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Billionaire Elon Musk has made headlines in recent months as a result of his efforts to purchase the social media giant Twitter. However, he recently grabbed attention for a less welcome reason.
According to Bloomberg, Musk is at the center of a $258 billion lawsuit alleging that he operated a fraudulent cryptocurrency racket.
Plaintiff asserts that Dogecoin trading is a form of gambling
In addition to Musk, the lawsuit also names Tesla along with SpaceX, both of which are companies that the entrepreneur heads.
It was filed by in a Manhattan federal court on Thursday by Keith Johnson, someone the suit describes as “an American citizen who was defrauded out of money by defendants’ Dogecoin Crypto Pyramid Scheme.”
Johnson alleges that Musk and his companies “falsely and deceptively claim that Dogecoin is a legitimate investment when it has no value at all.”
Bloomberg explained that Johnson wishes to represent a class of people who lost money by trading Dogecoin since April of 2019.
He is asking that the court issue an injunction to block Musk as well as the named companies from promoting Dogecoin trading, an activity which Johnson asserts meets the definition of gambling under both federal and New York state law.
What’s more, Keith is also seeking a combined total of more than a quarter trillion dollars worth of monetary damages from the defendants.
The cryptocurrency-themed website CoinTelegraph pointed out in a piece published on Friday that this figure is “more than 34 times Dogecoin’s current market cap of $7.5 billion and nearly three times its all-time high (ATH) market cap of $88.68 billion in mid-2021.”
Musk revealed in May that Tesla and SpaceX merchandise can be bought with Dogecoin
Bloomberg noted that “Musk didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment on the suit” while requests for comment from SpaceX and Tesla also went unanswered.
Musk tweeted last month that both SpaceX and Tesla would soon begin accepting Dogecoin as payment from those purchasing merchandise from the company.
Musk later told one of his Twitter followers that “one day” Starlink customers may be able to pay for the satellite internet service using Dogecoin as well.


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Black hair care is a $165 million industry in the U.S. with about $46 million spent on relaxers, according to Mintel, a market research firm, though future projections show sales of relaxers declining slightly.
A recent study from haircare giant Alberto Culver Company found that while 81 percent of black women said their natural hair makes them feel more in tune with their heritage and culture, only 26 percent said it makes them feel more confident in social situations.
"It is ignorant that we can't actually embrace ourselves in the raw state," said Nia Long, one of several Hollywood actresses who appears in Rock's documentary. "You have to kind of say, ‘Okay, am I getting a weave and a perm because it is a style choice or is it that I'm actually denying a part of who I am?'"
Long admits to wearing several tracks of hair weave, a process in which hair from another source is glued or sewn into existing hair. And Rock confesses that while he shot footage related to natural hair it didn't make it into the film. The stuff about relaxers and hair weaves was much more exciting, he said.
But what many black women wonder, is why the stuff on top of their heads is so divisive?
A hair revolution of sorts came in 2005 with the release of India Arie's single "I Am Not My Hair" in which she suggested that black women should wear their hair however they choose.
"That freed a lot of people to do what they wanted with their hair," said Leslie Leland, owner of Hair-Ex which specializes in hair extensions. While the song gave many women courage, there is still a stigma attached to Afro-textured hair, she said. Hair weaves offer black women the option of having straight hair, while retaining their natural texture underneath. "People are really preserving their natural hair," Leland said, "They will braid it up under a weave and then by summer they will wear their own natural texture."
Adrienne Leak, salon director of Lux Salon in Grant Park, agreed hair should be about choice, as long as the choices are healthy. "Hair is like a beautiful piece of jewelry and if you don't take care of it, it starts to get tarnished," said Leak, who offers a range of straightening solutions including heat straightening, relaxers and a new keratin smoother. About 40 percent of her clients are natural, she said, adding that kinky hair isn't just a black thing. "It is more about the texture of your hair than the color of your skin," Leak said.
Still, black women continue to fear that their hairstyle will turn them into a stereotype. "I don't think a white woman who wears an Afro instead of wearing her hair straight is going to be considered militant," said Haskins, who still has moments of hesitation even though she has been natural for years.
In July, Haskins and Logan founded L.Y.N.K.H. (love your natural kinky hair), to support other women transitioning to their natural hair. They met two years ago when they bonded while trading hair-care notes. They now have 73 followers on Facebook who attend monthly meetings and special events. The group is planning an outing to see Rock's movie with a discussion to follow.
Haskins and Logan are encouraged by what they've seen among group members and beyond. Recently, they were walking in downtown Atlanta when they crossed paths with another black woman with natural hair. "We didn't know her from Adam," Logan said. "But we all looked at each other, we were all natural, and our eyes lit up."

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan., March 10, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YRC Freight announces a new dedicated 800 number specifically for businesses with freight delayed at West Coast ports. The hotline number: (800) 325-8747, is manned around-the-clock by YRC Freight’s expedited shipping experts. It is designed to give callers shipping solutions that will help them avoid additional delays and have their merchandise on store shelves in time for the spring retail season.
Recent labor standoffs resulted in congestion and backlogs at U.S. West Coast ports. Delays are causing serious challenges for supply chain managers across North America. Even though a tentative agreement on a new 5-year contract between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has been reached, shipment delays will continue.
Keith Prather, Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence, states, “PMA officials continue to reiterate that it will take 8-12 weeks to clear the backlog of shipments sitting off the West Coast. Many shippers will need to expedite loads once they hit the port to make it in time for the spring retail season.”
Read more: yrcw.com


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The recently concluded 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco has had a significant impact on the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region’s commitment to a sustainable transportation future. With a focus on electric vehicles (EVs), APEC leaders came together to express their support for sustainable transportation technologies and address environmental concerns associated with conventional vehicles.
During the summit, representatives from China’s Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Commerce actively participated in updating existing bilateral agreements with various APEC economies to promote cooperation in electric vehicles. These agreements aim to foster collaboration in various aspects of electric vehicle development, including technology transfer, infrastructure development, and market access.
One notable example is the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between China and Indonesia, which establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation in electric vehicle standards, charging infrastructure, and supply chain development. Similarly, a 2021 MOU between China and Thailand focused on research and development, manufacturing, and commercialization of electric vehicles, resulting in significant investments from Changan Automobile and the establishment of a new electric vehicle production plant in Thailand.
China’s efforts to promote cooperation in electric vehicles also extended to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. MOUs were signed to facilitate technology transfer, talent development, and market access in these countries, leading to increased investments and the establishment of ambitious goals for electric vehicle production and adoption.
To ensure seamless integration and compatibility across APEC economies, ministers agreed on a set of principles to guide the development of electric vehicle standards. This harmonization will not only reduce costs but also encourage widespread adoption of electric vehicles, paving the way for a unified regional charging infrastructure.
Recognizing the importance of a robust supply chain for electric vehicles, APEC countries launched a new initiative aimed at cultivating the necessary skills and expertise for electric vehicle manufacturing and maintenance. This initiative will foster collaboration among companies in APEC economies, creating a vibrant electric vehicle ecosystem.
To support the growth of the electric vehicle sector, APEC leaders called for increased public and private investment in electric vehicle infrastructure and technology. This investment will be crucial in establishing a comprehensive charging network and accelerating the development of innovative electric vehicle technologies. To facilitate this, the APEC Electric Vehicle Investment Facilitation Network was established to provide essential information and support to investors.
The APEC Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan, which is a strategic roadmap outlining a vision for electric vehicle development and deployment in the APEC region, was the culmination of the summit. This plan includes specific initiatives to support the development and deployment of electric vehicles in the region and aims to achieve that 30% of new light vehicles sold in APEC economies are electric by 2030.
The APEC 2023 Summit has laid the foundation for a sustainable transportation future in the ASEAN region, with a strong emphasis on the adoption and cooperation of electric vehicles. As China’s electric vehicle industry continues to grow, the country is poised to play a key role in shaping the global electric vehicle landscape, sharing its expertise and fostering a more sustainable future for all.
—Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is APEC?
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) is a regional economic forum composed of 21 member economies from the Pacific region that promotes free trade and economic cooperation.
2. Why is the focus on electric vehicles important?
Electric vehicles offer a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to conventional vehicles, reducing carbon emissions and addressing environmental concerns related to transportation.
3. How will harmonizing electric vehicle standards benefit APEC economies?
Harmonizing electric vehicle standards will reduce costs and promote widespread adoption of electric vehicles, creating a unified charging infrastructure across APEC economies.
4. What is the APEC Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan?
The APEC Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan is a strategic roadmap outlining a vision for electric vehicle development and deployment in the APEC region, with the goal of achieving that 30% of new light vehicles sold in APEC economies are electric by 2030.


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NEW YORK (
) -- Two U.S. House lawmakers will introduce legislation Wednesday to repeal financial regulation that caps debit-card swipe fees, arguing that such price controls hurt consumers and ultimately lead to
Bank of America
charging a monthly fee of $5 for debit-card purchases.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R., UT) and Rep. Bill Owens (D., NY) said they seek to repeal the legislation under the Dodd Frank Act, known as the Durbin Amendment, which limits the fees banks can charge retailers for processing debit-card transactions to not more than 24 cents per share. Earlier banks charged an average of 44 cents. The rule went into effect on Oct.1.
Banks have said the rules will hurt their revenues and are looking for ways to offset the lost income, including charging customers for debit-card transactions.
Bank of America said recently that it will begin charging a monthly fee of $5 for to compensate for a potential loss of $2 billion annually. The move has customers
furious , threatening to take their business to credit unions.
Other banks including
are also setting new fees to make up the lost revenues.
"This is a perfect example of the dangers of price controls and the inefficiency of government intervention in the free market," said Chaffetz in a statement. "The Durbin Amendment is an affront to consumers and the banking industry. These legislatively enacted price controls have compelled banks to charge consumers higher (and in some cases new) fees to make up for lost revenue."
--Written by Shanthi Bharatwaj in New York
>To contact the writer of this article, click here:
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>To submit a news tip, send an email to:
Disclosure: TheStreet's editorial policy prohibits staff editors and reporters from holding positions in any individual stocks.


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An analyst has said that the iPad will face greater challenges for market share from both 7-inch tablets and new touch-screen ultrabooks.
After the launch of the iPad Mini in October, fourth-quarter sales of 10-inch iPad models decreased by 9 percent in the U.S. and by 26 percent in Japan year-over-year, Citi analyst Glen Yeung said.
Market share for 7-inch tablets increased to 41.2 percent in the fourth quarter from 12.6 percent in the second quarter of 2012. The same period saw the share for 10-inch tablets dropping to 40.6 percent from 67.3 percent.
"But beyond simply the overall share loss, the data reveals a particular slowdown in 10-inch iPad sales in mature markets and a clear downward trend in tablet ASPs (average selling prices)," Yeung said. "After analyzing the data, we have new concerns about the health of the 10-inch tablet market and, absent any material innovations (we do not count a Retina Mini or lighter/thinner iPad 5 among these), we remain concerned about Apple's ability to maintain market share."
Yeung believes increased innovation from tablets won't come to fruition this year, but he does see exactly that deriving from ultrabooks. Intel said that all ultrabooks based on their Haswell processor are required to have touch capabilities; such systems will cost as low as $599. Yeung said that these types of touch-based, ultra-thin notebooks with an adequate price tag could create competition for the iPad and other 10-inch tablets.
While Apple's iPad remained the market leader for tablet shipments in 2012's Q4, its share has been continuously decreasing due to the emergence of cheaper Android slates throughout 2012.


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Owners of Android devices watch out for Android Security Exploit.. because a vulnerability within Google’s flagship OS has been discovered by Bluebox Labs and this could affect the security of almost all of the 900 million Android-run gadgets around the world with the exception of Galaxy S 4. The Samsung smartphone has already considered this threat by the time it was brought to the attention of Google last February and so made itself immune through a security patch.
For now, Google is not responding to all requests for a comment and manufacturers should take the responsibility of securing their gadgets yet to be outed by creating a fix for the this threatening exploit. Existing gadget owners should not be worried since they can always go to the Play Store for an update or use the built-in update feature of the Android device. The exploit could grant hackers access to the APK code and modify it to gain control of the device by making a malicious Trojan out of any legit apps.
It seems that the vulnerability had been around since Android 1.6 Donuts was introduced and the hacking had been going on since then stealing a user’s data or creating a botnet. This exploit can bypass the cryptographic signature making it hard for the Android to detect the intrusion of an app.


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While Galaxy S7, S7 edge, A9 and A9 Pro targeted the high-end smartphone market, Samsung’s Galaxy C lineup with target the mid-ranged consumer market in order to vastly increase its market share even further.
One Galaxy C Phone Will Feature A Snapdragon 617 SoC, According To Latest Screenshot
According to a source, one Galaxy C model has been listed as SM-C5000, and the specifications for a decent mid-ranged handset are quite impressive to say the least. For starters, you have a Snapdragon 617 SoC, with 8 Cortex-A53 cores running at a speed of 1.5GHz. That is a decent amount of performance from a chipset present inside a mid-ranged phone.
One particular improvement from Samsung’s mid-ranged offerings is the inclusion of 4GB RAM, which you can clearly see in the screenshot. With memory getting cheaper, manufacturers from both the memory and smartphone side of things are providing solutions to each other and the public, which is the reason why you see devices with low-end specifications sporting between 3-4GB of RAM.
However, despite the amount of RAM present in a Samsung device, the company’s UI has always been criticized for being too hard on the system resources. Has the South Korean giant improved thoroughly on the software part? Absolutely, but the company’s efforts in improving its software will take much work. We will say that TouchWiz has significantly improved over the years, but there is still room for improvement.
In fact, not too long ago, we reported that Google has been reported to lend Samsung a helping hand in order to improve its TouchWiz UI. One reason why Google is lending out a helping hand to Samsung is because the latter is the largest Android smartphone manufacturer in the world right now and the plummeting of its sales will also mean that the advertising giant will be unable to earn sufficient revenue from licensing its software to the Galaxy handset manufacturer.
One other thing that Samsung needs to watch out for is the pricing strategy of the company’s Galaxy C series of devices. Galaxy C devices are slated to be announced in May in China, but currently, there is no word on when the phones are going to be available worldwide. With the influx of Chinese phones rapidly flooding the market, consumers will obviously go for that handset that provides the best ‘bang for their buck’, and if Samsung wants to continue its winning streak, then a robust pricing strategy will be extremely important.


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New stores and tourism drive Hermes’ annual sales up 23%
NEWSLETTERS FROM DOW JONES
Increased tourism and new stores contributed to Hermes International SCA’s sales momentum in the first half of the year.
As a constant currency figure, Birkin Handbags‘ first quarter sales grew 23% from EUR2.77 billion last year to 3.38 billion euros. In 2022, growth was the same as in 2021.
According to a FactSet poll of analysts, sales are expected to reach EUR3.17 billion in the quarter.
In Asia, Hermes reported continued momentum despite China’s now-ending pandemic restrictions. In addition, the first Nanjing store was opened after the Lunar New Year. The group’s 40th store in Naples, Florida, boosted sales in the U.S. as well.
The company said that tourism flows in Europe, particularly France, Italy and the U.K., boosted sales.
A recovery in travel retail helped boost wholesale revenue by 26%.
Based on its integrated model and long-term client loyalty, the group backs its “ambitious” organic revenue growth target.
For more information, contact Joshua Kirby at firstname.lastname@example.org or @joshualeokirby on Twitter


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A special event will be holding on September 9 at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco and it is organised by Apple. The company is expected to release the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. The company might also release new iPads and an updated Apple TV set-top box.
The show will start at 6 p.m (Nigerian time), you can find out what time the event starts in your time zone by clicking here.
As Apple has done in the past, Apple will be live-streaming the event for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows 10 users. Below is how you can watch it:
You can watch the event on Apple TV decives running on software version 6.2 or later. To watch the event, click on the “Apple Events” channel on the device’s main menu.
You can also stream/watch the event by clicking on this link from an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch running on iOS 7 or later and using the Safari mobile Web browser. Mac and MacBook users on OS X 10.8.5 or later can watch the highly hyped event by clicking on this link using Safari version 6.0.5 or later.
For the first time ever, Windows 10 users will also be able to watch this event, but you will only be able to do so using Microsoft’s Edge browser. Windows 10 users can access the stream by clicking on this link.


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Pubs and restaurants across the Wimmera and surrounds are bracing for a challenging week under the snap lockdown announced by the Victorian government on Thursday.
Under the new guidelines, businesses such as cafes and restaurants will only offer takeaway services.
Horsham's Exchange Hotel publican Nick Murray said workers were shattered.
"It's devastating to be locked down again after we've been trading so well," he said.
"We just can't keep shutting down. Everyone has food deliveries today that we've got to freeze down or try and use. The financial impact is just devastating.
"We fully understand the reasons that they've got to lock the state down, but it just highlights the fact [the government] need to get their [act] together and get a hold on these smaller outbreaks."
However, Mr Murray remains optimistic and said he and his staff would use the time to do odd jobs around the hotel that "can't be done when you're trading seven days".
Damon Henrickson, who owns the popular Flame Brothers restaurant in Halls Gap, voiced similar concerns.
"It's definitely frustrating. I can understand why they've done it, but it doesn't make it any easier," he said.
According to Mr Henrickson, Flame Brothers can have a thousand people through the restaurant's doors on weekends.
It's devastating to be locked down again.Nick Murray
"I guess in dollars, it's probably going to cost me anywhere between $25,000 and $30,000 just over the weekend. For the week it could be up to $50,000."
"It costs you money now, but it also costs you money in the future because people are uncertain about whether they can and can't come or when they should book, or even if they can."
"It's seven days of lost trade, but then it's also potentially bookings that haven't been made that might have made bad in that time."
The lockdown news came at an awful time for Mr Henrickson, who planned to open a fish and chip shop in Halls Gap this weekend.
"We had our final inspections booked for tomorrow," Mr Henrickson said.
Maria Whitford, the General Manager of Ararat RSL, said the lockdown would significantly impact the local community.
"We've just started to ramp up again, so it will be significant. It will hurt the staff. They lose hours, then there's no money being spent in town. " Ms Whitford said.
"It has a flow on effect to the entire economy of the local community," she said.
However, Ms Whitford said, after previous lockdowns, she and her staff were well-practised with lockdown protocols.
"We can pivot this business fairly quickly, now we know what we need to do, we can just do it and that seems to work. It won't be great, but we will get through it." she said.
Bill Lovel, the publican of the Natimuk Hotel, also said that there would be a flow-on effect with staffing levels.
"Obviously we won't need the same amount of staff this week," Mr Lovel said.
Mr Lovel said he was more concerned about whether the lockdown would go beyond seven days.
"A week probably won't make a huge difference, but if it goes on longer than a week then it will have a fair impact," he said.
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Fancy a set of AirPods Pro for less cash? Apple’s 2021 AirPods 3 will do almost everything the Pros do, and they’ll look pretty similar too.
A new report from noted industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple intends to update its iconic true wireless earbuds this year. The 2021 AirPods – which are unlikely to get a new name – will look and sound more like the AirPods Pro. They should also fit better than the current AirPods.
AirPods 3 get a new design and new silicon too
Kuo’s report comes shortly after Apple’s AirPods 3 plans were leaked by an unnamed insider: the leaker reported that the new AirPods will have much shorter stems, improved sound and replaceable tips for a better fit. The improved sound comes courtesy of a new System-In-Package based on Apple’s H1 chip, which is currently in both the AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max.
There will be two big differences between the 2021 AirPods and the AirPods Pro: the price, and noise cancelling. The AirPods Pro are among the best noise cancelling headphones around, but the 2021 AirPods Pro won’t offer that feature.
2021 AirPods 3: how much will they cost?
The new generation of AirPods will reportedly cost 20% less than the AirPods Pro, which currently retail at $249 / £249 / AU$399. So that works out at $199 / £199 / AU$319, the same as the current AirPods with the wireless charging case. Hopefully that means the AirPods 3 will include the wireless case too, although it’d be nice to have an option to buy without it for a lower price.
In recent months we’ve seen widespread discounting of AirPods, so it’s likely we’ll start to see some great AirPods deals shortly after the new versions ship.
When will the AirPods 3 launch date be?
We don’t know yet. According to reports Apple originally intended to release a “lite” version of the AirPods Pro in 2020. However, it changed its mind when the AirPods Pro kept selling in big numbers: Apple didn’t want the new AirPods to compete with their own siblings. But this is a very fast-moving market and nobody can afford to stand still for very long. The new AirPods should give Apple’s market share a boost now the novelty of the AirPods Pro has worn off. The fact that they’ll look similar if not identical will help with that too.
In terms of timescales, all we have so far is December’s report: it said the AirPods 3 would go through Apple’s quality review by the end of 2020 and enter mass production in 2021. Previous reports by industry analysts predicted Apple would launch the AirPods 3 in the first half of 2021.


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All posts tagged "Panasonic EcoSolutions"
IBS/KBIS 2015: Panasonic Perfomance Test Drive
James Carey speaks with Jim Shelton Panasonic EcoSolution at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas. Their featured package at the show was the Panasonic Performance Package WhisperGreen Select (ceiling mount) & EcoVent (wall mount) both were...
- Posted January 31, 2015


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FedEx Driver Shot and Killed In Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ A gunman killed a veteran Federal Express courier in a drug-infested neighborhood Tuesday morning, a first for the 20-year-old package company.
Police found William Moyer, a father of four, lying on a sidewalk near his delivery truck. He had been shot in the head.
″We’re looking at a robbery attempt, but there was no money taken,″ police Capt. John Apeldorn said.
Moyer, 37, was the first Federal Express courier slain on the job, according to Tom Martin, company spokesman in Memphis, Tenn.
Martin noted that couriers carry no cash, and said Moyer had not radioed in about any problems. He said the company’s couriers aren’t required to make a pickup or delivery if they feel threatened.
Manuel Rosado, 59, ownner of a nearby grocery store, said he and other residents have worked to improve the neighborhood over the past 10 years by chasing drug dealers off the corners.
But the shooting, Rosado said, shows how much further the neighborhood has to go.
″It’s a senseless crime, subhuman actually,″ Rosado said. ″I want whoever did it caught. It could have just as easy been me.″


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Profits fall at car retail giant – despite online sales boost
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Profits at Derby car retailer Motorpoint have fallen by over 15% as dealership closures during lockdown hit the company’s traditionally busy March.
The firm posted revenues of £1.01bn for the year to March 31 – down by 3.8% – while profits fell sharply from £22.2m in 2019 to £18.8m this year.
Despite this, Motorpoint said that trading since its sites reopened in June has been “stronger than anticipated” and ahead of the same period last year. Online trading has also been boosted, with a 50% spike in web traffic and almost 2,000 home delivery orders completed in just over two months.
Mark Carpenter, chief executive officer of Motorpoint Group, said: “As a Group, we responded quickly to what was a fast-changing situation in the final and typically busiest month of our reporting year, and at all times our number one priority has been the safety and wellbeing of our team and customers. I am proud of the way that all of my colleagues responded, having been confronted with an unprecedented set of circumstances.”


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City Fee On Vending Due Study
Oklahoma City's version of the state's on-again, off-again vending machine licensing fee will be considered next Tuesday by the city council.
The city's ordinance would place a $25 annual fee on each vending machine charging 25 cents or more for items dispensed.
Machines dispensing items costing less than 25 cents would be charged a $7.50 annual fee per machine.
Under this ordinance, the fee would apply to machines dispensing newspapers, cigarettes, candy, gum, cold and hot drinks, sandwiches and chips.
Assistant city manager Paula Hearn said Wednesday the city is considering the ordinance in lieu of sales tax on the items.
The Legislature recently enacted House Bill 1839 which placed a state license tax on vending machines in lieu of charging sales tax on the dispensed products. It also allowed cities to seek 75 percent, or $37.50, of the state's fee of $50, on machines vending more costly items.
Oklahoma City decided to charge $25.
"This is not something we made up off Venus," Hearn said. "We thought we were being nice guys by not asking for the $37.50."
Currently, vending machines are taxed, based on the number of machines owned by a business. A $5 fee is charged for each machine up to 50. From 50 to 100 machines, the fee is $2.50 per machine. For more than 100 machines, the fee is $1.25 each.
Deputy city attorney James G. Hamill, who prepared the vending machine license fee ordinance for the council, said, "Nothing is easy on this tax."
Take newspapers, for example: Under the old law, newspapers costing less than 75 cents each were exempt from tax. This means that six days a week vending machines selling The Oklahoman, with a cost of 25 cents, did not charge tax, Hamill said. But he added that machines vending The Sunday Oklahoman, which costs $1, were required to collect tax.
Even if the Oklahoma City Council approves the vending machine ordinance Tuesday, nothing will happen immediately, Hamill said.
The state law has been challenged and the attorney general's office has been asked to issue an opinion, Hamill said. BIOG: NAME:
Archive ID: 358120


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Belgian operator Telenet opened its own innovation centre in Brussels in the presence of Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation, Digital Agenda, Telecom and Post.
In this innovation centre, Telenet will not only test new technology for connectivity, entertainment, value added services or customer experiences, but also give partners the opportunity to test their projects using Telenet technology and to appeal to the Telenet know-how. The Telenet Innovation Centre will also serve as a knowledge and innovation centre for the Liberty Global Group.
The new centre is based on “collaborative innovation” and is therefore conceived as a place where Telenet experts and third parties can make use of the most advanced fixed and mobile broadband technology to test new products, services, apps and prototypes within Telenet’s strategic ambitions and plans.
Today, the Telenet Innovation Centre’s focus is on the introduction and preparation of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT). Eventually, the innovation centre’s action range will be extended to entertainment, value added services and customer experiences.
Chinese ZTE, Telenet’s partner for the roll-out and upgrade of the Base network since 2015, is the innovation centre’s most important infrastructure partner and will, together with Telenet, test the preparation for the launch of 5G in Belgium. This is why the latest 5G network components and antennas have been installed in the newly opened innovation centre.
The Telenet Innovation Centre has also been set up as a test environment for IoT and 5G for the entire Liberty Global group. Liberty Global’s branches are welcome in Brussels to experiment with the latest (mobile) technology.
“Permanent innovation is the lifeline for our company, particularly in a world of rapidly changing technology developments,” said John Porter, CEO of Telenet.
“With the Telenet Innovation Centre, we want to be ambitious and bring our own innovations to a higher level, but also help shape external innovation projects. I believe in the absolute strength of partnerships, also for innovation, and I am therefore convinced that with our model of collaborative innovation and with the help of partners such as ZTE, we can bring the best broadband and media technology to Belgium for thorough testing, experiments and – if successful – an effective launch in our market. ”
“The opening of the Telenet Innovation Center is an important milestone for Liberty Global,” added Balan Nair, CTO of Liberty Global.
“The cutting-edge infrastructure and Telenet’s fully owned mobile network provide the perfect conditions for us to test the products and services that can pave the way towards the GIGAWorld. I’m already excited about the opportunities and inspiration that await us.”


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Europe Bans 22 Hair Dye Chemicals
BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 21, 2006 (ENS) - To ensure safety of hair dye products for consumers, the European Commission has banned 22 hair dye substances that could potentially cause bladder cancer if used for a long time. Adopted Thursday, the ban takes effect on December 1, 2006.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products recommended the ban of these substances following the conclusions of a scientific study that the long term use of certain hair dyes bears a potential risk of bladder cancer.
European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, who is responsible for enterprise and industry policy, said, "Substances for which there is no proof that they are safe will disappear from the market. Our high safety standards do not only protect EU consumers, they also give legal certainty to European cosmetics industry."
The hair dye market in the EU was worth €2.6 billion in 2004, accounting for about eight percent of the value of output of the cosmetics industry in Europe.
Permanent hair dyes account for 70 to 80 percent of the coloring product market in Europe. More than 60 percent of women color their hair, as do five to 10 percent of men, and the average frequency of use is six to eight times per year.
The ban is a first step in the Commission's overall strategy, agreed with EU member states and stakeholders in April 2003, to establish a positive list of hair dye substances which are considered safe for human health.
Under the strategy, the Commission will ban all permanent and non-permanent hair dyes for which industry has not submitted any safety files and those for which the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) has given a negative opinion.
In a public consultation, the Commission had asked cosmetics producers to provide safety files for their substances. These files, based on scientific expertise, have to prove that a substance does not pose a health risk for consumers.
In response, by the end of last year the cosmetics industry submitted 115 files on hair dye substances for evaluation by the scientific committee. The ban covers 22 hair dye substances for which industry has not submitted any safety files at all.
The safety of the 115 hair dye substances for which files were submitted now is being assessed by the committee, which will issue its next set of opinions in October.
Their opinions will serve the Commission as a basis to take further decisions on regulation of these dye substances.
In its opinion of June 2001 the SCCP concluded that the potential risks of the use of certain, permanent hair dyes are of concern.
In a second opinion of December 2002, the SCCP stated that there is epidemiological evidence to indicate that the regular and long term use of hair dyes by women may be associated with the development of bladder cancer.
The committee recommended an overall safety assessment strategy for hair dyes including the requirements for testing hair dye cosmetic ingredients for their potential genotoxicity or mutagenicity.
This ban on the 22 hair dye substances has been notified to the World Trade Organization under the Technical Barriers to Trade procedure. Since no comments were received following this notification, the Commission says it can be assumed that the ban will not significantly impact the competitiveness of the hair dye manufacturers.
The following substances will be banned:


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May 25, 2016 ... A small Chinese startup says it's about to unveil a smartphone that can bend all ...
The device, produced by Moxi Group, will feature a flexible ...
Michael wrote about this as one of the future smartphone features in a post a year
ago, and today you can actually hold a flexible display smartphone in your ...
Feb 15, 2016 ... Researchers at Queen's University's Human Media Lab have developed the
world's first full-colour, high-resolution and wireless flexible ...
Sep 25, 2013 ... What it really takes to make a flexible phone (Smartphones Unlocked). A
bendable screen is nice in the lab, but it will take more than flexi-glass ...
Dec 30, 2016 ... Throughout 2016, a Chinese manufacturer named Moxi Group promised a
limited release of its own high-end flexible smartphone.
Feb 17, 2016 ... The ReFlex, a prototype flexible smartphone fr... ... To build it, the team mated a
720p flexible LG OLED display to bend sensors and haptic ...
Feb 6, 2017 ... Samsung's bendable display technology may mean a flexible tablet or
smartphone is on the way. Rumors of a flexible Samsung device have ...
The Future of Innovation in the form of mobile smartphones. Arubixs Portal
Flexible Smartphone that's also waterproof, shatterproof, wearable and Glows.
May 25, 2016 ... Flexible smartphones have been developed before, mostly by university
researchers or as concepts by big electronics companies. The Moxi ...
A flexible display is an electronic visual display which is flexible in nature; as
opposed to the ..... our partners to create a whole new ecosystem of devices."
ReFlex is a flexible smartphone created by Queen's University's Human Media


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Few Gleanings from my perusing the Internet.
AT&T Sets New DAS Traffic Records for Super Bowl – AT&T said its customers set new records for Super Bowl and professional football game wireless data consumption, with a total of 1.7 terabytes of traffic used in and around the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday night. In a blog post from AT&T senior executive vice president John Donovan, AT&T said it saw 696 gigabytes of wireless data used on its in-stadium DAS Sunday night, with an additional 1 TB used in and around the stadium in the surrounding parking lots and the Westgate entertainment district. The 1.7 TB mark surpasses the 1.4 TB DAS mark AT&T saw at the recent College Football Playoff championship game in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 12.
Sprint 3Q Loss Seen Amid RadioShack, Google Reports – Sprint is expected to report a narrower loss for the December quarter amid speculation the company could buy retail stores from RadioShack, lease network capacity to Google or sell off some of its radio spectrum to raise cash. Sprint will report fiscal 3Q earnings before the market opens on Thursday. Analysts estimate Sprint will lose 23 cents per share in the three months ended Dec. 31, compared with a 26 cent loss in the year-earlier period. Sprint’s revenue in the December quarter is expected to fall 5 percent to $8.66 billion amid an industry price war.
RadioShack Files for Bankruptcy – Radio Shack, the long-ailing 94-year-old electronics retailer, filed for bankruptcy protection on Thursday. The Chapter 11 filing had long been expected for the company, which has not turned a profit since 2011. But Radio Shack will live on, in a way. Sprint, the wireless services provider, and the hedge fund Standard General have struck a deal to buy 1,500 to 2,400 of the retailer’s company-owned stores in the United States. Sprint is expected to run special “store-within-a-store” departments in up to 1,750 of those stores. Still, Sprint and Standard General will have to square off against potential rivals in a court-supervised auction. The remaining company-owned stores will then be closed.
Investor’s Business Daily, Bloomberg; CNET; Consumerist; MacRumors; Phonescoop., Mobile Sports Report.
Tiny URL for this post:


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fastjet and Tigo Tanzania have today confirmed a new partnership to offer mobile payments for fastjet tickets via Tigo Pesa.
Speaking about the launch, fastjet chief commercial officer Richard Bodin said: “We continue to innovate at fastjet. After the incredible success of our initial mobile phone payment channel, we have been working hard with Tigo to bring this highly popular service to Tanzania’s consumers.”
“Over 25 per cent of our customers pay through their mobile phones and with the launch of the Tigo service, we expect this to grow substantially.
“This, coupled with our recent introduction of credit and debit card payments, really does mean that our customers have all options available to them through which to purchase tickets.”
“We have delivered on our promise of offering an easy and convenient way to buy fastjet tickets.
“We have made air travel accessible for the population of and visitors to Tanzania and are rightly proud of the fact that we now dominate the market on the routes we operate.
“We have shown that fastjet offers affordable tickets and safe, reliable services.”
Africa is now the second-largest mobile market in the world, with more than 620 million mobile users.
Over the past ten years, the number of mobile connections in Africa has grown an average of 30 per cent per year and is forecast to reach 735 million by the end of 2013.
At the same time, demand for improved travel and transport solutions is also growing across the continent, in line with the continued economic expansion.
With over one billion people, the African aviation market is significantly underserved – a need that fastjet is committed to serving.
Tigo Tanzania general manager, Diego Gutierrez, added: “Tigo has grown substantially in recent times and sees this link with fastjet as a fantastic opportunity to offer increased services to our 6 million customers.
“Being the most innovative telecom operator in Tanzania, our aim is to provide affordable communication solutions that will constantly improve lives.
“This partnership with fastjet is further evidence of the innovation and convenience we provide to our customers.
“We are proud that Tigo Pesa will provide fastjet’s passengers with a convenient payment solution.”


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Udderly Kentucky Milk
Article By: Joanie Stiers, farmflavor.com
Farmer Dante Carpenter’s family has milked cows since 1947 in south-central Kentucky. And he plans to maintain that heritage, in spite of challenging times for dairy producers.
Slim margins and high costs teamed with a maturing farmer base have fueled a dairy decline in Kentucky. Yet the state’s dairy farmers collectively work against the odds.
The rural Kentucky landscape lost 40 percent, or 48,000, of its dairy cows between 1993 and 2013, based on data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Yet milk production declined only about 23 percent in the same time frame. In fact, between 2011 and 2012, milk production increased while cow inventories decreased.
Carpenter is among the farmers doing more with less. Increased management, frugal decision-making and diversification have maintained the farm’s longevity, he says.
“I’ve been spending where I need it the worst,” he says. “We don’t buy a whole lot of things. We utilize what we have.”
Roger Snell, farm-to-retail liaison and Kentucky Proud grant administrator, adds that for years, there has been nothing but negative news for the dairy industry across the U.S., especially in Kentucky. That is until the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) recently released the Udderly Kentucky branding program. Snell says it has been the first positive for the state’s industry in a long time.
Udderly Kentucky is a brand under the umbrella of the state’s Kentucky Proud marketing program, which aims to encourage consumers to buy local Kentucky products. With its own logo, website and more, the Udderly Kentucky brand focuses on the state’s dairy industry, identifying milk produced by one of more than 100 Kentucky family farms and processed by Prairie Farms Dairy of Somerset. Sales under the brand provide premiums to the participating farms. Currently, the milk is being sold at Wal-Mart locations in central and south-central Kentucky.
“Commissioner Comer had previously spread the word about this project to a lot of retailers in the state, but Wal-Mart and Prairie Farms have really stepped up to the plate,” says Snell. “Prairie Farms took on a lot of responsibility in processing 100 percent branded milk. That’s what makes it so meaningful, and consumers have really responded.”
With 105 farms as part of the program so far, Snell says the response is only growing. The program has gotten great consumer response, but the KDA was overwhelmed by the response from producers, universities and other retailers, pining to be a part of Udderly Kentucky.
“The department is looking at just how broad they can get, and are trying to pull in every single dairy farm in the state,” says Snell. “That would be eight times as many farms as there are now, but the commissioner has set a high standard.”
He adds that one of the most astounding impacts that has come from the program is the willingness of consumers to buy local, even if it means spending more. Snell says that regardless of the demographics in the area, when you look at the numbers, people are more willing to buy the locally branded milk, which is a dollar more than the cheapest option available.
“It’s great to see that consumers are willing and want to support local dairy farms,” says Snell.
Those local dairy farms include 73,000 to 75,000 cows on about 750 farms, says Maury Cox, executive director of the Kentucky Dairy Development Council (KDDC). Dairy farms are most prevalent in south-central and southwestern Kentucky. And these cows prove their worth in more than milk to Kentucky, when you take into account processing, retail value, jobs and more.
“The average cow is an economic generator, in a community have an economic ripple effect of $13,700 per year,” Cox says. He adds that every 1,000 cows generate about 10 to 12 direct jobs, he says. From those jobs come 40 indirect and induced jobs.
The KDDC, a collaboration of farmers, industry representatives and university researchers, formed in 2005 in response to the decline in herd numbers. The council is funded in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund. The council’s goal is to sustain and grow Kentucky’s dairy industry.
The council, its programs and resources, can take some credit for the industry’s improved performance. Cox says the MILK program, or Market Incentive Leadership for Kentucky, has served as a catalyst to increase milk production. The program includes nearly half the milk produced in the state. It provides incentives to farmers to produce more high-quality milk and keep milk dollars in Kentucky.
“Our producers are really paying attention to production per cow and milk quality,” he says.
Cox says dairy farming is a heritage and provides tremendous economic generation in the community. And it’s just plain good for Kentuckians.
“It provides good wholesome food for people,” he says. “When you’re doing something with your life that matters and makes a difference, it’s well worth the effort.”


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Fast fashion’s dirty secrets are beginning to be more widely and publicly unmasked, but a government tax on garments to support recycling is just part of the solution argues Becky Willan, Managing Director of Given London.
The 1p tax on all garments sold, proposed by the Environmental Audit Committee in its Fast Fashion report, has grabbed headlines and helped publicise the sustainability issues around throwaway fashion. But while the tax could raise an extra £35million to go towards better textile collection and sorting, it is just one of the report’s recommendations.
Recycling is an important part of tackling a disposable attitude to fashion consumption. However, it can only ever be part of the solution for addressing the scale of the environmental and social challenges facing the fashion industry. The true potential of this government initiative will be in its function as a catalyst for change to a multi-faceted problem.
Fast fashion problems uncovered by the EAC report included: synthetic fibre pollution, excessive water consumption, landfilling and incineration of unsold stock, over consumption of fashion and the degradation of workers’ rights. Sustainability challenges facing fashion are broad and complex and because of this, brands need to think more holistically about the entire value chain. Consideration needs to be given to where the opportunities are for reducing negative social and environmental impact as well as the potential to deliver long-term, positive change.
In the UK, we buy more garments per person than any other European country and the average life of a garment today is just 2.2 years. There’s more than one option for consumers to consider for garments that they no longer want. However, not all of these sustainable alternatives are well communicated to consumers, and in many cases, recycling is the least favourable solution.
Solutions that encourage consumers to keep their garments in a cycle of use such as repairing services, rental business models, sharing among peers or even simply re-styling and wearing again, are much more sustainable and transformative approaches to addressing throwaway attitudes and diverting waste from landfill. Fashion brands should consider how they might make it easier for consumers to repair damaged garments, and how they can become part of the resale economy. Currently, it costs more to repair a garment than to simply purchase an entirely new garment. In isolation, recycling also presents its own set of challenges. Recycled garments are more commonly downcycled into a lower grade product, for example industrial rags or low-grade blankets, rather than reverted back to a high-quality product, which would be a more sustainable use of resources.
There are several well-established brands leading the sustainability agenda, including H&M Group and Stella McCartney, and other, often smaller disruptive brands like Nudie Jeans challenging many of the conventions of traditional fashion business models. But there remains a lack of sufficient availability of sustainable fashion choices for consumers. Sustainable fashion represents just 1% of the entire fashion industry. Yet research shows that consumers want to support sustainable fashion. The McKinsey, State of Fashion Report, found 66% of consumers were willing in theory to spend more on sustainable brands.
Government intervention through taxation can be powerful, as illustrated by the recent reduction in single-use plastic bags. Yet the job remains to consider how governments and brands can address the true length and breadth of the fast fashion problem and provide viable, simple and common-sense solutions for consumers which will drive behaviour change.


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FARMINGTON — A year ago, the Starbucks at Farmington’s Station Park was on a short list of five Utah locations that the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control had approved to serve beer, wine and appetizers in the evenings.
Now, the coffee megachain has pressed pause on the idea.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Starbucks storefronts in Holladay, Lehi, Park City and Salt Lake City also fell under that limited-service restaurant liquor license, which would have required expanded kitchens and installation of the so-called “Zion curtains.”
By late October 2016, Fox 13 News reported that Starbucks let the coveted license lapse.
According to Forbes, the Starbucks “Evenings” concept first launched in Seattle in 2010 and eventually expanded to 400-plus stores.The move was part of the corporate coffee giant’s nationwide strategy to caffeinate consumers by day, then give them a cozy spot to wind down in the late afternoon and evening.
Baristas would become bartenders and deliver drinks and “small plates” of comfort food to seated customers.
But by Jan. 10, 2017, the company announced it would discontinue that effort here in the U.S.
Contacted earlier this week about its reasons for stepping back from “Evenings,” a Starbucks spokeswoman said by email that the corporation makes it a priority to focus on innovation and “meeting our customers where they are throughout their day.”
The Evenings program was temporarily paused, she said, with plans to integrate beer, wine and spirits into new Roasteries and Reserve store formats which will roll out some time in the future.
“This will allow the majority of our locations to focus on our core business, continuing to deliver the Starbucks Experience for our customers while optimizing the evening for our premium customer,” the spokeswoman said by email.


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2014 food trends
(Continued from page 1)
• 86 the chicken: Restaurants are taking the risk of removing ever-popular chicken from the menu and offering less conventional proteins, such as catfish, pork belly and goat.
• New-fangled Cobb salads: Moving away from Caesar salads, restaurants are offering updated Cobbs, with personal touches such as fried avocados or jerk chicken.
• Haute homey: Upgraded comfort food, such as the modern pierogies at Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco and peanut butter panna cotta at 1760 in San Francisco, is becoming more popular.
• “Mutant morsels”: Unusual combinations — such as the ramen burger that went viral after being introduced at the Smorgasburg food market in Brooklyn, N.Y., or the dessert pizza with Nutella, marshmallows and macadamia nuts at Scala’s Bistro in San Francisco — are striking chords with customers.
• Ice cream sandwiches: Freeman predicted that we’ll see more of these portable desserts, particularly from food trucks and pop-up restaurants.
• Nontraditional chips: Instead of tortilla chips, potato chips or crostini, Freeman predicted we’ll see more items such as the beef tendon chips at the Hi-Lo BBQ in San Francisco.
• Sea-to-table: “We’re sort of thinking next year is going to see this whole sea-to-table movement,” Freeman said, noting that chefs are experimenting with less common seafood, such as octopus and monkfish liver.


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IWATA, SHIZUOKA PREF. – Yamaha Motor Co. is planning to set up a motorcycle sales unit in Myanmar next year, President Hiroyuki Yanagi announced.
The company’s annual motorbike sales at present amount to just a few thousand units in Myanmar and are conducted through local agents, but Yamaha opened a representative office in Yangon this autumn and is looking to grow its local operations.
Yamaha “will advance to the next stage next year,” Yanagi said in a joint media interview Friday at the firm’s headquarters in Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Yanagi said there will be no need to build a plant in Myanmar for the time being, citing factors including the rapidly emerging country’s extremely low tariffs on imported motorcycles, which can be as little as 5 percent.


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The company said the device will debut in Korea, the United States and major European nations, but curiously not China.
In a statement Samsung said that it decided to market the Gear S3 midway through November at the latest in Korea and some other countries. It will appear in China a bit later.
The prices of the Gear S3 Frontier and the Gear S3 Classic will differ but probably will be about $356.
The Gear S3 has been much anticipated because it's feature rich. The water-resistant gadget, with a 3.3-centimeter circular display, has an in-built global positioning system (GPS) and the capacity to make contact-less payments.
In an emergency, Gear 3 users can tap the back buttons three times to send SOS signals and their location to designated friends or relatives, even if the smartwatch is not connected to a mobile phone. Users also can access 10,000 applications, while the watch has a maximum four-day battery life and shedloads of health-tracking functions.
"We are confident that the Gear S3 will be one of the most loved smartwatches for users, as we focused on bringing cutting-edge technologies and emotional designs to it," a Samsung official said.
Recently, U.S. high-tech website Phone Arena polled readers on which of the two competing gizmos they would buy. Among around 1,650 respondents, 82 percent opted for the Gear S3 while 18 percent picked the Apple Watch Series 2 – if it does not catch fire that is.


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Boat and sport enthusiasts can participate in a wide variety of hands-on activities, including: learning the latest techniques in fishing and hunting at the Boating and Outdoor Classroom; receiving tips on maintaining and repairing boats at Fred’s Shed; expert demonstrations in fishing and casting in the 40-foot long, 5,000 gallon Texas Bass Tank and testing out their paddlesports skills in Paddler’s Party Cove.
Boat and beer enthusiasts are invited to attend the newest feature at the show called Anchors and Ales on Friday, February 28th, 2014. Anchors and Ales ticket holders will receive admission into the show and exclusive access to sample craft beers from some of the top breweries in the state.
Families will enjoy the Kids Cove area, where kids can compete in the BassMasters Kids Casting Competition, practice their fishing techniques in the Becky Thatcher Trout Pond and transform themselves into pirates on the Gypsy Rose III Landship. Families also won’t want to miss the Dock Dogs in their high flying competition and visiting Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer during the weekend of the show.
February 26 – March 2, 2014
America’s Center & Edward Jones Dome
701 Convention Center Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63101
Wednesday, February 26: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 27: 2:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday, February 28: 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 1: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 2: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Adults (16 and older): $10
Youth (15 and under): Free
Progressive Customers: $8
2-Day Pass: $14
Pre-Show Discount: $2 discount for tickets purchased online in advance
Keep up with us on Twitter at @STLBoatShow for all the latest news and promotions and join the conversation on Facebook.
About the Progressive Insurance St. Louis Boat & Sportshow: The Progressive Insurance St. Louis Boat & Sportshow is produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the world’s largest producer of boat shows and the leading association representing the recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle. For more information, visit www.nmma.org.
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies makes it easy to understand, buy and use auto insurance. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach it whenever, wherever and however it’s most convenient—online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, on a mobile device or in-person with a local agent.
The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly at NYSE:PGR.


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New restrictions on sugary, purified alcoholic drinks took effect Thursday, following numerous months of federal consultations and as minimum death over an 18-month span. The alcohol content material in what Health Canada defined as “single-serve flavored purified alcoholic drinks” cannot exceed 25.6 ml for each field of one liter or much less. The amount is equal to approximately one and a half liquids; a single serving could formerly incorporate up to four well-known alcoholic beverages.
The adjustments come after the 2018 demise of Quebec teen Athena Gervais, who drowned in a creek after quickly consuming several sugary alcoholic beverages. A coroner reported this yr that Gervais, 14, consumed a maximum of three 568 ml cans of a beverage called FCKD UP — the equivalent of 12 glasses of wine — within the span of half of an hour on Feb. 26, 2018. Her body turned into discovered a few days later, and the teen’s death raised questions about the beverages and their advertising to adolescents. Health Canada consulted notably before introducing the brand new rules Thursday.
Given the “seriousness of the scenario,” Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said in an assertion Thursday that the rules are effective without delay and there might be no transition length. The enterprise changed into properly aware of the modifications that have been coming — in the weeks following Gervais’ death, Montreal-region Groupe Geloso stopped generating FCKD UP and destroyed its inventories time as allowing stores to liquidate their stock.
Not long after, U.S. Competitor Phusion Projects followed the instance and stopped the distribution of Four Loko.
Educ’alcool, a Quebec non-profit that promotes responsible drinking, stated it’s far disenchanted with the brand new policies, referred to as too permissive. The organization believes the federal authorities ignored a possibility to crack down on the relatively new industry and could fail to shield younger folks who want it the maximum.
Hubert Sacy said the federal government consulted, however, didn’t listen to prevention and public health businesses and did not cope with advertising and packaging concerns. No you could understand how they can restrict it to at least one-and-a-1/2 servings of alcohol in one general can,” Sacy said. “Nobody counts their liquids with the aid of a tumbler-and-a-half of, and there is virtually not anything approximately labeling packaging and the layout of these liquids.
Sacy brought the federal government did not even listen to the Quebec coroner, Martin Larocque, who also encouraged bins underneath one liter be confined to one serving, as opposed to the 1.Five servings proposed by way of Health Canada. The coroner had also advised regulations on the advent and advertising of merchandise, along with a ban on names or slogans that “trivialize excessive alcohol intake, inebriety or alcohol dependence.
Under the guidelines developing a brand new class of “flavored purified alcohol beverage,” a 568-ml drink would be capped at four.5 in keeping with cent alcohol. A 355-ml can include 7.2 consistent with cent alcohol, while a 473-ml container may want to have as much as five—four consistent with cent. Health Canada said an exemption would be made for beverages packaged in glass boxes with a 750-ml extent or higher because beverages are typically meant for a couple of servings.


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Pune: Two persons from Karnataka have been arrested by the Cyber Crime Cell (CCC) of Pune police for allegedly cheating customers of a private insurance company of Rs 3.65 lakhs by changing registered mobile number associated with their Equated Monthly installments (EMI) cards. The fraudsters then allegedly did shopping on e-commerce websites.
Hemant Ahirrao (39), an employee of the company, had lodged the complaint in this regard with Vimantal police station a week ago.
According to police, the incident took place between May and October this year. The fraudsters had called the customer care number and got the phone numbers changed pretending to be the actual customers.
While investigating the case, cops reached Tumkur in Karnataka and nabbed Vikas Somshekhar (26) and Sanju Shashikumar (25). On November 3, cops raided their houses and seized five mobile phones, 14 SIM cards, 7 ATM cards, 7 PAN cards and one laptop, totally worth Rs 87,000.
DCP (cyber cell & Economic Offences Wing) Jyotipriya Singh supervised the investigation team which included Police Inspector Radhika Phadke, PSI Kiran Aute, police constable Shirish Gavde, Nitesh Shelar and Bhooshan Shelar.
Both the accused persons have been handed over to the Vimantal police station for further investigation in the case.


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This is kind of interesting. The FCC’s Office of Engineering & Technology issued new labeling guidance on Friday, saying that manufacturers can do away with the awful FCC ID etchings found on the backs of iPhones and other devices with integral screens.
Until now, the FCC has asked that any equipment requiring FCC certification sport a nameplate or etched label listing its FCC ID and other info. But with devices getting smaller and more complex, it wanted to update the requirement for the digital age…
Multichannel points to the new guidance document:
In many instances, it is not practically feasible or appropriate to place a permanent legible label on the device. Many consumer devices have very small surface areas for a label, or when etched on the surface, the labeling may cause damage or require very expensive techniques. In such instances, the rules permit the Commission to approve alternative means of displaying the required information.4 The rules already permit devices approved as software-defined radios and modular transmitters to display compliance information electronically through a display where available.5
So essentially, the FCC is saying that Apple may soon be able to remove those ugly hieroglyphs from the back of its iPhones and simply display the information in its iOS software somewhere. A likely spot would be in the General section of the stock Settings app.
According to the document, the FCC still requires that users be able to access the info in no more than three steps in a device’s menu. It also cannot require a special access code or hardware (such as a SIM card), and users must be instructed on how to find it.
Nebraska Senator (R) Deb Fischer applauded the FCC’s new guidelines, but suggested a bill was still needed to ensure adoption across the board. “As the sponsor of the bipartisan E-LABEL Act with Chairman Rockefeller, I welcome the FCC’s timely guidance.”
Of course there’s no word on when Apple intends to implement the change.


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For those of us who are still upset with the decision of Nike to pull sneakers showing the Betsy Ross flag, there is now an alternative from a competitor. Brooks Running shoes has launched a limited-edition Old Glory Collection shoe emblazoned with American flag-inspired style. As someone who has worn Brooks for years, I do not have to change but many are likely to do so. Nike left a lasting and indelible stain on its company for many Americans. Nike made a calculated decision to curry favor with Nike embraced Colin Kaepernick and his supporters by showing disrespect to this national symbol. For those who are enraged by Nike’s decision, the Brooks line reminds us that there are other shoe companies and some are less craven in their business decisions.
As I have stated earlier, I was flabbergasted by the decision of Nike to pull sneakers showing the early American flag because Kaepernick found it offensive. Supporters of Kaepernick has insisted that the flag is now a symbol of white supremacists. I do not know about the adoption by white supremacists but I am familiar with the flag being used by prior protesters ranging from Civil Rights marchers to anti-Vietnam activists as well as displayed at events like President Barack Obama’s inauguration. Even, the Anti-Defamation League added its voice in saying that “We view it as essentially an innocuous historical flag. It’s not a thing in the white supremacist movement.” None of that deterred Nike who decided to go “all in” with Kaepernick in destroying the shoes.
Nike could be right. Many Americans may care less about the decision or the symbol. Many of us do however and only time will tell what lasting damage has been done to the Nike brand.
What is interesting is that Brooks introduced the shoe towards the end of June – just before competitor Nike canceled the release of its “Betsy Ross flag” sneakers. The company however did not demand the return of all of the shoes so that they can be destroyed to satisfy Colin Kaepernick’s sensibilities.
In case you are shopping, here is one of the many sites for “The Old Glory Launch 6.”
145 thoughts on “Brooks Offers Old Glory Collection After Nike Controversy”
Why Kap takes a knee:
Seth Eklund was a security guard at an IRS building in Toledo, Ohio who is facing charges for allegedly pointing a gun at a Lucas County Sheriff’s Deputy, Alan Gaston.
Eklund, 33, entered a not guilty plea to aggravated menace during his first court appearance Monday, according to WTVG.
Eklund, who is white, pointed the gun at Gaston, who is black, and followed him out of the building, the news report said. Gaston told local reporters he was bracing himself to be shot in the back.
Well, just to be sure, you did read the linked comment by Personanongrata, didn’t you? In a broader sense, is revealing war crimes committed by the US military considered “criticizing the American government”?
Sorry, this was supposed to be in response to this comment.
I don’t think that Assange was “critisizing his govenment”.
I didn’t see any indication that he was badmouthing Australia.
It’s one thing to criticize a govenment, and it’s another thing to hide out in an embassy year after year to avoid extradiction rape charges, illegal hecking and publication of classified material, etc.
Free speech in criticizing “his govenment” is one thing, this is not about that.
Hope that clears it up for you
Why Kap takes a knee:
Drain the swamp.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a paid spokesperson for Nike.
If I were a paid spokesperson, I would include it with my comments — the ones that I’ve posted about Nike. In the future I’ll be sure to clarify this in my comments.
Kids playing games.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a paid spokeperson for Nike.
Nobody sucks up to a company, like I did in these comments, for free.
Comments are closed.


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El Segundo (CA) - Vizio, the only one of the top five TV manufacturers that is based in the US, has managed to rise near the top of the market, creating pressure on everyone else.
The latest numbers are in from market research firm iSuppli, and it shows an extremely close race between the top three LCD competitors.
According to iSuppli, there is less than one half of one percentage point difference between Samsung, Sony and Vizio.
Vizio came in third place, a position it has held before, but its margin against consumer electronics giants Samsung and Sony is closer than ever before.
The Irvine, California-based TV maker is known for its low prices, and with increased market share that has caused a price war with other companies.
"Following Vizio’s surprise rise to leadership in the North American LCD-TV market in the second and third quarters of 2007 due to its rock-bottom pricing, Samsung and Sony have struck back with their own cuts and new low-cost sets," said iSuppli analyst Riddhi Patel.
The research firm said that it is no longer just a game of pricing, though. Most major HDTV manufacturers are incorporating new design and ergonomic features, including colored bezels, rounded edges and touch-responsive on-board controls.
The LCD TV market is expected to continue to grow in North America at a rate of 10% a year through 2012, said iSuppli.


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Liverpool's off-field growth continues at a pace to match Jurgen Klopp's fortunes on the pitch.
A new report on Thursday claimed that the Reds are in advanced talks with Nike over an eye-watering deal that will exceed the £750million contract Manchester United currently have with Adidas.
United's agreement is the most lucrative in British football but the Reds are reportedly in deep discussions with the American manufacturers to earn them the biggest contract in the Premier League.
At a time when Liverpool are locked in battle for both the Premier League and Champions League, they will enter into negotiations over a new kit armed to the teeth with bargaining chips.
Liverpool , of course, currently have a deal with American manufacturers New Balance for their current kit, but club officials will ensure that no stone is left unturned in pursuit of the best deal possible for a new one later this year.
The new deal - whoever it is eventually agreed with - is likely to be the most lucrative in Anfield history and will place them alongside other giants of the sport.
But just how much is that expected to be?
Perhaps Unsurprisingly, Manchester United lead the way in English football with their £75m-a-year deal with Adidas.
The Reds will hope their transformation both on and off the pitch over the past few years will see them edge nearer to such huge figures. A the latest report claims Liverpool can even surpass their north-west rivals.
Here's how other giants of the Premier League match up.
Manchester United - £75m per year (Adidas)
Manchester United's 2014 agreement with Adidas placed them top of the charts in British football, with £75m earned yearly from the German manufacturers.
The sportswear giants signed the 10-year deal in July 2014 which was worth an eye-watering £750million, considerably dwarfing the £23.5m they had been earning from Nike.
Look at some of Liverpool's greatest kits down the years HERE
The deal was a world record-breaking one for the Red Devils and nearly five years on, United are still earning a sizeable chunk more per annum than the rest of their Premier League rivals.
Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer said at the time: "We expect total sales to reach £1.5bn during the duration of our partnership."
Liverpool will hope their considerable fanbase around the world, coupled with their stature and history - which is only rivalled by United in England - will bring them closer to the Old Trafford club's Adidas agreement.
Manchester City - £65m (Puma)
Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions struck a £65million-a-year deal with Puma back in February.
The 10-year deal is the second biggest in England behind United's and comes into effect at the beginning of next season.
The new deal also covers Melbourne City, Girona, Atletico Torque and Chinese club Sichuan Jiuniu as part of the City Football Group and it replaces the Nike contract currently in place.
Puma already held boot contracts with City stars Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva and becomes the biggest kit contract in the club's history.
“We want to maximise on-field performance as well as football culture, in areas such as music, gaming and fashion to connect and inspire the fanbase of each team," said chief executive of Puma Bjorn Gulden back in February.
Arsenal - £60m (Adidas)
Arsenal struck an agreement with Adidas in October which doubled the £30-a-year one they previously held with Puma.
The Gunners' new arrangement will come into play as of next season, bringing in a return to Adidas strips for the first time since 1994 for the North Londoners."
The Adidas contract moved Arsenal alongside Chelsea as the second biggest kit deal in the Premier League.
Chelsea - £60m (Nike)
Chelsea signed the most lucrative deal in their own history back in 2016 when they inked a 15-year contract with Nike worth £60m a season.
The Londoners have been wearing Nike shirts since the start of the 2017/18 campaign after paying a reported £40m to exit their Adidas agreement six years early.
"This is an incredibly exciting and important deal for the club," said Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia at the time. "Like Chelsea, Nike is known around the world for its excellence and innovation and we look forward to working together in what is sure to be a successful partnership.
"We believe Nike will be able to support our growth into new markets as well as helping us maintain our place among the world’s elite football clubs."
The lengthy deal with Nike might see other Premier League giants surpass their annual figures by the time it enters its final few months in 2032.


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You may be getting short changed by your favorite sweet treats.
A New York City woman is suing Tootsie Roll Industries, claiming the Junior Mints manufacturer intentionally tricked consumers by filling large candy boxes with too much air, according to the Journal News.
Biola Daniel said in her lawsuit, obtained by the publication, that the size of the boxes is disproportionate to the amount of candy inside them.
"The size of the product's boxes in comparison to the volume of the candy contained therein makes it appear to plaintiff and class members that they are buying more than what is actually being sold," the 36-page class-action suit stated.
"Plaintiff and class members are denied the benefit of their bargain because they pay for full boxes of the product but actually receive far less."
According to the legal filing, Daniel purchased a box of the mint-chocolate treats at a Duane Reade pharmacy on Sept. 23. The 3.5 ounce box "contained approximately 40 percent non-functional slack-fill."
She claims in her lawsuit that by comparison, Tootsie Rolle Industries is putting out products with significantly higher volumes of packaged air than other companies.
"By comparing the box of defendant's product to the boxes of comparable candies, it is easy to see that the product contains non-functional slack-fill," the lawsuit stated.
"Competitors' product boxes are similar in size to defendant's product boxes — yet contain far more candy. This demonstrates that it is possible to fit a greater quantity of candy into defendant's product boxes."
According to the Journal News, a similar such lawsuit was filed against Tootsie Roll Industries in California.
Lawyers for the company entered a motion to dismiss the California case, stating that the "plaintiff's arguments rest almost entirely on the exact same allegations this court has already found insufficient to confer standing to challenge the Sugar Babies snack box."
They have not yet responded to the current suit against them.


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Masabi, the London-based mobile ticketing startup that has nearly cornered the market for train services in the UK, has raised more funding to the tune of $4 million to expand into the U.S. and make its service work with NFC.
This round of funding was led by m8 Capital, which was also the lead VC in Masabi’s last round of $2 million back in September 2010.
The company currently lets users buy tickets via their mobile devices, and then gives them several options for using them: via QR codes that can be read with special readers at the gates; via visual checks by staff; or by using the card used to buy the ticket through the app at a ticket vending machine.
The idea now will be to extend those payment options to include NFC, something that is already used in certain UK networks — for example the Underground in London uses NFC in its card scheme — and may well become more common in the future.
More importantly, perhaps, is that a move into NFC could help the company in its ambition to target international markets like the U.S., which has shown strong interest in NFC with initiatives coming from several operators, payment providers, handset makers and even payment companies like PayPal that have up to now not given NFC much time. It can also help Masabi branch out into other areas beyond transport such as ticketing for entertainment and sporting events.
Masabi says that by the end of this year its service will be deployed with nine train operators in the UK. Named customers include thetrainline.com, Virgin Trains, Cross Country Trains, First TransPennine Express, First Hull Trains and Chiltern Railways.
That represents significant growth over the last year: when announcing its last round of funding a year ago, Masabi only had two customers.


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KNOWLEDGE CENTRE: The opening session of the Wearable Payment Summit 2020, NFCW’s first online conference, is now available to watch free of charge in our Knowledge Centre... More
More than half of US consumers (60%) are currently using a method of digital payment with the most popular proving to be PayPal, used by 51%, a study conducted by Thales in conjunction with Wakefield Research reveals... More
An alliance has been launched which aims to develop a global standard for people to buy public transport tickets in cities around the world on their mobile devices, using a single application, and verify the ticket with a tap of their NFC device to travel... More
Thales Group has unveiled its Immersive Business Class Seat, an airline seating concept that uses NFC to enable passengers to use their mobile phone to set their comfort and entertainment preferences before boarding... More
Auckland Transport, Telecom New Zealand and financial services group Westpac have announced they are now ready to begin their first NFC field trial... More
The pilot follows the announcement that New Zealand’s mobile network operators are to partner with the operator of the country’s debit card and ATM networks to introduce a central TSM platform. More
Italian mobile network operator Wind has begun an internal NFC pilot, in collaboration with Samsung... More
The Italian mobile network operator is to work with French technology cluster Pole SCS on the development of a range of innovative NFC services which will be introduced first in the city of Milan from later this year. More
The Thales OR 500 is a new reader designed for the transportation ticketing market that works with both traditional contactless transit cards and EMV bank cards... More
The new solution is designed to make it easy for card issuers to prepare and encrypt customer data so that it can be sent securely over-the-air to cardholders’ NFC phones. More
Feed for stories featuring Thales.
• Find a list of all the companies and other organisations that have been featured in NFCW in our directory.


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A great step ahead
As off winter season 2020/2021, the group of 8 Intersport Morzine – Les Gets – Avoriaz resort stores announces that the entire rental fleet will be equipped with the brand new GRIP WALK® fastening system. A big step forward to guarantee even more performance and comfort to customers of Intersport stores!
The Grip Walk ® is a revolutionary sole / binding system designed to make walking with ski boots much more comfortable while reducing slippage. Multiple advantages guaranteeing unprecedented performance on snow.
Grip Walk® advantages
- — more natural and comfortable ski boot walking
- — better adherence of the soles to the Rocker Profile
- — easy to use
- — transmission performance between the boot and the ski preserved
- — TUV certification
- — Features and performance approved by an independent entity


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The luxury deal of the century is back on track. Pending Tiffany shareholder approval, the French conglomerate LVMH will acquire Tiffany
A few short months ago, LMVH was looking for a way out of the original agreement, reached in November 2019 at $135 per share or $16.2 billion. A letter from France’s Foreign Affairs Minister gave it an off-ramp and LVMH tried to take it.
As in all on-again-off-again relationships, things got ugly. After LVMH claimed Tiffany didn’t meet its contractual obligation under the merger agreement, Tiffany promptly went to court to hold LVMH to its original bargain, saying “LVMH had unclean hands” as it used “any available means in an attempt to avoid closing the transaction.”
LVMH countersued with accusations that Tiffany mismanaged its business and cited “many [other] examples of mismanagement detailed in the filing.”
Tiffany fired back responding to “baseless and misleading counterclaims” by LVMH. To which LVMH called Tiffany’s allegations “meritless,” claiming Tiffany was engaged in “aggressive misdirection campaign tactics.” It further called out the “mediocrity” of Tiffany’s management.
On October 29, the contentious battle was settled and LVMH agreed to pay $131.5o per share for a total of $15.8 billion, a $420 million rounding-error for a company that made $63.5 billion last year.
Despite the mudslinging, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault said in a statement, “We are as convinced as ever of the formidable potential of the Tiffany brand and believe that LVMH is the right home for Tiffany and its employees during this exciting chapter.”
At least for now, Tiffany has won the battle, but the real war is yet to come.
Can it live up to its promise, asserted by Tiffany CEO Alessandro Bogliolo in a statement: “We continue to believe in the power and value of the Tiffany brand and the compelling long-term strategic and financial benefits of this combination.”
That is the $15.8 billion question. Neither company responded to requests for comment.
All on board?
First, Tiffany must get its 14,000+ employees on board. For them, will LVMH’s repeated claims of mismanagement mean their own managers will go, and if they go, what happens to them?
A retail company is only as good as its employees and everybody from the board room to the stockroom to the sales floor answers to the customers. Any hint of dissatisfaction with the company and doubts about the business is communicated down the line to the customers.
On that score, Erica Carranza, Ph.D., vice president of consumer psychology at research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey, believes Tiffany has bought some time.
“Fortunately, we are in the middle of a pandemic where there are fewer customers in the store, but later, LVMH has to create a mutually beneficial and rewarding working situation that satisfies the employees of the acquired company,” she shares.
“They have to create a collective social identity where everybody’s feeling good about being part of this. If that’s not the case, it can trickle down to affect customers in the store,” she adds.
Building a “collective social identity” may be problematic because there is bound to be a cultural clash when the Paris bosses start to exert more influence on their American staff.
“A lot of people don’t know how aggressive LVMH is in their business strategies,” she says. “I think it could end badly for Tiffany, especially given all the drama that ensued during the whole process, especially if people feel Paris is being high-handed.”
Rather than making over iconic-American Tiffany into LVMH’s Parisian image, Carranza wonders if it might not be a better strategy to emphasize Tiffany’s American-ness.
“They could take a strategy of returning to a more classic Tiffany. We need to wait and see what the feelings are among people who care about Tiffany, both employees and customers: Do they want it the American way?” she shares.
Tiffany reduced to a “T”
However, it may be too late for Tiffany to return to its classic American roots and heritage, even if that is the direction LVMH decides to pursue for the brand, suggests Benedict Auld, founder of Lapidarius, a New York-based brand strategy consultancy.
He feels Tiffany has been following a LVMH playbook for years and the results haven’t been good. He points to the new $5,600 Tiffany T1 Wide Hinged Bangle bracelet in 18kt gold as an example.
“It looks like it was designed by an intern,” he says, as it shows no creativity or originality. “It’s an attempt to approximate the Louis Vuitton monogram. They’re running someone else’s playbook – Louis Vuitton – which is to use a monogram and just market it over and over again.”
The LVMH-ing of Tiffany, as Auld describes it, has been successful so far for Tiffany, as it has been for Louis Vuitton.
“On the new products front, the Tiffany T1 line, our newest gold and gold with diamonds jewelry collection, continued to do very well in the second quarter both in Mainland China and globally,” Tiffany CEO Bogliolo stated in the second quarter 2020 earnings report.
But Auld doubts it is a sustainable long-term strategy for Tiffany.
“Tiffany used to stand for something. Now it has been reduced to a ‘T’,” he shares. “The T1 product line is simply a fast, easy and largely speaking valueless, short-term approach. Tiffany is capable of making beautiful things, but this is simply garish and conspicuous. It is not beautiful. It is not culturally relevant.”
Customers will decide
CMB’s Carranza believes that customers may see the LVMH takeover of Tiffany as a turn toward more fashion. “Paris is synonymous with high fashion,” she says. “Because LVMH is a French company squarely within the luxury fashion space, it may turn out to be a good fit.”
But she told of a recent conversation with a young Louis Vuitton loyalist who expressed concern that Tiffany doesn’t live up to LVMH’s image. “This luxury customer was concerned that Tiffany would tarnish Louis Vuitton,” Carranza shares.
Tarnish it, Tiffany might, if it doesn’t demonstrate more creativity, originality or true luxury style than the T1 Collection shows.
“People talk about luxury as being about wanting stuff,” Auld says. “But luxury is where need begins. When people look at a luxury garment, bag or piece of jewelry, they absolutely have to have it with every fiber of their central nervous system. But who needs this bracelet?”
“If this is where LVMH is going to take Tiffany, in five years, will Tiffany even exist?,” he concludes.


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Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Feb. 11.
"This will be one incredible evening. Sir Elton John ranks arguably as one of the top artists to play our venue,” said Ron Elenbaas, president and CEO of Greenleaf Hospitality Group, in a press release posted on Wings' website. “I am sure we are in for one amazing night when this world-renowned artist performs in Kalamazoo.”
Ticket prices are: $139, $79 and $39 and will be available online at Ticketmaster.com at Wings Stadium Ticket Office, or charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000, according to Wings website. A service charge is added to each ticket, although the website didn't give the amount.
Each purchaser will be limited to buying eight tickets.
According to Wings' website, the stadium has a capacity of 8,023 for "festival-style concerts." The stadium holds 5,113 for hockey games.
The concert is not yet listed on Elton John's official website. His website shows a gap in his touring schedule after a show on March 17 in Richmond, Va., picking up again April 13 in Las Vegas.


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The International Gemological Institute has expanded its diamond report series to include Spanish and Portuguese language options.
According to the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council, the Hispanic jewelry market is estimated at $8 billion a year. Spanish-language cable network Univision took the No. 1 spot in primetime television ratings for July, prompting JCK senior editor Rob Bates to wonder whether or not the jewelry industry was missing out on the Hispanic market.
“Taking into account the current and impending jewelry market growth among Hispanics and Latinos, we saw an opportunity to provide an essential service,” said IGI president and CEO Jerry Ehrenwald, in a statement. “We are thrilled to equip retailers and consumers alike with the necessary tools to understand their reports and the respective diamond quality.”Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine


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From product placement to the Netflix Cup: marketers weigh up the unconventional twist in its ad strategy
The conversation about advertising on Netflix has taken a turn down memory lane.
With its first live sports event coming up next week (November 14), Netflix execs have been talking it up to marketers — and it’s not the usual spiel they might have expected from the streaming giant entering its second year of advertising.
Instead of just being asked to advertise around the ‘Netflix Cup’ global golf match, they’re also being “invited” to sponsor it. All it takes is a $2 million investment to get their branding showcased during the live-streamed event, and then an additional $2 million for ad placements on its ad-supported tier, sources confirmed to Digiday after Bloomberg first reported.
This is a bit of a twist in Netflix’s conversations with marketers this year. But it’s also somewhat of a throwback, because while the streamer has been ad-free until fairly recently, its programming has always been associated with some big brands. For years, brands like Budwieser, Coca-Cola and Sony have paid to have their logos and products appear in some of Netflix’s biggest shows from Stranger Things to House of Cards. So, it only makes sense that others would be willing to do the same during live sports broadcasts.
“This isn’t an ad play from the conversation we had with Netflix,” said a media buyer who exchanged anonymity for candor on the details of those discussions. “It’s more about Netflix showing us and our clients different ways they can grow subscribers as well as demonstrating new formats.”
These new formats piqued marketers’ interest, five agency execs aware of the pitch told Digiday. Marketers want to reach more subscribers, especially those who haven’t signed up to see Netflix ads in the first place.
To give some context, Netflix’s ad-supported tier had about 15 million monthly active users globally earlier this month. That’s just a fraction of its whopping 247 million global subscribers. Events like the upcoming golfing tournament are a handy solution for advertisers to get their branding in front of a larger audience at a time when that’s pretty tough to achieve.
“It’s definitely more the reach, which I think is the issue now, because they I think have something like 220 million subscribers, but only five million on the ad-supported platform,” said Tucker Matheson, managing partner at digital marketing agency Markacy, which had a golfing client explore the idea of sponsoring the golfing event before ultimately deciding not to.
Markacy’s client’s decision highlights the broader challenge Netflix has faced with advertising: the cost.
Right now, Markacy could get three 30-second spots at three different tournaments on traditional TV for the same price that Netflix is offering, said Matheson. Other marketers have also voiced similar concerns about advertising to its ad-tier subscribers, which is around £40 per thousand impressions (CPM) in the U.K. It’s simply too expensive for them to commit their ad dollars when they’re not reaching a substantial audience.
On the flip side, Netflix’s ad executives might argue that those marketers fussing over $2 million were never really their target audience to begin with. Rather, they’ve been focused squarely on the largest advertisers — those who adore TV and can afford to splash millions of dollars on what’s essentially a test. Despite the hiccups in its first year, Netflix has been consistent in this approach. It’s gone after the top 500 advertisers that drive 85% of traditional spend, said Jason Fairchild, CEO at performance ad platform for CTV tvScientific. And with the addition of live sports on the streaming platform, it will only reinforce its focus on these heavy hitters.
But let’s be real, events like a live-streamed golfing tournament were never going to be the game-changer for Netflix’s ads business. They’re more like a warm-up for advertisers rather than the main event.
“There’s an arena for this sort of sports/entertainment content given how much success creators like Jake Paula and KSI have had moving into boxing,” said Harry Packshaw, head of AV at Havas Media Network. “Netflix has an opportunity to do something similar given what they have in terms of sports entertainment shows like ‘Drive to Survive’ and Full ‘Swing’. It’s an opportunity to bring an audience that isn’t necessarily interested in sports watching into that sphere.”
No matter how the golfing tournament pans out with advertisers over the weekend, it’s clear that Netflix is up for trying out different formats for them.
Execs there have been dropping hints, both publicly and behind the scenes, about possible format innovations for marketers. They’re especially keen on live events, like the Chris Rock gig they pulled off last year. Now, when it comes to sports, the talk isn’t so much about Netflix trying to outplay giants like BSkyB and ESPN for rights to existing events. Instead, the buzz is more around how Netflix shows like Drive to Survive and Full Swing can serve as a launching pad to create their very own sporting spectacles.
Let’s take the Netflix Cup, for example. It’s basically a showcase for their ‘Drive to Survive’ F1 series and the ‘Full Swing’ golf show. Nail these types of mashups, and it opens up sponsorship opportunities to the entire Netflix user base, giving brands a seriously massive reach.
“If you want ads to perform well, the format has to be relevant to the context of the viewing experience, the user’s preferences, the device and more,” said David Simon, gm of growth initiatives at machine learning company Moloco. “Short ads are great for mobile viewing. Binge ads are natural if you’re planning on binging episodic content. They are clearly invested in aligning the ad experience with the content experience.”
This is still early in the chapters of this particular tale for Netflix, of course. But in the streaming realm, the talk is shifting more toward advertising: who’s doing it right and on a grand scale. That’s where the real growth lies, and those who can’t keep up (or, in Netflix;s care, grow rapidly enough) might find themselves facing some serious challenges in the market.
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