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A new study of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) has revealed that these firms are spending the largest portion of their budgets on email marketing, committing significantly less of their financial resources to marketing on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
MWW Group is looking for a Account Executive, Social Media. next job Blue Ocean Strategy Institute is looking for a Digital Marketing and Social Media Specialist. next job Interactive Agency is looking for a PR / Social Media Strategist. next job MWW Group is looking for a VP of Social Media Strategy, Consumer and Tech. next job Kabinet is looking for a Social Media Editor. next job loanDepot is looking for a Director of Social Media. next job Brigade Marketing is looking for a Social Media Coordinator. next job Dow Jones is looking for a Social Media Editor, MoneyBeat. next job Dow Jones is looking for a Social Media Editor, Speakeasy. next job Agency 720 is looking for a Graphic Designer/Social Media. see all


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Mark Fischer Heads UFC Asia
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is masterminding a plan of taking the East over! Dana White is really making an effort to expand their audience, and it will start in Asia. Thanks to Mark Fischer, he will be the new Managing Director of UFC Asia.
UFC President Dana White is making a plan to dominate the whole world with mixed martial arts. After the UFC 118 event last Saturday, White named Mark Fischer as the latest addition to the company’s global promotional efforts. A NBA executive for 12 years, Fischer will take the lead in moving the UFC brand in Asia. The Asian market opens up the feasibility of airing UFC products in over one billion households. It’s a major move for the company, who aims to make mixed martial arts and its brand the biggest sport in the world. The new Managing Director of UFC Asia even pointed out that UFC got numerous market in Asia, particularly China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.View Article Source »

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NEW YORK Silicomanganese trading activity has picked up but prices have trended down marginally, confusing traders who believe that impending supply constraints should be supporting prices.
Major tonnage transactions took place in a range of 52 to 53 cents per pound, with smaller volumes slightly outside that range. Silicomanganese previously was trading in a range of 53 to 57 cents per pound, with major tonnages transacting more toward the lower end of the range.
Market participants couldnt explain why prices appear to have dropped, having previously forecast that prices would rise in light of Felman Production LLCs decision to idle one of its furnaces (amm.com, May 24).
However, one trader claimed that some market participants were selling well below the rest of the market in order to lower published prices. "Thats been concerning to a number of us, because where are they getting the material from? They definitely booked it very low," he said.
Much attention has been focused on the outcome of Nucor Corp.s silicomanganese tenders, with the companys Darlington, S.C., plant reported to have concluded its tender while the Marion, Ohio, plant has yet to announce. "The last time I checked on Marion, they were still out," a second trader said.
The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker was said to have been in the market for up to 3,300 tons of silicomanganese for the third quarter, with the outcome of the tender taking longer than most suppliers anticipated (amm.com, June 7).


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LAST UPDATED : May 24, 2020, 11:54 AM IST
- India offers concessions on US farm goods to reach trade deal
India is open to greater market access for American farm and dairy products and lower duties on Harley-Davidson Inc motorcycles as it seeks to conclude a trade deal with the US in time for President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit next week, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
- India Inc expects 'mini' trade deal during Trump's visit
India Inc expects tangible outcomes from US President Donald Trump's maiden visit to the world's fifth largest economy later this month, including a bilateral "mini" trade deal and higher investment commitments from American companies. The two countries are negotiating a trade package to iron out certain issues and promote two-way commerce.
- Trump visit: India, US yet to resolve issues for trade deal
With just around 10 days for American President Donald Trump to land in the country, there is still uncertainty over the signing of the much-awaited trade deal between India and the US as the two sides have not managed to narrow differences on several issues. There is also no clarity on US Trade Representative Rober Lighthizer’s visit before Trump’s arrival.
- Cabinet approves exchange traded fund for bonds
After exchange traded fund (ETF) for equities, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved launch of a exchange traded fund for bonds. The fund will provide additional money for state-owned firms and other government organisations, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
- Flesh trade: Residents question police raids on hotels
On February 4, the Ludhiana police had claimed to have busted a gang involved in flesh trade with the arrest of 28 people, including 15 women, some hotel owners and agents during raids on hotels near the bus stand. Some of the residents have objected to such raids, raising questions about cops action against couples who go to hotels with mutual consent.
- US lists rise of China as challenge before India; wants free flow of goods, capital, data
As India and the US negotiate a free trade agreement, Washington on Monday said it wants free and fair trade along with free flow of goods, services, capital, and data as it went on to list rise of China alongside dealing with terrorism and promoting economic growth as challenges before India.


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· Hyundai sells 1,072,679 units worldwide in the first quarter
· Sales revenue and net profit stand at 20.2 trillion won and 2.5 trillion won
· Continuous efforts of ‘value-pricing’ lead higher profitability
Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker, sold 1,072,679 units (domestic: 154,800 / overseas: 917,879) worldwide in the first quarter of 2012, up 16.7 percent from the same period a year earlier, to continue its upward sales momentum.
In spite of global business uncertainties, Hyundai Motor’s continuing efforts in "value-pricing" -- or raising car prices to match their value -- paid off to result in increasing profitability.
While Hyundai Motor’s net profit rose 30.6 percent to 2.45 trillion won (including non-controlling interest) in the first quarter, compared to a year earlier, its operating profit jumped 24.9 percent to 2.28 trillion won. Due to a rise in sales volume and improved product mix, sales revenues increased 10.6 percent to 20.16 trillion won, as well. (Auto business: 17.25 trillion won / Finance and others: 2.92 trillion won)
In the Korean domestic market, sales were down by 7.1 percent to 154,800 units because of dropping consumer confidence caused by recent economic difficulties. In contrast, in overseas markets, Hyundai Motor’s sales increased 22.0 percent to 917,879 units. (export: 328,771 / overseas plants: 589,108)
Hyundai’s brand value is significantly enhanced through its persistent quality management, which also drives sales volumes.
As a result of qualitative growth based on enhanced brand awareness, Hyundai scored at an all-time high in the 2012 Vehicle Dependability Study, conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. Enhanced brand value led to significant jumps in both sales and profit, especially in the overseas markets.
Hyundai Motor expects the auto industry to remain uncertain throughout the remainder of 2012. Although the U.S. market shows signs of recovery, the European markets still face the potential of economic crisis..
In the emerging markets, competition will increase to win slowing demand in China and India. Stronger governmental policies to protect the local auto industry are expected in Brazil and Russia, as well.
Under such tough circumstances, Hyundai Motor will continue to seek qualitative growth, focusing on better profitability, rather than hasty sales volume expansion.
In addition to selling Elantra (Avante) and Sonata in the global market, Hyundai will reinforce sales of local strategic models -- such as i30 in Europe, Solaris in Russia and Eon and i10 in India -- to raise brand awareness in the global market.
Hyundai Motor will increase capacity in emerging markets with the completion of a third plant in China and a plant in Brazil -- its seventh plant outside of Korea -- in the second half of this year.


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At least 2,000 Arizonans who thought they bought bargain Affordable Care Act insurance from Health Net have learned that their rates will be more expensive than what they initially agreed to purchase.
Health Net’s prices for some plans sold directly to consumers and through the federal marketplace, healthcare.gov, quoted rates less expensive than those the health insurer filed with state insurance regulators.
The Arizona Department of Insurance noticed the discrepancy and ordered Health Net to mail letters to customers who purchased incorrectly priced plans. The rates for marketplace and direct-to-consumer plans are supposed to match the prices filed with both state and federal regulators.
The bottom line for affected consumers: Preferred-provider organization, or PPO, plans will be 7 to 13 percent more expensive than what Health Net quoted.
It does not appear that Health Net’s health-maintenance organization, or HMO, plans were priced incorrectly. One such plan is considered the “benchmark” plan in Pima, Pinal and Maricopa counties and influences federal subsidy rates for consumers who purchase marketplace plans in those counties. If Health Net’s benchmark plan was priced incorrectly, it could reset subsidy levels for most of the state’s population.
Health Net called the price discrepancy an error. The Woodland Hills, Calif., health insurer did not say how many customers are impacted, but it said the error affected only PPO plans that offer pediatric dental coverage.
An Arizona Department of Insurance letter shows that about 2,100 consumers who purchased eight types of PPO plans directly from Health Net were quoted incorrect rates. The letter did not spell out how many government-marketplace customers were affected.
In a statement, the company said, “Health Net sincerely regrets any confusion or frustration consumers may have experienced as a result of this situation.”
Consumers were caught off guard by the news. Phoenix resident Janet Kraus enrolled in a Health Net marketplace plan that quoted her a price of $575 each month. She mailed a payment for her first month’s premium, and she waited for Health Net to send her more details about her new coverage.
Instead, she received a letter on Dec. 21 informing her that Health Net was raising its price $50 per month. That is the wholesale price before federal subsidies are calculated.
Kraus said the the late mailing did not give her enough time to change plans. Most consumers who wanted coverage effective Jan. 1, 2014, had to select a plan by Dec. 23.
Although Arizona has deferred to the federal government’s marketplace, the state still has regulatory authority over health-insurance companies that market plans both on and off the federal marketplace. Health insurers must file detailed rate plans with both the Department of Insurance and the federal Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, the branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that oversees the federal marketplace.
Department of Insurance spokeswoman Erin Klug said Arizona issued a “corrective action” order to Health Net that required the health insurer to mail notices about the price discrepancy to all affected consumers.
“The bottom line is Health Net was using rates that had not been filed with the (Insurance) Department,” Klug said.


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The trademark event of IEEEP Karachi Local Centre, The IEEEP Fair 2022 (11th edition), is being organized w.e.f. 30th August 2022 at Expo Centre Karachi.
We at IEEEP Karachi Centre always pay utmost attention to technical knowledge sharing and technological advancement and IEEEP Fair is an important part of it …but why? Well, the economic theory and practices have taught us that it is the technological advancement & progress that drives the economic growth. Growth, in turn, generates the wealth that allows us to achieve our social objectives, such as poverty reduction, improved healthcare services, better educational system and improved infrastructure. Technological development & progress is also needed to achieve our environmental objectives, such as energy efficiency, reduced carbon foot print and sustainable patterns of production and consumption.
So this fair has always been an important occasion for all the exhibitors, and has provided inspiration and opportunity to thousands of manufacturers and service providers in the field of Electrical & Electronics Engineering in its 11 years of history. It offers them a precious opportunity to showcase their products and achievements to the Industrial end users, consultants, key opinion leaders and the engineering community which can motivate them to further their pursuit of technological advancement.
My sincere thanks to all the sponsors, exhibitors, event organizer, media partners, and members of IEEEP Fair Committee for their very active contribution and hard work to make this event a success.
Engr. Munis Siddiqui
Hony Secretary, IEEEP Karachi Local Centre


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Stark said while competition between operators had put “huge pressure on price and margins”, agents had benefited from surging cruise bookings, up 10% year-on-year.
On Brexit, Global managing director Stark revealed there was a clear trend towards UK domestic holidays (up 18% year-on-year), likely fuelled by poor exchange rates.
He said with about 5% of Global’s peaks trade comprising summer 2020 bookings, the consortium’s January business reinforced a broader trend towards more long-range bookings with consumers “thinking beyond the likely economic impact of Brexit”.
Stark added Global members had also reported “unpredictable” bookings patterns, with some days proving unseasonably quiet while others have been busier than usual.
“What is obvious is customers interested in price promotions have scooped up deals, although this low-value end of the market isn’t where the specialist retailers should be focusing,” he said.
“Overall, we are slightly up in terms of sales year-on-year, but I’m really expecting things to pick up over the next two months as agents have the opportunity to mine their databases and target customers with the exciting products that are available.”
Stark hailed the cruise sector for its efforts to court the trade: “There are many more agents selling cruise nowadays,” he said. “And that is down to the great work the cruise lines have done in educating retailers on the opportunities available.
“The whole sector is on a high and the amazing depth of product means it is easy to find availability to suit clients.”
Another boom for Global agents has been UK holidays, with domestic operators benefiting from the unease and uncertainty around Brexit and summer 2018 heatwave reminding consumers Britain has plenty to offer holidaymakers.
“We have seen a big jump in UK holidays so far for the summer,” said Stark. “The traditional big names such as Shearings, Haven, Super Breaks and Hoseasons have done a lot of promotion and pushed up the quality of their offering.
"I also think uncertainty over Brexit and the poor exchange rate has prompted lots of people to think about domestic breaks.”
Stark said Global agents had seen year-on-year “uplift” across long-haul and luxury options, which he said he believed could be “big growth” areas for members as they are less likely to be “swayed” by exchange rate concerns.
Stark added Global’s sales to Spain and Portugal’s Algarve had been “solid” despite a slight downturn in European short-haul bookings, with consumers once again looking towards North Africa and Turkey in pursuit of value.
What’s your view? Email firstname.lastname@example.org and let us know your thoughts or leave a comment below.


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(USNewsMag.com) – There are few movies more iconic than the 1939 film “Wizard of Oz.” Judy Garland’s portrayal of Dorothy skyrocketed her to fame. Just as iconic as the film, was the actress’ costumes. Now, one of those dresses is going up for auction and could fetch an incredible amount of money.
On May 24, the iconic blue-and-white checkered dress Judy Garland wore during her performance will be auctioned off at the “Bonhams Classic Hollywood: Film and Television,” in Los Angeles. The dress, which the actress reportedly wore in the scene where she faced the Wicked Witch of the West at the castle, is expected to fetch between $800,000 and $1.2 million at the event. The proceeds of the sale will help establish the Catholic University of America’s (CAU) Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama and Art.
The Catholic University of America will auction a dress that Judy Garland wore as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. The university says that the proceeds will go toward educating drama students. https://t.co/CHYRMCPsAk
— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) April 20, 2022
The dress being auctioned off is one of only two of the “Wizard of Oz” dresses that still has the original white blouse with it. The dress had been missing for decades, but fortunately had been located. It was donated to CUA’s drama director Father Gilbert Hartke in 1973, but went missing again a few years later. In 2021, the dress was finally found again and now the school is selling it.
Copyright 2022, USNewsMag.com


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11 APRIL 2011
© 2022 Business Travel News Ltd.
Premium Economy is here to stay, seats may have reached the limit of their ‘thinness’ and the IFE (in-flight entertainment) market could be about to experience seismic change. This was the opening day’s message at last week’s Aircraft Interiors Expo, its tenth exposé at Hamburg Messe.
An industry panel set any scepticisms about Premium Economy/Economy Plus firmly straight by confirming that it is not only here to stay but may hold further opportunities to be explored.
Alex Hervet, Long Haul Products Director at Air France, said that 600,000 passengers had already flown on the airline’s Premium Voyager service since its launch in late 2009 and that the airline now has Premium Voyager across 90% of its fleet. “Next month we are receiving our fifth A380 aircraft and this will be the first one to have Premium Voyager onboard.”
United Airline’s Director of Product Marketing, John Yeng, backed this up saying: “There is big potential out there for Premium Economy.” He added that feedback from the airline’s Economy Plus area showed that passengers were scoring this service significantly higher than traditional Economy in terms of rating the overall travel experience.
Figures published show that for every four passengers who fly for business purposes, three of them are in Economy seats – pointing to a significant growth potential for this segment of the cabin space.
Legroom and seating was also raised as an issue. Airbus Head of Aircraft Interiors Marketing, Bob Lange, said that he felt it was now mathematically impossible to make seat-backs any thinner than the latest products already offer.
Tom Plant, VP & General Manager Seating Products at B/E Aerospace said that he thought it was entirely possible that a 28 inch pitch could become standard for economy use in the future, thanks to the latest seating technology. He said: “The challenge is still long-term comfort in that area – a true judge of how comfortable a seat is means it needs to still be comfortable after three months, six months and a year’s worth of use – if it’s still comfortable after that then you have a great product.”
In the in-flight entertainment arena, Lumexis’s CEO Doug Cline, noted that IFE was getting ready for another seismic change with new companies coming into the market with innovations – the big question was who was going to survive? He said: “Suppliers have to drive down to the lowest cost of purchase, the lowest cost of maintenance and highest levels of reliability.”
Bob Lange commented that cost was also a major factor for airlines saying that the annual costs to maintain IFE could be as much as an aircraft engine. “It’s important for airlines to make the right decisions from the beginning,” he said.
John Yeng added: “There are many companies with emerging IFE technologies – we are looking for partners that can offer reliable products that can be delivered to market in the quickest way.”
A new rest room on board
With all shows it is difficult to find one outstanding item from many that are innovative and may well make their way into production. However a market research mock-up of a space-saving rear toilet and galley concept for the Airbus A320 Family caught the eye.
Called Space-Flex, the concept makes more efficient use of the volume at the rear of the cabin. The result: two rest rooms plus a galley can now be accommodated in this space, offering airlines the possibility to install up to three more revenue-generating seats in the cabin and/or to improve seat pitch. One of the Space-Flex lavatories provides full access for ‘Persons with Reduced Mobility’ (PRM) through a simple conversion process: an industry first on a single-aisle aircraft.
Other innovative new products demonstrated include a drinks trolley that could revolutionise the way beverages are served on board aeroplanes. The Sky-Tender has been developed by SkyMax and Air-Eltec Luftfahrtelektrik and can produce up to 30 different drinks including tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine and beer – at the touch of a button. The system has excellent green credentials because it will significantly reduce the amount of bottles and cans that are traditionally needed for each drinks service. Less waste means a saving on weight and also frees up storage space on board. It also means a speedier service – drinks are delivered quickly by the automated system – and airline staff no longer need to rummage around in trays looking for a passenger's preference.
Seat specialist Recaro introduced its new Economy Class seat Basic Line 3520. The company says it has managed to significantly reduce the weight of each seat unit to less than 11kg – making it 30% lighter than the previous model. This was achieved by combining high-tech materials with intelligent design. Another key feature of the new seat is that it offers passengers more living space by including a higher literature pocket which is positioned above the tray table instead of in the knee area.
Contour Aerospace was showcasing a futuristic video gaming station concept. Known as ‘Not For Wimps’ the concept was developed in conjunction with Factorydesign and features a dramatic arc of composite Kevlar and carbon fibre that curves over the top of a bucket seat creating a personal canopy feel. Ideal for passengers looking for a serious gaming experience during a long Business or First Class flight, the seat includes a state-of-the art monitor and gives the impression of being almost cocooned from the rest of the cabin; speakers are integrated into the top edges of the seat and active noise cancellation is built-in to avoid the necessity for headphones, although they can be worn if preferred.
Will ‘Not For Wimps’ make it into a scheduled airliner of the future, we shall see? Hamburg Messe is a shop window for the industry and rather like its motoring equivalent Geneva, not every thing you see is for real. But that is ‘show business’.
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum


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- The government issued SOP draft requires screening of e-commerce staffers at seller, warehousing and sale operations for COVID-19 symptoms.
- Warehouses and hubs are asked to run on staggered shifts based on manpower availability to limit crowding.
- E-commerce companies are allowed to deliver essential goods and services
Some new measures have been proposed in the draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for e-commerce operations during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Indian government. As per the new guidelines, Chief Operating Officers (COOs) of e-commerce sites like Amazon and Flipkart are responsible for following proper social distancing and sanitisation norms, while the staff of such companies is required to download the Aarogya Setu COVID-19 contact tracing app. The Indian government is allowing e-commerce companies to deliver essential goods and services during the coronavirus lockdown, and for that, a draft SOP has been formulated and circulated to stakeholders by the govt.
According to the draft norms, accessed by the Press Trust of India, “The purpose of this SOP is to provide health and safety guidance for cleaning, maintaining hygiene and safety at the workplace during a pandemic outbreak across the supply chain, including First Mile Sellers.” The COOs of e-commerce platforms will have to make sure that all the norms will be strictly followed. A regional facility and infrastructure manager will be responsible for carrying out specific tasks, while the management will handle the task of educating and communicating the requirements of the SOP guidelines to all stakeholders.
The SOP draft issued by the government requires screening of staffers at the seller, warehousing, and sales operations for COVID-19 symptoms, including cough, sneezing, fever, and breathing issue at entry (and reporting to a nearby hospital in case of any symptoms). Furthermore, the SOP says that a logbook must be maintained for every employee and visitor accessing the premises. Warehouses and hubs are asked to run on staggered shifts based on manpower availability to limit crowding. “Seller staff should maintain a minimum distance of 3 feet from e-commerce 1st-mile executive,” the SOP said.
If any of the staff is tested positive for COVID-19, the entire facility shall be immediately evacuated and all assets shall be covered and isolated.
The draft SOP also provides detailed guidelines for the cleaning of the premises of sellers, including mopping with disinfectant once a day, wiping of all trolleys and industrial machines every four hours with disinfectant, and cleaning of doorknobs every two hours. The first-mile sellers/ MSMEs must follow FSSAI’s food hygiene and safety guidelines for food business. The last mile delivery customers must carry company ID cards and vehicles/ bags used must be cleaned before they leave.


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(PR) CES 2021: Thermaltake Presents the Tower 100 Mini Chassis
Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Case, Cooling, Gaming peripherals, and enthusiast memory solutions, announces the launch of the brand new mini-tower gaming PC case, the Tower 100. Based on the award-winning Tower 900, “Pocket-sized” down into a mini-ITX Form factor powerhouse, take on compact cooling and showcase the build with the perfect presentation.
“There is a trend among hardcore gamers who are choosing smaller cases for their high-performance computer builds. It was a major challenge to transform a full tower case like Tower 900 into an ITX form-factor. Still, the chassis was well-configured for space utilization, expandability, and cooling while also providing an eye-catching appearance. The thermal control is a top priority with such a tiny chassis. Tower 100 is a new benchmark for real ITX high-end gaming systems!” said Kenny Lin, the CEO of Thermaltake.


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Green Lantern is getting a TV show thanks to HBO Max, but what does that mean for the DCEU film that has been in development for years?
Sky negotiates a deal with WarnerMedia for the rights to air and work on HBO content, including from their upcoming HBO Max streaming service.
The streaming wars are hotting up, from Netflix to Amazon to HBO Max, and each are offering plenty of exciting exclusives to entice customers.
WarnerMedia announces a May 2020 launch date for new subscription streaming service HBO Max, which will include the full HBO service and library.
Adventure Time is returning with four animated specials on HBO Max. Each new episode will focus on a specific fan-favorite character.
The wildly popular catalog of Japanese animation by Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki will be available in full on the upcoming HBO Max service.
John Oliver hilariously slams Warner Media's upcoming streaming service, HBO Max, during the latest episode of his show, Last Week Tonight.
HBO Max has some interesting content to offer, both original and previously released. Here's everything you need to know about this service.
HBO Max orders two re-imagined seasons and a special of The Boondocks, with the property's creator, Aaron McGruder, returning as showrunner.
HBO Max nabs the streaming rights to The Big Bang Theory, which will join Friends, Doctor Who, and dozens of other shows on the upcoming service.
Upcoming streaming service HBO Max is looking to add hit comedy series The Big Bang Theory to its library in a potentially massive deal.
Here's every TV show that will be included in WarnerMedia's new streaming platform, HBO Max, including Gremlins, Tokyo Vice, and The Flight Attendant.
WarnerMedia officially names its upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service HBO Max, and it has exclusive rights to Friends and other content.


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A team investigating the lithium-air end of the battery spectrum -- ones that 'breathe' oxygen -- claims to have made a little breakthrough, one that could speed a boost in battery energy density to between five and ten times current levels -- and be on the market inside five years. Just in time for Apple Car 2.
The boasts of the advancement in using air to manage part of the reaction come from a team at UT Dallas led by Kyeongjae Cho and Yongping Zheng (pictured), where work with with fellow researchers at Seoul National University has led to the creation of a new catalyst for future lithium-air batteries called dimethylphenazine. A thing so new it's not yet in the Chrome spell checker.
These new catalyst materials are soluble rather than solid, which makes them better for reasons we have no chance of ever understanding no matter how much time we spend looking at this Wikipedia page on lithium-air battery catalysts.
Dr Kyeongjae Cho explained it in layman's terms to us lot with: "This is a major step. Hopefully it will revitalize the interest in lithium-air battery research, creating momentum that can make this practical, rather than just an academic research study." [UT Dallas]


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Tencent is expanding into the world of Western game development again, this time via the acquisition of a minority stake in the French studio, Dontnod.
Dontnod, perhaps best known for developing narrative games like Life is Strange and Tell Me Why, announced that it is raising $48.5 million in order to stay independent and keep self-publishing its releases (thanks, GamesIndustry.biz).
Roughly $36.3 million of that figure has been raised from Tencent, an investment that will give the Chinese tech company a minority stake in the development studio.
"We are delighted to welcome Tencent as a Dontnod investor," reads a statement from Dontnod CEO and chairman Oskar Guilbert. "This is a real expression of trust from a key online game leader, which is behind a number of success stories and has invested in several leading companies in the video game industry.
"Through this partnership, Dontnod is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the various growth drivers in the video game industry, in particular in China and on mobile platforms, in cooperation with an industry leader.
"The capital increase announced today will enable us to step up and boost the roll-out of our development plan, which aims to capture more value from our original creations by self-publishing more games."
This is just the latest announcement in a long line of Tencent investments. Last week, Don’t Starve studio Klei Entertainment announced that Tencent had acquired a majority stake in the company, a deal that was made after the Chinese tech giant helped Klei publish its games in the region.


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Xiaomi’s Mi Band 3i launched today in India. Xiaomi India Twitter has been teasing a new fitness product for India. The official Mi.com website has been showing a small teaser image of the upcoming fitness wearable from Xiaomi.
The Mi Band 3i, this fitness band is a successor to the previously launched Mi Band HRX.Mi Band 3i, the fitness tracker will be available for pre-order starting today from 12 noon for Rs 1,299 on mi.com.
Xiaomi India says "Mi Smart Band 3i is made specifically for India and features an AMOLED touch display, 20-day battery life and up to 5ATM water resistance."
The Mi Band 3i features a 0.78 inch AMOLED touch display that has a maximum of 300 nits brightness and 128×80 pixels resolution. Xiaomi says the screen comes with an anti-fingerprint coating that ensures a clear view.Xiaomi claims that the Mi Band 3i can offer battery life of up to 20 days on full charge.
Mi Band 3i can track number of steps taken, distance walked, calories burned and more. You can also see app notifications right on the band’s display. These include WhatsApp, Instagram, Text Messages, and incoming call alerts. The band also comes with the “Find Device” option which enables detection of a paired smartphone directly from the band. Mi Smart Band 3i is water-resistant up to 5ATM (50 metres in depth for 10 minutes) that makes it safe to use while swimming, working out in the gym, and in showers.
The company has also announced earlier a #RunWithMi marathon that is scheduled to be held in Bangalore on 1 December, finishers will get the Mi Band 3i as a reward.
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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Internet auction leader eBay Inc. is suing a small rival called BidBay.com, saying it copied eBays look and feel to attract buyers and sellers.
EBays trademark-infringement lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in San Jose, seeks damages and an injunction against BidBay. BidBays founder and president didnt immediately return a call seeking comment.
EBay lawyers complained that BidBay improperly uses the word bay in its title and displays a rainbow-colored logo to give users a sense of its similarity to eBay. EBay lets users keep track of their buying and selling with a my eBay function. BidBay has one called my BidBay.
BidBay also hosts photos for eBay sellers. The lawsuit contends that BidBay exploits that connection by making its home page pop up in a new window when eBay users peruse an item with a photo hosted by BidBay.
We are aware of a number of instances where users werent clear or wondered about the connection between us and BidBay, said Jay Monahan, eBays associate general counsel for intellectual property.
BidBay.com, based in Tujunga, was launched last year by George Tannous, a former Internal Revenue Service agent who said he was frustrated by the unfriendly attitude and lack of service on eBay.
According to BidBays Web site, Tannous bought the domain name for $1,000 from a man who had put it up for sale on eBay.
One of BidBays vice presidents, Wes Cooley, is a former congressman from Oregon who was forced to quit his re-election campaign in 1996 amid accusations he had lied about fighting in the Korean War. He was convicted of lying about his record in the Oregon Voters Pamphlet and sentenced to two years of probation.
Copyright © 2001, Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Commuters traveling on Sydney’s rail and metro network can now receive real-time passenger occupancy notifications directly through the Opal Travel app based on their recent travel pattern.
Transport minister Andrew Constance revealed the new ‘Covid Safe travel notifications’ feature on Tuesday to help passengers maintain a physical distance from one another when travelling on their usual service.
The alerts - which complement real-time occupancy information on station indicator boards and third-party travel apps - will initially be available to both registered and unregistered Opal card customers who have travelled regularly over a 21-day period.
Customers who have set up the personalised alert service will receive a notification providing predicted occupancy information 30 minutes before their regular Sydney Trains or Metro service.
The Opal Travel app, which was overhauled late last month, will also push updates on physical distancing during the travel window, as well as advice on trackwork, delays and major incidents.
“The new feature is a world leading piece of innovation that uses real-time capacity and predictive data to help customers make better choices when travelling,” Constance said.
The feature – which will soon expand to light rail, ferry and bus services – was delivered by Transport for NSW in just 12 weeks with the help of Amazon Web Services, Tigerspike and App Journey.
AWS’s A/NZ public sector director Iain Rouse said that the company was “confident this new feature will make commuting a more safe and comfortable experience for customers”.
Tigerspike’s lead client engagement and strategy manager Oliver Poulter said the collaboration with TfNSW was “about building on the resources that already exist to deliver trustworthy data”.
App Journey founder Rupert Hanson added that developing the feature had been a “huge team effort”, and that feedback would allow the company to “keep improve the technology as it rolls out”.


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Restrictions on sale of fire crackers in the city
The Kamrup (Metro) district administration to impose restrictions on selling of fire crackers in the city in view of the coming Diwali festival on October 19.
Deputy Commissioner of the District, M. Angamuthu told G Plus, “Diwali crackers cannot be sold here and there without prior permission. Both wholesalers and retailers will have to take permission for selling crackers.”
The sellers will have to take a no-objection certificate (NOC) from fire department, Guwahati Municipal Corporation, Police, Pollution Control Board and District Administration.
“There will designate places and only the certified sellers will be able to sell the fire crackers. Disciplinary actions will be taken against anyone flouting the guidelines and not having the required permissions,” Angamuthu said.
The PCBA informed that they have already set a guideline for the sale of crackers.
“We have put emphasise on low smoke crackers and will also check the ingredients used in the crackers. For example, the crackers containing Strontium or heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury will not be allowed,” PCBA engineer Gokul Bhuyan, said.
Moreover, fire crackers can be sold in specific areas which will be identified and notified by the district administration.
However, regulations were set by the District administration to thwart the sale of illegal China-made crackers last year too, but were oenly sold anyway.
“Several raids are being conducted at shops in the city already and the district administration will look into that the sellers follow the regulations set on,” Angamuthu said when asked about the imposition of the restrictions.


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By Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
Reno (Thailand) Co, the producer of fashion apparel under its seven brands including AIIZ, is keying in on the Asean market, hoping it will help double its sales after the opening of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.
From 2013-15, the Asean market is expected to generate sales of between Bt3 billion and Bt4 billion for the company. Currently, the overseas market contributes 18 per cent to its total sales, which are projected to expand 25 per cent from Bt4 billion last year.
Chief executive officer Piya Thanakitamnuay said the Asean market had great potential because no fashion brand had emerged as the leader in the 10 member states. Among them, Thailand has been the most outstanding in this industry.
The AIIZ brand is regionally known among foreign tourists. Also, it is sold via distributors in neighbouring nations. Reno is in talks with retailers about opening its outlets in their countries, Piya said. They include Indonesia, Vietnam and Dubai. The deals will be finalised over three months. The business might be operated through a joint venture or a franchise with local partners.
Even with a wider market, the firm has no plan to set up its own plant, he said. It subcontracts to professional producers in lower-cost countries such as China, Vietnam and Myanmar to make its products more price-competitive.
The firm started expanding abroad in the past decade via distributors in Dubai, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Myanmar and the Middle East so that it could study the business environment in each country.
Its 17 years of accumulated experience in the local market makes the company even more able to compete with rivals flocking into the country, Piya said.
However, local brands understand consumers’ demands, especially when it comes to regional expansion, better than foreign peers.
Currently, 75 per cent of its clients are Thais.
AIIZ is available at 600 sales points in Thailand. Next year, 40-50 AIIZ shops will be opened at a cost of Bt30 million to Bt50 million each. They will be 1,000-2,000 square metres in size, up to 10 times as big as its initial format of mainly 200sqm, he said.


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Last updateThu, 29 Oct 2015 12am
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said, in response to Russia's intention to introduce restrictions on Ukrainian product imports from January 1, may in turn be matched by Kiev.
An increase in the supplies of various types of fo...
Fruit is the biggest segment of trade between SA a...
First Deputy head of Russia's Duma Committee for E...
Foreign enterprises interested in exporting their ...
One of the largest in the region, the Astrakhan Ca...
In terms of development and higher trade turnover, Serbia has found a way to profit from Russia's embargo that continues to restrict imports from the European Union, US, Norway, Canada and Australia, Serbian Ambassador Slavenko Terzich said.
Russia's Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukayev said that Russia intends to impose an embargo against Ukraine starting January 1, 2016.
Russia's federal retail network Perekrestok (Crossroads), as represented by the company's Commercial Director Yulia Leonova, signed a cooperation agreement with the National Agency for Export Development of the Kingdom of Morocco Maroc Export, which was represented by its CEO Zahra Maafiri, on the initiative support to the African country's exporters and strengthen trade relationships, according to the official docment.
Located on 10 thousand square meters of land, a new eco-product production center, specializing in organic food, will open in Barnaul, according to the region's press center.
Despite a 7 percent increase in banana imports from Ecuador and a 9 percent increase in supplies from Guatemala from January to August, the Russian market decreased its overall banana purchases by 5 percent.
Despite that weekly inflation between October 27 and November 2 stayed the same as the week prior (at 0.2 percent), the price of cucumbers and tomatoes increased significantly by 31.5 percent and 22.2 percent, respectively, according to Russia's Federal State Statistics Service.
The organisers of Fresh Business Expo Ukraine are pleased to inform that some 28 supermarkets chains and importers have already confirmed their attendance at the upcoming edition of Fresh Business Expo, which will be held from 1-3 December 2015 at the International Exhibition Centre (IEC) in Kiev.
In three months, Russia's grain harvest forecast increased by 5 million tonnes on October 26 to 102 million tonnes, as reported by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS). Most notably, wheat exports in the 2015-16 market year could be the highest in Russian history, according to the report.
The agency's forecast of a $2.3 billion profit – a 25 percent increase over the previous season - is attributed to the country's ability to domestically grow its own exports, Vladimir Grakun, deputy minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, said during a press conference.
Sergei Ivanov, chief of Russia's presidential staff, said that the goals of import substitution are not to completely replace all that was previously imported.


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Microplastic pollution is a new phenomenon in Bangladesh therefore consumers are not so aware of the dangerous impact of microplastics. Another name of microplastic is microbeads which are tiny plastic particles fewer than five millimeters in their largest dimension. And commercially available in particle sizes from microbeads to most polyethylene, polypropylene, terephthalate, polymethyl, polylactic acid. Basically, we start our day by using microbeads, at the end of the day we having various foods in our dinner which is the jumble of microbeads. But really amazing that, we don’t know actually what we ate! There are approximately 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the world’s oceans. 92 per cent of which are microplastics. And one tube of facial scrub can contain more than 300,000 plastic microbeads. In our maximum personal care product also consists of microbeads. According to a research of the Department of Environmental Science, Stamford University Bangladesh showed that- face wash, scrub, body wash, toothpaste, nail polish, detergent and cream contain microbeads. Out of 104 products, almost 50 per cent contain microbeads. Among all the products face wash is the major source of microbeads pollution in Bangladesh which is contributing to about 43 per cent of the total pollution, because this product is used by both males and females. Detergent is another large source of microbeads pollution. About 50 per cent of household work use microbeads containing detergents which are discharged to the water body in a huge amount. Various make-up products like lip gloss, nail polish, sunscreen powder and cream also contain these harmful microbeads.
Microbeads not only invaded our personal care products it also created an imbalance situation in the marine ecosystem. Tiny pieces of plastic used in personal care products go down the drain and into our lakes, rivers and oceans by the billions every day. According to Plastic Solution Fund (PSF), their study found that three major cities of Bangladesh like Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet city dwellers release a huge quantity of microbeads every month. Around 6628.46 billion microbeads from Dhaka, 1087.18 billion microbeads from Chittagong and 212.38 billion microbeads from Sylhet city are dumped into the water bodies and wetland per month. The research also shows that fish of Dhaka city were found with the highest microbeads content.
Microbeads also impact our environment. It has been shown to absorb chemical pollutants from their surroundings as part of their role in the movement of these pollutants through the food chain. It is also an imbalance in our ecosystem.
Microbeads create various dangerous diseases in the human body. Fish consumes microbeads and then are consumed by humans. The huge microbeads content in the human body will highly cost the environment and human health by causing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity in the human body.
Recently there are so many campaigns starting around the whole world to ban microbeads containing products. In 2015 the United States enacted federal legislation to ban microbeads. Currently, other countries including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and many others are considering microbeads ban legislation as well. Bangladesh also bans many products but a large number of company sale microbeads containing products in an illegal way. People are affected by various diseases due to using these products.
It’s not easy work to ban microbeads containing products within a few days or few months. But mass public awareness is also needed and they should immediately ban microbeads containing products, stop production sale and import of microbeads containing products and legislation to ban the use of microplastic in Bangladesh. The researcher said women are at greater risk from using microbeads products because they use a huge amount of microbeads containing products daily. If they don’t stop using microbeads products they may suffer from ovarian and skin cancer and also be affected by perilous diseases easily destroying life.
Now, we hope that the concerned people will come forward and raise their voice to ban microbeads. The government should take strong steps immediately to stop import and sale of microbeads containing products and foods. With rising awareness about the dangerous impact of microbeads containing products on life and health, in future Bangladesh can be microplastic pollution free.


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Puerto Rico auto sales hit 5th consecutive drop in June
The United Automobile Importers Group (known as GUIA for its initials in Spanish), raised a red flag Thursday over the unstoppable slide Puerto Rico’s auto sales have gone into over the past five months, a trend upheld in June, when activity was down 15.8 percent.
Members of the organization that represents the Puerto Rico automotive industry released the most recent figures for June, which showed that sales reached 7,814 units, or 1,465 fewer vehicles than the same month last year. The result reflects a 19.3 percent drop in retail sales and a 2.5 percent drop in corporate fleets, which accounts for the global drop.
The cumulative demand in Puerto Rico for the January to June 2014 period totaled 44,747 units, reflecting a decrease of 8.1 percent, compared to sales of 48,679 units registered during the same period of 2013.
“In June we saw the largest drop experienced by the market in the last 12 months. In fact, we had not seen such a low result for June in our industry since 2011,” said José Ordeix, president of GUIA.
“Deteriorating consumer confidence in the economy, reduced purchasing power, high operating costs of businesses, the extreme tax burden and the decline in traffic to dealers have put the auto industry in an extremely precarious situation, which has forced us to revise our sales projections for the year to 90,000 units, representing a decrease of 10 percent compared to 2013,” he said.
“While distributors and dealers are working hard to keep the industry afloat and sustain job levels, we urge the government to work hand in hand with this important sector of the local trade so that together, we can reactivate Puerto Rico’s economy,” said Ordeix.
GUIA members represent 96 percent of the total new vehicle sales in Puerto Rico.


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Mobile telecom operators EE, Verizon, Telstra and KT have teamed up to create a global alliance to promote LTE Broadcast technology, reports DTVE.
Verizon’s director, product development, corporate technology, Parissa Pandkhou, said that her company had been working on LTE Broadcast since 2012. “our goal from this alliance is to develop new business models, educate the market about what the service can do and lead the technology,” she said.
Mike Wright from Telstra said that consumption of video on mobile was increasing, particularly for sport. He said that LTE Broadcast was a key technology, adding that the alliance sent a message to others in the industry that there is a need to line up to “accelerate the ecosystem” and bring about significant penetration of LTE Broadcast-enabled devices by next year.
In the US, Verizon has developed commercially deployed LTE-B service across its nationwide 4G LTE network.
In the UK, EE trialled LTE-B at the 2015 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, in partnership with the BBC, allowing HD broadcast of multiple camera angles and replays to mobile devices in the stadium.
In Australia, Telstra undertook the world’s first stadium broadcast using LTE-B in January 2014. Telstra demonstrated the technology again at the NRL Grand Final in October 2015, and has most recently showcased content pre-positioning withEricsson at Mobile World Congress 2016.
In South Korea, KT became the first operator in the world to launch a commercial LTE-B service in January 2014. The KT service covers seven baseball stadiums and major subway lines of Seoul and Busan.


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SNK hasn’t released a genuine console since 1997’s Hyper Neo Geo 64, but the legendary company may be getting back in the hardware game. According to a tweet on its official Twitter account, a “next-gen” Neo Geo console that complements the Neo Geo Mini is in development.
A Next-Gen NEOGEO hardware is coming after NEOGEO Mini.— SNK GLOBAL @SAMURAI SHODOWN – Available Now! (@SNKPofficial) August 2, 2019
With a modern design and a wonderful play feeling and you can even link it to NEOGEO Mini, the new hardware will provide you a NEOGEO journey that you have never expeirenced.
Stay tuned for more information!#SNK #NEOGEO
SNK released the Mini just last month, a hand-sized Neo Geo modeled after an arcade unit, but fans have complained about its crappy controls and poor video output. The company could be addressing these complaints with a more authentic, full-sized Neo Geo unit.
I recently took a look at the Samurai Shodown model and was a little indifferent. It’s built well and has a great collection of games, but the controllers stink and the TV output is bad. If we can keep that device and somehow improve it, then this new Neo Geo might be an interesting prospect. I’m not expecting much, though.


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Syndero sells beauty to capture clicks
Marketer develops brands to peddle online
Send this story to a friend
- Robin Xander
If you’ve ever been intrigued by an online ad for a health or beauty product, clicked on it, and then placed an order, you probably have Brad Klaus to thank for it.
Klaus, co-founder and CEO of Syndero, has built a San Francisco success story because plenty of people — 1.3 million at last count — are willing to click through.
Syndero’s three founders saw an opportunity in 2005 to take advantage of their knowledge of online marketing to develop brands inhouse that would be directly available to consumers.
“When we started, we didn’t know we’d have more than 100 employees three years later,” Klaus said.
One measure of its success has been the number of copycat operations.
“People who sell health and beauty products online know about us, and may try to use our technology and marketing techniques,” he said.
The company also works with brands that are not Syndero-owned, Klaus said. In those cases, the product developer may lack the technical knowledge or wherewithal to create a sophisticated online presence.
Klaus, who has a background in both science and economics, was vice president of sales and business development for Qualys, a network security provider of on-demand vulnerability management, before starting Syndero.
Selling products online is somewhat like using direct response TV or home shopping channels, but also differs in fundamental ways.
For one thing, it’s more interactive. As Klaus noted, once a commercial is created, it is locked in. “The key to online ads is to create a campaign that will quickly capture the consumer’s attention” and lead viewers into other pages.
Syndero can test factors online, he said. If changes are needed, they can be made fairly inexpensively, as it’s a lot cheaper and less time-consuming to change a web site than to reshoot a commercial. Klaus said the company continues to test different variables to see what works best. He can figure out, in real time, what price points are most effective.
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GHQ NONFOODS FOR PROFIT
menthol, their electronic cigarettes look, feel and taste like cigarettes
while providing the same satisfaction obtained from smoking a traditional tobacco cigarette. “They rank eighth in the top 10 of e-cig manufacturers for the year-to-date for the week ended April 23, according
CMetrics,” says Bengoa, adding that this ranking reflects an increase
in sales over last year; further reflecting why 21st Century Smoke has
remained in the top 10 for the past six years.
Vapin Plus offers high-quality vaping products at a competitive
price. The expanding inventory features premium vaporizer pens, top-rated e-liquid flavors that are made in the U.S. and unique accessories.
They rank sixth in the top 10 of vaping manufacturers for the week
ended April 23, according CMetrics. “Vapin Plus began its successful journey in 2013 and has remained in the top 10 for the past three
years,” says Bengoa.
With the FDA’s final deeming regulations now regulating electronic
cigarettes, both 21st Century Smoke and Vapin Plus are poised to meet
those regulations and CB Distributors has always taken measures to
ensure the safety and quality of their products, says Bengoa.
In addition to offering products that feature the latest technology,
highest quality and competitive pricing, CB also cares about their customers. “Customer satisfaction is a top priority and is part of why CB
remains such a successful company today,” he adds.
Cheyenne International was founded in 2002 as a full-line tobacco
product manufacturer. Since its startup, Cheyenne has continued to
create exciting tobacco products made to high quality standards in
its modern facility. As the business continues to grow, officials for the
Grover, N.C.-based company remain focused on customer partnerships
while providing its customers with quality products at a fair price.
Of course, in today’s environment, tobacco companies must offer
more than attractive, quality products. They must create a dynamic
relationship with the channel that will deliver value to adult consumers. They must also convey the certainty of strict regulatory compliance
and the added extra of a government interface effort that delivers a level
of representation for the channel.
“The tobacco business demands creativity and integrity, both qualities possessed by Cheyenne International,” says Jessica Fratarcangelo,
marketing director. “The way we do business is simple, operating on
three key elements: partnership, quality and compliance.”
Partnership. Cheyenne values its customers, what they have to say,
and the challenges they face. “Viewing our distributors and retailers
as partners instead of just as customers allows us to create progressive
and effective strategies and solutions,” says Fratarcangelo. She adds that
each member of the Cheyenne sales team has more than a decade of
experience in the industry and is dedicated to creating profitable partnerships with all customers.
Quality. “Without truly good products, all of our successes would
have been short-lived,” she says. Cheyenne brands are designed and created to offer the highest quality to its customers. Cheyenne products
are made on high-speed machinery by employees that care about the
products they make. They are then tested to ensure that customers are
always getting the best we have to offer.
Compliance. Despite the challenges the tobacco industry faces with
government regulations such as MSA, FDA and SCHIP, Cheyenne
International believes it is imperative to work together with everyone,
including regulators, to achieve success. “Our company and employ-
ees are passionate and active in lobbying on behalf of not only our-
selves, but also on behalf of our customers and vendors as well,” says
Fratarcangelo. “We’re all in this together and we truly believe that a
collaborative effort is necessary to withstand the challenges we face as
Beyond its standing in the retail community, Cheyenne officials are
also proud of the company’s roots and its impact on its surrounding
“Our facility is located in the heart of American tobacco country, and
provides numerous jobs to local North and South Carolinians; a fact
that we’re very proud of,” adds Fratarcangelo.
ITG Brands, based in Greensboro, N.C., offers a broad portfolio of some
of the nation’s most well-known cigarette, cigar and electronic cigarette
brands. This iconic portfolio of brands includes: Winston, Kool, Salem,
Maverick and USA Gold cigarettes; Dutch Masters, Backwoods and
Phillies cigars; and blu eCigs electronic cigarettes.


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The earnings season is fully underway, and this week will feature some of the biggest names in the market.
Given the recent market selloff, investors are really hoping for a strong earnings season to bring strength back into the market as we move deeper into the fourth quarter.
So far, the earnings season has been OK, but we are still in the first phase of the cycle and it will take a few weeks before we can get a true feel for how the season will play out. The market is currently facing pressure from rising interest rates, a trade war, and the potential impact of what has been happening with Saudi Arabia and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Overall economic conditions remain favorable, but the above-mentioned risks, and mid-term elections just over 2 weeks the market may continue struggling to find its footing if we do not see a string of strong quarterly reports which puts even more importance on the current cycle.
This week’s reports will be feature some of the biggest names in the market and will be heavy in technology stocks. Here are five big name companies that will report earnings this week that could ripple across the overall market.
Tech giant Amazon.com (AMZN) will shine light on the tech sector this week when it reports third-quarter numbers after the market close Thursday. Analysts expect to see Amazon post earnings of $3.29 per share. Amazon is an important stock because it has become so diversified. Its e-commerce business is a good indicator of consumer confidence and spending. The cloud has become increasingly important to both individuals and corporations, and being a leader in the sector Amazon’s cloud-based results are a good indicator of the overall economy. Amazon is still rapidly growing and diversifying which has kept it a darling on Wall Street and helped drive the overall tech sector in recent years. A strong Amazon report will bring some strength back into the tech sector, but any signs of weakness could have a negative ripple effect across the broader market. AMZN trades at $1,798.77 with an average price target of $2,186.50.
Microsoft (MSFT) is scheduled to report its fiscal first-quarter numbers on October 24. The company will report after the market close, with the consensus calling for earnings of $0.96 for the quarter, up from $0.84 during the same period last year. Microsoft has done a fantastic job climbing to the top of the cloud services sector which is currently the fastest growing sector in tech. Earnings have been rising, and are expected to rise by 12.5% per annum over the next five years as cloud computing continues to drive bottom line gains. The company has a good earnings track record ad has topped analyst estimates each of the last nine quarters. The street expects another beat this quarter, with a whisper number of $1.00 ahead of this week’s report. MSFT is trading at $109.67 with an average price target of $121.91.
Alphabet (GOOGL) will report its third-quarter numbers this week. The company behind search engine leader Google is forecast to post earnings of $10.54 for the quarter, up from $9.57 during the same period last year. The stock is prone to making big moves following its quarterly reports and its post-earnings move will definitely have an impact on the overall market. Online search is a primary focus of all advertisers, so Google’s results are a good indicator of business spending. Google has posted positive earnings surprises the last two quarters and the market expects that trend to continue with a whisper number of $10.68 for the quarter. GOOGL currently trades at $1,115.87 with an average price target of $1,364.37.
Credit card operator Discover Financial (DFS) will report its third-quarter results October 25 after the market close. The credit card sector has been strong over the last year, as strength in the overall economy and low employment has consumer confidence high. With the busy holiday shopping season here, the market will pay special attention to payment processors and retailers this earnings season for clues as to what to expect this holiday season. Analysts expect Discover to post earnings of $2.05 for the quarter, up from $1.59 during the same period last year. DFS has sold off over the last couple weeks with the overall market after trading near its all-time high. A strong quarterly report would put the stock in great position to erase its recent losses as the broader market finds its footing. DFS trades at $74.76 with an average price target of $86.64.
Fast food giant McDonald’s (MCD) will report its third-quarter results October 23. The market will pay close attention to the company’s U.S. sales number. McDonald’s has done a good job growing its U.S. sales despite a consumer shift to a more health-conscience diet. McDonald’s has revamped its menu and added an all-day breakfast menu to attract customers, and the changes have worked. Analysts expect earnings of $1.98 per share for the most recent quarter, up from $1.76 during the same period last year. McDonald’s has topped estimates on the top and bottom line each of the last three quarters and the street expects another earnings beat this quarter with a whisper number of $2.04 for the quarter. The stock trades at $166.62 with an average price target of $183.89.


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Nickel continues to be one of the most volatile commodities in the world. After soaring about 150% over just a few months in early 2022 on a massive short squeeze, and then retracing all of those gains over subsequent months due to remarkably friendly treatment accorded to the short investor by regulators and banks, the metal has declined around 20% so far in 2023.
In 2023, Indonesian suppliers continue to produce far more nickel than global demand dictates. Indeed, the International Nickel Supply Group projects a 2023 global nickel market surplus of 239,000 tonnes, the largest in at least a decade. This builds on a 105,000-tonne excess net supply in 2022.
Important to note: the surplus in 2022 occurred and the overage projected for 2023 should occur despite strong demand growth. Demand increased 6.1% in 2022 and should grow at about the same pace in 2023. Extraordinary growth in the usage of nickel in electric vehicle (EV) batteries offset a decline in nickel consumption in the stainless steel industry last year. The global output of stainless steel, which utilizes about 75% of all nickel produced, fell 5.2% in 2022, per the World Stainless Association.
To illustrate the rapid increase in the amount of nickel deployed in the EV industry, the research firm Adamas Intelligence reports that more than 17,000 tonnes of nickel were used in EV batteries in February 2023, up 19% versus January 2023 and up 47% compared with February 2022.
As an aside, the price of lithium, another EV battery metal, has declined even more than nickel, a drop of around 60% over the first four months of 2023. Since lithium and nickel comprised about 13% and 21%, respectively, of the cost of a battery cell in 2022 (per Bank of America), the lower prices will offset some margin pressure EV makers will feel in 2023 from what is now an intense price war started by Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA).
The 2022 massive nickel short bet was by China’s Tsingshan Holding Group and its controlling shareholder, Xiang Guangda. By March 2022, Tsingshan had accumulated an approximate 150,000-tonne short nickel position, equivalent to one-eighth of all outstanding nickel contracts. Nickel prices spiked to US$100,000 per tonne on March 8, 2022 as Tsingshan faced mounting margin calls on its short position. The company faced a crippling loss of roughly US$10 billion.
The London Metals Exchange at that point stepped in to retroactively cancel 9,000 trades worth approximately US$4 billion, transactions reached by willing buyers and sellers at the highest prices in the name of market stability.
Information for this briefing was found via Trading Economics and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.


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Android is better than iPhone in many ways, says Apple co-founder
Steve Wozniak has claimed that Google’s Android platform has Apple's iOS beaten in many ways
Apple’s co-founder Steve Wozniak has claimed that Google’s Android operating system beats Apple’s iPhone experience in many ways, including navigation and voice dictation.
Speaking to The Daily Beast, Wozniak said: ‘I love the beauty of it. But I wish it did all the things my Android does, I really do.’
That’s not to say that Woz doesn’t like the iPhone. He does. And in most cases he still thinks that it's the best smartphone currently on the market.
‘The iPhone is the least frightening thing. For that kind of person who is scared of complexity, well, here’s a phone that is simple to use and does what you need it to do,’ says Wozniak.
According to the interview, Woz believes that Android has better voice commands and built-in navigation.
He also conceded that Android is quite a bit more complex to use compared to Apple’s iOS platform, but added: ‘if you’re willing to do the work to understand it a little bit, well I hate to say it, but there’s more available in some ways.’
Speaking about Siri vs. Google Voice, Woz dropped a bombshell:
‘I have a lower success rate with Siri than I do with the voice built into the Android, and that bothers me.’ This is something we can agree with the man on – the lack of navigation-support in the UK on Apple’s Siri is extremely disappointing.
Woz currently uses a Motorola DROID RAZR, although he has been given a Samsung Galaxy Nexus by his good buddy Andy Rubin – the head of Google’s Android platform. A man that Woz says he respects a great deal.
Our 2p? This scribbler is still committed to iOS. But after seeing Android 4.0 in action, things could indeed be on the change. Google has introduced a lot of refinements and improvements to the platform, which is immediately noticeable when you boot it up on either a smartphone or a tablet.
Could Android do to iOS what Microsoft’s Windows did to Macintosh in the 1990s? This is one theory being thrown around at the moment and while it is certainly interesting, we can’t see it happening any time in the foreseeable future – Apple shifts far to much product to fall into ambiguity (at least for the time being, anyway).


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It’s easy to get mired in the ebb and flow of the short-term stock market fluctuations and lose sight of the long-term trajectory. That’s been the case with fintech, which has had a rough first half of 2022, but the industry continues to evolve, which should still make the sector a prime play for growth.
Not too long ago, fintech was hailed amid social distancing measures brought on by the pandemic, which saw broad appeal for technology stocks that could thrive in a changing world. One such change was the rise of digital payments to quell the increased need to purchase goods and services online.
As such, fintech companies ballooned to lofty valuations before coming back down to earth starting in late 2021. However, the long-term growth opportunity for fintech still exists with companies like PayPal evolving and creating new products to power the industry.
“PayPal was one of the early indirect beneficiaries of the pandemic’s economic response, when consumers who were skittish about in-person transactions migrated quickly to PayPal and Venmo, creating a higher-than-normal rate of account growth,” an American Banker article said.
“PayPal has continued its strategy of building a financial super app, including services such as a point of sale credit product that extends terms for larger purchases,” the article added.
“While we are focused on incorporating more discipline into our operating model and driving operating leverage in our business, we are simultaneously investing to grow,” said Paypal CEO Dan Schulman during the company’s first-quarter earnings report. “We see opportunities to accelerate our growth and customer engagement.”
Growth Exposure via Fintech
PayPal is one of the holdings of the Global X FinTech ETF (FINX ). The fund gives growth-hungry investors targeted exposure to the fintech industry as opposed to taking a more broad approach with a tech-focused fund.
FINX seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index. The index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that provide financial technology products and services, including companies involved in mobile payments, peer-to-peer (P2P) and marketplace lending, financial analytics software, and alternative currencies, as defined by the index provider.
The fund gives investors exposure to:
- High growth potential: FINX enables investors to access high growth potential through companies that are applying technological innovations to disrupt and improve the delivery of financial services.
- An unconstrained approach: The fund’s composition transcends classic sector, industry, and geographic classifications by tracking an emerging theme.
- ETF efficiency: In a single trade, FINX offers access to dozens of companies with high exposure to the fintech theme.
For more news, information, and strategy, visit the Thematic Investing Channel.


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This is despite the fact that every show I have watched on internet TV (at least the free ones) has been loaded with ads. Of course the movie and TV industry has suffered from a lack of understanding of the internet for some time. They still labor under the impression that opening up too much will suddenly open the flood gates and their multi-billion dollar a year industry will suddenly go broke. We all know this is not the case but you can see this greed bubbling up in the way the industry is moving.
Netflix has just raised their rates in response to the likelihood that the movie studios will demand longer sale only windows on newly released DVDs and to combat the increasing use of recording enabled home devices. Fox is going to push back content for non-subscribers (cable, satellite or Hulu) for 8-day. HBO has launched an internet portal that is only open to HBO subscribers (and may end up being a paid service as well). These examples are only the tip of iceberg as we move through 2011. We have heard rumblings that aggregation services like GlideTV, SageTV and others are having their licensing rate raised; which will force some out of business or to require payment for services.
Yep, the days of the Internet as a free (legal) or at least inexpensive place for media content is quickly going the way of the dodo… Here we thought the movie and TV industry was finally getting what people really wanted.
Discuss this in our forum


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Walmart and Sam’s Club Raise $35,534 during Six-Week Campaign
Walmart and Sam's Club associates, customers and members recently wrapped up a six-week campaign to raise funds for Children's Miracle Network at Shannon Medical Center. The four stores in the San Angelo market (3 in San Angelo, one in Brady) raised $35,534, a 16 percent increase over last year’s campaign.
Funds generated from the campaign will serve the 16,000 children treated annually at Shannon. Like all Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraisers, 100% of funds raised from the event will help create miracles by funding needed medical equipment, training, and therapy programs for children treated at Shannon Medical Center and Shannon Clinic.
Nationally, through donations accepted at cash registers and in-store fundraising activities Walmart raised more than $41.7 million for the 170 hospitals that make up Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and helps CMNH provide patient visits for more than 10 million kids each year.
The retailer’s six-week campaign ran May 4 – June 14. Walmart and Sam's Club 2015 fundraising efforts will continue throughout the year at participating locations through various in-store activities.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger Relief & Healthy Eating, Sustainability, Career Opportunity and Women's Economic Empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Walmart has donated more than 1 billion meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart's giving, visit www.foundation.walmart.com.
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children's Miracle Network – the alliance of premier hospitals for children – is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals across North America. Each year the 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind. For more information, visit www.cmnsanangelo.org.


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Strategic partnership is now into its 13th consecutive year
29 MARCH 2022 – Axalta (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, has upgraded its support to the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team, to become Official Sponsor for the 2022 MotoGP World Championship season, which started in Qatar at Losail International Circuit on 4 March and runs until 6 November 2022.
Axalta has been working with the Yamaha Factory Racing Team for 13 consecutive years. This year, the agreement sees Cromax®, one of Axalta’s premium refinish brands, supporting the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team with the brand’s highly productive paint systems on the team’s new support trucks, mechanics’ toolboxes, workbenches and other essential pit lane equipment. Reigning World Champion Fabio Quartararo, and his team mate Franco Morbidelli, are riding for the team in the MotoGP 2022 season.
Quartararo and Morbidelli’s equipment, including the legendary Yamaha YZR-M1 bikes, will be transported all over Europe in the new Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team trucks, which will be painted with Cromax paint systems and sport the Axalta logo.
Olaf Adamek, Axalta Refinish Brand Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, says, “For 13 years, we have been impressed by the team’s commitment to innovation – and this year is no different. This team is the perfect partner for our high-performing products. We are looking forward to another exciting MotoGP season and wish the team every success for 2022.”
William Favero, Marketing and Communications Manager at Yamaha Motor Racing, says, “This MotoGP season is going to be as exciting as it will be demanding, especially on our riders and staff, but also on their equipment and on the team trucks we’ll be using to travel all around Europe. That’s why we’re delighted to partner with Axalta and Cromax for the 13th year in a row – we need a reliable paint supplier that will be with us every step of the way as we embark on what promises to be a thrilling championship.”
For more information about Axalta and its premium refinish brand Cromax, please visit www.axalta.com and www.cromax.com/eu. For more information about the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team, please visit www.yamahamotogp.com.
About Axalta Refinish
Axalta Refinish – part of Axalta, a global leader in the coatings industry – is a valued, reliable global paint repair partner to our customers, who demand nothing short of total customer satisfaction. We give them confidence in our fast, efficient, high-quality coating technologies and integrated digital business processes, making the entire paint repair journey faster, easier and more profitable. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, our dedication to innovation and our constantly developing technology means we offer our customers an unlimited colour choice for perfect colour matches. Most importantly, we work tirelessly to anticipate our customers’ needs so they can address the challenges they face every day. We have an impressive portfolio of brands for every bodyshop requirement, for every segment of the market, and for every level of market maturity. For more information visit refinish.axalta.eu and follow us on LinkedIn
Axalta is a global leader in the coatings industry, providing customers with innovative, colourful, beautiful and sustainable coatings solutions. From light vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings facades and other industrial applications, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enhance durability. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the global team at Axalta continues to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axalta.co.uk and follow us @Axalta on Twitter.


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By Tony Winterburn • 03 October 2020 • 21:21
A fast-food takeaway in London has been slapped with a £1,000 fine for selling a burger to a customer at 10.04 pm – breaching the new coronavirus rules by just four minutes.
The most expensive Burger ever?
Bim’s Burgers in Ilford, East London, was handed a €1,120 (£1000) fine after having broken the rules by having one customer in the store waiting for his takeaway meal past the curfew of 10.00 pm.
Police inspected the customer’s receipt and it was revealed that they were served at 10 pm “on the dot” and “staff were not handing the customer his food until 10.04 pm.” In response, the owners of Bim’s Burgers said that the incident “was made in good faith” and that it isn’t clear how the new coronavirus restrictions on the hospitality industry should be interpreted.
Redbridge MPS said: “Bim’s Burger, Ilford Lane breached COVID-19 restrictions by having one customer inside the premises waiting for his takeaway meal. “On looking at his receipt he was served 10 pm on the dot and staff were not handing him his food until 10.04 pm. The supervisor on shift was issued a €1,120 (£1000) fine on behalf of the owner.”
In a statement from Bim’s Burgers, a spokesperson said: “We very much regret that our staff unknowingly breached the Government’s 10 pm curfew. A customer entered the restaurant a few minutes before 10 pm, just as we were shutting up for the night. He was the only customer on the premises at that time. We began processing his food order before the curfew and his final receipt was printed at 10 pm.”
He added: “Our staff were under the impression that if an order was placed by 10 pm it could still be served. The food took less than four minutes to arrive and he left at 10.04 pm. Our staff were then shocked to be informed that they had breached the new laws by a matter of four minutes. New rules regarding Covid-19 are being made thick and fast and sometimes it isn’t clear exactly how they should be interpreted.”
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The head of Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX) left after a bungled merger. According to MarketWatch:
Xerox Corp.’s Chief Executive Jeff Jacobson is resigning in a settlement with two of the company’s biggest investors, Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason, a pact that shakes up the majority of the board and puts its transaction with Fujifilm Holdings Corp. at risk.
The new board is expected to consider alternatives to the deal with Fujifilm, a complex transaction that sells the majority of Xerox to the Japanese company by combining with a joint venture the two operate in Asia.
Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) earnings blew through estimates, and its shares rose — mostly because of a share buyback. According to MarketWatch:
Revenue rose 16%, to $61.1 billion, and came in just ahead of of the FactSet consensus of $60.9 billion. The company announced $100 billion in additional share buybacks and a 16% increase in its quarterly dividend
Weinstein Company is about to be sold. According to The Wall Street Journal:
Dallas-based private-equity firm Lantern Capital Partners topped the bidding for the film and television studio co-founded by Harvey Weinstein and is close to acquiring the business, according to people familiar with the matter.
Weinstein Co. named Lantern the lead bidder with a $310 million offer when the entertainment company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March. No other potential buyers topped Lantern’s existing offer, one of these people said. The deadline for bids was the close of business Monday.
Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) posted horrible results that hurt its share price. According to The Wall Street Journal:
Snap Inc. on Tuesday said revenue rose 54% in the first quarter from a year ago, but that missed analyst estimates and fell nearly 20% short of the previous quarter as efforts to wrest a larger share of advertisers’ budgets were impeded by Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google.
The Venice, Calif.-based company’s shares were down 16% in after-hours trading.
The International Monetary Fund is worried about the economy in the Middle East. According to CNBC:
Tightening liquidity, trade tensions and ongoing structural issues mean that Middle Eastern nations are facing a multitude of challenges, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) regional director.
“The matrix of risks has local or regional components as well as international components,” Jihad Azour, director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), told CNBC.
Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) plans to upgrade the benefits of Prime membership. According to CNBC:
Amazon is planning new Whole Foods benefits for its Prime members, sources told CNBC.
The new perks will bring the might of Amazon’s membership program to the grocery industry, folding Whole Foods into a network other grocers will struggle to compete with. It will give Amazon vendors, many of which are niche and small, special access to Amazon’s vast shopper base.
Roughly 75 percent of Whole Foods shoppers are Amazon Prime members, but less than 20 percent of Amazon Prime members are Whole Foods shoppers, a source told CNBC.


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Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) called for the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the safety of Triclosan, a chemical found in everything from socks to soap to toothpaste. The European Union has banned the chemical, and according the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Safety Database, Triclosan has been linked to cancer, developmental toxicity, skin irritation, and endocrine disruption. Markey said in a statement, "Despite the fact that this chemical is found in everything from soaps to socks, there are many troubling questions about triclosan's effectiveness and potentially harmful effects, especially for children."
Markey went further: "I call upon the federal government to ban the use of triclosan in consumer soaps and hand-washes, products intended for use by children, and products intended to come into contact with food. In addition, I will soon introduce legislation to speed up the government's efforts to evaluate and regulate other substances that may pose similar public health concerns." Rep. Markey has shown a lot of courage in standing up to big chemical companies.
If you want to get ahead of the pack and ditch this dangerous chemical before the government bans it, check out our 5 Easy Green Cleaning Tips that Use Vinegar. If you want to learn about other household chemicals that you might want to avoid, read our article on the connection between Cosmetics and Breast Cancer.


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At this point, if a week has gone by and a new Motorola phone hasn’t been outed, then there is something wrong. As an Android OEM, no one seems to pump out devices faster than these guys. So when a new device was found in EXIF data over at Picasa, that could be their follow-up to the recently released DROID RAZR, dubbed the RAZRMAX, we are not surprised at all.
Little is known about the phone, but when you see “DROID” mixed into the name, you know it’s headed to Verizon. Since we saw two new HD screened RAZR-esque phones announced for China just last week, one could assume that one of them may end up as the RAZRMAX here in the states. “MAX” as a word in general, gives off an impression of “bonus” or “upgraded” which would fit in perfectly with an HD screen. Or could it be a bigger battery? Tough to tell from EXIF data.


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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11
Sponsored: How goods are packaged is driving consumer purchasing decisions.
December 2, 2019 by Ian Lifshitz
Sponsored: Why fashion brands should care about circularity — and how to avoid being seen as greenwashing.
November 13, 2019 by Florian Heubrandner
Alongside innovations in recycled content and renewable plastic, the company's Dasani brand is expanding pilots of its water dispenser line, PureFill.
August 19, 2019 by Lauren Phipps
Sponsored: Cisco adds a human element to business and technology frameworks in a collaborative takeback model for a circular economy.
August 6, 2019 by Ulf Vinneras
Product selection remains somewhat limited, but TerraCycle's bold experiment in reusable packaging — aka the milkman model of delivery — gets many things right.
June 20, 2019 by Scot Case
Plus, some practical ideas for achieving them.
May 21, 2019 by Tristanne Davis
Plus, why Republican Bob Inglis, a former representative for South Carolina, has made it his mission to educate conservatives about the economics of climate change.
May 17, 2019 by Heather Clancy
Sponsored: Sustana Fiber is addressing challenges in the recyclability of paper cups, providing sustainable packaging options for environmentally conscious brands.
May 13, 2019 by Jay Hunsberger
Internet sales are a massive market — but with high rates of returns and half of those going to the landfill, something has to change.
April 8, 2019 by Lauren Phipps
Companies must tackle the problem by reducing and reusing first, rather than skipping straight to recycling as the best solution.
February 21, 2019 by Tom Dowdall


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As long as AOL is committed to the premium content business--a commitment that has seemed to waver of late--this is a smart move.
TechCrunch's traffic and revenue will soar when the company is plugged into AOL's salesforce and distribution system, so whatever AOL pays as a multiple of TechCrunch's current revenues will be chicken-feed relative to the revenue the integrated site will ultimately generate. (The purchase price will likely be more than $50mm).
Contrary to popular belief, TechCrunch will also be fine when founder Mike Arrington leaves, just as Gawker was fine when founding editor Elizabeth Spiers left, Engadget was fine when Peter Rojas left, and most other high-quality new media properties have been fine when big-name editors and writers have left.
(Yes, if ALL the writers and editors leave the day the deal closes, TechCrunch won't be fine, but we assume AOL's smarter than that.)
TechCrunch will help AOL bolster its tech content, which is one of the most promising advertising verticals. And so on.
But there's something else that AOL is buying in TechCrunch in addition to the leading tech blog: A big-company M&A specialist named Heather Harde, who is now TechCrunch's CEO.
One of the next phases of the evolution of the online media business will be consolidation: There are dozens of small but successful properties out there that would be much more successful if they were part of a major company. Just as Time, Inc. and other traditional media companies were assembled via both organic growth and M&A, the new media conglomerates of the future will be assembled this way.
Heather has wanted to pursue a roll-up strategy at TechCrunch for several years now. TechCrunch alone hasn't had the resources or opportunity to do it. But AOL does.
And AOL, meanwhile, just lost one of its big premium content executives, Marty Moe. Heather could presumably run AOL's Weblogs business and/or manage a roll-up strategy. She used to do M&A at News Corp, so she not only has these skills, but is also presumably equipped to navigate the politics of a large organization.
So that's another thing AOL would be buying here. And acquiring Heather, too, makes sense--if AOL is committed to a premium content strategy. Which, again, based on the company's recent behavior, does not seem to be a given.
(Not that it's relevant to this discussion, but Heather was once voted one of The Sexiest CEOs Alive >)


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Twitter said its financial chief, Mike Gupta, will take on the role of senior vice president of strategic investments at the microblogging site and will be succeeded by Anthony Noto.
Netflix rose after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to buy from neutral, saying the streaming media company will “drive sustained outperformance,” as “subscriber growth will continue to exceed expectations.”
Cooper agreed to buy Sauflon Pharmaceuticals Ltd. for about $1.2 billion. The deal would strengthen Cooper’s presence in the fast-growing segment of disposable contact lenses. Shares rose.
Alere said its chief executive and two other top executives resigned effective immediately as part of the health-care diagnostics company’s strategic review. Chief Operating Officer Namal Nawana will replace Ron Zwanziger as CEO and president of the company on an interim basis.
L'Oreal said its U.S. unit reached a proposed settlement with the Federal Trade Commission that would end an inquiry regarding advertising claims linked to two antiwrinkle products.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers said it will eliminate the position of chief operating officer, joining a growing number of companies to eliminate the post.
Stone Energy said it has reached a definitive agreement to sell its Gulf of Mexico conventional shelf properties to Talos Energy Offshore LLC for $200 million in cash.


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I’m still getting responses to a January column about plastic bags, with some readers insisting that a ban on point-of-sale bags at retail locations is urgently needed here in B.C.
This is unfortunately typical of environmental discussions these days. With attention-seeking politicians and media tugging at our heart-strings, our urbanizing population is led astray.
Some rejected my argument that a retail plastic bag ban will have little effect, other than weakening the viability of municipal recycling systems. In response, I have been referring people to a German study that was released in February.
It finds that of the massive influx of discarded plastic into the world’s oceans, 90 per cent comes from 10 rivers. Two of those rivers are in Africa and the rest are in Asia.
For the record, they are the Yangtze, Yellow, Hai, Pearl, Amur, Mekong, Indus and Ganges in Asia, and the Niger and Nile in Africa. The Indus alone deposits more plastic than the 47 other rivers in the global survey, combined. And the Yangtze is several times worse, carrying up to 1.5 million metric tonnes of plastic debris and micro-plastic into the Yellow Sea each year.
Clearly these huge watershed areas don’t have any plastic recycling programs to worry about, and trash of all kinds is washed into rivers. This is why North American and European rivers aren’t on the list.
As was noted at the GLOBE Forum on sustainable business in Vancouver in January, a kilogram of recycled plastic is worth more than a kilogram of steel. Of course you need an organized, technological society with a competent education system to convey this knowledge and act on it. We have that now, but it is a fragile thing in the so-called “information age,” with teachers joining others in swallowing the latest feel-good message.
The rivers study was widely reported, with TV networks using a currently handy bit of file video showing a scuba diver surrounded by plastic junk floating by. Intent on making the issue relevant to North American audiences, most didn’t mention that the video was taken off the coast of Indonesia.
The Danish government did another study, a life cycle assessment of production, use and disposal of shopping bags available in supermarkets in the fall of 2017. Using 16 parameters including greenhouse gas emissions, it compared a plastic bag, used once for groceries, once to line a wastebasket, then incinerated, with the alternatives.
The results: you must use a regular cotton bag 7,100 times to make it better for the environment. “Organic” cotton performs much worse, requiring 20,000 uses. Paper bags need to be reused 47 times to match the performance of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) that is commonly used for grocery bags, squeeze bottles, toys and so forth.
Indeed, LDPE is chosen because it is low-impact to produce and recycles well. Governments that are serious about taking action to get plastic out of the environment can require manufacturers and distributors to collect and recycle it, rather than forcing consumers to change their habits in a way that gives the illusion of progress but actually makes things worse.
Micro-plastics in waterways get attention as well, although there isn’t clear evidence that this is devastating marine life as some shrieking headlines suggest. One major source of micro-plastic fibres is washing modern clothing such as fleece jackets and (brace yourself) yoga pants.
Once again, German ingenuity assists. Outdoor gear retailers there brainstormed over beers and came up with the Guppy Friend, a mesh laundry bag that catches fibres in the washing machine.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: email@example.com