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LAS VEGAS — As local school kids headed back to class on Monday, retailers poured into WWDMAGIC to do their own homework. Their assignment: A first look at spring 2003 and a read on what’s checking in during an otherwise lackluster...
LAS VEGAS — As local school kids headed back to class on Monday, retailers poured into WWDMAGIC to do their own homework. Their assignment: A first look at spring 2003 and a read on what’s checking in during an otherwise lackluster back-to-school season.
August used to be "our big back-to-school month," said Amy Snyder, buyer for Cohoes, a boutique in Cohoes, NY, who looked for items for her growing plus-size junior business. "I see it shifting. A lot of kids wait to get to school to see what their peers are wearing."
By spring, retailers anticipate teens will turn to garment-washed corduroy, pastel suede and embellished moleskin — fabrics that have been traditionally fall choices, but which nicely express the market’s romantic-bohemian mood. While low rises continue to dominate bottoms, tops are becoming looser and more lavish. Ponchos, blousons, caftans and tunics with kimono sleeves, lacing or scarf-ties drew interest.
To the Max designer Susanna Vangerwin called the longer tops "a reaction to the extreme low rises. People are concerned about being a little covered when they sit."
Buyers continue to tighten their game by buying light and late. Most had dollars open for immediate orders — and vendors capitalized by devoting booth space to items currently in stock. "In today’s business, you have to support everyone from the last-minute shops to those buying for next year," said Joseph Kalimian, owner of New York-based sweater resource Kallico.
Retailers described the market as "tough," but when pressed they admitted sales have gained between 10 and 30 percent this year versus last through increased vigilance on inventory. Retailers outside of major metropolitan areas, who said the peasant look is just reaching them,expect the look to kick up sales during fall. Meanwhile, buyers in big cities said the look is saturated and focused on new interpretations.
William Shoemaker, owner of contemporary label Clue, predicted consumers will yearn for hot, Versace-esque colors next spring as a change from this summer’s "wispy, pale" gauze looks. Shoemaker called customers shopping for b-t-s "hesitant."
"They only gravitate toward stuff that’s unique. We can’t give basics away," he said.Noting consumers "have fear in their pocketbooks," Margaret Dellisanti, owner of Main Changes, a hip-hop apparel boutique in Norristown, Pa., has started spending more time on the sales floor. "You have to know how to keep it fresh," she said. She plans to pick up brands such as Dickie’s Girl and Baby Phat, as well as low-rise jeans and denim skirts with a "blasted, antique" finish.
Belts — ranging from fringed to patchwork — remain a crucial way to sell bottoms. "Any belted skirt is doing well right now," said XOXO sales manager Chrissel Battaglia.
Mudd, which brought its 19 licenses to its 2,100-square-foot booth, hoped for a bullish skirt business. "We see skirts as a big business for spring," said a Mudd spokeswoman, adding that the brand plans to expand the category from 10 to 20 percent of overall business.
Asked whether LEI’s sale to Jones Apparel Group tempted him to do the same, Mudd president Dick Gilbert said he was focused on international growth. "I want to become a global giant," he said. "I’m not interested in selling" the company. The brand recently inked a deal with a distributor to open 33 Mudd stores in China this year. Gilbert projected the brand could reach $1 billion in sales in China in three to five years.
Misses’ resources, taking a cue from junior trends, showed plenty of looks designed to lure a hipper customer. Jeans jacket-inspired silhouettes in linen, stretch poplin and rayon sported floral prints and contrasting-colored embroidery, while lace and beading dressed up vests, peasant tops, T-shirts and fitted pants.
At New York-based novelty-knit resource Susan Bristol, national sales manager Linda Harrison noted the company is now emphasizing its woven casual separates in an effort to attract younger women.
Even casual resources like the Signal Hill, Calif.,-based Cotton Stuff jumped on the boho bandwagon, showing gauze peasant tops embellished with crochet along with layered gauze skirts. "The missy customer is getting younger and younger, and these women know more about fashion," said designer Suwon Weaver. "They want cool styles even though they aren’t fitting into a size 2."Show officials said registration for this WWDMAGIC increased 18 percent over the February edition. Exhibitor totals weren’t available at press time. International traffic has also recovered to its pre-Sept. 11 levels — about 10 percent of all buyer registration, according to Camille Candella, a show spokeswoman.
“Azzedine has been one of the biggest influences in my life. He has always been such a strong, loving, fatherly figure to me. I call him Papa. His designs are indescribably unique, they are pieces of art. He knew how to make the female form look its loveliest. I have so many memories of him; my favorite might be during my first show with him in Paris. He liked me and he wanted to help me get more work. He called all his friends at Kenzo and Comme des Garcons, and asked them to book me. They said, ‘But she can’t walk!’ And he said, ‘but she has such a great ass!' His friendship and support has been the great privilege of my career. I can't imagine life without him. Repose en paix mon Papa.” - @stephanieseymour tells @wwd. #wwdfashion (📷: @steveeichner) #alaia #azzedinealaia
Azzedine Alaïa, flanked by two of his closest friends, models Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell.
He designed Seymour’s dress for her 1995 wedding to Peter Brant, and treated Campbell (who famously called him Papa), like a daughter. For more on the legendary designer, tap the link in bio. #wwdfashion #alaia #azzedinealaia
Azzedine Alaïa's “I-did-it-my-way” ethos stood out starkly at a time when brands are experimenting with consumer-facing fashion shows, coed formats and trans-seasonal collections – anything to perk up lackluster sales of ready-to-wear in an age of Insta-everything. “It’s not creation anymore. This becomes a purely industrial approach,” the late designer told WWD in an interview last year. “But anyway, the rhythm of collections is so stupid. It’s unsustainable. There are too many collections.” Read more about the iconic designer’s life and work on wwd.com, link in bio. #wwdfashion #azzedinealaia (📷: @WWD Archive, 1986) #alaia
Sneaker reselling app @goat’s latest exhibit, "The Greatest: New York," tells the story of New York's sneaker culture. To celebrate the exhibit, an intimate crowd gathered on Thursday night at the pop-up gallery space, located at Platform in Culver City, to hear guest speaker and illustrator @esymai talk about her own rise in streetwear and women in the business. "For me I'm just someone who is creative. I like to create things," said Chang. #wwdfashion
Azzedine Alaïa, one of the most iconic couturiers of the modern era whose body-con designs defined Eighties fashion, has died in Paris. The diminutive Tunisian-born designer, known for his structured knitted dresses with fitted waists and impeccably cut, figure-hugging second skin silhouettes was deeply admired by his peers, and counted supermodel Naomi Campbell - his adoptive daughter - among his inner circle, one of a gang of glamazons including Farida Khelfa, Carla Bruni and Stephanie Seymour who became ambassadors of his style. (📷: Alexandre Guirkinger) #wwdblast


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Has Alibaba Been Unfairly Punished?
Yesterday, the World Bank announced an expected growth rate of 8% for China’s economy in 2021. Yet, China’s largest company by market capitalization, Alibaba, has seen their shares drop by nearly ⅓, while the rest of the global markets have jumped.
The drop in share price is probably not due to Alibaba’s record revenue or operating income growth, both up by double digits in 2020 nor valuation. In fact, Amazon has a little more than half of the revenue of Alibaba and less than ⅔ of their operating income, but enjoys a valuation of $1.5 trillion in comparison to Alibaba’s $550 billion..
Why is there such a large disconnect? And why has Alibaba’s stock fallen so much in the last few months?
One contributing factor to the drop in stock price could be politics.
Alibaba is filled with political risk and uncertainty.
Many analysts believe the Chinese Communist party will take full control of the firm eventually, as it is China’s corporate crown jewel.
The company became ultra-successful by playing unfairly with their competitors. This has been allowed by the CCP so far, but now things might be changing.
Although Alibaba’s Chairman Jack Ma acts as a private entrepreneur, he is in fact part of the CCP. Lately, it seems his power has caused him to act with too much naivety. Mr. Ma has spoken out against the government and has angered many of the most powerful Chinese politicians.
Mr. Ma does not have the same influence and power that western entrepreneurs possess outside of China. Now, the CCP is ready to wake him up from the illusion that he could act like Elon Musk and that he and Alibaba would not be faced with any consequences. The question is: how much will Alibaba be penalized for Mr. Ma’s actions? That will drive the stock price over the near-term.
Written by the Rebellion Team
Edited by Christine Lee, Alexander Fleiss & Ariel Silverstein
The Chinese High-Speed Maglev Train Could Be Faster Than Air TravelJuly 11, 2019 · China,Trains,Transportation Tech,Travel Technology,Transportation

domain: news


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For those who are wondering about how much they are supposed to pay for the Sony WH-1000XM5, the successor to the wonderful Sony WH-1000XM4, it is safe to say that Sony will be unveiling these headphones sometime this month or next month, for that matter. A lot of things have already been leaked about these new headphones including the renders anhttps://wccftech.com/sony-wh-1000xm5-headphones-to-launch-on-may-12-leaked-packaging-suggests-30-hour-battery-life/d retail packaging but pricing is something that we have not yet touched on.
However, according to a new tip from Roland Quandt, we now have a word on how much the Sony WH-1000XM5 could end up costing and if you are looking to save some money, that might not be the case.
At 450 Euros, the Sony WH-1000XM5 Might Be a Tough Sell for the More Budget-Minded Folk
Now, before I tell you about the price, remember that this is the price in euros, which means that your mileage might be different altogether, but hey, if you are looking for the best wireless headphones, I doubt anything can top Sony WH-1000XM5.
Sony WH-1000XM5: ~450 Euro. Ouch.
— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) May 12, 2022
According to Quandt, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is going to cost ~450 Euros, which roughly translates to around $470. For the sake of comparison, the Sony WH-1000XM4 was launched for just $350. So, you might be looking at a premium here, but it is too early to say anything.
I have been using the Sony WH-1000XM4 ever since Sony launched them and they are by far the best active noise cancellation headphones that I have owned. Everything from the battery life to the build quality and sound quality is amazing and with the Sony WH-1000XM5 coming soon and with improvements to almost everything, I cannot wait to try out how these headphones pan out and as far as the price is concerned, we still have to wait and see what the official price is.


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The ministry of Trade and Industry has set a common price for maize corn in the country, putting it at Rwf160 per kilogramme.
There has been no common price for maize, and prices were dictated by forces of demand and supply.
During a meeting that brought together maize farmers, dealers and other stakeholders, François Kanimba, the minister for trade and industry, said the setting of price was necessitated by the desire to curb illegal maize trade and assess the preparedness of the market to absorb the projected bumper season for maize in 2015.
“Farmers have been facing high post harvest losses. Since we expect to have about 900,000 tonnes of maize produce this season, we need to assess the market and gauge how prepared it is to absorb that produce,” Kanimba said.
Setting a common price that is profitable for both farmers and dealers is one of the means to restrain illegal trading of maize that is sometimes at the basis of post harvest losses, he added.
To make it more profitable, Tony Nsanganira, the state minister at the Ministry of Agriculture, urged farmers to work through cooperatives.
“We are here to establish a quality value chain for maize produce, including the common price across the country, and we are striving to reduce post harvest losses,” said Nsanganira.
The New Times understands the directive has left some of the farmers unhappy.
Alex Nzeyimana and Emmanuel Mutabaruka, both farmers in Kayonza District, said they were not happy with the new price, which they said sets them back Rwf70 compared to Rwf230 per kilogramme that they have been getting.
“I don’t see any profit with the new price; it is only benefiting the dealers. I was selling my produce at Rwf230 per kilo, I do not know why they have reduced it to this margin,” Nzeyimana said.
However, Jerôme Nsanzabaganwa, another farmer, welcomed the common price though he also had concerns over the profitability of farmers.
“It is good that we get a standard price for our produce. I hope it will help to fight scams and will add value to our produce,” he said.
“However, what I am not happy with is the price. Rwf160 as a selling price is lower than the production cost if you consider the inputs like fertilizers, labour and seeds, among others.”
Wenceslas Bahati, the director-general of Rwanda Grains and Cereals Corporation, said the new price puts into consideration the production cost as it was set to be profitable for both dealers and farmers.
“We have to regulate prices so that both dealers and farmers can benefit from the business.
The new price is not lower that the production cost as the survey we conducted recently across the country revealed that maize production cost in Rwanda varies between Rwf120 and Rwf140 on a kilo,” Bahati said.
He called on farmers to rely on cooperatives in case of urgent need for money instead of banking on illegal traders who sometimes give them a higher price but use substandard weighing facilities.


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The Stove industry is now being extremely proactive to ensure that wood-burning is as efficient as possible and with the minimum of environmental impact.
Even though wood-burning stoves are a relatively low source of emissions, a new Environmental Initiative is being led by the Stove Industry Alliance, the trade body for the stove industry. The SIA feel it is important to reduce emissions from wood-burning stoves even further and are launching an environmental standard, committing manufacturers to start meeting stringent new green laws six years ahead of schedule.
From this Spring, the industry’s main manufacturers will ensure that all newly-designed wood burning stove models will meet European environmental standards, which are not due to be enforced until 2022.
This will ensure British wood-burning stoves are more environmentally friendly than they have ever been, putting the industry at the cutting edge of European standards.
The Scheme is overseen by HETAS and Supported by DEFRA , The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
At The Stove Room, we like to stay one step ahead and some of our stove models already qualify for the Ecodesign Ready label!
Independent tests have shown that an Ecodesign Ready stove produces 90% fewer emissions than an open fire and 84% fewer than a stove of ten years ago. Ecodesign Ready stoves are measurably better for the environment. If you’re still using an open fire or an old stove, perhaps it’s time to consider a new stove installation.
Our engineers are HETAS qualified and we always ensure we are installing DEFRA approved stoves into smoke controlled zones. Our customers can be reassured that we take air quality very seriously and of course, stylishly!


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Shippers pushed towards spot rates as contract negotiations stall
While container spot rates on the Asia-Europe and transpacific tradelanes appear to have reached a ...
Ocean carriers are quick to post announcements of general rate increases, but are understandably more reluctant to confirm that a proposed GRI has been suspended or deferred.
Such is the case with the early and mid-March GRIs on the Asia to Europe tradelane, where anecdotal reports to The Loadstar suggest that carriers are unofficially telling their clients not to worry about the increase for now.
The Loadstar reported last week that a forwarder had been sent an advisory by OOCL offering a discount of $150 per teu on its FAK spot rate until the end of March, which, he said ironically “negated” the stemmed GRI. But in many cases, the discounting is being done on a need to know basis.
The latest rumour in the market is that China Shipping Container Lines has “postponed” its planned mid-March GRI until the beginning of April – although it is certain that CSCL will not be the only carrier in reacting to the sickly market reading.
The dilemma for carriers serving the troubled route is that headhaul Asia to north Europe spot rates have plunged by more than 40% since the beginning of the year, falling below the watershed $1,000 per teu mark last week. Against this backcloth, they would have little prospect of the GRIs sticking if they tried to enforced them.
Moreover, leading player CMA CGM effectively pulled the rug from under rivals seeking rate restorations this month by announcing that its GRI would not come into force until April 1. Subsequently, other carriers have announced a similar timeline for increases that range from $400 to $1,000 per teu.
It remains to be seen whether the April GRIs will hold, as despite Asia-Europe January volumes reaching their highest level since August last year, the market is factoring-in its concern about the huge amount of new tonnage that will flood into the trade later this year and into 2015.
Indeed, more than 140 newbuilds of 10,000teu or more will be received this year, with a further 1.7 million of cellular tonnage to be delivered in 2015 – most of which will be deployed on Asia-Europe loops.
Nevertheless, with spot freight rates now at levels that, for many carriers, are below break-even level, the pressure from stakeholders/investors to exert rating policy discipline will increase, and to reinforce this there will be more blanked sailings, putting further strain on the supply chain.
One other aspect that will, no doubt, suffer further, in the generally accepted commoditised trade of container shipping, is customer service, which carriers will struggle to deliver against a background of worsening schedule integrity and skipped sailings.
Container shipping can see ‘green shoots’ of freight demand recovery
B: China, Brazil strike deal to ditch dollar for trade
Supply chains 'finally beginning to stabilise', says Maersk
Maersk 'on a journey' as it snaps up frozen foods logistics specialist
ONE becomes joint-owner of Seaspan Corp in $11bn takeover
DB Schenker sale – storm clouds gathering
AirBridgeCargo to relaunch with Russian aircraft, amid legal wrangles
Shippers reject carriers' opposition to ending anti-trust rules
Winning the race to 2026: Kuehne vs DSV vs DHL Global Forwarding
Marshall Islands in urgent talks with carriers after cargo is stranded by ban
Ceva reorg accelerates as rumours give way to action
Yang Ming says shippers taking time to commit to contracts as rates fall
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Fruit and vegetables from Africa will not spread Ebola virus
Imports of fresh fruit and vegetables from Africa are safe and can not spread the Ebola virus, the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) has advised in response to queries by German fruit trade association DFHV.
DFHV raised the question in response to concerns from clients of member companies about whether fruit from Africa could be a source of Ebola infection. BNITM is a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating centre.
The ebola virus is not easily transmitted from person to person, like a cold or flu. Like the HIV virus, it requires direct contact with infectious body fluids.
Pic: (http://phil.cdc.gov/phil (ID #1836))


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Cairo International Fair begins tomorrow
The event, which is multi-sector, is going to count on institutional participation of the Arab Brazilian Chamber. Egypt is one of the main trade partners of Brazil in the Arab world. Last year, the country was the second main importer of Brazilian products, with US$ 1.24 billion.
São Paulo – The 41st edition of Cairo International Fair, which begins tomorrow (18), in Egypt, is going to count on the institutional participation of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce once again. The event, which is multi-sector, brings business opportunities for companies in the agricultural, food, electric and electronic, textile, machinery and equipment, building material and handicraft sectors.
“Egypt is a traditional and important market for Brazilian trade. Last year, the country was one of our main partners. Among the Arab countries, it was the second main importer of Brazilian products, with US$ 1.24 billion,” stated Arab Brazilian Chamber president Antonio Sarkis Jr.
According to him, Egypt has a large population and the trade basket with Brazil is very diversified, being one of the main importers of Brazilian beef. “The Arab Brazilian Chamber believes in the potential of this market and, for this reason, is once again betting on participation in Cairo International Fair,” he added.
At the organisation’s stand, to cover an area of 54 square metres, two Chamber representatives, Francisca Barros, the foreign trade supervisor, and Jean Gonçalves da Silva, market development analyst, are going to help Egyptian companies interested in trading with Brazil and are going to promote the potential of the Brazilian economy. Silva is also going to try to develop new market research about the North African market.
Apart from the organisation representatives, the fair should also include the participation of Sérgio Teizen, the regional export manager at Starret, a company in the tool sector. According to him, the company recently closed a partnership with a local distributor, who is also going to be at the fair. “Our objective at the fair is to present the distributor to the Egyptian market,” he said.
Starret has already closed a sale of handsaws and band saws and blades to Egypt, to be shipped this week. “It was a small volume, for presentation,” said Teizen. The company, which is trying to enter new Arab markets, already exports to over 100 countries, among them the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Cairo International Fair has been taking place since 1968 and is one of the main trade events in the country. Last year, the show counted on the presence of 28 participating countries and 913 exhibitors. Over one million visitors are expected up to Friday (28), the last day of the event.
Brazilian exports to Egypt last year generated US$ 1.24 billion, against US$ 1.34 billion in the previous year. The main products shipped were beef, iron ore, sugar, aircraft, calcinated alumina (for the production of aluminium), chassis with engines, soy, tobacco and paper.
On the other hand, Brazilian imports from the Arab country totalled US$ 52.77 million in 2007, which represented an increase of almost 80% over the previous year. Super phosphates, phosphates, cotton, instruments and equipment for medicine and cattle leather were the main items exported.
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While the world and Wall Street focused on WallStreetBets and their attempt to corner various companies and markets (e.g., GameStop, AMC, silver), the big companies in the tech sector reported their last quarterly earnings. All of them have beaten expectations by a mile.
Two days ago, it was Google’s parent turn, Alphabet, to release its quarterly performance. Remember that when we look at performance indicators, we refer to the income statement, while when we interpret the financial position of a company, we should have a look at the balance sheet.
Revenues jumped 23.6% in the previous quarter, operating income grew by 69%, both having a strong impact on the $15.23 billion reported as net income (i.e., bottom line).
Highlights of Alphabet’s Q4 FY 2020 Earnings
The biggest surprise came from revenues that jumped well into the double-digit territory. The growth was spurred by a strong comeback of the YouTube and Search divisions, as more people consumed online products during the pandemic’s various lockdowns around the world. Also, Google Cloud contributed to the sharp increase in revenues as well.
As such, basic Earnings Per Share (EPS) reached $22.54 and diluted EPS $22.3. The difference between the two is important because it reflects the potential debt that, if converted, will dilute the basic EPS – the smaller the difference, the better for the overall earnings report.
All Google’s business segments gained last quarter – YouTube, advertising, cloud, other bets. The only loss that Google took was from hedging gains/losses, but it was insignificant to affect the overall results.
Unsurprisingly, investors rewarded the good results by sending the stock price to new highs. Google’s share price is already up +18.16% this year alone and +39.31% in the last twelve months. While it lags the overall performance of the tech sector, it is, perhaps, time for investors to re-consider Alphabet’s business model as it is one based on constant growth fueled by low debt levels.
Alphabet’s results come to complement the great earnings season for the tech companies – Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, they all released similar, positive earnings. As such, the bid behind the Nasdaq 100 index continues, despite many claiming that a new tech bubble similar to the one in the year 2000 is on the horizon.


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These days, there is a wide variety of fun and exciting mobile devices available to businesses and consumers alike, all with their own options for how they can best be used to a company's betterment. However, some experts say that there is too much of a good thing when it comes to using these devices.
Many small businesses may be adding new mobile devices to their arsenal at too great a rate, and without much cause to do so, according to a report from Small Business Trends. A recent study by Juniper Networks shows that the average businessperson working with mobile technology uses three devices, and that the average person overall owns five of them between their professional and personal lives. And while there's nothing inherently wrong with that, they may be at least a little redundant, which for small businesses can get rather expensive.
For instance, many workers might have a smartphone, laptop, and Bluetooth headset to make calls, the report said. Therefore, it's important for small business owners to evaluate whether they also need the tablet computers that have grown so popular in recent years, as between their other devices, they're likely to be able to perform many of the tasks that the new does. Therefore, it might not be worth the several hundred dollars such a device typically costs, especially for small business owners who would have to buy more than one of them.
Another problem small businesses and their workers often have when using these mobile technologies is that they often misplace accessories for them, such as charges and wires that connect them to other devices, and replacing them can obviously get expensive in a hurry, the report said. As such, it might be wise to start a policy of keeping these accessories in one place, as a means of giving employees a place to start looking when one they might need turns up missing.
Moreover, it's often also helpful to ensure that workers are getting devices that work in concert with each other so that information from one can be most easily shared to another, the report said. For instance, using an iPhone and iPad might be wiser than an iPhone and Nexus 10 tablet because of the way in which those devices can and cannot work with each other.
Familiarize workers with the cloud
One of the greatest advantages that the use of mobile devices offers for small businesses is the ability to compile and share data on the go, but many may not take advantage of their options for doing so as efficiently as possible, the report said. Because many mobile devices these days can quickly upload data to the cloud while they're out of the office, which can then be downloaded by those back at the headquarters, and analyzed instantly. However, some studies show that most workers and small business owners might not even know what the cloud is, or the benefits it can provide for them in the course of their daily operations. Fortunately, there are now a wide variety of options available to those who might want to at least explore these options, giving greater flexibility in finding what works for them.
Of course, adding these devices and services can affect a small business's bottom line significantly, and as such, owners should carefully evaluate just how necessary they are. This is particularly true given the rising cost of vital small business insurance options, including those for general liability insurance, as well as workers' compensation insurance.


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Apple is going local.
CEO Tim Cook has announced that the Cupertino-based company will soon begin purchasing chips from a production plant in Arizona in an effort to source chips for Apple products locally. He revealed the news during a meeting with local engineering and retail employees in Germany.
About 60 percent of the world’s processors are produced in Asia, specifically in Taiwan. Shifting a part of the production process to the US would lessen Apple’s reliance on another country, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg noted.
“Regardless of what you may feel and think, 60 percent coming out of anywhere is probably not a strategic position," said Cook.
While it has yet to be confirmed, it is likely that the production plant in question refers to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s (TSMC) Arizona plant, Apple’s exclusive partner in producing chips.
The plant, which is currently under construction, is expected to start working in 2024 with a target of producing 20,000 chips per month.


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“We had a webinar with a number of businesses, and they told their stories. It was really surprising how they’ve maintained their positive attitude, how they were not locked into survival mode – but were thinking of taking opportunities,” said Prof. David Hall.
Professor David Hall is a co-founder of For Entrepreneurs Only, a community interest company and membership body helping local entrepreneurs to ‘start, adapt, and grow’ their businesses.
Independently, for over 40 years, David has been helping businesses – some small, others well-known national brands – to take a ‘step change’ towards greater success. Author of several business development books, writer and presenter of a BAFTA award winning BBC TV series on winning in business, David’s consultancy services have been in demand far and wide.
Speaking to HULL IS THIS, he offered some insightful reflection on how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on the business sector, and how business leaders might respond.
He suggests business leaders have responded to the coronavirus pandemic, its lockdowns and economic impacts, in one of two ways, ‘fight or flight’.
“They either step up and take it on, all they can, or hunker down and hope it’ll disappear,” said David.
“You phone some businesses and you get an answer machine. There are others, however, that have not only survived, they’ve actually prospered.”
The businesses that are thriving are those that are continuing to pay attention to the basics, David suggested.
“They get the right people on the bus. They treat people with respect and engage them in the business. They seek to go beyond just delivering a service, they try to delight their customers,” he said.
Many businesses have so far survived the pandemic by cutting back on expenditure, including reducing the number of staff they employ and the outside services they commission. That has allowed some business leaders to sustain their enterprise, but at the expense of people’s livelihoods and wellbeing. This doesn’t come easy to those entrepreneurs that take responsibilities to their staff seriously.
“One business leader said to me the other day that there are 200 people dependant on him getting this right,” said David.
The answer is for business leaders to engage their employees and other stakeholders in the operation and direction of the business. The more they are engaged, the easier it is for businesses to move forward, David explained.
Engaging staff in business decision-making processes, though, may mean leaders having to ‘let go to grow’.
David said: “They’ve got to find the next business leaders and entrepreneurs. I try to help clients find the younger people, those that are smart and thinking it through, and get them to work on the business’ projects.
“One thing that will have to come out of all this is that leaders will have to find the energy within the next generation and unleash that within their business. I’m starting to see this, and that’s a real positive, it means those businesses may have a future.”
“The reason I’m a big fan of entrepreneurs,” said David, “is that they take a risk. They start a business. They employ people, and they pay taxes. Those taxes pay for schools, roads, and everything else. Without the money that entrepreneurs generate all we have are costs. Entrepreneurs put the money in The Treasury.”
With more people working from home, and using online tools to communicate with employees and clients, many businesses are beginning to cut the costs of renting office space. This is a short term trend that David doesn’t think will last.
“The Zoom days, I think people are getting fed up of them, to be honest. I try to do consultancy with my clients on Zoom, I find it difficult, I can’t pick up the body language and the vibes.
“The view from the larger businesses that have time on their hands to do research into this sort of thing, they think it’ll end up with people working from home two days a week, and being in the office for the other three.”
With business having to find new ways of working, new ways to engage with clients and employees, one wonders if this is also a good time to start a new business?
“I think it is. Yes,” David said. “A lot of potential competitors have hunkered down, so there will be opportunities.”
These opportunities will come from asking potential clients a simple question, he said.
“What can I do to help?”
That’s the key question, explained David. It’s not about selling or competing on price, it’s about serving a client or customer to the best of one’s ability.
“It’s hard work,” he added.
David shares more insight from his 40 years of consultancy in his latest book, ‘Telling Tales: lessons from a lifetime helping businesses to grow’.
“It’s a memoir really. Just getting them written down – all the lessons I’ve learned.
“It may be helpful to other people,” he added modestly.
Many of the city’s businesses will welcome this author’s insight in the year to come.
[Jerome Whittingham – photomoments.news]


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CMA to refer SIG's disposal to Kingspan for in-depth probe
The Competition and Markets Authority said on Tuesday that it could refer SIG’s disposal of its building solutions business to Kingspan for an in-depth investigation as it raises competition concerns in the supply of specialist insulation panels.
Building materials supplier SIG agreed last October to sell its building solutions segment to Kingspan for £37.5m.
The competition watchdog noted that Kingspan is the leading provider in the UK of standard foam sandwich panels, commonly used as insulated cladding on commercial and industrial buildings such as large waste facilities. The company already owns a number of businesses that supply these products in the UK, including Joris Ide.
SIG’s building solutions business also sells a range of insulation and specialist construction products through a variety of businesses, it said.
"Kingspan and Building Solutions are two of only three key suppliers of standard foam sandwich panels in the UK and would only face serious competition from one other UK-based supplier - Tata Steel - after the deal," the CMA said. "Competition from suppliers of products imported from outside the UK and suppliers of other products sometimes used as insulated cladding is also very limited."
As a result ,the CMA’s Phase 1 investigation found that the deal could leave the merging companies’ customers, usually building contractors, with few alternative suppliers to choose from.
The CMA’s senior director, Colin Raftery, said: "Foam sandwich panels are widely used in non-residential buildings across the UK, such as supermarket distribution centres, hospitals and police stations. Sales of foam sandwich panels in the UK amounted to about £200 million last year, so they account for an important part of the construction costs faced by businesses and public bodies.
"Kingspan is by far the largest player in this market and this deal would involve it buying up one of its only two meaningful competitors. So, we’re concerned that the deal could damage competition, resulting in higher prices or lower quality products."
Kingspan and SIG now have five working days to address the CMA’s concerns. If they are unable to do so, the deal will be referred for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation.


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This year's list paid homage to prominent business leaders and entrepreneurs after a tough year for finance with nervous markets worldwide and the first run on a British bank in 150 years.
Heading the list was Stuart Rose, credited with saving Marks & Spencer's, who was awarded a knighthood. The former trainee manager has had a glittering career in retail, rising through the ranks to become M&S's European chief in Paris before moving to the Burton group and heading Debenhams' buying and merchandising sector.
He was brought back into M&S in 2004 to reverse a decline in sales and managed to turn around the store's profits in less than three years, a feat which many analysts have hailed as a financial miracle. Part of his strategy in restoring M&S's domination of the high street, he has said, was to woo back the retailer's "neglected" female customers in the 35 to 55 age range. His knighthood comes 18 months after that of his friend and business rival Philip Green.
Also knighted was Ian McAllister, chairman of Network Rail, for services to transport.
The Hong Kong-based entrepreneur David Tang, who has already been appointed an OBE, was honoured with a knighthood in the diplomatic list for his charity work in the UK and for promoting British interests in the former colony. The British-educated entrepreneur is best known as the founder of the clothing company Shanghai Tang and is one of the booming Asian city's best known socialites. Rarely seen without one of his trademark Cuban cigars, the love affair with tobacco has led to him becoming the honorary consul for Cuba in Hong Kong.
A CBE also went to Richard Bradbury, chief executive of the clothing company River Island.
The world of fashion also featured prominently with Maurice Bennett, one of Britain's most successful retailing magnates, being appointed a CBE. The owner of the Warehouse Group, Oasis stores and Phase Eight is considered a giant within the fashion industry after a career spanning more than 50 years. He is also a well-known donor to the Tories.
OBE awards also went to two of Britain's most prominent fashion designers, Jasper Conran and Karen Millen, and to Romy Fraser, who founded the Neal's Yard Remedies chain of cosmetic stores.


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Just about a week after the confirmation that Carven’s creative director, Guillaume Henry (left), 35, is headed to Nina Ricci, Oscar de la Renta has confirmed Peter Copping’s appointment as creative director of his New York-based namesake label. Henry will replace Copping (right) at Carven and Copping, 48, will be incorporated into Mr. de la Renta’s succession plan for the brand. Now, the only question is: Who will take the creative director role at Carven?
In just five years, Guillaume Henry, who was the first designer to helm the relaunched Carven in 2009, “transformed Carven—a storied but sleepy French fashion house of old-school couture—into the cool girl’s label du jour,” according to Vogue. As for British-born Copping, who will be responsible for all product categories, including ready-to-wear, accessories, bridal and home décor, he will report to Mr. de la Renta, and is in unique position.
As the New York Times’ Vanessa Friedman states, Copping’s “appointment makes him one of the few designers in the modern fashion industry to have actually been anointed as an heir apparent by a sitting creator, and it comes at time when a number of established designers are facing issues of succession, including Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren. As a result, it will be one of the most closely watched creative moves in recent years.”


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A HORSHAM timber and builders merchants has laid claim to being one of the most environmentally friendly facilities of its kind.
The new Covers depot on Foundry Lane, which opened for business on March 12, has a warehouse that boasts 200 photovoltaic panels on a specially insulated roof, state-of-the art air source heat pumps and built-in water saving technology.
The building has been designed to let in 18 per cent natural light to minimise energy consumption – and when the lights are required they are linked to a fully automated, individually controlled switching system.
All of the timber used in the development has been locally sourced and concrete from the site was recycled.
Henry Green, Cover’s commercial director, said: “As a company we are committed to minimising our environmental footprint and we wanted to reflect that in the construction of this fantastic new depot. As a local independent company we pride ourselves in setting an example for the building and construction industry.”
Martyn Abbott, director at design specialists NASH and Partners, added: “The Foundry Lane site sets new standards in energy efficiency for a builders yard. We are delighted to have been able to incorporate so many energy efficient features which will go a long way towards reducing the environmental impact of the depot.”
Other green measures included waterless urinals and bicycle racks and on-site showering to encourage staff to cycle to work.


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Eagle-eyed Woolworths customer decodes a small symbol on her receipt to discover she’d been overcharged at the till – so what does it mean?
- A savvy shopper noticed an error on receipt after decoding an obscure symbol
- Customer asked Woolworths on Facebook why she had to pay GST for the product
- Unhappy customer noted that the can of sardines is listed as a GST free item
- The supermarket giant admitted that a rare error had occurred in this case
Supermarket giant Woolworths has admitted to making a blunder in a customer’s transaction after the savvy shopper decoded an obscure symbol on her receipt.
The customer named Julie took to Facebook on Tuesday after her usual shop at the Culburra Beach branch in NSW to ask the grocer why GST had been charged for a 125g can of ‘Deep Cove Sardines in Oil’.
The receipt image highlights a hashtag symbol placed next to two items, indicating that the products were taxable items.
A customer named Julie took to Facebook after her shop Tuesday to ask the supermarket why she had charged GST for a 125g can of ‘Deep Cove Sardines in Oil’
However, Julie noted that the can of sardines is a GST-free product.
‘GST is charged today on canned sardines that are GST free???? Please explain,” she wrote.
The Australian Tax Agency notes that seafood products that have been frozen, dried, canned or packaged are included in a range of items that are free of GST.
The receipt’s image marked a hashtag symbol placed next to two items, indicating that two products were taxable items – but the can of sardines is a GST-free item
A Woolworths spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that a rare error had occurred in this case.
“This is a clear error on our part and we have contacted the customer to apologize and refund the overcharged amount.
“We are proud to provide a positive experience for our customers in our stores and we are sorry that this was not the case on this occasion.”
A Woolworths spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that a rare error had occurred in this case and they have apologized to the customer and offered a refund (stock image)
Daily Mail Australia understands that the technical flaw in the supermarket chain’s checkout software has been identified and has now been corrected.
Woolworths has urged customers to contact the supermarket if they have any questions about their receipts.
“If our customers ever have questions about their receipts, we encourage them to return to their local store with their receipt or contact our Customer Hub for a quick resolution.”


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By Tom Angell | Forbes
Payments processor Square announced on Thursday that it is making its payment processing services available to more businesses that sell CBD products.
The lack of financial services has been a key problem for companies in the cannabis industry, including those that only deal with cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating component of the plant.
“We believe everyone should be able to participate and thrive in the economy,” Square said in a blog post. “Today, we’re thrilled to launch our CBD early-access program, which allows businesses in the U.S. to sell CBD products on Square quickly, easily, and securely.”
In May, Square launched a smaller invite-only pilot program to offer services to a small number of CBD sellers, which apparently went well and led to the new broader roll out.
“In a sign of the hemp and CBD industries’ accelerating growth, the payment processor Square announced this week that it would make its services available to more CBD businesses, an expansion of the invite-only trial program it rolled out earlier.
The announcement is certainly welcome news for hemp and CBD companies, who have struggled to develop partnerships with financial institutions despite the 2018 Farm Bill’s legalization of hemp and non-psychoactive derivatives like CBD.
As more financial institutions recognize the safe harbor provided by the Farm Bill, many expect they will also jump at the opportunity to support businesses in this market, which is expected to reach $16-22 billion by 2025.”


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- Roost has developed push notifications for PC web browsers that offer a new channel for marketers and advertisers send messages.
- In addition to the web notifications — currently only available for Safari — Roost's capabilities could easily translate to mobile and allow marketers to send push notifications to users who haven't downloaded an app.
- Roost is opt-in only, but the company hopes users will opt in on PC and marketers will eventually be able to send push notifications across both the PC and mobile Web browsers of those users.
The app marketplace is so saturated, it's a real uphill battle to encourage users to download an app — especially if they are worried it will only be used to advertise to them. Roost has opened up a new avenue of communication that shows real potential, especially if it is able to bridge the gap between PC and mobile.


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Bulletproof backpacks sales spiked in the days following the deadly Florida high school shooting as parents look for ways to keep their children safe.
If you're considering buying a bulletproof backpack for yourself or your loved ones, there are a few things you should know about them first.
Money spoke to Joe Curran, founder of Massachusetts-based bulletproof equipment maker BulletBlocker, to understand the benefits and drawbacks of wearable bulletproof products like backpacks, jackets and more.
"We've seen a 200-300% sales increase in backpack and backpack insert sales since Florida and a 30% increase for our products overall," he said. Curran, a former U.S. Army Ranger, corrections officer and firearms instructor, started BulletBlocker to help protect his own two children after the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007.
Here's what Curran told us about buying bulletproof backpacks.
Bulletproof backpacks only protect against handguns
Bulletproof backpacks aren't rifle-proof, Curren said. They can only protect against bullets from handguns and pistols, which typically aren't as strong as rifles. Mass shooters increasingly seem to prefer rifles like the AR-15, making bulletproof backpacks potentially less useful.
The reason behind this comes down to practicality.
The Kevlar-like material several companies use to produce bulletproof backpacks is categorized as "Level 3A" by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, development and product testing wing of the U.S. Justice Department.
That means the material is considered a soft body armor, which isn't resistant to all bullets. But it's also considerably lighter, making bulletproof backpacks comparable to regular backpacks in terms of weight. Bulletproof backpacks aren't made with stronger ballistic-resistant hard plates because they would be too heavy to wear, Curran says — that's especially true for small children.
Bulletproof backpacks can be expensive
Bulletproof backpacks can range in price from $200-500. Some companies, including BulletBlocker, also sell cheaper, $99 bullet-resistant inserts that slide into regular backpacks.
Curran says these inserts can be just as effective as full-on bulletproof backpacks. But he warns that buying multiple inserts and stacking them together won't provide you with increased protection.
It's also worth remembering that some students store their backpacks in their lockers for part or all of the school day, a scenario that makes bulletproof backpacks less useful in an emergency.
Bulletproof backpacks don't last forever
Even if you take great care of your bulletproof backpack, you might find yourself replacing it sooner than later. "They expire after about five years," says Curran. Take care not to leave one out in the sun or heat, and if yours gets damaged, consider replacing it.
Another tip from Curran? Don't buy used bulletproof products, because you don't know what they've been through. There's a chance they could be worn out, and if that's the case, they might not protect you in a dangerous situation.
The Justice Department certifies bulletproof products
Any bulletproof products you buy should be NIJ certified, says Curran. The NIJ certifcation should be displayed on a company's website. If it's not there, you should ask before buying. Consider not making the purchase if the company does not have such a certification.


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Motorcar Parts of America (MPA) has uploaded a new YouTube video that offers tips for troubleshooting a no-start battery on a 2012-2014 Honda Civic or CR-V after the installation of a replacement alternator.
The video is the latest in its “Part Smart” series for technicians and DIYers.
“With the ‘Part Smart’ video series, MPA wants to flatten the learning curve when it comes to vehicle repair and maintenance,” the company said. “We know that car repairs and maintenance aren’t always straight forward. For example, replacing your failed alternator with a new one might be the right solution but there’s likely more work that needs to be done.”
When replacing an alternator, it’s important to test the battery to eliminate charging-system issues such as battery sulfation.
“This issue is caused by a battery deprived of a full charge, which can happen when driving at low speeds,” MPA said. “Battery sulfation can then cause a Honda’s PCM to select the wrong charging mode after the alternator’s replacement. If you are installing an alternator on a 2012 Honda or 2012-2014 Honda CRV, this video will provide important information to ensure a successful install.”
The “Part Smart” series also includes a video called “Back to Basics: Testing the Battery,” which MPA describes as a refresher on troubleshooting battery issues.


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Graphic by Maisie Arlotto
The varsity boys and girls basketball teams at Wilson have become the first and only Wilson athletics teams to be sponsored by Nike, leading them both to earn the “Nike Elite team” status, and a banner signifying it in the gym.
While athletic sponsorships began as something mostly limited to college and professional teams, athletic apparel brands have since expanded their sponsorships to select high school teams. Sponsorships are a prestigious status for any high school team to earn. Some other schools in the DMV area have also received sponsorships: DeMatha Catholic High School was sponsored by Nike, and their basketball still is while the rest of the school is sponsored by Under Armour, and St. John’s College High School is sponsored by Under Armour. Wilson, however, is only one of two schools in the area where both the male and female program are sponsored, the other (and first) program is Paul VI Catholic High School according to Athletic Director Nadira Ricks.
Nike began sponsoring Wilson basketball this year. “It was kind of a mutual thing, when they reached out, [and took] notice to our program” explained boys basketball head coach Angelo Hernandez. Hernandez said that the sponsorship has thus far affected the team positively. The basic terms of the contract with Wilson entail Nike supplying the boys and girls varsity teams with a certain amount of gear including uniforms, socks, shoes, backpacks, and sweatsuits. Besides the obvious benefit of receiving free sportswear from one of the most popular brands in the world, Hernandez added how Wilson also benefits from “the school [getting] more acknowledgment.”
According to Hernandez, “when people look at schools with sponsorships they’re like ‘oh that’s one of the sponsor’s schools for basketball,’ and they look at it as a benefit to play for a Nike program,” implying that it represents the elite level of their team and attracts attention from prospects, scouts, and coaches nationwide. In turn, Nike holds exclusivity over the Wilson basketball teams. Ricks explained, “We can only wear Nike during the season, we can’t wear any other brand.”
Wilson Tiger basketball players now represent Nike during practices, at home and away games, and at tournaments, presenting the benefit of brand exposure to Nike. The basketball teams can now be recognized for not only their level of play, but also their fresh kits.


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Apple hires Tim Dashwood, 3D movie and 360º video software pioneer
Apple’s new hire is an expert in the kind of high-end post production that needs serious Apple hardware. After recently reassuring those despairing over the future of the Mac Pro, with this hire they show that they are serious about making sure their software keeps up.
The first sign that something was up came on Friday 23rd April. The products sold by Dashwood Cinema Solutions that work on Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5 and the Mac versions of Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Adobe After Effects CC were suddenly available for free.
Now the news has gone out that Tim has been hired by Apple.
Dashwood Cinema Solutions is effectively one man: Tim Dashwood. Creator of post production tools for the Mac for over 10 years. He first gained attention from Final Cut Pro users when he introduced plugins for making 3D feature films. In recent years he’s been making 360º video toolkits for Final Cut Pro and Premiere. His high-end toolkit cost $1,199 until Friday. It is used for high-end 3D VR video post production at places such as Jaunt, where it was used to make Pure McCartney VR. (for more on how these films were made, read my article over at fcp.co). Tim and I feature in this video on how VR video works in Final Cut Pro X with his plugins.
This is good news for those who use Macs to make VR video. As the tools are now free for editors and motion graphics designers, the barrier to entry is that much lower. It is unknown whether Tim has joined the ProApps team to work on future versions of Final Cut Pro X and Motion or has joined the OS team. If he is now with the OS team, it is possible that his technology (which is partially implemented in Quartz Composer) will be made available to developers on Apple platforms via updates to the AV Foundation media toolkit.
Although Dashwood’s 360VR Toolbox works well on current MacBook Pros, everyone agrees that the more GPU power you have, the better. Hiring Dashwood means that Apple expects to add much more GPU horsepower to Macs and perhaps iOS devices.
Good news for video editors, motion graphics designers and those wanting to tell their stories with VR video.


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The White House on Thursday said it was expanding a federal loan guarantee program to include companies building electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, part of a broader effort to boost EV sales.
The U.S. Energy Department issued a notice clarifying that charging facilities, including hardware and software, are now an eligible technology. The program can provide up to $4.5 billion in loan guarantees for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
The Energy Department said EV charging stations could be considered efficient electrical transmission or distribution technologies, which make them eligible for a specific loan guarantee program.
The Obama administration also unveiled a partnership with nearly 50 automakers, utilities, states and electric vehicle charging companies to get more EVs and charging stations.
Tesla Motors Inc, General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co, Nissan Motor Co, BMW AG, Daimler AG, Duke Energy Corp and Consolidated Edison Inc are among the companies joining the effort to boost EV charging.
The White House touted the fact that the number of EV charging stations has risen from 500 in 2008 to more than 16,000 today, as electric battery costs have fallen more than 70 percent.
“There’s a lot more to do in this space,” said Brian Deese, a White House senior adviser, in a call with reporters.
The White House also urged state and local governments to work with the federal government to buy discounted electric vehicle fleets. In the current fiscal year, the U.S. government plans to purchase more than 500 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles or EVs.
But U.S. electric vehicle sales have not met many early expectations.
U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said in January said EV sales fell well below President Barack Obama’s goal of reaching 1 million by 2015. Moniz told Reuters in January that the country may hit the figure in three to four years with continuing improvements in battery technology, but low gasoline prices have had a negative impact on sales.
In August 2008, Obama set a goal of getting 1 million plug-in electric vehicles on the roads by 2015.
Only about 475,000 electric cars have been sold in the United States since then. There are about 250 million cars and trucks on U.S. roads.
The White House has repeatedly proposed efforts to boost EV sales including hiking the electric vehicle tax credit and converting it to a point of sale rebate, but Congress didn’t approve.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio)


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Also strengthens my new year's resolution to spend more time in China this year. It's always worthwhile, always provides an adventure and there's no excuse for me not to, living in Hong Kong, on the doorstep of the motherland.
(posted in full as it's available only on subscription. Thanks to SCMP of 4th January). BTW: "Heihe" means "black river", as in the name of the province, Heilongjiang, which means "black dragon river" ("jiang" just being a bigger river than "he"). For other amazing China stories, click on "China" in Labels, below right.
Neighbouring Russian and Chinese cities face vastly different economic fortunes
|It couldn't be easier for the Russians from Blagoveshchensk who make the five-minute journey across the Heilongjiang River to shop in Heihe. As soon as they're through customs and passport control, it's a short walk to the main market of the booming border city in Heilongjiang province. There, two hangar-sized buildings await them, selling everything from alcohol and cosmetics to furs, household appliances, shoes and skiing gear.|
Blagoveshchensk residents, who refer to their hometown as "Blago", don't even need a visitor's visa as long as they stay in Heihe, which is the closest Chinese city to Russia. A generous customs allowance means they can take back 50kg of goods without paying any duty. But by far the biggest incentive for doing their shopping in Heihe is that prices are a third of those at home.
"Everything is more expensive in Blago," says Anastasia Arkharova, who is wearing a long, black fur coat bought in Heihe and perusing coffee machines in the market. "The only thing I buy there is underwear."
At weekends, Russians stream into Heihe, either by boat in the summer or on buses and dinky little hovercraft when the Heilongjiang River freezes in the winter. Their presence has transformed the city of 200,000 people from a backwater into a multicultural trading hub. Almost every shop has a Russian name written in Cyrillic and any foreigner is greeted in Russian. Bars, restaurants, clubs and massage parlours have proliferated to occupy the visitors when they're not shopping. New apartment blocks and expensive foreign cars on the streets testify to the money flowing into the city
But if Heihe is prospering, it is a different story a few hundred metres across the river in Blagoveshchensk. Roughly the same size as Heihe, Blagoveshchensk remains a city of old-fashioned wooden houses and Soviet-era apartment blocks. The contrast between the two is most visible at night, when Heihe is lit up like a Christmas tree while the riverfront in Blagoveshchensk stays dark.
The Russian Far East has been in perpetual decline since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The region's shrinking population and high unemployment means that, in stark contrast to the welcome Russians receive in Heihe, the increasing numbers of Chinese who work in Blagoveshchensk and elsewhere in the Russian Far East are seen as a threat.
"Last year, we were afraid to go out at night because the young Russian guys get drunk and beat the Chinese up," says Zhang Lina, who has run a company making clocks in Blagoveshchensk with her husband since 2006. "I don't think the Russians like us living here, but they also can't live without the Chinese. The only real Russian industry is heavy industry. They can't make clothes or household items or anything like that cheaply."
With 10,000 Chinese now living in Blagoveshchensk, the city's markets are dominated by traders from Heilongjiang, while the most popular restaurants are Chinese ones. Chinese immigrants can also be found working on construction sites, farms and in the local timber industry. But there are no Chinese signs in Blagoveshchensk and, unlike the Russians who go to Heihe, Chinese citizens need visas to cross the river.
That requirement is a source of anger among the Chinese residents of Blagoveshchensk. "The Russians are racist towards the Chinese. The police will regularly come and check our passports to see if we have work visas, which cost almost 20,000 yuan (HK$23,500) for a year, and they'll confiscate your passport if you don't have one. But the police won't really help us if we're in trouble. They don't care so much if a Chinese person gets beaten up," says Zhang.
Heihe's government, however, has done everything it can to make life simple for the Russians who visit. The main market, which is called the International Market City and opened in 2004 when Heihe was designated a free trade zone, has been designed entirely for Russians.
"Everything I sell is Chinese-made, mostly in Guangzhou and Yiwu in Zhejiang province, but it's all designed specifically for the Russian market, so they have Russian plugs," says Yang Chao, who has sold home appliances such as hairdryers and irons in the market for three years.
So Russia-centric is the market that some Heihe residents complain that many of the shops won't sell to Chinese people; a curtain hanging in front of the entrance to a shop is code that locals aren't welcome.
Most market traders say they prefer dealing with Russians. "It's much easier than doing business with Chinese people. Russians buy things quickly. They pick up an item, decide if they like it and then buy it. Chinese people spend ages deciding if they want something and then want to bargain forever," says Yang.
Across the river in Blagoveshchensk, relations between the Chinese and Russians are far more tense. It has always been this way: in 1900, 5,000 Chinese living in the city were slaughtered by Cossacks after the local government decided to deport them. Now, they are still seen as interlopers.
"A lot of Russians resent the fact that the Chinese will work for lower salaries and so they think they are taking all the jobs. But the fact is it's easier for Russian politicians to say the Chinese immigrants are taking work away from locals than to create jobs," says Nikolay Kukharenko, the head of the Confucius Institute in Blagoveshchensk.
Chinese and Russians live separate existences in Blagoveshchensk, to the extent that Zhang won't employ Russian workers. "The Russians are lazy and inefficient. They drink too much and they're no good at working hard," she says. Even some locals agree with her views. "I know Russian businessmen who say `I'll pay 30,000 roubles [HK$7,700] a month to a Russian', and they hire them and they work hard for a month and then they start drinking. Chinese don't drink and they'll work for 20,000 roubles a month," says Kukharenko.
At the heart of the opposition towards Chinese immigration is the fear that Beijing will one day take over the Russian Far East, some of which was part of the Manchu empire as recently as the mid-19th century. With just 6.7 million people living in the Far East, a vast area that is two-thirds the size of China, compared to the 40 million who live in Heilongjiang province alone, many Russians believe that the Chinese will end up migrating north.
"There are lots of rumours about China taking over the Far East. It's not in the newspapers or anything, but people form their own opinions. Here in the Far East, a lot of people feel neglected by Moscow and we feel detached from the rest of Russia. You can't be sure it won't happen in the future, because the population here is declining and the Chinese need room because there are so many of them," says Eugenya Vivdich, a 21-year-old student at the Confucius Institute.
That suspicion of China is the reason there is no bridge linking Blagoveshchensk and Heihe, despite offers from the Chinese side to build one. But an increasing amount of natural resources such as timber and coal still head to energy-hungry China from the Russian Far East. At the same time, Heilongjiang's trade with Russia amounted to almost 4.6 billion yuan in the first eight months of 2010, a 32.5 per cent increase on 2009's figures, according to the provincial government.
Faced with that economic reality, a growing number of young Russians in the Far East have decided that their future lies in China. More and more are now learning Chinese. "I used to want to go to America or England and that's why I studied so hard at my English," says Vivdich. "But then I started to study Chinese and now I want to get a job as a translator in Harbin or Beijing. It's much easier to get to China than to America; it's easier to get a visa and it's much closer to home."


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Tension Over Tourism
Should Hawaii's tourism czars focus on attracting more visitors or take a holistic view of tourism's impact?
(page 2 of 3)
Source: Hawaii Tourism Authority
“We are in the process of reinventing ourselves,” McCartney says. “The fundamental thing is the culture. If we don’t have the culture, we don’t have a product.”
That has led to a new “strategic plan” for tourism that reaches beyond the post-statehood concepts of visitor promotion to a vision that looks to the health of the state and its people, not just of the industry itself.
All that is well and good, but some in the industry worry that the grand vision will mean little if Hawaii fails to get enough people into airplanes and hotels (“butts in seats and heads in beds”).
“It’s lovely to have some Island-knowledge people involved (in the HTA),” says David Carey, president and chief executive officer of Outrigger Enterprises Group, Hawaii’s largest locally owned hotel and tourism company. “But there’s not enough folks with an actual stake in the industry on there.”
Seats will open on HTA’s board next year. Board members are nominated by the Legislature and appointed by the governor, representing public interests, the tourism industry, the counties and other parties. Carey hopes, he says, for more balance between those with a political or broader perspective, and those who know the industry and its needs.
Whether increased industry perspective is the cure-all is open to argument, Carey acknowledges. But he points out that HVCB marketing in North America, in which industry officials are directly involved, has been more successful than marketing contracted out in Japan, where direct industry involvement is minimal.
“It’s my belief that when industry partners are involved in the decision making, the results are better,” he says.
Call it a matter of “enlightened conflict,” Carey laughs.
In today’s climate, Carey says, the focus should be on maintaining the flow of people willing to come to Hawaii. “When business is down 20 percent to 25 percent, everybody has a problem,” he says.
“Cultural programs are wonderful, but they don’t bring people here. They might please them once they get here, but they don’t make people come.”
He makes a comparison to Mexico, which recently launched a major promotion on the Mainland to offset the tourism slump it suffered from swine flu and other controversies. Mexico allocated close to $60 million for that promotion, not much less than the annual budget of HTA for all its efforts.
State Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, a frequent critic of HTA, contends the agency “is getting back on track. They’re holding their partners (HVCB and others) accountable for their marketing plans,” Kim says. Several years ago, she says, the agency “just took what the HVCB gave them. That wasn’t good enough.”
In its early years, HTA was little more than a middleman between the state and HVCB, Kim says. It developed an “incest relationship” in which the same people, or at least people from the same entities, sat on both HTA and HVCB boards.
That’s changed. Evidence of this shift is that HVCB is now just one of many marketing contractors to HTA, although still the biggest, with responsibility for North America. Other contractors oversee Japan, the rest of Asia and Europe.
A tension has developed. The tourism industry is seeking, Carey notes, a stronger voice on the HTA board, while other people – particularly those in politics, such as Kim – want to ensure a larger public interest to balance industry concerns.
While the HTA has no shortage of strategic plans, one thing missing is a long-term view of how Hawaii ought to be marketed in profoundly changed economic times, argues University of Hawaii economist James Mak. Mak is author of a recent study of tourism in Hawaii, “Developing a Dream Destination" (University of Hawaii Press, 2008).
“There hasn’t been much work that has been done on marketing in a crisis situation,” Mak says. When money was abundant and people were eager to travel, Hawaii had to do little more than remind travelers that it was here, arms open and eager for visitors. That’s changed, as consumers everywhere are watching their budgets and cost-conscious corporations cancel incentive and convention trips to Hawaii.
“Hawaii was successful in creating a brand image, and now that image has come back to bite us,” Mak noted. His point is that Hawaii has successfully marketed itself as a place where pleasure and leisure dominate. That’s not a strong selling point – particularly for business and incentive travel – when austerity and budget concerns are the order of the day.
Mak thinks, and Carey and others agree, that the strategy now is to identify and focus on those areas and market groups that are still willing and able to travel. Carey says he believes HTA is already moving in that direction with focused (HTA calls it “tactical”) attention on geographic areas on the Mainland and specific economic groups in Japan and elsewhere who still imagine Hawaii in their travel plans.
Says Mak: “The old strategy of throwing more money at it is not enough anymore.”
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An interesting bit of news that tablet sales may be starting to impact PC sales, not just causing a decline in growth but maybe even a decline in sales.
Read at Huffington Post: iPad Takes A Chunk Out Of PC Sales, Say Analysts: "Last year, the popularity of Apple Inc.'s iPad hurt PC sales. This year, that trend is continuing, as new data from two market research firms indicate PC shipments declined in the first three months of 2011.
"On Wednesday, Gartner Inc. said that its research shows PC shipments dipped 1.1 percent compared to the same period last year, to 84.3 million. IDC said its numbers show PC shipments fell 3.2 percent to 80.6 million. The companies measure the market in different ways.
"Gartner had expected 3 percent shipment growth, while IDC was looking for 1.5 percent growth.
"Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa said that during the January-March period consumers weren't as drawn to cheap PCs – usually a category that keeps the market growing. Rather, they were interested in tablet computers and other consumer electronics."
A few things we have noticed. We took to tablets and mobile devices much earlier than most here, and in 2010 we stopped purchasing and building both PCs and laptops to put all our resources towards iPhones, Androids and iPads. So we saw first hand how sale of these devices can impact PC sales.
But over time the limitations of tablets started to come home to us, and in the past few months we find ourselves buying laptops again and restoring a few Linux PCs we had. The problem is the current tablet iPad or Android is still a bit limited. It is a great device for consumer content, and okay device for click based production of content, but when you have to do some heavy lifting the value of a laptop like the new MacBook Pro will prove its value.
We have been doing a lot of development and running a few facebook and Twitter social media campaigns, along with doing a lot of blogging and a tablet, either Apple or Android is not up to the task right now.
So it will be interesting to see if tablets get more powerful over the next couple of years, and if not much so will PC sales rebound as consumers find they need the power of a proper PC?


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Digitalbox to join AIM via reverse takeover of Polemos
Digital media business Digitalbox Publishing Holdings was seeking admission of its ordinary shares to trading on AIM by way of a reverse takeover of Polemo, it said on Monday.
The company said that on admission, Polemos would be renamed Digitalbox.
Its board said it intended to use the funds raised to build a “market-leading, mobile-first” digital media business through a buy-and-build strategy.
Digitalbox had invested in its technology, infrastructure and management team to create a platform on to which acquisitions could be “easily integrated”, with additional upside expected in average revenue per user (ARPU) performance and without significant impact on staff resources.
Through its current trading brand "Entertainment Daily", Digitalbox produced and published online UK entertainment news covering television shows, showbiz and celebrity news.
It generated revenue from the programmatic sale of advertising in and around the content it published.
The board said that Entertainment Daily had proven the company's ability to build “strong” audience engagement through the delivery of compelling content, while also improving ARPU.
For the year ended December, Entertainment Daily had 2.2 million unique users per month, with 13 million monthly UK sessions and an average of £77 ARPU per mille, showing 15% growth since 2017.
The company said its optimisation for mobile enabled it to achieve revenues per session “significantly ahead” of market norms for mobile publishers.
Digitalbox noted that around 85% of UK adults owned a smartphone, meaning mobile had become the device of choice with which to access the internet, with around 75% of internet usage in the UK now estimated to be via a smartphone.
Advertising spend was now shifting to reflect those consumer trends, with UK mobile advertising spend growing 31% in 2017 to £5bn, and expected to have grown a further 31% in 2018.
The value of mobile was set to grow further still, Digitalbox claimed, as advertisers saw the potential in location targeting, augmented reality and rich user data in real-time.
Mobile-centric media brands which held the attention of users the advertisers were trying to reach would benefit from that escalating value, the board explained.
The board said it believed that it was the right time to consolidate the digital publishing market, and had identified a pipeline of acquisition opportunities.
Digitalbox currently operated within the entertainment news market in the UK, and was seeking to expand into further content verticals to grow the audience served.
It said it believed that the market trends supported that strategy, with traditional publishing businesses struggling to transition to 'pure play' digital models in response to falling print circulation, owing to the legacy infrastructure in place.
That trend presented an opportunity as brands could be purchased, optimised and leveraged to create accretive growth for shareholders.
Also, some digital-only publishing businesses would benefit from the scale and efficiencies offered by the Digitalbox platform, the board claimed.
Digitalbox was led by an “experienced” management team, it said, headed by chief executive officer James Carter who had a “proven” track record in building value in the media industry through work at Factory Media - which he helped found and achieved a significant exit - as well as Dennis Publishing and EMAP, where he was publishing director with responsibility for the FHM title.
The company said it was looking to raise between £2m and £4m, with an anticipated market capitalisation of more than £13m.
Admission to AIM was expected to occur on or around 20 February, with Digitalbox intending to complete its first acquisition immediately on admission.
“Our proposed admission to AIM will allow us to capitalise on the considerable opportunities we see to build a market-leading, mobile-first digital business through a buy and build strategy,” said CEO James Carter.
“Due to the success of Entertainment Daily, we have already created a platform through which we can drive traffic and advertising revenue, and to which we can add new titles to and quickly improve their performance.
“The combination of this platform and our experienced management team creates a compelling opportunity for investors as we grow.”


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|Bid||179.08 x 800|
|Ask||179.25 x 1200|
|Day's Range||178.32 - 188.15|
|52 Week Range||81.11 - 205.28|
|Beta (5Y Monthly)||1.27|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||81.48|
|Earnings Date||Jun 07, 2021 - Jun 11, 2021|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y Target Est||223.50|
L Brands (LB) board approves plans to operate Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret as two independent public companies. Further, the company provided its preliminary first-quarter fiscal 2021 numbers.
Three such companies that were negatively impacted were Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ: TXRH), Five Below (NASDAQ: FIVE), and Planet Fitness (NYSE: PLNT). Texas Roadhouse and Planet Fitness have already reported earnings for the first quarter of 2021 that showed sharp recoveries to their businesses. Casual-dining restaurant company Texas Roadhouse generated all-time high sales for the first quarter, which is a remarkable recovery when considering how difficult 2020 was.
Last year we predicted the arrival of the first US recession since 2009 and we told in advance that the market will decline by at least 20% in (Recession is Imminent: We Need A Travel Ban NOW). In these volatile markets we scrutinize hedge fund filings to get a reading on which direction each stock […]


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San Francisco-based digital identity expert ForgeRock has announced the findings of its 2021 Consumer Identity Breach Report, showing a massive 450 percent global rise in breaches involving usernames and passwords.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a dramatic rise in the number of people online as social and physical distancing measures put into place throughout the world meant to mitigate the spread of the virus have forced people online for not only work but also schooling, banking, and shopping in record numbers. This increase in online traffic led to a proportionate rise in cybercrime, with hackers targeting individuals as well as organizations of all sizes and across a number of industries.
According to ForgeRock’s report, breaches involving smaller-sized enterprises were up 50 percent over last year, outpacing any other targeted group.
The report also reveals that unauthorized access is the leading cause of these breaches — accounting for 43 percent of all breaches in 2020 — and points to poor security practices such as password sharing or reusing as a key reason for this issue.
“For too long, usernames and passwords have been the backbone of providing people secure access to their digital lives,” said Fran Rosch, CEO, ForgeRock. “The findings in our identity breach report reveal that it’s time for change. The surge in breaches involving usernames and passwords at an astounding 450 percent clearly emphasizes the need to adopt a strong digital identity and access management solution that offers the ability to go passwordless. It also gives companies a much better chance at reducing data exposure, as well as lowering their reputational and financial risk.”
Over the past year, several security experts have sounded the alarm for better password hygiene, pointing to various bad practices as major weak points that bad actors are targeting.
Other attack types that the report found to be common causes of breaches were phishing (25 percent), and ransomware (17 percent), with healthcare being the most targeted industry for the second consecutive year, while the tech sector came in first as the industry that paid the highest aggregate cost ($288 billion) to recover from breaches.
June 14, 2021 – by Tony Bitzionis


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With many employees sitting in front of a computer in the comfort of their homes for the past 18 months, and gyms and yoga studios opening to limited capacity, this phrase may be truer now than it has ever been.
Adults are spending four more hours per day sitting at home than they were pre-pandemic, according to the State of Sitting at Home survey, which was conducted between August and September 2020.
But one MGA is helping to get employees off their butts. Toronto-based CHES Specialty Risk has implemented free virtual fitness classes for its 60 employees. In June 2020, the MGA began by offering online yoga classes; it then expanded to include Pilates and high-intensity interval training. Classes are offered three days a week.
“That’s been available to everyone in the company,” said Gary Hirst, president and CEO, “just to be able to get out of the chair and get a bit of movement going. Get a ‘seventh inning stretch.’”
While virtual may not completely replace in-person workouts, they’re still popular. Abacus Data reported in June that just over one-fifth (21%) of Canadians have streamed an online fitness class, and 8% purchased a membership for virtual classes.
Hirst doesn’t recall how the idea for virtual exercise classes came about, but said several CHES team members enjoy yoga.
“And, a lot of the yoga studios were shut down. We thought, ‘A lot of people can’t get out of the house or are concerned about leaving the house, so why don’t we bring yoga, Pilates and training into their living room?’” he said.
“We were helping one yoga studio to keep going, really. And, at the same time, it gave our people something to look forward to — and a bit of exercise.”
Two sessions run on each of the three days: one in the morning and another around lunchtime.
Said Hirst, “You don’t have the embarrassment of having to go to the classroom. If you can only hold a downward dog for two minutes instead of 10 — no one need know.”


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106
JULY 9, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BLACK MARKET TRAVEL AGENTS
38 DEFENDANTS INDICTED IN MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FRAUD
LOCAL INVESTIGATION EXPOSES NATIONWIDE NETWORK
THAT USED STOLEN IDENTITIES, CREDIT CARDS
TO PURCHASE AIRLINE TICKETS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that 38 defendants from across the United States have been charged in a series of indictments that allege an extensive network of black market travel agents who used the stolen identities of thousands of victims as part of a multi-million dollar fraud scheme to purchase airline tickets for their customers.
“What began as a local law enforcement investigation ultimately exposed an extensive nationwide black market for airline tickets,” Phillips said.
“Six federal indictments allege that 38 defendants used stolen credit and debit card information from thousands of identity theft victims to purchase tickets, which they sold to their customers at a steep discount,” Phillips added. “These separate criminal conspiracies resulted in an estimated total loss of more than $20 million to numerous domestic airline companies, financial institutions, other merchants and cardholders.”
Conspirators used several strategies to obtain the credit and debit card information of identity theft victims, according to the federal indictments. In some cases, conspirators allegedly purchased stolen information from unindicted co-conspirators in Bangladesh, Vietnam and elsewhere. Some of the defendants allegedly stole customer information at hotels, a bank and a customer call center where the defendants were employed.
This stolen identity information was allegedly used by other conspirators – identified as black market travel agents – to purchase airline tickets at no cost to themselves. They used computers and cell phones to make online purchases through the Web sites of various airlines, the indictments say, utilizing not only private Internet connections but also public Internet connections at airports, hotels, libraries and other businesses. They often purchased reservations close to the time of departure, in order to increase the likelihood that their fraudulent purchases would not be detected. As a result, a passenger could often complete his or her trip before the credit or debit card was detected as being compromised.
According to the indictments, black market travel agents profited from the scheme by purchasing stolen credit and debit card information at a nominal cost, then using the stolen information to purchase the airline tickets at no cost to themselves, then selling the ticket to their customers. Many of their customers, who usually paid $75 to $250 per ticket, knew that the tickets were not legitimately purchased. Some of the customers have been charged in the indictments.
Some conspirators acted as passenger brokers or referral sources to carry out the scheme by referring customers to the black market travel agents.
According to the indictments, the investigation began when co-defendants Sabrina Bowers, 29, of Kansas City, Mo., and Deidre Turner, 27, of Peculiar, Mo., stole a Dell laptop computer from a residence in Overland Park, Kan., on Nov. 21, 2005, in order to use it in the fraud scheme. In related incidents, Overland Park and Shawnee, Kan., police officers recovered numerous pieces of mail and credit card numbers that did not belong to them in the possession of both Bowers and Turner, according to records on file with the District Court of Johnson County, Kan. One of those credit card numbers had allegedly been used to purchase several airline tickets.
Bowers and Turner allegedly obtained stolen credit and debit card information from hotels in Overland Park and the Atlanta, Ga., metro area where the identity theft victims had stayed as guests. Bowers and Turner worked with co-defendant Demetria Harrison, 40, who allegedly acted as a black market travel agent while living in Kansas City, Mo., and later in the Atlanta, Ga., area. Bowers, Turner and Harrison, along with Harrison’s son, are charged together in one of the six indictments.
Investigators tracked the black market activities of these defendants from Kansas City to Atlanta. As the investigation continued, law enforcement officers developed leads to similar conspiracies operating throughout the United States.
“This case highlights the importance of the strong working relationships among federal, state and local law enforcement,” said US. Postal Inspection Service Deputy Chief Inspector Gregory Campbell, Jr. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to working with our partners to ensure the continued trust people place in the mail and protecting the public from financial victimization by enforcing the laws that defend the nation's mail system from illegal use.”
The federal indictments specifically refer to identity theft victims in Kansas City, Mo., Lee’s Summit, Mo., Gladstone, Mo., Raytown, Mo., Springfield, Mo., Branson, Mo., Columbia, Mo., Jefferson City, Mo., Brookline, Mo., and Baldwin City, Kan., as well as victims in Washington, D.C., Saskatchewan, Canada, and in 26 other states, including Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, New Jersey, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia, Nevada, Michigan, Washington, Ohio, Arizona, Florida, Utah, Nebraska, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Alabama and Indiana.
According to the indictments, tickets were purchased for flights into or out of Kansas City International Airport, Springfield-Branson National Airport and other airports across the country, primarily on Delta Air Lines, US Airways and United Airlines, as well as American Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, AirTran Airways, Virgin America Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Frontier Airlines.
“The assistance of the airlines was invaluable to the federal investigation,” Phillips said. “Airlines provided significant information and devoted substantial resources during the course of this lengthy investigation. I appreciate their cooperation and applaud their contribution to this successful conclusion.”
A series of six indictments have been returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., over the past year. Four of the six indictments were returned under seal on July 1, 2010. All of the indictments have been unsealed and made public upon the arrests and initial court appearances of the defendants.
Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John E. Cowles and Matt Hiller. They were investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department, and the Kansas City Secret Service Task Force, and with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at


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Operator of local firework store explains what you can expect this holiday
Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - Fourth of July weekend is full of family, food and of course fireworks. but fireworks are no exception to trending nation wide shortages.
“The shortage is obviously coming from shipping issues,” Macy Whitney said.
Operator of Fireworks Superstore, Macy Whitney, said there are some items she is low on this season. She said smaller, novelty fireworks may be harder to come by.
“Little kid stuff, like the tanks, the little chickens and stuff,” Whitney said. “They are probably going to keep producing like bigger sized ones, because that is just what is faster to make for the demand and get shipped over.”
When ordering for the season, she said they saw the potential of problems coming when the cost of a single shipping container of fireworks skyrocketed exponentially.
“We saw it coming, and It still hurt when we got the shipping prices and everything,” Whitney said.
Because of the rising shipping costs, she said they have seen an increase in the cost of fireworks, and while not a dramatic increase, she said bigger items could see an increase of several dollars.
“They’ve went up a quarter on my dollar items,” Whitney said. “My cakes have went up a few more dollars and stuff like that, my family packs. I haven’t seen anything raised over five dollars.”
Copyright 2022 KPLC. All rights reserved.


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Nebula Genomics, the startup that wants to put your whole genome on the blockchain, has announced the raise of $4.3 million in Series A from Khosla Ventures and other leading tech VC’s such as Arch Venture Partners, Fenbushi Capital, Mayfield, F-Prime Capital Partners, Great Point Ventures, Windham Venture Partners, Hemi Ventures, Mirae Asset, Hikma Ventures and Heartbeat Labs.
Nebula has also has forged a partnership with genome sequencing company Veritas Genetics.
Veritas was one of the first companies to sequence the entire human genome for less than $1,000 in 2015, later adding all that info to the touch of a button on your smartphone. Both Nebula and Veritas were cofounded by MIT professor and “godfather” of the Human Genome Project, George Church.
The partnership between the two companies will allow the Nebula marketplace, or the place where those consenting to share their genetic data can earn Nebula’s cryptocurrency called “Nebula tokens” to build upon Veritas open-source software platform Arvados, which can process and share large amounts of genetic information and other big data. According to the company, this crossover offers privacy and security for the physical storage and management of various data sets according to local rules and regulations.
“As our own database grows to many petabytes, together with the Nebula team we are taking the lead in our industry to protect the privacy of consumers while enabling them to participate in research and benefit from the blockchain-based marketplace Nebula is building,” Veritas CEO Mirza Cifric said in a statement.
The partnership will work with various academic institutions and industry researchers to provide genomic data from individual consumers looking to cash in by sharing their own data, rather than by freely giving it as they might through another genomics company like 23andMe.
“Compared to centralized databases, Nebula’s decentralized and federated architecture will help address privacy concerns and incentivize data sharing,” added Nebula Genomics co-founder Dennis Grishin. “Our goal is to create a data flow that will accelerate medical research and catalyze a transformation of health care.”