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A Cure For Baldness? Scientists Claim To Have Found One.
Science and Technology
On 4th December 2017
Balding is probably the number one fear that men have in life. Yeah, there are plenty of famous actors that make bald look cool but for the most part, guys just dread losing their hair. Lucky for us, scientists claim to have solved the balding problem. Hang onto to your combs and read on to find out more.
The big discovery.
Scientists in South Korea have created a substance that will stimulate new hair follicle growth. Up until now, most methods of fighting hair loss have been limited in their ability to improve or change. This major scientific breakthrough will bring about many amazing hair loss remedies.
The miracle cure.
Scientists discovered that a protein called "CXXC-type zinc finger protein 5" alters a process inside of cells that controls wound healing and the development of hair follicles. Using mice, they tested a new substance over a period of 28 days and found that it promoted new hair growth.
This led to an amazing solution.
After discovering the protein, scientists were about able to create a solution called PTD-DBM. This miracle solution proved to be more than capable of stopping CXXC from boding. The mice used in the testing were shown to grow hair much faster.
The lead scientist explains.
Lead researcher, Yonsei University Professor Kang-Yell, said: "We have found a protein that controls the hair growth and developed a new substance that promotes hair regeneration by controlling the function of the protein. We expect that the newly developed substance will contribute to the development of a drug that not only treats hair loss but also regenerates damaged skin tissues."
Current treatments really don't work for men who already have hair loss.
Tablets, transplants, and lotions are currently what we use to treat hair loss. While some are useful, none of them work as well and they should and some even have horrible side effects. These treatments are really not good for people who already suffer from hair loss. The same can't be said for this new method.


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Home Tags Product Launches
Tag: Product Launches
Software NEWS: -- Software company iMyFone recently launched its voice changer feature, the iMyFone MagicMic. This voice modulator software allows users to change their voices in real-time.
Publishing NEWS: -- This Jan., journalist Elaine Alice Murphy is set to release her memoir, "In for Life" (ISBN: 978-0578965659; Satuit Press), about her two-decade exploration of the wrongful murder conviction of her son's classmate and friend, Sean K. Ellis. The high-profile Boston case gained international attention when it became the subject of the eight-part Netflix docuseries "Trial 4."
Publishing NEWS: -- Beverly Bowers, a retired financial planner, entrepreneur and founder of Sister Courage Publishing, realized there was a need for a guidebook that would help women learn more about how to take charge of their investments. So, she set out to create a book specifically written for women. The end result is: "How to Dress a Naked Portfolio: A Tailored Introduction to Investing for Women" (ISBN: 978-0578312705; Sister Courage Publishing).
Music and Arts: High Mountain Breezes (HMB Players) Releases First Record, ‘Daddy’s Margarita Rose’ – Just in Time for the Holidays
Music and Performers NEWS: -- High Mountain Breezes today announced the release of their first record, "Daddy's Margarita Rose." The Record is now available on Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, You-Tube and many other major streaming services.
Publishing: Legacy Launch Pad Publishing releases book addressing doctor burnout by Dr. Patrick Tran
Publishing NEWS: -- Legacy Launch Pad Publishing is releasing "Burn-In: A Doctors Guide to Finding Happiness, Avoiding Burnout and Catching FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early)" (ISBN 978-19514079-0), the second book by Dr. Patrick Tran.
Publishing: New book, ‘True Joy for the Retired’ reveals major breakthrough in unleashing the power of appreciation, love and inclusion between...
Publishing NEWS: -- Paulina Kay has released a new book entitled "True Joy for the Retired, A Holistic Approach to Spreading the Love to Our Forgotten Elderly" (ISBN: 978-1773710075). It shows the young and old how to overcome: the deeply rooted Disconnection between generations; the often heartbreaking loneliness and hopelessness of the elderly; and the fear about getting older.
Software NEWS: -- Due to the limited storage space of your phone and the size limitations of some social networks, you may find it hard to store the image or video you captured with your phone or camera in their original sizes on your device or post them to the Internet. Given this, HitPaw has released its new product- HitPaw Compressor.
Music and Arts: Golden State Pops Orchestra / Friends of the GSPO announce the creation of the Entertainment in Music Association
Music and Performers NEWS: -- The Golden State Pops Orchestra / Friends of the GSPO nonprofit arts organization announces that they will now be doing business as the Entertainment in Music Association. The purpose of the association will be to support passion and creativity through the art and entertainment of music. This includes governing and funding the Golden State Pops Orchestra ensemble and other new projects related to music entertainment.
Software: SimpleNexus helps lenders better serve Spanish-speaking borrowers with launch of Nexus Bilingual
Software NEWS: -- SimpleNexus, developer of the leading homeownership platform for loan officers, borrowers, real estate agents and settlement agents, today announced the release of Nexus Bilingual(tm), a new feature that makes the loan process more accessible to prospective homebuyers who prefer to communicate in Spanish by gathering initial loan information in Spanish.
Publishing: Neurotech Reports Announces Launch of New Publication Serving Bioelectronic Medicine Industry
Publishing NEWS: -- Neurotech Reports, the San Francisco, California publisher of market intelligence for the healthcare industry, announced the launch of a new monthly newsletter covering the bioelectronic medicine industry, one of the newest and fastest growing industry segments. The publication, BioElectRx Business Report, is the first industry newsletter devoted to bioelectronic medicine.
Software NEWS: -- iToolab Co Ltd; Today sees the release of innovative tech solution iToolab UnlockGo (Android); for the first time available for Android devices. A company borne out of the frustration with the difficulty Apple users often experience with common iOS bugs and issues, iToolab has now served over 55,000 customers across 130+ countries worldwide with their easy-to-use and effective software solutions.
Software: Reducing Friction Losses: New One-Stop Video Editing Application Maximizes Content Creators’ Efficiency and Creative Control
Software NEWS: -- Professional video editors save content creators on platforms like YouTube and TikTok massive amounts of time. But communication, file sharing, and order tracking can make dealing with a video editor more trouble than it's worth. VOMA, a first-of-its-kind platform launched by video editing startup Tasty Edits, seeks to solve these issues.
Film NEWS: -- 13 Fanboy LLC announces: After 12 years without a "FRIDAY THE 13TH" film, fans are hungry for new blood. Enter Deborah Voorhees (yes, that is her real name), star of "FRIDAY THE 13TH part 5," and director of the October 22, 2021 horror film "13 FANBOY."
Software: iMobie Announces AnyMirror to Mirror Phone and Tablet Screens with Synchronized Audio in High-quality without Delay
Software NEWS: -- iMobie Inc., an innovator dedicated to enhancing software technology in the consideration of users' convenience in digital life for more than 10 years, released a fantastic mirroring application - AnyMirror. This tool enables users to mirror Android & iOS screens, audio, cameras, and microphones and stream as many devices simultaneously with different content as they need.
Music and Arts: Sue Larsen, Singer-Songwriter, Releases her Third Single, Which Pokes Fun at Not Accepting a Relationship Ending
Music and Performers NEWS: -- Bijoux Music Group LLC announced Sue Larsen's next pop single, "You Will Always Be There" is being released today, under the Bijoux Music Group LLC label and produced by Sue Larsen. It can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora and all other streaming platforms. It is also available on Amazon and the iTunes Store for download as a mp3.
Software NEWS: -- Tenorshare has proudly announced that it has launched new app called Tenorshare Phone Mirror. Phone Mirror is an industry-leading software solution that can help users mirror their Android screen and display on a bigger screen easily.
Music and Performers NEWS: -- DJ Expression, also known as Peter O Okeke, has vowed to make a difference and to add value to the music industry by pushing the AfroBeat genre. Nigerian-born, this musical artist has developed a unique style where he's created a signature blend of mixes and sounds. Now, he's excited to announce a new mixtape to drop this week - "Traffic Light" (AFROBEAT Vol. 14).
Software NEWS: -- SimpleNexus, developer of the leading homeownership platform for loan officers, borrowers, real estate agents and settlement agents, today announced the debut of Nexus Pay at the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention and Expo (MBA Annual21) happening October 17-20 at the San Diego Convention Center.
Film NEWS: -- 3Films Entertainment has made an official disclosure, confirming that star actress and writer Hera Anderson will play the leading role in their highly anticipated LGBT short film "The Black Rose." At the helm of the production of the LGBT short film "The Black Rose" is Alexander Kurbonov as the Production Manager. Also boarding as the director is Sinan Yalvac.
Software NEWS: -- DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully compliant loan document preparation, automated regulatory compliance, and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced the official launch of its eSign 3.0 platform. The enhancements to the mortgage industry's preeminent eSigning platform introduce new tools and features designed to enable lenders to easily facilitate remote online notarization (RON) for paperless eClosings.

domain: news


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Traditional sports leagues are capitalizing on the growing esports industry for good reason. Esports has become a giant in its own right, especially since it is set to exceed $3 billion in revenue by 2022. Right now, esports is laying the integral foundation in which many opportunities can arise for other industries, especially when it comes to brand investments, sponsorships and more.
When thinking of this colossal industry, one major company is making strides to build the largest community of authentic gamers.
Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.’s (TSXV: EGLX, FSE: 2AV) digital media network of websites and YouTube channels has officially become the largest online gaming information network in the United States, according to Comscore, a leading third-party media measurement and analytics company.
The company’s network of over 100 gaming websites, 900 YouTube channels, surpasses TWITCH.TV, IGN Entertainment and GameSpot as the largest combined web and video entity.


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Auction for Massive Fossilized Egg Could Reach $45,000
Christie’s has announced that it will auction off a rare sub-fossilized egg from the extinct Madagascar Elephant Bird – which at over 10 feet tall, was once the world’s largest bird.
Naturally, the species is believed to have met its doom due to overhunting by humans between the 14th and 17th centuries.
The egg, over 100 times the size of a standard chicken egg, measures over 8 inches wide and nearly 12 inches high. Auction officials believe bidding could reach between $30,000-$45,000.
James Hyslop, a Scientific Specialist at Christie’s, told the Independent: “It’s very rare to find one that’s complete. To see one in such perfect condition is a real treat.”
The auction kicks off on April 24th. For more details, jump here.


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Unboxing the Apple effect: the undisputed champions of product launches
How can challenger brands get the Apple effect without an Apple budget? Dan Hall, business director at 2Heads, unboxes the success behind Apple product launches.
2heads unpicks Apple’s success and considers what marketers can learn from its strategy
Apple has long been lauded as the world’s most beloved brand, but what makes its product launches seem like blockbuster movies, and motivates consumers around the world to camp outside its stores?
Fundamentally, Apple succeeds by keeping things simple. It uses the same key principles to launch its products every year with such consistency that its loyal consumer base knows what to expect and is never disappointed. Continuity and slavish adherence to its mission statement is communicated every time.
While famed for innovation, Apple is also not afraid to take others’ ideas and make them better. It is happy to build its brand in its own way, connecting its launches in subtle ways to the industry, but never falling in line. It has a vision and it believes in it – which is why others do too.
For a start, Apple makes the most of a slate of proprietary events. Apple famously only ever launches new products at its own events. It makes its consumers wait, and then goes big.
Last year, Apple held three product launches. The largest, its September launch, led into the big consumer spending months of October, November and December, and it went for broke, launching iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, Apple Watch series 7, and the new iPad and iPad Mini.
Supporting these big-ticket events is a raft of stealth marketing efforts. Apple heavily influences industry events such as CES 2022 by dropping big announcements about its accessories during the event. Apple’s Find My Network, a smart door lock feature available on iPhone, was the talk of this year’s show.
They also understand the power of rumor – Apple attends three to four events each year but makes each one count, dropping hints in the press of what’s to come to keep the rumor mill churning and guarantee huge online and physical attendance.
And to build hype and keep conversations going before and after the launches, Apple created its Apple Events app with business leader podcasts. Anyone can tune into past keynotes hosted by Apple chief executive Tim Cook in their own time.
A core business tenet for Apple is to always stick to the vision statement. Steve Jobs in 1997 said: “Apple is dedicated to the empowerment of man – to make personal computing accessible to each and every individual so as to help change the way we think, work, learn, communicate.” This vision hasn’t changed to this day. Everything it launches meets this criterion; otherwise, it goes in the bin. It says no to thousands of projects and sticks to launching only those that 100% fulfill its mission.
This is supported by powerful partnerships; though Apple didn’t launch any new products at CES 2022, it made sure its technology was available in all items, from backpacks to earbuds. A deluge of new products was released at the show, designed to be compatible with Apple’s Find My location service and MagSafe charging system. By integrating its innovations with other products, it let its peer brands launch its innovations for them – proving that partnering with others to launch innovations can work well.
A global view is also key – see Apple’s success in China (and compare with Amazon, whose product launches never gained traction in China). Apple found a way to break through, bringing it acclaim worldwide. Understanding Chinese consumer needs and the fact that many young Chinese people don’t have TVs, it focused on big screen launches. These launches also focused on video gameplay, connecting it to a middle class with higher purchasing power. Though China may not be your market, decoding the needs of your desired demographic and focusing your launches just on that could be a tactic for success.
Apple didn’t strictly invent most of its famous core products. From internet phones to touch screens, it wasn’t the first. What it does well is fine-tune innovation for market consumption. Its launches focus on how it ‘does it better.’ No matter what your product, does your launch focus on the same?
Interestingly, Apple product launches are not just about the tech itself, but the user experience and customer service. It puts its friendly interface at the front of every launch. It’s as recognizable now as the Apple motif itself.
Every Apple product launch of the last three years has contained two important content elements; colorful, diverse livestreamed video and presentations from international 3D environments to ‘show’ the power of its products. Immersive tech is threaded into every one of its launches, from Tim Cook walking out of the desert on to a stage to the new iPad launch from a 3D render of a San Francisco laboratory. It might sound obvious, but the quality of your content can make all the difference to your launch.
Finally, consider the power of apps. Of course for Apple, this is putting its money where its mouth is. Not only do its launches always focus on the versatility of IOS capabilities, but it makes sure there is an app for launch itself, allowing people to explore the breadth of its products. Building an app for your launch is not difficult now and shows a more evolved approach.
Content by The Drum Network member:
Founded in 1983 by Chairman Pepe Parra, we have over 37 years’ experience in helping brands win in good … and in challenging times. Over this time, we have expanded to four key markets in the UK, Los Angeles, Cannes and Hong Kong.Find out more


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'newBrandAnalytics is the type of company that every mayor wants in their city – innovative, civic minded and eager to make their city a better place to live, work and play,' said District of Columbia Mayor Vincent C. Gray.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) December 17, 2013
Social customer experience expert newBrandAnalytics (nBA) was presented with the top prize for Social Media Startups at the 2013 Social Media Leadership Awards during a ceremony held Dec. 9 at The Wharton School in Philadelphia.
The Social Media Leadership Awards are held annually to celebrate and honor best practices in social media, and this year’s event theme focused on how organizations are using social data to grow revenue and measure return on investment. Hundreds of award entries were evaluated by a panel composed of global business, social media and academic leaders, with champions selected based on their innovation and success using social media to solve organizational challenges. Other category champions included market leaders such as American Airlines, Campbell Soup, Dell, HSN, GlaxoSmithKline, Adobe, and Merck.
The award caps an exciting year for newBrandAnalytics, which reported record high revenue, sales bookings and client renewals in the first half of 2013 and also added major brands including Hyatt Hotels, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Crunch Fitness and Bob’s Discount Furniture to its client roster. In July, nBA celebrated the one-year anniversary of its partnership with the District of Columbia’s innovative Grade.DC.Gov program, which is the first online system for rating, analyzing and evaluating government services using citizens’ social media feedback. The program’s widespread success and unique use of social media intelligence for the public sector were both key to newBrandAnalytics’ award win.
“newBrandAnalytics is the type of company that every mayor wants in their city – innovative, civic minded and eager to make their city a better place to live, work and play,” said District of Columbia Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “We’re excited to have newBrandAnalytics in the District and to be able to partner with them to improve how we serve our residents through social media."
“We’re honored to be recognized as an innovator in this dynamic field and so proud of the work we do to help organizations better connect with their customers and constituents,” said Kristin Muhlner, CEO of newBrandAnalytics. “When great technology meets great companies, anything can happen.”
newBrandAnalytics delivers social customer experience solutions that help companies win – and keep – market share while improving overall operational performance. newBrandAnalytics’ unique approach extracts targeted, local insights from volumes of unstructured social media data, pinpointing specific ways your company can meet and exceed customer expectations to create lifelong brand evangelists. The company serves clients across food and beverage, hospitality, retail, and government industries, including Five Guys, Hyatt, Darden, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Quiznos and the District of Columbia and many more. To learn more, please visit http://www.newbrandanalytics.com or @nBrandAnalytics.


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New-Money Millionaires Flood Luxury Market
The merchandise is eye-popping, the prices astronomical and the clientele, not exactly old money. Millionaires are being created like no other time in history.
Now a growing number of self-made millionaires are changing the face of the luxury market, demanding the kind of lavish lifestyle that used to be reserved for royals. Full article


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December 8, 2012 |
George Alexander Muthoot , managing director of Muthoot Finance has served various roles as the president of the Association of Gold Loan companies (India) (AGLOC), and the chairman of the Kerala Non-Banking Finance Companies Welfare Association from 2004 to 2007 and is currently its vice chairman. With more such feathers in his cap, Muthoot speaks to ET on the potential of gold loans market in Pimpri Chinchwad, and how the gold loans customer profile is...
April 22, 2013 |
MUMBAI: The Association Of Gold Loan Companies India (AGLOC) said a 15-20% fluctuation in gold prices will not have any significant impact on the portfolios of gold loan companies. The association has also decided to lower the maximum lending rate on account of dip in gold prices, an official release said. "The Gold Loan Companies are majorly lending against household jewellery where the impact of such...
February 28, 2013
George Alexander Muthoot The release of Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) KUB Rao committee report on gold has brought a breath of fresh air. The awareness of gold loans had grown well beyond the south and gold loan players, especially the biggies, have been growing at a brisk pace. The RBI had some concerns, which it laid down with a slew of measures it deemed fit. While these were more of hygiene factors, what followed was a dialogue between the gold...
July 27, 2011 |
In an interview with ET Now, George Alexander Muthoot , MD , Muthoot Finance, expressed his views on company's performace. Excerpts: ET Now: It has been a strong quarter, the point being you think this kind of momentum that you showed can continue in the quarters ahead as well. George Alexander Muthoot: Yes, the momentum in next quarters will also continue in the same fashion but definitely not on the 120% growth of quarter on quarter. ET...
August 20, 2011 |
KOLKATA: Muthoot Group plans to open 50 branches in West Bengal by March 2012, taking its tally in the state to 100, the company managing director George Alexander Muthoot said. The Kochi-based gold loan financing company has a good presence in the south and the north and the company is now expanding its operation in eastern India. The company is going in for a public issue of secured, redeemable, non-convertible debentures (NCDs) to raise up to Rs 1,000 crore.


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Calvin Klein recently announced that Doutzen Kroes, Dutch model and actress has signed with the company to be the face of their new women fragrance. According to WWD, Calvin Klein Reveal fragrance will launch at the end of summer. No further details were released yet but as lover of CK fragrances I’m really curious to sniff the new EDP.
International Launch Date – September 2014 at Sephora, Douglas and all Calvin Klein counters
Doutzen Kroes, one of Victoria’s Secret angels has also been featured in advertising campaigns for L’Oreal and Tiffany & Co. Don’t forget about the new Calvin Klein Liquid Gold Euphoria fragrance for men and women recently launched exclusively in the Middle East.


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SAVANNAH, Ga. – Parker’s, an award-winning convenience and food service leader headquartered in Savannah, Ga., has been included on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America for the fifth time.
Inc. released the complete list of honorees earlier today and will recognize the winners in the September 2019 issue of the magazine and at the Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala, which will be held on October 10-12, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Parker’s once again joins top U.S. companies like Microsoft, Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Jamba Juice, Timberland, Pandora, Patagonia and Oracle. To make the cut, companies needed to achieve significant revenue growth between 2015 and 2018.
“We’re deeply grateful to all of our loyal customers for making this incredible recognition possible,” said Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker. “We’re absolutely thrilled to be honored, once again, as one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies, delivering the ultimate in customer service, technology and food service to our customers.”
In recent years, Parker’s has redefined the role of a convenience store by adding freshly prepared, Southern-inspired food at Parker’s Kitchen locations across Georgia and South Carolina. In 2018, Convenience Store News honored Parker’s as the
Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year. Parker’s has also earned accolades for donating a percentage of gas sales on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools and hospitals through the company’s Fueling the Community charitable initiative.
Always on the cutting edge, Parker’s is currently using predictive analytics and machine learning to determine the most seamless, frictionless and time-efficient ways to complete more than 125,000 daily transactions and to prepare the freshest possible food to meet customer demand.
“For decades, Inc. has welcomed the fastest-growing private companies in America,” said James Ledbetter, Editor in Chief of Inc. Magazine, “and this year’s set of winners places the bar very high indeed.”
With 58 stores throughout coastal Georgia and South Carolina and a $50 million expansion into the Charleston, S.C. market currently underway, Parker’s is well on its way to becoming a billion-dollar company. Parker’s has enjoyed 20 to 24 percent annual growth every year for the past 19 years.
Founded in 1976, Parker’s employs nearly 1,000 individuals throughout the region, who have access to innovative DailyPay technology, allowing for pay on-demand. The award-winning company has been recognized by USA Today for its impressive food selection and has earned raves as a top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor.
Parker’s is strategically redefining America’s convenience store industry, offering customers high-quality products, freshly prepared food and superior customer service at 58 retail stores throughout southeast Georgia and South Carolina. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation’s leading convenience store and food service companies. In addition to world-famous hand-breaded Southern Fried
Chicken Tenders, Parker’s Kitchen also serves made-from-scratch mac ‘n’ cheese, a breakfast bar and daily specials. The company’s popular Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 150,000 members, has saved Parker’s customers more than $10 million to date. For more information about Parker’s, visit www.parkersav.com.
RECENT AWARDS AND ACCOLADES:
● 2019 Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America
● 2018 Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year – Convenience Store News
● 50 Most Influential People in Convenience Store History – Convenience
● Top 10 U.S. Gas Station Brands – Gas Buddy
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Morning News Readers’ Choice Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Magazine Best of Savannah Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Statesboro Herald “Best in the ‘Boro” Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Bryan County Now “Best of Bryan” Awards
● Regional Economic Impact Award – Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
● Best Convenience Store – Island Packet
● Most Fab Convenience Store – Effingham Herald
● Keep Liberty Beautiful Award – Coastal Courier
● Most Fabulous Gas Station – Effingham Living
● Wayne County’s Favorite Convenience Store – Jesup Press-Sentinel
● Citizen of the Year Award – Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club
● Community Hero Award – 100 Black Men of Savannah


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Airtel on Friday expanded its 'Mera Pehla Smartphone' initiative in India, adding the Celkon Star 4G+ to the list, and offering it at an 'effective price' of Rs. 1,249. The telco states the market price is approximately Rs. 2,999. The subscriber opting the new launch will need to adhere to Airtel network and the same handset for a period of three years. Earlier this month, the telco partnered with Intex to launch a similar offer.
Subscribers opting the Celkon Star 4G+ need to make a down payment of Rs. 2,749 and make 36 continuous monthly recharges (totalling a minimum of Rs. 3,000 every 18 months). The company recommends its Rs. 169 recharge. In return, the telco will provide them with a cashback of Rs. 500 after 18 months, while the remaining Rs. 1,000 will be available after 36 months - bringing the total cashback to Rs. 1,500. The Celkon handset will be available for purchase through major retail stores in the country, while prepaid recharges need to be done from an Airtel retailer.
As we mentioned, Airtel subscribers interested in the offer have the freedom of making recharges of any denomination. However, to avail the cashback, they will be required to make recharges worth Rs. 6,000 over the 36-month period, or more specifically, a minimum of Rs. 3,000 in each of the 18-month periods.
The Android 6.0 Marshmallow-based Celkon Star 4G+ has a 4-inch display and comes with dual-SIM support. The smartphone is backed by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, coupled with 512MB of RAM. Further, it has a 3.2-megapixel rear camera sensor and a 2-megapixel front camera sensor. The handset has 4GB of onboard storage, expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB), and comes with connectivity options such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ A-GPS, and Micro-USB. There is also built-in FM radio and MPEG 4 video support. It is powered by an 1800mAh battery.
Alongside basic specifications, the Celkon Star 4G+ comes with pre-installed apps including My Airtel, Airtel TV, and Wynk Music. Google Play Store access is also available to let users easily install compatible apps.
Airtel collaborated with Intex a couple of weeks back and launched the Intex Aqua Lions N1 under its Mera Pehla Smartphone initiative at an effective price of Rs. 1,649. The company kicked-off the programme by partnering with Karbonn and then Celkon later the same month earlier this year. In November, it launched two more smartphones with Karbonn. The prime aim behind the development was initially to make subscriber focus shift from Reliance's Jio Phone that was debuted with a nominal security deposit of Rs. 1,500. However, it also kickstarted an "effective price" war between other telcos, including BSNL and Vodafone. BSNL brought the Micromax Bharat 1 in October, while Vodafone recently launched the Itel A20 with a similar effective price tag.


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Since the beginning of this year, the price of sanitary ware has generally increased, among which the price rise of leading enterprises is the largest, while the price rise of ceramics, another main material of decoration, has also been "rising" recently, and the decoration cost of consumers has gradually increased - the cost has risen, and the price of sanitary ware has also risen. It is reported that since this year, the price of sanitary ware has generally increased, of which the price increase of leading enterprises is the largest, while the price increase of ceramics, another main material of decoration, has been constantly "rising" recently, and the decoration cost of consumers has gradually increased - the cost has risen, and the price of sanitary ware has also risen
the price of sanitary ware products is singing all the way
it is reported that most sanitary ware manufacturers adjust the price of their products from March to early April. A manufacturer asked the dealer to increase the price by 10%. The dealer reduced the sales pressure and chose to digest the price increase of the manufacturer. He only increased the price by 3% or had to choose a store with appropriate rent to reduce the pressure. "Price rise is the general trend, and prices may continue to rise in the future." Toto sanitary ware salesperson said with emotion that the price of their company's products rose five times last year, but the range of each time was not large. It rose again in March this year, and some products rose by dozens of yuan. The products without price rise are basically unsalable products
the salesperson of the bathroom store of other brands said that the price would be adjusted in the near future, but only some products were involved. Clerk Kohler pointed to a bathtub with a price of 13000 yuan and said that the price of this bathtub would rise by 10% and the price would change to 14000 yuan. After the discount, it is about 500 or 600 yuan higher than the current actual selling price. Other brands change their prices by increasing discounts. The salesperson of imperial sanitary ware said that now they are offering a 6.5% discount on the price. Soon, the price will be increased by about 8% and the discount will be increased to 70%
for the reasons for the price rise, people in the industry said that the main reason was that the manufacturers' production costs increased, and dealers were under the pressure of increasing rent and labor costs
the increase of faucet is "faucet"
as the most important part of the bathroom industry, faucet is a small accessory, but its price is not cheap. Some copper faucets often cost thousands of yuan, and some prices are higher than toilets, basins and other large items. The salesperson of a bathroom said that the salesperson of American standard bathroom said that on March 15, they had raised the price of the faucet once, with an average increase of dozens of yuan per model, while the price of the basin did not change much. The salesperson suggested that consumers should buy Bathroom products as soon as possible if appropriate. Similarly, Kohler faucet also has the same trend, with a basic increase of 10% to 15%. The price of faucet of farnsa sanitary ware, a local enterprise, has increased by about 100 yuan. Industry insiders predict that the price of leading enterprises will rise in the coming months, and the specific price adjustment range depends on the manufacturer
according to insiders, in recent years, the prices of copper, nickel, stainless steel and other metal materials have continued to rise, causing the sanitary industry to increase prices almost every year
the price of ceramic tiles will not fall behind.
the prices of first-line ceramic tile brands such as Nobel, Smick and Marco Polo have increased since April. Among them, the price adjustment range of Nobel ceramic tiles is within 10 yuan for a single piece, and the price of the highest single piece has increased by nearly 40 yuan, which is amazing. The price of "Smick" increased by more than 10%. Osheno has also raised its price as early as January, and now the price is still constantly fine-tuning. Although there is no obvious increase in Marco Polo tiles, compared with the 6.5% discount that has been implemented before, the discount has been maintained at about 7%. For the reason of price adjustment, merchants generally said that the main reason was the shortage of raw materials
insiders remind consumers that as the main material with large consumption in home decoration, the cost consumers spend on ceramic tiles is not a fraction, so how to avoid waste and appropriate use has become the key, especially in the current situation of rising ceramic tile prices, if there is a little waste, there will be a lot of extra decoration budget if they are not careful
the rise in fuel oil is the "Mastermind"
in the "short term outlook report on energy" released by the U.S. Department of energy on April 8, it is believed that the average price of light crude oil futures on the international market in New York in 2008 reached $100.61 per barrel, up nearly 40% from $72.32 in 2007. After the rise of fuel oil, the logistics cost of enterprises increased by about 5% to 10% on average, but for building materials, especially some sanitary ware products, the transportation cost increased by far more than 10%, and some as high as 30%. This has a significant impact on those low-end sanitary ware products with relatively low prices. The price rise is not affected by the region. The building materials and sanitary ware markets all over the country are rising, which undoubtedly allows consumers to pay for the rise in the price of international sanitary raw materials


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anonymity doesn’t fuel online hatred, group mentality does
A new study finds that online trolls aren't as anonymous as you would think.
young women-run sex stores are picking up where sex-ed left off
Observing that traditional sex stores weren’t keeping up with our evolving conversation around pleasure, women are creating new spaces that offer more than orgasms.
the weirdest late-night tv show of the 80s is now streaming online
'Night Flight,' the loveably eclectic cable show that aired between 1981 and 1988, showcased Lou Reed, the Dead Kennedys, and some seriously 80s computer animation.
buy our 35th anniversary issue online
And get your hands on the limited edition cover wraps too!
#horror: cannes premiere turned teenage protest
Actress and Imitation of Christ designer Tara Subkoff tapped Chlöe Sevigny and Natasha Lyonne for her directorial debut, then rallied a squad of teenage girls to take a stand against online harassment.
roland tings is testing if he has anything to say
Following the release of his first LP, he’s contemplating the relevance of the album and how long another one is going to take.


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A group of livestock farmers in Arkansas are turning to the blockchain technology to let customers know where their meat is coming from.
Supported by Heifer USA, the suppliers from the Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperation are the first to employ the distributed ledger to verify and trace their products from farm to fork. It is hoped this will give consumers confidence in the quality of food they are buying.
The use of the blockchain is already being employed in many use cases. First utilised within the financial world, the technology can now be seen within the energy, clothing, education and healthcare sectors.
Now, with the help from the blockchain consumers can verify the information within the food chain. With the use of QR codes customers can scan Grass Roots products to find out where the meat came from and how the animals were raised.
With more people concerned about where the meat they are eating originates, this digital history will give all the detail they need. There will also be stories from the farmers and butchers who helped to craft the product.
According to Cody Hopkins, Grass Roots general manager and founding member, Americas have an increasing interest in what they are eating. So much so, that a 2016 Label Insight Study found that 83 percent of consumers wanted more information on what’s in their food.
“When I learned about this technology, I thought ‘this is the solution.’ It’s the perfect way for Grass Roots to offer folks total transparency. [UK-based technology company] Provenance has developed a platform that levels the playing field for small-scale farmers and puts information directly in consumers’ hands.”
Grass Roots is a small-batch meat company that is working at restoring consumer confidence in the food that they eat. By embracing the blockchain they are ensuring that consumers can see what they are eating and how it has been raised.
Pierre Ferrari, Heifer USA’s Advisory Board Chair, said that the farmers are an innovative bunch who are always seeking ways to introduce the latest technology that will provide real value to the consumer.
“Partnering with Provenance and the Golden Gate Meat Company is another example of how proactive they are in wanting their customers to know where their food originates. It’s only a matter of time before this becomes ‘best practice’ throughout the industry.”
Low Level of Trust
A 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer study has found that society is in the midst of a ‘profound crisis of trust.’ The study states that of the 28 countries surveyed two-thirds are considered ‘distrusters.’
According to Richard Edelman, president and CEO:
“Under 50 percent trust in the mainstream institutions of business, government, media and NGOs to do what is right.”
He claims this level of distrust stems from the Great Recession of 2008.
“The aftershocks from the stunning meltdown of the global economy are still being felt today, with consequences yet unknown.”
It’s natural then for that feeling of distrust to flow over into the food industry. So much so, that the Label Insight study added that 75 percent of people polled don’t trust the accuracy of food labels.
You only have to think back to the 2013 Horse Meat Scandal in Europe – when food advertised as containing beef was found to contain horse meat – to see why many consumers may have misgivings about the food they are eating.
China Uses the Blockchain to Verify Food
China, too, has been employing the distributed ledger to track and trace its food supply chain.
More specifically, its chickens and pigs.
As reported, China is working on improving its food safety with Chinese web insurer ZhongAn Technology revealing that it has developed a blockchain-based platform designed to track the entire process of chicken farming.
China is a country that has had a few food safety issues in the past. In 2008, a toxic mixture of milk and infant formula mixed with melamine, killed six children, put thousands of others in hospital, and had sickened many more.
Unsurprisingly, a 2015 Pew Global Attitudes survey found that 71 percent of Chinese people thought food safety was a big issue in the country.
Therefore, as chickens are a staple part of the Chinese diet, with China’s poultry consumption predicted at 12.8 million tons, it makes sense to track and trace where the chickens are coming from.
Chickens, though, are not the only animal that is being traced by the blockchain. So are pigs.
In 2016, Walmart announced that it had teamed up with multinational technology company IBM to put Chinese pork on the blockchain. Teaming up with Tsinghua University in Beijing, it’s hoped that this partnership will prevent food disasters in the future.
By doing so, they can provide a transparent record for consumers so they know exactly where their food is coming from, regardless of the country in question.
According to Frank Yiannes, vice president of food safety at Walmart, tracking food can help stop food disasters.
“If you could track and pinpoint where that came from faster, you could alleviate all that and ensure consumer confidence continues.”
Since teaming up to put Chinese pork on the blockchain, Walmart revealed that the results so far have been ‘very encouraging.’
Nowadays, with the advancements in technology, it no longer has to be difficult to see exactly where a food is sourced from. The food industry is quickly beginning to see the merits behind the distributed ledger and the positive impact it can play in consumer confidence and food consumption.
With a global population at 7.5 billion there are a lot of mouths to feed. For many, knowing exactly what they are eating or where it comes from may not be a top concern. However, for those that do, the blockchain can now provide that peace of mind to ensuring that the animals were treated well through their life.
What may now be considered as something new, will eventually be taken for granted: the scanning of foods to see where a product has been sourced and not simply reading a label to say where it has come from.
Featured image from Shutterstock.


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By @Simon Alvarez from Twitter
Tesla seems to have hit gold with its adoption of prefabricated construction techniques, with the EV maker utilizing the system to build its facilities at an extremely rapid rate. Among the facilities that seem to be getting the prefabricated treatment is Tesla’s Grohmann Automation site in Prüm, Germany, which is currently undergoing an expansion.
Late last month, Tesla owner and electric vehicle advocate @Humpidumpi2 dropped by the Grohmann Automation site in Prüm, only to find a massive construction project underway. The construction was located in an area previously used as a parking lot by Tesla Grohmann employees, and it was littered with prefabricated concrete posts, similar to those used in Gigafactory Berlin.
Recent visits to the area have revealed that the expansion of the Tesla Grohmann Automation site is moving at an extremely impressive rate. A short video clip of the location showed that the area was busy with heavy machinery, and some floorings were already being set up. More prefabricated concrete pillars could also be seen across the entire building site.
@Humpidumpi from Twitter
Tesla has so far not released any information about its ongoin
g construction project in Prüm, though dozens of job openings for the location remain listed on Grohmann Automation’s official website. With this in mind, it appears that Tesla, at least for now, is looking to recruit more workers for the Grohmann Automation site.
The Grohmann Automation site produces crucial machinery that Tesla uses for its facilities, such as Gigafactory Nevada. Considering Tesla’s rapid expansion in the coming years, the demand for production machinery is bound to increase. This makes the ongoing expansion of the Prüm site sensible, as Tesla would probably need all the machines that the Grohmann site can manufacture in the coming years.
S3XYWORLD Offer Premium Tesla Aftermarket Accessaries. SHOP Here.


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What’s a penny worth to you? Most people don’t worry about the lowly 1 cent piece at all. They’re a nuisance to many, frequently found laying on the ground – as if bending over to retrieve them just isn’t worth the effort. Yet, one more penny per pound is enough of a pay increase to totally change the life of a Florida tomato picker, which until recently was akin to sweat factory workers, and in some cases, downright slavery. Considering the premium price tomatoes fetch, the situation is deplorable.
But change is taking place, and you can make a difference in this situation by buying only tomatoes at the store that bear the Fair Food Worker Certified label. Right now only a handful of commercial tomato growers have enrolled in the program. The initiative was started by the tomato field workers themselves, and it’s taken years to get past the roadblock the Florida Tomato Exchange erected. The tomato grower industry body threatened to impose a $100,000 fine on any Florida tomato farm that joined the program… and it wasn’t going to cost the farmer or the exchange anything at all.
Bigger Than Wages
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has spent the last 2 decades trying to change the life of market farm workers, many of which are from Mexico and South America, but not all of them. Slowly, but surely, they have been able to make a difference in the working conditions field pickers toil under. Until the Fair Food program was put into place it was common practice among tomato growers to force them to overfill picking buckets. Workers were paid by the bucket, and heaping them as high as they could meant cheating the pickers out of 10% of what they were supposed to get paid.
Minimum wage isn’t part of farm employment. The industry is historically low paying, but still being cheated on wages was routine, and the rate of pay has declined in recent years too. Imagine on top of being robbed of your pay having to deal with being beaten, belittled, sexually harassed, starved, lack of proper medical treatment, and more. Pickers work long hours totally exposed to the elements. Its a physically demanding job with almost inhuman quotas… imagine picking and carrying 2 tons of tomatoes from the rows to the truck every day. And then going home to give your dinner to your children, because there isn’t enough money to feed the whole family.
It’s hard to believe that this goes on in today’s USA, but it is. Educating the workers about their human rights has brought change, and the CIW, along with their support organizations continue to work on bringing these changes about industry-wide. Thanks to the dedication of this farm workers coalition, conditions in Florida are now considered the best in the country, but this improvement is very recent, and there is still much to be accomplished.[alert type=white ]”Florida tomato suppliers in the Fair Food Program pass on to their buyers a penny-per-pound of tomatoes pay increase for farmworkers. They also must have zero tolerance for forced labor and sexual assault and put in place a mechanism for resolving labor disputes between growers and farmworkers. The program also requires growers to allow farmworkers to form health and safety committees on each farm.” — Associated Press[/alert]
Consider just how much of the fresh produce piled in your local grocery store is hand picked. Basically all of it. Harvested by armies of underpaid field workers, though the Fair Food program only covers tomatoes to date. Obviously, they’ve got a long way to go in correcting the injustice, though one cent per pound increase in cost might raise your food costs three cents a pound. Even a nickel would be a small thing to most shoppers… like no one will buy zucchini or plums if the price is a 3-5 cents more?
What Pennies Can Buy
Demand for organic fruits and vegetables is widespread, firmly entrenched in the food supply everywhere. Becoming a more sustainable society has many seeking out locally grown produce in growing numbers too, which is great. It’s not only good for the environment, it boosts your local economy too… A community that ceases to support itself could eventually become a ghost town. But just because it came from a farm not far from you doesn’t mean no farm workers haven’t been taken advantage of in the process from planting to it arriving at market.
Initially, the Florida Tomato Exchange thought that what the Fair Food Program, Fair Food Standards Council, and the CIW was trying to do was form a union, but they had it all wrong, and in the end what they’ve created is really extraordinary. In the words of the Washington Post, this is perhaps “one of the greatest human rights success stories of our day.” It’s not a union, but the establishment of ethics in the workplace, and health and safety measures. We – you and I – can help to spread the Fair Food Program to all tomato farm workers, perhaps all produce farm workers. After all, your purchasing dollars carry a lot of weight within the food supply system. That extra penny per pound is paid to the farm and then passed onto the workers.
It’s not a union, it’s an alliance between the farm workers, the farm, and the retailer. Fair Food certified tomatoes aren’t available everywhere. It started out small, but it’s growing pretty rapidly in 2015. A lot of what’s been accomplished in getting stores and eateries involved came about through activities of the Alliance for Fair Food, but not every establishment they’ve targeted has come around to ethical thinking… there are those that refuse to get on board.
Buy Ethical Tomatoes
Surprisingly, fast food restaurants, catering, and food service firms were some of the first wholesale buyers to support the Fair Food Program. Yum Brands – Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and Wing Street was the first retailer to enroll in 2005. Subway, McDonald’s, and Burger King followed suit in 2008, as did Whole Foods after a 2 year battle with the tomato exchange. Next came 4 major food service companies over the next 2 years. Both Chipotle and Trader Joe’s joined forces with the tomato workers next, followed by WalMart in 2014.
This year they’ve really started making a mark in grocery stores with both Fresh Market and Ahold USA – Giant, Peapod, and Stop & Shop. The Ahold acquisition puts worker-certified Fair Food tomatoes to 780 new stores in 14 Eastern states. Ahold broadens the market by 50 million new shoppers a month for farms that participate in giving their workers an ethical workplace and a fair wage.
Can’t buy Fair Food certified tomatoes near you? You might want to complain to your grocer’s management, maybe write your representatives in Washington, because…
Human rights should be an important part of feeding a country, let alone feeding the world.
[highlight color=#A5BD97 ] FAIR TRADE WHERE IT MATTERS MOST… AT HOME [/highlight]


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The town of Frisco's sustainable business program is now accepting a limited number of business. Go to www.highcountryconservation.org/FriscoCleanTracks.htm to sign up. Businesses receive a $200 cash stipend toward a green project, a free energy audit and free sustainability audit. This program is designed to support and recognize businesses that are doing good things for the environment.
- High Country News: The 21st century’s Hoover Dam?
- Summit County marks milestone as Pennsylvania Mine receives one of two pollution-preventing plugs
- US Ski Team, USSA exploring new options for supporting athletes
- Social Summit: Catching the first turns of the season at A-Basin
- Colorado ski season gets rolling at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area


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Harley-Davidson’s Battle of the Kings, which is a custom build off competition that takes place in many international markets, has been finally introduced in India. As part of this customization competition, the staff-members of Harley-Davidson dealerships attempt to come up with some really beautiful and tasteful custom motorcycles based on the existing Harleys. The 2018 edition of this competition will witness a participation by as many as 10 Indian dealerships from different states across the country.
As per competition rules, the custom motorcycles should be built with a budget of Rs 5 lakh. These mod-jobs will be based on the Harley-Davidson Street 750 and the Harley-Davidson Street Bob. These custom motorcycles will be required to reflect the theme – 115 years of Harley-Davidson. In words of the iconic American motorcycle manufacturer, this competition is “the ultimate expression of freedom and creativity.” The custom motorcycles from all the dealerships will be subjected to an online public voting process that has already started from 23rd July. The voters can select their favourite custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle at h-d.com/battleofthekings. The company will announce the winner of this competition on the basis of the votes garnered by the participating motorcycles.
Globally, this contest involves as many as 250 authorized Harley-Davidson owners from across the world. The custom motorcycles built by these dealerships will compete against each other for the winning title. A panel of judges will choose a finalist from every region. These finalists will showcase their custom motorcycles at the EICMA 2018 motorcycle show in Milan, Italy. The ultimate winner of this competition will be announced at EICMA 2018.
Speaking on the debut of Battle of the Kings in India, Peter MacKenzie, Managing Director of Harley-Davidson India said, “The theme of the Battle of the Kings 2018 edition reflects 115 years of Harley-Davidson. Showcasing the talent and enthusiasm of the dealership staff, the contest also demonstrates the brand’s ideals of individuality, freedom and expression while providing inspiration for our customers.”
In India, the Harley-Davidson Street 750 has an ex-showroom price of Rs 5.25 lakh. On the other hand, the Harley-Davidson Street Rod, which is a derivative of Street 750, has an ex-showroom price of Rs 5.86 lakh.


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By Bill Emmott
As an economist, I feel I can make this confession: very often, in assessing political events, people can be fooled by economics into thinking that disputes will surely be settled quite quickly. They are fooled by economics because that topic seems to sum up the underlying true interests of countries and their governments: money, profits, jobs and living standards. So if a dispute promises to make them poorer, the reasoning goes, they will find a resolution. But this is often wrong. Other factors can be equally or more important.
The issue that has prompted me to make this observation is the U.S.-China trade conflict. Admittedly, one surprise, so far, about this trade war between the world's two economic and political superpowers is that it has made little measurable difference to global economic growth. But the other surprise is that as time has passed, the two sides appear to have become no nearer to a settlement or even a temporary trade ceasefire. Just the opposite: their positions have recently been hardening.
Six months or so ago, it was widely assumed that despite all President Donald Trump's noisy rhetoric about unfair trade, about the huge U.S.-China trade imbalance and about the justice of imposing tariffs on imports of Chinese goods into the U.S., Americans would eventually seek a deal. It was also assumed that the Chinese would want a deal, too, probably by making some concessions as well as some big symbolic purchases of American goods. The two sides' economic interests would surely guarantee this.
As the month of May began, there were stories in the media saying that a deal was imminent. It was said that there might even be a special summit meeting between President Xi Jinping of China and President Trump to finalise such a compromise, especially given the value that President Trump places on personal diplomacy.
But this proved to be an illusion. A resolution is not imminent at all. The two sides have offered differing narratives about what happened. The truth about how the process faltered is less important, however, than trying to achieve an understanding about where the conflict stands and where it might be heading.
Where it stands is that having begun as a conflict about trade imbalances and about perceived unfairness in trade and investment practices, the conflict has widened into one whose main issue concerns defense, security and ultimately political power. Technological competition was always on the negotiating table, but it had initially been framed as being about intellectual property protection. Now, the United States has chosen to frame it as being chiefly about espionage, not commercial espionage but the political sort.
That is the only way to explain how the Chinese telecommunications equipment company, Huawei, has come to stand at the center of the U.S.-China conflict, and how President Trump is seeking to ban all companies that do business in America from acting as partners or suppliers to Huawei. Hence the British chip design company ARM, owned by Japan's Softbank, has had to cease its business with Huawei as otherwise it would be banned from doing business in the U.S.
The United States is also trying to persuade its close allies, such as Britain, Japan and others, against allowing Huawei equipment to be used in their fifth-generation (5G) mobile phone networks. It is even threatening to cease sharing intelligence with those allies that refuse to abide by its request.
It is possible that this demonization of Huawei will prove to have been just a tactical ploy in the trade conflict. President Trump and his advisers might turn out to believe that by using American power to threaten the commercial future of a major Chinese corporation, one that is at the forefront of technological innovation, the U.S. will be able to bully the Chinese government into a deal on more conventional matters, such as trade imbalances.
Yet right now, the alternative explanation looks much more plausible. This is that by bringing Huawei to the center of the conflict, the United States has essentially admitted that the real issue in this trade war is not in fact trade but rather geopolitical primacy. The U.S. has thereby declared that despite its apparent superiority in military power, it is afraid that China could quite soon be able to challenge its power and primacy, and that technology could become a key tool in that challenge.
Whatever the truth of this proposition, the result has been that both the U.S. and China have become more reluctant to make any kind of compromise. Domestic politics in both countries is making both President Trump and President Xi feel obliged to take a very hard, patriotic line. Economic interests are not determining the outcome. Instead, politics and security strategy has become dominant.
It is an interesting reversal of the historic U.S.-Japan trade relationship. In the 1980s, when the current U.S. Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer, was deputy USTR and negotiating about perceived Japanese unfairness over trade, the reality was that the U.S.-Japan security alliance provided a limit to how tough the Americans were willing to become. Over China today, it seems to be the opposite. Economic criteria might suggest the U.S. should not be overly tough; but security criteria are incentivising the Americans to be much tougher than they might otherwise be.
The fact that this trade war is taking place during a strong period of global economic growth means that it is being absorbed more easily than might otherwise be the case. But the fact that politics has taken over from economics as the main driver of this trade war means that the chance of a resolution in the near future now looks small. President Trump has said he will make his decision about raising tariffs after meeting President Xi at the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28-29. He loves to believe in the power of personal diplomacy, especially his own. Yet the issues are too fundamental to expect any real resolution to take place in Osaka, even if a temporary ceasefire could be agreed. This battle is going to be with us for many years.
(Bill Emmott is an independent writer, lecturer and consultant on international affairs)


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Founded in 1983, Vancouver, B.C.-based English Bay Batter makes cookies, muffins, brownies and other pastries for distribution in the U.S. and Canada retail and food service channels.
“English Bay Batter is a leading player in North America, which is a strategic market for Cerelia,” said Guillaume Reveilhac, chief executive officer of Cerelia. “Our two companies’ DNAs are comparable in all respects. We are happy to welcome the E.B.B. team, knowing that our group is initiating a new phase of development.”Remi Buttiaux, a partner at IK Investment Partners, which manages Cerelia, added, “After two build-up acquisitions in Europe completed by Cerelia in the past 18 months — Bioderij in The Netherlands in 2015 and BakeAway in the U.K. in 2016 — the acquisition of E.B.B. is a key milestone in its plan for growth to accelerate its development in North America, adding local manufacturing capabilities, existing customer relationships and a deep market understanding to Cerelia’s innovation capabilities. Combined sales of the group (are expected) to reach over €400 million.”


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Last year’s Open Talent global Financial Inclusion award winner, ePesos is connecting more of Mexico’s unbanked population with the financial services they need. BBVA speaks to Alex Martin, Director of Strategic Partnerships, to find out more about how ePesos has continued to contribute to the evolution and transformation of the economy in Mexico.
ePesos provides essential financial services to underbanked and unbanked consumers and small business owners across Mexico through our open payments platform. Essentially, ePesos is a mobile wallet, similar to PayPal, but customers don’t need a bank account to access it, just a mobile phone.
Can you tell us about ePesos?
We were launched in 2014, and the idea was born out of a digital-first microfinance institution our founder, Oscar Robles, worked on prior to this. That institution’s primary focus was on selling loans and capturing customer information through mobile devices, but Oscar realised that mobile technology was not being used to its fullest potential, as payments were still restricted to cash.
What type of market does ePesos operate in?
In Mexico there is generally a lot of scepticism about financial services institutions. That’s why a huge percentage of the population remains unbanked, and the main challenge that comes with this is that many individuals and small businesses have little or no access to credit.
On top of this our customers - who tend to be low-income salaried employees - typically withdraw their salaries all at once on payday. That’s why banks have millions of customers with an average bank balance of zero and, therefore, no way to access their financial products. This has caused a huge liquidity issue, where eight out of ten consumers are unable to budget for emergencies. As businesses typically don’t have mechanisms to lend to employees, these individuals end up at loan sharks or pawn shops, but then get charged fees on domestic cash transfers.
How does the platform work?
Our custom-built mobile wallet and digital lending platform enables customers to receive access to credit in a much simpler way, allowing them to pay bills, carry out peer-to-peer transfers, make direct deposits to bank accounts, and more, all through their mobile phones.
"Since winning the award just last year, we have attracted a lot of attention from some very big global players"
ePesos also integrates smoothly with payroll software, enabling customers to advance up to 30 per cent of their next paycheck. The advance is automatically deducted from their following paycheck, including a 2.5 per cent commission, which is a much lower cost than other options.This gives individuals more flexibility than existing payroll loan systems, which often have multi-year repayment terms.
What’s next for ePesos?
We are currently running a pilot integration with a local rideshare company, helping drivers borrow to deal with emergency costs, such as vehicle repairs that would keep them off the road and prevent them earning if they couldn’t afford to pay for them. This could potentially be an area for huge amounts of growth.
The gig economy has always been a major part of life in Mexico – there are some areas where between 60 and 70 per cent of the working economy is informal - and consumer dependency on app-enabled ‘gig economy’ jobs will only increase.
Since winning the BBVA Open Talent Financial Inclusion award just last year, we have attracted a lot of attention from some very big global players, which will boost our continued growth and support our upcoming projects.


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Severity: Warning Alert
Transportation: Officials in Arkansas, US, order residents to wear face masks whenever in public, starting July 20. Other COVID-19 measures in place.
- Alert Begins: 20 Jul 2020 10:46 PM UTC
- Alert Expires: 07 Aug 2020 11:59 PM UTC
- Incident: COVID-19 restrictions
- Location(s): Arkansas (map)
- Time Frame: Indefinite
- Impact: Possible business disruptions
Authorities in Arkansas have issued orders requiring all persons in the state to wear protective face coverings starting July 20 to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The directive specifically mandates that all persons 10 years of age or older wear face coverings when in any indoor or outdoor environment, except for private residences, where social distancing of at least 2 meters (6 feet) cannot be observed. Exemptions are authorized for persons with medical conditions or disabilities that prevent the wearing of a face covering, as well as certain professional activities in which a face mask would inhibit the safe and effective performance an individual's job duties.
The measure comes as Arkansas remains in Phase 2 of its COVID-19 economic recovery plan. Under Phase 2, most previously imposed restrictions have been eased, allowing most businesses, including indoor and outdoor entertainment venues, bars and restaurants, and gaming facilities to operate at 66 percent capacity. Gyms and fitness centers have reopened; personal care businesses are no longer required to operate on an appointment-only basis. Lodging businesses can provide services to all visitors. Nevertheless, residents 65 years of age and older, and those with underlying health conditions, are encouraged to remain at home as much as possible.
All businesses must enhance sanitation procedures, ensure compliance with social distancing standards within their establishments, screen workers' health, require the use of face coverings for employees and customers, and limit the number of persons who are inside their facilities at a given time.
Some transport and business disruptions are possible. Authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.
Emphasize basic health precautions, especially frequent handwashing with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable. Practice good coughing/sneezing etiquette (i.e., covering coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue, maintaining distance from others, and washing hands). There is no evidence that the influenza vaccine, antibiotics, or antiviral medications will prevent this disease, highlighting the importance of diligent basic health precautions.


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Dr. Ernest Addison
The Bank of Ghana, Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the commercial banks have agreed to allow banks to use COCOBOD’s deposits/placements at the banks to cater for retail customers who may not want a rollover of their cocoa bills.
This is coming after the BoG initially directed banks not to pay customers their maturing cocoa bills investments, following cash flow challenges facing COCOBOD.
In a statement, the Central Bank said it expect that this short-term cash flow challenges facing COCOBOD will be resolved soon to enable the cocoa regulator meet its obligations to investors.
“COCOBOD has assured us that the outlook for the 2023 crop season is good, and Cocoa purchasing are ahead of last year. We therefore expect that this short-term cash flow challenges facing Cocoa Board will be resolved soon to enable COCOBOD to meet its obligations to investors.”
On Thursday, January 19, 2023, a six-month Cocoa bill with face value of ¢940.42 million matured.
The Central Bank said “BoG went through the usual processes to reissue on behalf of COCOBOD a new six-month Cocoa bill to raise funds to cover the maturing obligation, but unfortunately, the auction failed and was severely undersubscribed resulting in a shortfall of¢ 855.42million”.
“At a meeting held on Friday, 20th January 2023 among the banks, COCOBOD and Bank of Ghana, it was agreed that all institutional investors will roll over their maturing cocoa bill for Tender 6155. Financial Institutions have agreed to roll over their cocoa bills investments”, it explained.
It added that “cocoa bills, like the Bank of Ghana bills, were designed as instruments to be held just by financial institutions. Unfortunately, it has come to the notice of the Bank of Ghana that some Financial Institutions sold their instruments to their retail clients. To reduce the cash flow challenges on retail holders of cocoa bills, the Bank of Ghana, COCOBOD and the commercial banks have agreed to allow banks to use COCOBOD’s deposits/placements held at the various banks to cater for retail customers who may not want a rollover of their cocoa bills”.
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Wednesday Mar 5
Native Ads 10x Better Than Mobile Banners: InMobi's Bengani
The so-called "native advertising" opportunity, which sees straight-up display ads replaced by sponsorships that look like content, may be young - but mobile ad network InMobi is moving aggressively in its direction.
Trending on the Topix Network
Mon Mar 03, 2014
Videology Has "Direct Integration" with Nielsen TV Data
Video ad tech company Videology expects the growth of programmatic solutions for buying and selling television inventory and has become "fully integrated" with Nielsen TV data to empower ad buyers, the company announce today .
Weekly App Updates Keep Users Live: Marmalade's Beckloff
"We know companies doing updates at least on a weekly basis just to keep you live," says Bruce Beckloff , corporate development head at Marmalade , a London agency whose technology helps developers deploy across multiple platform standards.
Treat Mobile Ads Like Episodes To Gain Insight: InMobi's Venkatesh
Some may say the ad business is like a soap opera these days - but InMobi thinks it should come in "episodes".
Fri Feb 28, 2014
IAB: 87 Percent of Moviegoers Go Mobile After Seeing Ads Elsewhere
Using smartphones at the movies may be a no-no. But other than that, mobiles are an integral part of the experience, from ticket sales to theater directions, a fact that movie and entertainment marketers would do well to heed.
'Human Algorithms' Key To App Success: InMobi's Bapna
If you want to understand apps, you need to understand app users. That's according to one mobile advertising technologist.
Tue Feb 25, 2014
HackerEarth attracts $500K
HackerEarth said Tuesday that it has received $500,000 in funding. The investors included Angelprime , a Bangalore-based seedA -stage fund and GSF Superangels .
Messaging Could Light Up Mobile Monetization: InMobi's Yu
WhatsApp's mega acquisition by Facebook should be welcomed as another pointer that mobile messaging could be a money-spinner, according to one mobile ad exec.
Mobile Changes Ad Buying Entirely with 10X Data: InMobi's Frisbie
We're not just in a "mobile-first" world when it comes to advertising, according to mobile ad network InMobi - smartphone adoption is changing the very nature of ad planning and buying.
Mon Feb 24, 2014
HackerEarth Raises $500K To Help Startups Find Great Programmers
HackerEarth , a Bangalore-based startup that helps other startups hire programmers through technical challenges , has raised $500,000 in seed funding from Angelprime incubator.
Thu Feb 20, 2014
M-commerce is saturating the globe
Sales and traffic to online retailers by category and merchant type, data on Amazon and other leading e-retailers, comparisons of leading web retailers, site performance data, more.
Wed Feb 19, 2014
InMobi Report Finds 83% of Consumers Plan to Conduct Mobile Commerce in Next 12
The 2014 report findings reiterate that mobile devices have become integral to everyday life, but moreover, that trust and reliance on mobile devices has increased and are expected to have a significant impact on mobile commerce in 2014.
The Daily Record
InMobi Launches Apponomics -- A Free Book to Help Developers Grow Their Mobile
The book is authored in conjunction with Peggy Anne Salz, a Gigaom Research mobile analyst, and chief analyst and founder of MobileGroove, a top 50-ranked influential destination providing editorial coverage and analysis regarding the mobile industry.
Tue Feb 18, 2014
Digital Game Developer
Industry Leaders to Discuss 2014 Mobile User Acquisition Strategies...
The Mobile UA Fellowship , the industry's largest network of mobile UA leaders, announced today that its Q1 meeting will take place March 17, after opening day of the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
Mon Feb 17, 2014
InMobi Global Reach Reaches 759 Million Monthly Active Users
According to a release, InMobi now reaches 759 million active users per month through their mobile devices, providing advertisers with the largest global reach, after .
Thu Feb 13, 2014
InMobi mobile ad network reach second only to Facebook
It's a younger company than Facebook, but InMobi, set up in 2007, claims that its mobile ad network now has 759 million active users per month across the 165 countries in which it operates.
Wed Feb 12, 2014
InMobi Global Reach Increases to 759 Million Monthly Active Users
InMobi, the world's largest independent mobile advertising company, today announced its network growth numbers for the period ending December 31, 2013.
Tue Feb 11, 2014
Silicon Alley Insider
Google Partners With comScore To Give DoubleClick Real-Time Ad Campaign Measurement
GOOGLE STRIKES DEAL WITH COMSCORE : Google will soon begin integrating comScore's Validated Campaign Essentials measurement into its DoubleClick ad business in order to boost advertisers' ability to track online ad campaigns in real time.
Mon Feb 10, 2014
InMobi Launches Interactive Video Ad Platform To Help Advertisers Boost Sales On Mobile
InMobi is making its biggest push so far in capturing a larger share of the $11.9 billion mobile advertising market, as it launches its new video ad platform today.


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India to Block $1.3 Billion Chinese Pharmaceutical Takeover, Sources Say
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
India is poised to reject Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co.’s proposed $1.3 billion takeover of an Indian drugmaker, according to people familiar with the matter, scuppering the biggest-ever Chinese acquisition in the country.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has decided to block the Chinese firm’s purchase of an 86 percent stake in Gland Pharma Ltd., said the people. The companies haven’t been formally notified yet of the move, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.
Tensions between India and China — the South Asian nation’s biggest trading partner — have escalated amid a renewed spat over territory in a remote area of the Himalayas, one of the most serious flareups since a border war in 1962. A collapse of the acquisition would be a setback for Fosun Pharma, which had sought Gland Pharma’s stable of generic injectable medicines and facilities approved to manufacture products for sale in the U.S.
- Health Care


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With the smack of an apple to the face, MillerCoors LLC will launch itself back into the Super Bowl advertising arena in February with a pair of spots promoting the national launch of its Redd’s Apple Ale.
MillerCoors will buy local airtime in the Great Lakes and Southeast regions. The brewer can’t run national Super Bowl ads because Anheuser-Busch InBev holds the exclusive beer-advertising rights to the game, according to Advertising Age.
MillerCoors hasn’t advertised in the big game since the one-second Miller High Life ads a few years ago, said Andrew Zrike, Redd’s Apple Ale brand manager.
“But since then we haven’t had the right situation and timing (where we were) looking to make a big splash,” Zrike said. “Trying to find a way to break into the Super Bowl felt like a good opportunity for (the Redd’s Apple Ale) brand.”
Redd’s Apple Ale is meant to compete with flavored malt beverages like Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Twisted Tea, but Zrike said it differentiates itself by being a sweet alcoholic beverage that’s brewed like an ale.
Redd’s Apple Ale launched in the summer in 10 Southeast states, but launches nationally Feb. 1. It’s brewed by Redd’s Brewing Co. of Albany, Ga.
The Redd’s Apple Ale ads were created by Chicago-based Cavalry, a subsidiary of WPP, Zrike said.
The ad campaign encourages consumers to “branch out.” The brew particularly targets men and women ages 21 to 34, a group that is typically interested in trying new things, Zrike said.
See the commercial on the right.
Chicago-based MillerCoors operates a major brewery and has administrative offices on Milwaukee’s west side.


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Dec. 12, 2012
-- As new laws aimed at curbing railway theft ban cash payments for scrap metal, ACME Auto Salvage, one of the UK’s major car breakers has explained that customers can still scrap cars for cash.
Cable theft has long been the bane of the rail industry, with opportunistic thieves cashing in on valuable metal at recycling yards, while train services are disrupted all over the country. But new legislation in England and Wales means cash payments for scrap metal are no longer possible.
Car owners are assured however that cash payments are still available for scrap cars and thanks to a brand new website, it has never been easier to recycle your old car for cash with ACME Auto Salvage.
York based car breakers ACME Auto Salvage recycle old cars in the most environmentally friendly way possible; one that observes current laws and government legislation. This safeguards customers from a fine dished out by the DVLA.
The company will scrap your car for cash, and pick up an old car from anywhere in the UK. This saves customers the hassle of getting their scrap car to ACME Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) for themselves. Once their vehicle is collected, a friendly and helpful member of the ACME team will fill out all of the appropriate paperwork on the customer’s behalf and hand them cold hard cash in return.
Once the car has been destroyed the customer will also receive a Certificate of Destruction which protects them from further action by the DVLA and can also be used to claim tax back for the scrapped car.
ACME guarantees to beat any genuine quote, and offers to scrap old cars in exchange for cash. For more information, pay a visit to http://www.acmeautosalvage.co.uk/
or give ACME a call on 0845 5 200 666.


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Ala. retailers expect potential growth in holiday spending this year
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - We’re probably not going to see lines of people wrapping around buildings to take advantage of those Black Friday deals this year.
But a different Black Friday doesn’t necessarily mean a slow one.
Spending in Alabama last year during November and December reached an all-time high at $13.25 billion, and analysts say this year’s holiday sales will be unchanged or could even grow.
Alabama retailers say these past several months of the pandemic have prepared them to get creative this holiday shopping season.
That means offering more curbside pickup, updating their inventory online, and keeping shoppers engaged on social media.
And with less people spending money on holiday vacations, the Alabama Retail Association said it’s important shoppers spend that money locally, which means retailers are stepping up their online game.
“They are sharing on a daily basis products on their social media, through email blasts, through all the ways that they’ve been communicating with their customers all along,” said Nancy Dennis with ARA. "But they’ve set that up so that customers know-- yes, you can get this if you want to order matching pajamas. You don’t have to do that Amazon. You can get them from our store. "
Dennis said more small businesses are also hiring right now to make sure they have enough staff on hand for holiday orders and enough workers if some get sick.
Copyright 2020 WBRC. All rights reserved.


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The FTSE 100-listed firm said: “First half revenues and earnings per share are expected to be up strongly at actual exchange rates, driven by the benefit of currency translation"
Showing 25 of 7107
The SG number cruncher repeated his ‘buy’ recommendation and 80p a share price target.
CMC Markets has grown customer number despite the impact of tighter rules on spread betting firms
Carr's shares are under the cosh today after warning on its full year results, reflecting issues in its UK manufacturing and US agriculture divisions
The US bank’s analysts said: “Morrison has one of the strongest balance sheets in the sector, a capital light growth plan, self-help opportunities, is close to net cash and has one of the most attractive cash flow valuations in the sector.”
Tesco will need to do a lot more convincing to gain shareholder approval for its merger with Booker, according to analysts
One suspects Barclays Capital has just employed a new team covering retail stocks with initiations of coverage across the board
In a note to clients, the Swiss broker’s analysts said that the most recent UBS Evidence Lab consumer survey shows “a substantial slowdown in spending expectations in the next 12 months on clothing, especially amongst the older and lower income demographic"
AO said brokers Jefferies International and Numis Securities had placed just under 37.8mln new shares, representing around 9% of the company after an accelerated book-build at 132.5p each
“For many of our customers, access to third party distribution channels for ticket sales is an important revenue stream,” says Accesso boss Tom Burnet.
New purchase orders for the well-established TexRAD research version are continuing at a good rate a
Booker Group's boss Charles Wilson said he is excited about the benefits its merger with Tesco will bring as an enlarged group to shareholders and customers
Domino's may no longer need its pizza delivery staff in future as it begins using robots to send food to customers' doors in Europe
TUI said its transformation is progressing as it sells off non-core assets to streamline the business
JP Morgan is looking to move its operations from London to elsewhere in Europe after the UK leaves the European Union
The US$28bn all-share merger has been terminated after Margrethe Vestager ruled that it "would have significantly reduced competition" in the area of clearing of fixed income instruments
The group – which acquired the i newspaper last April for £24mln - reported a statutory pretax loss from continuing operations of £300.3mln for 2016, a turn-around from a £2.2mln profit in 2015
The uncertainty surrounding Brexit, worries about terrorism and tough competition are weighing on the European travel sector
The small cap airline said passenger revenue in the quarter ended March 31 is estimated to have risen by 9.8% year-on-year, slower than the 13.5% growth seen in the third quarter
The FTSE 250-listed firm said total like-for-like revenues fell by 1.7% in its UK regional bus division, largely as a result of “weak underlying local economic conditions in some parts of the UK and sustained lower fuel prices.
The FTSE 250-listed firm saw its underlying pretax profit rise to £187.4mln for the twelve months to January 31 2017, up 5.6% on the £177.4mln reported a year earlier
Adjusted pre-tax profit fell 39% to £16.9mln in the 26 weeks to January 28 - a tough period for hardware sales coupled with a weak line-up of new games.
A new tidal stream power project off the islands of Lombok, Indonesia, present the latest international expansion opportunity for AIM quoted Atlantis Resources.
Tesco's major shareholders Schroders and Artisan Partners have asked the supermarket to pull its offer for Booker Group
RBS has been accused of misleading investors over its financial position in the lead up to its 2008 rights issue, which closely preceded its state bailout


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Facts & Stats About:
150 million users now access Facebook through phonesFacebook to write “new chapter” of its mobile strategy
41M Americans access Facebook only via mobile devices, compared to 26.3M for Twitter, and 33.4M for Instagram more...
81% of US moviegoers use Facebook, compared to 34% for Twitter, and 21% for Pinterest more...
61% of Hispanic consumers use Facebook for local shopping, compared to 67% of non-Hispanics more...
122.5M Americans visited Facebook in January 2014, for an average of 7 hours 33 minutes more...
Over 1M people worldwide sign up to WhatsApp each day more...


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Microsoft has followed Google and Facebook by banning cryptocurrency ads on its platform. The tech giant believes the adverts present an ‘elevated risk' to their users, given the speculative nature and various scams.
“We are always evaluating our policies to ensure a safe and engaging experience for our Bing users and the digital advertising ecosystem. Because cryptocurrency and related products are not regulated, we have found them to present a possible elevated risk to our users with the potential for bad actors to participate in predatory behaviors, or otherwise scam consumers,” said Melissa Alsozatai-Petheo, advertiser policy manager at Bing.”
Though some will feel this stifles the industry somewhat, it's easy to see Microsoft's perspectives. Ther have been a number of high-profile scams over the past year, one of the most recent being Pincoin and iFan.The two ICOs were run by the same Vietnamese company and ran off with around $660 million.
One of the most famous predators was Binnonnect, which shut down in January. Users were promised huge returns via a bot that makes automatic trades and a referral and lending system. The company was forced to discontinue after receiving a cease and desist from US financial regulators.
As a result, ads for cryptocurrency, cryptocurrency related products, and un-regulated binary options will be banned. Rather than implementing a case-by-case system, Microsoft has decided on a blanket ban for convenience.
The change will come into effect in June with enforcement beginning in late June and early July. Advertisers will have to do what they can to move elsewhere before then or face action. You can find more information on the Bing ads blog.


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A popular North Hudson Cuban restaurant is expanding south to Jersey City and will be taking up residence in a soon-to-open development.
Rumba Cubana, who have locations in North Bergen and in Guttenberg along JFK Boulevard East, just signed on to lease retail space on the ground floor of SILVERMAN’s upcoming Park Francis building. The company, who are officially opening the latest property on Tuesday, recently announced Rumba Cubana’s signing on their Instagram account.
The restaurant’s food selection includes entrees of traditional Cuban fare like Churrasco, Ropa Veija and Pollo Aguacate. Rumba Cubana also sports a tapas-style menu featuring bocaditos, or small slider-style Cuban sandwiches with slightly sweet rolls.
The restaurant’s other locations are open for lunch and feature daily specials, so let’s hope their Hamilton Park spot does the same. Rumba Cubana looks to open their JC outpost at 235 Pavonia Avenue this fall.


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Appoximately 400 booksellers from more than 130 Northwest stores and librarians from as many as fifty libraries to attend Pacific Northwest Bookseller Association's Fall Trade Show. Proposals for author signings are due at PNBA on June 27.
Send books or ARCs, along with your proposals, author bios and reviews to PNBA at the address below. Contact Thom Chambliss at 541-683-4363 or email@example.com, and visit www.pnba.org for more info about the PNBA show.
PNBA has spots for eight nationally-known authors to speak:
· four at the Book & Author Breakfast Tuesday, September 16.
· four at the Book & Author Breakfast Wednesday, September 17.
(Publishers donate 150 pre-signed books or ARCs for these events)
PNBA has twenty spots for nationally and NW-known authors to meet with booksellers during dinner. Authors will rotate through tables of booksellers, spending 20 minutes with each group, at a banquet on Tuesday evening, September 16.
(Publishers donate 150 books or ARCs for this event)
PNBA has 50+ autographing spots of one half-hour each:
· Monday, Sept. 15 from 8-10 p.m. at a dessert party
· Tuesday, September 16 from 4:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., at the close of the exhibits
· Wednesday, September 17 from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the exhibit show floor
(Publishers donate 50 copies of each book for these signings)
PNBA MUST RECEIVE YOUR PROPOSALS AND BOOKS BY THIS FRIDAY, JUNE 27.
If there is a day that your author is NOT available, include that information with your materials. A contact email address must be sent with each proposal.
The list of the proposed authors will be submitted to PNBA's Selection Committee, which will supply a priortized list to PNBA staff by July 7. PNBA staff will begin sending invitations for authors on Tuesday, July 8.
To help off-set the expense of promoting authors, PNBA charges $350 for breakfast authors, $250 for feast authors and $125 for each author at a signing.
Authors' expenses are their publisher's responsibility.
Send proposals to:
PNBA's Fall Show Author Proposals
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association
214 East 12th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97401-3245


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Brand Licensing Europe 2014 expects to top last year’s record-breaking attendance with even more features and new brands on the floor.
Krispy Kreme and Sony Pictures Consumer Products have teamed to mark the 30th anniversary of Ghostbusters with treats inspired by the film.
Target unveiled its annual list of top toys for the upcoming holidays, featuring a number of products from licensed brands.
Entertainment One Licensing has added a swath of new partners to the Peppa Pig licensing program in France as the brand is poised to launch at retail.
Toys 'R' Us has unveiled its 2014 Holiday Hot Toy List, featured 36 items selected by play experts as the toys that will be most in-demand this season.
Apparel company Loudmouth, known for its bold, bright patterns, has signed a new licensing deal with electronics accessories specialist, iHip.
Iron Man, Captain America and Thor were among the superheroes digitally assembled to escort the "Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes" video game into the U.K. Monday.
Pretty Ugly has tapped Franco Manufacturing to create extensions in the bedding, bath and beach product categories for its Uglydoll brand in North America.
Jazwares has released a new collectible toy brand, Bungees, featuring 48 original characters at retailers including Toys 'R' Us and Walgreens.
Microsoft has acquired Stockholm-based game developer Mojang and its iconic “Minecraft” franchise for $2.5 billion.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is starting construction on a brand-new Frozen attraction at the Walt Disney World Resort's Epcot theme park in Florida.
Walls 360 is featuring the work of artist Caleb Gray in a new line of removable wall decals for kids.
BBC Worldwide has made new senior hires across business development, legal and finance for its Asia division.
Sony Pictures Entertainment and Mattel are teaming up to give Barbie her first-ever live-action feature film.
Tinderbox and 5th Wave Brands, have joined forces to develop a consumer products program for the award-winning game app, “Badland.”
Following a sell-out of his Urban guitar collection last November, country crooner Keith Urban will return to HSN May 18 with a second collection.
National Geographic has partnered with Live Prepared to launch a line of preparedness products for natural disasters and unexpected events.
Sanrio has teamed with jewelry designer Chan Luu for an exclusive collection of handmade jewelry featuring pop icon Hello Kitty.
Brix 'N Clix is refuting the allegations made by Spin Master in a civil lawsuit filed last month over the Flutterbye Flying Fairy toy.
A new range of t-shirts showcasing King Features characters Popeye and Olive Oyl has debuted at Urban Outfitters in the U.K.
Casual dining chain TGI Friday's has extended and expanded its partnership with Inventure Foods in a new agreement that will grow the brand’s snack food line.
©2014 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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The superstar singer, whose music and live performances have made her one of the most successful artists in history, has decided to sever her business ties with adidas. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Beyonce and Adidas have reportedly agreed to end their global collaboration on her Ivy Park activewear line. The two have respectfully chosen to part ways.
The two-year deal between the superstar and German sportswear company began in 2019. Beyonce is reportedly planning on reclaiming her brand, charting her own path, and maintaining creative freedom.
There were reportedly major creative differences between the two, though she has not yet announced the details of her plan to leave Adidas. The Grammy-Award winning multi-hyphenate and the athletic wear brand have been working together since 2019, and it was a lucrative venture.
The partnership is officially over
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that sales for the Ivy Park collection by Beyonce and Adidas fell WAY below internal projections, causing the sportswear brand to lose money. In fact, Ivy Park’s sales dropped 50% last year, bringing in $40 million instead of its projected $250 million.
In an attempt to replicate the success of Kanye West’s Yeezy brand (which Adidas ended last year), the sportswear giant sought to make Ivy Park a similar merchandising success story. However, it was a struggle to sell the line, sources told the Journal. Beyonce didn’t appear as often in paparazzi photos wearing Ivy Park clothes as she did with Yeezy, and the label didn’t use fresh marketing campaigns to attract new customers like it did with Yeezy.
Despite the aforementioned difficulties, Ivy Park was still expected to bring in $20 million in revenue this year. It is also set to launch a new collection, Park Trail, on February 9.
If Beyonce is able to successfully relaunch her Ivy Park line with Adidas again, it could be a game changer for the brand. The collection features Beyonce-approved sportswear, luxe lounging essentials, sleek dresses, accessories, and sneakers.
Will Beyonce look back?
A Beyhive fan, Maella, said she was excited to see the line. “Beyonce is a huge star and this will definitely help the brand,” she told Forbes in an email.
The collection will debut in adidas stores and online on Thursday at midnight. It will include a mix of athletic-inspired clothing, loungewear, and accessories, with prices starting at $25 for belt bags and beanies to $170 for apparel.
Beyonce’s latest release, Renaissance, was a huge hit this weekend and the Beyhive is pumped for the tour this summer. Tickets for the show are now on sale and will cost anywhere from $80 to $240.
Although the partnership may have not worked out for the superstar and the sportswear giant, it’s an important lesson to learn for other artists. If you can’t get your fans to buy your merch, it’s time to consider another brand that will better suit your style.