text:
i-PRO launches mini pocket AI network camera
i-PRO says the mini network camera is capable of processing large amounts of data quickly, including the ability to run three AI analytics applications simultaneously.
ROLLING MEADOWS, Illinois – i-PRO (formerly known as Panasonic i-PRO Sensing Solutions Corp. of America) announces its new Mini Network Camera with AI.
The company says its new pocket camera incorporates a full suite of AI analytics capabilities, and the product provides businesses, including retail, with a small-form-factor security camera that protects while providing a overview of the organization.
“The i-PRO mini revolutionizes the traditional compact camera segment by combining a sleek, low-profile design with powerful AI analytics. Business owners can easily leverage their surveillance footage to unlock valuable marketing insights to gain buyer insights,” says Adam Lowenstein, Director of Product Management at i-PRO Americas Inc. “i-PRO mini is truly at the forefront of the next generation of commercial detail. by delivering a powerful, full-featured AI-based smart camera in the smallest package in our industry.”
According to the company, the new mini network camera is part of its S series of products. The company says that thanks to the camera’s compact design, it’s able to blend into a range of environments and thanks to its AI processing, it’s able to quickly process large amounts of data, including the ability to run three AI analytical applications simultaneously.
i-PRO points out that its latest camera’s AI-based detection technologies reduce false alarms and that these technologies help the camera provide important marketing and operational insights. Some of the free scans offered by the Mini Network Camera include people and vehicle detection with the ability to identify color, upper and lower clothing, face detection, and detection without a mask.
The new camera also supports occupancy monitoring and counting, and also includes a privacy protection feature that pixelates individual faces or the entire body to maintain GDPR compliance.
The company also points out that the mini low-profile network camera measures just 4 inches wide by 1.89 inches tall and 0.82 inches deep. i-PRO notes that the camera supports third-party app plugins to enable specialized activities such as inventory monitoring on product shelves.
Additionally, the camera is designed to be quickly configured via a smart device and an optional USB WiFi adapter to display live images during the installation process. Additionally, the camera will remember the angle it was first installed in, and if it has been tampered with, a red LED will light up and it can generate emails to notify users that its position changed.
“i-PRO is the industry leader in providing solutions that require powerful, discrete computing hardware, without the need to compromise between camera size, performance and next-generation business insights. commented Lowenstein. “The new i-PRO mini exemplifies our commitment to constant innovation and our mission to make AI capabilities universally available to the surveillance market.”


text:
Bifinity accepts more than 50 cryptocurrencies and a variety of popular payment methods, including Visa and Mastercard.
Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange, launched its own fiat-to-crypto payments service, Bifinity, to assist businesses in becoming “crypto-ready,” according to the company.
Bifinity, which was formed officially last year and became live on Monday, offers 50 cryptocurrencies and all major payment methods, including Visa and Mastercard. Binance announced the acquisition on Monday.
Merchants will be able to leverage Bifinity’s APIs to enable crypto transactions for their customers.
Bifinity’s initial clients include EQONEX (EQOS), a provider of financial services for digital assets, as well as payment platforms Checkout.com and Paysafe.
Disclaimer: These are the writer’s opinions and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should do their own research.

domain: news


text:
NEW research has revealed ‘strong’ demand and price increases for used construction equipment in Europe, driven by high activity levels and supply chain disruptions.
The findings were revealed in Ritchie Bros. Q4 2021 Market Trends Report, which uses data from Ritchie Bros. auctions and marketplaces as well as information from equipment listing website, Mascus.
“The market continues to function, but the supply of materials needed for production is lagging behind,” said Johan Lustig, product manager valuation services at Ritchie Bros. “Long delivery times on new equipment makes the used equipment market much more appealing for buyers across Europe and beyond.
“Analysing Mascus listings, we see a decrease in equipment stock in our clients’ yards, while the average age of used equipment for sale is rising. The same trend is occurring with auction lots where both the age of the machines and the prices are increasing.”


text:
MUMBAI: The share of Indian adspend allocated to magazines is set to rise in the years ahead, according to the president of the Association of Indian Magazines.
Speaking to delegates at the Indian Magazine Congress, Tarun Rai, compared the current share in India to that in more mature Western markets.
He pointed out that in the US this figure stood at 17%, while in parts of Europe it was even higher, with Germany recording an 18% share. In France, magazines account for 15% of adspend and in Italy 11%.
"At 4% of adspend, share of magazines in India can only go up," Rai said.
In this context, Rai also noted a recent prediction by FIPP, the worldwide magazine media association, that more magazines will be launched in 2013 than in 2012.
Referring to the extraordinary global growth of tablets – with 20m sold in 20 months – Rai argued that this presented new opportunities for publishers.
"Readers have been found to spend 45 minutes on the print version of a magazine, versus 160 minutes on the tablet," he said.
Speaking in his capacity as CEO of Worldwide Media, late last year Rai declared: "All our magazines are available in their digital versions. We are also aggressively developing various magazines' apps and will be launching them soon."
"We see an opportunity in reaching a new younger audience through our digital initiatives," he added.
Elsewhere at the Congress, Nitin Paranjpe, CEO of Hindustan Unilever, referred to the pace of innovation in the Indian magazine sector in his keynote speech to delegates.
Data sourced from Campaign India/MxM India/Exchange4Media; additional content by Warc staff


text:
At close to Rs 74,000 crore, credit and debit card spends at point-of-sale (PoS) terminals may have stabilised at levels that are about 40% higher than they were pre-demonetisation, suggests data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) website.
At close to Rs 74,000 crore, credit and debit card spends at point-of-sale (PoS) terminals may have stabilised at levels that are about 40% higher than they were pre-demonetisation, suggests data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) website. Card spends in May added up to Rs 73,649 crore, up 42% from Rs 51,884 crore in October, and 25% higher than Rs 58,734 crore in November. However, in no month so far have spends come close to the December peak of Rs 89,180 crore. Moreover, ticket sizes are trending down, suggesting cards are being used for smaller transactions too; from Rs 2,261 in October, they are currently at Rs 1,924. Nevertheless, they are above the December lows of Rs 1,678. For whatever reason, cards aren’t being used to pay for groceries or even at restaurants, except perhaps at very high-end eateries. Even when the shortage of cash was acute, the average ticket size was Rs 1,500.
Volumes, too, appear to have plateaued; at 383 million, they are up 67% between October and May, but well below the highs of December’s 532 million. Experts point out the upcoming festive season might see an uptick in spends via cards. Last November, the government decided to withdraw high-value currency notes, resulting in a cash crunch that lasted for over two months. Between January and March, the RBI gradually eased restrictions on cash withdrawals from bank accounts. Card spends seem to have slowed concurrently.
AP Hota, MD and CEO, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), believes the drop in the value of card transactions at PoS and e-commerce can be attributed to the return of cash. Hota points out the volume of transactions using RuPay cards at PoS machines and on e-commerce platforms had touched 59 million in December only to slip to 44 million in both May and June.
RBI does not provide data on card transactions made on e-commerce platforms. Most other modes of digital payments have maintained a steady rate of growth in recent months. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has grown the fastest among all retail modes of payment since demonetisation. The value of transactions on the channel jumped 34 times between November and June to Rs 3,070 crore. The value of transactions made through the Immediate Payments Service (IMPS) grew 83% over November to Rs 59,650 crore in June.
Prepaid payment instruments (PPIs), comprising mainly mobile wallets and prepaid cards, rose 110% over November to Rs 10,669.36 crore in May. The value of remittances made through the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) channel also grew 41% over November to Rs 12.41 lakh crore in May.
The Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel recorded an aggregate transaction value of Rs 31.32 crore in June which was 42 times higher than the November value of Rs 73 lakh. The use of USSD, an SMS-based money transfer service, has largely seen a decline since January, as cash came back into the system and the usage of the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app took off after December. BHIM is available for use on feature phones and, as such, competes directly with the USSD service.


text:
The new Honda Civic Type R has more power than its predecessor, looks better, and is even more track-focused. However, it isn’t any quicker in a straight line.
Motor Trend recently got its hands on the punchy Japanese hot hatch and put it through its paces. It was able to record a best 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time of 5.3 seconds, on par with the 2021 Civic Type R Limited Edition that the publication previously tested.
Read: 2023 Honda Civic Type R Offers 325 HP For £46,995 In The UK
Of course, this could simply be because of the difficulty of launching powerful front-wheel drive cars consistently, right? With an extra 9 hp and 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) of torque, the 2023 Civic Type R should be a hair quicker once the speeds start to build. At least in theory. In reality, it’s not.
Slower Than The Outgoing LE
During quarter-mile testing, the magazine recorded a time of 13.9 seconds at 104.2 mph (167.8 km/h). That is 0.2 seconds and 3.6 mph (5.7 km/h) slower than the Civic Type R Limited Edition but is slightly quicker than the standard 2017 Civic Type R that posted a time of 14.0 seconds at 102.5 mph (164.9 km/h).
These times put the new Civic Type R roughly on par with its rivals. For example, MT has hit 60 mph in 5.1 seconds with the Elantra N DCT and run the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds. The publication has also tested the Toyota GR Corolla’s 0-60 mph time at 5.4 seconds.
There are other performance metrics where the new Civic Type R shines. Hit the brakes at 60 mph and you can stop in 104 feet with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, 5 feet less than a VW Golf R and 6 feet less than a GR Corolla. It also pulled 1.03 g through Motor Trend’s skid pad, 0.09 g more than the Golf R and GR Corolla and matching the Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0. It was also quicker than the VW and Toyota around a figure-eight lap.


text: WWD has the first image of Lindsay Lohan's new campaign for Jill Stuart, but the photos look familiar. It seems Lindsay's joined the larger trend of topless women holding handbags. After Kate Moss had her breasts conveniently airbrushed out of last year's Longchamp photos, Gemma Ward took up the torch with a Louis Vuitton bag that was so wide, it blocked out her entire naked torso. As for Lindsay, she does seem to be wearing some sort of sequined underwear, which perhaps were urged onto her by Rachel Zoe. More important: Do you think Lindsay is a good face for the brand?


text:
Mobile Applications: Tools and Resources
This page is a collection the coverage of utility apps -- calculators, web browsers, personal organizers -- that has appeared in The New York Times, both in print and online. Check back often, as this page will be updated regularly. We will also feature lists of favorite apps from Times writers. Click on any of the headings below to see all the coverage in another category.
News about Mobile Applications: Tools and Resources, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
Apps can scan for viruses, encrypt your sensitive information and manage your passwords.
July 9, 2015, Thursday
The Federal Railroad Administration is hoping its new measure to integrate grade-crossing locations into mapping technology will curb the recent increase in crashes and fatalities.
June 29, 2015, Monday
Some on-demand companies are rejecting the practice of using independent contractors, like Uber drivers, and are hiring people they can train and hold accountable.
June 25, 2015, Thursday
Head-up displays like Navdy’s claim to reduce risk by projecting information from a smartphone into a driver’s line of vision, but some experts worry the additional stimulus will be too distracting.
May 31, 2015, Sunday
Guard your privacy when you post your photos online by turning off location services for your smartphone’s camera app.
May 28, 2015, Thursday
These apps track your route to create an interactive record of where you’ve been, even adding photos, videos and notes to make a digital scrapbook.
May 24, 2015, Sunday
A free analytics site allows drivers to use their daily income, number of fares, working hours, expenses and mileage to calculate pay and determine profitable driving patterns.
May 10, 2015, Sunday
Even with an upgrade, there are several ways to work with Microsoft Office files. Also, backing up data on an Amazon Fire tablet.
April 23, 2015, Thursday
Americans are acculturated to being cagey about our personal wealth and income, but a little transparency might serve us all better.


text:
NLP / Natural language processing stories
Arrow Electronics expands Copilot for Microsoft 365 to EMEA partners
Arrow Electronics expands access to the AI-enhanced Copilot for Microsoft 365 via its ArrowSphere Cloud to EMEA region partners, maximising potential opportunities.
AI is here to stay - share market fads versus trends
AI investments debate trends versus fads, with its longevity, sustainability and growing legal legitimacy suggesting a solid market trend rather than a fleeting hype.
AI-Washing: A new wave of ethical and legal considerations for corporate Australia
AI-washing prompts ethical debates and legal challenges in corporate Australia, as companies risk fines for making false claims about their AI technology use.
Dow Jones to launch AI-powered platform to revolutionise due diligence
Dow Jones Risk and Compliance is set to launch an AI-powered research platform, Dow Jones Integrity Check, promising to revolutionise diligence reports.
Lenovo and NVIDIA unveil suite of new hybrid AI solutions
Lenovo, in partnership with NVIDIA, announced hybrid AI solutions at the NVIDIA GTC global AI conference, revolutionising AI implementation across industries.
Lenovo unveils hybrid AI solutions in partnership with NVIDIA
Lenovo has unveiled new hybrid AI solutions, produced in partnership with NVIDIA. These solutions offer bespoke generative AI applications and integrate client data from pocket to cloud, paving the way for rapid innovation and growth across industries.
Nintex launches new GenAI-powered capabilities for smart automation
Global automation provider, Nintex, bolsters its offerings with four new AI-powered products, streamlining customer workflows and further embedding generative AI in process automation.
Lenovo & NVIDIA unveil hybrid AI solutions for accelerated computing
Lenovo ISG unveils a suite of hybrid AI solutions, developed in partnership with NVIDIA, designed to accelerate computing capabilities and drive AI from concept to implementation.
NVIDIA unveils Project GR00T & Jetson Thor for humanoid robots
NVIDIA reveals Project GR00T and Jetson Thor, major advancements of humanoid robots and AI, enhancing their Isaac robotics platform through generative AI models and technologically advanced infrastructure.
Dexory introduces advanced AI to boost UK warehouse efficiency
Dexory, a UK tech firm, has unveiled its AI-driven logistics engine, 'DexoryView', set to revolutionise warehouse efficiency with real-time analytics and improved decision-making powered by autonomous robots.
UK firms to bolster AI spending despite ROI concerns
Despite mixed confidence in return on investment, UK IT decision makers plan to boost artificial intelligence funding in 2024, amidst fears of premature adoption, reveals a study by NetApp and YouGov.
Dexory unveils AI-powered engine to transform UK warehouse operations
UK firm Dexory has unveiled an AI-powered logistics tool aimed at enhancing warehouse operations, inventory management and agility. The DexoryView platform presents real-time data insights and predictive analytics gathered by autonomous robots.
DS-Compliance & Blue Fusion alliance reshapes data analysis in intelligence
DS-Compliance and Blue Fusion Technologies have forged an alliance to revolutionise data analysis in intelligence and law enforcement, merging AI-driven analytics with advanced data processing.
Fivetran reaches landmark with over 500 data connectors offered
Fivetran breaks record with 500 data connectors, offering the largest number in the field to aid enterprises in centralising data for AI, predictive analytics and operational use.
Five ways AI is already strengthening cyber-defences
While attackers leverage AI for phishing and automated attacks, it also bolsters defenders' toolkit with enhanced threat detection, email security, training, response, and application security.
Ready to Read initiative wins MOSL Market Improvement Fund
Ready to Read, a collaboration between Sagacity and Clear Business Water, has scooped the 2024 MOSL Market Improvement Fund accolade.
UiPath expands partnership with Google Cloud to enhance workplace automation
UiPath and Google Cloud expand their partnership, revolutionising workplace automation using Google's Generative AI. This allows UiPath's Business Automation Platform users to streamline operations through AI-powered automation.
DTEX Systems launches AI assistant to combat insider threats
DTEX Systems launches an AI Risk Assistant as an add-on to its InTERCEPT platform, leveraging generative AI to address insider threats and mitigate data loss with in-depth insights.
2024 to drive privacy transformations, predicts Kaspersky
Kaspersky forecasts a transformation in privacy landscape in 2024, with AI wearables stirring privacy debates, and AR/VR setting fresh norms.
AND Global launches intelligent document processing software Mindox
Singaporean fintech firm AND Global unveils Mindox, an intelligent document processing software set to revolutionise documentation handling in the financial industry.
Cradlepoint pioneers AI functionality for 5G network security
Cradlepoint is pioneering AI integration in enterprise 5G routers, improving efficiency and offering enhanced data security features, including generative AI tools that guard against data leakage.
Check Point launches Infinity AI Copilot tackling cybersecurity challenges
Check Point Software pioneers the next era of cybersecurity with its Infinity AI Copilot, an AI-driven platform designed to address the alarming global rise in ransomware attacks and bolster security measures in the face of a deepening skills shortage.
Qlik acquires Kyndi's technology to boost AI data analytics
Data analytics giant, Qlik, acquires technology and IP from Kyndi, an AI specialist, to boost its capabilities in handling unstructured data and enhance its AI-driven business insights.
AI & hybrid work: Predicting 2024's technology trends
AI advancements to shape 2024's tech trends include virtual communications improvements, robust cybersecurity needs, and hybrid working challenges.


text:
The United Kingdom is not the only one that faced a setback with Brexit. Sales figures from the PSA Group show a drag-down effect due to the falling pound. With a 2.4% fall in Peugeot, 12% in DS, and 14% in Citroen, it has become a matter of great concern for the PSA Group.
PSA revealed the declined sales figures last week on 26th of October, 2016. It was a shocker for many as the group had, just about ten days earlier, made a statement about buying 30% stake in a French online retailer, Aramisauto.
The PSA Group also puts out their effort to target a staggering sales target of 800,000 to be reached within six years from now. Major investors have already started doubting the potential, keeping in view the unstable pound situation.
On the other hand, PSA’s head of used-cars division, Marc Lechantre, has shown great interest in tapping the used-car market, and thinks that it holds great potential.
The third quarter has been absolutely dreadful for the PSA Group. The Chief Monitory Officer, Clotilde Delbos, stated merely hours after the release of the figures that the 331 million pound fall was a ‘massive hit’.
A few years ago, a deal between Iran and a French car manufacturer would’ve been unthinkable.
Iran was an outcast, a global pariah. It was struggling under the weight of crippling economic sanctions over its nuclear program as each of its industries, including automobiles, was reaching the breaking point. However, the 2015 deal between Iran, the US, and the P5+1 States cleared the way for the lifting of economic sanctions and the resumption of trade between Iran and other states.
But now the doorways are open. Iran’s economy is on the way up. And the French car manufacturers don’t want to miss the golden opportunity.
A few days ago, Renault reached a deal with Iran’s government to establish a plant in the country with a capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles a year. The CEO of Renault-Nissan Carlos Ghosn maintains that the demand for cars in Iran could reach 2 million in 2020. Who would want to ignore such a lucrative opportunity?
This is, by no means, the first development between Iran and a French manufacturer. Renault’s rival PSA Peugeot Citroën also wants to produce 150,000 vehicles a year in the country, a figure it aims to double in 2017.
With the number of French manufacturers flocking to capture the blooming Iranian automobile market, it’s clear that the future of French automobile sales lies in Iran.
It goes from 0 to 60 in just 2.5 seconds.
Since it was introduced in June 2012, the Tesla Model S has become one of the company’s key offerings and the face of the electronic car industry. It became the first electric car to score first place in the monthly new car sales rankings anywhere in the world. By December 2015, the company had sold more than 100,000 units.
Not to mention that the car scored a perfect 5.0 on the American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration automobile safety rating.
However, questions were raised on the safety of the vehicle during the company’s latest attempt to bring the success of their vehicle to France. The company was busy promoting its Model S and Model X in Biarritz, France in its ‘Electric Road Trip’ tour where an unusual event occurred.
As some passengers and a Tesla employee were on a test drive in the Model S 90D, they heard a loud sound and the vehicle indicated a problem with the charging. Soon after they exited the vehicle, it burst into flames.
The story received widespread attention in the media and caused Tesla’s stocks to drop several points.
Although the cause of the fire is still unknown, this is by no means the first fire incident involving a Tesla Model S. In view of the numerous reported cases of a Tesla Model S catching fire, it’s a wonder how the vehicle gained such a perfect score in the safety ratings in the first place.
Almost a year after the Volkswagen emission scandal, Europe still hasn’t made sufficient progress on preventing car manufacturers from tricking emission tests rather than making actual progress on reducing the level of emissions.
This was revealed in a report presented by French authorities on Friday. After a thorough investigation of diesel cars by manufacturers – including Fiat, Ford, and France’s very own Renault – the investigators have been unable to find any evidence proving that the manufacturers haven’t performed illegal modifications.
Additionally, the report also claimed that the car manufacturers were “encouraged” by the European authorities to create cars that had the capability of polluting more than the EU limits.
Among the culprits was the Renault Talisman with a staggering difference between lab tests and real world figures. The level of toxic nitrogen oxides emitted by the vehicle in the lab results stand at 57.6mg/km whereas, in the real world, it’s somewhere around 926.1mg/km.
Will the French government take any action against Renault? Some of the French media outlets don’t think so. The Guardian reported a French business magazine as saying:
“The line is hazy between cheating and optimisation … in short, what might be barely morally defensible would be perfectly legal. The chances are pretty slim that any constructor will suffer the slightest reproach. The royal commission [which produced the report], like all its European counterparts, seems little more than a waste of time.”
Linda Jackson, the CEO of Citroën, has recently been named as the most influential British woman in the car industry.
During the course of her career, Linda Jackson has proved herself worthy of all the accolades and acclaim that came her way. She is not only the first British CEO of Citroën, but also the first woman ever to hold the job.
Appointed in June 2014, Jackson took charge of Citroën in troubled times when its parent company PSA Peugeot Citroën was struggling to curb losses in some of its traditional markets. But her vision was clear. “We want to be more creative, affordable and offer things that really matter to mainstream customers,” she said in an interview back then.
She has definitely delivered on the promise of creativity. One of the examples is the C4 Cactus which featured sleek and slim headlights, innovative plastic side panels, and pop-out rear windows. The Cactus was an instant hit with those who wanted style with substance but at an affordable rate.
It seemed that, with the C4, Jackson had achieved her vision of designing vehicles that were “between different and bizarre.”
However, not everyone is satisfied. Bertrand Rakoto, an automotive consultant, claims “the problem with Citroen is nobody knows exactly what its positioning is compared to the Peugeot brand.”
How successful Jackson’s business strategies are in the future still remains to be seen.
If you drive a car that was built before 1997, maybe it would be a good idea to drop the plans of visiting Paris for the holidays.
The city of love, old things, and love for old things will not tolerate vintage cars anymore. The ban on old vehicles was a part of measures implemented by the Parisian socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo. If you are in Paris, you’re not allowed to drive a car older than 1997 or a motorcycle older than 2000. Doing so can result in a penalty ranging from €35 to a staggering €450.
The goal is simple. According to the mayor, the ban will reduce the smog across the city and lead to improved traffic conditions. It’s an attempt to drastically cut emission levels for better environmental conditions.
Although designed to deliver on the environmental promise, the ban is attracting its fair share of criticism from some of the less affluent sections of the society. The measures are being perceived as highly elitist and socially unjust. The critics are speaking against the law which, in their opinion, penalizes the poor just because of their social status.
The problem is particularly critical in the suburban areas of the French capital where a lot of the city’s workers reside. Many of these workers cannot afford to buy newer vehicles and may face the brunt of enhanced environmental protection plans.
Carlos Ghosn must feel like he’s on the top of the world right now.
Last week, the Lebanese born CEO of the Renault-Nissan alliance had a wide grin on his face while shaking hands with Osamu Masuko, the chief executive of Mitsubishi, the newest addition to the Renault-Nissan. Ghosn has many reasons to be more than pleased about the deal. Not least of them is the fact that the deal will propel the alliance into the leagues of the Big Three – General Motors, Toyota, and Volkswagen. With combined global sales of 9.6 million vehicles annually, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi could be the next major player of the game.
However, does that wide grin hide his trepidations? And there are many. The foremost among them is the potential fallout from the Mitsubishi’s scandal. The Japanese car manufacturer found itself in the midst of an outcry over inflated fuel economy figures. The deal, which might be a huge leap forward in Ghosn’s career, might also destroy it.
Another reason to worry is that it will bring him further on a collision course with the French government. Mitsubishi’s inclusion into the mix could potentially exacerbate the conflict between Ghosn and the French government, which has previously intervened to acquire double voting rights for the long-term investors in the alliance and led a shareholder rebellion against Ghosn’s €7.3m pay package for 2015.


text:
Last week, we published a case study about a New Jersey pizzeria owner who recently debated two different paths in the food industry: Should he enlarge his tiny restaurant to boost stagnant revenues? Or should he sell the business and start another one to manufacture his restaurant’s red sauce, which he had been selling over the counter as Jersey Italian Gravy?
After much thought, Carlos Vega sold his Guttenberg, N.J. restaurant, Father and Son Pizzeria, in 2009. Because the proceeds from the sale weren’t enough to start his new enterprise, he took a full-time job while he built the wholesale sauce business. Mr. Vega, who shipped his first cases of tomato sauce in December 2012, explained his decision in a recent conversation that has been condensed and edited.
We just published a case study about the owner of an eight-table Italian restaurant on the cusp of a major decision. Carlos Vega bought the 900-square-foot Father and Son Pizzeria in Guttenberg, N.J., in 2007 and worked long hours perfecting the restaurant’s house sauce, expanding the menu options and building a vibrant takeout trade. Though the business was profitable, revenues plateaued well short of where he had hoped. Two years in, Mr. Vega found himself debating the pros and cons of two very different paths forward.
He could expand his dining room — either by adding a second floor to his one-story restaurant or moving down the street to a bigger storefront. In so doing, he could add tables, maybe tablecloths, and raise prices.
Or he could bet everything on red, sell Father and Son Pizzeria and stake his future on the restaurant’s red sauce, or “gravy,” which he had started jarring and selling over the counter at the behest of his customers. Under this scenario, he would find a co-packer, expand the sauce into a line under the brand Jersey Italian Gravy that would retail for $8.99, and also market his sauce to chefs in No. 10 cans. To test the waters, Mr. Vega dropped off sample jars at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and other specialty food stores. He got encouraging reviews from many buyers. Read more…
Last week, we published a case study about a business owner who sought a better work/life balance in her early fifties by downshifting — cutting back on her hours and working two to three days a week from home. But then, two years closer to 60, Bibby Gignilliat, founder of Parties That Cook, a San Francisco company that offers cooking classes as employee-appreciation and corporate team-building events, had a change of heart. She had spent 14 years building her business to $2.2 million in revenue, but she knew she had more work to do if she ever wanted to sell the business.
She decided to step back into a more active role, first sharing that plan in a budget meeting with two crucial managers late in 2012. She announced an ambitious sales goal for 2013 and a plan to double revenue in three years, and she scheduled an all-day strategic-planning session for her entire staff for early January to embark on those goals. In an interview that has been condensed and edited, we followed up with Ms. Gignilliat after the case study was published to learn more about how she is doing and to see what she thought of the advice offered by our commenters.
You say you pride yourself on your collaborative management style. Yet your return sounds a bit more like stepping back in with a bullhorn. Was there any employee backlash?Read more…
We just published a case study about the chief executive of an event company based in San Francisco who is in the process of reasserting control of her business. Several years ago, approaching her 50th birthday, Bibby Gignilliat, the founder of Parties That Cook, a company that offers cooking classes as employee-appreciation and corporate-team-building events, realized that she needed to resuscitate her long-ignored private life.
By downshifting, she had time for travel and social relationships. And with more time to reflect, she realized that with a long-term goal of selling her business by the time she turned 60, she would be wise to re-engage with the business and try to create more value by increasing the company’s revenues. She set an aggressive sales target of $2.7 million for 2013, up from 2012 sales of $2.18 million, and announced that goal to two employees meeting with her in her home last November, as she told them she was “stepping back in.”
But how best to return to a more active role? And how to do it without ruffling feathers? Below, you’ll see the recommendations provided by three other chief executives. Please read the case study and use the comment section below to offer your own advice. Next week, we will publish a follow-up post with an update on how Ms. Gignilliat is doing. Read more…
Last week, we published a case study about the founder of a suburban Philadelphia tree-trimming and -removal business. Having built his five-year-old company, Monster Tree Service, to 15 employees and more than $2 million in annual revenue, Josh Skolnick, 29, debated how best to expand: With corporate-owned locations or with franchises?
The experts we assembled and most readers offered pretty much the same advice — that he forgo or postpone franchising at least until he opens a second company-owned location. In a conversation that has been condensed and edited, Mr. Skolnick explains why he decided to franchise Monster Tree Service, which is based in Fort Washington, Pa., and how that decision is working out. The first franchise opened in May, near Salt Lake City. Eight more have opened since then, all in Pennsylvania.
We just published a case study about a suburban Philadelphia company called Monster Tree Service. Having grown his two-year-old, 15-employee business to more than $2 million in annual revenue, 29-year-old Josh Skolnick wants to expand beyond the working radius of his Fort Washington, Pa., office.
He’s weighing two options:
One, open a second corporate office — and then others. He figures the second office might cost as much as $500,000, including the necessary equipment and bucket trucks. He would pay down the resulting debt out of future revenue.
Two, expand by franchising, with lower costs upfront. Mr. Skolnick estimates the initial costs of setting up as a franchise at about $100,000. Granted, he would need to hire a director of franchising and, in time, various franchising employees. But capital expenses for entering new markets would be covered by his franchisees. Read more…
In March, Ms. Shein and her bakery, based near San Diego, were featured in a case study that looked at what she would have to do to comply with the new health care law. With insurance companies still developing their offerings for businesses like hers, Ms Shein was delighted to learn that the employer mandate was being delayed. “I was thrilled when I heard we had the extra time to watch and wait,” she said.
At the time the case study was written, Ms. Shein had been quite concerned about the potential effects of the law’s implementation. “We saw it as a significant cost to our business, one we hadn’t built into our business model,” she said. Her participation in the case study led to appearances on several TV news programs, including on Fox Business and CNBC. Read more…
Last week, we published a case study about a social entrepreneur, Saul Garlick, discussing what kind of legal structure would be best for his enterprise, ThinkImpact, which encourages entrepreneurship in third-world communities. He fundamentally had three options: continue as a nonprofit, go commercial, or find some sort of hybrid route.
We asked three experts which option would be best. Pamela Hartigan, director of the Skoll Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford, who is constantly advising aspiring social entrepreneurs, suggested that Mr. Garlick hop off the “treadmill of donor dependency.” Jonathan Lewis, a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, and a social entrepreneur himself, also suggested going commercial. Lastly, Shivani Siroya, an entrepreneur who runs InVenture, a hybrid organization, noted that it was possible to raise revenue even as a nonprofit and thus suggested that ThinkImpact should not dismiss a nonprofit model too quickly.
Many commenters agreed with Ms. Siroya, suggesting that Mr. Garlick use revenue streams as a nonprofit to raise money rather than going purely commercial. Others, however, noted that the nonprofit field is evolving and a profit-making enterprise can be driven by social impact and not the bottom line. Several readers pointed to new legal structures like a benefit corporation or L3C, which incorporate social impact into the core mission of a company.
We contacted Mr. Garlick for a follow-up conversation, which has been condensed and edited, to see which option he chose. Read more…
We just published a case study about a young entrepreneur, Saul Garlick, who is debating which business model to adopt for his social enterprise, ThinkImpact.
In high school, Mr. Garlick started a nonprofit organization called Student Movement for Real Change. By the age of 23, he had graduated from college, and the nonprofit had evolved with a new name, a new mission and a small team of employees. The organization, ThinkImpact, was coordinating trips for young adults to go to South Africa where they gained firsthand experience developing community projects and social businesses. But as the nonprofit grew, Mr. Garlick felt overwhelmed by financial burdens. Rather than focusing on the operations, he spent the bulk of his workweek connecting with potential donors and trying to raise money.
As a result, he is debating whether he should keep ThinkImpact a nonprofit that is dependent on donors or transform it into a commercial organization — or possibly some sort of hybrid that combines both. Read more…
Last week, we published a case study about a young entrepreneur in Seattle, Aseem Badshah, who has been deciding how to divide his time and attention between two ventures.
His first business, Uptown Treehouse, creates online marketing campaigns to promote products for companies. Three years old, it earns an annual profit of more than $300,000 on annual revenue of $1.3 million. His new business, Socedo, scans social media and other Web sites to find sales leads for clients. Two hundred companies are already using a test version of the software, and Mr. Badshah has received positive feedback on it. Read more…


text:
Made official in late June, the Nexus 7 is the first device to be shipped with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system. Google announced the next version of its mobile platform more than three weeks ago and confirmed the first devices to receive the upgrade in the following weeks.
The search giant stated that Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Motorola XOOM would be among the first to get the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update, while the Nexus 7 would come with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean platform out of the box.
The rollout for the Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ and Nexus S already started, but Motorola XOOM owners have yet to receive the update.
In the meantime, Google launched the hotly anticipated Nexus 7 tablet in North America and the UK. However, it looks like the company clearly underestimated the high demand and is now in the position to stop sales of the 16GB model.
The Nexus 7 16GB
is currently unavailable in the Google Play store, and already sold out at GameStop, Kmart, Sam’s Club, Office Depot, Staples, B&H, and Best Buy in Canada. Customers in the UK won’t be able to purchase it either as Tesco’s stock has been depleted.
Manufactured by Asus, Nexus 7 was introduced on the market for a suggested retail of $249 USD (205 EUR) for the 16GB model, and $199 USD (165 EUR) for the 8GB version.
Those who still want to grab the first Android 4.1 Jelly Bean device can still do so by purchasing the 8GB variant, which is still available via Google Play
For the time being, customers who wish to buy the 16GB model will have to wait a bit longer. In order to get the latest info on the slate’s availability, customers will have to sign up to be notified by e-mail when it’s back in stock.


text:
Thetford jobs boost to be hailed by Prime Minister David Cameron
- Credit: Archant
Jobs created by a Norfolk engineering firm were due to be welcomed today by David Cameron as he says Britain is a 'nation of geniuses' which can be turned into the most creative country on earth.
The Prime Minister is expected to welcome job announcements around the country, Multimatic creating 232 retail and developments jobs in Coventry and Thetford.
Multimatic has its European Technical Centre based in the Breckland town, with further offices based internationally.
It is unclear how many jobs will be created at the Thetford site by the company, which supplies components, systems, and services to the automotive industry.
Mr Cameron is visiting Liverpool to open the International Festival of Business today, as he attempts to outline how the Government aims to drum up trade from around the globe.
You may also want to watch:
The PM is expected to tell an audience of 250 company chief executives in Liverpool: 'One of the things I love about Britain is that we are a nation of geniuses.
'There's nothing more important in my long-term economic plan for Britain than making this the most creative country on earth - at the forefront of the latest industry, making things and selling them to the world.'
- 1 Two Norfolk villages named among most beautiful to visit in England
- 2 Cat food brands recalled over link to fatal disease
- 3 Man put hidden camera in bedroom to spy on wife
- 4 Driver taken to hospital after four-car crash on key road into Norwich
- 5 Roads flooded on east coast after heavy rain
- 6 Elderly man took his clothes off at Norwich park
- 7 Man in critical condition after being stabbed in Thetford
- 8 Amazing photos show storms over Norfolk – and there are more to come
- 9 Linnets turn down £100,000 bid for midfielder
- 10 Norfolk social worker loses race discrimination case


text:
26 Sep 2019
Posted in Pharma
Concerted efforts required by both Indian pharma industry and government to boost innovation in India, says GlobalData
The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) has recently urged the government to set up a fund to boost technological innovation in the bio/pharma space. This push to promote innovation by creating a research ecosystem is important because the Indian pharmaceutical industry is set to grow from nearly US$31bn in 2018 to more than US$38.0bn by 2022, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Dr. Peter Shapiro, Senior Director of Drugs and Business Fundamentals at GlobalData, says: “Looking at the current scenario within the Indian pharma industry, an increase of funding alone cannot be considered enough to create innovation.
“The creation of an ecosystem will involve the nurturing of talent and a marketplace of innovative university technology transfer projects, to shift the market from one that specializes in small molecule generics to one that specializes in innovative drugs many of which are complex biologics.”
According the GlobalData Pharma Intelligence Center Company Database, Indian companies have dominated the generic market, with a majority of the top 20 generic companies by revenue being headquartered in India.
Dr. Shapiro adds: “Lipaglyn was the first innovative drug launched by an Indian company, Zydus Cadila, in 2014. Lipaglyn is marketed in India and Mexico; however other novel products approved in India have failed to be approved abroad.
“Indian companies’ lower spend on research and development (R&D) have prevented them from making an impact in the innovative drug market. Nevertheless, some Indian companies are focussing on drug discovery.”
Similar to developed markets, the most popular therapy area is oncology. An example of this is Aurigene, a subsidiary of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, which entered into an exclusive collaboration with the US-based Exelixis to develop novel therapies for cancer.
The majority of Indian innovative drugs collaboration is most likely to be with companies and institutes in the US not with other domestic collaborators.
The Indian pipeline is also focused on ‘infectious disease’. A third of the pipeline products in development by Indian companies are in the ‘infectious disease’ space compared to the pipeline in developed countries (US, Europe and Japan), where only a sixth of products are being developed for ‘infectious disease’.
This includes two chemically related antibiotics in pre-registration in the US, alalevonadifloxacin and levonadifloxacin, being developed by Wockhart Ltd.
Dr. Shapiro concludes: “It is good to have non-dilutive funding to bridge the gap in the drug discovery process. However, innovation growth will also depend on various factors such as industry-academic collaborations, availability of highly skilled talent, innovative science, and additional incentives provided by the government through policy reform. Hence, it is equally important to create an ecosystem where all the above factors are given equal importance to foster innovation.”


text:
What should the future of news media look like?
VICE, youth digital media
brief:Reposition VICE across business, brand, and product, for a new generation of discerning youth media consumers
background:In 2018, VICE was ready for change. The brand had built itself as a millennial whisperer, but that position was quickly being crowded out in a competitive marketplace. The company narrative was becoming less clear to new audiences, and with almost 20+ sub brands the business needed clarification. My approach was to best explain the tenents of the new brand through a new unified product vision.
 back to the main page


text:
PASADENA, Calif.—Visit Pasadena and the City of Pasadena are pleased to announce 626 Day, a citywide campaign encouraging locals and visitors to support the businesses and cultural institutions that make our city shine. From its hip dining scene to its unique shops and museums, Pasadena is a city ready to be explored.
The day-long event on Saturday, June 26, includes a planned social media takeover with posts by Pasadena businesses and social media elements for locals and visitors to use on their own social feeds. For ways to celebrate and support local business, visit the Pasadena 626 Day page at visitpasadena.com/626-day.
“We have a lot to celebrate in anticipation of statewide restrictions being lifted and our businesses and museums finally returning to normal,” said Economic Development Manager Eric Duyshart, “I encourage everyone to join in the fun of Pasadena 626 Day by supporting our local businesses, making plans to visit our cultural institutions, and taking in the amenities that Pasadena has to offer.”
Businesses and cultural institutions across the city are invited to participate in Pasadena 626 Day by offering discounts and in-person promotions to entice locals and visitors back. Interested businesses can find out more details and fill out the 626 Day Business Participation Form at www.cityofpasadena.net/economicdevelopment/626-day.
“Pasadena has always been a diverse destination with many attractions to explore. We are excited to be able to showcase all that the city has to offer and allow visitors to participate in Pasadena 626 Day. We hope that by doing so, they will discover new adventures they can experience. Now that things have reopened, this encourages traveling and helps our businesses recover,” said Jeanne Goldschmidt, executive director of Visit Pasadena.
Visit Pasadena and the City of Pasadena will also be hosting an Instagram giveaway contest featuring Pasadena prizes. Those interested can fill out the Instagram story survey using the hashtag #Pasadena626Day for a chance to win. For added fun, social media users can add Pasadena-branded GIPHY stickers to their Instagram story posts to show local love for Pasadena, California.
For questions about the 626 Day campaign, please contact the City of Pasadena Economic Development Office at (626)744-7357 or visit www.cityofpasadena.net/economicdevelopment/626-day.
About Visit Pasadena
The Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau is a non-profit marketing organization dedicated to promoting Pasadena as a leading meeting, convention and leisure travel destination. For more information, go to VisitPasadena.com. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook at @VisitPasadena.


text:
The Philippines and China pact on Authorized Economic Program (AEO) that offers incentives to traders who collaborate with customs administrations to improve supply chain security. The Agreement will allow both countries to have faster cargo clearance. The Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for the said partnership was signed during President Marcos’ state visit to China last January 3-5, 2023.Continue reading “PH and China pact on Authorized Economic Operator Program”
BOC ascertain 7-point agenda for good governance responsive to PBBM mission orders
Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Yogi Filemon L. Ruiz pledged to continue reforms and promote good governance under his leadership, ensuring it’s responsive to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s (PBBM) mission orders.
DOST promotes AMCen, to capacitate PH manufacturing sector
The Department of Science and Technology – Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) promotes its newly launched Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) on 14 June 2021. The program aims to establish a NATIONAL CENTER of EXCELLENCE in additive manufacturing (AM):
- To establish the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) as the premier hub for developing the next generation of manufacturing engineers
- To be the nation’s leading research center in 3D Printing and achieve prominent and outstanding breakthroughs in the R&D of innovative 3D printing technologies, processes and materials.
- To enhance our capability in the design, materials development from local sources, testing and prototyping of products for additive manufacturing.
- To foster effective collaborations among industry, government, academe to ensure the continued development of additive manufacturing potentials.
The AMCen features seven (7) components or services, composed of Materials R&D, Prototyping and Fabrication, Collaboration & Partnership, Technical Services, Training Services, Education Formation, and Policy Standard.
Moreover, they have two laboratories: the AMCen MATDEV Laboratory inside the DOST North Compound, initiated on 22 December 2020 and the AMCen Fabrication & Prototyping Laboratory, located at DOST South Compound established on 14 June 2021.
The program also includes an ecosystem namely AMCen “CONNECTƎDMINDS” that seeks to build a community of professionals, practitioners, and innovation centers to enable the thriving of research and development and induce the adoption of additive manufacturing for advanced prototyping, product innovation and development.
Likewise, the members benefits from this ecosystem includes Training Programs;R&D Collaborations and Access to AMCen Services.
The SMEs Exporters can also join in the said ecosystem as the program aims to support startup business and MSMEs for the low-to-medium volume of new and innovative products towards commercialization.
For more updates and information, visit AMCen website at https://amcen.dost.gov.ph/home JVL
The 11th ARANGKADA Philippines Forum: Reform, Rebuild, Recover
The annual ARANGKADA Philippines Forum of the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines occurred on December 6, 2022 at the Manila Marriott Hotel in Pasay City. ARANGKADA Philippines is the major advocacy of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) a partnership between the American, Canadian, Australian-New Zealand, European, Japanese,and Korean chambers of commerce and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Incorporated to increase investment and employment in the Philippines launched in 2010.Continue reading “The 11th ARANGKADA Philippines Forum: Reform, Rebuild, Recover”
PBBM orders boost on PH’s Digital Infrastructure
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered a boost to PH’s Digital Infrastructure, emphasizing digitalization’s relevance in consistently improving the Ease of Doing Business in the Philippines.
Particularly in streamlining the government’s efforts in processing and issuing permits and licenses to accelerate the development of telecommunication and internet infrastructure in the Philippines. More so, to enhance mobile cellular services and free Wi-Fi across and in remote areas of the country.Continue reading “PBBM orders boost on PH’s Digital Infrastructure”
The Bureau of Customs launched the ACDD Portal
The Bureau of Customs (BOC), led by Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz, formally launched the portal for the electronic exchange of ASEAN Customs Declaration Documents (ACDD) among Association of Southeast Asian Nations members on 6 December 2022 at the F1 Hotel Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.
Commissioner Ruiz underscores that through the ACDD Management Portal, the Philippines can now electronically exchange the customs declaration document with other ASEAN states, broadening the Philippines’ economic integration and maximizing the potential of intra-ASEAN trade. Launching this landmark digital tool is expected to improve bureaucratic efficiency, strengthen market competition, and reduce barriers to entry and limits to entrepreneurship.Continue reading “The Bureau of Customs launched the ACDD Portal”
PPA separates its regulatory and operational functions through Port Terminal Management Regulatory Framework
Through the Port Terminal Management Regulatory Framework (PTMRF), the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) implemented the separation of its regulatory and operational functions by privatizing port operations.
PPA has so far privatized 19 ports that are major gateways and is in the process of privatizing more ports.
DTI Sec. Pascual led the opening of the 18th National Biotechnology Week
Trade Sec. Alfredo E. Pascual led the opening of the 18th National Biotechnology Week with the theme: “Responding to the Challenges, Business Opportunities in Biotechnology.” last 21 November 2022 at the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC). In his keynote, he underscores that Science, technology, and innovation are keys to moving the country toward an advanced, inclusive, and resilient future. This week-long celebration of biotechnology takes on a special meaning as the pandemic brought into sharp focus the promising role that this branch of science can play.Continue reading “DTI Sec. Pascual led the opening of the 18th National Biotechnology Week”
Ambiente is to come back in 2023, the largest consumer goods trade fair
Exporters can take advantage of new opportunities at the AMBIENTE Consumer Goods Trade Fair, the largest and leading international trade fair and the world’s number one in products associated with dining, cooking, household items, furnishings and ornaments, interior design, gifts, jewelry, and fashion accessories from 3 to 7 February 2023 at Messe Frankfurt, Germany. Messe Frankfurt is in action to fulfill its mission to promote the economy by creating new platforms in the Global Consumer Goods Industry.Continue reading “Ambiente is to come back in 2023, the largest consumer goods trade fair”
DOTr considers decoupling conflicting functions of transport agencies
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista expressed that they are considering the decoupling of the conflicting regulatory and development functions of the key transport agencies, namely the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).Continue reading “DOTr considers decoupling conflicting functions of transport agencies”


text:
At the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards, Meryl Fabrics®, pioneer in hi-tech sustainable textile manufacture, received a Highly Commended award in the Manufacturer of the Year category.
The firm's directors joined over 400 top green business leaders, sustainability executives, investors, campaigners, and politicians for the 12th annual BusinessGreen Leaders Awards at The Brewery in Central London to recognize "the hundreds of fantastic businesses and individuals across the UK who are striving to advance net zero emissions and build a greener and healthier economy for all."
Meryl Fabrics was also named a finalist for the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards Innovation of the Year.
Kevin Simpson, co-founder at Meryl Fabrics said, said that following hot on the heels of several prestigious awards wins over the past few months, the whole team is thrilled to receive further authoritative and much-coveted recognition for our mission in mitigating the adverse impact that the textile industry is having on our environment. They were quite pleased by their peers' enthusiasm and devotion at the ceremony, and they are hoping that they can make a difference together.
Meryl Fabric's mission is to lead a paradigm transformation in the textile business by using modern hydrogen technology to create 100% recyclable, high-performance textiles that do not emit microplastics and require no water or chemicals.
All Meryl Fabrics products are treated with a permanent antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal technology developed in collaboration with HeiQ, a virology partner.
Meryl Fabrics is committed to lowering the negative environmental effect of the textile industry by providing major enterprises with expertise as we go forward towards the circular economy and total sustainability.
A weekly report covering market and price information on the entire chain of polyester along with online access to daily polyester chain prices.
One-time reports that are issued annually cover the demand and supply trends in individual products including polyester, nylon, acrylic, viscose, and cotton.
One-time reports that are issued annually cover the demand and supply trends in the individual country's natural and manmade fiber/filament industries.
Countries Served Worldwide


text:
By Donna Gilding
In the latter half of last year, the price of crude oil dropped by over 50%. This was soon followed by a significant decline in the price of gasoline for motorists. It was assumed that this drop in price would have freed up money to spend elsewhere. The markets bet on this. The run-up in the US stocks last year reflected the belief that cheaper oil would act as a stimulus to the economy. This, in turn, would allow the Fed to increase rates, attract funds to the US, and push up the dollar.
The Best Laid Plans
The stock markets in 2014 did rally. The S&P 500 was up 13.69%. Consumer discretionary stocks, which represent non-essential consumer goods whose sales are primarily driven by the economic cycle, were up 8.43%. They are generally seen as a leading indicator – rising when the overall trend is up and heading down when the trend reverses. That said, it appears that investor confidence has remained muted and the oil dividend has not been spent. The latest University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey showed the sharpest drop in several years for US economic growth. Retail sales have also disappointed. J.P. Morgan reported that the 6.6 percent annualized growth rate for US retail sales growth for the fourth quarter 2014 has fallen to near zero in the first quarter of this year. Consumer discretionary companies’ annual revenue growth in the first quarter was also anemic at 1.1 percent.
Wall Street analysts still believe that the dividend will appear. They are projecting retail growth of 4.7 percent for the sector in the fourth quarter. In addition, the Fed needs to have some of the oil dividend come through if its relatively positive economic forecasts are to play out. The recent minutes of the Fed’s April meeting have made it clear that there will be no rate hike in June and “that the expected boost to household spending from lower energy prices had apparently not materialized”.
Uncertainties and the Consumer
Consumers are also aware that there has been a sharp decline in investment spending by the oil companies themselves. In addition, oil prices jumped in February making consumers even more apprehensive. A number of our managers have indicated that they believe that consumers have actually been paying down debt rather than increasing their debt by spending more. Without an indication that the price of gasoline will stabilize at a lower level and that wages will start to rise, the consumer could well be unlikely to spend the oil dividend.
We are being told that the US and UK labor markets are stabilizing. Capital Economics has pointed out that household debt is actually not as serious as it was because consumers have actually been paying down debt. And, international surveys of consumer confidence suggest “positivity”. As one manager said: “Let’s just wait and see”.
The Bottom Line
Assuming the oil dividend eventually shows up, the Fed would indeed start raising rates late this year or early next year. This would strengthen the dollar and test the stocks that have reached and retreated from record levels. It would help the Eurozone, which could use a weaker currency. As managers remind us, this cannot happen automatically. The US middle class needs to see wages on the rise. This is the real issue that is critical for an increase in consumer confidence.
Donna Gilding is an investment consultant to Lowenhaupt Global Advisors with more than 30 years of institutional investment experience.
This commentary is only current as of its date and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It provides the observations and views of Lowenhaupt Global Advisors, LLC (“LGA”) as of the date of writing. It is not intended as and should not be used as investment advice. Nor is this commentary legal or tax advice. It is not an offer to buy or sell a security. LGA disclaims any duty to provide recipients of this commentary with any updates or changes to the information provided herein. Information provided herein may be obtained from third-party sources which we, and our vendors, consider reliable, but we do not independently verify such information, and we make no warranty or guaranty as to the accuracy or timeliness of any information contained herein or the results that may be obtained through its use. Past performance is not indicative of future results. No part of this material may be reproduced without the prior written consent of LGA.


text:
GENEVA — It’s not just consumers and activists who are concerned that large firms behave in an ethically responsible way. Investors are also increasingly expecting the companies in which they hold shares to be good corporate citizens, according to a study released Thursday.
The World Economic Forum said more than 70 percent of chief executive officers surveyed in 14 industries said socially responsible business practices are becoming more important to investors.
“We see increased interest in the social and environmental aspects of corporate performance by pension funds, insurance companies and other shareholders,” said Richard Sames, managing director of the WEF. “Investment analysts, trustees and portfolio managers appear to be taking these issues more seriously than they were just a few years ago.”
The report, “Values and Value:?Communicating the Strategic Importance of Corporate Citizenship to Investors” found that ethical business practices are particularly important to companies with well-known consumer brands, such as Phillips-Van Heusen.
The report quoted PVH chairman and ceo Bruce Klatsky as saying business leaders “need to do a better job at raising awareness of the development benefits of successful, legal, well-governed private investment.”
Also according to the report, Timberland ceo Jeff Swartz said ethical practices were important in attracting staff. He said 64 percent of the firm’s employees have said “values play a strong role in their decision to work at Timberland.”
The report said nongovernmental organizations such as Amnesty International, Global Witness and Oxfam, “are starting to target the financial sector in some of their campaigns, seeing it as a key leverage point to influence corporate behavior on issues. They are bringing in people with financial expertise and undertaking increasingly rigorous and analytical research on the business risks and opportunities associated with a company’s ethical, social and environmental performance.”
The report also cited a study of 400 institutional investors in the U.S., Europe, Japan and China, that found that 59 percent said they believe ceo’s should practice social responsibility rather than operate as though only returns matter.


text:
China’s decade in the World Trade Organization thrust the nation into the top spot in industries ranging from textiles to cars. The world’s No. 2 economy now faces calls to open its market further and play by WTO rules.
China joined the Geneva-based WTO on Dec. 11, 2001, capping a 15-year drive to join the rules-based trading system and giving foreign companies from Yum! Brands Inc. and General Motors Co. to HSBC Holdings Plc and Nokia Oyj a bigger foothold in the world’s most-populous market.
Since then, China has become the world’s biggest exporter and second-largest importer. Trade in goods such as clothing, electronics, toys and appliances soared to almost $3 trillion last year from $510 billion in 2001, with both exports and imports growing almost fivefold.
“This spectacular rise would not have been possible without the open global trading system that China was able to benefit from during the past 10 years,” said European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht.
“At the same time, China is having to increasingly recognize and respect not only the legal responsibilities it now faces as a member of a global rules-based body, but also the WTO ‘spirit’ of promoting open markets and non-discriminatory principles in its domestic legislation, and the enforcement of it,” De Gucht said in an e-mailed statement from Brussels.
China’s textile exports amounted to $77 billion in 2010, or 31 percent of the world’s total, and its garment shipments were worth $130 billion, or 37 percent, data released by the WTO show. The nation, which overtook the U.S. in car production and sales in 2009, will sell more than 18 million vehicles in 2011 even as deliveries rise the least in 13 years, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said on Dec. 9.
Foreign financing in China has climbed to more than $700 billion in the last decade while Chinese investments overseas surged to $60 billion in 2010 from less than $1 billion in 2000, Assistant Commerce Minister Yu Jianhua said last month.
Europe is second only to the U.S. in the number of trade disputes with China at the WTO. The 27-nation EU has filed five complaints against China over raw materials, auto parts and duties on steel fasteners while the U.S. has lodged 12, and the bloc imposes anti-dumping duties on almost 60 products from China, more than any other nation.
The U.S. has been the most vocal critic of Chinese policies including what the Obama administration views as its too-slow appreciation of the yuan. China’s trade surplus with the U.S., which has helped the country accumulate a record $3.2 trillion in foreign-exchange reserves and made it the U.S.’s biggest overseas creditor, remains an irritant in relations between the world’s two largest economies.
China uses “intimidation” in its trade policy and has retreated from free-market reforms and moved toward more state control of its economy, U.S. Ambassador Michael Punke told a meeting of the WTO’s General Council on Nov. 30. He made the remarks during the final annual review of how well China has complied with pledges it made to join the WTO.
There is a “perception among WTO members that Chinese government authorities at times use intimidation as a trade tool,” Punke said. “China seems to be embracing state capitalism more strongly each year, rather than continuing to move toward the economic reform goals that originally drove its pursuit of WTO membership.”
‘We Need Evidence’
Yi Xiaozhun, China’s ambassador to the WTO, dismissed Punke’s comments.
“I don’t know what he’s talking about,” Yi said in a Dec. 7 interview at China’s mission in Geneva. “We need evidence.”
When China joined the WTO, it promised to make sweeping changes such as overhauling state-owned enterprises by ending monopolies and special treatment, slashing tariffs and prying open its markets and industries to foreign competition. While much work has been done, more remains, Yi said.
“The biggest challenge for us is to continue our opening-up process and deepen our economic reform domestically,” he said. “China benefited a lot from its opening, so we know that we will continue to do it for our own interest, and we also hope other countries, especially our major trading partners, will do the same.”
All WTO members agree to make concessions during accession talks and China was no exception, said David Hartridge, a senior trade policy adviser for the law firm White & Case LLP in Geneva and a former WTO official.
“It made substantial concessions and political commitments which might not have been easy to implement and, some would say, aren’t fully implemented yet,” he said by phone. “One thing that clearly has not happened, as some people feared, is that China would be a disruptive element, a great economic power with a very strong tradition of centralized control.”
While China has enjoyed a “growth miracle” that predates its entry into the WTO, the country now needs to step up as a mature trading partner, said Pascal Lamy, the trade arbiter’s director general.
“As a global power, it is only natural that the expectations of other countries on China have also grown,” Lamy said at a forum in Beijing yesterday. “With today’s economic difficulties across the world, resolve and leadership are in desperate need. We all need a proactive China.”
China spent the weekend celebrating its 10 years as a member of the global trade community. That’s because millions of Chinese have enjoyed a better quality of life since their country became the WTO’s 143rd member, Yi said.
“Our economic growth went beyond our expectations,” he said. “The annual growth rate is around 10 percent and more than 200 million Chinese people were lifted out of poverty. That’s a marvelous achievement.”


text:
Even as CBD enters the mainstream, enabled by the 2018 Farm Bill, the industry lacks specific regulations to help consumers and authorities distinguish healthy products from dangerous phonies.
The FDA vowed to take a fresh look at the extract, and the private-sector ASTM International has been working for years on health and safety standards for cannabis products.
But many producers don’t want to wait for those organizations to figure it out and are working toward voluntary certification standards.
Reports of panic attacks, paranoia and heart palpitations have all been attributed to products labeled CBD that are actually questionable products, often synthetic or made without health safeguards.
Hemp Industry Daily caught up with the president of the new U.S. Hemp Authority, Marielle Weintraub, to discuss the need for standards and strategies to alleviate nagging concerns about safety.
What is the U.S. Hemp Authority?
It was developed to create high standards and best practices and show consumers that the product they’re taking has hit certain levels of standards. Right now, you don’t know who’s who, you don’t know who the bad players are.
The idea is to create a certification and a seal, so that when looking at a bottle of hemp oil, the consumer has confidence and law enforcement has confidence that what’s in that bottle is really hemp and it’s been tested to specific standards.
Does this exist for other dietary supplements?
Oh, yeah. They have standards you can test to. To prove that something is ginseng root, you need a standard that you can run next to your sample and show that they match. Otherwise you can use fake ginseng root (just as) you can use red brick powder for paprika.
There have been standards like this for a long, long time in dietary supplements. Not everyone knows that there are codes for dietary supplements.
Some people think dietary supplements are still the Wild West and unregulated. And they’re not. They’re very regulated.
Do you think CBD is going have to those standards too? Just like any supplement?
Sure, and it’s especially important for cannabis.
Cannabis and hemp are phytoremediators. You plant it, it’s going to pull up anything around it, metals or anything in the soil, right?
We started this way before the Farm Bill. We saw it coming, the need for standards.
We aren’t reinventing the wheel by creating standards, but we need industrywide support for creating those standards.
And we have it. We have folks who want to be self-regulated, so that when the federal government goes looking for guidelines, they would accept guidelines that were created by the industry, instead of making them up as they deem fit.
Are the standards done yet?
Yes. To get the U.S. Hemp Authority label, you have to go through a third-party audit.
The idea is to be compliant with CFR, the Code of Federal Regulations, (part) 111.
(Part) 111 is the good-manufacturing practices for dietary supplements. It gives you an idea what kinds of safeguards you need to have in place.
Any other standards to follow?
We also use AHPA, the American Herbal Products Association. They very clearly spell out what the daily allowance of metal is in other dietary supplements.
We also suggest that people look at California’s Prop 65. That’s a labeling requirement. It tells you what is not allowed in certain products that are sold in California, such as pesticides, BPAs. (BPAs, or bisphenol A, are chemicals found in plastics.)
If you’re going to sell a product nationwide, you’re going to want it to be legal in California. That’s just a recommendation, but in dietary supplements, everyone follows Prop 65.
I’d say you should compile all these places you can look for good manufacturing practices and look to daily allowances. This is how you can become most compliant with current regulations that are available.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Kristen Nichols can be reached at email@example.com


text:
Tokyo stocks close sharply lower on strong yen
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index dropped 1.74 percent, or 366.87 points, to end at 20,720.29 while the broader Topix index lost 1.80 percent, or 27.58 points, at 1,505.88.
The greenback was trading at 105.91 yen in Asian trade, down from 106.59 yen in New York on Friday afternoon compared to the 108.00 yen figure seen a week earlier.
A strong yen is negative for Japanese exporters as it makes their products less competitive abroad and also erodes profits when repatriated.
“In currency markets, the yen rose on risk aversion,” Masayuki Kubota, chief strategist at Rakuten Securities, said in a report.
US President Donald Trump’s announcement on tariffs “intensified tensions between the United States and China and spread fears that the global economy may worsen, sparking stock sell-offs globally”, he said.
“Global stock markets have been swayed by President Trump’s remarks since 2019 as they impact speculation on whether the tensions will ease or worsen.”
Investor sentiment took a hit last week as Trump unveiled new tariffs on China, cranking up trade tensions between the world’s top two economies.
News that demand for US exports had weakened underscored concern that trade was becoming a trouble spot for economies worldwide.
On Wall Street Friday, all three major indices sank to their lowest levels since June.
In individual stocks trade in Tokyo on Monday, SoftBank Group plunged 3.47 percent to 5,356 yen while Sony dropped 2.84 percent to 5,771 yen.
Nintendo fell 2.38 percent to 39,330 yen while Toyota was down 0.62 percent to 6,886 yen.
No comments yet


text:
Crypto market maker Auros has defaulted on a $7.5 million loan it received from crypto lending platform Maple Finance.
The harsh winter in the crypto market has made it difficult for many projects to move forward. Recently, bankruptcy and liquidity problems have become very common. In particular, the bankruptcy of FTX involved hundreds of crypto companies in painful processes. In the developing and adopted crypto industry, the reflections of crypto projects draw attention. One of them, crypto market maker Auros, filed for bankruptcy protection the other day. Immediately after this application, the company defaulted on the loan it received from Maple Finance.
Auros Defaults on Credit Withdrawn from Maple Finance Platform
Crypto market maker Auros has defaulted on a $7.5 million loan it pulled from its unsecured lending platform. The company could not make the regular payment of this loan.
In addition, Auros failed to make the required payments of an $18 million debt in Maple Finance’s different-based loans. The market maker had missed its repayments after borrowing $10.8 million.
Auros is not the first company to default on a loan from Maple Finance. In addition, Orthogonal Trading could not pay the loan it took. Crypto organizations attribute these missed credit obligations to FTX events.


text:
The automotive industry has changed enormously over the last decade. Just ten years ago, battery electric cars were a strange novelty, rarely seen out on the road. Now, they’re becoming fairly common. But the change hasn’t been limited to the way that cars are powered: we’ve also seen legal changes in the form of clean air laws and road tax changes. We’re also automating many of the procedures involved in driving – it’s now common practice to book a full car service online, for example.
It’s difficult to make precise predictions about what the future might hold. Still, we can make educated guesses based on the current direction of travel. Let’s take a look at what we might expect in the coming ten years.
The environmental factor
Climate change represents a significant challenge to both governments and private industry. In the UK, the government has pledged to reduce emissions to ‘net zero’ by 2050. Among the ways that this target is being pursued is with a proposed ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, which is set to come in in 2030.
According to a UN report, the number of private cars worldwide is set to triple by the middle of the century or so. It’s therefore critical that we see less emissions on a per-passenger basis. This can come about only through improved technology, which mostly means a broad transition to battery power.
The increasing number of driving laws
The rules of the road are evolving over time, to cope with new technologies and patterns of motoring behaviour. Among the more eye-catching of these are the low-emission zones being rolled out in major cities, in an effort to battle pollution. Similarly, we might see fuel duty hiked, and Benefit-in-Kind incentives frozen to encourage the electrification of company fleets.
How it will impact the auto industry
It’s likely that we’ll see more and more BEVs over the coming decade, even before the petrol and diesel ban comes around in 2030. A recent report from MIT suggests that battery costs have declined by around 97% since 1991. If this decline continues, and new battery technologies like solid-state are introduced, we might conceivably reach a tipping point within the next decade. This would result in electric cars being more affordable and desirable than their ICE-powered counterparts.
Obstacles remain in the form of the UK’s lack of charging infrastructure, and the difficulty of creating enough electric vehicles to cope with surging demand from British motorists; which is a factor putting many from making the switch anytime soon.
Battery power isn’t the only major technological trend that we’re going to see accelerate, however. We should also consider the impact of fully autonomous vehicles. We’ve already seen hints of automation in the form of driver-assisting technologies like lane assist, automatic braking and adaptive cruise control. We might be seeing the first steps toward a fully autonomous vehicle before 2030 rolls around, all being well.


text:
How effective is social enterprise?
Alexis Akwagyiram, BBC News
Chris Shaw set up a business in South Africa two years ago in the hope that he could give poor people in a township the chance to develop new skills.
His brainchild was Township Trades, a not-for-profit business where young adults, most of whom had lost parents to HIV/Aids, could make soap that would be sold at local markets.
Lucian Russ, director of Township Trades, who relocated to South Africa last year to run the business with his wife, said: ‘There are no real jobs in the townships and there’s no training.
‘So people living there are stuck in this world where there’s a lack of opportunities. We wanted to give young people a future.’
The business, based in the Khayelitsha township on the outskirts of Cape Town employs 16 locals who are trained to make soap from natural ingredients, which is then sold at market stalls.
Township Trades is an example of a social enterprise. But what sets this breed of business apart from more conventional companies?
According to the Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC), which represents these businesses in the UK, the companies are set up to tackle a social or environmental need.
‘A social entrepreneur sets up a business in order to make a positive change in the world,’ said Jonathan Bland, the SEC’s chief executive.
‘Rather than maximising shareholder value, a social entrepreneur’s main aim is to use the power of business to address social or environmental issues and use the profits generated to further these goals.’
And, in developing countries, ‘social enterprise has an added value in that it breaks the cycle of dependency – to empower communities through business means there is a chance for real change’, he added.
These sentiments were echoed by Oxfam, which said businesses have ‘a central role to play in lifting people out of poverty’.
‘Small-scale sustainable initiatives have proven their value in helping people improve their livelihoods,’ a spokeswoman said, adding that large trans-national organisations ‘can deliver far more than governments can in aid by creating new job opportunities’.
Thobani Cunsus, Township Trades’ 23-year-old head soap maker, said he had benefitted from working at Township Trades – his first full-time job – as the money had helped him to feed and clothe his three-year old daughter and provided valuable training.
‘I really enjoy the job. It’s something different and it’s great to learn. The money helps – it makes a big difference,’ he said.
The position, which he has held for six months, involves overseeing production and is a far cry from his past life as a teenage carjacker.
The redemptive power of employment is something Lucian, a 37-year-old former financial planner from Bristol, is keen to stress.
‘When you get to know him, Thobani is a gentle soul. This is about giving an opportunity to people who are talented and bright but can’t get a job or training,’ he said of his employee.
The government’s 2006 Annual Survey of Small Businesses UK revealed there were about 55,000 social enterprises in the UK, with a combined turnover of £27bn.
One of them, the Elvis & Kresse Organisation (Eako), takes industrial waste material, which are turned into luggage and handbags. It donates 50% of the profits to the Firefighters Charity.
James Henrit, of Eako, said the company wanted to offer an alternative to landfills, which he compared to ‘sweeping dust under the rug’.
‘A retail campaign is an innovative way to make a huge range of positive impacts from waste reduction and socially motivated manufacturing to creating charitable feedback,’ he said.
Divine Chocolate, a fair trade chocolate company that makes its confectionary in the UK and is co-owned by cocoa farmers cooperative Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana, is another example of a successful social enterprise.
However, it is difficult to accurately measure the benefits of this approach other than in the success of small-scale projects.
And by setting up businesses in developing countries, where wages are lower and there may be less protection for workers’ rights, there is a danger that social entrepreneurs could be viewed as using the ‘ethical business’ tag to reduce overheads.
But this notion is vehemently rejected by Mr Bland, who said ‘good working conditions, a fair wage, diverse workforce, and employee empowerment are the bedrock of the social enterprise business’.
Township Trades stressed that it was a ‘South African registered… not for profit, organisation’, which means ‘all profits have to be re-invested in the business, and should the organisation cease, then all assets must be invested in an organisation with a similar constitution’.
But balancing ethical and business demands remains a precarious task, which leaves the social enterprise model vulnerable to shortcomings and possible abuse.
‘When it comes to social enterprises there are also, at times, challenges with accountability,’ said Alessandra Buonfino, of the Young Foundation, a charity which focuses on social innovation.
‘It is relatively easy for a business to be accountable – to its shareholders. And it is relatively easy for charities to be accountable too – they are there for the public good.
‘But it is a lot more complicated for social enterprises to bridge the ambiguity of accountability – who should they be accountable to?’


text:
After years of fumbling to find its way in the U.S., Volkswagen has hit its stride and is ramping up production to keep pace. The German automaker is hiring 800 workers and adding a third shift at its plant in Chattanooga, TN. The expansion means Volkswagen will hire 1,000 workers in Tennessee by the end of this year.
“This is really another phase of VW’s growth strategy in the U.S. part of an overall $4 billion investment program, new plant, new products, new infrastructure,” said Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen of America.
The expansion is needed to keep up with soaring demand for the new Volkswagen Passat.
The redesigned mid-size car has been a huge hit since its introduction last year. Browning thinks Passat and auto sales overall will continue to move higher this year. “We believe there is some good momentum. Consumer confidence is coming back into the car buying sector,” said Browning. “This is a great time with high residual value, low interest rates and some great new products.”Page 1 of 2 | Next Page


text:
Dollar General is well on its way to realizing 7% growth in total square footage this year.
Ahold's U.S. private-label penetration reached 37.7% for first quarter 2015.
Dollar Tree to identify buyer of 330 Family Dollar locations in coming week.
Target executives said they are “pleased” with its first quarter, particularly its signature categories.
Declining gas prices helped same-store sales at Walmart, but the negative impact of foreign currency exchange and efforts to improve store experience and employee wages dampened sales.
McKesson fiscal 2015 results are in. The wholesaler generated 30% annual revenue growth.
Total prescriptions dispensed by Diplomat Pharmacy were up 6% to 194,000 in the first quarter.
Fred's Super Dollar is experiencing positive pharmacy comparable store sales and total script growth on its way to a $510.1 million quarter.
Shoppers Drug Mart helped fuel Loblaw’s first quarter as the company continues to implement best-of-breed practices across its network.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Actavis Australia on Friday announced that Amneal completed the acquisition of most of Actavis’ in-country generic pharmaceuticals business.
Publix first quarter reaches $8.3 billion on 6.8% growth.
Cardinal Health CEO says recent acquisitions show great promise for Cardinal future.
Pharmacy helps lift Rite Aid same-store sales 3% for month of April.
According to CEO Julien Mininberg, the company enjoyed a “strong” fourth quarter, which saw revenue increase by 21%, or $65.2 million.
Net earnings at Supervalu Inc. fell 14% to $36 million in fourth-quarter fiscal 2014 from $42 million in the identical period a year earlier.
DunnhumbyUSA and Kroger announced a new arrangement that the companies said will offer great flexibility regarding the use of data.
Procter & Gamble posted on Thursday third-quarter earnings that were largely in line with expectations as segment results proved to be a mixed bag.
99 Cents Only Stores Inc. shrank its net loss to $2.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to net loss of $14.7 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.
Target Corp. has entered into a settlement agreement with MasterCard International Inc.to resolve losses from the data breach that Target experienced during the fourth quarter of 2013.
Taiwan-based drug development company Sunny Pharmtech and Vitruvias Therapeutics, a generic drug development company, on Tuesday announced that they will team up to co-develop a portfolio of generic drug products.
Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals on Monday acquired Mexican OTC and nutritional manufacturer Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Nutritionals.
Fred’s on Thursday announced that its March sales increased 0.3% to $191.7 million.
Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday posted solid same-store sales numbers, driving U.S. sales up 7.4% to $21 billion, but has targeted 200 store closures in a cost-saving initiative.
Family Dollar Stores reported a 3% lift in second-quarter revenue with same-store sales up 0.5%.
Strong same-store sales help lift Rite Aid annual revenue 3.9% to $26.5 billion.


text:
China Airlines celebrates the 50 th anniversary of its direct Bangkok-Taipei route.
The popular airline also takes this occasion to highlight its innovative features such as the e-Check- in, the upcoming opening of a new lounge and recent additions to their fleet, including the brand new A350 airplane. China Airlines’ Thai success story started in 1967 when the late King Bhumibol and his Queen Sirikit traveled to Taipei with them. Shortly after this, the company established a direct commercial route between Taipei and Bangkok which has been catering to growing numbers of passengers every year and was often honored by Princess Sirindhorn’s patronage.
Today China Airlines has 28 weekly flights between Bangkok and Taipei and creates the main connection between Thailand and Taiwan. Many Taiwanese travelers use this route to enter the Kingdom before continuing their journey to popular tourist destinations including Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Chang and Udon Thani. For the year of 2017, the airline has set the ambitious goal of 670,000 customers flying from Taipei to Bangkok, and 330,000 from Bangkok to Taipei. To achieve these numbers, China Airlines is investing heavily in the service they provide to their guests. As part of their initiatives to
offer an advanced, comfortable and unmistakable experience, easy e-Check- in was launched at the beginning of the year.
Furthermore, in October 2017 a new China Airlines Lounge will open at the Suvarnabhumi airport to make a place of rest and relaxation available for people with long layovers. 2018 will mark the biggest change yet, as the new A350 model will start operating
on several flights. “At China Airlines we are proud and thankful to be celebrating 50 years of service between Bangkok and Taipei. Many things have changed during this time and we have always been doing our best to innovate and continuously offer our passengers the most comfortable and relaxing experience while flying. We are positive that our success will continue into the future if we keep putting our customers first and live by our motto, ‘your journey, our people’,” says Mr. Ho Nuan Heuan, Chairman of China Airlines.


text:
News that has appeaed in the Las Vegas Review-Journal specific to The Best Of Las Vegas.
Showing 1 of 31 results
August 27, 2017
There are not many nations that can say their national dish has become an international phenomenon. Italy has two such dishes, pasta and, of course, pizza. This year, 63 restaurants have been nominated for Best Pizza.... Read full article


text:
A proposed ban on the sale of flavored tobacco and vaping products in Denver stalled Wednesday, when members of the city council’s safety committee discussed several amendments, including changes that would exempt hookahs and menthol cigarettes.
The committee members will have three weeks to work behind the scenes, and on Wednesday they will agree to take the measure – and the five changes so far proposed – again at a meeting on November 17 before it can be pushed to the entire city for consideration. Advice.
Adopted earlier this month by Council members Amanda Sawyer and Debbie Ortega, the regulation will make it illegal to sell goods including flavored cigars, e-cigarettes, vape pens, vape juices, menthol cigarettes and shisha, the flavored tobacco used for shisha in Denver. … Sponsors and backers say it’s a social imperative and flavored foods are being used to lure young people into lifelong smokers.
“The youth epidemic of smoking and vaping is what we’re trying to solve here,” Sawyer said Wednesday. – This is an extreme problem. The chief surgeon declared it an epidemic. “
Adults over the age of 21 can still own and use these products, but they will have to buy them somewhere outside the city. Similar bans are in force in seven other municipalities in Colorado.
Some of Sawyer’s colleagues on the security committee disagreed with an approach that they saw as too restrictive and likely to drive many small retailers out of business.
“This is not done with a scalpel, but with a sledgehammer, and we are going to influence adults and not allow them to buy the products they want to buy,” said councilor Kendra Black.
The proposed amendments, which were announced on Wednesday, include an exemption for premium cigars and pipe tobacco and another exemption for menthol cigarettes.
Councilor Kevin Flynn proposed an amendment to menthol late Tuesday night after he said he heard from members of Denver’s black community that they were both in favor and against the inclusion of menthol products, a type of tobacco product that is disproportionately sold among blacks. … He did not believe that the Council should take this decision from the hands of the people.
The Hookah Lounge exception is considered the most important change for its patrons, because all hookah is flavored tobacco. Smoking shisha in public places is a cultural practice with roots in many cultures in the Middle East.
“As written, the scent (ban) will disable all hookah bars,” said councilor Jolon Clarke, who proposed the amendment.
Earlier in the meeting, Clark put forward a separate proposed regulation that would make it illegal to allow customers to smoke from midnight to 7 in hookah bars. The 15 to 20 halls operating in the city today may remain open after the bars close at 2 am. Several of them, including one located in Clark’s 7th District, become hotbeds of early morning violence and other misbehavior, he said.
This measure was passed on to the entire Council and supported by the National Association of Shisha Communities.
“We are behind a prudent regulation that addresses the underlying problem,” shisha brand advocate Fumari and association secretary Rima Khuri said via Zoom via Zoom. Khoury added: “A widespread ban on flavorings would have unintended consequences as hookah has always been fragrant.”
Sawyer told The Denver Post earlier this month that there is intense lobbying for the proposed ban. She said Wednesday that she and councilor Ortega were opposed to amendments that could “undermine the value of this proposal.”