of battery-switching stations have been installed throughout India.
According to the agreement, Bluwheelz’s fleet will use a battery-swapping system based on Battery-as-a-service and Mobility-as-a-service.
The partners want to deploy approximately 15,000 electric two-wheelers and 1,000 electric three-wheelers in all major cities during the next year. Sun Mobility also intends to convert 1,000 of BluWheelz’s current four-wheeler loader fleet to electric during the following 12 months.
The deployment in Delhi has already begun, with around 500 cars on the roads, with growth set to begin shortly in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The objective is to cut emissions, relieve traffic congestion, and improve last-mile connectivity in cities.
Sun Mobility offers a large network of over 600 swap stations around the nation, providing Bluwheelz consumers with a smooth and easy battery-shifting experience. This partnership demonstrates both firms’ dedication to providing efficient and sustainable transit solutions that are adapted to the changing demands of contemporary cities.
Anant Badjatya, CEO, of Sun Mobility, said, “Our collaboration with Bluwheelz is a significant step forward in our mission to revolutionise urban mobility. We are now doing more than a million swaps every month and with partners like Bluwheelz we will empower more people to choose sustainable transportation options, making our cities cleaner and more liveable.”
Sanjiv Gupta, Chairman, Bluwheelz stated, “Bluwheelz is committed to delivering cutting-edge logistics solutions that prioritize both efficiency and environmental responsibility. Our collaboration with Sun Mobility perfectly resonates with our mission to pave the way for a more sustainable and eco-friendly future in the realm of mid-mile and last-mile logistics across the country.”


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The major ‘Autumn/Fall’ marketing push has just begun for Star Wars: The Force Awakens with the release of the Official ‘one sheet’ Poster originally reportedly to be done by the legendary artist Drew Struzan, but instead by team that look after Marvel‘s posters.
As for the content, the main ‘additions’ from what we’ve already seen is that new ‘DEATH STAR. The most notably is the omission of Luke Skywalker yet again from any official marketing, although the new look Princess Leia played by Carrie Fisher does look pretty nice.
So what about that new ‘First Order’ Death Star that they are going to unleash on the Resistance, is it me! or does it have an uncanny resemblance to some of Ralph McQuarrie’s early concepts,? they have said to be re-using his early concepts art throughout the film, as mentioned in an earlier post The McQuarrie Influence
This poster is just the beginning, the next stage of marketing will see the release of the new The Force Awakens trailer, which will arrive in the US on the October 19th sometime around 8pm EST, which is 1am Tuesday 20th in the UK. Star Wars have announced that it will appear on ESPN during Monday Night Football, which would be a huge audience for the new trailer, and it’s no coincidence that ESPN is a Disney-owned network. When it airs on television first, you can be sure it will be online almost simultaneously, and finally the release of the tickets will go on sale around the world will go on sale on the 19th of October.
It seems the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Film poster is not by Drew Struzan, like the one he did the recently when he came out of retirement to do a promotional limited edition poster release for the fans at D23 Expo 2015, that poster also had lots of hidden clues on it, the most notable was the ‘Cloud City’ reference.
I can’t wait for the next in line with Lucasfilm’s new marketing push…the official full trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens


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Tesla had updated its Supercharger pricing structure in Canada again, this time adding off-peak rates at select Superchargers, while at the same time changing prices. The change comes just a few weeks after Tesla finally switched to kWh billing in Canada.
Ever since Tesla built its first Supercharger station in Canada in Squamish, BC in 2014, owners had been paying for their charging sessions for the amount of time they were plugged in. That changed earlier this month when Tesla switched to billing customers for the amount of energy they actually consumed from the Supercharger station, referred to as kWh billing, with most Superchargers at around $0.50 per kWh.
With the change we speculated that Tesla would also soon add off-peak rates, much like they do in the US, and on Wednesday the automaker did just that. Interestingly however, the off-peak rates are only at select Superchargers in two provinces.
Tesla first notified owners of the change through an email sent on Wednesday morning, saying “charging prices and off-peak hours will change at select Superchargers.” Based on a review of Superchargers across the country by Drive Tesla, off-peak hours appears to have only been implemented at Superchargers in BC and Ontario, and not even at all stations in those provinces.
In BC, we were able to find off-peak hours at the Richmond Supercharger on Steveston Hwy, which now has rates as low as $0.10 during the off-peak hours between 12:00am and 4:00am, increasing to $0.27 between 4:00am and 2:00pm, and the highest rate of $0.34 during the peak hours of 2:00pm to 12:00am. The Coquitlam Supercharger on Lougheed Hwy has also switched, but this station has four peak and off-peak periods with rates ranging from $0.13 to $0.36.
In Ontario the prices are considerably higher during peak hours. For example at the Etobicoke Supercharger owners will now be paying $0.60 per kWh between 12:00pm and 8:00pm, up from the previous rate under $0.50. Meanwhile the lowest off-peak rate is $0.29 between 12:00am and 4:00am. It is a similar story in Mississauga, where the peak rate is $0.58 and the lowest off-peak rate is $0.37.
This change to add off-peak hours also comes just one day after Tesla added the first Magic Dock in Canada. On Tuesday the Deep River Supercharger in Ontario was retrofitted with the built-in CCS adapter, but the station has not yet gone live to owners of non-Tesla electric vehicles (EVs.)


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Boston University alumni Molly Ford and Sarah Jesup launched their website, The Food Lens, earlier this spring. According to the site, their purpose is to guide “hungry travelers and locals alike” to restaurants in Boston.
Ford and Jesup met their freshman year in the College of General Studies in 2008. From there, Ford went on to study broadcast journalism in BU’s College of Communication and Jesup majored in hospitality in the School of Hospitality Administration. Years later, the pair met back up in Boston and began their venture into food media.
“The site basically started over our mutual love for food and travel,” Jesup said. “We spent the greater part of the past decade eating and drinking our way around the world.”
During the duo’s many trips together, they found that many crowd-sourced sites did not provide reliable restaurant recommendations. The advice from locals, they found, was far more useful in creating the best dining experiences.
Ford and Jesup’s unique experience with food and travel is what prepared them for an entrepreneurial career in the food media industry.
“Having worked in restaurants in the past, dined at many restaurants and learn[ed] about it at BU just kind of opened my eyes to things early on,” Jesup said. “Actually traveling and eating made it come full circle.”
Ford explained that The Food Lens was the perfect way to combine their educational backgrounds and passion for food.
“It was the perfect marriage for Sarah and I in our ideas because she had the hospitality background and I had the content background,” Ford said.
They were careful to take their time in choosing a team of writers who were equally as passionate about the food scene, Ford said.
“It took us six months to a year to lock down the small team that we have right now that we absolutely love,” Ford said. “That’s when we finally were able to really get going with all this different content we have on the website.”
The content on the site is split into four main sections — The Spots, Food Lens Five, The Sides, and The Events.
In The Spots, each restaurant listed has a detailed description, multiple photographs, insider tips, fun facts and a list of must-haves. The Food Lens Five is organized by neighborhood and food type, where readers can find a list on everything from lobster rolls to donuts. The Sides is more of a behind the scenes look into the food scene complete with chef Q&As, brewery features and more. The Events is the most straightforward section with a calendar of culinary events in and around Boston.
Jesup explained that the current version of The Food Lens was just the first edition of the site. They wanted to see what interested readers before moving into phase two, where they will add more features and services. Down the line, she said they hope to implement a concierge service to help people plan trips around their meals, she said.
Ford, Jesup and their team of writers visit a spot multiple times and attempt to try everything on the menu before deciding to include it on their site, they said.
“That’s why it has been so time consuming to gather all this content,” Ford said. “We really want to make sure and be very confident about the places we put on the website.”
The Boston Globe recently deemed The Food Lens a “Yelp alternative.” However, Jesup explained that their site is actually very different from Yelp.
“Our site is in no way crowdsourced,” Jesup said. “All of our content is curated, it’s authentic, and it’s really written and developed by local people who truly know the ins and outs of the Boston food and drink scene.”
Claire Rosenkilde, a sophomore in COM and writer for Spoon University, noted the reliability of sites like The Food Lens versus Yelp.
“The Food Lens looks like a really reliable food website with a ton of Boston content,” Rosenkilde said. “They seem a lot more trustworthy than Yelp, since Yelp reviews aren’t very detailed.”
Though the focus of the site right now is strictly Boston, Ford and Jesup said that they hope to expand to different cities in the United States as the website grows.
Jesup explained that taking the entrepreneurial path can be scary at times, it but pays off in the end.
“At times, it can be really difficult, and you can feel very overwhelmed,” Jesup said. “But that’s totally just part of the process. It is different, and it can be scary, but it’s so fun and so rewarding. At the end of the day, you’re getting to do what you want to do.”
CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this article, the headline and caption read “blog” instead of “site.” It also said the website’s purpose is to guide travelers “into the cities that are worth visiting,” when they are just catering to Boston travelers for now. This article has since been updated to reflect these changes.


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Nokia is reportedly working on Android phones, but they probably won't look anything like Android devices the way people in the US understand them.
Microsoft's bid to purchase Nokia's handset business passed another regulatory hurdle this week when European officials gave their blessing.
Based on the animated How to Train Your Dragon film franchise, DreamWorks Dragons Adventure harnesses the power of Nokia's HERE Maps.
A U.K. judge this week granted Nokia's request for an injunction against the HTC One Mini in the region, but declined to extend the same ban to the flagship HTC One, pending appeal
Microsoft's deal to acquire Nokia's handset business has received the stamp of approval from the Department of Justice.
Nokia this week revealed its value-priced Lumia 525 smartphone, not available in the U.S.
Nokia's Lumia 521 is a solid Windows Phone smartphone for just under $100, but it's missing key features like LTE and a camera flash, which are found on competing Android devices.
The Nokia Lumia 2520 is a very nice looking, well-made tablet, but it has some flaws, which, combined with the drawbacks of Windows RT, make it hard to recommend.
Topping tech headlines Thursday, Microsoft selling "Scroogled" merchandise, ESPN launches SportsCenter app, and HBO GO hits Google's Chromecast.
Looking for a Windows RT tablet? Nokia's colorful new device might be just the thing.
The Nokia Lumia 1520 is a gigantic smartphone with an excellent camera, but it's just plain too much phone for most people.
Nokia's first Windows-based tablet will soon be available in the U.S. through AT&T, the carrier announced Friday.
The first Jolla smartphones will debut on Nov. 27 in Finland exclusively via local carrier DNA.
Motorola is pursuing a patent for an electronic skin tattoo that acts as a mobile communication device.
The first Windows Phone phablet is now available exclusively through AT&T.
Samsung has extended a patent deal with Nokia for another five years, the Finnish phone maker announced today.
Mobile devices with powerful cameras featuring lenses with 10-megapixel resolutions and higher will be "mainstream" in 2014, according to lens module maker Largan Precision.
The smartphone market shows no signs of slowing, according to IDC, which reported 38.8 percent annual growth worldwide in the third quarter.
Microsoft is reportedly testing its own Web-connected eyewear — a direct threat to Google Glass.


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TORONTO, ON (October 2, 2023) – INNOCEAN Canada is thrilled to share that its work has been awarded at the 2023 Canadian effie Awards.
INNOCEAN was awarded bronze in the media innovation category for its “Dynamic In Search” campaign for Hyundai Canada.
Hyundai and INNOCEAN developed first of its kind conquest search ads that were dynamically generated in real time by pulling directly from a third-party car comparison tool.
What was previously not possible was solved by harnessing the power of automation and google marketing tools to help Hyundai create a more personalized and relevant search ad.
“In the dynamic world of advertising Hyundai’s ‘Dynamic in Search’ campaign showcases our commitment to innovation, stated June Hong, president and CEO of INNOCEAN Canada.
“By harnessing the power of automation and Google marketing tools, we transformed what was once perceived as highly difficult and time consuming into an efficient process—delivering personalized and relevant search ads that set new industry standards”, remarked INNOCEAN Canada Group Digital Media Director, Caroline Villarroel.“This award is a testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence in advertising.”
The bronze Effie for INNOCEAN and Hyundai marks the fourth recognition this campaign has received. The campaign previously received three trophies at the Canadian Marketing Association awards, earning a gold for Martech, a silver for Innovative Media, and a bronze for data-driven marketing.


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NetEase Cloud Music sues Tencent Music for unfair competitions and copyright infringement
NetEase’s Cloud Music unit is suing Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) for unfair competition, accusing it of copyright infringement in its music streaming platforms including QQ Music, Kugou Music, and Kuwo Music.
NetEase Cloud Music said in a Wednesday announcement that the music streaming platforms of TME disseminated the music which it owns exclusive rights without permission.
“We asked QQ music to immediately stop providing playing and downloading services on the popular songs which we owned exclusive rights, but it only removed the songs from its platforms for users in big cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and continued infringement of the copyrights in areas where we paid much less attention and detection,” NetEase Cloud Music said in a statement.
NetEase Cloud Music’s prosecution of TME involved a large number of popular songs such as The Beauty of the World is Intertwined with You” (Bai Song), “People Like Me” (Mao Buyi) , “Good Night” (Yan Renzhong).
“The streaming music platforms of TME also intentionally market singers who plagiarized our original songs by creating highly similar versions. Since 2020 alone, Tencent Music has successively launched a large number of fake songs of the same name for our popular songs, of which the chorus part of nearly a thousand songs is the same or similar to the original song.” NetEase Cloud Music added.
NetEase Cloud Music alleged that TME also invests in related companies to follow-up and mass-produce popular songs, and give traffic bias to deepen the vicious plagiarism of the industry and boost the scale of the song-washing industry.
NetEase Cloud Music also alleged that TME’s music streaming platforms including QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music copied its product innovations including app and page designs, features for a long time.
“TME infringed copyright, seriously violates business ethics, integrity principles and industry standards. We urge TME to immediately rectify its products and businesses and stop all behaviors of unfair competition.” NetEase Cloud Music said.
In September 2021, Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) terminated all exclusive licensing deals with copyright holders in accordance with a recent government mandate, removing a major obstacle for rivals in the entertainment industry.
The move came two months after China’s antitrust watchdog, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), ordered Tencent to give up exclusive music licensing deals with music labels within 30 days. The reason of this is that Tencent held more than 80% of exclusive music resources that enable it to restrict new rivals from entering the sector.
NetEase, Tencent’s biggest rival in music streaming, said it really appreciate the regulator’s decision to end exclusive music licensing.
“Major online music operator scramble for exclusive music rights, which has pushed up the content costs to insanely high levels. We have been overpaying the content cost twice, even three times than licensing music directly from label companies. This is such an unfair practice. The antitrust policy sent a very exciting signal to the entire industry,” NetEase chief executive William Ding said in a statement.
Following the removal of exclusive music licensing deals, rivals like Kuaishou Technology, China’s second-largest short video platform, had inked a new licensing deal with Warner Music Group, enabling it to play music clip of Sony’s popular artists like Ed Sheeran and Coldplay on its short video apps such as Kuaishou, and overseas product Kwai and Snackvideo


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Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) across banks are all set to increase service charges per transaction from Saturday, following an order from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and customers will have to pay Rs 1 more beyond the permissible free transactions for cash as well as non-cash purposes.
As per the RBI notification dated June 10, 2021, from January 1, 2022, banks have been permitted to charge Rs 21, instead of Rs 20 with applicable taxes, if any, shall be additionally payable.
However, the customers are eligible for five free transactions (inclusive of financial and non-financial transactions) every month from their own bank ATMs.
They are also eligible for free transactions (inclusive of financial and non-financial transactions) from other bank ATMs viz. three transactions in metro centers and five transactions in non-metro centers.
The last change in interchange fee structure for ATM transactions was in August 2012, while the charges payable by customers were last revised in August 2014.
The RBI has notified the changes from January 1, 2022, citing the increasing cost of ATM deployment and expenses towards ATM maintenance incurred by banks or white-label ATM operators.
Ashwani Rana, Founder of, Voice of Banking said, “The increase of service charges per ATM transaction will be charged from the customers beyond a number of transactions permitted by the respective banks. This increase is only Rs 1 plus Goods and Services Tax (GST), which is very nominal to customers against the maintenance charges paid by banks as earlier they were charging Rs 20.”
Nipun Jain, Chief Executive Officer, RapiPay Fintech clarified, “Consumers withdrawing cash using our Micro ATMs and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) will not be affected with the recent RBI guideline to increase ATM transactions charges (applicable after the customers exhaust the free monthly limit).”
“We believe this will boost the already growing demand for cash withdrawal through AEPS and Micro ATMs at our direct business outlets and help us in achieving our goal of growing financial inclusion in deeper geographies and far-flung areas like North East, Kashmir, Ladakh, and Uttrakhand. We have sold over one lakh Micro ATMs since we began operations last year. Our average ticket size of withdrawal has climbed from Rs 3500 to Rs 3800, with a CAGR growth of 25 per cent in Micro ATMs in the last one year,” Jain added.


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Could it be a replacement for the 488?
In a tweet sent out Wednesday, Ferrari confirmed it will reveal a new car tomorrow, February 28. We can’t see much – just a few quick shots, but that’s certainly enough to get our minds racing as to what it could be. It does look — and sound — like there’s a mid-mounted turbocharged V8 lurking within. More specifically, the carbon fiber engine cover looks similar to what’s in the 488 Pista.
Besides that, we see a short blast of the tachometer, a quick shot of the drive modes, and a few flicks through the dual-clutch gearbox through steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. That’s about it, but there’s one more remarkable clue.
When the drive modes appear in the clip — only for a moment — the switch is certainly different from what’s in the current 488. It seems there’s another drive mode as well, instead of the five positions you have in the current car. You still have broadly the same options: Wet, Sport, Race, CT off and ESC off. However, that sixth option is a bit of a mystery.
Some reports suggest Ferrari could introduce a new V8 hybrid car sometime this year. Could that switch option have something to do with it? The gauge cluster, including the tachometer shot, looks like pretty standard Ferrari. There’s no indication of a hybrid powertrain there, so that might not be it.
The current-generation Ferrari 488 has been in production since 2015, so it’s about time Ferrari reveals a replacement. All will be revealed tomorrow, so stick around for more details!


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The new cost of Walmart's transportation
Some Walmart suppliers will have to shell out more money to make a profit, according to a document exclusively seen by Axios.
What's happening: The retailer will begin charging a sliding fee to suppliers that rely on its fleet to move their goods to Walmart distribution centers or stores. The extra line item, along with a fuel surcharge, will go into effect on Monday, Aug. 1, the Wall Street Journal first reported.
Why it matters: Even though rates to move freight are falling, companies are looking to offset higher-than-normal transportation costs. This means consumers will end up paying more in the long run amid record inflation that shows no sign of slowing.
Zoom out: Citing inflation on food which is cutting into what consumers can afford for other merchandise, Walmart on Monday lowered its profit outlook for the second quarter and its 2023 fiscal year.
- The retailer will have to reduce prices on its inventory, particularly apparel, it said.
Context: Only suppliers using Walmart's collect service — where they rely on Walmart to pick up their goods — will be charged the new fee. Other suppliers have a prepaid shipping arrangement in which they pay a third-party to move their goods or operate their own fleets.
- Suppliers that ship collect have the option to become prepaid, the WSJ reported.
- Amazon added 5% fuel and inflation charges to items shipped using its fulfillment services in April.
Details: A list of the new charges seen by Axios shows 98 product categories — from maternity clothes to automotive items — and what the percentage charged for each will be. The collect fee is a percentage of the cost of the goods sold (COGS) to Walmart.
- The schedule ranges between 0.37% (cameras and supplies) to 5.51% (fabrics and crafts).
- So, if a collect supplier sold $50,000 worth of fabric to Walmart, they'd pay $2,755 in collect fees, plus a fuel surcharge, which will be based on the cost to move the goods.
The retailer didn't respond to Axios' questions about how often the collect fee schedule will be revised.
What they're saying: "Across the retail landscape it's pretty common," Donnie Williams, associate professor and executive director of the University of Arkansas' Supply Chain Management Research Center, told us.
- The supply chain has been absorbing much of the increase in costs recently, Williams said. But that's unsustainable.
- A spokesperson for Walmart told Axios that the new program allows the company and suppliers to "adapt to the dynamics of the current economic environment."
Disclosure: Reporter Worth Sparkman is a Walmart shareholder.
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Gionee most mentioned sponsor, Vodafone's 'Super Son' top discussed ad: Maxus' IPL 2016 report
An exclusive look at what brands are talking about this IPL season
According to the report, during the first three weeks of IPL, Gionee was the most mentioned sponsor, followed by Ola, Vivo, Yes Bank, Lloyd, and Freecharge.
Vodafone’s ‘Super Son’ was the most discussed ad. Vivo’s theme song ‘Ek India Happy Walla’ was the next most talked about spot. Freecharge’s ‘Lo Do Khatam Karo’ registered the third highest impressions. Housing.com’s ‘Yeh Ghar Meri Jaan’ and Oppo’s ad around its camera phone grabbed users’ attention the most this IPL.
The hashtag IPL received 332,365 impressions whereas Vivo IPL and RCB got 50,981 and 18,975 mentions on Twitter, respectively. However, overall conversations around the game across various digital platforms are lower than last year. A look at the comparative stats below:
According to Unny Radhakrishnan, chief digital officer - South Asia at Maxus Global, it is early to comment on the game from the spends perspective and comparison trend, but he has an interesting observation. “I have noticed that this is becoming an arena for mobile handsets to create visibility in an already cluttered category. Vivo is the official sponsor but Oppo and Gionee also feature amongst most mentioned sponsors/ads.”
He agrees that this year the chatter is low, an observation he credits to the fact that the T20 World Cup concluded just a week before IPl started. “Hopefully, as the game progresses, the excitement will be back and IPL will prove effective for brands at the end,” he said.
Radhakrishna further added, “IPL has always been all about the surprise as the format promises. The re-zig of players in the team this year and two new IPL teams – Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune is already challenging all kind of predictions at present. New rising stars emerge out of every match we see.”
He mentioned that one big change on social is from the engagement point of view. “Players are adapting to new social platforms to engage with their fans on social media. The content format for engagement has changed. The recent #HakkeBakke campaign from Vodafone saw rising star Hardin Pandya engaging with fans followed by fans and followers sending their Dubmash video version of #hakkebakke dance moves.”
Here’s a look at the scoreboard of the most mentioned players, commentators, and matches that created a buzz:


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The Australian businesses leading the way in sustainable packaging design and innovation were recognised at the annual Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation Awards in Melbourne.
The Hon Trevor Evans, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, joined more than 180 guests to celebrate the achievements of the 18 award-winning organisations, representing a broad range of sectors, including manufacturing, retail, transport, technology, hospitality and pharmaceuticals.
The finalists and winners (full list below), were selected based on their performance in sustainable packaging design, recycling initiatives and product stewardship programs to develop sustainable supply chains.
Supply chain specialists CHEP took home the coveted Sustainable Packaging Excellence award, in recognition of their dedication to collaboration. In addition to delivering a global reusable packaging model, CHEP works with hundreds of businesses to build and support sustainable supply chains.
Other award recipients included BioPak (Outstanding Achievement in Leadership), which in the last year has undertaken a number of impressive sustainability initiatives including the development of compostable packaging for single-use food service items. Also recognised was Panasonic (Outstanding Achievement in Outcomes), which has worked on a range of reductions and material efficiency initiatives including a 57% reduction in overall packaging for its 4K BD Player.
This year’s event also featured two new categories – High Performing New Member, which went to Marechal Australia, which has seen 100% of solid waste being recovered. Also newly introduced in 2019 is the APCO Sustainability Champion Award, a category recognising individual achievement.
Congratulations to Diarmaid O’Mordha, Quality and Sustainability Manager for Endeavour Drinks, who was awarded this prize in recognition of his commitment to improving packaging sustainability across the wine industry supply chain. As the lead organiser of the Wine Industry Sustainable Packaging Alliance, Diarmaid has led several projects that are driving industry uptake of the 2025 National Packaging Targets and worked in partnership with APCO to develop the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines for the beverage industry.
Minister Evans, who presented the Sustainable Packaging Excellence category and delivered the evening’s keynote address, commented: “Congratulations to all of tonight’s APCO Awards finalists and winners. The achievements on show tonight demonstrate the strength of Australian industry’s leadership on the sustainable packaging issue. It was inspiring to hear more about the practical initiatives that Australian businesses are implementing across the country right now to improve their packaging recyclability, to build strong, sustainable supply chains and, critically, to deliver the 2025 National Packaging Targets. I look forward to working closely with APCO and all of its Members in 2020 to continue to drive such meaningful and important change.”
Brooke Donnelly, APCO CEO commented: “All of tonight’s winners and finalists have demonstrated industry leadership and excellence in sustainable packaging. While these initiatives represent different approaches to this challenge – research, design, innovation or collaboration – what they collectively demonstrate is that Australian industry is driving forward with the positive business case for sustainable packaging – and that now is the time for more Australian businesses to adopt an approach that’s both good for the environment, good for business and good for Australia.
“With the 2025 target to make all packaging 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable now in focus, industry collaboration and innovation have never been more important. Tonight’s award ceremony was an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of organisations that are leading the way in making this target a reality. We look forward to continuing to work with them in close partnership, in order to share the innovation, learning and insights required to build a circular economy here in Australia.”
Richard Fine, Biopak Founder (winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Industry Leadership category) commented: “These awards validate and celebrate the companies who have demonstrated their commitment to meet the goals of the Australian Packaging Covenant. We are thrilled to be a winner in the 2019 APCO awards, earning a place amongst a distinguished group by having their achievements acknowledged and celebrated. This recognition means so much to our organisation.”
Ciara McKenna, Interim Managing Director of Amgen Australia (winner of the Pharmaceuticals category and the Outstanding Achievement in Sustainable Packaging Operations award) commented: “Amgen Australia is very proud to have been recognised again this year by APCO as a finalist in the Pharmaceuticals category. Amgen’s mission is to serve patients, and in doing so we are also committed to supporting and preserving the environment, and to continually make improvements to ensure we are operating as sustainably as possible”.
Fiona Baxter, Group Manager Responsible Sourcing, Coles (winner of the Large Retailer Sector award) commented: “Coles is proud to be recognised as a finalist in the APCO Awards. We have released ambitious sustainable packaging targets for our Coles Own Brand, fresh produce and meat packaging to have 100% of our packaging recyclable at home or via store drop-off by 2020, while also reducing packaging where possible and increasing the use of recycled content. We are working hard towards these targets in partnership with our suppliers. To have this ambition and work recognised is much appreciated.”
As part of the 2019 Awards, APCO facilitated a series of workshops throughout the afternoon covering the progress on the path to delivering the 2025 targets and a look at what’s next for the Australasian Recycling Label. During the day APCO also unveiled the updated Sustainable Packaging Guidelines, which are available to download on the APCO website.
APCO works with government and industry to reduce the harmful impact of packaging on Australian communities by moving towards a circular economy. It is the organisation charged by government to make all packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. For more information visit www.packagingcovenant.org.au
The winning companies of the 2019 awards were:
- Sustainable Packaging Excellence- CHEP Australia
- Outstanding Achievement in Industry Leadership- BioPak
- Outstanding Achievement in Packaging Design- Panasonic Australia
- Outstanding Achievement in Sustainable Packaging Operations- Amgen Australia
- APCO Sustainability Champion- Diarmaid O’Mordha
- High Performing New Member- Marechal Australia
- Chemicals & Agriculture Sector- LyondellBasell Australia
- Clothing, Footwear & Fashion Sector- Hugo Boss Australia
- Electronics Sector- Dell Australia
- Food & Beverage Sector- Red Rooster Foods
- Homewares Sector- LEGO Australia
- Large Retailer Sector- Coles Supermarkets Australia
- Logistics Sector- CHEP Australia
- Machinery & Hardware Sector- RYCO Group
- Packaging Manufacturer Sector- Detmold Packaging
- Personal Care Sector- ABC Tissue Products
- Pharmaceuticals Sector- Amgen Australia
- Telecommunications Sector- SingTel Optus
The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is the agency charged by government to make all packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. To achieve this goal, APCO is working closely with government and industry to deliver a range of sustainable design, recycling, waste to landfill reduction and circular economy projects. Recognised as one of Australia’s leading product stewardship organisations with a strong national and global collaborative network, APCO is committed to reducing the environmental impact of packaging on Australian communities by moving towards a circular economy.
About the APCO Awards
The APCO Awards is an annual event facilitated by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation designed to celebrate the Australian organisations leading the charge in packaging sustainability. The 2019 event includes 13 Sector Awards and six Outstanding Achievement Awards and focusses on innovation, collaboration and an ongoing commitment to driving packaging sustainability.


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By Tony Winterburn • 03 January 2021 • 7:39
The Great British Booze Cruise to France Sunk By Brexit. image: Pixabay
The Great British Booze Cruise to France Sunk By Brexit.
For almost two decades, the French port city of Calais has enjoyed a steady stream of Brits making a quick stopover with one mission in mind: to stock up on wine and other alcohol at a steep discount and haul the goods back to the U.K.
Wine warehouses like Calais Wine Superstore, with the charm of an aircraft hangar but the attraction of prices much lower than back in the U.K., welcomed British buyers who would arrive by car or ferry. People could bring back the equivalent of 120 bottles of wine for a single trip, and lower taxes as well as a strong pound prior to Brexit added to the savings. For anyone planning a big gathering, be it a wedding or a New Year’s bash, Calais provided the booze for the budget-minded.
Now the party’s over. Brexit has pummeled the pound, depressing British buying power. Travel has dried up because of the pandemic, and all those big celebrations that were supposed to happen this weekend were put on hold by social distancing. With the U.K.’s break with the European Union sealed by the end of the Brexit transition, the bottle allowance has also come down to a point where retailers say it might make little sense to keep going.
“They just come, they taste, they load up the car and they take it away,” said Guy Boursot, the founder of Boursot Vins just outside Calais, who says customers from the U.K. make up 85% of revenue and would often stock up more than 300 bottles on a single order for events like weddings. The lower bottle allowance “would have the effect of killing our business.”
While there’s statistical evidence that people are drinking more wine while stuck at home, the giant warehouses lining the French coast on the English channel have now become a wasteland, their future in doubt. John Colley, the chief executive officer of Majestic Wine, said his company is considering its options amid Brexit and the change in the purchase allowance.
Across the street from Majestic sits the Calais Wine Superstore, whose business has suffered a massive blow by the pandemic and lack of visiting Brits. Co-founder Marco Attard estimates that revenue for 2020 will be down 65% compared from a year earlier as his business absorbs the triple impact of the coronavirus, Brexit and the lack of alcohol-fueled parties.
“We’re a travel business,” that caters to Brits, Attard said by phone. “The pandemic has been very hard for us,” and the first quarter will be “very tough,” he said.
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Former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Pierre Bergé is tickled pink by all the changes that new creative director Hedi Slimane is making to the label, including its name change to Saint Laurent Paris. This might come as a surprise, since he normally hates what anyone who isn’t Yves Saint Laurent — his partner in business and life — creates for the brand (he vocally denounced the work of both Tom Ford and Stefano Pilati). But, in this case, his endorsement makes some sense, since Slimane’s rebranding strategy involves reverting the label’s aesthetic, including fonts and other details, back to the way it was in 1966 — the late designer’s heyday. Bergé tells WWD:
I’m very happy. Anything that makes the house more Saint Laurent is welcome … I am happy that Stefano Pilati is gone, just as I was happy when Tom Ford left.
He’s not even upset that Slimane has made what some consider a blasphemous decision to work out of Los Angeles instead of Paris, because, in the end, who cares as long as the designs look good: “The creative studio is in a designer’s head, it resides within the person,” he said. “Hedi lives in Los Angeles. He should be left to do fashion in a city he likes.”
Although Slimane’s first collections, women’s resort and men’s spring 2013, won’t be shown to press (they’ll be revealed to buyers only from June 28 to July 4 at the Grand Palais in Paris), he’s apparently already casting models for his much-anticipated runway debut this fall and has secured a few exclusives.