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On Sept. 23, 2022, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his state’s aggressive stance on a zero-emissions future. The executive order unveiled by Newsome aims to ensure California eliminates the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035. “This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change,” Governor Newsom.
This announcement sent shockwaves throughout the auto care industry because California has long led the nation in making environmental decisions that have rippled across many states in the country. The decision by Gov. Newsom promoted California Air Resources Board (CARB) to approve the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, which would require independent repair shops to have the “same service information and repair procedures from OEMs as they have with current internal combustion engine vehicles” as stated by an Automotive Service Association news release. This regulation was met with cheers across the auto care industry as it would prevent OEMs from cornering the electric vehicle repair market on independent shops that otherwise would have been left behind in the transition.
Where does this leave independent auto repair shops? As mentioned, California is the litmus test by which other states legislate climate and if other states adopt California’s precedents—12 have expressed a desire at the time of this writing. For shop owners, it’s going to begin with accepting the future and transitioning into the present. But the question remains: are shop owners sold or skeptical of the electric future?
‘Hybrids are a Really Great Learning Stepping Stone’
In a story reported by the Sydney Morning Herald on March 30, 2011, Microsoft's global chief research and strategy officer Craig Mundie stopped short of saying that tablets, such as the iPad, could be a flash in the pan. He hedged his bets on smartphones being the global leader in personal technology. While his assessment on the former holds true, the latter did not. In the third quarter of 2022 alone, iPad sales are $7.22 billion. All this to say that if shop owners today dismiss electrification as a fad, revenue will cease, doors will close, and jobs will be lost by 2035. Electric vehicles are here and within the next decade will arrive in your bays. The time for readiness is now.
Carolyn Coquilette, founder of Luscious Garage, a hybrid repair shop in San Francisco was an early adopter to hybrid repair when the Toyota Prius was a toddler within the vehicle landscape. The technology behind the vehicle drew her from Michigan—where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English and physics— to California where she could be exposed to a higher concentration of hybrids firsthand.
“I was automatically drawn to the hybrid platform because it took some of the aspects of applied physics that are on all cars and really beefed them up. Instead of having a low voltage system, you had this high voltage system; you had this massive electric motor, you had all the control electronics and power electronics and stuff. It was really interesting to me,” says Coquillette.
After gaining some experience working on hybrids, she opened her shop. At the time, hybrids were still a new technology and the design of the vehicle—take the Toyotas Prius or Honda Insight—was cartoonish, a turn-off for some consumers. For Coquillette, whose market research data returned a promising consumer reach, it was go-time.
“And at the time that we opened the shop … the cars were so new. We really didn't know if they were going to break. We didn't really know much about them. We didn't call ourselves experts because we realized we weren't experts. But we also had the defensibility that because the cars hadn't started breaking yet, you didn't have to know what was going to go wrong with them in advance. Like we had plausible deniability,” says Coquillette.
It’s that first concern that caused much of the industry to take the stance of Microsoft's Mundie. The cars were too new. The technology did promise longevity. But the skepticism was deeply seeded in the industry. But Coquillette took the gamble, and it paid off. The cars broke. The people came. The shop thrived. She’s a perfect case study for adopting new technology. And as the auto care industry faces the electric car revolution, her footprint can be the blueprint for many shops looking to make a successful transition into EV repair now.
“I do think that hybrids are a really great learning stepping stone to be able to get into electrics,” says Coquillette. “When I do training on adapting your shop towards hybrids and electrics, I tell people that they should just go buy some Prius with 300,000 miles on it that's just trashed. It's the best $500 training course you're ever going to get just being able to drive that car, look at the scan data, rip it apart. Just get your feet wet on it.”
And she understands the struggle shop owners face. They want to see the data; they want to know what to prepare for. But like she believed with Luscious Garage, the handwriting was on the wall, and it was a matter of time before hybrids were filling the bays.
"For shop owners looking at this, it isn't, 'Oh, it doesn't have a tailpipe.' It's, 'How the hell am I going to make any money on that car?' And so, when we started on Prius, it was like, 'Is this car even going to break? Is this car going to need anything at all?' And the answer is yes. But it takes 150,000 miles for it to need a set of front brake pads. You just have to wait a heck of a lot longer to replace those brake pads and it means that you have to have a high car count, low average ticket model,” Coquilette says.
Technical expertise also plays a role. Shops choosing to use hybrids to transition into EVs should have techs trained properly to do the service. Failure to do so is costly for the shop and the customer.
“Hybrids introduce a complexity where, if you're not familiar with how that car works, it's easy to cross a threshold that you're not aware of, and suddenly you don't know what you don't know. And it manifests in all sorts of weird ways,” Coquillette says.
She says technicians need to be aware of how the transmission works and what to do when it misfires and creates disharmony within the engine. Techs also need to understand the diagnostic tools, the codes, and other sensitivities isolated to hybrids which can often be misdiagnosed as a battery failure by those without proper training.
"The hybrid component is actually a little bit more sensitive, in terms of making sure that you know what you're doing and being appropriately trained. And whether that means [as a shop owner] that you don't expect general knowledge across all of the technicians in your shop, you want to dedicate one person to sort of really kind of go deep, that might be advisable,” says Coquillette.
On the consumer side, unlike EVs, hybrids are common. The new and novel appeal means nothing to the consumer, which means for the shop looking to take in that work, marketing needs to focus on the needs of the consumer to maintain a well-driving vehicle and not the novelty of the vehicle.
"If you were to like hang a shingle and say, ‘Hey, we're hybrid people now’ like, how many people would actually resonate with that? How many people give a shit that they're driving a hybrid anymore? It's like breathing air. So now you have to figure out how to say yes to hybrid cars,” Coquillette says.
The electrification leaves many shops facing an adapt-or-die reality and automakers and legislators are betting the farm on zero-emission policies aimed at reducing the footprint of internal combustion engines, if not wipe them out entirely. This means shop owners need to adjust their business models to match the vision of those two groups or lose market share.
“I think you need to budget a certain amount of your attention on your business, on the future of your business, and ADAS and EVs being an obvious part of that, and just figuring out how to make sure that you're positioned to respond to those things,” Coquillette says.
‘The Longer You Wait, The Harder It Gets’
That 15% to 18% he mentioned represents the gap between early adopters and the early majority of market consumers. In the auto care industry, early adopters are the original Tesla owners, who purchased the revolutionary Roadster in 2008 and 2009. And despite the rising popularity of EVs, the vehicles are still in the early adopter phase as 1% of cars on the highway are EVs. That said, shop owners who haven’t considered hybrids or have worked on them sparingly would be wise to begin now. Those not sure where to begin can seek training.
Craig Van Batenburg, CEO of Automotive Career Development Center in Worchester, Massachusetts, provides hybrid and EV training for shop owners and technicians. A former shop owner for 26 years, Van Batenburg has spent the second half of his career teaching auto technicians and shop owners about hybrid and EV repair. He says he “drank the Kool-Aid” and became an environmental technician before it was en vogue—back in ‘72—while training in New Jersey with American Honda.
"I'm 20 years old and participated in a weeklong training for American Honda. It was just now selling automobiles, and the first four hours of class on a Monday morning had nothing to do with the Honda Civic. We're talking about the EPA, which was created in 1970. Regulations had just been set and [we discussed] what's going to happen going forward. They talk about lung disease and carbon monoxide poisoning and death and mayhem and science about exhaust emissions, which were not regulated at all at that point, and how we're all going to die, and oil is bad, and cars are terrible,” says Van Batenburg.
That talk left an impression on him and by 2000, he became an early adopter of hybrid vehicle technology, and in the 2010s, electric vehicles.
“I start teaching hybrid vehicles because I bought a Honda Insight back in 2000 when they first came out. I shut down everything and go specializing strictly in hybrid training internationally. And electric cars showed up so in 2011, so we bought a Nissan Leaf and a Chevy Volt and started teaching electric cars. And presently we run a company based out of Massachusetts that exclusively teaches anybody who needs to know the technology on electric and hybrid cars,” says Van Batenburg.
He says the learning curve today for shop owners is more akin to a y-axis. “You're going to have to get on a Saturn booster and get shot straight up in the air. The learning curve is no longer a curve. It's a rocket ship heading straight up,” says Van Batenburg.
“They waited 22 years. Let's start with that. The longer you wait, the harder it gets. Every time you wait, another car comes out.”
Like Coquilette, he recommends an emphasis on beginning (or continuing) hybrid work while learning the ins and outs of electric vehicle work as training becomes available citing the aftermarket position of working on out-of-warranty vehicles, a category which many early hybrids fall into.
“The aftermarket always works on the old stuff,” says Van Batenburg.
He admits that many shop owners remain skeptical about the role electric vehicles will play with consumers and within the aftermarket and others fear or reject the technology outright. He boils it down to fear of death, fear of change, and mistrust of science.
“Probably No. 1 is fear about getting killed because they hear all about how these orange cables will kill you, which is overblown. There's more danger in a gallon of gasoline than any electric car I've ever seen. That's No. 1. No. 2, not wanting to learn something new because you're getting older. No. 3 is they don't believe in science; climate change is not real … and so this whole electric car thing is a bunch of baloney. Their mind’s made up,” says Van Batenburg.
He says he had his doubts about the sustainability of hybrids, but once they became a staple in the market, he knew EVs would follow suit.
“I thought the Prius would fall on its face,” he says. “And when electric cars came out, I thought, ‘That's not going to work.’ But I don't know anybody who could deny it today.”
Van Batenburg says ignoring electric vehicles now is a huge risk. While there is no money in electric cars for shops in the immediate future, shops need to carve out a presence in the market as time passes.
“You start with hybrids because there's money in them. Learn all about hybrid cars, [since] the bridge between a good hybrid technician and EV technician is very short. That Prius pays the bills because they have internal combustion engines. And they're getting older and they're out of warranty and they're going to break like every car breaks. So, you start with hybrids for sure. You add EVs when you think you're capable,” Van Batenburg says.
For shop owners looking to get up to speed on EV repair, Automotive Career Development Center offers in-person, two-week intensives that get the ball rolling.
“A shop owner has to commit to two weeks for the technician to be here … and then they come out and do a lot of training ahead of time. Once they graduate from this two-week school of ours, the shop owner can get involved with what we call QSP, Qualified Shop Program. That's continual training and tech support for the technician when they get back to the shop, including a whole list of what they need to own,” Van Batenburg says. “Then they're off and running.”
As the 2035 zero-emissions concept expands beyond California and New York, shop owners staring down the barrel of this aggressive shift towards electric vehicles would be advised to not see electric vehicle adoption as a fad and thus make the error of Microsoft’s Mundie. Van Batenburg says at this point, about 5% of U.S. shop owners are fully engaged and accepting of the electric future. He says they want to learn now, realizing in the long run it will be more expensive not to because they'll eventually go out of business. And all other repair shops will close their doors, or do it because they’re forced to, to which Sinek said of that group, known as the laggards, “… only bought a touch-tone phone because [they] can’t buy a rotary phone anymore.”
‘This Stuff's Not Going Away’
You’d have to go back to the late ‘60s and early ‘70s to find the last big public outcry for electric vehicles. The skyrocketing cost of gasoline created a renewed interest in EVs, a craze that waned by the end of the '70s. It wasn’t until 1997 when Toyota released the Prius that the idea of road-ready electric vehicles could be imagined. That's what sold Coquilette and Van Batenburg. The Tesla Roadster and the Nissan Leaf came a little over a decade later and landed on the radar of many early adapters.
One of them was Joe Pegararo owner of Pegoraro Auto Repair in Vancouver, Washington.
“You see the ads, you read the articles, you read some of the different things and from there, I started researching it,” says Pegararo. "You get the bug in your ear, and you start kind of looking at it like, “OK, what is this? How does it work? Why is it important? Where's it going.”
He believes shop owners should take a lesson from past vehicle technology advancements and not repeat the skepticism of shop owners 40 years ago. Back in the ‘80s, it was fuel injection that got the ball rolling towards making carburetors obsolete by the mid-'90s despite the initial skepticism. Pegararo says the lesson with EVs is the same—they're here to stay.
'This stuff's not going away, it's not, so you might as well learn it now why you can while you can grasp the basics and you can go through a learning curve when it's not all your vehicles coming in the shop,” Pegararo says, adding that shops who wait will be in a jam when the aftermarket shift.
“Learn it now when it's not making up the bulk of your market or your customers. If you wait and all of a sudden it's 80% of your business and you didn't learn it, you're going to be in a world of hurt, because you're not going to be able to turn the vehicle fast enough.”
Pegararo believes in the technology. And though he’s worked on some hybrids and fewer EVs, he believes in preparation, and he wants to be ready with knowledge, training, and workspace technology. His shop is 3,000 square feet on the tech side with an additional 1,000 square feet of space dedicated to his parts room and diagnostic work. Right now, he’s diving headlong into ADAS work, something 17% of shop owners polled in the Ratchet+Wrench Industry Survey say they’re equipped for, but 61% want to invest in within the next five years.
“We have one bay for the diagnostic and then four hoists in the tech area, but five bays. And then basically one big bay where we do ADAS. It's not really an area where we do a ton of work, I guess you would say it's more like electrical stuff, and that is programming so far. I think it's extremely important,” Pegararo says.
His advice to shop owners: start with ADAS.
“I think ADAS is going to be one of the most important ones. I mean, you're truly not supposed to even do an alignment and check the car out without doing a camera recalibration. So, I would say that [ADAS] would probably be the first thing to start learning about because I think that one is going to get more and more complex as you have self-leveling headlights. [If you don’t] you're not even going to be able to do headlights. So, I would focus first on ADAS and then the next step would be EVs,” Pegararo says.
In creating a shop that’s ready for the future, where shops embrace the coming change, Pegararo thinks it's up to shop owners to educate themselves and their customers about EVs, knowing that the dealership-based warranty model will work in a similar fashion as it does with internal-combustion engine vehicles and will send EVs into the aftermarket for repair at independent auto shops.
“I think a lot of it is going to be customer experience and projecting that image of confidence to the customer. I think as an industry where we'll start seeing more EVs not going to the dealership is that second owner. Talking to our existing customers that are going to be that second owner, that's where we're going to start seeing the market shift a little. Where that person that's buying it doesn't have that Tesla experience,” Pegararo says.


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Hello Jolla Enthusiasts. A while ago, the Jolla developers have announced that Sailfish OS will get out of Beta with the release of Sailfish OS 1.0, which will be ported for Android devices soon.
A next major Sailfish OS update is scheduled for release in March. The developers will also make the Sailfish launcher available to Android users and upload the full Sailfish OS image, soon, so that third party developers can hack with it and port it to more devices.
Also, Jolla plans to make their first Sailfish OS running phone available in India, China and Russia.
For those who don’t know yet, Jolla is a project developed by former Nokia employees. The first Jolla smartphone is running on Sailfish OS, a modified Megoo Linux system, which is Android compatible, uses Wayland as the default display server , uses Nokia N9′s Maliit touchscreen keyboard and comes with interchangeable covers, allowing the users to easily switch them, in order to change the color/model of the phone and comes with impressive hardware specifications.

domain: news


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Washington – The proliferation of mobile devices is changing
the way people receive their local news, according to a new survey by the Pew
Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.
The organization said
that nearly half of all American adults now get at least some local news and
information on their cellphone or tablet computer, with weather updates (42%)
leading the way.
Apps for local news, however, are just beginning to take hold.
Only 13% of mobile device owners report having an app that helps them get local
information or news.
And while 36% of adults report paying for some form of
local news — primarily newspaper subscriptions — just 1% of adults utilize
paid apps for that purpose.
"Many news organizations are looking to mobile
platforms, in particular mobile apps, to provide new ways to generate
subscriber and advertising revenues in local markets," said Lee Rainie,
the director of Pew’s Internet & American Life Project.
suggests there is a long way to go before that happens."


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E-commerce isn't killing Las Vegas retail shops
There will be more store closings in America this year than in 2008, but Las Vegas Strip retailers are actually expanding square footage, the Las Vegas Sun reports.
Purveyors of the strip attract customers with sensory experiences, and profit from impulse buys once shoppers are in the store. It's no surprise that Las Vegas is attracting record crowds, but its traditional retailers are also leveraging that success despite an overall shift toward e-commerce.
Why it matters: Las Vegas is uniquely positioned to attract shoppers looking for something to do, so it's not clear that this model is replicable in every case. That said, mall owners across the country are investing in their properties at the highest rate since 2008 on the logic that they can breathe life into their businesses by making the shopping mall a destination in its own right.


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Despite the challenging macroeconomic conditions, the beverage industry is well positioned for solid growth amid increasing disposable income and changing consumer preferences towards ready-to-drink beverages.
Before diving deeper into their fundamentals, let’s discuss why the beverages industry is well-positioned for long-term growth.
According to Statista, the U.S. beverage market is projected to reach a revenue of $64.38 billion in 2023. The industry is anticipated to exhibit an annual growth rate of 15%, resulting in a projected market volume of $112.60 billion by 2027.
Moreover, the industry is expected to experience growth driven by an uptick in promotional and advertising strategies employed by various manufacturers. The global beverages market is expected to reach $4.39 trillion by 2028 at a CAGR of 4.7%.
In addition, the rising number of fitness enthusiasts and growing consumer inclination towards a healthy lifestyle are boosting the functional beverages market, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% until 2030.
Considering these conducive trends, let’s take a look at the fundamentals of the two above-mentioned Beverages stocks.
Stock to Buy:
The Coca-Cola Company (KO)
KO manufactures, markets, and sells various non-alcoholic beverages worldwide. The company provides sparkling soft drinks, sparkling flavours; water, sports, coffee, and tea; juice, value-added dairy, and plant-based beverages; and other beverages.
On July 12, 2023, KO and eight bottling partners announced a new $137.7 million venture capital fund managed by Greycroft, focused on sustainability investments. Greycroft Coca-Cola System Sustainability Fund, will prioritize addressing the carbon footprint of the KO system and concentrate on key areas like packaging, heating and cooling, facility decarbonization, distribution, and supply chain improvements.
John Murphy, President and Chief Financial Officer at KO said, “This fund offers an opportunity to pioneer innovative solutions and help scale them quickly within the Coca-Cola system and across the industry. We expect to benefit from getting access to emerging technology and science for sustainability and carbon reduction.”
In terms of the trailing-12-month net income margin, KO’s 23.81% is 473.5% higher than the 4.15% industry average. Likewise, its 31.27% trailing-12-month EBITDA margin is 205.8% higher than the 10.23% industry average. Additionally, its 28.60% trailing-12-month EBIT margin is 262.3% higher than the 7.89% industry average.
KO’s net operating revenues for the second quarter that ended June 30, 2023, rose 5.7% year-over-year to $11.97 billion. Its non-GAAP gross profit increased 6.6% year-over-year to $7.11 billion. The company’s non-GAAP operating income rose 9.1% year-over-year to $3.78 billion.
Also, KO’s non-GAAP net income increased 10.5% year-over-year to $3.39 billion. Its non-GAAP net income per share increased 11.4% from the prior-year quarter to $0.78.
Street expects KO’s EPS and revenue for the quarter ending September 30, 2023, to increase 1.1% and 3.1% year-over-year to $0.70 and $11.44 billion, respectively. It surpassed the consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Over the past six months, the stock declined 3.1% to close the last trading session at $57.98.
It’s no surprise that KO has an overall rating of B, which translates to a Buy in our proprietary POWR Ratings system. The POWR Ratings assess stocks by 118 different factors, each with its own weighting.
It has an A grade for Quality and a B for Stability and Sentiment. It is ranked #13 out of 35 stocks in the B-rated Beverages industry. In total, we rate KO on eight different levels. Beyond what we stated above, we also have given KO grades for Growth, Value, and Momentum. Get all the KO ratings here.
Stock to Watch:
Constellation Brands, Inc. (STZ)
STZ produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer, primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Premier, Corona Familiar, Modelo Especial, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.
In terms of the trailing-12-month EBIT margin, STZ’s 29.89% is 278.6% higher than the 7.89% industry average. Likewise, its 34.05% trailing-12-month EBITDA margin is 232.9% higher than the 10.23% industry average. However, its 0.38x trailing-12-month asset turnover ratio is 58.3% lower than the 0.91x industry average.
STZ’s net sales for the first quarter ended May 31, 2023, increased 6.4% year-over-year to $2.51 billion. Its gross profit rose marginally from the year-ago value to $1.26 billion. However, the company’s segment operating income narrowed 22.8% year-over-year to $49.9 million. Also, its net income for the period declined 186.9% year-over-year to $139.20 million.
For the quarter ended August 31, 2023, STZ’s EPS and revenue are expected to increase 6% and 6.3% year-over-year to $3.36 and $2.82 billion, respectively. Over the past six months, the stock has gained 23.3% to close the last trading session at $260.18.
STZ’s POWR Ratings reflect uncertainty. It has an overall rating of C, which translates to a Neutral in our proprietary rating system.
It has a B grade for Growth and Sentiment and a C for Momentum, Stability and Quality. It is ranked #19 in the same industry. To see STZ’s Value ratings, click here.
What To Do Next?
Discover 10 widely held stocks that our proprietary model shows have tremendous downside potential. Please make sure none of these “death trap” stocks are lurking in your portfolio:
KO shares were trading at $58.36 per share on Thursday morning, down $0.08 (-0.14%). Year-to-date, KO has declined -6.85%, versus a 18.28% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.
About the Author: Abhishek Bhuyan
Abhishek embarked on his professional journey as a financial journalist due to his keen interest in discerning the fundamental factors that influence the future performance of financial instruments.Which Beverage Stock Is Signaling to Buy: Constellation Brands (STZ) and Coca-Cola (KO) appeared first on StockNews.com


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Apple may postpone the release of iOS14's new privacy features that could deal a massive blow to the online advertising industry. The matter is very serious: Facebook has warned its investors to expect a sharp decline in revenues, and even goes so far as to fear the possibility of completely removing the Audience Network service from iOS, which brings Facebook ads to apps and mobile websites of third party developers.
Specifically, Apple will allow users to choose whether apps will be able to collect information about their web activities; many are expected to opt for "no", which could cause a drop in the effectiveness of targeted advertising campaigns. According to a recent report from Wall Street Journal, it's not just Facebook that is preparing for the worst: the estimate is that the price of ads on iOS could drop by as much as 40%. There are few optimistic voices, perhaps looking at the long term, but according to The Information Apple is following the debate and considering how to move.
It is important to point out that at the moment a decision has not been taken: but even if you opt for a postponement, a total cancellation is very unlikely, given that the public announcement has now been made. However, it is worth noting that Apple has a direct interest in maintaining the profitability of the ADV: it is precisely the advertising that allows free-to-play games to stay afloat, and these games then offer in-app purchases, from which Apple holds back, as we all know, 30% for itself. And mobile games are the main source of income for the various app stores.


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PARIS — Birkin bag maker Hermes HRMS.PA is not interested in getting involved in the fast-growing second hand luxury market which has attracted some its rivals, its chief Axel Dumas said on Friday.
Unlike Kering PRTP.PA, which has invested in reseller Vestiaire Collective and sells some of its labels on platforms for pre-owned wares, Hermes sees the second-hand market as a threat, saying it drives up prices and can fuel counterfeiting.
“It would be to the detriment of our regular client who comes to the store,” Dumas told analysts following strong first-half results when asked if he had engaged with any re-seller.
Luxury brands have traditionally been wary of second hand dealers, but rising interest in pre-owned fashion from younger, environmentally-conscious shoppers has prompted some labels to reconsider their position.
Hermes is renowned in the industry for its careful management of production and stocks, which have helped maintain its aura of exclusivity.
It has output caps so that demand for its high-end handbags always exceeds supply. Its coveted $10,000 plus Birkin model generates waiting lists and can sometimes cost more on the resale market than in Hermes stores.
The group does not sell its prized handbags online.
“Demand has always been higher than our offer, we’ve been confronted with this for years,” Dumas said, adding the group would not produce more if it meant compromising on quality.
The company has limited growth in its leather goods production 6% to 7% annually. It is currently building five new leather workshops in France due to come into use over the next five years.
“We produce with one thing in mind, quality, if we don’t manage to have this in terms of know-how or beauty of materials, I prefer not to produce,” even if this leads to bottlenecks, he said, adding that it takes 15 hours of labor to make a Birkin bag.
Larger rival LVMH has also said it does not intend to participate in the second hand market and has emphasized efforts to offer repair services for its products instead.
—editing by Silvia Aloisi and Elaine Hardcastle


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Mushrooms are growing in popularity and can add sales if consumers are given the right prompting. Originally printed in the August 2023 issue of Produce… Read More
Retailers can ride the ‘Shroom Boom’ toward higher mushroom profit. Originally printed in the January 2023 issue of Produce Business.
As the restaurant trade continues to bounce back, the industry has an opportunity to build off retail momentum to ensure that mushrooms remain a staple… Read More


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Samsung has released a new software update for their Samsung Galaxy Note 9 smartphone and the update includes Google’s monthly security patch for December 2018.
The update was previously released for the Samsung Galaxy S9+ and it comes with the firmware version N9600ZHU1ARL1, the update has been release in Hong Kong so far.
This latest update is for the galaxy Note 9 running Android 8.1 Oreo and not anyone who is testing out the new Android Pie beta on the handset.
The update has been released as an over the air update and you can check to see if it is available on your handset from the settings menu. The update has been released in Hong Kong and it is also expected to be released in more countries soon.
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Australia’s scientific approach to grape growing and winemaking means that you can be confident in what you’re buying when you drink Australian wines. And that’s helped Australian wine become the market leader in the UK and second behind Italy in the US market.
Now researchers at the Australian Wine Research Institute are tracking down the compounds that give wine its complexity. In 2007 they identified the compound responsible for the ‘black pepper’ aroma in Shiraz, and more recently they found the cause of the ‘minty eucalypt’ aroma of some Australian reds.
The next big challenge is to unravel the role of yeast. There are over one hundred different yeasts used in the industry but winemakers tend to stick with their trusted favourites.
“In 2008 we cracked the genetic code of a wine yeast,” says yeast geneticist Dr Paul Chambers. “Now we’re using that information to inform the development of new, improved wine yeast.”
“We’ve already developed new yeast strains that give very pronounced fruit characters in many different grape varieties. Our aim is to generate yeasts that will give winemakers new creative opportunities, and also yeasts that could help winemakers work with drought-stressed grapes,” says Paul.
The yeast studies are also contributing to blue sky research, as a pilot for the development of systems biology, through Bioplatforms Australia.
For more information: The Australian Wine Research Institute, Paul Chambers, Tel: +61 (8) 8303 6600, firstname.lastname@example.org, www.awri.com.au


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Google is gearing up to unveil its magnum opus, Gemini, which is poised to be a formidable competitor to GPT-4.
On September 14, sources familiar with the matter revealed that Google has provided an early version of Gemini to a select group of companies. This move suggests that Google is contemplating integrating it into consumer services. Additionally, the tech giant plans to offer Gemini to businesses through its cloud computing services, indicating that its official release is imminent.
These insiders also shared that Google intends to release various sizes of the Gemini model. This would allow developers to purchase a streamlined version for simpler tasks and a compact version suitable for personal devices.
In a strategic move to rival OpenAI and expedite Gemini's development, Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, took a pivotal step in April. He merged two teams with distinct cultures and coding practices: Google Brain and DeepMind. The newly formed team is now led by Demis Hassabis, the original founder of DeepMind.
Hassabis expressed great confidence in the combined team, emphasizing that it brings together two pivotal forces essential for recent AI advancements. Google co-founder Sergey Brin has also re-entered the AI arena, actively participating in Gemini's training.
Over the subsequent months, the veil of mystery surrounding Gemini has gradually lifted, revealing its capabilities and potential.
Gemini's Multimodal Capabilities
The next leap for language models might involve executing a broader range of tasks on computers. One of Gemini's standout features is its multimodal capabilities. Unlike ChatGPT, which is solely a text model, Gemini can understand and generate both text and code, as well as interpret and produce images.
Furthermore, a crucial step in developing a language model with capabilities akin to ChatGPT involves using human feedback to enhance its performance. DeepMind's extensive experience in reinforcement learning could endow Gemini with novel abilities.
At Google's Developer I/O conference in May, the company mentioned that from its inception, Gemini's goal was to be a multimodal, efficiently integrated tool and API. Google teased its audience, stating that even in its early stages, Gemini displayed multimodal capabilities that were impressively unprecedented.
Gemini Meets AlphaGo
DeepMind's CEO, Hassabis, revealed that the new Gemini model would incorporate elements from both AlphaGo and large language models like GPT-4. This integration is expected to significantly enhance the system's problem-solving and planning capabilities.
Some AI experts believe that the primary limitation of language models is their indirect learning through text. AlphaGo's strengths could address this limitation. In 2016, DeepMind's AI system, AlphaGo, made history by defeating world Go champion Lee Sedol with a score of 4-1.
AlphaGo, built on DeepMind's pioneering reinforcement learning technology, learned to tackle complex decision-making tasks by repeatedly attempting them and receiving feedback on its performance. Additionally, AlphaGo utilized the Monte Carlo tree search method to explore and remember potential moves on the Go board.
Versatility in Size and Function
Google highlighted that Gemini is currently undergoing training. Once fine-tuned, it will be available in "various sizes and functions," similar to PaLM 2. Google envisions deploying it across different products to benefit a broad user base.
Beyond its applications in enterprise services, Gemini holds immense potential in medical use cases. Google has been testing an AI tool named Med-PaLM 2, which could be enhanced by Gemini's capabilities. This model could be employed in medical chatbots or robotic technologies to assist surgeries and medical procedures.
Moreover, insights from Google's development of DeepMind's Gato, a "universal" system, and the recently launched RT-2, a robotic Transformer model, could be integrated into Gemini. The collaboration between Google Brain and DeepMind presents a significant challenge to OpenAI and other competitors in the AI domain.
Integrating Gemini Across Google Applications
In a September interview, Pichai shared insights about integrating Gemini into Google products. He mentioned that conversational AIs like Bard are "not the end state" but rather a stepping stone towards more advanced chatbots.
Pichai envisioned the final fusion of Gemini and Bard as an "astonishing universal personal assistant" that would seamlessly integrate into various aspects of daily life, including travel, work, and entertainment. He reiterated that Gemini, with its ability to combine text and images, would make current AI chatbots seem "insignificant" in a few years.
Compared to existing models, Gemini aims to enhance the code-generating capabilities of software developers. Google hopes to leverage it to surpass Microsoft's GitHub Copilot code assistant.
Google Cloud's Pursuit of Microsoft Cloud with TOB Sales
Google aims to leverage Gemini to attract more users to its products, especially its cloud computing business. The company plans to offer the Gemini model to businesses through its Vertex AI service on Google Cloud. By releasing versions with different parameters, Google indirectly promotes its cloud services.
In May, Google announced that it would offer a set of Palm 2's LLM to Google Cloud customers through Vertex AI. Recently, Google also provided customers with a one-month free trial of its large model through the coding platform startup, Replit.


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Aflasafe is a substance used to mitigate the effects of aflatoxin.
The seminar, which was held at Baobab Holiday Resort, was attended by business enterprise representatives, government officials, FAO officials and others. It targets 10 private input dealers and six extension agents who would be sensitised on the use of aflasafe in the management of aflatoxin.
The workshop aims to create awareness on the efficacy of aflasafe in aflatoxin mitigation and to encourage the involvement of the private input dealers in the importation of the product.
Upon completion, private agriculture input dealers are expected to have substantial knowledge in aflatoxin and the importance of aflasafe application. It is also expected that the importation of aflasafe products into the country would be well coordinated and maintained and availability and accessibility of aflasafe by farmers in the country is increased.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Faye Manneh, FAO, said: “The purpose of this workshop is to sensitise you on the problem of aflatoxin and its effects on the production, trade and economy of this country and also to encourage you indulge in the importation or commercialisation of the product in the country.”
He added that this problem of aflatoxin is a problem posing a serious catastrophe to our economy, and thus, needs to be addressed now.
Bai Secka of the Agribusiness Enterprise and
a senior official of the Plant Protection Services, urged the Gambian government and concerned authorities to assist in containing aflatoxin, asserting that the private sector has been doing more than enough to ensure its mitigation.
Groundnut is one of the most important oilseed crops in The Gambia agricultural trade. It is considered an important crop by virtue of its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and satisfying the protein needs of many households who cannot afford animal protein.
However, production and consumption of the crop are hampered, among others, by marketing and fungal pathogen (aspergillus flavus) infection, which subsequently contaminates groundnuts with aflatoxins.
This fungus can also infect other crops such as maize, millet, sorghum, rice and cashew nut, which are highly consumed in the country. Aflatoxins are associated with acute and chronic toxicities in humans and animals causing induction of tumor, liver damage, liver cirrhosis, and other health effects.
The problem of aflatoxin contamination in groundnuts has negatively affected The Gambia in terms of both international trade and health. Some hand-picked-selected groundnut kernels (HPS) exported in recent years were either rejected or reprocessed, thereby causing loss of revenue or high costs to the country.
In recent years, The IITA and NARI through their collaborative research, recommended use of aflasafe, with the capacity to reduce the population of toxin producing ones through competition. The result of the efficacy test of aflasafe conducted country wide on groundnut showed 85% reduction of aflatoxin contamination in groundnuts.
The workshop is funded through the FAO-European Union funded project titled “Agriculture for Growth.”


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Sony’s highly anticipated and robust a6700 is a welcome addition to the already superb a6000 line, but it’s also going to be missing a charger.
Oddly, as originally checked by the website Sony Alpha Rumors, and confirmed by Sony itself, the a6700 doesn’t include a wall charger or SUB-C cable when you order it.
While this isn’t a huge problem for new owners of the camera, it is weird considering its price and status. It also obviously means that you’ll need to buy your own new charging hardware or use your existing cables once you order one of these compact shooters.
We reached out to Sony to ask why they’d sell their brand new $1,400 a6000-line flagship camera without something so fundamental as a charger to loyal customers, but they haven’t deigned to respond yet.
The website PetaPixel also asked them the same question but they too failed to get a response.
It’s possible that this was just a broad factory-level mistake by Sony’s product packing area, but who knows?
Another possibility is that this is somehow part of Sony’s “Road to Zero” policy that the company has been applying since over a year ago. The idea behind this is to have zero environmental footprint within this decade.
Sony itself described this policy in the following way,
“As climate change risks become more apparent and serious worldwide, and the transition to a decarbonized society has become an urgent issue, Sony made the decision to accelerate its environmental impact reduction activities in the climate change area and to bring forward the target year of achieving a zero environmental footprint in this area by ten years,”
One part of the above goals is to reduce emissions within its supply chain via weight removal and promotion of energy-efficient products.
That sounds laudable, but while a digital camera that doesn’t even run is definitely more energy efficient, it’s also laughably self-defeating.
You’d think that if Sony is already pouring resources (and by definition emissions) into making and shipping millions of new cameras for consumers, an included charger for needed electricity would hardly be a wholly new compromise on green principles.
Charging units don’t weigh much, and certainly not compared to a fully packaged mirrorless camera, so if it’s also a shipping weight reduction issue, the lack of a charger remains absurd.
Whatever the case may be, it is definitely an odd omission from such a major brand on one of its newest, well-publicized products.
Aside from not answering any inquiries about why the company has foregone a charger and cable for its a6700 units, Sony also hasn’t mentioned anything about this in its promotional or PR materials for the camera’s launch.
That last detail more than anything makes me suspect that this was simply a product packaging mix-up, and they’re now letting people speculate on environmental motives while they scramble to fix it.
All of the above aside, the Sony a6700 is one hell of a new addition to the a6000 lineup of already-superb compact mirrorless cameras, and it starts shipping as of August 3.
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I have been publishing The Quarterly Briefing Report since 2009. This report is now one in my Premium Briefing Reports series – I issue one report at the end of each month. The report issued at the end of each quarter provides my views about the past quarter – and gives my forecasts for the next two quarters.
The past quarter
- The demand side of the foodservice sector kept up fairly well across most sectors in the last few months despite growing pressures on consumers and rapid inflation.
- Consumers were price-sensitive and thrifty, but they continued to spend.
- The Coffer CGA Business Tracker reports a distinct market slow down – LfL sales in the pub sector rose 2.4% year on year in March (versus 6.9% in February and 12.9% in January); restaurant LfL sales were 2.5% ahead (versus 1.9% in February and 10.3% in January).
- There were more deeply worrying signs on the supply side – amongst operators and their
- The Financial Times reported that ‘Food and beverage profits have been badly hit’.
- Inflation continued to be a significant issue for operators (and for consumers as well) and it maintained elevated levels – above 10% in March despite forecasts that it would start to fall during the period:
– The Opec+ oil cartel announced a surprise cut to oil production, immediately lifting the price of crude.
– Although wholesale gas prices are down 67%, and electricity grid prices are down 56%, home fuel and lighting costs are up 88% over the past year putting pressure on household budgets
You can read the full report here.


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World of Coffee Exhibition in Dubai
Get acquainted with the products of world-famous coffee producers at the international exhibition to be held this January in the UAE. At Coffee World, companies from thirty different countries will present their products. The participants of the event are:
owners of cafes, bars, and hotels;
sellers of coffee products.
Connoisseurs of quality coffee made using unique technology can also visit the World of Coffee Dubai 2023 between January 11-13. The event involves a tasting so customers can choose suitable products and conclude mutually beneficial partnerships.
The World of Coffee Dubai 2023 exhibition also provides presentations, and training seminars, where participants can learn about exclusive technologies for processing raw materials, roasting coffee beans, and making gourmet drinks.


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Before Microsoft’s hardware event on October 6th in NYC, we were already pretty familiar with the specs and design of the new Lumia flagship phones, the 950 and 950 XL, which are due to be released this November. Many had already commented on the uninspiring visual design, but until you’ve seen the devices in person and held them in your hands, it might be a little early to be judging.
A week has passed since the event and apart from some of the hands-on videos that appeared from journalists in attendance, much of the limelight was taken by the new Surface Book, which ought to make MacBook owners salivate. Although I might be in the market for a new notebook at some point in the next 18 months, considering the Surface tablet has never been on sale in my neck of the woods, I likely won’t see the Surface Book on the shelves anytime soon. But the Lumia 950 and 950 XL will definitely be available to purchase and quite possibly before most of North America gets its hands on these devices, similar to the much praised mid=range handset, the Lumia 640, which was released in spring 2015.
The dual-SIM 640 is my daily driver, and by and large, I’m happy with the device. However, there are a couple of reasons why I’d consider an upgrade on the release of the Lumia 950. The camera in the 640 is no more than adequate. 5MP isn’t a high enough resolution for quality long-distance shots, bearing in mind that there’s no optical zoom. Secondly, the camera often produces overexposed pictures in bright sunlight. And as a final camera moan, the lack of dedicated button makes taking photos quickly impossible.
But probably the biggest frustration with the 640 is the touchscreen, which is much less sensitive than the Nokia 520 it replaced. Just getting past the lock screen often takes a couple of attempts at entering the PIN, making the Windows Hello compatible iris scanner on the Lumia 950 an appealing proposition, as there’s nothing worse than constantly having to unlock your phone when trying to follow directions, or replying to messages on the go.
I’m also in need of a new camera, so I might just be able to justify the cost of the Lumia 950 because of the excellent camera included. While there’s no optical zoom, still a significant disadvantage of most smartphones, there are plenty of other reasons to purchase the Lumia 950, such as the 5.2 inch 2560 x 1440 AMOLED ClearBlack display, 3GB RAM, Snapdragon Hexa-core 1.8 GHz CPU and Continuum support.
But many are already claiming the Lumia 950 is dead on arrival, assumedly due to the lack of momentum in general for Windows Phone. Clearly Microsoft has no plans to pull out of the smartphone market, and pronouncing the death of Windows Mobile before its even out of the starting gate is perhaps premature.
Nevertheless, at the time of writing the latest Windows Mobile preview build seems far from a condition in which it could feasibly be released on a flagship device, and it’s unclear whether Windows Hello will be available for use on the Lumia 950s when released or only available as a beta if you’re brave enough to run the latest Windows Insider build on your new device.
As I’ve mentioned before, the availability of high quality apps from the big players, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, will prove key to the success of Windows Mobile in the long run. And on that note, it’s worth remembering that Microsoft announced the availability of Universal apps from most of those vendors, with notable exceptions for the time being Snapchat and Google. You can read more about that announcement on the Petri IT Knowledgebase and why the availability of high quality apps for Windows 10 will take some time: Vendors in No Hurry to Develop Universal Apps.
Despite some of the doom and gloom circulating on the Internet about the forthcoming Lumia flagships, I see no reason to hold off purchasing if you’re in the market for a new phone and are happy to shell out $549 for the 950 or $649 for the XL. Windows Mobile will be around at least for the next couple of years, long enough to warrant purchasing a new phone now, and hopefully the success of Windows 10 on the desktop will provide much needed momentum for Windows Mobile, even if market share never reaches the giddy heights of Android.


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It’s Time to Bring It On Home
/PRNewswire/ — It’s never been easier to bring home the bold and smoky flavor of authentic pit-smoked Texas barbeque from the barbeque experts at Sadler’s Smokehouse. The team from Henderson, Texas, is introducing its ready-to-eat Sadler’s Smokehouse® beef brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken and St. Louis Ribs at select retailers this summer. The new line of Sadler’s Smokehouse® products is pit-smoked low and slow, using butcher-quality cuts of meat, no artificial ingredients, Texas hardwoods and 65 years of family barbeque tradition.
“First and foremost, these products come already prepared in the tradition of real Texas barbeque, giving home barbeque enthusiasts and cooks the freedom to enjoy more time together while experiencing the taste of authentic pit-smoked barbeque,” said Justin Robinson, vice president of marketing at Sadler’s Smokehouse. “Our pit masters are experts in barbeque, monitoring our pits to achieve a premium-quality product. They take the work out of strenuousness barbeque planning without sacrificing quality and taste.”
Sadler’s Smokehouse has well-earned credibility where barbeque is concerned. As early as 1948, folks drove for miles to Henderson, Texas, where the first Sadler’s Smokehouse location offered a taste of authentic, premium pit-smoked meats. These days, a 40-acre business site houses the company’s headquarters, a state-of-the-art facility of more than 300,000 square feet.
“We are thrilled to offer Sadler’s Smokehouse® ready-to-eat products to consumers longing for authentic pit-smoked barbeque without the mess and hassle,” said Eric Jacobson, brand manager at Hormel Foods. “Our delicious beef brisket alone is pit-smoked for 16-18 hours over slow-smoldering wood coals, the same method of cooking Sadler’s has been using for more than 65 years.”
The product retails at $9.99 for pulled pork and pulled chicken, $9.99 per pound for St. Louis ribs and $15.99 per pound for beef brisket. Consumers will find them beginning in May at Albertsons, Shaws, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Hy-Vee and Kroger, in select markets.
ABOUT HORMEL FOODS — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Wholly®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three straight years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for the 12th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.
ABOUT SADLER’S SMOKEHOUSE
For over 65 years, Sadler’s Smokehouse has been committed to providing premium, pit-smoked meats. Its mission is to continue to offer the finest quality products while maintaining integrity to its tradition and heritage. The company is located in Henderson, Texas.


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This week's top dish from Eater DC, Curbed's restaurant, bar, and nightlife blog...
CAPITOL HILL—Chef Aaron Silverman of Rose's Luxury talks to Eater DC about his big plans for the future, including a farm, a greenhouse rooftop, possible new restaurants and more.
THE CRITICS—Tom Sietsema's Fall 2014 Dining Guide is out and the Washington Post critic names Rasika Penn Quarter as tops, saying that this is "the restaurant I could eat in everyday." Click to see all 10 restaurants named in the guide, and click here for the restaurants that didn't make it.
ARLINGTON—Neighborhood Restaurant Group's Tallula and sister bar EatBar will close on Sunday, Oct. 26, but chef Rob Rubba plans to open a new restaurant.
MERRIFIELD—Where to eat right now in Fairfax County's hottest neighborhood.
SPRINGFIELD—Springfield Town Center is opening its doors Oct. 17, and Maggiano's Little Italy will be ready in time for the grand opening. Additions like &pizza and Nando's will come later.
PENN QUARTER—Stay on top of all the DBGB Kitchen + Bar's news, from critics and diners' early buzz to the brand-new brunch menu.
BALTIMORE—A look at the time-honored and fading tradition of Baltimore's arabbers, who sell fruit and goods from horse-drawn carts.
OBAMAWIRE—President Obama calls chef José Andrés "the quintessential American success story."
SALADWIRE—This week, Sweetgreen launched a new seasonal fall menu to all East Coast restaurant.
PENN QUARTER—The CEO and founder of global Thai restaurant chain Mango Tree talks about why he chose D.C. for his first restaurant in the U.S., which will open this winter at CityCenterDC.
PETWORTH—Food incubator/pop-up space EatsPlace opened this week with biscuits from Mason Dixie Biscuit Company and soul food from DC Born & Raised.


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Walmart is relying on robots to keep up with a surge in online orders in New York. In a statement on Wednesday, the company said it plans to build warehouses at its stores where self-driving robots will fetch groceries and have them ready for pickup within an hour or less.
Is Walmart Replacing Employees With Robots?
In Walmart’s stores, shelf-scanning machines provided by robotics company are no longer being used. As part of its plan to replace the machines with human workers, the retailer will end its contract with Bossa Nova Robotics. Walmart says that the company provided robots to more than 500 stores when the contract ended.
Is Walmart Going Automated?
Walmart plans to implement warehouse automation from Symbotic at regional distribution centers (RDCs) following a multiyear pilot program.
Who Is Walmart Buying Robots From?
In a partnership with Massachusetts-based automation company Symbotic, the retailer announced its latest robotics initiative today. Walmart and Amazon announced today that they will extend their relationship to bring robotics to 25 distribution centers throughout the country.
Why Is There A Robot In Walmart?
A total of 50 Walmart locations have been equipped with robots provided by Bossa Nova Robotics since 2017. Using machine vision, the company said the mobile robots would help simplify routine tasks in stores, such as scanning shelves and identifying what products needed to be restocked.
What Is The Weird Robot At Walmart?
Nighttime is the time when auto-crobots are hired to clean the floors. A Walmart Neighborhood Market is located in Levittown, N.Y. In addition to 100 servers, 10 cooling towers, 400 graphics cards, and 150,000 feet of cables, the store is equipped with a complicated artificial-intelligence system designed to assess its performance in real time.
What Is The Robot In Walmart Doing?
All items are scanned on shelves to ensure they are in stock and prices are accurate by the machines. In order to compete with online retailers like Amazon and Alibaba, brick-and-mortar stores need them. Walmart has been using the robots since 2017 as it moves toward more automation in its stores.
Did Walmart Stop Using Robots?
The page should be refreshed. As a result, Walmart has terminated its contract with Bossa Nova Robotics, which provided robots that scanned shelves for inventory. According to the Wall Street Journal, Walmart will stop using 500 inventory-scanning robots in its stores.
Which Company Has Replaced 500 Robots With Humans?
Walmart Replaces Robots With Humans.
Is Walmart Going Fully Automated?
Walmart is changing things, and specifically, by the end of 2021. According to Walmart, they will be able to self-check out and/or scan and go by then.
What Is The Machine Going Around Walmart?
A shelf-scanning robot called Auto-S has also been used in Walmart stores for an experiment. In order to ensure accurate prices and product labels, the bot travels around aisles and identifies which items are low or out of stock.
Why Did Walmart Get Rid Of The Robots?
Walmart has decided not to use robots to keep track of its inventory after all. In a statement, the world’s largest supermarket chain said it had terminated its partnership with Bossa Nova Robotics, which makes the roving robots. All items are scanned on shelves to ensure they are in stock and prices are accurate by the machines.
What Are Walmart Stock Robots Called?
According to Walmart, the Bossa Nova robots will be available in about 1,000 of its 4,700 stores in the U.S. stores. In the past two years, the retailer has announced plans to increase automation in stores, describing the machines as robot “sidekicks” for store workers similar to those in “Star Wars” movies like R2-D2.
Does Walmart Have Robots?
As a result, Walmart has terminated its contract with Bossa Nova Robotics, which provided robots that scanned shelves for inventory. According to the Wall Street Journal, Walmart will stop using 500 inventory-scanning robots in its stores.


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New ENES store by Gert Voorjans
Enes, the popular Antwerp-based fashion store, is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a brand-new shopping paradise on the Volkstraat in Antwerp. In August, Muriel Van Nieuwenhove, the ‘founding mother’ of Enes, opened an impressive two-floor lifestyle store complete with a bar and patio, a bathroom, a Cubex kitchen and three unique guest rooms in a majestic old townhouse. Interior architect Gert Voorjans created an eclectic shopping experience against the exceptional backdrop of this private, grand historical townhouse.
View the full press release here


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Honda Builds Toward A Greener Future with Insight Prototype Announcement
Show season is a time of year when automakers from all over the world come together to showcase not only current, new and upcoming models, but also a variety of vehicle appliances. This year, Honda has decided to start the season off on a high note with exciting news. With the annual slate of auto shows set to begin in January, the automotive manufacturer recently teased the 2019 Honda Insight Hybrid. Honda has announced that the new prototype will officially be unveiled at the 2018 North American International in Detroit on January 15, 2018, with an expected release date of next summer.
As one of the newest electrified vehicles in their lineup, the new five-seater sedan is expected to be powered by Honda’s two-motor hybrid system. Introduced in 1999, the original Insight was the first hybrid vehicle introduced in North America, according to CarandBike.com. This early model featured an aerodynamic and lightweight aluminum frame that helped it reduce overall weight and improve fuel efficiency. As the years passed, the Insight became one of the most affordable hybrids on the market.
Henio Arcangeli, senior vice president of automobile sales and general manager of the Honda Division, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., claims the new vehicle will also feature a more sophisticated styling, a dynamic stance, ample interior space and a best-in-class performance. This attention to detail is seen as a direct response to the customers’ appetite for new stylings, packaging and premium features.
Honda plans on manufacturing the new Insight at its Greensburg, Indiana plant. This would place it in production alongside the popular CR-V and Civic models. The Insight will join Honda’s award-winning stable of hybrid models, including the Clarity series (Clarity Fuel Cell, Clarity Electric and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid) and the new 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid.
To stay up-to-date on the Honda Insight Hybrid, we encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
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Nvidia is the tech giant synonymous with the gaming industry. Renowned for its graphics processing units (GPUs), Nvidia is now making forays into the AI industry, although technically, Nvidia has been in the AI and deep learning game for more than a decade.
Nvidia is showing no signs of slowing down – from powering AlexNet, a pioneering computer vision neural network that powers image recognition models with stunning accuracy, Nvidia is definitely at the heart of future AI revolutions.
Let’s dissect Nvidia’s rise to the top of the AI food chain and what the future holds for the company according to CEO, Jensen Huang.
Gaming and Beyond
Nvidia is celebrated mostly for its gaming cores, but it’s not limited to this niche. Gaming has been the catalyst for many innovations, particularly in physics simulation and artificial intelligence. Nvidia GPUs were created in 1999 to support 3D gaming – however, these GPUs began finding their way into computing applications specifically those running machine learning models.
Gaming and other industries have been completely transformed by the company’s transition from traditional GPU technology to ray tracing and generative AI. Visual experiences have been redefined by the level of detail made possible by using AI and modeling light pathways.
The democratization of AI is a popular topic for computer science essays and research papers. If you’ve been thinking “I need someone to write my essay on democratizing AI with practical examples” the case of Nvidia perfectly fits the bill.
Nvidia’s AI journey is remarkable in part because of its dedication to democratization. Jensen Huang claims that anyone can now use AI, regardless of location, and that it is no longer just a tool for a small number of people.
It used to cost billions of dollars to build an AI supercomputer or foundation model. But because of Nvidia’s creativity, this cost has been drastically lowered. It is now possible to reduce a $1 billion CPU-running data center to a $100 million data center. This not only lowers the cost of AI but also makes it accessible to a wider range of industries worldwide.
Huang highlights that a wide range of applications have been made possible by AI technology’s affordability. The possibilities are endless, ranging from scientific research to finance, and from protein foundation models to robotics. You can use AI to improve your work whether you work for a large corporation or a start-up.
Bridging the Technology Divide
Nvidia’s AI contributions are notable for their capacity to close the gap in technology. Computer programming used to be difficult and required knowledge of complicated languages like Python, C++, or Fortran. Many found these languages to be obstacles, which limited their access to technology.
However, the development of AI has made this process easier. These days, almost anyone can use plain language to program a computer. Due to this change, computing has become more accessible, and powerful technology is now available to everyone. According to Jensen Huang, “This is the first time we’ve created something that made our technology accessible to everyone.”
Transformative Breakthroughs in Nvidia’s AI Journey
Pioneering advancements in numerous fields have been made possible by NVIDIA’s AI solutions. Their contributions have had a lasting impact on the field of technology, ranging from the prevention of disease to the creation of human-level code, dialog, and images. Users can now deploy and customize pre-trained foundation models thanks to generative AI, opening up previously unthinkable levels of creativity and productivity.
Let’s see how Nvidia is leading the AI charge through its solutions, based on the image summary above:
AI Training in the Cloud
Nvidia’s AI training services enable training of Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI in the cloud. This accelerates the training process and enhances the scalability of models.
Data Analytics at Lightning Speeds
NVIDIA’s AI solutions have revolutionized data analytics. Businesses can streamline their processes and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). With the ability to speed up data analysis, organizations can make faster, data-driven decisions while gaining a competitive edge.
Breakthrough Inference Performance
Real-time conversational AI pipelines are another area in which NVIDIA AI excels. Businesses can create effective, optimized AI pipelines to counter potential cybersecurity threats by utilizing their Inference technology. This advancement guarantees that AI is a potent defensive tool in addition to a proactive one.
NVIDIA AI Platform
NVIDIA’s AI platform is highly advanced, integrating full-stack innovation in computing, software, and AI models and services. This platform is designed to cater to the unique needs of every enterprise, ensuring they can deploy/harness AI across all their operations.
Businesses can get instant access to their own supercomputer with NVIDIA DGXTM Cloud, an all-in-one AI training service that is available on top cloud platforms. This makes it possible to do large-scale multi-node training directly from a web browser. For businesses looking to implement AI, the supercomputer’s scalability and ease of use are revolutionary.
AI Platform Software
NVIDIA’s AI Platform Software, known as NVIDIA AI Enterprise, is a powerful software layer that accelerates the data science pipeline. Thus, it streamlines the development and deployment of production AI. AI-driven workflows are made more efficient.
AI Models and Services
Businesses can operate and customize biology-based generative AI models, text, and visual media with NVIDIA AI Foundations’ cloud services. These services serve as a doorway to releasing AI’s unrealized potential and are customized to each enterprise’s unique needs.
The Next Frontier
According to Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s next frontier lies in the intersection of AI and the real world. While digital AI has dominated the field thus far, applications of AI in the physical world are where the future is.
Nvidia’s new software, Omniverse, links the digital and physical worlds, from robotic surgery to transportation. With more than 700 users investigating Omniverse across multiple industries already, it has the potential to completely change how AI interacts with the real world and blur the line between the digital and the physical.
Nvidia has come a long way from just a chip maker focused on the gaming industry. The company has entered the highly competitive AI market dominated by behemoths such as Google and Microsoft and is leaving an indelible mark.
Nvidia is championing the next age of AI-powered technologies, spanning multiple industries and use cases. With its solutions cutting across cloud, data science, and even an AI supercomputer platform, it is impossible to write Nvidia off as a genuine and committed leader in the AI rice.


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Bitcoin is at a 'do-or-die' moment and could surge if it can hold above $40,000, analysts say
Bitcoincould surge if it can hold on to its recent gains and consolidate above $40,000, analysts said. Krakenanalysts said the token is facing a "do-or-die" moment and could hit a new all-time high.
- Yet there are many risks on the horizon, particularly the threat of regulation around the world.
Bitcoin is facing a "do-or-die" moment and could move sharply higher if it can hold on to the stellar weekly gains that have taken it to roughly $40,000,
The world's biggest cryptocurrency has risen around 17% this week so far to $40,403 on Thursday, according to Bloomberg data, after positive comments from Elon Musk and rumours that Amazon could accept crypto payments.
Analysts at the Kraken crypto exchange said the past week had been "explosive" and that "a market-wide shift in sentiment seems to have converted some bears into bulls."
But they said bitcoin will need to consolidate above the key psychological level of $40,000 for investors to feel confident buying more of the token and pushing the price higher.
"Right now, it's do-or-die for the bulls," they said in a note. "Given BTC's struggles at cracking $40,000 to $42,000 resistance in the past, the bulls will, however, need to turn $40,000 to support should they look to breakout of what has been several months of rangebound trading between $30,000 to $42,000."
The analysts added: "The odds of BTC scoring a new all-time high before year-end have improved."
Alexandra Clark, sales trader at digital asset broker GlobalBlock, said: "With this rebound, over $1 billion worth of short crypto positions have been liquidated and bitcoin's dominance inches closer to 50%."
Bitcoin accounted for around 48% of the total crypto market on Thursday, according to CoinMarketCap. JPMorgan crypto expert Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou has said bitcoin's dominance rising above 50% would signal that its momentum is building again.
Analysts have said that another bullish signal is the fact that the amount of bitcoin on exchanges fell sharply on Wednesday, suggesting big buyers are moving crypto into storage.
Yet there are major risks to the outlook for bitcoin. A key one is the threat of tougher regulations.
Senator Elizabeth Warren has this week been pushing for tougher rules to protect consumers in the wildly volatile market.
She wrote to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to say the US's Financial Stability Oversight Council must "act quickly to use its statutory authority to address cryptocurrencies' risks and regulate the market to ensure the safety and stability of consumers and our financial system."
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Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced VAT cuts worth £4.5 billion as a lifeline for the struggling tourism and hospitality sector.
In his summer statement to MPs he also announced that VAT will be slashed from 20 per cent to 5 per cent until January.
Sunak announced the measures in a bid to get two of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic, saying he wanted to see pubs, restaurants, cafes and B&Bs “bustling again.”
The cuts will apply to food, attractions and accommodation for the next six months.
Other measures announced include a £2 billion youth job creation scheme, with the government paying young people’s wages in new job placements for six months. The government will also offer businesses a £1,000 bonus to give work experience placements.
There will be a doubling of the number of work coaches at Job Centres across and a cut in stamp duty to stimulate house sales, temporarily raising the threshold from £125,000 to £500,000 until March 31, 2021.
A £2bn temporary job creation scheme for the under 25s, funding six-month job placements for an estimated 350,000. The package will include the government covering 100 per cent of the national minimum wage for each young employee, for 25 hours a week. Employers will also be able to provide wage top-ups.
Companies could also pocket a £1,000 bonus if they bring a furloughed worker back and keep them employed until January. Mr Sunak called the scheme a “jobs retention bonus”.
Business recovery now rests on having engaged and motivated employees. This, in turn, will help improve the lives of everyone
Colin Fitzgerald, Distribution Director at Legal & General welcomed the job creation initiatives. He said: “Business recovery now rests on having engaged and motivated employees. This, in turn, will help improve the lives of everyone in the UK: creating real jobs and a better infrastructure to help overcome the current economic catastrophe and come out the other side a more responsible and sustainable society.
“Structured training programmes will go a long way towards attracting the right candidates to the right job in the right company, and will no doubt prove particularly attractive to more cash-strapped SMEs.
“But it’s also important to remember that training and development should form part of a wider employee wellbeing programme: a programme built upon a clearly articulated purpose; with reward and benefits programme at its heart; designed and communicated in line with employee needs; and hardwired to business goals. The pandemic hasn’t changed any of this. What it has done – especially during lockdown – is made leaders realise the crucial importance of employee wellbeing to productivity and profitability.
“Employees now entering the workforce for the first time place a premium on how companies care for them. How employers respond to wellbeing issues like stress, burnout and uncertainty will be a hallmark of their attitude towards responsibility and sustainability. Yet while 61% of people trust their employer to look after their wellbeing, only 29% of HR leadership have a health and wellbeing strategy in place.1
businesses are in desperate need of a clear action plan. It is vital we see the hospitality industry back up and running
“There’s a common misconception that that wellbeing programmes are too costly, especially for SMEs. But they’re only too costly where benefits are ill thought through and not communicated well.”
Commenting on the VAT reduction measures, Russell Nathan, senior partner at accountancy firm HW Fisher said: “Our restaurants, pubs, shops and hotels are struggling. This is a timely announcement from Government as businesses are in desperate need of a clear action plan. It is vital we see the hospitality industry back up and running, and these measures announced today will provide an essential lifeline for many UK businesses.
“A temporary reduction in the VAT rate and income tax for lower earners will boost consumer demand and raise consumption, but many businesses will fear the measures announced today aren’t enough. To have a lasting impact and bring back confidence, VAT should be reduced for the hospitality sector for a minimum of two years – January isn’t enough time to create long term certainty.”
Adam Prince, VP Product Management & Compliance, Sage, welcomed the VAT reduction, saying: “This move is sure to stimulate spending, which will assist much needed growth in the UK economy.”
Any change in the economy provides opportunity in the property market as there is movement
He added: “All businesses should work with their advisers and accountants to understand the changes needed, while ensuring that during this transition, business keep a close eye on their cashflow and adapt forecasts accordingly given the increased risk for incorrect VAT amounts to be accidently invoiced and paid.”
Sarah Gardener, Partner at Shaw Gibbs praised the rise in the Stamp Duty threshold, saying: “The reprieve for this tax on a large proportion of housing-stock in the UK will help keep the housing market moving and will bolster the confidence of those that are concerned about the impact that Coronavirus will continue to have on their financial wellbeing.
“Any change in the economy provides opportunity in the property market as there is movement. Despite the huge shock the sector has suffered as a result of the suspension of trading during lockdown, these early weeks indicate that the residential property market is making a steady recovery. There is a quiet optimism amongst those in the profession and this announcement should only help to sustain the recovery further.”
Chirag Shah, CEO, Nucleus Commercial Finance, said of the VAT reduction: “The Government has a vital role to play in supporting SMEs across the country, and so it’s great to see the Chancellor build on the support packages already in place to help Britain’s businesses through the global pandemic.
“The hospitality and tourism sectors are crucial in providing jobs to millions of workers and contributing to national GDP. Today’s announcement of a VAT cut for these sectors will be welcome news to business owners, allowing them to reopen and providing them with much needed clarity and funding to navigate these uncertain waters.”
it is questionable whether £1,000 bonus is strong enough to act as a corporate motivator to keep staff
Alison Horner, indirect tax partner at MHA MacIntyre Hudson, says businesses need to prepare carefully as quick VAT cuts can cause an administrative tangle: “The emergency VAT cut is great news for travel and tourism but sudden VAT cuts always raise substantial administrative issues.
“Businesses must get on top of their preparation. In this case any premise serving alcohol will have to re-programme its tills to deal with three different VAT rates: one for alcohol at 20%, one for cold take-away food at 0% and 5% for everything else.
“In the past lack of preparation led to disaster. For example, the UK experimented with a VAT cut in response to the 2008 financial crisis which caused chaos for retailers. Some supermarkets were assured by HMRC that altering their prices would take only a few hours, but instead, they spent over a week in a crisis mode.”
Paul Falvey, tax partner at accountancy and business advisory firm BDO said: “The Kickstart placement scheme is an interesting way to rethink entry-level roles by subsidising work placements for those who are 16-24 in a very challenging jobs market. This new tack closely aligns to our recent survey, which showed that 72 per cent of respondents agreed that boosting businesses and jobs should be Mr Sunak’s spending priority.
“What will be particularly welcome is how focused Mr Sunak’s policies are – namely targeting individuals and business sectors most impacted by Covid-19. The “three phase” approach suggests that a full rethink is underway in order to help the UK emerge in a post-Covid landscape.”
Simon Michaels, CEO OF HW Fisher Business Solutions said: “The economic pain by businesses across the UK is being felt now and it is questionable whether £1,000 bonus is strong enough to act as a corporate motivator to keep staff.
“The contributions to be made by employers to furloughed staff will continue to increase over the coming months and therefore, cost conscious owner/managers are unlikely to be driven by a £1,000 incentive which is a lifetime away in this current economic climate. Even with this bonus, business owners will need to ensure their costs are controlled in the short-term and retaining ‘surplus’ staff for a retention bonus down the road will still be more costly.”
Andrew Harding, Chief Executive — Management Accounting, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, said: “Measures such as additional funding for traineeships, money to fund apprenticeships and support for young job seekers via the Kickstart scheme will be essential to aid short-term recovery.
“However, this statement does not go far enough to tackle the long-term challenges faced by the UK economy, which this crisis has only exacerbated (e.g. low productivity, high dependency on low-skill service sector jobs, regional imbalance, and weak social mobility).
“We have missed our first opportunity to help our economy back on a sustainable, sound footing. For example, the VAT cut on food, accommodation and attractions will only encourage relatively limited business and consumer spending in the immediate term.
“The Government needs a strategy to go further than it is has today and lay the groundwork to drive the long-term economic recovery it promised. This should include giving businesses and investors certainty on the tax and regulatory frameworks over the next two years to support inward investments, directing skills training towards jobs and sectors with real-wage growth potential, and designing appropriate measures to support SMEs and new startups.
“Let’s hope the Chancellor doesn’t wait too long to address these challenges or we risk missing the boat to long-term economic recovery.”


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What really works to prevent tick bites?
New, safer options to keep mosquitoes and ticks at bay
From Consumer Reports, May 13, 2015
Would you rather be eaten alive by mosquitoes and ticks that can carry debilitating—and even deadly—diseases or douse yourself in harmful repellents full of potentially dangerous chemicals? Almost three-quarters of Americans say they worry more about insect-carried diseases, such as West Nile and Lyme as well as newer threats like chikungunya and Powassan, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey of 2,011 U.S. adults.
Here’s the real dilemma, though: Most people also say that safety is key when they choose a repellent, but only about a third think the products now on the market are safe for adults. Even fewer—23 percent—think the repellents are safe for kids.


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LeBron James zooms in at number four in the top ten highest-paid athletes in the world, along with two other NBA players, as they continue to reap the benefits of deals with Nike and its genocidal partners in Red China.
James hit number four on the Forbes magazine’s top-paid athletes list this year with on-field earnings of $44.5 million and an even bigger $75 million in off-the-court business deals. He is also the first athlete in history to become a certified billionaire, the magazine reminds readers. James earns far more from his various business ventures and endorsement deals and reportedly makes upwards of $30 million annually from Chinese partners Nike.
The top three athletes on the highest-paid list are European soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, number one with combined earnings of $136 million, Lionel Messi with $130 million, and Kylian Mbappé with $120 million.
As to the other NBA players on the list, Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry raked in about $100 million and earned eighth place on the list. Curry is not working with Nike, granted, but his deal with Under Armour still marks him as dealing with a company that has ties to China.
The third NBA player in the top ten is the Suns’ Kevin Durant, who comes in at number ten on the list with his combined on-court and off-court earnings of about $90 million. In addition, Durant was recently awarded with a lifetime contract by Nike.
The other athletes on the list include boxer Canelo Alvarez (#5, $110 million), golfer Dustin Johnson (#6, $107 million), golfer Phil Mickelson (#7, 4106 million), and tennis player Roger Federer (#9, $95.1 million).
The only female athlete to make a mark on the list was Serena Williams, who came in as no 49 in the top 50 highest-paid athletes with a total earning of $45.3 million. Williams also benefits from millions with China-linked Nike.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston
Read the full article here
Discussion about this post


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Digiday is at SXSW. We’ll profile startups that solve real problems for brands, agencies and publishers; report the scuttlebutt outside the convention hall; and shoot video interviews with digital media leaders. Our coverage is made possible through the sponsorship of Vitrue, the social media management platform.
Ford’s made social media an important part of its marketing strategy. Global director of social media Scott Monty discusses how the carmaker works with startups, what brands can learn from startups and what startups don’t get about big brands like Ford.
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Ad position: web_bfu


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In tracking the digital transformation of the world’s biggest and most influential economies, we find that one thing leads to another, one could say, and that’s how the connected economy propagates itself, making steady (if sometimes slow) progress in the world’s digital evolution.
The latest study in the ConnectedEconomy™ series, How The World Does Digital: The Impact Of Payments On Digital Transformation noted that overall engagement across connected activities rose 1.2% in the second quarter — a small but significant step toward full digital potential.
We see it in findings that consumers who increased their use of digital tools to book travel or communicate digitally also engaged more with online retail, restaurant and grocery activities, for example, showing knock-on effects that start happening when digital is the doorway.
There was ample evidence of this kind of activity in Q2, from the uptick in mobile wallet use to the increase in the use of travel apps and websites in that timeframe.
While overall engagement across all 11 economies rose 1.2% — which doesn’t sound big — it’s the scale of it is substantial and revealing as you drill into areas where gains are pronounced.
Looking at how engaging in digital travel booking triggers a cascade effect, for example, we observed a 16% rise “in the digital transformation of consumers across all 11 countries in booking airfare and accommodations online, including the use of home sharing platforms such as Airbnb and Homestay, in Q2.”
The act of booking travel via digital means lights up important adjacencies, demonstrating the punch that transformation packs. For example, digital bookers “use a variety of local transportation and mobility apps, where we noted a 15% increase in the use of apps to book and pay for train, bus and taxi rides and a 12% increase in the use of apps to book micro mobility rides.”
These effects are vividly displayed when comparing the performance of economies in different geographies. On the upside, there’s Brazil — a kind of poster nation for digital transformation whose smartphone-centric population is an ideal case study for how one digital activity tends to activate others, lessening friction and improving experiences as it goes.
For example, the study stated that “when travelers, foreign and domestic, booked their travel for [Rio’s annual] Carnival they also increased their use of digital methods to make purchases online, for which we observed a 14% increase in digital engagement.”
“Online ordering at restaurants increased 11% over that same period, as did the use of digital methods to connect to social media channels and content platforms for information essential to planning their experiences (6.3%) while there,” the study added.
That’s how the connected economy works, as the study noted “the lesson from the period is that digital behavior is a rising tide that lifts all boats, with the extent of these interconnections growing stronger as the digital infrastructure extends to more activities.”
But digital transformation of an economy depends on the participation and engagement of most or all consumers in those markets to reach its full potential.
Along with success stories like Brazil we also see some stagnation among the 11 nations tracked by the CE Index. Japan’s transformation fell back 11% from quarter to quarter and Italy’s lost 5.2% of its digital ground.
Per the study, “the digital transformations of countries like the U.K., Australia, the Netherlands and Germany remained largely stagnant between Q1 and Q2, by comparison. The CE Index scores of all these countries varied less than 1% quarter over quarter. This goes to show that getting more consumers online is only half the journey to realizing the full digital potential of the global economy. The second leg of that journey is about convincing these casual browsers to transact.”
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.


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A&W Features Its Employees in 'Anti-Celebrity' Meals With Store Signage, T-shirts and More
Are you getting Fast Food Celebrity Meal Fatigue?
Since McDonald's started giving musical artists their own branded meals and merchandise, it seems like every fast food restaurant has gotten in on the act. McDonald's has rolled out campaigns with everyone from BTS to Mariah Carey, while Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons have all done their own variations.
A&W, however, is bucking the trend by introducing the "anti-celebrity meal" campaign.
Instead of big stars, the brand is shining the spotlight instead on its own employees, showing that it values its own workers rather than celebrity endorsers. According to Business Insider, this is part of A&W's plan to attract talent in what has become an especially tough labor market for the service industry.
A&W is flipping the script on star-studded celebrity meals this week, launching its own version of the celebrity meal—this time shining the spotlight on its real-world workforce. https://t.co/o5QSNc4FjR pic.twitter.com/mOQSao5CEi
— Adweek (@Adweek) December 1, 2021
A&W recreated celebrity promo shots from other restaurants with real-life employees, and showcased special T-shirts and packaging for items like "The Hannah Meal."
— MediaPost (@MediaPost) December 7, 2021
— Marketing Dive (@marketingdive) December 2, 2021
In all 625 A&W locations, normal branding materials like signage, T-shirts and other pieces will be replaced with "anti-celebrity meal" products, according to The Takeout.
A&W has used branded apparel as a key component of its marketing before, with an ultra-expensive apparel drop back in October that included a $715 pair of boots. So far, it's unclear if the employee meal shirts or other merchandise will be available for purchase or if they're for employees only.
But, for A&W, this is about the bigger picture. If the company is struggling with employee retention, it needs to revamp its image as a place that cares about its employees and is a good place to work. It's interesting that it's using printed and promotional products as part of that effort.
From a business perspective, too, it's good for A&W to differentiate itself from the competition, especially at a time where there are so many brands pretty much playing the hits with e-commerce drops and celebrity endorsements (no matter how successful they are on the resale sites).


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If you ask a farmer in the flying zones about the struggles they continue to face, you will hear similar stories of people carrying loads of coffee bags and walking days to the nearest airstrip to fly them out.
A coffee cooperative group in Middle Ramu of Madang Province is one such group who has received assistance of K50, 000 under the Government’s Coffee Price Support program. Anan Coffee Cooperative is among 16 other coffee groups who have received this support. The assistance will enable them to purchase parchment coffee and airfreight coffee bags from Simbai or Dusin Airstrip to the market.
The assistance given is part of the K10 million-price subsidy by the National Government to the Coffee Industry Corporation Ltd (CICL) to roll out the price support program.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Charles Dambui said the K10m received was further divided with K8m for price incentive and K2 m for intervention support.
Under price incentive, selected licensed operators were given the funding to purchase class one parchment coffee and class one standard cherry only at their factory doors. The intention is to elevate the quality of PNG coffee and the message of quality trickles back to the coffee farmers.
For the intervention support, selected coffee cooperative groups were given funds to set up wet mills, nurseries, purchase coffee especially for remote areas and support with tools and materials to enhance coffee production.
Anan cooperative chairman Jerry Amagen said people in the remote areas continued to suffer and neglected their coffee gardens as they saw no way of bringing their coffee out.
He recalled in 2019 and 2020 when there were no flights into their area, 920 bags were left to deteriorate at the makeshift storage houses due to transportation delays. Amagen said when there were no flights into their area, they had no choice but to leave to bags to rot, burn them or sell for less to local buyers as they needed the money for basic needs. He said local buyers usually buy parchment coffee at K2 for a kilogram during coffee season and during off-season, they purchase between K1.50 and K1.80.
“The problem we currently have now is the planes cannot bring all the coffee out as they have their capacity limit. He said the Missionary Aviation Fellowship’s Cessna Caravan aircraft could carry only 16 bags (800 kg) at one time. In addition to that, current air freight cost is about K4,500 and the current airstrip we use at Dusin needs another 200 meters extension to enable other aircrafts like Hevilift to land there,” Amagen said.
He acknowledged the support of the government through CIC’s freight program and the intervention support, that will assist them purchase farmers’ coffee and airfreight them to the markets


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Reliance Communications subscribers can now access premium content on Nokia’s Ovi Store without having to pay through their credit cards. They can now opt to include the billed amount either in their monthly phone bills or have it deducted from their pre-paid balance as per their data plans.
Reliance Communications is the first operator to offer the integrated billing option.
Ovi Store is a mobile content store for Nokia devices, and has applications, games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, and web and location-based services.
Launched in 2009, Nokia’s Ovi Store serves about 28 million downloads per week, of which about 4.5 million are from India.
Prashant Gokarn, 3G business head of Reliance Communications, said, “Nokia and RCom have had a longstanding and an extremely fruitful association. This relationship brings exclusive apps through Ovi Store coupled with a convenient purchase process.”
V Ramnath, the director of operator channels at Nokia India, said, “The response from consumers in India has already exceeded our expectations with the number of weekly downloads crossing 4.5 million. We believe our partnership will help accelerate this further.