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BOSTON-Emergency roadside assistance programs can cover a lot of territory-not all of it just to get a disabled vehicle back on the road.
A couple driving in Phoenix hit a pothole and flattened a tire on their late-model Dodge Intrepid. To make matters worse, the man had taken an insulin shot before leaving the house and needed to eat to balance his blood sugar.
When he called the toll-free number for roadside assistance, he was connected to a Cross Country Automotive Services dispatcher. He explained the problem.
The dispatcher asked the tow driver to purchase a candy bar and can of soda for the man and bring it along with a tire jack.
Customer service is what keeps Cross Country and companies like it in business. Auto manufacturers, such as American Honda Motor Co. Inc., BMW of North America Inc. and DaimlerChrysler, use the Boston company to run their roadside assistance programs.
One of a handful of companies serving automakers, Cross Country has contracts with about 30,000 towing services and locksmiths. Similar companies include US Auto Club, which services owners of Ford Motor Co. vehicles, and AAA-EDS, which responds to General Motors Corp. customers.
Quality is a must
Cross Country uses a Web-assisted tracking system that monitors each transaction, evaluates quality and speeds claim checks in half the time it takes using a fax system. Cross Country says the Internet will raise standards for the roadside assistance providers in its network because it allows for better feedback about customer response time, the courtesy of the provider and the quality of experience for the customer.
``The right road service experience could make or break a customer's impression of their vehicle manufacturer,'' said Steve Rubin, vice president of service network and process improvement for Cross Country. ``They can equate the quality of the tow driver with the quality of the vehicle.''
Dave Rolleri, assistant vice president of the Vehicle Service Contract Division for American Honda Finance Corp. Inc., noted that ``it's very important for road service providers to monitor quality because customer expectations are high. Whoever dispatches that service must deliver on that promise of quality.''
Honda's customer surveys have found that vehicle owners who are satisfied with the factory warranty and road service in the first three years are more likely to purchase another of the same make.
Mickey Ollis, general manager of Sunnyvale Acura in Sunnyvale, Calif., agreed. If the driver has a filthy truck, it detracts from the image of Acura as an upscale brand, he said.
The Sunnyvale car dealership is a member of Cross Country's provider network. If the tow truck driver is excessively late or rude, or handles the vehicle improperly, it disturbs the customer.
Also, the driver dispatched by the road service must know where a disabled vehicle should be placed at a car dealership, remember to fill out a form and drop off the key in an envelope if the dealership is closed.
``Our dealership managers were insistent that tow drivers fill out the proper information when they drop off a car,'' said Tom Wdowik, manager of General Motors Roadside Assistance, a service offered to owners of GM vehicles.
Linda Thompson, president of Sunnyvale Towing, said the company gets ``75 to 100 calls a day from roadside assistance customers.''
The most common types of calls that are received? To unlock cars.


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has said that government dwindling revenue and forex have greatly
affected the auto industry.
Sales, Ade-Ojo said, has dropped by 60 per cent because government and
corporate organisations, who are main buyers of brand new vehicles in
the country are affected by tight revenue and foreign exchange.
“So when government is cash strapped and businesses are closing down and
not generating cash to run their businesses, then naturally, that also
affect our business,” he said.
He spoke during a media briefing at TNL head office, Lekki, Lagos.
The TNL chief predicted a tougher year ahead if the present situation persists.
“Foreign exchange has been a major challenge to everybody. And as a
result, when we compare import this year with that of last year as far
as brand new vehicle is concerned, there has been a drop of almost 60
“Last year, the entire market imported about 15,000 new vehicles. This
year, it has reduced to about 6,000, which is a major decline as far as
importation is concerned,” he said.
Even at that, he said the company did not retrench workers, rather look inward and cut some expenses.
“However, despite the difficult challenges encountered during the
current year, we have decided not to retrench. We have a strong
foundation, which we keep on strengthening to weather the storm.”
On the market share, he said Toyota has continued its leading role.
“Out of total sales of 32,000 vehicles recorded by the entire auto
market in 2015, Toyota sold about 7000 vehicles. For this year, however,
the industry forecast only a maximum of 16,000 vehicles. And for us in
TNL, our sales forecast was 4000, which is a significant drop,” he said.
He noted that foreign exchange and price of vehicles will continue to be
major issues come next year, saying: “Between January and now, the
price of vehicles has more or less doubled from what it used to be. And
that has been, because of the foreign exchange issues. At some
instances, some of us had had to go into the black market, which also
has major impact as far as price of goods are concerned.”

domain: news


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I am a very happy owner of the Surface tablet, although sales figures don't seem to be going quite as well as Microsoft would have wanted. In the efforts to drive more, they are expanding their US operation to include Staples and Best Buy.
The company announced this move and has hinted that they may push it through retail outlets in the United Kingdom.
The current Surface tablet runs the RT version of Windows 8, a specially designed architecture for ARM processors. The retail chain has already said that Microsoft have halved the number of Surfaces that it ordered. Data browsing information from Chitika said that they have a tiny ‘share of the tablet browsing market in America.
That said, Microsoft have recently said they are increasing production for the Surface. Sales can be blamed on the fact that Microsoft are only offering the tablet through their own online stores in a handful of countries worldwide. Obviously ebay has seen a high volume of units available, often at cut price deals too compared to the official stores.
Microsoft have quietly indicated that UK audiences may see the Surface in retail chains locally “Surface will continue to be available for purchase at all Microsoft retail stores in the United States and Canada and online in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. Based on the success of the Microsoft holiday stores, the company will extend all of these locations into the new year. These stores will transition into either permanent brick-and-mortar retail outlets or specialty store locations.”
Microsoft are planning on selling the ‘Pro' versions of the Surface in 2013, featuring Intel processors. Pricing looks to alienate a wide audience however, as prices will jump from $499 to $899. This version of the tablet will however run a much wider portfolio of applications.
Kitguru says: Will Microsoft be able to drive more sales? We hope this won't end up a flop for the company


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Bühler Group has announced it has acquired Austrian confectionery machine manufacturer The Haas Group as it aims to complement its consumer foods product portfolio.
As a global leader in the field of production systems for wafers, biscuits and baked goods, Haas has a global workforce of 1,750, manufacturing sites in six countries and sales revenues of around €300 million.
Bühler said the deal will provide its customers new opportunities for diversifying. While both companies operate in the same markets and often serve the same clients, there will be no overlapping of services upon completion of the deal.
Stefan Scheiber, CEO Bühler, believes the two companies are ‘identically positioned as quality providers’ and that they have the same corporate cultures as family-owned businesses that are based on trust and committed to sustainability.
“It is hard to imagine a better basis for successful integration, and we will do everything in our power to generate added value for both our customers and our employees,” he said.
Bühler will make its global network of about 100 service stations accessible to Haas customers, develop complete solutions for the production of wafers, biscuits, and confectionery with chocolate, and integrate Haas into its innovation management network.
Member of The Haas Group Supervisory Board Johann Haas said: “Today’s market and technology trends, whose impact and speed will continue to increase, have prompted us to take this step.”
He continued by saying that the capability of offering complete solutions and of further automating and digitising them will become increasingly important in the future. He believes that this requires a certain corporate size with a strong global presence and the related customer proximity, as well as high capital investment power.
“Bühler offers precisely this environment,” he added. “It is for this reason that we sought exclusive talks with them on the change in ownership, and we are glad to have found a sound and future-oriented solution for all the parties involved.”
The acquisition is subject to the approval of the antitrust authorities. The closing of the transaction is scheduled for the end of 2017 and the two parties have agreed not to disclose any contract details.
Nestle SA has accelerated its product development process by 60% since 2016, according to the company. The faster speed to market has been achieved through a restructuring of its research and development process. Now the company is investing in various forms of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to further improve its R&D process and generate better results.
German chemicals distributor Brenntag has confirmed potential takeover talks with US rival Univar Solutions and is understood to be debating the feasibility of a potential acquisition in the coming months. Univar Solutions confirms that it has received a preliminary indication of interest from Brenntag regarding a potential transaction.
Cargill has announced the acquisition of Owensboro Grain Company, a soybean processing facility and refinery located in Kentucky. The purchase of the Owensboro-based company will support Cargill’s efforts to “modernise and increase capacity across its North American oilseeds network to support growing demand for oilseeds driven by food, feed and renewable fuel markets”.


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With the United States introducing levies on more than 1,333 Chinese goods, China has on its part retaliated with additional tariffs on some 106 American products. Economic threats coming from the Trump administration have been met by the Chinese authorities with equal force – the compound size of the simmering trade dispute amounting to approximately USD 100 billion. On 26 April, EIAS Associate researcher Angela Sarafian shared her expert opinions on the rising trade tension between the U.S. and China for the Bloomberg Bulgaria TV programme “In Development”.
The commentary began with the evaluation that the trade conflict looks to be of uncertain escalation and duration, on the one hand considering the very diverse political and economic factors involved, and, on the other hand, exploring it in terms of larger trends of incremental processes. One thing is for sure, there will be a major enough impact on the two countries and the global economy as a whole. The tariffs on both sides are to hurt affected company revenues as well as companies without actual tariff sanctions with uncertainty damaging investor expectations.
The Trump administration has not really been as hard on China as the then presidential candidate’s electoral speeches initially vowed. One of the reasons is the geopolitical situation in East and South East Asia and the importance of China as a regional power to exert its influence on North Korea for instance. Still the United States president has in recent months, after a somewhat normalization on the Korean Peninsula, resorted in his rhetoric and narrative to the trade deficit with China, intellectual property issues, and exploration of ways to restrict Chinese investments in key U.S. industries. Not to mention that American businesses have long voiced their concern about the particulars of operating within the Chinese market, including requirements to partner with domestic companies and share technological know-how. Thus the tariffs can be largely attributed to the supposed “unfair trade practices related to the forced transfer of U.S. technology and intellectual property” as stated by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Despite the comparatively stable economic indicators in the United States, Ms Sarafian noted that the states that are to be most adversely affected by the Chinese-imposed tariffs in response to the Trump offense are none other than those which voted decidedly republican in the 2016 presidential election. The Chinese reciprocal tariffs target the agriculture and steel workers. Therefore, the most impacted states are the ones that export the most soybeans and import the most steel, aluminium, cars and airplanes.
As Ms Sarafian stipulated, it is essential to have comprehensive foresight when using trade devices to put economic pressures, not to mention the necessity for accurate and timely evaluation of the dynamics of displacement or co-existence of rising and ruling powers, in view of a President that is keen on zero-sum games. For instance, in putting forward tariffs for the import of solar panels from China, the U.S. risks tangible job loss in the solar energy industries, as five times more Americans are actually involved in solar installation and technical support than in manufacturing. This could lead to a slowdown in the solar adoption. It was also noted that the U.S. tariffs are not to take effect immediately but rather undergo public discussions and a hearing to be held on 15 May.
What the commentary highlighted as one of the most indicative moves was the ban on American companies (namely Qualcomm) to sell parts and services to ZTE for the duration of seven years. The imposed restrictions come as a consequence of a supposed ZTE practice of shipping equipment to embargoed countries like Iran and North Korea. ZTE is China’s second largest maker of telecom equipment and fourth biggest smartphone supplier in the U.S. This ban comes to underline a very significant rising protectionist trend.
Even if at their current level, the US tariffs on China do not have a particularly devastating economic effect, given the strategic choice to move away from export-dependent economic development, a USD 500 billion negative change to the trade balance is sure to put additional pressure on the Chinese economy, slowing down growth in a non-premediated manner. Should that be coupled with a multi trillion shadow banking sector (a plenitude of non- performing loans, an unregulated wealth management even in regards to the Belt and Road Initiative and the financing of risky infrastructure projects, patterns of risk amelioration via failure guarantees by the larger banks operating in Mainland China) there could arise legitimate concern for slow down or even reversal of the reform processes that have been progressively taking place.
Ms Sarafian went on to further reiterate that even in view of a 300 percent Chinese debt-to-GDP, which is at twice the height it was a decade ago, or the classic indicator of corporate-debt-to-GDP, the Chinese governmental policies have been showing great adeptness at addressing the issues of a possible financial sector debt bubble and taking the necessary measures (particularly so in regards to the accumulation of bad loans, bad for both the banks footing the bills and the beneficiaries of the low return investments). An already set into motion illustration of the above capabilities and willingness by the Chinese policymakers would be the controlled by the authorities’ slowdown of growth that no longer serves the longer-term sustainable direction of Chinese development.
Another concern that the West and its East Asian partners appear to harbour, is the Made in China 2025 agenda initiated by Premier Li Keqiang, which puts the focus on innovation- driven developments and smart technologies to push forward the country away from labour-intensive productions and towards the frontline of the global supply chains. The Trump administration largely views the modelled after the German 4.0 Industry, Chinese Artificial Intelligence drive as an attempt to acquire US technology and control cutting-edge industries. The sectors that are to be strategically developed within the Made in China 2025 framework focus on new generation information technology, robotics, space and ocean exploration equipment, power and energy technical advances, new materials testing, biomedicine and medical devices, etc. Ms Sarafian stressed that China has already taken great strides in aircraft manufacturing, semiconductor technologies, new nano materials, 5G mobile networks and new energy vehicles.


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ECIA warns against REACH restriction on PFASs
ECIA warns against REACH restriction on PFASs – ECIA’s Global Industry Practices Committee (GIPC), in collaboration with other industry associations, is urging companies in the authorized electronic components channel to go directly to the ECHA website, submit expert comments and request exemptions from the upcoming REACH restrictions on PFAS in Europe. The latter, of course, if needed. Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Sweden have already drafted a proposal to limit PFASs in Europe. Currently, there are more than 10,000 substances contained in many products made by electronic component manufacturers. A six-month consultation on the proposal began on March 22, 2023.
Members of the GIPC have been following this issue and are sounding the alarm. The proposed EU REACH restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) will have a significant impact on our industry. PFAS is found in many applications, such as wire and cable insulation, dielectric capacitor films, plastics, printed circuit boards, lithium-ion batteries, gaskets, coatings and lubricants,’ explains Daniel Carey, Global Product Compliance (GIPC) expert at Farnell. ‘While the EU accepts comments and exemption requests before issuing a final decision, the comment field is quite short and should include detailed technical information. Manufacturers need to quickly gather and provide the necessary technical information if they believe their application requires a PFAS exemption.’
Public health and safety are of paramount importance
REACH is a regulation of the European Union. This regulation was enacted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals. There is no doubt that protecting the health and safety of the public is of paramount importance. Therefore, the industry fully supports effective legislation for this purpose. However, according to industry experts at GIPC, the industry needs time to find safe substitutes for these materials. The use of PFAS in the electronics industry has helped improve the performance, quality and reliability of electronic components. These components enable the technology that is essential to modern life.
Too short term
Current proposed timelines do not allow sufficient time for the development and qualification of alternative materials. For this reason, ECIA urges companies to submit comments before the September deadline.
Make it strong together!
‘Don’t sit back and wait for other companies to make an effort,’ said Don Elario, vice president of industry practices for ECIA. ‘If your competitor gets an exemption, there’s no guarantee it will apply to your products,’ he warned. ‘There are thousands of these substances and this is not just a notification requirement, it’s a restriction. These are banned for REACH and act as a limit at all levels. Distributors need this information from their suppliers to make it easily available to customers. If the product does not comply, it cannot be sold in the EU. Companies in the authorized distribution channel for electronic components need to stick together.’
This information has been compiled with the greatest possible care, in some cases from different information sources. (Interpretation) errors are not excluded. No legal obligation can therefore be derived from this text. Everyone dealing with this subject has the responsibility to delve into the matter!


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Japanese conglomerate giant Softbank announced its plan on Monday to invest $2 billion in Indonesia via Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing app, Grab.
According to CNBC, the $2 billion funds will be used to optimize Indonesia’s digital economy, particularly through the development of a new transport network based on electronic vehicle ecosystem and innovative geo-mapping solutions.
The ride-hailing company is also set to launch affordable e-healthcare services and establish a new headquarters in Jakarta, which, according to Grab Indonesia President Ridzki Kramadibrata, will enable them to “better serve the needs of all Indonesians and those from emerging economies in the region.”
Anthony Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Grab, also assured the company’s commitment to Indonesia’s long-term sustainable development. “We are delighted to facilitate this SoftBank investment, as we believe by investing in digitizing critical services and infrastructure, we hope to accelerate Indonesia’s ambition to become the largest digital economy in the region and improve the livelihoods of millions in the country,” he added.
Right after the announcement Indonesian president Joko Widodo, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, Grab co-founder Anthony Tan, and Grab Indonesia President Ridzki Kramadibrata have engaged in a closed-door meeting to talk about the investment.
“Indonesia’s technology sector has huge potential. I’m very happy to be investing US$2 billion into the future of Indonesia through Grab,” said Softbank founder and Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son.
According to a report from Financial Times, Softbank will be injecting the $2 billion over the course of five years. This marks the company’s largest commitment to Indonesia yet.
“This investment is evidence that Indonesia has been on the radar of investors, especially in the technology sector. We look forward to working with Grab, the fifth unicorn in Indonesia, and SoftBank to empower SMEs, accelerate tourism, and improving health services,” said Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan.


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Peter Smith shares advice from independent jewelers who used losing this cornerstone brand as a catalyst for reinvention.
Hong Kong Jewelry Trade Shows Change Dates
The gem and jewelry shows also switched venues and will now be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show and the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show will now be held July 25-29.
Previously scheduled to run from July 2-6, the shows were moved to later in the month after consultation with industry representatives and key stakeholders, said HKDTC in a statement.
Both fairs will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Previously, they were set to be held at the AsiaWorld-Expo center.
The shows were not held in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, then were pushed into 2021 and have been postponed a few times since.
More details about the date change will be provided to exhibitors in “due course,” HKTDC said.
For more information, visit the HKTDC website, call 852-1830-668 or email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Gorman was an industry trailblazer, serving as the first female treasurer of Jewelers of America.
Distinguishing natural diamonds from laboratory-grown stones – now more available than ever – has been difficult for jewelers. Until now.
The movement of the 18-karat gold and diamond “Tennessee Torque” necklace is subtle.
The WaxJet 400, recognized as the world's fastest wax printer, is bringing in a new era of precision and efficiency to industry.
Industry veteran Gina D’Onofrio has rejoined the auction house.
“Power of Couture” recalls Frédéric Boucheron’s love of fabric using diamonds and rock crystal.
The couple won a bespoke engagement ring set with a 1.44-carat fancy yellow diamond and designed by Michael Hogan.
The three pieces, recovered from a 17th century shipwreck, are set with emeralds from Colombia’s Muzo mine.
The luxury conglomerate owns Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, and Qeelin.
While sales rose in the U.S. market, demand for watches and jewelry was slow in the U.K.


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- 1 min read
Cisco, Google join hands to offer high-speed public wi-fi in India
The locations include public spaces like bus stops, hospitals, government offices, etc
The technology major, which has made this announcement l at its India Summit here, said these wi-fi zones will be in high-traffic areas in the city and not in railway stations. The locations include public spaces like bus stops, hospitals, government offices, etc.
Currently such zones are implemented across 25 locations in Bengaluru.
Cisco and Google aim to take the number of such zones to 500 in Bengaluru alone and take this to other cities and villages. Cisco said to take such free wi-fi zones to rural parts it would look to engage with government agencies.
Sameer Garde, President, Cisco India & SAARC, said this partnership is aimed to provide internet connectivity to the next billion users.
Read Also: Google in the process of making privacy controls more easily accessible
"Moving from slow to high-speed Internet access will increase user engagement and benefit millions of Internet users throughout the economic spectrum...This also represents a significant growth opportunity, the demand for public Wi-Fi hotspots is expected to go up by 100 times over the next 3 years, creating new markets for Cisco and our partners," said Garde.
Sajith Sivanandan, MD and Business Head, Google Pay and Next Billion User Initiatives, India, said this is an advertisement supported business model and the revenue would be shared among three partners including the internet service provider - D-VoiS.
Cisco said India currently has 15000 wi-fi hotspots and to reach a scale like global markets it would need at least 4-6 million such hotspots. For example, in the US there is one wifi hotspot for 150 users, said the company.


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By Jacqueline Corba
Canada is set to become the first nation in the G7 to legalize marijuana for recreational use at the federal level on Oct. 17.
"It's a little bit like a patchwork like it is in the United States, except it's under the umbrella of legality," Cannabis Wire co-founder and editor Alyson Martin told Cheddar's CannaBiz on Tuesday. "It will be legal countrywide but it is going to have a province-by-province roll out."
Each province can set the eligible age for marijuana consumption, Martin said.
Despite a murky rollout, marijuana companies based in Canada are booming in the public market.
Shares of Tilray ($TLRY), a medical marijuana producer, are up a staggering 475 percent over the last three months ahead of Canada's legalization.
"It's historic," Poseidon managing partner Morgan Paxhia said in a separate interview. His company invests in companies involved in the cannabis industry.
"That pool of capital, that significant size, we believe is indicative of what's to come in the United States."
About 16 percent of Canadians aged 15 or older have reported using marijuana in the last three months, according to Statistics Canada. That's about 4.6 million people in a nation of about 36 million people.
California, which legalized cannabis at the start of 2018, itself has an even bigger population of 40 million. Does its change in law signify anything about the wider U.S.? Possibly.
According to a recent Pew Research poll, 62 percent of Americans are currently for legalizing the drug, a slight increase from a year ago, but double the percentage from 2000.
Millennials are among the most ardent supporters, with 73 percent in favor of legalization, according to Pew.
For Martin, that suggests that legalization in the States is inevitable.
"That's way above the threshold that pollsters really look at to have a safe margin for it to pass. I think what it is going to signal more to lawmakers in states that want to legalize by legislature versus ballot box that there's real, serious support here."
For full interview click here.


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Robotic process automation has unlocked amazing features for enterprises across the world. While digital transformation had already begun in the last few years, intelligent automation is yet to be adopted by many Indian manufacturers. Industry experts came together on CNBC-TV18 and discussed how automation came to their rescue, while not only clearing all hurdles in business continuity, but also matching it to pre-covid levels.
Manish Bharti, President, UiPath – India & South Asia, states there has been a surge in automation by enterprises in the pandemic, especially for those companies who are less than $500mn in revenue. Automation is now a boardroom priority. And, these companies have also witnessed their business get steered back on track, while being able to match up with competition.
In the crucial pharmaceutical space, Mukesh Rathi, Global CIO & CDO, Dr.Reddy’s Laboratory already adopted to a strategy in manufacturing, where automation allowed a lean workforce to continue to produce medicines, in order to cater to the larger demand. He says, it also ensured business operations across the enterprise with immense collaboration due to technology.
Viral Gandhi, President & Group CIO, Piramal Group, had a clear focus on the entire ecosystem, from employees to customers and suppliers to other stakeholders. Virtual experiences became the norm for real estate customers who could visit virtual projects, as well as visit their pharma manufacturing sites.
The BFSI community has not lagged behind either, by pushing out automated voice bot services. Deepak Sharma, President and CDO, Kotak Mahindra Bank believes that banking customers prefer a voice interaction, rather than engaging with a chat bot in a IVR, impacting the customer experience journey. Deepak wanted to humanize the entire customer interaction, hence took the plunge and is seeing a positive response extending to services like KEYA.
With no signs of the pandemic abating or a COVID-19 vaccine in sight, enterprises will look to leverage and digitize many of the clerical processes. Learn more by watching the full discussion and see how UiPath can help you with your digital automation journey.
This is a partnered post.


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Legend of Edda: Vengeance has arrived
GamesCampus and EyaSoft have completely redesigned Legend of Edda during these months, and his work has finally come to an end. This new version, called the Legend of Edda: Vengeance, comes with a lot of new features as a new economic system, better gear sets, and a redesigned upgrade system.
Players will also encounter an enhanced system of skills. Also each character now has a better defined role and their class skills have been redefined, or added. The game now features achievements, which the players can complete with fun challenges.
"So much has changed in the last year, that we're changing the game's title to reflect these upgrades. Legend of Edda is back with a vengeance, and that's exactly what we've called the new version -- Legend of Edda: Vengeance!" said Hubert Yee, Head of Marketing at GamesCampus. "We'll have a landslide of news starting today and continuing through the rest of the year."
Source of information: press release from GamesCampus


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by April 11, 2012 @ 8:06 pm
Update: According to the Japanese PlayStation site, firmware 1.67 fixes a game-related issue with Dream Club Zero Portable that prevented the camera functionality from working properly.
It’s that time again. Sony’s issued a stealth update for the PS Vita, bringing the firmware version count to 1.67. Those that check Network Update will be prompted to download and install the firmware, or you can grab it manually at this link.
Like its predecessor and the PS3, it would seem firmware updates are becoming quite the regular occurrence for the Vita, as this is the third update to drop this month. Granted, one was merely a bug fix. At any rate, there’s no word yet on what 1.67 adds — as of writing Sony has yet to provide a changelog, but we’ll keep you posted.
Follow this author on Twitter.


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24 suspects arrested over mall looting
By CYRUS OMBATI
| November 15th 2013
By CYRUS OMBATI
Twenty-four people suspected to have raided the abandoned Westgate shopping mall and stolen electronic goods have been arrested.
The suspects were arrested yesterday and electronic goods of unknown value recovered from them.
They are alleged to have invaded the mall on Tuesday and Wednesday night and stolen the goods.
“They were arrested and the goods recovered from them following revelations the mall was raided,” said Nairobi Area police chief Benson Kibue.
Some tenants of the mall reported that their electronic goods were missing following the raid.
The mall has been unmanned since October 21 when police and military officers left the site.
The last body parts, believed to be those of the terrorists, were recovered from the mall on October 20.
Police then announced they would leave and hand the site over to the mall management.
The terror attack on the mall left 68 people dead and over 200 others injured. At least five soldiers and one police officer also died during the siege. Police have so far charged four suspects in court over the attack and are looking for two others who escaped.
Policeman challenges transferA policeman who was involved in the operation at the Westgate shopping mall following the September terror attack has challenged a decision by Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo to transfer him to Mandera.
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Ripple, Bitcoin Cash Delisted by Coinbase Wallet Due to ‘Low Usage’: Details
Coinbase has begun taking drastic steps in order to make its business more efficient, especially during the ongoing slowdown in the crypto market following the downfall of the FTX crypto exchange due to liquidity crunch. In its latest announcement, the exchange said its wallet will no longer support four cryptocurrencies due to low usage. These altcoins are — Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ripple (XRP), Ethereum Classic (ETC), as well as Stellar Lumen (XLM). The Coinbase wallet will end support for these altcoins on December 5, according to the firm.
While XRP has a market cap of over $20 billion (roughly Rs. 1,64,880 crore), the individual valuations of BCH, XLM, and ETC hover over the mark of $2 billion (roughly Rs. 16,323 crore) each, data by CoinMarketCap showed.
Coinbase, in an announcement posted on November 29, assured the holders of these altcoins that their assets will not be lost even after they are delisted from the list of cryptocurrencies supported by its wallet.
“Any unsupported asset that you hold will still be tied to your address(es) and accessible through your Coinbase Wallet recovery phrase,” the exchange, founded in 2012, noted in the official update.
Coinbase’s self-custody wallet first arrived as a mobile app in 2017. It only stores cryptocurrencies that are still supported by the exchange.
Starting next year, Coinbase users will not be able to buy, sell, send or receive these delisted crypto assets via its wallet.
“In order to view or transfer these assets after January 2023, you will need to import your recovery phrase on another non-custodial wallet provider that supports these networks,” the firm added.
The Coinbase Wallet currently supports “thousands of tokens” including all ERC-20 tokens. Stablecoins such as USD Coin and DIA are also supported by the digital wallet.
Coinbase’s decision has escalated to become a topic of discussion for the crypto community, concerning messages for the delisted altcoins, especially Ripple, began surfacing on Twitter.
That it could be somehow part of a settlement for a lawsuit against Ripple.
That coinbase will stop the support for 4 networks (Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum Classic, Stellar and the XRPL) in a non-custodial wallet because of that.
Why even try to make such connections?!
— FloFlo (@Kneteknilch) November 29, 2022
Ops this is sad one for #Ripple
Could it be their lawsuit case ??
What will happen to it’s price this December???
— 999#7525 (@TrxCoin9) November 29, 2022
Transaction revenues for Coinbase dropped by 44 percent in Q3 2022, and managed to churn $365.9 million (roughly Rs. 3,022 crore) in revenues.
The figure was almost twice — at $655.2 million (roughly Rs. 5,400 crore) in the second quarter of 2022 between April and June.
The firm, headquartered in San Francisco, US has hence been taking a plethora of decisions to ensure that its users are not exposed to tokens, that may post financial threats, especially now that Coinbase is focussing on international expansion.
The company recently hired senior level executives to lead its teams in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) regions.


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Nokia hasn’t been quiet for most of 2020 it seems at least until now. Nokia is now breaking the silence by announcing an event on September 22nd at 4 pm GMT (9:30 pm IST).
Chief Product Officer Juhi Sarvikas tweeted to “Mark your calendars!” for Tuesday, September 22nd. He explicitly mentioned the announcement of new Nokia smartphones in the event, along with giveaways and “a very special guest.”
Nokia was bought by Finish company HMD Global back in 2016 and was brought back from the dead. Since then HMD Global has been producing Smartphones under the Nokia brand with Android One promising 2 years of major software updates and 3 years of security updates.
Nokia could be launching at least two to three of its smartphones and a few of its feature phones during this event. It must be the launch of the rumoured Nokia 8.3 and perhaps the flagship Nokia 9.3 as well. The last Nokia Flagship, the Nokia 9 PureView was launched back in early 2019 so a new Flagship form HMD Global is long overdue. But there isn’t any confirmation so take all the information with a grain of salt.
So stay tuned at Tech2Stop for latest updates.
Also Read | Xbox Series X, Series S price revealed in India


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Brisbane students riding wave of invention
A new blind spot detector for bicycles will make cycling on roads safer and help reduce the number of accidents involving cyclists.
Information technology students from Federation University’s Brisbane Campus have unveiled a revolutionary new detector sensor for bicycle riders.
Called Wingman, the blind-spot detector sensor is designed to improve road safety and traffic awareness for bicycle riders. The detector is fitted below a bike’s seat post. It includes a vibrational motor fitted on the bicycle’s handlebar.
After detecting surrounding objects by the LIDAR sensor, an algorithm determines if the object is approaching or stationary. In case of an approaching vehicle from behind, the sensor sends a signal to a vibration motor in the handlebars and notifies the user.
The invention was trialled at the 2019 Arc Hardware event held in Brisbane earlier this year. As one of only a few in the world, Arc provides a space for start-ups to enhance the development and commercialisation of their products.
Federation University student Sampresh Shrestha said, “Cyclists need to do constant shoulder checks while riding on roads so our product is designed to promote a safer environment for cyclists.We have already made the prototype of the product, which we displayed at the Arc start-up weekend in Brisbane, and the next step is to make it commercially available.”
Executive Director of the Brisbane Campus, Alex Elibank Murray said, “The creation of the Wingman detector is just one example of the amazing work being done at Federation University’s Brisbane Campus with partners like Arc. Arc provides a unique space for students to bring their innovations to fruition. My congratulations go out to Sampresh and his fellow student partners for devising this innovative product.”


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Oct 30 2020
AG Ferguson: Seattle court orders $585,000 in penalties and restitution for fraudulent property management scheme
SEATTLE — A King County Superior Court Commissioner ordered an Auburn property management company to pay a total of half a million dollars in restitution for impacted Washingtonians and financial penalties. The company’s owner hijacked the homes of people who hired his company by adding new walls and rooms without the owners’ knowledge or consent and refusing to pay homeowners.
Oct 29 2020
AG Ferguson: Bumble Bee CEO will pay Washington state $100,000 as part of Ferguson’s price-fixing lawsuit
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that Christopher Lischewski, formerly the CEO of Bumble Bee brand tuna, will pay $100,000 to Washington for his role in a canned tuna price-fixing scheme that artificially inflated the price of tuna from the three largest national brands: Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist.
Oct 28 2020
OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s fifth annual Data Breach Report, released today, showed that the number of Washingtonians affected by breaches nearly doubled in the last year and ransomware attacks tripled.
Oct 15 2020
AG Ferguson lawsuit halts insurance company’s deceptive imitation of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange website
Attorney General Bob Ferguson today secured a court order against Health Insurance Team, a Seattle-based insurance company, for imitating the official state-run health insurance exchange. Ferguson’s complaint, filed today along with the order, asserts that Health Insurance Team’s marketing violated the Consumer Protection Act’s prohibition on deceptive advertising.
Sep 2 2020
AG Ferguson files lawsuit against JUUL for targeting underage consumers in its advertising, product design
Attorney General Bob Ferguson today filed a consumer protection lawsuit against e-cigarette company JUUL. Ferguson’s lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, asserts JUUL violated the state Consumer Protection Act by designing and marketing its products to appeal to underage consumers and deceiving consumers about the addictiveness of its product. JUUL’s unlawful conduct fueled a pervasive and staggering rise in e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction among youth.
Aug 26 2020
A King County Superior Court judge today ordered Vancouver, Wash.-based air duct cleaning companies and their owner to pay civil penalties of $10 million in Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s lawsuit over deceptive advertisements and robocalls. By law these penalties will be directed to the state’s general fund. The companies made over 13 million robocalls within Washington state from 2017 to 2019, including calling more than 500 individual Washington consumers over 100 times.
Aug 25 2020
AG Ferguson: Honda must change corporate practices, implement new safety measures and whistleblower protections as a result of AG investigation into faulty airbags
Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that automaker Honda must change its corporate practices as a result of an investigation by state attorneys general into Honda’s use of defective, dangerous airbags made by Takata, a now-defunct manufacturer that worked closely with Honda.
Aug 18 2020
AG Ferguson announces lawsuit to protect the Postal Service and mail-in voting from Trump Administration’s unlawful service cuts
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced he is leading a coalition of states that will file a lawsuit today in federal court in Washington state challenging drastic operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service that threaten critical mail delivery and could undermine the national election in November. The Postal Service cuts, including eliminating staff overtime, halting outgoing mail processing at state distribution centers and removing critical mail sorting equipment, threaten the timely delivery of mail to millions of Americans who rely on the Postal Service for everything from medical prescriptions to ballots.
Aug 13 2020
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit today against an Orange County-based company that marketed vapor products containing nicotine in a way that appealed to youth, then sold the products without verifying the buyers’ ages. The company, E-Juice Vapors, failed to comply with numerous age verification requirements intended to prevent youth from purchasing vapor products online. Moreover, E-Juice Vapors never received a license from the state to deliver vapor products into Washington as required by Washington law.
Jul 31 2020
Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that, as a result of his office’s multiyear investigation into online travel agency Rocketmiles, Washington consumers can now file claims to receive their share of a $300,000 recovery. From May 1, 2015 to December 5, 2016, the company charged hidden fees on thousands of transactions in Washington, even though they told consumers they charged the same rate as booking directly with a hotel or a competing travel agency.


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National awards program Appetite for Excellence has teamed up with Perrier to launch a spritz-making competition.
Bartenders are invited to compete in the contest, which will be judged by Luke Ashton from This Must Be The Place.
“I’m really excited to be judging this year’s competition at This Must Be the Place and seeing what some of Australia’s talented bartenders can produce with an iconic brand such as Perrier,” says Ashton.
Participants must create a spritz that contains a minimum of 30mL of Perrier, a wine of their choice and no more than five ingredients.
Spirits, aperitifs, liqueurs can also be included along with homemade ingredients such as syrups and shrubs that are capped at two per spritz. Garnishes are not including as ingredients.
Entries should include a name for the spritz, a brief description of the inspiration and why it deserves to become an icon.
An image of the final drink and a step-by-step recipe for any homemade ingredients should also be included.
Finalists will be flown to Sydney to make their spritz for Luke Ashton and the Perrier team on Monday August 6 at This Must Be The Place in Darlinghurst.
The winner will be announced at the Appetite for Excellence awards that evening where the winning spritz will be served to leading industry guests.
The prize includes a return flight with Virgin Australia from Sydney to Hong Kong along with $1000 spending money.
Applications close on 25 July 2018. Enter here.
Image credit: SBS


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Solar Panels Were Just Printed Up in Australia in a World First
By Melinda Cafferty, Natural Blaze
As solar energy technology picks up, it is now becoming more affordable, pliable and accessible to the average home owner.
The “organic solar panels” were just printed up by Professor Paul Dastoor using conventional printers, that is – they were 3D printed.
The news has prompted media reports to picture a time in the near future where getting solar installation is as easy and relatively affordable as signing up for a cell phone contract.
As GNN reports:
By using electronic inks that are printed onto sub-millimeter thin plastic sheets, the panels can be produced for less that $10 per square meter and installed by a few people within a single work day.
Since the University of Newcastle professor developed the panels back in May 2017, they are now being tested in a 6-month pilot installation on a pallet repair facility in Australia.
The 200-square-meter installation on the building is the first commercial application of the technology in Australia, and most likely the rest of the world. If the pilot is proven to be efficient, the solar tech will likely move into the more widely-available commercial market within the next few years.
Dastoor, pictured above, said:
This is the first commercial uptake of printed solar in Australia, most likely the world.
It’s an historic step in the evolution of this technology and another example of private enterprise and community leading the charge in the adoption of renewables.
Our printed solar cells are now considered to be at the ‘top of the technology readiness tree’.
Those working in technology development use a NASA developed Technology Readiness Level or ‘TRL’ system to determine how evolved our solutions are, with 1 being the lowest and 9 the highest. We are now rated TRL 8 and essentially considered ‘green lit’.
Sculpteo explains that 3D printed solar panels are 50% more affordable to the consumer and 20% more efficient than conventional solar panels.
They say that Australia has already created an entire solar panel field using 3D tech. They say:
At the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) they are using industrial 3D printers to print rolls of solar cells. These Australians scientists succeeded in creating A3 sheets of solar cells, that can be used on any surfaces such as windows or building. These are functional and efficient solar panels.
These solar cells are the largest ones, and they are created with flexible lightweight plastic. The scientists developed a photovoltaic ink, that they drop off on the flexible plastic strip. This whole process include gravure coating, slot-die coating and screen printing. Additive manufacturing helped them to produce an accurate system.
Here is a video showing the solar panel printing in Australia around five years ago:
— Heather Callaghan (@healynC) September 5, 2018
Featured Image: Sculpteo via https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/MF/Areas/Innovation/Flex-Electronics/Printed-Solar-Cells
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ARLINGTON, Va. - It has been a month since Amazon picked Northern Virginia as one of the sites for its new second headquarters. However, with all of the excitement of a potential economic boom in the D.C. region, there is also concern about losing the diversity and culture that has made the area unique.
If you stroll down Columbia Pike nearby Crystal City, you will find just about any international cuisine to dine at. These businesses are run by local residents, but they have mixed emotions about Amazon coming to town. On the one hand, they are excited about the potential influx of new customers while they are also concerned about where they are going to live along with their neighbors.
"I was brought home from the hospital just a few blocks from here in a neighborhood called Nauck," said Mike Garcia. "We grew up here in Arlington Forest and my wife and I were lucky enough to buy a home here in the 90s, and it's my hometown."
Garcia is a State Farm agent, a board member of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and a board member of the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization. He vividly remembers the military's base realignment and closure in 2005 that stripped his hometown of tens of thousands of jobs.
"We're looking forward to having workers back in Crystal City, we're looking forward to having them live here on the Pike or visit us for lunch on the Pike," said Garcia. "There is going to be that whole development in National Landing, so we're excited about it. We're really excited that we're going to get back to snuff."
Garcia's perspective is very different from the labor organizations protesting Amazon in New York.
Commercially, South Arlington's vacancy rate is high. Residentially, it has the largest concentration of market-rate affordable housing in the county. But with Amazon's 25,000 employees and their families set to pour in the area, that affordability could become a distant memory.
It is a concern echoed by Garcia and others at an Arlington County public listening session held Monday night. It is one in a series of public meetings aimed at gathering input on everything ranging from Amazon's incentive package to transportation to affordable housing.
"They say 25,000 new jobs," said Nelson Aguilar. "I know a lot of people are probably going to look to move in the area. So development, they are going to make a lot of houses and everything is going to go up through the roof."
"We're concerned that we have workforce affordable housing," Garcia said. "I mean, who is going to work here? We don't want to be a community where we have to go outside for workers."
With a community as diverse as its businesses, there is hope both Amazon and Arlington listen closely to those concerns.
Garcia says he has been impressed with Amazon personally so far. He says the company has reached out proactively to join the chamber of commerce. He thinks it's a small sign that they are willing to seriously address the concerns and needs of his community.


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George Town, Sep. 29 (ANI): With only three weeks remaining, 'Deepavali' preparations are going on in full swing in Malaysia's 'Little India'.
Colourful banners proclaiming "Deepavali sales" are strung across the streets in the Penang's Indian enclave, which encompasses Market Street, Penang Street, Queen Street and King Street, The New Strait Times reports.uring this festive season, the whole area takes on a carnival atmosphere as temporary stalls selling colourful Indian sweets, delicacies, clothing and decorative items are set up by the roadside.
Shopkeepers who have been receiving a steady stream of shoppers during the recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri break hoped the situation would continue until Deepavali.
"Business was rather slow last year. I hope it will be better this time around," Thanaraj, who specialises in muruku mixture, said.
Thanaraj, who has been operating there for the past 20 years, sells jelebi, laddu, pal kova, oma podi and satha alwa, among other Indian delicacies.
Bank manager S.V. Rajoo, 53, was spotted with his two daughters, Darshini, 22, and Hemaa, 18, shopping for sarees for the girls at the Maya Silk Centre in Jalan Penang.
He has been a regular customer at the textile shop for the past 15 years.
"I like coming here because the workers know what I want. My preparations for Deepavali actually started three months ago when I bought a few things for the house," he said.
Sara Morrison, 28, of Australia, found the atmosphere in Little India electrifying.It is so colourful. I haven't seen anything like this before. I am glad I came at the right time. I have yet to see what the traders are offering," she said.
The Little India enclave has remained Penang's vibrant Indian cultural hub since its establishment in the early 1900s by merchants from India.
The place has retained its old world charm ever since. (ANI)


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De La Salle University-Manila’s AdCreate Society had its 10th annual advertising conference, “AdX: The Magic Unravels,” from May 27 to 28, 2022, via Zoom.
This year, the theme of the advertising conference was “Potter Core,” inspired by the popular book and movie series, Harry Potter. Organizers wanted to center on the idea of unraveling advertising beyond what meets the eye; hence, the theme of magic.
Highlights of Day 1 of the plenary session include “The Spellbook: Rewritten,” a talk given by Brandie Tan, executive creative director of Wunderman Thompson Philippines. Tan explained that his company makes campaigns that encourage consumers to create positive change. “Make the brand inspiring,” he said, emphasizing the significance of involving the entire brand in delivering the values they advocate. In “In The Now,” Third Domingo, founder and CEO of IdeasXMachina Group of Hakuhodo, enumerated seven elements to remember when creating advertising campaigns: be targeted, artful, never expected, gut felt, impossible to ignore, nanganganak or presented in different forms, and actionable. He also reminded audiences to enrich their mind (as creators) and constantly learn from their surroundings. These experiences are essential to creating magical ideas, he said.
On Day 2, Patrick Martin, founder and CEO of Lit Lab Studios, presented “How we make things LIT,” a slide show on the recipe for simple yet powerful storytelling and what goes on behind the scenes in advertising production. He also talked about the importance of “doing it anyway,” telling the audience that if they are afraid to fail, get criticized, or get lost they must continue to do it anyway, as the only way to learn is by doing. “The Focal Point” by beauty and fashion photographer Junessa Rendon discussed what it takes to be a photographer in the field of advertising. Basic client pay scale, types of clients, what to be wary of, and industry jargons were among the topics covered in the talk.
Raffle draws, icebreakers, and Q&A sessions made “AdX: The Magic Unravels” truly an event to remember.


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Allergan, the company who manufactures the Botox injections, recently announced that it would be purchasing Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc. along with its newly approved double-chin treatment in a deal that is said to be worth as much as $2.1 billion. The company will be paying $75 a share in stock and cash in order to close the deal.
Bolstering its Portfolio
Earlier this year, Kythera received FDA approval for injections that can eliminate the fat which causes double chins in patients. Numerous doctors had been eager to include the new drug called Kybella to their existing cosmetic treatment programs. The Chief Executive of Allergan, Brent Saunders, stated that Kybella “will do better in our hands” and that is “even more true internationally.” Although this deal would add to Allergan’s debt, it stated that it is expecting to reduce debt levels to 3.5 times adjusted earnings before tax, interest, depreciation and amortization by the end of Q1 in 2016.
A New Target in Cosmetic Medicine
Double chin treatment is one of the latest targets in the cosmetic medication market, which is currently led by Botox treatments. Although double chins are extremely common, the condition is still one which goes largely untreated in both men and women. The condition can result from weight problems as well as genetic issues and it is one of the areas on the body that are most resistant to exercise and diet. Analysts have predicted that forecast sales of Kybella could be lower than anticipated because of the fact that up to four treatment sessions could be needed for patients to see results – unlike other facial treatments where only one treatment was needed.
A Potential Sales Booster
Executives at Allergan say that the company can make use of its existing industry-leading sales force to help it achieve good sales figures for Kybella, while also using the appeal of the new drug to boost sales of its existing products like Botox. Phillippe Schaison, president of Allergan Medical stated in this regard, “There are more than 13 million women sitting on the fence” about whether to receive cosmetic treatment, and “Kybella will bring them in the office.” These patient consultations would provide further opportunities for Allergan to promote Botox, Voluma and Juvederm as well.
Another Added Benefit to Consider
Allergan has taken another potential advantage of Kybella into consideration – the opportunity to do away with unsightly and often embarrassing double chins may end up resulting in more men who are willing to undergo facial treatments. At present, only about 13% of the current facial injection market is made up of male participants. Kythera has mentioned that it also has a drug in the pipeline that would address the ever increasing problem of male baldness.
Since the company decided to go public 3 years ago, Kythera has not reported making any profits. In fact, during its most recent year of business activity, it ended up booking a loss of almost $136 million.


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Expecting Procurement to know it all.
How much should a business with a brand name know about suppliers along all of its many supply chains?
This is the challenge that Baptist World Aid at http://www.behindthebarcode.org.au/ has asked of 39 electronic companies. The charity found that none of the enterprises achieved its definition of supply chain knowledge and action for improvement in the basic rights of employees at supplier businesses.
As a logistics professional, you would expect that brand companies are likely to know a lot about their Tier 1 suppliers. However, there is a fundamental question concerning how much a brand company can be expected or wish to know about lower Tier suppliers that the business may never engage with.
Even on the first point, the survey surprisingly identified that only 49 percent of companies, including many of the sectors largest brands, have a detailed knowledge of the labour practices at their Tier 1 suppliers. With the reach of Internet and social media, plus scandals that have already been publicised, you would think that Procurement at brand companies would have employment and work practices at suppliers high on their compliance list – but it seems that 51 percent of respondents don’t think so.
A small 18 percent of respondents had some idea where the raw materials used in their products came from; it therefore follows that 97 percent of respondents could not demonstrate a knowledge of how workers at material suppliers were hired, treated or paid. But that must be the situation in most companies.
Improving supplier performance
Many companies have Codes of Conduct for their suppliers, which explicitly forbid the use of forced and child labour at Tier 1 suppliers, but only 34 percent of companies had clauses in their Codes which require suppliers to allow collective bargaining by employees at their facilities. In fact, only one brand company could demonstrate the existence of supplier factories where collective bargaining occurs.
The objective of Baptist World Aid is for brand companies to accept some responsibility for the working conditions and payment of a living wage at all suppliers in a brand company’s supply chains. If this were achieved, the charity calculates it would increase the retail price of a mobile ‘phone between $2 and $9, or about 1.5 percent.
The challenge for brand companies is whether they are willing to extend their knowledge of supply chains from the current core supply chain to their extended chains – back to the mine and farm and then use their power in supply chains to improve working conditions. This would be an additional cost of business, with the only direct benefit being a reduction in surprises concerning activities at Tier 2, 3 or 4 suppliers.
As Baptist World Aid and other activist NGOs are not going away, the question for Procurement professionals at brand companies is whether the ideal of visibility throughout your supply chains is attainable and at what cost. Even if the knowledge gained showed ethical buying decisions, it is doubtful whether companies would release that much information about their suppliers.


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Shifting Messaging During COVID-19
Along with the rest of the world, the business world was thrown a major curveball by the Coronavirus. Shifting marketing strategies and confronting unprecedented challenges are nothing new, but doing so in a pandemic was a new playing field.
But this new playing field is presenting new opportunities to connect with customers and clients, especially for those in the legal field.
With face-to-face contact unavailable, professionals like Regina Campbell, Esq., Managing Partner at The Campbell Law Group, P.A. is turning her focus to alternative and virtual marketing strategies to continue conducting business and meet clients needs.
Our team from GOA-TECH is turning the spotlight on Regina’s successful internet marketing strategies. Read on to learn more.
Switching to Social Media
As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, many people are spending more time on social media. They are looking to connect, and they are looking for information.
Regina Campbell switched her marketing efforts towards social media platforms with more individuals than ever browsing social media platforms and seeking help or assistance in a coronavirus world. This switch provided a lifeline for her to reach out on Facebook and other resources to interact with individuals, posting updates on legal issues, COVID-19, as well as market ways that her current and potential clients who are in need can seek help with their legal concerns.
A glance at The Campbell Law Group’s Facebook page offers insights into how legal professionals and businesses can use social media as an effective Miami internet marketing platform.
Regina Campbell’s approach is engaging and informative, from uplifting messaging to providing legal resources and blog article links.
Q&As Provide an Opportunity to Connect
While adhering to the “safer at home” order, Regina is using the opportunity to provide help to those in need. Many individuals are seeking legal information and information regarding COVID-19, so Regina is using her social media platform to answer questions and answer for that needing advice.
From a Miami internet marketing perspective, Regina is increasing her visibility and traffic to her site and platforms, all while providing valuable information from a qualified, professional attorney. These platforms allow Regina Campbell to make personal, authentic connections with clients and potential clients while helping individuals during a difficult time.
Google Ad Words
Conversion from traditional advertising efforts focusing further on social media strategy offers an opportunity to get more eyes on content than ever before.
Regina Campbell and The Campbell Law Group, P.A., are also using marketing funnels and Google Ad displays to market her firm. However, these aren’t just ads. Her content is informative, useful legal information and also incorporates coronavirus-related posts.
Her strategies are not just effective for those in the legal field. Any industry can benefit from The Campbell Law Group, P.A.’s marketing approach.
Miami Internet Marketing with Regina Campbell – Changing Her Angle
Businesses will continue to face challenges as we navigate what many are calling the “new normal,” or the “new norm.” Miami internet marketing is more important than ever to all industries, and the legal field is no exception.


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Time/CNN online recently posted an article on the most depressing day of the year. Apparently a Dr. Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University published a study indicating that the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year.
According to Time, the time of year when they monitor the most internet searches for depression is in mid-November. In other words, right before the holiday season.
I’m not really sure I buy either one. When is the most depressing time of year for you and why?


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Three local kids and Ashbrook Village Recreation Director Roylene Hopson used their garage sale to raise money for senior citizens to be able …
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July made it’s appearance and the traditional event everyone has waited for will take place this weekend.
For the 22nd annual year, Marlow will host the Second Chance Trade Days on July 16-17.
Shoppers will soon unite for deals upon deals now that July is here and the traditional event everyone waits for is on its way.
Shopper’s unite! It’s July and the traditional event everyone’s been waiting for is on its way.
I have been a resident of Duncan since 2004. My first impression of the City Wide Garage Sale was very positive and up lifting.


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Statewide, the Department of Motor Vehicles is altering its appointment scheduling and technology to be more accessible.
Beginning May 1, online appointments will only be available through 11 a.m. After noon, customers can receive service on a walk-in basis.
“We’ve heard from the public that they want more walk-in availability, so that’s what we’re aiming to deliver,” NCDMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin said in a press release. “DMV introduced the ability to schedule appointments during the pandemic, but I believe now is the time to better maximize potential efficiencies by allowing for more walk-in capability, given that data indicates up to 25 percent of appointments are no-shows.”
As appointment scheduling shifts more toward walk-ins, a new feature on the NCDMV website will be able to show the public estimated wait times. This will allow customers to make decisions on when to arrive at the office for needed services.
The DMV is in the midst of changing additional online services as well. Soon customers will be able to renew State ID cards and Level 3 Full Professional Licenses online — an option not currently available. The renewals would be available online up to one year after expiration. Driver’s licenses can be renewed up to two years after expiration.
“We realized we had a little inequity in how we are treating ID cardholders and Level 3 permits, so we are taking care of that,” Goodwin said in the release. “This should help shorten lines and wait times at our offices by getting folks that would previously have to come to the office out of the line altogether.”
Starting June 3, Wilmington South’s location will be one of 16 offices statewide offering weekend hours. The 2390 Carolina Beach Road location will be open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon through Aug. 26.
Additional, Goodwin is instituting a pilot program that will initially deploy up to 20 self-service kiosks at strategic locations around the state. The devices will offer driver and vehicle service transactions including driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals.
Goodwin said in the release the plan is to place the kiosks at accessible, 24-hour locations such as grocery stores and pharmacies by the end of the summer.
“If the public responds well to this pilot program, then I plan to make even more kiosks available statewide,” he said. “All with the goal of shorter lines and shorter wait times for persons requiring an in-person appointment.”
NCDMV has not yet announced where the kiosk locations would be.
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Kazakhstan seeks to expand its exports of meat and honey to Saudi Arabia
Kazakhstan eyes expanding its export to Saudi Arabia,
Work is ongoing to expand the list of companies with the potential to export to Saudi Arabia. The list includes 34 companies producing meat and honey
As part of the recent visit of the Tajik President, 39 commercial agreements worth over $1.8bn, including $155.7mln worth of agreements on supplies of non-primary products to Tajikistan, were signed.
Source: Azer News