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Michael Grimm expected to be indicted
RNC Spokesman Is Furious The GOP Has Been Lumped With Bundy (VIDEO)
Why we conservatives are still getting it wrong with Bundy
‘Propaganda bullhorn’: John Kerry attacks RT during Ukraine address
The day's must-read political news and opinion pieces are scattered across hundreds of news outlets and blogs, too many for any one person to read.
Fortunately, memeorandum arranges all of these links in a single, easy-to-scan page. It auto-generates a news summary every 5 minutes, drawing on experts and pundits, insiders and outsiders, media professionals and amateur bloggers.
View the current page or another snapshot:
Elizabeth Dwoskin / Washington Post:
Analysis finds ads for big brands placed on politically extreme and derogatory content across the web, highlighting broader issues with programmatic advertising
Nick Wingfield / New York Times:
Sources: Amazon exploring retail store concepts for furniture, electronics, and more, including plans for grocery stores in India's vast market
Amir Efrati / The Information:
Seoul escort bar visit by Uber CEO, Emil Michael, and others in 2014 led to HR complaint; Kalanick's ex-girlfriend says Michael asked her to lie about visit
Tech news essentials
Must-read media news
Celebrity news and gossip


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Facebook will penalize slowly loading sites as it updates its News Feed algorithm to promote posts from modern, up-to-speed websites.
In other words, if your mobile website is old, doesn’t load quickly – three seconds max – you can forget about getting much reach on the Facebook thingy. And, let’s face it, if you’re trying to be a digital marketeer these days you can’t afford to be ignored by the Facebook thingy.
“During the coming months we’re making an update to News Feed to show people more stories that will load quickly on mobile and fewer stories that might take longer to load, so they can spend more time reading the stories they find relevant,” explained Facebook’s top engineers in an August 2 blog post.
As one might reasonably expect the slow-loader penalty is not across-the-board. Facebook promises the algo update will take into consideration slower internet speeds in some regions & systems as well as older, slower mobile devices. But the fact remains, slowly loading websites won’t be favored by the social behemoth.
“For years, we have taken many factors into account to make sure people quickly see relevant stories to them — including the type of device you’re on or the speed of your mobile network or wifi connection,” insists Facebook. “For example, if you are on a slower internet connection that won’t load videos, News Feed will show you fewer videos and more status updates and links. And to help load stories faster for people on slow or poor network connections, we prefetch stories by downloading mobile content before someone clicks a link, which we’ve seen can shorten load time for webpages by more than 25%.”
“Prefetch.” Facebook knows you’re going to click on a link before you know it? Wait…is “prefetch,” a word?
Facebook also promises the update will not affect Facebook Pages, only individual users’ News Feed on Pages and personal Profiles.
“Webpages that are particularly slow could see decreases in referral traffic,” insists FB. “To help webpages avoid experiencing potential decreases, we’re sharing tips to help site owners make their site faster and more mobile-friendly. See here for publisher best practices for improving mobile site load time.”
The Facebook guidelines for improving mobile load speeds are sound and fundamental and mention Google’s site for testing load speeds.
Google has focused over the last couple of years on helping website owners build and maintain good mobile sites. It’s Accelerated Mobile Pages program, AMP, has proven wildly successful.
The basic idea behind AMP, an open-source project, is to build web pages which load quickly on mobile devices, where most of us are searching out content these days. Speed – quickly loading web pages – is essential to the mobile environment, especially for digital marketeers who want to gain, not lose, audience.
“AMP’s new speed gains in Google Search are due to several key optimizations that we made to the Google AMP Cache, such as server-side rendering of AMP components, and reducing bandwidth usage from images by 50% without affecting the perceived quality,” explained Matt Ludwig, Google’s AMP Project marketing lead at the annual Google I/O gathering in May. “We also used a compression algorithm called Brotli that Google launched a couple years ago, resulting in a reduced document size by an additional 10% in supported browsers.”
The world’s largest website and blogging platform, WordPress, is fully onboard with AMP, as is China’s largest social network, Tencent Qzone, and the country’s third largest, Weibo. Google announced in March Baidu, Sogou and Yahoo Japan are linking to AMP pages from their Search results. Bing and Google, of course, have been on board for quite a while.

domain: news


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Government policies and spending primarily support industrialized agriculture and the giant farms and corporations that profit from it.
Our farm and food system is broken.
Skyrocketing input costs and skewed pricing policies are jeopardizing America’s independent dairy farmers.
As family farms and ranches fail, consumers suffer, too.
Let them eat pie in the sky.
The government should be strategic with biomass crops instead of just throwing money at the problem.


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Meet Alexa. She's the newest voice in a long line of automated devices created to make our lives more simple. And as of Tuesday, she's available to everyone in the form of Amazon's Echo.
"Echo is a device designed around your voice. Simply say 'Alexa' and ask a question or say a command. 'Alexa how many tablespoons are in 3/4 cup?'" an Amazon actor says.
"'Three-quarters cups is 12 tablespoons,'" Alexa says.
Looks like Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana have a new girl on the block to compete with. The black cylinder with the operating system named Alexa can share news alerts, play music, check traffic and weather, store to-do lists, help you shop and even turn off lights and control your home's heating and cooling. Cool, right?
Maybe not. Research shows technology continues to make people more lazy. Or at least gives them more free time to do unproductive activities. According to an American Time Use Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2013, Americans spent more time watching TV than doing any other leisure activity.
Some argue that this rise in TV time directly relates to a rise in voice-automated devices. (Video via Netflix)
In a Wall Street Journal article titled "Automation Makes Us Dumb," Nicholas Carr writes: "If we let our own skills fade by relying too much on automation, we are going to render ourselves less capable, less resilient and more subservient to our machines. We will create a world more fit for robots than for us." (Video via TriStar Pictures / 'Terminator 2: Judgement Day')
But one person's potential laziness is another person's gold mine. Amazon is charging about $180 for its new product. And so far, most reviews have been glowing.
Customers can pre-order their Amazon Echo online. Shipping begins July 14.
This video includes images from Getty Images and music Pierlo / CC BY 3.0.


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Photos-of-blond-with-highlights-short-hair, millie bobby brown has a brand new blonde hair with some blonde highlights to and entirely new shorter blonde 'do the very next day on sept 24 she showed off her long waves courtesy of miami's. And if you don't know about all the mushroom hairstyles out there well it's not as weird of a trend as you might think beauty lovers have moved on from rose golds and ombre tresses showing hair, hi can we please take a moment to ooh and ahh over dua lipa's new blonde hair read on for the deets as well as pics of.
The singer also revealed a fresh new shade of blond hair in a series of instagram photos announcing the new music lipa's, kate middleton just switched up her look for fall when she debuted light highlights in her hair the royal is halfway to. Every blonde knows that of all the hair disasters likely to strike between salon appointments developing unwanted brassy, not only does kristen bell's sandy hair color flatter most skin tones but her shoulder length bob works for nearly any face shape want to spice up your short haircut go ash blonde like scarlett.
View photos of course the trials and tribulations i faced post apocalypse are long and detailed enough for a novel but long, photos of julia roberts decided to dye his shock of blonde hair dark blasphemy! since i can remember roberts has largely opted for a long wavy style with her color fluctuating only slightly. Throughout the week following her debut as a blonde jenner has been posting numerous photos of the new color but the look was extremely short lived at this weekend's emmy awards jenner debuted, recently alexis decided to make another life adjustment: a *major hair change* that is a cute and edgy wavy lob with platinum blonde highlights "it's gone!" alexis wrote alongside a series of.
Just one month after the former kate middleton debuted warm caramel tones in her naturally brunette hair she's stepping out


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The price of AUDIO, the native token of decentralized music streaming service Audius, has exploded by over 90% on the heels of the platform’s integration into social media giant TikTok.
At the time of writing, AUDIO was trading at around $3.32, according to crypto metrics platform Nomics. Notably, the token’s current price is roughly 30% away from its all-time high of $4.95, recorded on March 27.
The surge occurred after Audius announced a partnership with TikTok yesterday, giving its artists exposure to the social media platform’s 732 million active monthly users.
The integration makes Audius one of the first partners of the media giant’s Sound Kit SDK, which enables creators and artists to “seamlessly bring original sounds and music from third-party apps into the TikTok ecosystem.”
Announcing the Audius TikTok integration!
You can now share your tracks directly from Audius to TikTok!
Follow and tag us in your videos using an Audius track for a chance to win 50 $AUDIO.
— Audius $AUDIO (@AudiusProject) August 16, 2021
The new feature allows Audius artists to bring their tracks to TikTok so that users can easily add them to their videos.
“The workflow for getting songs into TikTok is fairly cumbersome today. To avoid it, some artists even resort to holding their phone up to their laptop’s speakers to re-record the sound for TikTok. With the Audius integration, artists who have content on Audius are able to push it into TikTok with one click,” Roneil Rumburg, Audius co-founder and CEO, told Decrypt yesterday.
Among the artists who have already joined Audius are popular musicians such as Skrillex, Deadmau5, The Stafford Brothers, 3LAU, Alina Baraz, and others. For many of them, it’s not their first foray into the crypto world.
For example, Deadmau5 has been active in the non-fungible tokens () sphere over the past months. Last December, he launched $100,000 worth of NFT collectibles in partnership with Worldwide Asset eXchange.
In another instance, the artist teamed up with Mythical Games and its NFT-centric free-to-play game Blankos Block Party.


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Binance has reportedly halted all DOGE withdrawals after the Dogecoin community underwent a safety replace that interrupted transactions on Binance. Binance has briefly halted these withdrawals till some customers return cash unexpectedly despatched to them.
Earlier this week, Dogecoin executed the 1.14.5 replace whose targets had been to decrease transaction charges, improve effectivity and resolve safety points on the Dogecoin community.
Binance and Dogecoin engaged on an answer
Binance has issued a statement on the matter, stating that it’s working with the Dogecoin crew to resolve the “minor challenge.”
“We found a minor challenge with the DOGE community withdrawals on Binance after finishing up a model replace on 2021-11-10. In consequence, we’ve briefly suspended DOGE community withdrawals till this challenge is resolved. Binance is actively working with the DOGE undertaking crew to resolve the problem.”
Nonetheless, within the assertion, the trade didn’t state what the problem was. The scenario took one other flip after Binance requested customers to return DOGE tokens. Some customers took to Twitter to complain that the trade requested them to return tokens they didn’t have. Some customers additionally acknowledged that Binance initiated the withdrawal of DOGE from their accounts with out their consent.
Some customers additionally shared screenshots exhibiting that the trade had requested them to return Dogecoin to the trade, or their withdrawal operate would stay deactivated. Some customers insisted that they didn’t have any DOGE balances of their accounts.
Difficulty attributed to newest Dogecoin improve
On a Thursday tweet by Dogecoin builders, the crew defined that the preliminary withdrawal transactions had been attributable to consecutive makes an attempt to conduct pending transactions dated years in the past that didn’t undergo due to “inadequate charges.”
The Dogecoin community improve occurred just a few days in the past, and it appears to have revived these transactions. The transactions had been re-tried by the community even after customers didn’t personal the cash anymore.
The builders additionally acknowledged that the trade reached out to them over a 12 months in the past when these transactions had been “caught” and issued some suggestions on the time. Nonetheless, the builders didn’t get any suggestions from Binance on whether or not it adopted up with the suggestions.
Your capital is in danger.


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A lot has changed since Ohio's own Bone Thugs-N-Harmony first began securing their legacy in 1991.
With streaming now the norm for music consumption and artists like Drake on top of the game, two of the group's original members have come forward to talk about how they feel about the direction the industry has shifted toward since they first got their start and how they can't help but notice how they've directly influenced the 6 God's signature rhyme-singing vocal delivery.
"Our style has influenced so many people and they don't even realize it," Krayzie Bone says, before the conversation shifts to touch on Drake.
"His manager already told my homeboy he used to listen to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony before he wrote his music," Bizzy Bone offers. "That's so much love."
Judging from the group's tone, they don't need validation to know they helped popularize the harmonizing trend found within today's hip-hop and they take Drizzy's own twist on their originating style as a compliment.
Take a listen to Krayzie and Bizzy showing Drake some love in the interview below, beginning around the two-minute mark.


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By Kaylee Hayes | Guest Contributor
Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., a hub of people can be seen in a parking lot across from the Waco courthouse at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market, which has made a name for itself over the past 10 years. The farmers market is located at 500 Washington Ave. It operates year-round and has totaled $1.5 million in sales.
Bethel Erickson-Bruce, the market manager, said she works hard to keep the farmers market thriving. Ten and a half years ago, she started the market with 14 vendors. Now, the market offers food incentive programs and hosts 50-plus vendors.
Being a market manager consists of many different skills, all of which Erickson-Bruce said she learned when she got the job. She said she spends her time attending meetings concerning food and hunger in Waco, planning special events, recruiting vendors and more.
“I go in and inspect all of our farms so I can verify that they actually grow what they are bringing to market,” Erickson-Bruce said.
When she is not at meetings or out recruiting, paperwork is the other half of what she does, she said. Part of Erickson-Bruce’s duties are writing up reports, looking at applications and working on permitting paperwork.
“It’s a lot of paperwork, more than people expect,” Erickson-Bruce said.
According to Erickson-Bruce, the people are her favorite part of the market. She said her relationship with the vendors is family-like.
“Another vendor and I were pregnant at the same time, and now our kids are best friends,” Erickson-Bruce said.
The market follows the 80/20 rule; this means 80% of the vendors are produce-related and 20% are artisan. According to Erickson-Bruce, the market is nonprofit and is funded primarily through booth fees.
“It limits us so we don’t become a flea market,” Erickson-Bruce said.
Jill Boman is an artisan vendor at the market and the owner of Happy Stuff. She said she sells natural alternatives to commercial products, including soaps, hand sanitizers, room sprays and various personal care products. All her products are preservative-free and made without water-based ingredients.
Boman said she initially made her products for fun, but after her children graduated, she decided to turn it into a business. She said she “challenged” herself to not purchase any personal care items, which encouraged her to delve deeper into learning about how to make products.
“If I couldn’t figure out how to make something, then too bad for me,” Boman said.
Boman said she has been a vendor and consumer for 10 years; she said the community is what makes the farmers market so special, and supporting local businesses and farmers is something she loves. She also said she has a very solid customer base, with customers who have purchased her products for years.
“I love the community,” Boman said. “It’s happy. It’s friendly. It’s so different than going to the grocery store.”
Rianna Alvarado works with the Master Gardener booth to educate the public about gardening. The Master Gardeners act as a resource for individuals who are interested in planting, backyard gardening or just growing their own herbs. She said they consider themselves a really important resource for the community.
Alvarado said the farmers market is the reason she stayed in Waco, with some of her greatest friendships having been created there. She said she participates in the market to stay involved in the community, and she thinks the market can be life-changing for people. Alvarado said the farmers market is like life for her, with it being a home for her and her children.
“It’s their community too,” Alvarado said.
Before the farmers market opened, Alvarado said she would drive to Austin to grocery shop. Now, Alvarado and her husband love to shop locally.
“I’ve been at the farmers market almost every day since it started 10 years ago,” Alvarado said.
Alvarado said a large part of what makes the farmers market important is how it provides a space for individuals who are looking to start a business. It is an inexpensive alternative where ideas can easily be tested and connections can be made, she said.
Richard Seitz owns Long Branch Farm in Prairie Hill, Texas. The farm offers chicken, pork and eggs that are sourced from “pasture-raised” animals. It promises non-soy and non-GMO products. It also sells various spices, coffee and bone broth. The farm has been a vendor at the farmers market since December 2019, Seitz said.
Seitz said he originally began raising chickens for his family. After giving out eggs to friends, he said he realized he could make a business of it, and there was a need for clean meat in Waco.
Before joining the farmers market, Seitz operated his business through local farm pick-ups. Since becoming a vendor, business has improved significantly, he said. Now Seitz offers both local and national deliveries.
“We can ship coffee or even a whole chicken to you later,” Seitz said.
Frisco senior Meg Lewis said she frequently attends the farmers market and enjoys having one-on-one conversations with the vendors she buys from. She said she is eco-conscious and likes to support local farmers, with some of her preferred vendors being Long Branch Farm and Little Foot Farm. Lewis said the farmers market is close-knit, sustainable and welcoming.
Chris Hennard said he goes to the farmers market every Saturday for the experience. He said he enjoys the community and gets about half of his produce there. He also said the farmers market has products and produce that cannot be found anywhere else in Waco, in addition to many good foods and options.
“It’s one of the best outdoor events that Waco has to offer,” Hennard said.
Hennard said the vendors are what make the Waco Downtown Farmers Market special. There is an abundance of parking, vendors, and consumers, he said, but it is not overwhelmingly busy either. He also said being close to the river and in a pleasant downtown area is a nice perk.
“It’s just a perfect environment really,” Hennard said.


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New orders of manufacturing technology totaled $457.7 million in October 2022, down 20% from the same month last year and down 12% from September, according to the latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology.
October saw the the smallest decline in orders from an IMTS September ever recorded. Orders are nearly even with this point in 2021, roughly $4 million above the YTD total in October 2021, according to the report.
“Although we are reporting a down month and near-flat year-to-date sales, orders for manufacturing technology continue to come in at a near-record pace,” said Douglas K. Woods, President of AMT. “October 2022 was the third-highest October on record. Typically, orders in an October after an IMTS are down 23% from the previous month. Orders are returning to normal seasonal trends, but at an elevated level.”
During 2020, industries were reducing machinery orders, according to the report. Last year, they seemed to be increasing orders in unison; however, for the last several months, customer industries returned to a more independent order pattern. Job shops are placing fewer orders for machinery as they return to their core customers such as aerospace and automotive, the report states.
“While machinery orders from job shops are slowing, that trend could reverse if the economy tumbles into a mild recession,” said Woods. “In uncertain economic times, manufacturers tend to contract out any excess capacity needs instead of investing in additional machinery. This, in turn, leads job shops to require additional capacity of their own.”
Construction machinery manufacturers increased orders in October, “likely in anticipation of government-funded infrastructure projects coming online,” the report states. HVAC and appliance manufacturers decreased orders significantly in that same period. The decline in HVAC and appliances is likely the result of s”talled new home construction projects as interest rates rise and development becomes more costly,” according to the report.


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Birmingham’s first Caribbean cookery school has opened.
The Tan Rosie Foods Cookery School is the brainchild of mother and daughter combo Lee and Monica Sylvester.
The school comes after a successful eight years in business with Lee and Monica travelling the length and breadth of the country spreading the love for the Tan Rosie products.
The Tan Rosie team has been selling their range of homemade meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes as well as hampers, rubs, chutneys, cakes and fudge for all the family to enjoy since 2010.
Around 100 people attended the launch at the school in Witton.
Lee said: It was such a great night.
“The support from family, friends, partner companies and the media was really overwhelming.
“It was an emotional night as the cookery school has been a dream for a good few years now and to see it finally launched really was a dream come true.
“It’s such an exciting time for Tan Rosie Foods and I cannot wait to welcome budding Caribbean cooks through our doors.
“We have already made bookings for a selection of courses running until the end of the year with lots of enquiries for next year’s sessions!”
For more information about the Tan Rosie Caribbean Cookery School, visit the website at https://tanrosie.com


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The Biden administration has its $ 45 billion effort to bring affordable and reliable high-speed broadband internet access to everyone in the US by 2030. The Internet for All funding is part of the $ 65 billion earmarked for broadband in the $ 1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Starting today, states and other entities for funding from three Internet for All programs.
“In the 21st century, you simply cannot participate in the economy if you don’t have access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who is overseeing the distribution of the funds, said. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Americans across the country will no longer be held back by a lack of high-speed internet access. We are going to ensure every American will have access to technologies that allow them to attend class, start a small business, visit with their doctor and participate in the modern economy.”
States could use the funding to install fiber-optic cables, put more Wi-Fi networks in place or even offer some people free broadband internet access. The launch of the program follows that the Biden administration has teamed up with 20 providers to offer subsidized internet service to low-income households.
Most of the Internet for All funding will be available from the . States and other territories will need to file a letter of intent and a budget for planning funds. They'll then receive $ 5 million in planning funds to help them put together a five-year plan detailing how they'll provide comprehensive internet access to all residents.
Each state that takes part in the program will receive at least $ 100 million from the BEAD pot of $ 42.5 billion. After that, funding allocations will be decided in part based on updated broadband coverage maps that the Federal Communications Commission is expected to release this fall.
Under the $ 1 billion , funding will be allocated based on a "technology-neutral, competitive basis" to build, buy or improve infrastructure elements that carry "large amounts of data at high speeds over long distances." As for the $ 1.5 billion , that's designed to bolster adoption and use of the internet with the help of digital literacy training.
Sure, you can have an 8K TV displaying incredible visuals and a top-of-the-line sound system pumping out crystal-clear 22.2 channel audio. But why bother when you can fit an entire movie onto a floppy disk and use a custom VCR to play it?A Redditor n…
It’s not often that a site offers a huge discount across its own online store as well as the US, Canadian, and UK Amazon storefronts, but Totallee has done just that by offering a 30% discount on its inventory. We’ve featured cases in our case guides such as this one for the Pixel 5, and […]
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Save 30% on the entire Totallee inventory of cases and accessories
MWC 2020 is just a few weeks away, but we’re seeing a pretty consistent stream of companies and brands dropping out of the event over coronavirus fears. Whether or not those fears are justified, we’re seeing a huge exodus of partners cancel their plans to attend the event, which will leave significantly fewer products at […]
Come comment on this article: With more MWC 2020 dropouts, the GSM Association is considering canceling the entire conference
If you're both a Star Wars fan and a hypebeast, the next month might a dream come true. Adidas is releasing an entire Star Wars x Adidas collection of basketball shoes starting on November 1st, catering to both your particular fandom and your footwea…
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With the US ban a hot topic and everyone wondering how it will manage to give users access to Google apps and services, Huawei is plowing full steam ahead and launching its brand new Mate 30 series of phones on September 19th. Thanks to a series of leaks from perhaps the best-known leaker of them […]
Come comment on this article: Leaked images show off the entire Huawei Mate 30 series ahead of September 19th launch
The Moto G7 family has been pretty heavily leaked over the past few weeks, but today Motorola has officially announced the devices, clearing up any questions you might still have. Yes, there are notches everywhere, but overall the lineup looks pretty strong for 2019. All the devices are launching with Android Pie, too, and that’s […]
Come comment on this article: Motorola announces the entire new Moto G7 lineup for 2019
We’re extremely close to Samsung making an official announcement about their newest Galaxy S phones, which means press renders are due to start leaking. And, right on cue, a few images have popped up detailing three models of the Galaxy S10 family, including the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+. While the latter two […]
Come comment on this article: Samsung’s entire Galaxy S10 lineup leaks, showing cameras, screens, and more
We’re just over two weeks into January of 2018, and to put it bluntly, someone at Motorola or Lenovo seriously screwed up. The company’s entire phone lineup for this year has supposedly leaked to Droid Life, including the Moto Z lineup, Moto G lineup, and the next Moto X. The only thing that’s missing is […]
Come comment on this article: Motorola’s entire 2018 lineup has leaked two weeks into the year
Invites are out for Google’s Pixel event on October 4th, and thanks to a massive leak from Droid Life, just about everything has leaked. That might remove the surprise element from the show, but it doesn’t diminish how exciting the new products are. Starting with the third generation Chromebook Pixel, now called the Google Pixelbook, we’re […]
Come comment on this article: Google’s entire October 4th launch event lineup has already leaked
In a world where you can pay for goods with the tap of your phone, send money to anyone with an app and do most of your shopping online, credit cards seem a bit long in the tooth. Visa is looking to toss them almost completely, replacing them with a…
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The motion-capturing Smartsuit Pro brings a studio-level mocap experience but replaces wires and cameras with smart sensors and Wi-Fi. Whether you want to make movies or games, this is the suit for you.
The post Affordable motion capture system is an entire studio in one skintight suit appeared first on Digital Trends.


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AUSTIN (KXAN) — Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Ellen Miri and her husband saw a Black Friday deal on several Ford F-150 trucks on Covert Ford’s website.
Ellen Miri says the ad touted a discount of more than $12,000 off MRSP for three F-150 trucks listed as “Featured Vehicles.” The couple showed up to the dealership on Black Friday with every intention of buying a new truck that day. But when they showed up, they were surprised by the response.
“All the trucks that are advertised at this really great Black Friday price are all recalled and you can’t purchase them,” Miri says a salesman told her. Three of the featured trucks on the dealership’s website — new 2017 Ford F-150s — had active recalls for a frozen door latch.
When KXAN asked Covert Ford about the sales change, the dealership said it would change the way it advertises recalled vehicles. Although representatives with the dealership declined an on-camera interview, Covert management told investigator Brittany Glas that Miri’s concerns are valid and the dealer is sorry it happened.
“Our intention is to be transparent in all that we do; clearly the customer (at least the one we are aware of) felt misled and was not satisfied with our attempts to correct it,” said Covert Ford in a statement.
“I think it’s just a dishonest way to advertise your product and get the customers into your dealership,” says Miri.
The National Highway Traffic System says federal law forbids dealers from selling new vehicles that have active recalls. “Dealers have a legal obligation not to sell a new vehicle after they have been notified of the recall by the manufacturer until the defect has been remedied,” states the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Ford Motor Company sent a delivery-hold notification letter to its affiliated dealerships dated Oct. 17 regarding the safety recall for certain models regarding the door latch. Ford states the part may result in a door failing to open or close — or, in some cases — cause a door to open while driving, increasing your risk for injury behind the wheel.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a remedy to the issue is not yet available, nor has the dealer received information about when a repair will be made available.
“The consumer goes there thinking they’re going to be able to get a particular vehicle, and then to find out that they can’t, and here, I’ll sell you something [else] — here’s another truck you can buy, you know, that’s just — it’s just wrong. They need to be a little more honest about it,” Miri said. “They could have had an easy sale… if they had been honest on their website.” After their experience at Covert Ford, the couple ended up buying a Toyota Tundra from a different dealership.
The Better Business Bureau says a case like this could violate the organization’s Code of Advertising.
“Something may technically be legal, but not necessarily ethical,” said Erin Dufner, the chief marketing officer for the BBB’s Austin office. “It sounds like the consumer was lured in by a specific ad, for a specific vehicle, for a specific price, and then unable to purchase the vehicle and that is absolutely concerning.”
A spokesperson for Ford Motor Company told KXAN, “Federal law does not prohibit dealers from listing or advertising vehicles with open recalls.”
Covert Ford’s full statement:
“The feedback of having a vehicle on a delivery hold not listed as a “featured” advertised vehicle is great customer insight and something we will discuss and implement as a best practice. We make mistakes, correct them and hope to learn from them.Please note customers, and we have had several, are able to agree to the numbers and secure these vehicles if they so choose. We are providing a loaner vehicle for them to drive until the recall is repaired. Also, as have several other customers, we will simply find a like vehicle for the same value not impacted by the recall and deliver immediately. Our intention is to be transparent in all that we do; clearly the customer (at least the one we are aware of) felt misled and was not satisfied with our attempts to correct it. Simply stated, we are sorry and hope to re-earn his trust if given that opportunity.Globally, we are open to hearing all recommendations on how to properly display vehicles temporarily impacted by recalls (not as featured cars as an example). They are for sale (albeit sometimes on delivery hold), several people do agree to terms to buy them and usually the recall has a remedy from the manufacturer in short order. Again, I don’t have the answers but interested to hear suggestions.”
The Office of the Texas Attorney General encourages customers with concerns about dealerships — or any business for that matter — to contact its Consumer Protection Division.
“I would invite consumers, if they have complaints about any type of business — any transaction that they have run into with a business — to file a complaint with our office because those complaints are looked at,” said Asst. Attorney General Pedro Perez.
The office says it looks at each complaint to identify patterns or practices and determine whether to launch an investigation.
For information on how to file a consumer complaint, click here and submit the complaint form.
If you’re concerned about active recalls on your vehicle — whether it’s new or used — you can look up recall status for your vehicle online. Click here to visit the NHTSA website and enter its VIN number.


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A toast to our Blackpink unnie, Kim Jisoo! She was just named luxury brand Dior's newest global fashion and beauty ambassador. Wow!
"So thrilled to join @dior as their new global ambassador for both fashion and beauty!" Jisoo wrote in an IG post on Saturday, March 6. "I can't wait for all the exciting work we'll do together."
Jisoo first attended one of the French fashion house's events in August 2019 then became one of its endorsers for its clothing, perfume, and cosmetics lines.
"Jisoo embodies, with her singular audacity, the house’s modernity and the passionate creativity of Maria Grazia Chiuri, who was inspired by the Korean singer for her autumn/winter 2021 collection," Dior shared. ICYDK, Maria Grazia Chiuri is Dior's current creative director.
After the massive success of BLACKPINK's "The Show", Jisoo has started filming for her first lead role in the upcoming K-drama Snowdrop, which will be released in 2021. She's just the perfect muse for anything. Congrats on all the amazing opportunities, Jisoo!


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Gazeta.ru today published a nice little analysis of the problems of small and medium-size business owners in Kaliningrad. The goal of the piece is to lay out the real reasons for the large demonstration that took place in the exclave in January and which many took as a sign that the endless patience of the Russian people was nearing its end.
The piece is based on information from Kaliningrad Oblast legislator Igor Rudnikov, who participated in the meetings that led up to the protest. He notes that it was precisely the oblast’s many small business owners who formed the nucleus of the protest, reporting that small and medium-sized business accounts for some 70 percent of the oblast’s GDP. There are some 12,000 small businesses there, mostly tiny retail sales outlets.
Rudnikov reports that the owners have been in the grips of local bureaucrats for years now. Since 1994, they have been forced to secure fresh approval from the city administration for “the right to setup a small-business point.” The city administration charges from $100 to $2,000 for such permission, plus business owners must conclude separate arrangements with other bureaucracies such as the fire and health inspectorates.
Every two months. Since 1994.
Rudnikov writes that the “business” was so good for the officials that the city had to set up a municipal enterprise called Municipal Property, where more than 70 bureaucrats do nothing more than stamp the permissions six times a year and collect the fees.
But that’s not what brought people into the streets. What made people upset was when the city decided that all small businesses would have to pay 15,000 euros to buy a specially designed uniform kiosk from a specific supplier. The local business association said they’d go along with this scheme, but only if officials started issuing three-year business permissions instead of the two-month ones.
That was when the protests began last summer, which attracted the attention of Kaliningrad Oblast Governor Georgy Boos. He arranged a roundtable meeting of officials and business representatives at which it was agreed that businesses would be given three years to decide whether to buy the 15,000 euro kiosks. If they choose to do so, they would be given permission to work for another seven years. That is, the state would guarantee their right to trade for 10 years if they invested the 15,000.
But the agreement never made it to the city council. It sat inside the city administration and languished. Boos organized another meeting at which city bureaucrats said “they hadn’t had time to get all the necessary approvals because some people have been sick and others were on vacation and there just isn’t enough staff.” (Does this remind anyone of the British sitcom “Yes, Minister”?)
Boos reportedly demanded that the new system be in place and that, instead of giving businesses that make the investment permission for another seven years, they be given a green light for a full 25. Anyone can see how the corrupt officials would like that idea.
So, Rudnikov says, they determined to stall the agreement until September, when Boos’s current term expires and it may or may not be possible to lobby the Kremlin to have him removed.
The story continues with more about the customs regime in the oblast and how competitors from other regions very likely influenced Moscow customs officials to level crippling fees against Kaliningrad factories.
The upshot is that businesspeople in the region are at a loss regarding protests. Demonstrating for benefits or tax breaks or special trade status means, in reality, demonstrating for the right of bureaucrats to determine who gets such benefits and who does not.
“The main lesson of Kaliningrad is this,” the gazeta.ru article concludes. “At a certain moment in a certain country two absolutely antithetical forces collided – small and medium-sized business on the one hand and the bureaucracy on the other. The goal of business is logical and traditional – to earn money and the more, the better. But the goal of the bureaucracy in Russia is not to advance one’s career, but money – by extorting business. Major corporations live under the terms of concrete agreements with the authorities – the larges ones work directly with deputy prime ministers. That means that the main source of income for the bureaucracy is small and medium-sized business. This is not unique to Kaliningrad. But 70 percent of the GDP there comes from this sector. And that’s why the explosion happened there.”


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Happy 75th birthday to Goldwell, a renowned, global, stylist-centric brand that has pioneered in the industry now for three quarters of a century.
The diamond anniversary celebrates their innovation, research, technology and development in creating style, care and colour tools for 75 years, as well as the deep bond between the brand and hair salons and hairdressers.
“I’m very proud of the fact that Noddy’s on King has had an amazing partnership with the Goldwell family for over 32 years,” shared Shane Henning, Creative Director and co-owner of Noddy’s on King and Goldwell Global Master, Australia. “The support and strength of that relationship has faced many challenging and rewarding times. I believe the bases of all successful relationships starts with loyalty, honesty and trust then the rest will all follow. Thank you Goldwell for your constant support, and always being there.”
In their next phase, Goldwell is continuing their environmentally conscious mindset and ushering in a new era for socially responsible salons, as anchored by the new Climate Neutral Salon program, in partnership with ClimatePartner, a globally acclaimed enthusiast of the carbon neutral world.
“Improving the environmental footprint of our products and services at the salon level is part of our mission to make life beautiful for salon owners, stylists and their clients,” said Dominic Pratt, Global President of Kao Salon Division. “We see this as a continuous journey towards what the salon of the future could and should look like. At Kao we believe that strong alliances make all the difference in protecting our planet. So, we see Kao Salon Division as not only a key active player in sustainable operations, but also as a reliable business partner and facilitator of knowledge transfer between thousands of hair salons and key global climate protecting organisations.”
Within the program, salons are given a set of easy to implement step-by-step tips to improve the salon’s sustainability. The program launched in in Germany in October 2022 and will be rolled out globally in October 2023. It will include consultations on decarbonisation for all Goldwell salon partners to do their part in building a new climate-neutral future of the hair salon business.
Congratulations to Goldwell on this milestone birthday and all the achievements to come.
For more information visit www.goldwell.com.au
Catch up with INSTYLE and Styleicons!


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MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 9, 2013-- Piper Jaffray (NYSE: PJC), a leading investment bank and asset management firm, today announced the hiring of a seasoned investment banking team to further strengthen its consumer investment banking franchise.
Led by Janica Lane and Brian Smith, the team of San Francisco-based bankers will join the firm from Partnership Capital Growth (“PCG”), a boutique investment bank focused on consumer product and service businesses in the areas of healthy, active and sustainable living. The group counts among its past clients best-in-class brands like Anytime Fitness, KIND Healthy Snacks, Muscle Milk, Drybar and BluePrint Juice, among others.
The group is expected to join Piper Jaffray on December 31, 2013 and will be based in the firm’s San Francisco office. Brent Knudsen, founding partner of PCG, will continue to manage Partnership Capital Growth Investors, the firm’s private equity business with nearly $200 million in capital under management, and will provide ongoing consulting services to the Piper Jaffray consumer investment banking team. Chris Spahr, PCG’s partner in Chicago will also assist in transitioning certain client relationships.
The new healthy, active and sustainable living group will further enhance Piper Jaffray’s leadership position in consumer investment banking and strengthen the firm’s expertise in some of the most dynamic, on-trend sectors in the consumer industry. With the addition of the PCG team, Piper Jaffray will have more than 35 consumer investment bankers in San Francisco, Minneapolis, New York and London.
“We have long admired the PCG banking franchise. We are thrilled to have these talented bankers join the Piper team and allow us to collectively grow our business and better serve our clients,” said Scott LaRue, Piper Jaffray co-head of investment banking and capital markets.
“The healthy, active and sustainable living group is very additive to Piper's platform,” added Michael Hoffman, head of Piper Jaffray consumer investment banking. “Some of the most innovative, fastest-growing companies are in this space. Our new PCG partners' expertise and Piper's expanded banking capabilities will be a winning combination for our clients in achieving their long-term potential.”
“We are thrilled to have found a partner in Piper Jaffray that shares our values, culture and passion for providing outstanding banking and advisory services to our clients,” said Brent Knudsen. Brian Smith and Janica Lane added, “This unique partnership will enable our team to thrive and have access to more resources to better serve our core clients. We look forward to working with Piper Jaffray and are confident that our combined team will have a formidable presence in the market.”
Since 2003, the Piper Jaffray global consumer investment banking and capital markets team has represented clients in 194 transactions with an aggregate value of $35.7 billion. In addition, the firm has six senior research analysts covering 117 consumer companies across the active & healthy lifestyles, hardlines retail, consumer products, restaurants and specialty retail industries.
About Piper Jaffray
Piper Jaffray is a leading investment bank and asset management firm serving clients in the U.S. and internationally. Our proven advisory teams combine deep industry, product and sector expertise with ready access to capital. Founded in 1895, the firm is headquartered in Minneapolis and has offices across the United States and in London and Zurich. www.piperjaffray.com
Since 1895. © 2013 Piper Jaffray Companies, 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7020
Source: Piper Jaffray
Pamela Steensland, 612-303-8184


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BRUSSELS, July 14 (Reuters) – The euro zone almost eliminated its trade deficit in May, non-adjusted data showed on Friday, as exports of chemicals and machinery picked up and the value of imported energy products, notably from Russia, declined.
The European Union statistics office Eurostat said the seasonally unadjusted trade balance of the 20 countries sharing the euro was a 0.3 billion euro deficit in May compared with a 30.3 billion euro shortfall a year earlier.
Adjusted for seasonal swings, the May trade deficit was a modest 0.9 billion euros from 8.0 billion euros in April.For the European Union as a whole, the trade surplus in manufacturing goods rose to 142.3 billion euros in Jan-May 2023, nearly double the level of a year earlier, with chemicals and machinery, including vehicles, the main contributors.
The EU’s trade deficit with Russia fell sharply to 8.6 billion euros in the first five months of this year from 78.4 billion euros in Jan-May 2022 as the 27-nation bloc sharply reduced its purchases of Russian oil and gas and benefited from lower energy prices.
The EU’s trade gap with China also narrowed slightly in Jan-May, while its trade surplus with the United States dipped.However, the EU trade surplus with Britain expanded as EU exports rose and imports from Britain fell.


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Apple has responded as a woman claimed she was tracked by the tech company’s AirTags.
AirTags were released by Apple last year and were developed as a way to track keys or personal items, but there have been numerous reports of people being tracked with the devices.
Last week, Irish actor and writer Hannah Rose May claimed that she had been tracked by an AirTag.
“An Apple AirTag was put on me to track my location Saturday night. I’m sharing what happened to me so you know what to look for,” May wrote in a Twitter thread.
May, who is based in Los Angeles, described attending an after hours event at Disneyland which went on until 2am.
She said: “I got a ‘Find My’ notification at the end of the night that I didn’t think anything of but opened it anyway and it turned out to be this… someone had been tracking me for two hours.”
May shared a screenshot of the alert she received, which showed that she was being tracked by the owner of the AirTag.
May was able to disable the tracking before driving home, and said she was with a group the whole time she was being tracked.
The writer issued some advice for others who may find themselves in a similar situation: “If you ever get a ‘Find My’ notification make sure you open the app immediately as the safety alert doesn’t appear on the screen you have to open the app. Non iPhone users, Apple created an app for androids for this very reason called Tracker Detect.”
She continued: “AirTags are the size of a coin. It’s scary how easy they are to slip into a pocket or purse. Originally created to locate your keys it’s evident they are being used for more bad than good.
“The happiest place on earth could of very easily turned into my worst nightmare.”
May added that after sharing her story on Instagram, she received several direct messages from people who have found they were being tracked by AirTags.
Her thread has been liked nearly 20,000 times and has received over 10,000 retweets.
When contacted by The Indpendent, a spokesperson for Apple directed us to a statement on AirTags released by the company in February this year.
“AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track people or another person’s property, and we condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products,” the statement read.
“Unwanted tracking has long been a societal problem, and we took this concern seriously in the design of AirTag. It’s why the Find My network is built with privacy in mind, uses end-to-end encryption, and why we innovated with the first-ever proactive system to alert you of unwanted tracking. We hope this starts an industry trend for others to also provide these sorts of proactive warnings in their products.”
The spokesperson added that Apple has been proactively working with law enforcement on all AirTag-related requests, and says AirTag incidents are rare.
The spokesperson said that there will be several “improvements” added by the end of 2022, including precision finding, a display alert with sound, refining unwanted tracking alert logic, and adjusting the tone sequence to use more of the loudest tones to make an unknown AirTag more easily findable.
The spokesperson added: “We will continue to listen to feedback and innovate. We’ve built a tunable system of deterrents which we are committed to making improvements to over time.”
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The Red Bull-Ford partnership is finally official as confirmed by the American brand in its press release. The brand will make a return to the sport in 2026 and partner with Red Bull in what will be a new era of technical regulations in F1. This comes after significant murmurs of a possible announcement of the partnership on the eve of the Austrian team's car launch.
Many had even made the connection with Red Bull deciding to launch the car in New York of all places. As it turns out, it all pointed to a partnership with the American brand that will return to F1 after an absence of two decades. In a press release, the executive chair Bill Ford said:
“This is the start of a thrilling new chapter in Ford’s motorsports story that began when my great-grandfather won a race that helped launch our company. Ford is returning to the pinnacle of the sport, bringing Ford’s long tradition of innovation, sustainability and electrification to one of the world’s most visible stages.”
F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali was happy to welcome a brand like Ford to the sport and said:
“The news today that Ford is coming to Formula 1 from 2026 is great for the sport and we are excited to see them join the incredible automotive partners already in Formula 1. They are a global brand with an incredible heritage in the racing and automotive world and they see the huge value that our platform provides with over half a billion fans around the world.”
“Our commitment to be Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and to introduce sustainable fuels in the F1 cars from 2026 is also an important reason for their decision to enter F1. We believe that our sport provides the opportunity and reach unlike any other and we cannot wait for the Ford logo to be racing round F1’s iconic circuits from 2026.”
Contrary to early speculation that this would only be a sponsorship/badging exercise, Ford will be involved in the hybrid and battery technology for Red Bull's power unit. It remains to be seen what kind of synergy the Red Bull powertrain situated in Milton Keynes will have with the American brand.
FIA president welcomes Ford's association with Red Bull in F1
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem welcomed Ford's association with Red Bull. He praised the celebrated history of the brand and the value it would add to the sport, saying:
“There are few manufacturers who have such a celebrated motorsport history as Ford, so to see them coming back to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship is excellent news. It further underlines the success of the 2026 power unit regulations that have at their heart a commitment to both sustainability and spectacle, and of course having more interest from the United States is important of the continued growth of the world’s top motorsport category.”
Ford's return to the sport, however, does bring into question the future Honda might have in F1 beyond 2026.


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Basingstoke, 28 April 2021 – Tech Data has announced the winners of the first Women in Tech Data Awards during an online event that celebrated the tremendous achievements and contributions of female colleagues to the everyday running and progression of the business in the UK and Ireland.
Female employees at Tech Data put forward 144 nominations, naming 84 of their colleagues as potential candidates for the six awards. The winners were:
There were also two Highly Commended awards, for Amanda Glasgow, marketing and experiential lead; and Ann-Marie Hiscox, internal communications manager.
Speaking to a virtual audience of more than 300 attendees from Tech Data and involved external parties, David Watts, senior vice president, UK and Ireland, thanked everyone who contributed to making the awards happen, and extended special gratitude to the panel of four external judges: Louise Matthews, marketing director UK and Ireland at VMware; Graeme Watt, CEO of Softcat plc; Julia Bishop, device marketing lead at Microsoft; and Julie Simpson, CEO of ResouceiT Consulting.
Commenting on the awards themselves, Watts said: “I am so proud of the whole team at Tech Data and it’s really important to recognise and celebrate the excellence and achievements of all the women who work for the company. Well done to all of our winners and everyone who was nominated. The judges found it extremely difficult to choose only six winners, so congratulations to every woman and man who was put forward.”
The awards are part of Tech Data Elevate – an internal business resource group dedicated to empowering women to thrive in their careers at Tech Data through development, education, and networking.
Picture: Linzi Kynaston, Tech Data.


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SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 30 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Crack, the fashion firm founded by the Canarian designer Giovanni Franco, is one of the nine candidate brands for the 22nd edition of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talent, the contest that promotes recognition of emerging creativity and rewards the best collection among creators novelties that will parade on Sunday, September 17 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid.
Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Giovanni Franco moved to Madrid eight years ago to graduate in design and fashion at ESNE and, later, take a master’s degree in Communication and Fashion at IED.
After training in the Davidelfín team and working as a stylist, in 2021 he created his own brand: Crack, a firm that conveys the pop aesthetic of the 2000s. His designs have dressed well-known faces from the world of fashion and music such as Nathy Peluso, Eleni Foureira, Natalia Lacunza, Villano Antillano, Sita Abellán and Jessica Goicoechea.
The collection that will be presented at Madrid fashion week is based on the concept of abandoning the hometown, on renouncing the comfort zone in search of an illusion through garments with dark tones, clinging to the body, which evoke that feeling. of uncertainty.
The brand selected by the jury will have the opportunity to walk the catwalk at Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week and will join the trail of other big names in fashion such as Pepa Salazar, Ernesto Naranjo, Dominnico or Outsiders Division.


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Zoetis Inc. (ZTS) discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, complemented by diagnostic products and genetic tests and supported by a range of services. The company provides its services through five categories, namely anti-invectives, vaccines, parasitic ides, medicated feed additives, and other pharmaceuticals.
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (ELAN) is an animal health care company that develops, manufactures, and markets products for companion and food animals. The company sells its products to third-party distributors, veterinarians, and farm animal producers, and dairy farmers, and provides aquaculture operations.
Remote lifestyles gave rise to increased pet adoption during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, huge spending on pet toys, nutrition, etc. led to all-time high pet industry sales of $103.60 billion in 2020, up 6.7% year-over-year, according to a report published by American Pet Products Association.
In addition, frequent health check-ups for pets at veterinary clinics have driven increasing sales of pet medications, vaccines and diagnostic devices. Indeed, the global pet care market is expected to grow at a 5.6% CAGR over the next seven years to hit $325.74 billion by 2028.
While ZTS gained 2.9% over the past month, ELAN surged 14.8%. In terms of their performance over the past three months, ZTS is a clear winner with 12.5% gains versus ELAN’s 9.2% returns. But, which of these stocks is a better pick now? Let’s find out.
On March 10, ZTS announced its long-term “Driven to Care” sustainability goals that mainly include providing care for 225,000 animals in-need annually through charitable programs, adoption of key sustainable animal health solutions, investing in R&D projects for combating diseases that pose the greatest risk to animals and humans, and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
On February 22, 2021, the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorization for Solensia, a new feline osteoarthritis treatment to alleviate pain. Existing in 40% of cats, osteoarthritis causes pain and limits a cat’s comfort and quality of life if not treated. With the EC’s approval, ZTS should generate improved sales in the near-term.
ELAN launched ZoaShield in the United States on May 11, 2021. The product offers a proven and flexible zoalene solution that keeps coccidiosis, a parasitic disease found mostly in young animals, under control in an easy, manageable way. The company expects to generate good sales with poultry producers with the product.
On May 4, ELAN introduced Credelio Cat, the first oral flea and tick product for cats. Approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with a vanilla and yeast scent and flavor, this small, chewable product is safe and effective. ELAN hopes to see rising demand for this product from cat owners.
Recent Financial Results
ZTS’ revenue for its fiscal year 2021 first quarter, ended March 31, 2021, increased 22% year-over-year to $1.87 billion. The company’s non-GAAP gross profit increased 23.1% year-over-year to $1.33 billion. Its non-GAAP operating income came in at $744 million, up more than 36% from the prior-year period. While its non-GAAP net income increased 32.5% year-over-year to $603 million, its non-GAAP EPS increased 32.6% year-over-year to $1.26.
For its fiscal year 2021 first quarter, ended March 31, 2021, ELAN’s revenue increased 88.7% year-over-year to $1.24 billion. The company’s non-GAAP operating income came in at $231 million, up 260.9% from the prior-year period. Its non-GAAP net income increased more than 237% year-over-year to $82 million, while its non-GAAP EPS increased 184.6% year-over-year to $0.37.
Past and Expected Financial Performance
ZTS’s revenue and EBITDA grew at CAGRs of 8.8% and 12.1%, respectively, over the past three years. The company’s EBIT has increased at an 11.3% CAGR over the past three years.
Analysts expect ZTS’ revenue to increase 33.2% year-over-year for its fiscal year 2021 second quarter (ending June 30, 2021), 13.7% in the current year, ending December 31, and 8.1% in its next fiscal year, ending December 2022. Its EPS is expected to increase 21.3% year-over-year for the second quarter, 17.4% for the current year and 12.2% next year. ZTS’ EPS is expected to grow at a 12.5% rate per annum over the next five years.
In comparison, ELAN’s revenue and EBITDA grew at CAGRs of 9.9% and 9.5%, respectively, over the past three years. The company’s EBIT has declined at a 27.3% CAGR over the past three years.
Analysts expect ELAN’s revenue to increase 108.6% in its fiscal 2021 second quarter (ending June 30, 2021), 43.5% in the current year ending December 2021, and 3.8% in its next fiscal year, ending December 2022. Its EPS is expected to increase 188.9% year-over-year for the second quarter, 119.1% for the current year, and 29.1% next year. However, the stock’s EPS is expected to grow at a 7.5% rate per annum over the next five years.
ZTS’ trailing-12-month revenue is 1.82 times ELAN’s. ZTS is also more profitable with a 41.5% EBITDA margin compared to ELAN’s 17.6%.
Also, ZTS’ net income margin and ROE of 25.3% and 51.8% respectively, compares well with ELAN’s negative values.
In terms of non-GAAP trailing-12-month P/E, ELAN is currently trading at 50.3x, 19.9% higher than ZTS, which is currently trading at 41.99x. Also, in terms of trailing-12-month EV/EBITDA, ELAN’s 33.17x is 11% higher than ZTS’ 29.89x.
Thus, ZTS looks more affordable here.
While ELAN has an overall C rating, which translates to Neutral in our proprietary POWR Ratings system, ZTS has an overall A rating, which equates to Strong Buy. The POWR Ratings are calculated considering 118 different factors, each weighted to an optimal degree.
ZTS has a B grade for Quality. This is justified because the company’s 69.6% trailing-12-month gross profit margin is 26.9% higher than the 54.9% industry average. However, ELAN’s D grade for Quality is consistent with its 53% EBIT margin, which is 3.4% lower than the 54.9% industry average.
Of 229 stocks in the Medical – Pharmaceuticals industry, ELAN is ranked #70, while ZTS is ranked #2.
Beyond what we’ve stated above, our POWR Ratings system has also rated both ZTS and ELAN for Growth, Value, Stability, Momentum and Sentiment.
Both ZTS and ELAN can be considered good long-term investments due to their global brand recognition, impressive R&D projects and viable product launches over the past year. However, we believe ZTS is a better buy based on its higher profitability and relatively lower valuation.
Our research shows that the odds of success increase if one bets on stocks with an Overall POWR Rating of Buy or Strong Buy. Click here to access the top-rated stocks in the Medical – Pharmaceuticals industry.
Want More Great Investing Ideas?
ZTS shares were trading at $177.01 per share on Friday afternoon, up $2.34 (+1.34%). Year-to-date, ZTS has gained 7.28%, versus a 12.88% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.
About the Author: Sweta Vijayan
Sweta is an investment analyst and journalist with a special interest in finding market inefficiencies. She’s passionate about educating investors, so that they may find success in the stock market. More...
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CFPB Tells Firms "Black Box" Credit Models Used by Banks, Other Lenders Must Not Discriminate
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has told firms it regulates that federal anti-discrimination law extends liability for banks and other lenders in their use of algorithmic models used in credit decisions. The consumer finance agency’s decision to enforce against bias in what it calls “black box” credit decisions was disclosed in a “Consumer Financial Protection Circular” that asserted authority to regulate lenders’ widely used fintech operations.
The agency underscored its intent to begin enforcing the ruling immediately; it appealed to technology workers to file whistleblower claims when they have knowledge of programming features that promote disparate lending practices. While the CFPB itself lacks a program offering rewards for tips, it could rely on other law enforcement partners that offer whistleblower incentives.
The CFPB, which has used the CFPB “circular” policymaking route to implement administrative priorities, instead of much slower actions required in rule making, has aimed at oversight of financial firms in a series of recent initiatives. In the new circular issued May 26, it cited the provisions of the FCOA, which requires lenders to explain to consumers “adverse actions” in credit denial decisions, as the legal authority supporting its regulatory action.
CFPB Could Face Legal Challenges, Implementation Obstacles
The CFPB circular lacked specifics on what actions constitute violations and on how the agency will enforce the rule, said Michael Gordon, a partner with the law firm Ballard Spar LLP and former senior CFPB official involved in the startup of the agency.
“But it does send a strong signal that the CFPB will closely scrutinize the use of algorithms in credit decision-making – and will have little tolerance when firms fall short of their obligation to inform consumers about adverse decisions,” Gordon said.
The CFPB’s algorithmic-bias initiative follows Biden administration orders for regulators to push broadly on both discriminatory lending violations and modernizing oversight of financial sector digital practices. CFPB Director Rohit Chopra has moved more quickly than other U.S. agencies in mapping out fintech oversight in a series of studies and initiatives on lending bias. The agency has pushed its oversight beyond financial services firms to include large tech firms which have recently launched consumer credit offerings.
The CFPB at the same time has stepped up enforcement of existing discriminatory lending laws in a series of recent actions against financial firms that have marked a major departure from the Trump-era period of relatively few enforcements, which often were resolved with warning letters in place of penalties.
CFPB Innovation Unit Revamped
The circular carries a weight similar to the Securities and Exchange Commission risk alerts that outline priority areas for scrutiny based on examination results. It puts the industry on notice that it considers discriminatory lending in fintech will be viewed as no different than brick-and-mortar fair lending law violations.
“Companies are not absolved of their legal responsibilities when they let a black-box model make lending decisions,” said Chopra. He cited the specific provisions covered by Equal Credit Opportunity Act requirements that firms issue notices to explain adverse credit decisions it makes.
The CFPB in another similar policy interpretation said recently that it will monitor for discriminatory practices in how firms manage credit cards and loans after an application is approved. In the prior decision the CFPB warned lending institutions that "anti-discrimination protections do not vanish once a customer obtains a loan.”
The agency also signaled recently, in what was seen as its most significant recent policy move, that it would examine lenders and service providers for discriminatory practices by applying previously unused authority to combat Unfair, Deceptive and Abusive Acts and Practices (UDAAP), encompassed in the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, which created the bureau.
The authority, which it has not used on the past, will use UDAAP provisions to enforce lending practices in actions that allow significant fines. The UDAAP gives the CFPB broad authority to pursue fraud in patterns that show consumer abuse without requiring evidence of intent to mislead.
More Forceful CFTC Shifts Focus
The CFTC last month signaled its more forceful regulation of fintech when it revamped the Office of Innovation, which under the prior administration had been a vehicle to encourage fintech development with "no action" letters and regulatory "sandboxes" for developers to launch new applications. The relaunched Office of Competition and Innovation aims to expose anti-competitive practices of large banks and tech firms that hamper smaller innovators.
The new competition unit will “analyze obstacles to open markets, better understand how big players are squeezing out smaller players, host incubation events, and, in general, make it easier for people to switch financial providers.” The agency made clear in its new black box initiative that creditors cannot justify noncompliance with ECOA based on the mere fact that the technology they use to evaluate credit applications is too complicated, too opaque in its decision-making, or too new.
The agency last October when it ordered major U.S. tech firms Apple, Facebook, Google, PayPal, and Square to provide information on their online payments and use of customer data, in an initiative that also has focused on Chinese tech giants outside its regulatory oversight, including Alipay and WeChat Pay.
The new move into regulating algorithmic processes could prompt legal challenges by firms over the CFPB’s authority in emerging areas, legal experts said. The CFPB’s legal status was upheld in a recent split ruling by the Supreme Court challenge that nontheless limited the unchecked authority of the agency’s director. The U.S. high court has in general taken a more skeptical view of regulatory authority in recent decades.
CFPB Director Targets Digital Practice Abuses
Within weeks of taking over as CFPB director last October, Chopra's agency launched the initiative to review the practices of the large tech firms’ as consumer credit entities, with such programs as Buy Now, Pay Later used by millions of consumers for online purchases. Since then it has launched reviews of real estate valuation data metrics and other uses of technology in consumer finance.
“This CFPB circular is part of a larger effort by the agency to prioritize fair lending compliance and enhance scrutiny of technology innovations in consumer finance markets,” Gordon said. The CFPB said its advisory on black box practices that its oversight would "extend beyond adverse action notices and ECOA," citing its recent inquiry of automated valuation models within the home appraisal process" as an example of the types of behavior it could include in its exanded oversight.
CFPB said it plans to invoke the adverse action provision under ECOA, which “gives every applicant the right to a specific explanation if their application for credit was denied, and that right is not diminished simply because a company uses a complex algorithm that it doesn’t understand.”
The CFPB has said that it plans to take strong actions to offset data abuses because “data harvesting on Americans has become voluminous and ubiquitous, giving firms the ability to know highly detailed information about their customers before they ever interact with them.”
The abuses, it said, use “detailed datasets to power their algorithmic decision-making, which is sometimes marketed as ‘artificial intelligence.’ The information gleaned from data analytics has a broad range of commercial uses by financial firms, including for targeted advertising and in credit decision-making.”


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A new ASUS laptop has just been added to the ExcaliberPC archive. The U46SV-DH5 model is already available for pre-order, with a shipping date set for October 1.
Asus’ thin-and-light laptop, U46SV-DH51, is now up for pre-order at EXcaliberPC.com, the manufacturer announced recently. This anticipated device comes with a 1366×768 display, and has a diminutive black bezel that lets a 14-inch display to reside in a 13-inch body frame.
The said notebook was first announced in mid-July along with its brother, the 15.6-inch U56. The U46SV-DH51 features a “Brushed Champagne” housing that measures 10.8-inches thick and 4.85 pounds. It is powered by Intel’s 2.3GHz Core i5-2410M processor that can run from 2.30GHz up to 2.90GHz, paired with a whopping 4GB RAM (expandable up to 8GB of DDR3), a 640GB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M graphics, and a DVD burner.
Learn more by hitting the break.Read the rest of the article »
ASUS already announced the arrival of its Eee Pad Slidder in the US.
ASUS announced the details regarding the arrival of Eee Pad Slider to US during the Pepcom event last Wednesday night. The firm’s unique, tilt-sliding tablet will be arriving in the US shore by the end of September; and will cost about $475 for a 16GB Wi-Fi version and $575 for 32GB. The models for US will ship in with Androiod 3.2 already installed.
The said device is fundamentally similar to the relatively popular Transformer with the following features.
– 10-inch IPS-based touchscreen
– NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor
– Five megapixel rear camera
– 1.2 megapixel front camera
ASUS design is intended for those users who wanted the Transformer’s keyboard dock in an integrated design. However, the Eee Pad Slider is heavier and thicker than the earlier device. It comes around 2.12 pounds and 0.68 inches thick. The sad part is, its battery life will be shorter than the Transformer union’s 16 hours.View Article Source »
Spruce up your new school year with these five must-have gadgets!
Technology is changing constantly, which is why you have to get ready for what Fall has to bring. Check out GADG’s fresh lineup of gadgets that are due to arrive this month by hitting the break.Read the rest of the article »
While Ultrabooks are soon to take the laptop and netbook market, MacBook Air has already took the spotlight.
Sooner or later, laptops and netbooks will have to make way for a device that is thinner, lighter and houses more features than its chubbier rivals — the Ultrabook or ultra-portable laptop.
Ever since Apple released its iPad last April, many consumers were swayed by its sleek looks and audio-visual charms. Hence, the world’s largest chip maker – Intel – has set up a $300 million Capital Ultrabook Fund to support technology that will boost the introduction of ultra-portable laptops.
Taiwan’s ASUS is likely to be the first to launch Ultrabooks in India with its UX21. The said device will arrive in the country during the first quarter of 2012 with an estimated price of Rs 50,000. ACER also plans to roll out a Ultrabook soon after.
However, it could be possible that by the time Ultrabook hits the market, much of its thunder would have already been stolen. Although it is not categorized as one, Apple’s MacBook Air is the first Ultrabook that is already in the market.View Article Source »
A new study showed that the Apple is the only PC maker based in Western Europe that is still growing
Gartner stated that Apple was the only major computer manufacturer based in Western Europe that is still growing. That is according to a continent wide breakdown on Wednesday. Apple increased its shipments by half a percent to hit 7% of the market, while other Windows-based PC makers dropped in the same timeframe. HP and Delli gained shares, but still saw their shipments drop by 6.1% and 12.7% respectively. ACER, on the other hand, faced a disastrous flop after its abnormalities in overstock forced it to ship 44.6% fewer PCs, and drop to 2nd place at 16.7%.
The pattern was largely consistent from country to country. Apple gained shares in the UK and had a boost in France where its raw shipments were increase up to 6.4 points. Enough to put it in the top five for the first time. Samsung was one of the few others to see an upside in any area, but only registered in the top five in France.Read the rest of the article »
ASUS reveals full Eee Pad Slider specs through its newly launched page.
Without any noticeable actions, ASUS finally kicked off an official page wherein people could take a look at the confirmed specifications for the Eee Pad Slider device. The tablet will still be sporting Tegra 2 processors, with 1GB RAM and a 16GB or 32GB storage like the Transformer. However, since the device features a built-in keyboard, the Eee Pad Slider will be much heavier — measuring 2.12 pounds and 0.68 inches deep.
Moreover, the manufacturer announced that they will be upgrading the tablet from Android 3.1 into Android 3.2.
The ASUS Eee Pad Slider also comes with plenty of ports, such as a USB, a mini HDMI, a headphone jack and a microSD slot. The 10.1-inch tablet takes pride in having a 1280×800 display resolution with great camera features similar to Transformer. It brings a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera and 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash.
This unique tablet from ASUS is slated to hit the market sometime in September 2011. Its 16GB version is expected to be retailed for $400, while the 32GB model gets a $550 price tag.View Article Source »
Intel raised $300 million fund for the development of an ultrabook that is similar to MacBook Air.
Intel’s capital division pledged itself to their ultrabook concept in earnest late Wednesday by beginning the Ultrabook fund. This fund is worth $300 million and will be allocated for the companies’ ultraportable developments, as well as software to take advantage of them. The said budget will be divided over the course of the next three to four years.
The company has been predicting that their ultrabooks will be an important area for innovation in computers as a whole, which were estimated to be worth $261 billion. PC builders have already been working closely with Intel from the start, and have were getting unusually direct guidelines for what they should use to create the thin and light PCs. Intel also gives them guidelines for the price ranges and choice of materials. Depending on the screen size, ultrabooks should be no thicker than 0.7 or 0.8 inches and will often have real metal shells and solid-state drives.Read the rest of the article »
Despite bearing the hallmarks of a netbook, ASUS will offer its Eee PC X101 as a Linux tablet alternative.
As posted on ASUS’ blog, its Eee PC X101 will serve as an alternative to small laptops despite bearing the hallmark of a netbook. First, at 0.69 inches thin and two pounds in weight, it will be thinner and lighter than a typical netbook. Second, it runs MeeGo Linux instead of Windows 7. While the latter has been the predominant OS for netbooks over the past few years, MeeGo Linux is more suitable to ultrasmall designs which typically doesn’t have the horsepower to efficiently run the Microsoft OS.
Third, the ASUS Eee PC X101 does not have Ethernet ports and VGA.
Know more after the cut.Read the rest of the article »
Pegatron is still on track with their plans to be the second iPhone 5 supplier, and would ship in the devices in September.
Pegatron is still on track with its plan to be the second supplier of the iPhone 5. The said firm’s order is now expected to be at 10 million rather than its previous hinted order at 15 million. However, it will still ship finished products in September. The said data partly contradicted the rumor that the new Apple smartphone might not be released until October, since Pegatron would be shipping directly to Apple and customers.
Pegatron, the primary manufacturer of CDMA iPhones, is known in the manufacturing base. However, it currently plays runner-up to Foxconn which handles GSM iPhones. As Verizon revealed that the iPhone 5 might be a dual-mode phone, it may turn Pegatron’s production into a compliment rather than a vital responsibility. This kind of strategy might prevent the chronic shortages and international delays that plagued most iPhone releases to date — and might also occur on the iPhone 5.
Irrespective of the iPhone plans, Pegatron is hoping to boost its responsibility to include the iPad and Macs. iPhone margins are said to be small, and leaves the company eager to diversify its contracts. Pegatron was originally ASUS’ manufacturing wing and still produces notebooks for ASUS and other companies. These includes eight to ten million planned for Acer in 2012.View Article Source »
Dell, HP, and Lenovo are planning to head off MacBook Air with the upcoming release of their ultrabooks.
Three giant manufacturers – Dell, HP, and Lenovo – are teaming up with Acer and ASUS in order to release ultrabook models this coming September. The suppliers pointed out that this attempt was made to battle the current MacBook Air products from Apple. By this, the three are planning to produce ultrathin notebooks that have the similar Intel’s concept like the MacBook Air.
ASUS would be the first one to accomplish this plan. According to Digitimes’ sources, the supplier will be shipping a number of 100,000 UX21 models for the whole second half of 2011.Read the rest of the article »
Written on January 03, 2013
Written on December 28, 2012
Written on December 21, 2012
Written on December 17, 2012
Written on December 17, 2012


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The Orchard, a large distributor of independent music, has become the first company outside of the five major labels to ink licensing agreements with all major U.S. and European digital music services.
The Orchard, based in New York, is to unveil deals today that will supply its catalog of 120,000 songs to online music services Musicmatch and Listen. The company already has deals with Apple’s iTunes, MusicNet, Napster and BuyMusic.
“We look forward to rolling up our sleeves in partnership with these digital music servies and on behalf of our artists and labels to ensure that the content we represent is available everywhere digital music is legal sold, and appropriately positioned and merchandised,” said Greg Scholl, president and CEO of The Orchard.
The Orchard is owned by venture capital firm Dimensional Associates.


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A deal between China’s top refiner Sinopec and Phillips could be a game changer that signals the United States is on track to become one of the top suppliers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to the world’s second-biggest economy.
China is the biggest consumer of LPG, a compressed mix of propane and butane, used for heating and transport, and now increasingly being considered for making petrochemicals.
As demand in China soars, the U.S.shale boom has led to a surge in production of LPG, which is bringing down global prices and challenging established suppliers in the Middle East.
Washington restricts exports of crude and has only slowly opening up liquefied natural gas shipments for energy security reasons, but there are no such limits on LPG sales.
China’s first purchases of U.S. LPG were made last year, amounting to 3,530 barrels per day, according to Chinese customs’ data, in deals done by little known private firms.
But marking the entry of big oil Sinopec Corp and U.S. refining company Phillips 66 struck a deal last month to supply U.S. LPG for delivery likely to start in 2016 and put by traders at about 34,000 bpd worth around $850 million at current prices.
Sinopec, China’s top ethylene producer, is looking at using U.S. LPG for making petrochemicals due to cheaper pricing and shortages of the traditional feedstock naphtha, a product from processing crude oil.
“The U.S. shale boom could lead to a fresh way of developing China’s petrochemical sector,” said Mao Jiaxiang, deputy head of Sinopec’s research arm, China Petrochemical Consulting Corp.


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DETROIT — As Ford Motor Co. has tried to downplay its ongoing talks with Volkswagen Group, VW CEO Herbert Diess keeps upping the ante.
Besides the potential for cooperating on commercial vehicles and sharing platforms for electric vehicles and pickups, Diess last week revealed that VW is eyeing access to Ford’s U.S. manufacturing footprint, too.
Since June, VW and Ford have been exploring a strategic alliance that could alter the global automotive landscape. Ford is looking to shed money-losing operations and streamline its work force, and sharing costs on redundant operations with VW would help speed that overhaul. VW, in turn, wants to increase its U.S. production and could use the help of an automaker well-versed in building the type of rugged SUVs and pickups that American buyers demand.
More at Automotive News


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A recent survey by What Car revealed that despite considering electric vehicles (EVs), more than a third of drivers ultimately opted for petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars due to increasing expenses. In fact, 42 percent of individuals currently in the market for a new car also pushed aside the idea of purchasing an EV for the same reason.
Financial concerns have led over 58 percent of respondents to delay their next car purchase by at least six months. For those who cannot wait, the more affordable option of a second-hand vehicle has become increasingly popular. The survey, conducted among 2,525 people, highlights the significant role that costs play in customers’ decision-making process.
Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car, acknowledged that the results showcase the prominence of worries regarding the affordability of buying and operating an EV among motorists. However, there is positive news in the form of car manufacturers responding to these concerns. The research indicates that discounts on EV models have risen by more than 200 percent since the start of the year.
The survey also found that 39 percent of prospective buyers are now leaning towards purchasing used cars, with 30 percent stating that their decision has been influenced by the escalating cost of living. Huntingford added that as manufacturers strive to meet the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires 22 percent of new car sales to be electric by January 2024, buyers can anticipate even more substantial discounts on EVs.
Conversely, the availability and discounts on petrol and diesel models are expected to dwindle as car manufacturers adjust to the new requirements.


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FRANCE: Auchan readies launch of fresh banner
The stores are expected to stock traditional fresh produce such as meat, fish, fruits and vegetables
French retail giant Auchan is to launch a banner in its domestic market dedicated to the sale of fresh produce.
A spokesperson for Auchan confirmed the plans to just-food today (9 January). The stores are expected to open under the Multifrais banner, with the first to open in Paris, according to Le Monde.
The spokesperson, however, declined to give specifics, adding it was is "far too early to give further details".
The stores are expected to stock traditional fresh produce such as meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. A date for the launch has not been given but press reports suggest it is "imminent".
Auchan Hypermarket Ukraine introduced a new concept for Ukraine, the so-called “discounter hypermarket”. This format provides the lowest prices in the entire range of these stores. It goal is to impro...
Facing challenging conditions for hypermarket operators in France and other Western European markets, Auchan is battling to improve its price image while maintaining profits, while internet retailers ...
Auchan OOO, leading hypermarket in terms of value sales in Russia, will continue its expansion in the country. Auchan plans to open 10 new stores during 2013....
The key directions for Auchan development in France are introduction of more Drive stores and the development of Auchan’s convenience stores – A2pas. This is due to a predicted decline of hypermarkets...
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- just-food's pick: Natural Products Expo top 10
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- Arla: New Vigor deal to boost our Brazil presence
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- WhiteWave to buy dairy-free firm So Delicious
- Jobs to go at United Biscuits UK site
- General Mills plans to close two US plants


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Tollring’s 8.4 million terminals mark another strong year for business analytics
Tollring reports that it now monitors more than 8.4 million cloud endpoints globally across its portfolio of cloud business analytics, call recording and telecommunications fraud protection services. The company has expanded its business across all regions, with customer growth exceeding 50% in Europe and APAC over the past 12 months.
Additionally, iCall Suite’s cloud business customers now total over 17,000, with the average number of calls now recorded among its cloud users now exceeding 400,000 per day.
Tollring continues its three-year growth strategy, with investments in human resources, which has increased the workforce to more than 120 employees worldwide. Along with its investment in talent, investment in product innovation, sales and marketing accelerated during the year as the company strives to realize its ambition to be the leader global enterprise communications analytics market.
Over the past year, Tollring has invested over £2 million in its Microsoft business unit alone, spanning the launch of Analytics 365, its collaboration analytics app for Microsoft Teams, as well as research and development, certifications and accreditations, and Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure.
Tony Martino, CEO of Tollring, says: “Every company, regardless of size, looks to data to drive business decisions. This insight not only enables stakeholders to clearly understand the experience of their customers and employees, but also provides the evidence needed to continuously improve customer retention strategies as hybrid working practices mature.
“Our investment in Microsoft is important and essential to our evolution. We are expanding our knowledge to cover how people communicate and collaborate. We see the use of Microsoft Teams at the heart of how we collaborate with our colleagues and customers, so it is imperative that we provide our business customers with relevant information on all forms of communication, from call to collaboration.
“Our latest native Analytics 365 app for Microsoft Teams delivers essential workplace insights that can help people, improve collaboration, and provide insight that drives business performance.
“By providing analytics services across multiple UCaaS, CCaaS and collaboration platforms, we are able to empower our community of service providers and channel partners operating in 20 countries to deliver best-in-class analytics solutions. customer loyalty and market communications management. We want to ensure that our partners can meet the changing needs and expectations of their customers. This drives our innovation, and our product roadmap has never been more exciting in our entire history! »


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Wendy’s Canada looks to build on the success of Homestyle French Toast Sticks with the nationwide debut of the new Cinnabon Pull-Apart.
Available now all day across Canada at your local Wendy’s, the new Cinnabon Pull-Apart is made of warm, buttery dough bites baked together with world-famous Cinnabon cinnamon and topped with their signature cream cheese frosting.
To celebrate the launch, Wendy’s is set to offer fans a new Cinnabon Pull-Apart with a small hot coffee for $5 during breakfast hours starting Monday, March 25, 2024.
Additionally, the new Cinnabon Pull-Apart is also available all day in a custom party pack of six for $25 to share.
Image via Wendy’s


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On the heels of the truck’s debut at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, Ram has already rolled out a new appearance package for its largest trucks.
The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty Sport Package was introduced at the New England Auto Show in Boston and brings the trucks a monochromatic look. The Sport Package is not new at Ram, but this is the first time we’ve seen it on the automaker’s brand new 2019 heavy duty trucks.
The Sport package features body color bumpers, door handles and grille surrounds and can be had in 12 different colors. On the inside, the Sport trucks get an all-black interior including a black headliner and piano black accents.
The package also comes standard with Ram’s front and rear park assist system, likely because the sensors are included from the factory in the body-color bumpers.
The Sport package can be had on both 2500 and 3500 Big Horn, Lone Star or Laramie-trim trucks. All cab and powertrain configurations can be had with the Sport package.
Ram already showed off the Laramie Black package at the Detroit Auto Show, giving its HDs an all-black appearance including the badges and wheels. Which package looks better? Let us know what you think below.


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Playtech, the developer and supplier of products for the international gambling industry, starts 2017 with the acquisition of Australian casino software developer Eyecon. With it Playtech has further boosted its Gaming division.
Founded two decades ago in Brisbane, Australia, Eyecon has been working with leading operators and fellow suppliers. Among others things, the company specializes in the provision of bingo content. Through its own Remote Gaming Server, it has been able to deliver its offering directly to interested operators and via gaming content distributors.
Bingo is a key product vertical for Playtech, as well. The company has revealed that it has been [...]


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SuperValu has announced that it expects to sell 125,000 Irish poinsettias this Christmas period, stocking 100% Bord Bia quality assured Irish poinsettias from Dublin-based grower Uniplumo.
The partnership between Uniplumo and SuperValu is now in its 18th year and has led the grower to increase the number of poinsettias grown by 25% over the past three years to meet customer demand.
Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu, said, "As the number one supporter of Irish suppliers, our long-standing partnership with Uniplumo enables us to bring locally produced poinsettias of the highest quality to SuperValu customers all over the country. Our relationship with Uniplumo has helped the company to continue to grow in order to meet customer demand for the extremely popular poinsettia."
Tom Summerville, General Manager, Uniplumo, added, "Poinsettias are a traditional Christmas plant and we are delighted that through SuperValu’s 223 stores, our Bord Bia quality assured Irish grown poinsettias will decorate homes across Ireland again this year. This announcement by SuperValu of an even larger order this year is a very welcome one for Uniplumo, helping us to sustain over 40 local jobs, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the retailer long into the future."
Uniplumo employs over 40 staff and are specialist growers in the Irish horticulture market, operating from seven acres of heated glass houses near Swords, County Dublin.
© 2014 - Checkout Magazine by Genna Patterson