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The "Pass it back, Bro!" used mobile phone collection campaign is running for the fourth year, announced by the Jane Goodall Institute and joined by the Unievrsity of Pécs through the Baranyai Virtual Power Plant Program (BAVEP partners: the University of Pécs, Hungarian Innovation and Efficiency Nonprofit Ltd, Pécs Municipality, Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Baranya County Municipality, Pécs Diocese, Leőwey Klára High School of Pécs).
This year's second campaign period will start on 22nd September 2021 and will run until 22nd November.
The aim of the campaign is to collect as many data-free mobile devices, GPS or tablets and their chargers as possible, thus promoting the circular economy and helping to save the habitat of the Congolese primates and the lives of local communities.
Please watch our video below, including motivational words from Dr Jane Goodall:
"Every action counts. Every day, every person can make a difference!" Dr. Jane Goodall


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Liverpool stars gave their reactions to the new Nike kit as they unboxed the shirt together on a hilarious video call.
The Reds’ new £80m-a-year deal with the US sportswear brand has started today, having pushed back the date due to Covid-19’s suspension of football.
Fans have already been treated to leaked images of the strip, with the famous red having a green and white edging on the collar and sleeves.
And they were treated to the club’s players trying it on in new footage from Liverpool’s official YouTube channel.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Virgil van Dijk were first to try on the Nike kit, with the Dutch defender only needing one word to describe his reaction.
“Fire,” he simply said as the midfielder praised the shirt’s material.
But the Englishman was not happy with one aspect, replying: “It looks like they’ve sent me an XL, so I don’t know what they’re trying to say.”
While they were both left wondering what had happened to the Premier League champion and Club World Cup badges.
Academy star Curtis Jones was next to join, boasting a huge smile as he wore his boyhood club’s strip.
Captain Jordan Henderson, veteran James Milner and defender Joe Gomez also joined the call, with the young Englishman simply saying: “It’s wonderful.”
And the Reds skipper had his own word for the new Nike strip, with: “Wowzer!”
Goalkeeper Alisson also joined the call to show off the No.1 kit, all in black with a pattern on the torso.
The Brazilian was ready to pose as his team-mates were blown away at the design, with van Dijk saying: “What a beautiful thing.”
And last to join was full-back Andy Robertson, whose slow WiFi gave his team-mates the chance to have a cheeky dig.
“It was looking good until I saw Robbo with it on,” Henderson added as the team were left in stitches.
But fans have been left fuming at the price of the new Nike kit – and they are divided over the design.

domain: news


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During today’s Nintendo Direct, it was announced that there will be a code of conduct that will be enforced for online play in the new Super Smash Bros. Nintendo announced that both version of Super Smash Bros. will support online multiplayer. And with this, comes some changes to prevent multiplayer abuse.
The first change is that there will be no more anonymous matches. Instead, all players will be identifiable by a name that is linked to their individual Nintendo Network ID.
The next change is the ability of all players to report other players for abuse and misconduct. While seemingly not an exhaustive list, it was detailed that some of the elements of this code of conduct will include:
- Starting a match but not actually playing
- Relentless targeting of an individual player
- Repeated self-destructs
- Frequent dropping-out of matches, even if for technical reasons
Violations of the code of conduct can result in temporary bans. Repeat offenders will suffer progressively worse and worse bans. There was no mention of a permanent ban, but one can only assume that this will be a potential penalty.
As a side note, there will be penalties for those who file baseless reports, so players should exercise careful scrutiny when opting to report another for misconduct.


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Will you be shopping for a new car this Labor Day weekend?
The Labor Day holiday in this country traces its roots all the way back to the early 1880s, and as you’d expect, celebrations have changed plenty since then. Today, more than a century after it first became a federal holiday, in 1894, Labor Day has become a time to say “goodbye” to summer, “hello” to a new school year, and “let’s go shopping” to retailers. In fact, some sources say that the holiday has become the second-biggest shopping day of the year (after Black Friday, of course).
What do Autobytel readers say? Exactly half plan on shopping for a new car over Labor Day Weekend, with another 7 percent or so still undecided.


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[Protagonist's] expertise in social media and experiential - in addition to more traditional TV and print - brings a lot to the table.
Bridgewater, New Jersey (PRWEB) December 16, 2013
Zicam®, the over-the-counter cold remedy and allergy brand owned by Matrixx Initiatives, Inc., has hired New York creative agency Protagonist, LLC, to handle all traditional, digital, and social marketing needs as the agency of record. Protagonist succeeds Grok, a New York advertising boutique.
Zicam CEO M’lou Arnett expressed her enthusiasm to be working with the new agency.
“We are very excited to have Protagonist come onboard,” Arnett said. “Their expertise in social media and experiential -- in addition to more traditional TV and print -- brings a lot to the table as we look to expand consumer touch points and accelerate our success.”
Led by agency veterans Tom Cotton and Jordan Rednor, Protagonist was founded in 2008 and has built successful campaigns for a variety of consumer brands including Slim-Fast, Puristics, Dex, and Lavazza coffee.
“We’re looking forward to helping Zicam reinforce its difference as a cold medicine that you take at the first sign of a cold that can actually shorten your cold,” Rednor commented. “We’re talking directly to consumers where they’re most likely to feel a cold coming on, with sponsorships at the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade last week in Chicago (it was plenty cold) and full-day activations in Herald Square and Chelsea Piers in NYC, complimenting cold season TV and radio flights,” he said.
In 2012, Zicam launched its current "Cold Monster” television campaign, focused on defining the Pre-Cold® stage – the first sniffle or sneeze that means a full-blown cold is on the way. The brand positioned itself as the Pre-Cold medicine, targeting proactive women who can’t take time away from their busy schedules for a drawn-out cold, based on Protagonist’s ExactCast consumer research, which it conducted with its research partner Whitman Insight Strategies.
Added Cotton: “We helped M’lou and her team set the current brand strategy two years ago with ExactCast, and it’s a thrill to now come full circle and handle all the brand’s creative duties, as well.”
The agency, increasingly known for its digital and social practice, is in the process of transforming Zicam’s Facebook page, accelerating consumer engagement with the brand’s “Cold Monster” campaign. Currently underway is the “Shorten Your Cold & Seize The Day” sweepstakes along with various giveaways and engaging content.
Zicam is sold nationwide at drugstores, mass, grocery, and club stores.


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Whether you’re hoping to buy or needing to sell your Edmonton property, you’ll be happy to know that the real estate market is balanced right now. There’s a good selection of inventory for those out shopping and if your property is on the market, you likely won’t lose your shirt.
October 2016 Statistics
Last month there were 5.5% more residential properties sold than what were sold the same time last year, with sales of detached homes up by a respectable 7.1% over October 2015. Condos didn’t fare as well with sales down 3.9% year-over-year however, the attached sector exploded last month with an increase in sales of 17.4% over last year’s figures. Evidence perhaps that first-time buyers were in the market looking for a family-home in a lower price bracket.
Spokesman Steve Sedgwick, chair of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton said in his monthly report to the community that he and the association are encouraged to see such strong numbers at a time of year when sales begin to slow down as the thermometer drops.
The stats on average sale prices weren’t as robust last month, dropping .64% over October 2015 prices overall. With a dip of less than 1% price drops were almost imperceptible last month. In each particular sector in Edmonton, the average price of a detached home last month was $423.755, a drop of 1.6% over the previous month and a dip of 1.75% over October 2015. Condo averages, despite dismal sales numbers, were up from last year by .5% however, prices fell by 2.3% from September’s average. Prices in the attached sector also fell by 7.7% from September’s average and 6.9% from October of last year.
Sedgwick notes that the numbers demonstrate that Edmonton buyers are confident in the province’s economic future and that the market will end the year with a solid finish. Rumours abound on Social Media that the worse of the downturn has come and there’s nowhere else to go but up. But with reports of unemployment figures continuing to soar and beginning to resemble the type of numbers seen in the Maritime provinces, Albertans likely need more evidence.
Properties took longer to sell last month
The average number of days residential units sat on the market increased last month which is not unusual for autumn in Edmonton. Last month, 1,265 properties sold in the city with the average days on the market at 61. Detached homes sold the quickest at an average of 57 days, followed by condos at 65 and attached homes at 67 days. That’s three more days for single-family homes and 7 more days for attached homes that the previous month. Only condo averages stayed the same.
Inventory continues to balance out
Last month, 2,147 new properties entered the market in Edmonton. That’s 125 fewer listings than October 2015. This resulted in the sales to listing radio in the Edmonton market moving from 53% to 59%, which is further empirical evidence that the Edmonton market is balanced.
Big ticket listings last month
In October, the most expensive single-family home on the Edmonton market was listed at $3.498 million. The most expensive condo was listed at $1.479 million and the attached home with the highest value was $969,700.
In actual sales last month, a single-family home sold for $1.56 million, the highest priced condo went for $660,000 and the most expensive attached unit sold in Edmonton also went for $660,000.
October 2016 Snapshot
- Average selling price for detached homes: $423,755
- Average selling price for condos: $245,698
- Average selling price attached homes: $332,565
- Average selling price all homes: $364,004
- Change in residential prices compared to Oct 2015: -0.64%
- Total sales: 1,265 units
- Inventory in Edmonton Oct 2016: 5,416 homes


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Related tickers: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR)
With the first financial quarter of 2013 behind us, it is time to take a look at the latest figures released detailing the valuations present in the S&P 500. Investors will be particularly interested in analyzing how tech stocks have fared in terms of price-to-free cash flow ratios. In general, a low P/FCF ratio translates to an undervalued share and it is a valuation method which investors can use to determine the likeliness of an increase in price. The lower the P/FCF ratio is, the higher the chances of prices increasing. While analyzing the S&P index, our attention was drawn by two highly covered tech stocks: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR).
Photo Credit: myuibe
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), while undoubtedly one of the most popular Wall Street stocks, barely made our top ten, coming in last, with a P/FCF of 11.15. Still, it’s in the upper-crust of cheap players in this sector. Although Apple’s market capital is not what it used to be half a year ago, when it situated itself in the$ 600 billion range, the company has shown slight signs of recovery over the past month. Its market capital has reached $435.38 billion, and its market price has risen from approximately $420 (the beginning of April 2013) to $463.84. Its current P/FCF, although the lowest in our top ten, is still in Apple’s favor, meaning that market prices will most likely slowly increase in the second quarter.
Nonetheless, considering the strong competition Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has faced over the past months, from other big names in the mobile phone industry, such as Blackberry or Samsung, investors will have to keep a close eye on the company’s P/FCF ratio for even the slightest changes. From Wall Street’s point of view, Apple seems to be on the rebound, but in the stock market, nothing can be taken for granted.
At the other end of the spectrum, First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR), the tech stock with the lowest market capitalization (3.96B) out of these ten stocks, did manage to score a little better than Apple, coming in 8th, with a P/FCF of 10.66. Over the past month, the company’s market price has almost doubled, from a little over $25 (April 2013) to $45.21. The P/FCF ratio First Solar currently boasts seems to indicate that the company will continue its upward transition in the months to come, despite the cries of many bears.
We would like to present ten tech stocks that currently have the lowest FCF valuations. Apart from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR), the slideshow also looks at other popular stocks such as Xerox Corp. (NASDAQ: XRX) and Hewlett-Packard Company (NASDAQ:HPQ).
So, let’s take a look at the countdown:


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Slow recovery not hampering corporate profits
U.S. corporations are flirting with record high profit margins even as the ecomomy is barely growing and unemployment remains high.
The high unemployment puts little pressure on companies to raise salaries while productivity gains allow them to increase sales without adding workers.
“So far in this recovery, corporations have captured an unusually high share of the income gains,” says Ethan Harris, co-head of global economics at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “The U.S. corporate sector is in a lot better health than the overall economy. And until we get a full recovery in the labor market, this will persist.”
The Dow Jones industrial average rose last week past 14,000 to within 75 points of its all-time record high.
Source: New York Times
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Mike W. Thomas covers technology/telecom, military, finance, regulatory issues as well as nonprofits/education.
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For a city that supposedly never sleeps, New York seems to be very keen on hotels: more than 9,000 new rooms are expected to be added this year alone. And with 56.4 million visitors set to arrive in 2022 — 85% of 2019 levels — the bedroom boom couldn’t come at a better time.
Manhattan’s NoMad, in particular, is the district with the most activity. Having emerged from its late-20th-century doldrums, the region North of Madison Square Park — bordered by Lexington Avenue, 6th Avenue, 30th Street and 25th Street — gained a reputation as one of the city’s most up-and-coming areas after the opening of the Ace Hotel in 2009 and the NoMad Hotel in 2012. If further proof was needed, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos splurged $80m (£65m) on several apartments atop a 24-storey tower on Fifth Avenue in 2019, confirming it as one of the most sought-after neighbourhoods in town.
And now NoMad is set to further bolster its reputation with a string of new hotels. The Johnston Building, constructed in 1903, has now become The Ned NoMad, a sister property to the stylish London hotel and members’ club. The 250-room Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad followed in July at a cost of $500m (£410m) while the Le Méridien New York, Fifth Avenue is set to open in August.
A decade in the making, The Fifth Avenue Hotel will finally open this autumn in a meticulously restored building dating back to 1907 with the Hotel Aka NoMad, on the corner of Madison Avenue, welcoming guests from November. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels will see its 38-floor hotel open on the corner of 29th Street and Broadway in the winter. And finally, the AC Hotel New York NoMad — its launch date yet to be confirmed — will allegedly be the world’s tallest modular hotel with 26 storeys and 168 rooms. With rooms this enticing, sleeping might be all you want to do.
Live like a New Yorker with the tourism board’s Get Local campaign. The initiative showcases small businesses across the five boroughs, such as restaurants in Little Bangladesh, Queens, and a Brooklyn ice cream factory.


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A group of Spacebase DF-9 fans calling themselves Derelict Games released a significant update to the game last month that fixes known problems and adds new features, nearly a year after Double Fine brought the game off Steam's Early Access service and ceased developing it.
While it's not uncommon to see games receive post-launch patches and mods, this case is intriguing because of the way Double Fine released Spacebase last year: abruptly, with an apology to fans about not being able to continue development and an olive branch in the form of a full source code release.
At the time we highlighted Spacebase as an example of the potential perils of Early Access, as Double Fine conceded that it wanted to continue working on the game but couldn't justify the expense.
The studio's decision to release source code seems to have paid off, as Kotaku notes that the Derelict Games patch adds much-needed features missing from the original Spacebase and showcases continuing community engagement with the game.
Of course, more than a few modern game developers got their start making mods for other games.


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HYDERABAD, India — Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. has received Food and Drug Administration approval to manufacture over-the-counter 20-mg esomeprazole magnesium delayed-release capsules, an antacid.
Aurobindo said its esomeprazole OTC product, being shipped immediately, is a generic version of Nexium 24HR capsules from Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.
A proton pump inhibitor (PPI), Nexium 24HR capsules are indicated for the treatment of frequent heartburn, defined as heartburn occurring two or more days a week. The medication works by stopping acid production at the source via blockage of the pumps that release acid into the stomach. PPIs like Nexium 24HR are the only FDA-approved medications for the nonprescription treatment of frequent heartburn.
Annual U.S. sales of Nexium 24HR are more than $300 million, according to IRI data reported by Aurobindo.
Pfizer rolled out Nexium 24HR in the spring of 2014 shortly after receiving FDA approval, in which the company was granted three-year market exclusivity for the product. Pfizer had acquired global OTC rights to Nexium from AstraZeneca in August 2012. Nexium 24HR, however, could be going on the block after Pfizer announced earlier this month that it was exploring strategic alternatives for its Consumer Health unit, including a potential sale of the business.


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Forget Google Maps, these Indian navigation apps will find even the smallest streets
Google Maps can sometimes struggle to pinpoint a location in an area crowded and small streets. However, some Indian navigation apps claim that they can meet the India-centric demands very well.
Navanwita Bora Sachdev is a freelance contributor and the Editor of The Tech Panda
Google Maps might be the most used navigation app in India, but indigenous apps are rising up to meet India-centric consumer demands.
According to Million Insights, the global navigation app market size was valued at US$911.6 million in 2020 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 10.8% from 2021 to 2028. The Asia Pacific held the largest revenue share of over 35% in 2020 because of rising demand for customizable routes for all vehicle types from the consumers of China and India.
Google Maps is taking advantage of this rising demand, with almost every Indian consumer using the app. However, since India's addressing systems are quite complicated, Google Maps doesn't always deliver, as many of us know. What's significant about the Indian navigation market is that it demands more accuracy.
“In India, navigation sometimes becomes a difficult task as some navigation apps predict routes and roads that don't really exist. It becomes a hassle to find relevant routers for navigation and that makes India stand out quite a bit,” Rajat Jain, Co-founder of Pataa, a startup creating a digital addressing app that creates a short code for an address and location, told The Tech Panda.
“In India, the hardest part of navigation is that many streets and roads look alike due to which finding the exact location becomes a difficult and tiresome process involving individually going through many lanes. Indian consumers look forward to knowing the exact coordinates of their destination so that they can reach there directly without having to request for directions,” he adds.
Google has often been called an anti-competitive monopoly that perpetuates its monopolies across newer markets through anti-competitive practices. Its recent appeal to NCLAT against the CCI order has come under fire.
“Google has made it pretty much impossible for alternative… apps like maps to proliferate amongst OEMs and users, even though better alternatives to Google exist in various categories,” Rohan Verma, CEO and ED of MapmyIndia said in a statement.
What does the Indian commuter wants from a navigation app?
The market in India is driven by the rising demand for 3D maps. Alternate routes, live HD traffic information, and up-to-date traffic information will contribute to fuel the growth. Moreover, the rising demand for the street view function is anticipated to boost growth. This indicates a potential market for navigation apps in India.
Indigenous navigation apps have the advantage of providing more local navigation services. For example, Pataa gives commuters freedom as they can also listen to pre-recorded voice directions from the nearest landmark, photos of the property and additional instructions to make navigation easy.
“Pataa is much more than just an app that provides navigation services. Pataa's primary feature is that it converts your long and complex address into a short digital address code. You can further add voice directions, photos, and route videos to that digital address code and share it with your visitor with a single tap. These features give us an advantage as an indigenous app that provides navigation services,” Jain explains.
Similarly, Mappls Junction View helps users drive and navigate safely when approaching flyovers, informing them through 3D photo-realistic guidance whether to climb or avoid, preventing confusion and accidents.
Another indigenous company is the Mumbai headquartered Genesys, an advanced mapping solutions company. Its services and solutions encompass technologies of 2D/3D mapping, HD mapping for autonomous driving, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning for varied applications and industries, including urban development, telecom, disaster management, agriculture, navigation, etc.
With so many indigenous apps working hard to provide the Indian commuter with more and more accurate navigation, Google Maps might have to look harder at its services.
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Government of China
The app, owned by Chinese tech giant Tencent, is popular with many Chinese-speaking Americans.
Microsoft said its bid for the popular Chinese-owned video app has been rejected by Bytedance, a week before Trump planned to ban it in the U.S.
The order will prohibit any U.S. transactions with the Chinese-owned parent companies of the apps, citing national security concerns.
OFILM, a tech supplier that employs Uighurs under highly restrictive conditions, touts customers like Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, Dell, HP, LG and Huawei.
They were expelled after the Journal refused to apologize and "hold the persons involved accountable,” said a Chinese official.
The information offers the fullest view yet into how Chinese officials decided who to put into and let out of detention camps.
The Chinese app “is considered a cyber threat,” an Army spokeswoman said Monday.
The Chinese government’s “ethnic genocide” against the Muslim Uighur population is disqualifying, according to Emgage.
The classified documents lay out the Chinese government’s deliberate strategy to lock up ethnic minorities even before they commit a crime.
The Vice President singled out Nike for removing Houston Rockets merchandise from stores in China after Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey's tweet.


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Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE), the consumer electronics giant and ever-growing conglomerate, has begun a significant push into the medical device industry. This past week, Sony announced that it acquired Micronics, Inc., a developer of point of care diagnostic technologies. This is but one of several recent medical acquisitions by Sony.
According to Medgadget, the leading journal on medical technology, Micronics is a developer of diagnostic products with a large number of patents related to microfluidic technology. Micronics commercialized a nucleic acid testing device platform for infectious disease detection, using disposable assay cartridges.
Micronics fabricates the cartridges using micro-scale and nano-scale etching technology. This technology is not all too different from the method used to etch data onto optical storage discs, such as Blu-Ray DVDs. It is possible that Sony sees cross-applications for these technologies, and potentially the ability to improve medical technologies through the integration of Sony’s in-house digital innovations.
This is not Sony’s first recent medical technology endeavor. In fact, Sony has made quite a few medical deals over the last two years. In February of 2010, Sony purchased iCyt Mission Technology, Inc., a producer of flow cytometers. Additionally, over the last twelve months, Sony announced collaborations with multiple life sciences companies, including RainDance, Quanterix and Caliper (NASDAQ:CALP) to develop more advanced microfluidic technology.
Sony stock has lost a significant amount of value over the last year. Sony’s recent depreciation was caused by multiple factors, including the broad market decline, increased computer and electronics competition, reduced demand, and shockwaves stemming from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami earlier this year. While Sony started 2011 at about $36 per share, it closed the third quarter at $19. See the chart below - (click to enlarge):
Sony’s recent expansion into medical technologies could continue and probably will. After all, General Electric (NYSE:GE) started out as an electric products company, but it expanded into finance, entertainment and healthcare, among other industries. Sony already expanded into entertainment, and may now be making its foray into healthcare. As time goes on, Sony could slowly evolve its company profile to include a broad range of medical technologies, both for the medical professional and at-home use by patients. It could eventually be an Asian mega-conglomerate like GE is within the United States.
By diversifying its industries, Sony should likely reduce its risk of being rendered obsolete from any single technological advancement, as Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPod did to Sony’s Walkman. In time, it could be Sony that is doing the taking from the established medical technology companies.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to be informative and should not be construed as personalized advice, as it does not take into account your specific situation or objectives.


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U.S. dairy exports are up 35 percent in volume from a year ago, with cheese experiencing strong growth, according to seven-month trade data recently released by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.
“After declining significantly from a six-year steady growth trend in 2009, exports have strongly returned this year,” said Tom Suber, president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), which represents the export trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors, dairy cooperatives, export traders, and ingredient suppliers. “All products have experienced robust trade. Cheese, in particular, has come back strongly.”
With a sluggish July, total volume of U.S.-produced dairy slowed after a strong second quarter, but remained well above year-earlier levels. Total export value in July was $309 million, up 65 percent. The increase pushed year-to-date export value to more than $2 billion, a rise of 66 percent over the first seven months of 2009.
July cheese shipments were up 66 percent versus July 2009, driven by strong business in Japan, South Korea and Mexico, last year’s top three U.S. markets.
USDEC demand-building programs – largely funded by dairy producers through their national dairy checkoff – convinced major foodservice and retail chains in Asia to diversify its Oceania supply sources with U.S. cheese. A major foodservice chain in Japan sourced U.S. cheese for the first time during a promotion featuring “Big America” cheeseburgers, which was projected to use up to 400,000 pounds of U.S. cheese during a six-week promotion.
“U.S. pricing has been competitive, foodservice continues to expand, international buyers are looking to diversify supply and U.S. suppliers are responsive,” Suber said. “USDEC programs also have built greater awareness of U.S. supply capabilities. Things are coming together for U.S. cheese suppliers.”
Source: Dairy Management Inc.


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Leinster Rugby have unveiled an impressive new alternate jersey for the new season, which is made from recycled materials.
The new alternate shirt is made from Primeblue, a recycled material made in association with Parley Ocean Plastic, upcycled plastic waste from the oceans.
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Products that are made with Primeblue use a minumum of 40% recycled content and Leinster's shirt-maker Adidas has committed to move their manufacturing materials entirely to recycled polyester by 2024.
The eco theme is continued in the design of the jersey, with aquatic waves on the shirt, which are, according to Leinster Rugby's website, "inspired by the rivers of Leinster".
Front and centre in advertising the jersey are Tadhg Furlong, who has suffered a fresh calf injury after recovering from an ongoing back issue, and long-term injured Dan Leavy, who is expected back within weeks.
Our new @adidas Alternate kit is here! 🤩
The new Alternate replica jersey is made from recycled ocean plastic. ♻🌊
We’re turning unwanted into unstoppable. 💪🔵
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) September 30, 2020
Leinster return to PRO14 action this Friday at the RDS when they face Dragons.


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American denim brand Lee Jeans has launched a digital campaign across 32 cities and 400 stores in China, featuring a new line of denim fabric - Magma Fusion - that retains body heat.
Created by TBWA\Hong Kong, the campaign kicks off with a series of inspirational videos and related content featuring Chinese KOLs pursuing their passion, undeterred by the cold winter weather.
KOLs include singer Zhou Bi Chang as an aspiring photographer, model-turned philanthropist Bonnie Chan, gourmet chef Wei Han and fashion designer Helen Lee as denim expert.
Chang will then call local fans to join the "Lee Warmth Tracker" initiative, which is embedded in Lee’s WeChat account.
The tracker records how far they have explored the city and rewards them with "Warmth Index Points".
To earn extra points, fans can scan QR codes at Lee stores and some popular out-of-home sites across China.
Collected points can be redeemed for gifts such as the new Magma Fusion jeans, exclusive workshops hosted by the KOLs, free coffees and movie tickets. Achievements can also be shared on WeChat.
The campaign will be complimented by print and out-of-home ads in top-tier cities across China.
[gallery link="file" ids="113624,113625,113626,113627"]
“In cold winter, people in China would rather stay indoors to stay warm. We hope this campaign can remind our fans to keep pursuing their passion and can truly enable them to put this into action this winter”, commented Vincy Ho, marketing director of Lee Jeans China.
“The tracker system came directly out of our Creative Tech Lab since it currently doesn’t exist on the branded WeChat platform. It’s a breakthrough since no other brand has yet embedded a tracker on this platform to reward different levels of fan engagement”, added Joanne Lao, CEO of TBWA\ Greater China.


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CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – You’ve likely heard about the unsolicited seeds people are receiving in the mail from China, but that’s not the only odd packages some are getting.
A Cleveland County woman received a package of face masks from Shanghai that she never ordered.
It left her scratching her head after taking some precautions.
“I just literally took it and went and put it in a Ziplock bag, washed my hands, zipped the bag, washed my hands again and then start calling around,” said Cindy.
The arrival of these masks startled Cindy, who prefers the quiet life with her family and beloved ducks.
She doesn’t get packages in the mail often. In fact, she’s only shopped online once in an effort to keep her information offline.
“I don’t want people knowing who I am, where I’m at,” Cindy said.
So the package of masks from Shanghai with her name, address and phone number was alarming.
“My boyfriend was like ‘What’s wrong?’” she said. “I’m like ‘It’s from China, take it, I don’t want it!’”
The surprise delivery is similar to the unsolicited seeds from China many across the United States have received.
Now, a growing number of people are receiving masks like Cindy, including some people she knows.
She called the local sheriff’s office but said there’s nothing they could do.So she made another phone call.
“I called y’all,” Cindy said. “Y’all will know something.”
KFOR did a little digging and found that the Better Business Bureau says this is likely a “brushing scam” in which sellers get your name, address or even your Amazon profile.
They will then send you items like masks, seeds, or even electronics and post fake reviews online in your name, listing you as a verified buyer.
Scams like this appear to be a growing trend leaving some like Cindy on edge, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Just take your precautions before going out there and getting into stuff you don’t really know about,” she said.
She’s going to keep wearing masks, just not the ones she got in the mail.
The Federal Trade Commission says if you receive an unsolicited package like this it’s a good idea to start changing your passwords, especially on retail sites.
Officials say you don’t have to send the products back, but you also don’t have to keep them.
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New batches of tablet computers distributed to Prathom 1 (Grade 1) students under the government's "one tablet per child" policy should be be insured, says Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich.
Sermsak: Coverage for all ‘mishaps’
Mr Sermsak said he has proposed the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) arrange a special insurance package for tablet computers for all Prathom 1 students on top of a contract it signed earlier with Thai Joint Venture System, parent company of Advice Distribution, for the repair of tablet computers.
The Obec is now awaiting cabinet approval for an auction to procure about 1.8 million tablet computers. The devices will be distributed to Prathom 1 and Mathayom 1 (Grade 7) students when the next school term starts in May.
The first batch of 860,000 tablet computers were distributed to pupils in July last year.
A ministry source said the supply of 8,600 spare tablet computers, which are used as replacements for faulty or damaged devices, had now been exhausted.
The 860,000 tablets bought last year and supplied by Chinese firm Shenzhen Scope Scientific Development were insured for two years. The insurance, however, was limited only to damage caused by the manufacturer, while schools or parents had to pay for loss of devices or damage caused by users.
Mr Sermsak said the proposed insurance package for the new batch of tablet computers must cover all mishaps, including loss or damage.
If the devices are insured, schools would allow students to take them home. Schools and parents would feel at ease as they need not cover repair costs.
"Most schools have a policy not to allow students to take them home, as they are worried the tablets could end up damaged," he said. "But if tablet computers are taken home, students and their parents could search for knowledge." Extra money may be set aside for the insurance package, he said.


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The onset of the pandemic dealt a heavy blow to OOH (out-of-home) media in 2020, resulting in a 60% de-growth, according to the Ficci-EY Media & Entertainment Report 2021.
The outdoor media industry has once again lost favour with marketers as various states in the country have imposed restrictions on the movement of public in view of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Atul Shrivastava, CEO, Laqshya Media Group, says since April business has declined by 60-70%. This recent setback could shave off about 20% of the industry’s revenue in 2021, he says.
The onset of the pandemic dealt a heavy blow to OOH (out-of-home) media in 2020, resulting in a 60% de-growth, according to the Ficci-EY Media & Entertainment Report 2021. The industry earned revenue of Rs 1,560 crore in 2020 and the report estimated that the industry will not return to its pre-Covid levels before 2024. In 2021, marketers are expected to spend about Rs 2,160 crore on OOH advertising. In 2019, the industry was worth as much as Rs 3,910 crore.
Several brands in the automotive, real-estate and FMCG categories had begun to invest in OOH advertising earlier this year.
“There were encouraging signs of recovery in the last month of the previous year and the first two months of 2021, but with the situation worsening and almost the entire country going into lockdown mode, the sentiments are at an all-time low again,” says Fabian Trevor Cowan, country head, Posterscope India. As the intensity of the second wave is much larger than the first, “brands have put most activities on hold or have postponed it till further clarity on the situation”, says Cowan.
Marketers are reorienting their spends towards digital and TV like they did last year, say industry analysts. In the meantime, media owners and marketers are negotiating discounts and value-adds as return on investment is on a decline. Shrivastava says discounts of 20-30% are being negotiated by advertisers during this period.
Brands that had already begun OOH campaigns are slowing down and reducing their footprint until the situation improves. Sarthak Seth, chief marketing officer, Tata Realty and Infrastructure, says the company is retaining its presence at marquee locations and cutting back on low-ROI locations. “Seeing that traffic has reduced, we have reduced our spends. However, we have taken strategic calls and negotiated lower prices for premium locations and are holding on to those to ensure we do not lose them to competitors,” he says.
Sanjay Shukla, CEO, The Max, an outdoor agency, expects the OOH medium to return to normalcy about two-three months after all lockdowns are lifted. He says, “Brands that are looking at premium properties for long term display, would see it as an opportunity to get great yearlong deals. As the traffic movement gets near normal, we would see traction across various forms of OOH mediums.”
Ambient media could be the last to recover as in the initial stages, brands may like to focus on bigger properties facing traffic and would expect great deals from media owners, say analysts. Shukla expects OOH spends to rebound around August 2021. When campaigns resume, Shrivastava is counting on sectors like automotive, BFSI and consumer durables to aggressively advertise on OOH.


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This would possibly convey a brand new growth to the cryptocurrency market.
The cryptocurrency market is quickly attracting extra buyers and American Bankers Affiliation has determined to companion with cryptocurrency corporations to fulfill its consumer’s pursuits. The ABA despatched out a 20-pages report that provides an in depth crypto evaluation, together with a glossary, and descriptions cryptocurrency actions and makes use of instances for the banking sector together with regulatory points and income fashions.
The report breaks down crypto property into 4 classes, CBDC, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and stablecoins. The report states the use instances of cryptocurrency for banking sectors as follows:
- Retailer of worth – Banks can earn income by enabling crypto shopping for and promoting on their platforms.
- Pockets suppliers – Banks can supply crypto wallets with service charges.
- Curiosity accounts – Banks can earn a charge on curiosity by enabling lending operations to buyers.
- Lending – Banks can supply loans within the type of cryptocurrency loans in opposition to a charge.
- Funds – Banks can cost crypto charges much like debit and bank cards.
- Brokerage – Banks can gather unfold from cryptocurrency transactions and earn income.
- Trade buying and selling – Banks can get hold of income from transaction charges, deposit charges, itemizing fees, and many others.
- Community utility – Banks can supply utility tokens and earn income for promoting them.
- Asset Administration – Banks can supply crypto portfolio administration providers and cost a charge.
The Newest Replace
Wells Fargo is getting ready to just accept cryptocurrency investments to purchasers. The financial institution has introduced that it’ll supply crypto publicity to its excessive internet price purchasers. After a re-evaluation on the financial institution’s verdict on cryptocurrency, Wells Fargo believes that the cryptocurrency area has hit an evolution and maturation of its developments which have now made it a viable investable asset.
Wells Fargo just isn’t the primary financial institution to take action. Goldman Sachs revealed that fifty% of its ultra-wealthy purchasers need an rising publicity to cryptocurrencies. Goldman Sachs is now getting ready to allow the commerce of Bitcoin and Ether Choices and Futures.
JP Morgan additionally accelerated its funding in firms with Bitcoin publicity owing to the rising demand for cryptocurrencies. At this charge, it’s anticipated that extra banks with cater to the needs of cryptocurrencies and supply their purchasers with an inflow of merchandise for extra publicity.
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The stock price of 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) is up 52% from the levels it was on March 23, 2020, when broader markets made a bottom due to the spread of Covid-19. This marks an underperformance compared to the S&P which has moved 70% since its March 2020 lows, with the resumption of economic activities as lockdowns are gradually lifted and vaccination programs have been initiated in multiple countries. This underperformance can partly be be attributed to investor concerns over lawsuits surrounding the environmental issues related to manufacturing plants, as well as for product safety (earplugs). MMM stock is also down 25% from levels of around $235 seen in early 2018.
Most of the 25% decline of the last 3 years can be attributed to a contraction of the company’s P/E multiple. Looking at the company’s fundamentals, its total revenue has hovered around the $32 billion mark between 2018 and 2020, as growth in the Healthcare segment offset lower sales for Safety & Industrial and Transportation & Electronic segments. 3M’s net margins also have remained stable at 16.7% in 2020, compared to 16.3% in 2018. This clubbed with a 2% decline in total shares outstanding due to share buybacks, meant that the company’s earnings grew 2.5% to $9.32 in 2020, compared to $9.09 in 2018, on a per share and GAAP basis. Despite the steady performance over the recent years, MMM stock has declined, and we believe it is likely to see an upside in the near term. Our dashboard, ‘What Factors Drove -25% Change In 3M’s Stock between 2017 and now?‘, has the underlying numbers.
3M’s P/E multiple contracted from 24x in 2018 to 18x in 2020. While the company’s P/E is 19x now (based on trailing EPS), there is a potential upside given the expected growth in EPS over the coming years, as well as comparing the P/E multiple to levels of 24x seen in 2018.
So what’s the likely trigger and timing for upside?
Despite the challenging current environment given the pandemic, 3M did not see any decline in total revenue in 2020, courtesy of its Healthcare segment and increased demand for N95 masks and PPE (personal protective equipment). As we look into Q4 2020, 3M has seen a 6% revenue growth, led by continued demand for safety products. In fact, Safety & Industrial revenues were up 13% during the quarter. The company has also managed to grow its net margins by a strong 430 bps to 16.9% in Q4 2020, led by lower SG&A and R&D expenses. A steady revenue growth clubbed with margin expansion has meant that 3M’s EPS grew 43% over the same period.
Looking forward, there are multiple factors that will likely result in stock price growth over the coming years.
1. The company’s Healthcare segment has seen benefits from Acelity and M*Modal acquisitions that were completed in 2019. Acelity specializes in advance wound care while M*Modal makes cloud-based AI powered systems for patient narratives. These acquisitions will aid the overall revenue growth as well as margins expansion going forward, boding well for its stock.
2. The company is also exploring the possibility of spinning off its food safety business, which could garner as much as $3.5 billion, unlocking value for shareholders.
3. While Covid-19 has led to improved demand for safety products as well as home care and home improvement products, the office products sales along with automotive aftermarket have seen a decline. Now, as the Covid-19 crisis abates, this trend is likely to reverse with demand for healthcare and safety materials to likely slow, while the demand for automotive aftermarket, electronics, and other industrial products will likely trend higher. This is important given the Healthcare and Personal Safety businesses account for 37% of total sales, while Consumer, Industrial, Transportation and Electronics make up for the rest.
Finally, looking at valuation, at the current price of $175, 3M is trading at 18x its estimated adjusted EPS of around $9.60 in 2021, compared to levels of 26x seen in 2017, and 20x seen in 2019 and 2020, implying there is more room for growth for MMM stock. Even when compared to some of the other industrial companies, including Honeywell and Johnson Controls, 3M is trading at a lower multiple. The 18x figure for 3M based on 2021 EPS, compares with a 26x figure for Honeywell and 22x for Johnson Controls.


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BluGlass Limited (ASX:BLG) Managing Director and CEO, Giles Bourne, discusses the launch of the company's new laser diode business and how this fits into its strategy.Ortenzia Borre:
Hello. I'm Ortenzia Borre for the Finance News Network. Joining me is Managing Director of BluGlass (ASX:BLG)
, Giles Bourne. Giles, welcome back.Giles Bourne:
Thank you, Ortenzia. It's good to be back.Ortenzia Borre:
Giles, BluGlass has just announced that it's launched a laser diode business. Can you tell us why you've done this and how it fits into your strategy?Giles Bourne:
So, the laser diode market is a very big market in itself. It's a multibillion-dollar market. We've looked at this market for a number of years, and we see that we can actually apply the work that we've been doing in LEDs into laser diodes. So, specifically, this material we call "active as grown epitaxy for tunnel junctions" applies directly to the laser diode. But the key thing about the technology that we're working on, it helps to lower the manufacturing costs for the manufacturers of laser diodes, reduces the optical loss for these devices as well, and it effectively just pushes up the performance of the device, and that is absolutely the critical component.
So, the areas that we've been looking at were there's a number of applications, such as the industrial cutting and welding market, there's display, there's automotive, there's scientific.
The interesting thing about laser diodes as well, it's a much more valuable market than LEDs. So, it's got a much, much higher selling price, you know, greater margins for us as well. Slightly lower volumes, which means that we can actually manufacture the device in our facility in Silverwater. We don't have to go and bring on new equipment. We can use the existing installed base to do this. So, we'll be doing the device manufacturing, selling the laser diode itself. So, slightly different business model, but allows us to enter the market and capture more value.Ortenzia Borre:
And when can you expect to launch your first products?Giles Bourne:
So, the plan is to actually have a technical demonstration of the laser diode product in 2020, and then actually launch products during the course of next calendar year as well, and then grow the revenue through '21 onwards.
This is underpinned by some IP that we've developed over time. So, we've developed a nice suite of patents around the RPCVD, but specifically around the tunnel junction technology. So, we'll continue to build on that as we go. And this business itself is going to be driven by our Senior Vice President of Business Development over on the east coast of the US, by the name of Brad Siskavich, and he's been involved in the laser diode business for many, many years now, knows this industry very well. So, he'll be driving this business forward for us, but we see this as an opportunity for us in calendar year 2020.Ortenzia Borre:
And what does this mean for your other business activities? Will you still be developing your tunnel junctions and cascade LEDs?Giles Bourne:
Oh, very much so. You know, all the other businesses that we've been talking about will continue as we've already talked about in the past. You know, we've put a lot of effort into our tunnel junction cascade LED for the LED industry. We recently announced we were working with Bridgelux, and we expect other strategic partnerships to come into play as well. So, in no way will the laser diode business dilute our efforts in the other activities, but the laser diode fits in very nicely with what we're doing, and it doesn't send us off onto a tangent, it just sits squarely within our strategy.Ortenzia Borre:
That all sounds very exciting, Giles. Can you tell us what have investors got to look forward to for the last half of the financial year?Giles Bourne:
So, there's many things we are doing. One of the things this year has been upgrading our facility, and that's nearly complete. The actual infrastructure is all in place. The last of those tools comes online at the end of this calendar year. It's a G4, it's a much bigger tool. That will come online and give us greater capacity as well, and demonstrate the scaling of our technology. Continue working on our strategic partnerships. Bridgelux, I've already mentioned. We'll continue to work on other activities, like the micro LED, and then the equipment partners, such as Aixtron. There's many things happening during this last half of this year. Underpinning this is a suite of patents, and we'll continue to build on that. We are filing more applications, more patents have been granted, like the one recently granted for the tunnel junction technology. So, there's lots of things happening. Sticking to our core technology, really about capitalising on the tunnel junctions, and this laser diode business fits in very nicely with that strategy.Ortenzia Borre:
Giles Bourne, thank you so much for joining us again on the Finance News Network and updating us on where BluGlass is.Giles Bourne:
Thank you, Ortenzia.Ends


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If you own a hosting or online streaming company, a marketing agency or simply a website for your business, then you should be concerned. The infrastructure of the Internet as we know it, which almost everyone relies on today for ensuring the success of their businesses, is gradually weakening as heavy video content proliferates while available bandwidth is depleted.
It is projected that by 2020, more than 232 million people in the U.S. will be considered digital video viewers. Further, Cisco forecasts that traffic related to virtual reality and augmented reality will increase 20-fold between 2016 and 2021.
The burden of hosting that content seemingly will be placed on content delivery networks (CDNs) to satisfy content demand and accelerate data loading, which means that unless a new infrastructure is developed, the market for CDNs should shoot up. One forecast is that the CDN market will go from $6.05 billion in 2016 to $30.89 billion by 2022, which is a massive increase in value and a cost that businesses will be forced to bear in order to continue to offer high quality content that consumers have come to expect.
But there may be a solution that alters the infrastructure of the Internet in a way that still allows for what is destined to occur -- increasing demand for higher quality video content as well as an enhancement in the quantity of such content -- at a lower cost than what is anticipated under the current CDN model.
Your business should be cognizant about attempts to create a "New Internet," its advantages and challenges.
The big idea is to convert households and existing data centers with bandwidth storage not being fully utilized into a network that increases content distribution efficiency. Every device on the network would become a node that connects into a a layer of Internet infrastructure. This model would effectively allow users to "rent out" bandwidth of their unused devices in a way that is similar to how Uber lets people use their cars to make extra money by driving around commuters in their free time.
One company that is exploring this space is called NOIA. It plans to incentivize people to "rent out" their unused bandwidth in exchange for a token and then basically provide its network to websites looking for new hosting options where bandwidth may not be as big of an issue as it is projected to be by prognosticators.
But a startup like NOIA, which sounds a lot like the "New Internet" described on the HBO show Silicon Valley, may have an adoption issue similar to that which the fictional Pied Piper company encountered on the show. A major challenge is in attracting website owners to add NOIA software to their hosting infrastructure while there are a small amount of nodes. Another challenge is increasing the number of nodes, since there will only be a small number of paying website owners at NOIA's infancy.
Should you consider being a part of this "New Internet," then you will want to carefully weigh the perceived positives and negatives of being an early adopter. But be aware that the landscape of the Internet, as we know it, is changing.


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Who would’ve known that the space between the inner thighs of women would become a beauty ideal among teenage girls?
The thigh gap, an often unachievable beauty trend that dangerously encourages women to undergo extreme dieting, is becoming more popular than ever.
And what best way to exploit this trend than to have jewelry that highlights this weird standard of attractiveness?
TGap Jewellery, which claims to design and sell accessories specifically for thigh gaps, says on its website that their collections focus on “accentuating and celebrating the gap.”
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The pieces, supposedly created by Singaporean Soo Kyung Bae, are bespoke gold chains that are designed to hang in the gap between the two thighs.
Retailing between $175 and $195, the jewelry would’ve become a hit, that is of course, if Tgap was actually real. It turns out, the company itself is fictional and the collection pieces doesn’t really exist.
Bae, an industrial design student at the National University of Singapore created the fake website to try to get everyone’s attention to this absurd obsession with thigh gaps.
The website itself states that it was “launched to catalyze a debate on unrealistic body image social media portrays.” “The jewelry pieces take the thigh-gap trend to another level, the pieces are created in hopes of sparking questions,” Bae told Dezeen. “If we let the media to keep popularizing such unrealistic body ideal, will this eventually become reality?
If someone actually attempts to purchase the jewelry, the potential buyer will be redirected to a page that explains the mission of TGap and some helpful links that may help people who are suffering from body dysmorphic disorder.
“Thigh gap represents one of the first few trends regarding body ideals the media has popularised,” Bae said. “It clearly demonstrates media’s power on influencing one’s perception of body image.”


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The German industry association BDI is confident that steady growth will continue in Germany. It says growth is mainly driven by historically low interest rates, the weak euro, and low oil prices.
The good news continues for Europe’s largest economy. The government has raised its growth forecast on the back of a more positive global outlook and as a result of strong domestic industrial and export figures.
The Federation of German Industries (BDI) has urged businesses in this country to draw up plans for an unregulated exit of Britain from the EU, meaning the UK leaves the bloc without a deal to shape future relations.
Germany exported significantly more goods in August than it imported as the country’s economy continues to show all the signs of powerful growth in the third quarter, easing fears about a strong euro impacting trade.
Germany's leading economic institutes have predicted record budget surpluses over the next two years as Europe's biggest economy will continue powering ahead amid higher-than-expected growth rates.
© 2017 Deutsche Welle |
Legal notice |
| Mobile version


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Daryl Johnson, a 28-year-old, fun-loving, golf-playing, lawn care company owner, is the new spokesperson for eSmartTax.com, the online tax service powered by Liberty Tax Service. Before Daryl meets the entire United States, eSmart Tax is introducing him to his hometown of Richmond with radio, television and web ads, in addition to a digital billboard broadcasting his posts from Twitter in real-time.
The billboard is truly the first of its kind to merge traditional and new media in one space, while using a real customer as the brand ambassador. This innovative combination of media integrates with a larger, more comprehensive campaign comprised of television and radio advertising, as well as social media, web and guerilla marketing.
“We believe that traditional advertising and social media engagement can be effectively integrated; and Daryl’s live Twitter feed on a digital billboard is proof,” says Dave Saunders, President & Chief Idea Officer of Madison+Main, the Richmond-based advertising and new media firm hired by eSmart Tax to create the campaign. “The key is to let a regular, everyday guy be the voice of the brand. Someone who represents what social media, Richmond and eSmart Tax are all about.”
On the first digital Twitter billboard in Richmond, Twitter.com/TheDarylJohnson will use his live feed to broadcast tax filing tips throughout the tax season to passing motorists and his online “followers.” He’ll tell Richmonders how to take advantage of the tax year’s best credits and deductions, simplify the tax filing process and maximize their tax refunds—one hundred and forty characters at a time. Plus, more importantly, he is spreading eSmart’s brand message and talking directly to consumers even when they are driving by him near the merge of interstates I-64 and I-195. And the public is responding through Twitter and even with their car horns in approval. Daryl posted the following message when the billboard went live, “Honk if you love Twitter. #honk” and many Richmonders took him up on the offer.
About eSmart Tax
eSmart Tax (esmarttax.com) is a subsidiary of Liberty Tax Service, supported by 3,400 conveniently located Liberty Tax retail offices and 15,000 Liberty Tax preparers nationwide. Founded in 1997 by CEO John T. Hewitt, a pioneer in the tax industry, Liberty Tax Service has prepared over 6,000,000 individual income tax returns. With 39 years of industry experience, Hewitt stands as the most experienced CEO in the tax preparation business. This wealth of experience is reflected through every step of eSmart’s federal and state online tax filing service.


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Convenience accounts for 20.9% of total UK grocery and is forecast to hit £41.3bn by 2012 growing at a faster pace than the overall UK grocery market.
According to IGD's Convenience Retailing 2010: Future Trading Strategies report, symbol groups grew fastest rising by 1,000 stores to 15,683 and reporting a 10.6% sales hike.
The site increase was partly due to non-affiliated independents migrating to symbol groups. Spar remains the largest symbol, with 2,580 stores, followed by Booker's Premier symbol with 2,507 stores trading as Premier or Premier Express.
Despite the sales growth, the total number of c-stores dropped 0.5% to 48,410. This was driven in part by a 2.1% drop in the number of forecourt convenience stores and a 5% fall in non-affiliated independents.
The success of convenience stores in relation to other grocery sectors was partly because they hadbeen able to react quicker to consumer needs, said IGD senior business analyst Jamie Trust.
"They can respond to key trends better than other sectors," he said. "Convenience stores are moving into new types of locations. M&S Simply Food has opened in a hospital and Spar has opened airport sites. Operators are also opening up more concessions in-store, with Greggs and Subway already moving into convenience stores."
Fresh food now accounts for 31.9% of sector sales and is growing at a faster rate than other categories.
The report also revealed that strong promotional offers such as rounded price points and meal deals, greater format segmentation and the continuing popularity of food to go were all contributing to the growth.
In the year to May 2009, the convenience market increased by 6.1% and was worth £29.1bn.


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Xylem has revamped its rental business to offer customers a range of water pumps and related equipment.
Global Heavy Machinery Parts Dealers: AGA Parts Company
The company says its goal is to provide a one-stop service for contractors and others who need water pumps, for everything from emergencies to long-term use.
“The days of using multiple suppliers for a single project are waning fast,” says Gregg Leslie, Xylem director of rental market development, Americas. “Industry professionals want a partnership where they can get all their specific water challenges met from a single supplier, who also has the know-how and support services to back those system solutions up.”
Xylem says it has the “broadest range of sizes and configurations” and it also rents exclusive specialty products and systems. Xylem brands include Godwin, Flygt, Goulds Water Technology, AC Fire Pump and MJK.
Along with providing products, the company says it can guide customers toward custom rental solutions to their complex water problems. Xylem says it provides “holistic project management services” and customer support.


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New platform helps over 7,500 hospitality venues reduce admin and costs whilst empowering staff to boost income from tips
London,: Today, EasyTip, the UK’s leading online service for collecting tips in the hospitality industry, is announcing a new partnership with Samtouch Software, bringing fairer and quicker tip payments to staff at over 7,500 hospitality venues across UK. Technological innovation has become vital in driving the post-pandemic recovery of the sector and enabling the administration of staff tips to be more efficient, cheaper, and less time consuming is a significant component of such a trend.
The new partnership enables restaurants using the Samtouch Software to add an EasyTip QR code to customer bills, bringing cashless tipping to the fingertips of dine-in customers without the hassle of downloading an app. They simply select the amount to tip on their mobile phones and it will go straight to the recipient’s bank account. Customers can also rate staff and submit reviews, with the whole process taking only a few seconds.
By activating EasyTip’s direct tipping, restaurant managers can significantly reduce admin time, gain a better understanding of staff performance, and rest easy with the platform’s full compliance with the relevant regulations. Meanwhile, staff can enjoy full transparency of tips received, boost their income, and gain instant access to their extra earnings. As hospitality workers are at the lower end of the pay scale, tips comprise an important proportion of their income. Making tips fairer and more transparent is essential for the recruiting and retention of staff.
Since launching the platform in June 2021, venues using EasyTip have seen up to 30% increase in tips and 300% increase in customer reviews. The EasyTip platform has also enabled businesses to save hundreds of pounds in monthly costs spent on administrating tips.
“We have supported the industry for close to three decades and grew with the various technological advancements made throughout the years. Virtually all forms of payment are now being carried out electronically and the UK is likely to be almost cashless by 2024 as a result. We were therefore keen to implement a digital tipping system to add greater levels of efficiency and transparency, and EasyTip was the ideal partner for us to do this. We are excited to work with our employees and customers to enable a quicker, simpler, and fairer way of tipping in a contactless way,” says John Hall, Director at Samtouch Software.
“The way we are handling money and paying for services is changing, but accounting for tips represents a significant administrative and financial burden for the hospitality industry. EasyTip aims to empower customers and staff to transact on tipping directly. Our partnership with Samtouch means this modern, quick, and cost-efficient tipping is becoming available to more hospitality operators in the UK. It is also our belief that all hospitality and service staff deserve to be rewarded for going above and beyond and should have full control over the tips they receive,” said Evgeniy Chuikov, CEO and co-founder of EasyTip.
As a result of the partnership, EasyTip is built into all Samtouch POS systems. Existing Samtouch Software customers simply need to register with EasyTip to activate the service. EasyTip is completely free to join for businesses and can be tailored to fit the needs of any hospitality venue.
For more information, visit: www.easytip.net.
Launched in 2021 in the United Kingdom, EasyTip is a leading online platform for collecting tips and ratings in the hospitality industry. The mission of the company is to make the world of gratuities fairer, simpler, and quicker.
EasyTip’s contactless tipping technology helps business owners and staff in the hospitality industry to earn more. Customers can tip employees directly from their mobile phones in just seconds by simply scanning a QR code without needing any App.
EasyTip is the perfect solution for business owners, as it reduces administrative costs, provides instant customer feedback, and improves employee performance and retention. Moreover, with the rise of cashless tipping, EasyTip is an excellent way for staff to control and increase their earnings in a fairer, personalised and transparent way
About Samtouch Software
Samtouch and Samtouch Office are leading Point of Sale (POS) solutions for the Hospitality & Retail Industries. Our hardware and software solutions unite different technologies to bring together multiple sales channels into one all-encompassing POS. For more information, visit https://samtouch.co.uk/


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Money makes the world go ’round, and Yahoo knows it. Today Recode is reporting that Yahoo will soon launch a new video service to take on YouTube. And while that might sound like a laughable endeavour, with YouTube yet to have a competitor steal their mainstream userbase, the company is hoping that the popularity of YouTube’s own stars is more important than the popularity of YouTube itself.
Though the plan on poaching YouTuber’s for a new service is not just risky for Yahoo, but also for the creators themselves. Playing with audiences might not create a positive image for Yahoo, as seen with the acquisition of Tumblr recently, especially if Yahoo’s service doesn’t have feature parity with YouTube. After all, YouTube is available on practically every internet-connected device, whereas Yahoo won’t be from day one.
While YouTube is entitled to a cut from ads, many content creators, such as Vox Media or RocketJump, use alternative services for on-site content, and find that this provides them with better control, and at a competitive price. Yahoo hopes to give disgruntled YouTube creators either higher revenue for content, or guaranteed ad rates, a proposition which, alone, could entice popular users, though it still might not be enough.
The service isn’t a clone either, with Yahoo’s launch ambitions ruling out an open service. Rather, Yahoo will just curate content, restricting uploads to established brands. As YouTube users upload 100 hours of content every day, a restriction like this can only hurt the potential for new talent. So while you might be able to find a big tech blog on the site, you won’t see independent blogs like TechGeek uploading video from day one. And you won’t see the next big viral video on Yahoo, until they poach that too.
Yahoo has already shown its ability to distribute content through their Yahoo Screen app, where the company provides access to SNL content, as well as other catch-up and original video, though this is a much bigger step in bringing the Yahoo brand back to relevance. Though how the new service will work isn’t yet known. It may simply be the same content-management system as Yahoo Screen, though there is also a possibility that Yahoo might purchase an existing competitor like Vimeo.
The news is just another sign that CEO Marissa Mayer is happy to clone existing Google services or to acquire pre-existing services, rather than to create completely new products internally. While this new step might help their brand, it might also just annoy users who shouldn’t have to be forced to use Yahoo products. While YouTube isn’t perfect, it sure as hell as a better track record than Yahoo. And it works.


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The Redmi Note 12 lineup of smartphones was recently introduced in China. Now, Redmi is expected to propel one of the Redmi K60 series smartphones in China by the end of this year. The K60 will have a redesigned rear design compared to the Redmi K50 series, according to a concept render that has now surfaced online.We were able to verify the availability of the Redmi K60’s concept render on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo. However, it’s difficult to tell if it’s a fan-made rendering or something that was inspired by the actual smartphone.
The Redmi K60 sports a flat display on the front with a punch-hole slot in the top centre. For a phone in this price range, the bezels are a little bit thicker than expected.
The right spine of the handset features a volume rocker and a power button, which probably houses a fingerprint scanner. It sports a rectangular camera module with rounded edges on the back. The cameras are stacked vertically with a top sensor, accompanied by a larger lens and a square-shaped sensor.
The Redmi K60 will reportedly sport a 6.67-inch full-HD+ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It will be powered by the Dimensity 8200 chipset. The phone might pack a 5,500mAh battery with 67W fast charging support. On the rear, the Redmi K60 will house a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary camera with OIS support.


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Digital Disruption Impacting Foodservice
THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY of the future is likely to look very different to that of today, and the digital disruption we are currently seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.
And while the term disruption is not a positive one, the fact is that the foodservice sector has been proactively taking emerging digital opportunities in its stride. Digital disruption has quickly become digital integration, as the entrepreneurial side of the industry has seen the potential for digital technologies to provide business benefits.
As food production becomes increasingly automated, greater opportunities will exist to tailor recipes and menus to individual nutritional requirements.
The increasing expectation of consumers to be able to determine the provenance of meal ingredients is also being facilitated by digital technology, with barcode scanning now being used to track each step of the supply chain.
Digital technology is also driving changes to the traditional foodservice distributor model, with new pricing models offering greater transparency for foodservice operators and end-users. Online ordering among the dining public is growing and a digital presence for foodservice businesses is becoming increasingly commonplace.
All these innovations are just the prelude to a bold new future for the foodservice sector, driving change as never before.


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Recall ID # 14V346000 - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
JUN 20, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling all 2010-2014 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 3, 2008 to May 23, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.
If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position could cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the key blade from the original flip key/RKE transmitter assemblies, and provide two new keys and two key rings per key. The recall began August 25, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14294. Note: Until the recall has been performed, it is very important that drivers adjust their seat and steering column to allow clearance between their knee and the ignition key.
General Motors LLC 14294
Recall ID # 13V463000 - EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
SEP 26, 2013
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Coupes manufactured June 9, 2013, through September 6, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the required air bag warning label on the sun visor may peel off. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 "Occupant Crash Protection."
If the air bag warning label detaches from the visor, the driver and front seat passenger may not be warned of the risks of air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and instruct owners how to inspect the visor sticker. As necessary, dealers will replace the sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13284.


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Eyewear brand loved by celebrities opens first Canadian store in Toronto
Garrett Leight California Optical (GLCO) first launched back in 2010 after founder Garrett Leight was inspired by both his father, who created his own iconic eyewear brand called Oliver Peoples, as well as the places and people of his hometown in Venice Beach.
"Garrett set out to impact the industry for a new generation by creating a cult classic brand through one-of-a-kind experiences at retail, e-commerce, and wholesale," reads the store's new Canadian website.
And that he did. The high-end brand quickly became a sensation with some of the U.S.' most stylish public figures, and it now has a global community of loyal followers who wear the brand almost exclusively.
The brand's new Toronto store, designed by Calgary-born architectural designer Dan Hapton, is located at 692 Queen St. West and is currently offering curbside pick-up and delivery as well as virtual appointments, and they're also offering in-person eye appointments to just one person at a time.
A number of other COVID-19 safety measures are also in place and will remain in effect once retail stores are officially permitted to reopen in Toronto.
"Proud to finally have the first international retail location in Toronto, Ontario, Canada!" reads the store's website. "Garrett's goal is to continue the family legacy and pursuit of making the best eyewear in the world for the world's coolest consumers."
Join the conversation Load comments


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NEW YORK (MainStreet) Those looking for a great deal on a used car this month have good reason to smile. Prices are down 2% so far this year, thanks to dealers' overabundance of cars and trucks.
Edmunds.com, which tracks used car prices, says auto shoppers can expect to see lower prices on used vehicles throughout the year.
But that should lead to a "ripple effect" through the market that could raise prices on new and leased vehicles.
"Many car shoppers might not realize how much the new- and used-car markets feed off each other," says Philip Reed, a consumer advice editor at Edmunds. "The boom in new car leases, for example, is leading to a higher number of lease returns, which adds to the growing inventory of used cars, forcing their prices down."
That, in turn, should lead to more expensive new vehicle leases, as the residual value of a leased car (defined as the value of a car or truck at the end of a lease) leads to higher monthly payments to "make up the difference," Reed says.
The ripples don't stop there. You can expect:
More used cars at dealerships. Used-vehicle shoppers will have more cars to choose from, thanks to the glut of new vehicles on dealer lots.
More favorable used-car deals. Edmunds says automakers have sweetened the pot on certified pre-owned auto deals. Car makers have lowered interest rate charges to qualified buyers and are rolling out enhanced service plans to move more cars and trucks off auto dealer lots and showrooms.
Lower car trade-in-values. One sour note: Edmunds says the glut of used-car inventories leads to lower values on used car deals. That, in turn, decreases the value of the vehicle you're looking to trade in to a dealer when you buy a newer car or truck.
Some vehicles are seeing bigger price declines than others. Big crossover models such as the GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse are seeing the most significant price drops (down more than 8% for the year, Edmunds reports).
Even used luxury car prices are going down. The BMW 3 Series is seeing 5.3% price declines so far this year for used cars.
So, yes, it's a great time to be shopping for a used car. But not so much if you're looking to lease or get a good deal on the trade-in value of your old vehicle.
By Brian O'Connell


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It seems like just yesterday that the new age of smartphones was upon us. They were the newest, fastest most high tech devices to hit the market since the laptop. Now, the tablet is not only making its mark, but making a strong argument as the one device which everyone will be carrying by the year 2014. The tablet took serious strides toward that designation last month, as more tablet users utilized the BBC iPlayer last month to access their favorite movies, videos and TV shows than smartphone users. The tablet, which was introduced in the late 2000s, has now become an electronic device which is always widely popular among visitors to any coffee shoppe.
Tablets were the Christmas present of choice for many last year. The market of tablets has now expanded to include many models which are affordable to those who at one time saw the iPad as the only option. Now, tablets are affordable to many and the site of smartphone users who are also carrying a tablet is not uncommon.
Though the latest data indicates only 20% own tablets, compared with almost 60% who own smartphones, the BBC iPlayer was used 41 million times by tablet users last month. Smartphone owners used the player 40 million times last month.
The head of iPlayer, Dave Price, commented on the spike in user activity, saying: “It’s a huge moment for us. Whether it’s in bed, in the bath or on the train, tablets have opened up use cases for iPlayer that just weren’t there before.”
Tablets have created a new dimension in thoughts about a virtual office. They are enabling business to be carried out in coffee shoppes, book shoppes and anywhere else there is a Wi-Fi connection. No longer are the days in which business and other types of communication take place in an office. Communication can now be taken out and about and being tied to a desk is no longer even a thought.
Tablets are taking what was once only possible with a laptop and making it possible in places never thought of before. Business can be carried out nearly anywhere and that is opening doors for individuals like never before. As electronic gadgets like tablets and smartphones are being exposed to possible damage and theft, gadget insurance is becoming more of a necessity than ever before. No one can predict when accidents or theft will occur, but the likelihood of them taking place is quite high.
Gadget insurance is now more affordable than ever. Not only is there a plan to fit any budget, gadget cover is more accessible than ever before. It can easily be researched online and can be purchased online as well. There are multiple plans available, so there is a cover plan for everyone. The plans are not limited to just smartphones and laptops. Devices such as sat navs, cameras and others can be under cover as well. Don’t be left without the use of any device for longer than necessary. Gadget insurance is available for anyone looking for protection and peace of mind.–


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Smart glasses market to grow 141% in next four years
A new report by market research firm Technavio has forecast that the global market for smart glasses will grow at CAGR of approximately 141% in 2016-2020.
The enterprises segment had the largest market share in terms of unit shipment and revenue in 2015, making up around 97% of the global market. Individual consumer shipments had a mere 2.77% market share.
The report indicates that the industry's focus remains on enterprises. Major vendors such as Microsoft, Sony, ODG, Epson, Vuzix and Atheer continue to look at this segment because of its wider application areas.
Meanwhile, some companies are exploring the potential in the individual consumer segment. Microsoft, for instance, promoted its new HoloLens augmented reality (AR) smart glasses at the 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California.
According to Technavio, there are four major factors contributing to this market's growth: growing awareness of AR technology, incorporation of SLAM technology in AR, growing developer interest and increased crowdfunding.
Several market players, including brands like Converse, Maybelline, Pepsi and Nike, are tapping AR for their campaigns and digital consumer experiences. Walgreens, a drug retailer, launched an AR app in 2014 for customers to navigate its stores. It used Aisle411 technology, developed with Google's Project Tango.
This report was released just before Research and Markets released a report on smart wearable sports and fitness devices, forecasting that the market for smart wearable fitness and sports devices and services will grow 25.22% and 38.35%, respectively, in the same four years.
The Technavio report is available here (registration required).
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their IoT use-cases? Attend the IoT Tech Expo World Series events with upcoming shows in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam to learn more.
The show is co-located with the AI & Big Data Expo, Cyber Security & Cloud Expo and Blockchain Expo so you can explore the entire ecosystem in one place.
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The launch of Virgin Galactic on the New York stock exchange on Monday hasn’t exactly got off to a flying start, as those who stump up cash at IPOs hope. In the first few days the price has already fallen by 14.4%.
It’s still early days, but I’m not surprised, as long-term investors are rarely as interested in the latest blue-sky (in this case literally) stock coming to market as the first-mover enthusiasts. As Warren Buffett pointed out, the early aviation pioneers were not the ones who made all the money, and I’m not going to assume the early space pioneers will be any different.
But what does this say about flotations here in the UK and the wisdom of investing in them? I’m going to take a look at two very different ones.
When Aston Martin (LSE: AML) floated, I wondered who in their right mind would buy shares in a company that had already gone bust seven times in its history. My reservations were not only founded, they were greatly underestimated, and the share price has collapsed 75% since flotation – if ever I’d like to have been wrong about a stock, this was it.
The reason is that the company’s sales just haven’t come up to scratch, but it was always going to be a risky business to invest in at the best of times. Not only is Aston Martin a luxury goods brand, it’s a very exclusive luxury goods brand in a competitive business, and the prestige car market is a very difficult one to succeed in.
And these are not the best of times anyway, with the UK’s predicted post-Brexit recession only one example of the economic malaise gripping the globe.
I’m not even going to bother looking at Aston Martin’s fundamental ratios or forecasts, as it’s just a permanent bargepole stock for me – an example of the kind of stock I would never touch.
The launch of AJ Bell (LSE: AJB) couldn’t have gone more differently, with its price having soared by 70% since flotation. In fact, by May this year, the price had more than doubled before falling back from what was looking distinctly overheated.
The big difference is that the investing platform provider is in a very profitable business and already had a strong track record. No, there were no blue-sky hopes here.
The firm’s year-end trading update on 24 October will have made pleasing reading to those who bought the shares. Total customer numbers increased by 17% over the year, reaching 232,066, and assets under administration climbed 13% to £52.3bn.
Chief executive Andy Bell said: “Our first full year trading update since the IPO demonstrates the resilience of our business model.” He’s right, and the beauty is that nobody should have needed to be told as we can see just how well a very similar approach has worked at bigger FTSE 100 sibling Hargreaves Lansdown.
When thinking about buying at IPO, we always need to remember that the private owners of a company choose their launch price and timing to best benefit themselves and to raise as much cash as they can – not to provide us with a bargain buying opportunity.
So how do I decide which IPOs to go for? Simple, I avoid them all.
Alan Oscroft has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Hargreaves Lansdown. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.


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Gardai investigating after man threatens Londis staff with ‘large butcher’s knife’ in armed robbery
The raider fled the scene on foot with a small amount of money
STAFF at a Londis store were threatened with a knife in an armed robbery yesterday.
The incident happened at the shop in the Fonthill Retail Park, Dublin, at around 11am.
The thug went behind the counter and demanded cash.
According to Independent.ie, the raider was holding a large butcher's knife.
He fled the scene on foot with a small amount of money.
Gardai are investigating but no arrests have been made yet.
A garda spokesman said: "Gardai are investigating a robbery from a retail premises in the Fonthill Retail Park area of Clondalkin that occurred on 8/1/19 at approximately 11am.
"A male allegedly entered the premises armed with a knife and stole a sum of cash.
"Investigations are ongoing."
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It’s that time of the year again — time to celebrate bicycles and the pleasant lifestyles to which they contribute. It’s easy to understand the benefits of riding a bike: exercise, better enjoyment and understanding of our surroundings, less traffic and smog, etc. (When you’re riding a bike you also get to worry less about the consistent military struggles over resources in the Middle East and other places: “What the [expletive] did I do?!?”)
May is officially Bike Month, but celebratory events kick off this weekend with a Bike Art Poster Party at Coffee Emporium 6:30-8 p.m. Friday and the Bike Month Kick-Off Expo 2-4 p.m. Saturday at the downtown public library. The Expo will include crafts, bike-related books and unique bikes on exhibit such as a tall bike, bamboo bike and vintage, delivery and cargo bikes.
CityBeat will preview in its cover story next week the many other Bike Month events scheduled during May, in addition to some fun cycling tips and a rundown of local cycling infrastructure and resources. (There might also be a check-in with a local guy who doesn’t have a car to see how things are going with him…)
The following are some of the many events taking place in May, via Queen City Bike:
Howl at the Moon Ride: Explore city streets at night, top off with a party
Walk Along Wasson Way-:Walking tour along the proposed Wasson Way Biking Trail
Pompeii and Pizza: Tour the exhibit at the Museum center then ride to a pizza lunch
Cyclo Femme: 50-mile female-only ride
Bike Swap- sell, buy and trade bike goods
Bikes and Brews: bike pub crawl
Teilen Story Hour: Tell your story or come to listen
Bike Prom: a formal bike ride
Ride of Shame Brunch Ride: Roll out wearing your clothes from Saturday night
Here’s a link to the official Bike Month calendar.
And check out last year’s Bike Month cover package here (the image on this blog is last year’s CityBeat cover, which garnered much praise/ridicule from the Stuff You Will Hate “Caption This Picture” contest).