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Historically, the first week of May is an exciting time for new model year launches and an increase of lease returns in the auction lanes. This year, like the past 2 years, has been plagued with microchip shortages and supply chain issues causing a significant reduction in both new inventory production and used lease and fleet returns in the wholesale market.
May 10, 2022
The seasonally adjusted Retention Index went down to 185.4 points in April 2022 as high gas prices strengthen some segments and weaken others.
May 5, 2022
The Used Retail Days-to-Turn Estimate has continued to drop over the last few weeks and remains below 36 days.
May 4, 2022
The car market continued its ascent last week, with the rate of gain accelerating to 0.23%, larger than the typical increase for this time of year.
April 26, 2022
The big picture has not changed much from last month to now; overall prices are increasing, but by much smaller amounts than we have seen since the pandemic began a little over two years ago.
April 21, 2022
Higher gas prices are affecting the demand for trucks and SUVs – almost all the non-luxury crossover / SUV and pickup segments of all ages are depreciating at an accelerating rate, while non-luxury car segments are appreciating.
April 19, 2022
The Estimated Average Weekly Sales Rate decreased a little last week to 67%, with sellers holding firm to floor pricing.
April 12, 2022
The seasonally adjusted Retention Index went down to 187.7 points in March 2022 as modified Spring arrives late.
April 6, 2022
As we moved into March, the Wholesale Weekly Price Index continued to decline and is now just below the 2019 trend line, around 0.97.
April 5, 2022
While there are new stories of supply chain disruptions popping up daily, it is evident that some new inventory is hitting franchise dealers’ lots as more off-lease vehicles make their way to the auction lanes.
March 29, 2022
Franchise dealers have started noticeably competing against large independent dealers for desirable units, but rental partners have really shown their dominance in many lanes, especially for cleaner, low-mileage vehicles.
March 22, 2022
Overall market declines continued last week, but the rate of declined lessened.
March 15, 2022
Declines in wholesale prices continued last week, despite an improvement in conversion rates.
March 8, 2022
Seasonally adjusted Retention Index down to 193.0 points in February of 2022 as questions about the strength of the upcoming Spring market remain.
March 3, 2022
Wholesale market declines continued last week, but the pace is starting to slow down.
March 1, 2022


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QUEENS — A number of popular Forest Hills stores and restaurants have shuttered recently, prompting some residents to worry their neighborhood may be losing its unique character along with its mom-and-pop stores.
“I feel that Forest Hills is losing its class and distinctive nature and becoming a more predictable and generic community,” said Michael Perlman, a local resident and historian.
It will follow several other longtime restaurants in the area, including Pasta Del Giorno on Austin Street, as well as Uno Pizzeria and Santa Fe steakhouse on the so-called Restaurant Row on 70th Road, between Austin Street and Queens Boulevard — all of which closed after decades in business.
Some venues are replaced quickly with similar types of establishments, like Mexican eatery El Coyote which took over for Garcia’s Mexican Cafe on Austin Street. The new restaurant Rove is also replacing Bonfire Grill, which closed earlier this year.
But in some cases, like Santa Fe, storefronts remain empty for months. Other venues, including Brandon Cinemas and Pasta Del Giorno, have been taken over by banks and walk-in medical facilities. Barnes & Noble, on Austin Street, will be replaced by a Target.
“If the closure of independent businesses that we can actually consider 'unique' continues, and the long period of vacancies continue for only a chain to rise at some point, our future is bleak,” Perlman noted.
Many blame landlords charging high rents, which in the Austin Street area can range from $5,000 to $7,000 for a small store and from $20,000 to $30,000 for a large space.
Bigger multilevel spaces are said to cost up to $60,000 a month, according to local business owners.
“Banks and medical centers are coming in because these are the people that could pay the higher rents,” said local Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz.
“We’ve lost the movie to a medical center," she said. "[The trend] is very concerning to me, but unfortunately I don’t own the property so I have no control over it.”
Some residents said the area begins to feel like a “mall,” especially with Target coming.
“It’s a totally different look to Austin Street, it’s never going to be the same,” said longtime resident Stephen Melnick, noting that the big box store will likely bring more traffic and delivery trucks to the already congested Austin Street.
But on the other hand, he said, “it’s going to attract more people into the area, which could be good for the other stores and restaurants,” Melnick said.
Jeff Kay, chief operating officer of Muss Development, which owns the property at 70-00 Austin St. that will be taken over by Target, insisted that landlords are considerate when choosing new tenants.
"You don’t always make decisions just on who is going to give you more money, you sometimes make decisions on what’s going to enhance the future of the community and we’ve always done that," he said.
He also said he was confident that Target, which will open a mini version of its store on Austin Street next summer, will benefit the neighborhood.
“We don’t see a negative change at all — we are very proud of what Austin Street is and continues to be and that’s why both national stores and local stores still are looking to come to Austin Street.”
To Leslie Brown, president of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce, the changes, more than anything, prove the vibrancy of the area.
“A lot of people think we are a small country town in Connecticut. We are not, we are a vital urban street," she said.
Brown suggested that residents should shop more in local mom-and-pop stores if they want to keep them afloat.
“It has to start with the residents, too, they can’t just get in their cars and drive somewhere else,” Brown said.
She also said that some old-time businesses should do more to attract their customers.
Dmitry Toscano, the owner of Dmitry Ties on Austin Street, agreed.
“It boggles me that there are shops on Austin Street that don’t have a website,” he said. “They are basically relying on a person to come into the store, but in 2015, a lot of shopping is done online."
Toscano added that merchants, in order to be successful, have to offer products that are in demand in the area and pay attention to their storefront windows, which he said is not always the case on Austin Street.
Still others see the recent changes in Forest Hills as part of the dynamics of the city.
“We live in New York City,” said Frank Gulluscio, district manager at Community Board 6, which covers Forest Hills and Rego Park.
Gulluscio acknowledged that he was upset that places like Danny Brown and Barnes & Noble are closing. But at the same time, he said, it’s “the ever changing cycle of business and people.”
“And that’s what Queens and New York City is all about.”
STORES AND RESTAURANTS THAT RECENTLY CLOSED OR ARE ABOUT TO CLOSE IN FOREST HILLS:

domain: news


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Pixel Power, the global automation, branding and graphics innovator, has reinforced its commitment to the US market with a new office location. The American broadcast operation, which includes sales, pre-sales and support, is now located in the heart of Grass Valley, California.
“Winning the trust of major broadcasters worldwide is what Pixel Power does year after year and 2016 is no different.” said Mike O’Connell, executive VP at Pixel Power Inc. “As the broadcast industry transitions rapidly from SDI to IP, it is imperative we strengthen the supplier/user relationship. This new headquarters for American operations brings us closer to our markets – broadcasters and producers who need rich realtime graphics for sport, automated content production and virtualized IP playout.”
The days of building a hero product and expecting a broadcaster to make the best of it are long gone,” he explained. “Now it is about taking sophisticated software, with standard hardware or a cloud implementation, and working in partnership to get the perfect solution. That means having the people on hand to collaborate on everything from playout and automation virtualization configuration through graphics templates.”
The new Pixel Power Inc. headquarters is at 13457 Colfax Highway, Grass Valley, CA 95945. Mike O’Connell and his team can be contacted on (818) 276-4515.
Mike will be part of the Pixel Power team at IBC2016 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The demonstrations will include a complete premium channel playout chain in the Amazon cloud using the Pixel Power StreamMaster virtualized playout platform. StreamMaster includes full broadcast capabilities for dynamic playout including reactive scheduling, with realtime DVE and 3D graphics, all in the cloud.
Pixel Power is also leading the way in providing high-performance, highly automated systems for playout and content creation. Its template driven graphics systems allow content to be created virtually instantly with no need for operator interaction.
As well as building branding materials, data driven graphics systems pioneered by Pixel Power are creating new revenue opportunities through advertising. “In a live sports broadcast, an advertiser can react to an event on field in the very next commercial break,” said O’Connell. “You can add highly relevant graphics to a commercial which are only available moments before air. That’s a real win-win: the audience stays in the game, and the broadcaster can strengthen the spot rate.”
Pixel Power is on booth 7.A31 at IBC2016, Amsterdam RAI, Netherlands, 9–13 September.
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This article is part of the On Tech newsletter. Here is a collection of previous columns.
This week, On Tech will examine the economics of what is sometimes called the Internet creation economy. There are people who are so good at making online entertainment or information that they try to make it a job. Your favorite comedian on Instagram, plant head on TikTok or YouTube stunt artist are creators.
Some of you may be thinking: To is a job? It is. These online professionals test the Internet’s promise to enable anyone to earn a living from creative pursuits. We are entertained by the work of the creators, and they influence what we buy, the music we listen to, and how products are promoted.
Internet professionals are also at the forefront of the spear of what works and what is not with the digital life as we know it. Several creators now say they want a chance to share in the riches of online businesses – and we should listen.
Let me back up.
We mostly work for free on the internet.
There is no Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok or Reddit without the posts, memes and garden groups that we make voluntarily. Some people have figured out ways to monetize online popularity, including by selling goods, getting paid by their fans, and signing promotional deals outside of the major internet sites.
But shouldn’t all online stars – and perhaps the rest of us who post online – share in the wealth of Internet businesses?
YouTube figured out a way. Since 2007, the Google site has been selling ads on YouTube and handing over more than half the money to people who make videos when they reach a certain level of popularity. When YouTube makes more money, so do these video producers.
Other companies, especially Facebook and the streaming site Twitch, are cutting a small number of video producers into their advertising money. But YouTube remains the only major digital service that systematically diverts a large portion of its revenue to people who manufacture its products.
Last week, popular internet personality Hank Green made a video comparing what he gets paid on YouTube (well) with what he gets paid from TikTok (not so good), which has a shared lump sum to creators that the company pays. out under a complex formula.
Green’s point was that as TikTok earns more, creators effectively earn a smaller share of what the company brings in. Implicit in his video was a question as to why more companies are not doing what YouTube is doing and sharing a sizable portion of their advertising revenue.
All internet companies now say that creators are essential to keep users entertained and loyal and they are trying to make it easier for fans to pay creators or buy their products.
It’s all potentially useful. But internet companies make a lot of money from ads. Green envisions creators coming together to pressure more of these companies to directly share their ad dollars with the people who keep their virtual shelves in stock. It could create a healthier and more robust online life for all of us and better jobs for the people who are trying to make a living from their work online.
“There is a business case that needs to be made to share revenue and there is also a fairness case,” Green told me.
Green pointed out in his video that because YouTube ads run in most videos, it’s more straightforward for YouTube to split the ad money up to creators. It would be harder for TikTok, Instagram or other sites that do not use ads in the same way. YouTube’s revenue sharing model is also an option for only the most popular video producers.
Green knows that YouTube-style revenue sharing will not be a cure for all that is wrong with the Internet. And like any other workforce, not all creators want the same thing. Some agreed with Green that YouTube-style revenue sharing is a great way for them to earn a more stable and sustainable life. Others said they preferred TikTok’s fund for creators or Twitch’s ways to let people monetize live-streamed videos.
Investor Li Jin told me that the best path to healthy digital economies is not for Internet companies to redistribute their income differently, but to wipe out the absolute power of companies over online creative work.
There is also an economic mercenary argument: Why would a company give up money if it was not necessary? There will always be some hungry young people who are happy to do things online for nothing.
But this is a moment when established norms for the Internet are being questioned. Let’s extend it to the economy of who gets paid, and for what, to make the internet fun and useful for all of us.
Coming on Wednesday: Apple’s app commissions erode creators’ earnings. And Thursday: How an Online Personality Makes Money at Digital Work, in a Zillion Different Ways.
Before we go…
Hugs to this
This great horned owl keeps its egg toasty on a windy day. (The earplugs that blow in the wind are just too much.)


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News just out of Toronto is the reporting that peak Gold will be reached either at the end of this year or in 2015. The CEO of the world’s largest gold mining company, Goldcorp; Chuck Jeannes has said that production will start to decline given that the easiest to access of global gold deposits dry up and no new technological break-through have been reached to allow miners to tap into supplies.
So what does this mean for the industry, traders and the general public? Well first and foremost the price of gold is going to remain strong as supply decreases and traders opt to buy more gold given the positive predictions on price. For the general public who already hold gold either in Jewelry, commodity or in bar form their net worth will be on the rise. As has already been seen in many developed economies, the proliferation of gold buyers, pawnshops and the like has markedly increased to reflect these rising prices. This trend is shown on the graph below.
As for those who don’t currently have any gold of their own it would appear that it will become more and more difficult to enter this market as prices continue to rise. We may begin to see an increase in prospecting, especially at less viable locations given that it will now become more economic for companies to try to tap into previously disregarded reserves.
Shanghai Metal Corporation (SMC) is deeply involved in the metal processing industry, being a major global supplier and manufacturer of metal products, building systems, containers and machinery. If you have any requirements in these areas feel free to contact us through our website, here.
Dominick F.//SMC Editor


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The changes sweeping across the camera industry continue to reflect themselves across company broadsheets as smartphone camera sales explode and other segments wane, some much more so than others.
In a bit of disheartening news, digital camera shipments fell even lower than their nadir in 2016, posting one of the lowest volume years on record according to industry analytics group CIPA (Camera and Imaging Products Association).
A little over 2 million digital cameras were shipped in November 2017, 17% lower than in that same month in 2016. That’s a massive decline year over year and even more troubling when taken into consideration with prior years like 2015.
Looking back at November 2015, the numbers become even sadder as DP Review notes 2015 saw almost a million more units shipped than in 2017.
This larger trend probably explains why many major optics manufacturers are shrinking their digital camera output with some even shuttering factories that produce digital cameras exclusively.
A lot of the low-end camera market is now part of the burgeoning (and highly profitable) smartphone camera sector.
This isn’t to say that smartphone cameras are cheap or less advanced; on the contrary, it is smartphone cameras’ growing adaptability and technical prowess that puts that segment on such a growth trajectory.
The digital camera shipments now mirror the interchangeable lens segment shipments with system cameras and DSLRs experiencing less dramatic shifts in units shipped.
As industry analysts predicted for some time, the advance of smartphone cameras would have wide-ranging effects on the industry at large, reshaping entire segments in its wake.
November is a typically strong month for optics manufacturers as the winter holidays approach – a major buying season in many parts of the world. Softness during this time period could signal larger worries for camera companies relying on the revenue from this sales period.


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Cambodian Fintech App U-Pay Integrates IPification One-Click Mobile Authentication and Phone Verification
(26 January 2022 – HONG KONG) The one-click, passwordless mobile identity solutions provider IPification has just deployed its phone verification solution within U-Pay, the leading mobile payments services provider in Cambodia. U-Pay is the first e-Wallet company to implement bank-grade secure IPification solutions in the country.
Licensed by the National Bank of Cambodia to become the local payment service institution in December 2020, U-Pay aims to provide convenient mobile payment services. Users can transact anytime, anywhere, and in any way, including mobile top-up, bill payment, and transferring money.
IPification provides a variety of one-click, passwordless mobile identity solutions that include possession verification and fraud prevention. It is currently the only globally available mobile IP address-based authentication solution, using authentication via IM providers WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram as an alternative option.
U-Pay users will now be able to verify their identity with only one click – a streamlined onboarding experience aiming to cut the sign-up drop off rate and significantly improve app security and user experience.
“At U-Pay, we are committed to providing an easier, modern payment system to enable our users to keep up with the rapid mobile-first development in Cambodia,” Koh Hao Jie, U-Pay CEO. “IPification is completely revolutionizing and challenging the mobile authentication landscape by removing any trade-offs from the equation, making them the perfect partner for U-Pay.”
“It feels great to onboard yet another service provider in Cambodia, after partnering with the major mobile network operators in the country. You could say that Cambodia is our home away from home, and we’re very excited to keep expanding our services within the country,” added Stefan Kostic, IPification CEO.
IPification is building the backbone of mobile authentication of today and tomorrow. By verifying the device, SIM & phone number via IP address, IPification patented technology is enabling secure, passwordless, zero-tap compatible mobile user authentication, registration, transaction approval and fraud prevention solutions for any mobile application. Readily available across numerous countries and regions, IPification is trusted by some of the leading telco, technology, payment, and OTT companies including ABA Bank, GBG, T-Mobile Montenegro, 3HongKong, Axiata Digital, Swisscom, Indosat Ooredoo.
Benefit Vantage Limited is a provider of security and data backup solutions in Asia, headquartered in Hong Kong, it has a subsidiary in Switzerland, IPIFICATION INTERNATIONAL AG, and representatives operating in the U.S., U.K., Serbia, Russia, Bosnia, Brazil, India, Vietnam and Pakistan.
For more information, please visit www.ipification.com
U-Pay Digital Plc (U-Pay) was founded in 2019 and licensed as a local payment service institution by the National Bank of Cambodia in 2020 to become a local Payment Service Institution. So far, U-Pay has established its contact free ecosystem while U-Pay Wallet is available to download from the App Store/Play Store, and they can top up or deposit into their wallet account via multi-functional U-Pay Kiosk machines that are available in Phnom Penh and several provinces. What the user needs is just only a phone number.
For more information, please visit https://www.u-pay.com/
U-Pay Digital Plc.
Weng Yu Shan


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Police in Northern California are looking for a trio of women who they say walked out of an athletics wear store in Fresno with about $17,000 worth of product. Surveillance video released by police Tuesday shows three women enter a Fresno Lululemon store Sunday afternoon with large totes. The group then made their way toward the store’s popular yoga pants and filled the bags before exiting without incident, KFSN reported.
The group stole about 148 pairs of yoga pants, each costing anywhere between $98 to $148, according to the store’s website. Media outlets initially reported the estimated amount of pants stolen as $10,000, but police later updated that figure to $17,000 on the department’s Facebook page. This isn’t the first time a theft like this has happened; Fresno Police said they believe the women are part of a larger group that has taken over $145,000 in items from Lululemon stores around California, the Fresno Bee reported.
“They believe it’s related to a crew that has hit Lululemon in the Bay Area,” Lt. Joe Gomez of the Fresno Police Department told KFSN. “They had three photos, African American females. They indicated they had been arrested before.” In a similar style of theft, three people also took yoga pants from a Lululemon located in Berkeley on July 20, according to KGO, taking an estimated $10,000 worth of goods.
Employees and other customers shopping at Lululemon at the time were surprised by the sudden theft, and yoga instructor Christine Brown, who was present at the time of the theft, said everyone was “in a daze” after the group walked out. “For me, I was just shocked, and I froze,” Brown said. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know if there was anything I could do.” Officers said the best plan of action in similar store thefts is to not confront the suspects. (Video Courtesy: Fresno Police) [Source: San Francisco Chronicle]


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The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has said it is calling on the Federal Government to fix a new minimum wage to tackle the rising cost of living in the country.
ALSO READ: Fake News Sites Rise To 713 In February
Since the removal of fuel subsidy, the cost of living has spiked and inflation figures pushing new highs in Nigeria.
Although there have been protests and meetings between labour unions and authorities to roll out measures to ease the hardship, TUC President Festus Osifo is calling for a review of the N30,000 minimum wage.
He spoke in Abuja on Monday during a press briefing barely 24 hours before the commencement of a nationwide protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the high cost of living.
Osifo told the gathering that the call for a new minimum wage is part of the solutions proffered by the union to address the economic hardship in the country.
He said the falling value of the naira against the dollar in the FX market has further eroded the value of the minimum wage.
The TUC leadership is thus calling for the passage and implementation of a new minimum wage law that reflects the current economic realities.
According to him, the Federal Government’s economic team should work towards a more realistic rate of the naira to dollar, which they pegged between N500 and N800 to the dollar. The union also recommended a clamping down on currency speculators, especially those online, who they say have made remittances from abroad drop.
Osifo also proposed that the government should review taxes on some critical goods imported into the country to ease the hardship. This is as the unionists advised the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to facilitate trade rather than just celebrate revenue collections.
TUC is thus demanding that the importation of essential food items be allowed immediately by the Director General of the NCS to cushion the effects of the rising cost of living.
They further called for the rolling out of products by the Port Harcourt Refinery by the end of Q1 2024.
The TUC chief blamed insecurity for the current rise in the cost of foodstuff, noting that many farmers have not gone to their farms owing to that.
CULLED FROM CHANNELS


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We built awareness and created hype around Puma’s first flagship store in Australia by targeting key influencers to achieve a pre-opening queue on their first full day of trading.
We delivered a comprehensive online and offline campaign involving an interactive sneaker hoarding announcement, rock posters, a guerilla catwalk and a VIP store launch party for maximum engagement – we literally stopped traffic.
10 Models, 1 Boombox, 1 Red carpet, 4 Iconic Melbourne locations 4 Photographers, 1 Videographer. Over 6,000 pedestrians saw the catwalk and #pumaau achieved 3,710 likes on social media.
A low-fi yet high impact solution to announcing the store launch, we covered the Melbourne Central store hoarding in Puma sneakers spelling out the word ‘Faster’ which saw a frenzy of people take the shoes, register online and line up at the store opening to claim their second trainer.
Attended by over 200 people including TV personalities Travis Burns, Tahan Lew and Puma ambassadors Scott Pendlebury, Sam Mitchell, Brandon Ellis and Neville Jetta. The event included a live cross on Channel 9 news.
Social media impressions
on launch day
Press articles and 1 Live
cross to Channel 9 news


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BEIJING, China – China’s inflation reached a 10-month high in February but remained under the government’s target.
Data released Saturday by China’s National Bureau of Statistics showed consumer prices rose 3.2 per cent in February, up from the previous month’s 2 per cent.
The spike came amid rising prices for meat products and fresh vegetables, as Chinese families stocked up for banquets to celebrate this year’s Lunar New year, which took place during February.
“Inflation pressures in China are quiescent but rising,” Moody’s Analytics said. “Price pressures will rise throughout 2013, although we expect them to remain close to the government’s target because of the measured pace of stimulus enacted.”
Beijing’s inflation target for the year, announced Tuesday by Premier Wen Jiabao, is 3.5 per cent.
National Bureau of Statistics (in Chinese): www.stats.gov.cn


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Blame Game Over High Drug Prices Escalates With New Ad
Blame Game Over High Drug Prices Gets Worse With Lobby's New Ad
(Bloomberg) -- New punches were thrown in the blame game over U.S. drug prices Thursday.
Broadening its efforts to defuse outrage over skyrocketing prices, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the industry’s lobbying association, started an advertising campaign urging insurers to share with customers more of the benefits of rebates they’ve negotiated. In response, the main health-insurance lobby pushed the blame back on drugmakers: “Enough with the distractions.”
Meanwhile, the head of one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers, who are often criticized by drugmakers for their lack of transparency, said his industry helps save money and manufacturers should stop faulting the middlemen.
Pharmacy benefit managers like Express Scripts Holding Co. -- which manage drug benefits for employers and insurers, and privately negotiate prices on their behalf -- receive discounts from manufacturers. The rebates lead to lower prices, but it’s up to insurers whether they are ultimately passed down to patients, Express Scripts Chief Executive Officer Tim Wentworth said in an interview on Bloomberg Television on Thursday.
“A hundred percent of the time, payers determine how they pass through,” he said.
Drug companies that raise prices “would blame the middleman,” the CEO said. Yet pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, are transparent with how they work within the health-care sector with payers. “For us it’s a real simple challenge: get the net cost as low as possible for our clients.”
The three main groups that are involved in the complex and opaque system of setting drug prices in the U.S. -- drugmakers, insurance companies and PBMs -- started to strongly fight off criticism months ago. The sector escalated its defense against Washington this year after drug prices became a frequent target for President Donald Trump. He’s threatened to use the government’s buying power to force prices down, which is the industry’s most dreaded option, but so far has not unveiled any specifics about how.
The new ad from PhRMA, which represents more than 50 companies and is one of the most powerful interest groups, is another step in its endeavor to demonstrate that other parts of the health-care industry are responsible for the costs faced by patients. In January, the group started a major initiative, including TV, radio and digital ads. Unlike most developed countries in the world, the U.S. doesn’t directly regulate medicine prices, and drugmakers have strongly resisted it.
The new campaign, “Share the Savings,” will include advertising across various mediums to educate the public about how the rebates for commercially insured patients with high deductibles and coinsurance aren’t passed along to consumers, PhRMA said in a statement. “Robust negotiations” have resulted in major discounts, the group said.
“We need to ensure patients receive more of the benefit of price negotiations between biopharmaceutical companies and payers,” PhRMA CEO Steve Ubl said in the statement. “It is a problem that more and more Americans are being asked by their insurers to pay cost sharing based on undiscounted list prices, even though insurers may be receiving significant rebates. Providing access to discounted prices at the point-of-sale could dramatically lower patients’ out-of-pocket costs.”
America’s Health Insurance Plans, the insurance industry’s main lobbying group, answered with a strong push back: “Enough with the distractions. We need drugmakers to be more transparent in their pricing, so people know what they are paying for.”
“Prescription drug costs continue to skyrocket, with consumers paying the price with their health, as well as their wallets,” Kristine Grow, an AHIP spokeswoman, said by email. “The truth is, no one knows how drug prices are determined, and what makes them go up by double-digit percentages year after year.
The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which lobbies on behalf of pharmacy benefit managers, said drug company efforts to shift blame are a “losing strategy.”
“Manufacturers in reality by and large understand that rebates and discounts do go to reduce premiums and cost sharing,” Mark Merritt, PCMA’s CEO, said by phone. “The problem is high-priced drugs.”
The industry group has said that it expects greater scrutiny over its role in the price of medicine and wants to make its case “vocally and effectively.”
Some companies, including Allergan Plc and Swiss giant Novartis AG, have responded with voluntary actions to cap annual price increases, while Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly & Co. and Merck & Co. have taken steps to increase pricing transparency.
To contact the reporters on this story: Jared S. Hopkins in New York at firstname.lastname@example.org, Zachary Tracer in New York at email@example.com.
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Drew Armstrong at firstname.lastname@example.org, John Lauerman, Cecile Daurat


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Leading industry publication praises the company’s dedication to furthering the science behind supplements.
Montreal (Quebec), June 21, 2016 — Atrium Innovations Inc., a globally recognized leader in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of innovative, science-based, nutritional supplements, has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2016 NBJ Business Award for Achievement in Science and Innovation. The Nutrition Business Journal formally presented the award last week as part of the 2016 NBJ Summit in Dana Point, California, praising the company’s history of leading innovation and long-standing commitment to being on the forefront of furthering the science and education behind nutritional supplements.
“At Atrium Innovations, we are committed to investing in research, and leveraging that research to develop safe, effective products for healthcare practitioners and health-conscious consumers. We are devoted to doing things the right way — that begins with our research efforts, and carries through to our ingredient sourcing, strict manufacturing requirements, and quality assurance process,” said Barry Ritz, Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs for Atrium Innovations. “It is truly an honor to be recognized for this commitment to science and industry thought leadership.”
Atrium Innovations’ unique applied clinical research program not only focuses on the research and innovation of Atrium’s own products but also serves to elevate the status of nutrition science through cutting-edge research and innovative partnerships. Recently, Atrium brand Pure Encapsulations launched a $1 million, multi-year partnership with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine supporting initiatives in clinical research, education, medical curriculum development, and policy change. Atrium has also engaged in a multi-year, multi-million dollar partnership with the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods at Laval University that focuses on investigating the role of nutrition on cardiometabolic health. This partnership has not only yielded key findings in the field of nutrition science but has also led to the development of several new formulas backed by clinical findings. In addition to these efforts, Atrium actively supports top academic partners worldwide on an ongoing basis through the provision of study products, matched placebos, and technical expertise. Atrium’s continuous advancement of nutrition science, both through applied clinical research and investigator-initiated programs, has resulted in the publication of over 26 original research papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals to date, with another 20 studies still in progress.
For more information about the NBJ award, read the 2016 awards issue.
For more information about Atrium Innovations’ commitment to research, please visit atrium-innovations.com/research.
About Atrium Innovations
Atrium Innovations Inc. is a globally recognized leader in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of innovative, science-based, natural health products that are distributed in more than 35 countries. The company owns healthcare practitioner and specialized retail product brands that are at the forefront of science, innovation, and education. Atrium has over 1,300 employees and operates seven manufacturing facilities, all of which comply with Current Good Manufacturing Practices. The family of Atrium Innovations brands includes Pure Encapsulations, Garden of Life, Wobenzym, Genestra Brands, Douglas Laboratories, and Klean Athlete.
Additional information is available at atrium-innovations.com.


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Gateway Partners, an emerging markets-focussed alternatives asset management firm, and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have joined hands to jointly establish the Africa Credit Opportunities Fund.
This is a first-of-its kind partnership between an African development finance institution and an alternative investment manager, Afreximbank said. It added that the tie-up aims to broaden and strengthen Afreximbank’s support for the continent, by enhancing the scope of intervention beyond its traditional trade finance products.
The fund will join Vantage, BluePeak, Greenpoint, Altica and Barak Fund, among others, which have raised or are in the process of raising credit funds for the continent.
The new fund will focus on the growing opportunity for structured credit instruments for businesses across the continent. It will support Afreximbank’s developmental mandate, including the promotion of intra-African trade and the development of value-added exports in Africa.
Afreximbank president Benedict Oramah said the fund will allow Afreximbank to scale its impact and offer new products to existing and new customers.
Neither Afreximbank nor Gateway Partners disclosed the target size of the fund. However, Oramah said Afreximbank will support the fund with “a significant capital commitment” and that it will seek other partners, investors and development finance institutions, within and outside Africa, to raise the fund.
Gateway Partners, which has offices in Dubai and Singapore, will manage the credit fund.
“The demand for credit across the continent is set to surge, while the supply side remains constrained,” said V Shankar, CEO of Gateway. “The ACOF will attempt to bridge this gap in a responsible, impactful and sustainable manner, while boosting trade and investment flows.”


text: Commenting on its improving figures for the first half of its current fiscal year (see alongside), Kode International Plc declares that the new Kode Computers Ltd combination of Kode Ltd, Kode Services Ltd and Comart Computer Services Ltd will be a major force in the UK computing field. It says that Kode Ltd achieved record sales at improved margins, and says that while Xitan Ltd showed a strong increase in sales in the first half, it continues to face margin pressure. On the other hand the desk-top publishing products launched by Graphic Displays Ltd last year are already profitable. The company says that its Kam Circuits Ltd circuit board business maintained firm progress, while Moore Reed Ltd, still faced with a difficult Defence market, nevertheless managed a small increase in sales over last year, while tight controls had reduced its effect on margins. All operating companies met or exceeded our expectations during the first half, and we look forward to continuing progress in the second half, the company concludes. All of which suggests that the company is shaping up nicely as a takeover target – and a predatory Micro Business Systems Plc is waiting in the wings for just such an opportunity.


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Not My Teen: Teens Who Vape May Be More Likely to Start Smoking
Every month, we’re keeping you informed on the latest studies and research in our “Not My Teen” blog series. Today, we’re looking at how teens’ use of e-cigarettes impacts their use of traditional cigarettes.
E-cigarettes, sometimes referred to as vaporizers, have become a topic of debate and concern among health professionals and parents in recent years. The health risks, accessibility and use of these electronic devices by teens are specific areas of apprehension. There are more flavors and choices than ever, making vaping attractive to teens. However, if teens do decide to start vaping, what are the potential implications? Are teens who vape more likely to move on to traditional cigarettes?
According to new research, there may be a correlation between young adults’ use of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes. A small study conducted by the National Cancer Institute followed a group of 16 to 26-year-olds, who claimed they had no interest in smoking traditional cigarettes, over the course of a year. The researchers tracked the young adults’ disposition towards e-cigarettes, traditional cigarettes and use of both vaporizers and conventional cigarettes at the beginning and end of the trial.
Throughout the duration of the study, there was a shift in use of and attitudes towards e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes. At the beginning of the research, 16 young adults were using e-cigarettes and by the end, six had begun smoking traditional cigarettes. Further, an additional five of these initial e-cigarette users were no longer certain that they would not smoke traditional cigarettes. However, while it’s important to note these shifts in behaviors and attitudes, it is also important to note that the small sample size of the study may be limiting and not necessarily telling of the larger population.
Regardless, as parents, it’s important to take note of our teens’ activities and how teens can be influenced. It’s crucial to remind teens that while e-cigarettes may seem fun and harmless, they are not. As with other high-risk behaviors, parents should talk to their teens about the risks associated with vaping and tobacco use. Engage in regular conversations about these issues to make your expectations of your teen clear and demonstrate that you care about their wellbeing. By fostering an open, trusting atmosphere in your home, you can prevent your teen from engaging in risky activities, while simultaneously promoting positive choices and healthy pastimes.
You can read more the full report here. What advice would you give to other parents about preventing their teen from engaging in e-cigarette use and other risky activities? Please share with us in the comments below!


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The newly merged Sprint Nextel is the sole sponsor of a Forbes.com special editorial section launched this week. The “Communicating” report includes contributions from futurist and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, Internet pioneer Vint Cerf, broadcast news veteran Walter Cronkite, Ogilvy & Mather CEO Shelley Lazarus, and New Yorker columnist James Surowiecki.
The one-time special section features articles, interviews, audio, video and interactive elements from more than 20 guest authors and experts. Every page of the report will feature a “Sprint, together with Nextel” sponsorship logo, as well as banners and skyscraper ads on each content page and the section page. The sponsorship logo links to a landing page on Sprint.com detailing ways Sprint can help business.
Some of the skyscrapers and banners link to a lead-generation form on Sprint.com where business users can enter to win 10 wireless email devices and a year of service from Sprint. Others link to a co-branded Forbes.com/Sprint “resource center” with Sprint case studies, forums, online demos and commercials.
Creative on the B2B ads, from Publicis Hal Riney, ties in with Sprint Nextel’s “Reinventing the Yes Man” consumer-focused branding campaign, which launched in September. Creative for that campaign was developed by two Omnicom units: Organic and TBWA/Chiat/Day’s Tequila.
Forbes has occasionally launched new sections of its Web site with a single sponsor in the past. Both its “Infoimaging” and “Intelligent Infrastructure” sections launched with a single sponsor, but now show ads from multiple advertisers, according to a Forbes.com spokesperson.
“We’ve tried to explore all of the different ways that we communicate — with other people, with animals, with machines, with the past, with the future, and even with aliens,” said Michael Noer, Forbes.com’s executive editor for news.
While ad fraud has become part of every marketer’s vocabulary, attribution fraud—the practice of gaming outdated attribution models to justify self-serving means—has ... read more
On Monday, Netflix reported that it added 370,000 new subscribers in the U.S. in the third quarter, 20% more than the 300,000 it ... read more
Snapchat Discover has been a hit with publishers that want access to the popular messaging app’s highly-desirable audience, and some reports even ... read more
Little more than a year ago, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg streamed the first live video from Facebook headquarters. In April of this ... read more


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Netflix posted a $5 million loss in the first quarter but expects to add 7 million streaming subscribers in 2012.
Management change at CDN giant Akamai: CEO Paul Sagan will step down by the end of the year, but not before he finds a successor.
Bad news for TV upfronts: Ratings are falling to new lows, and even big hits, such as ABC's "Modern Family," aren't insulated from online video's effects on primetime.
Watch out, iPad. The Kindle Fire has captured more than half the Android tablet market, according to the latest from comScore. On a related note, Viacom released a study that found 15 percent of tablet owners watch full-length shows on their devices.
ReelSEO reports that the London Olympics could be the biggest online video advertising event ever. Just don't expect to see updates on Facebook or Twitter. Ticket holders are not allowed to take pictures or videos for broadcast or publishing purposes (social networks count!) -- the rule that's irking many photographers.
Mainstream TV meets Web video: Katie Couric will host a weekly Web show for Yahoo, focusing on nutrition, parenting and health.
Viddy, the Instagram of video, is looking to raise $30 million at a $370 million valuation.
TubeMogal delivered 6.6 billion video ad streams in 2011, making it the biggest real-time video ad buyer, according to the company.
Kids love their Netflix. New research pins Nickelodeon's double-digit ratings drop on the streaming company.
Shazam entered its first partnership with a Spanish-language broadcaster, Telemundo. The Billboard Latin Music Awards is about to get very social.
Psst marketers, did you hear Google launched AdWords for video?
That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and stay tuned for more online video news updates!


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Was British glamour model Chloe Ayling kidnapped or not?
Ayling says she was lured to Milan where she was drugged with horse tranquiliser and abducted. Her kidnappers reportedly wanted to sell her online as a sex slave, but questions have arisen over the kidnapping.
Chloe Ayling is a 20-year-old glamour model from south London, England. She travelled to Milan on July 11 for, she said, a photo shoot that would pay her 600 pounds (Twitter)
One of her kidnappers told Ayling he had earned more than €15m (13.5m pounds) in the last five years. He said all the girls are sent to the Middle East. 'When the buyer gets tired of the girl bought by auction (they) can give them to other people, and when it is no longer of interest they are to become a ‘tiger meal',' he added (Twitter)
Italian police released this image of the home where Ayling was allegedly kept captive for close to a week. She said she was made to lie on the floor, with her hands and feet tied to a chest of drawers (Others)
Questions over the kidnapping have arisen after it was revealed that Ayling went shoe shopping with Herba. Was she in on it then? is the question being asked. Her lawyer has said no, that she went shopping with Herba because she was afraid of him, and had been told that she would be killed if she tried to make a run for it (Twitter)


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Efforts to eliminate animal fur in fashion continue to accelerate as cities and even US states are joining brands and retailers in banning its use, says GlobalData.
In two major developments in as many weeks, US department store retailer Macy’s, Inc. has pledged to end the sale of fur across its namesake and Bloomingdale’s stores by 2021, while California has become the first US state to pass legislation banning the sale of items made from mink, rabbit and coyote fur.
Leonie Barrie, Apparel Analyst at GlobalData, says: “In the last two years alone Prada, Gucci, Versace, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, DKNY, Burberry, Chanel and other high-profile brands have all joined the fur-free movement. The decision by Macy’s is significant because of the company’s enormous size and scope. With sales of around $25bn in 2018 across 870 stores, it is by far the largest US retailer so far to adopt a ban.”
The California law, which is set to go into effect from the beginning of 2023, is likely to pave the way for other state-wide bans. Similar bills have been introduced in Hawaii and New York, while Los Angeles, San Francisco, West Hollywood and Berkeley have already implemented fur sales bans. Further afield there is pressure on the British government from animal rights groups such as Humane Society International to make the UK the first country in the world to prohibit the sale of animal fur.
Also easing the transition is the rise of innovative fabric technology to help combat concerns that faux fur alternatives based on synthetic polymers derived from fossil fuels are hard to recycle, and release microplastics during laundering.
The latest collection from designer Stella McCartney uses a new sustainable bio-based faux fur called Koba, which is made using recycled polyester and Sorona plant-based fibres from DuPont, and can be recycled at the end of its life.
Barrie concludes: “There has been a steady move away from fur by leading Western brands and retailers over the past decade or so, and there’s no question its use continues to be a major, hot-button issue.
“There are many different sides to the discussion. But increasing consumer concerns over animal welfare and the environment, rising interest in animal-free vegan lifestyles, aggressive social media campaigns by anti-fur activists, and now a rising tide of legislation are all likely to build on a growing shift away from fur in the fashion industry.”


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(United States Of America) Tommy Hilfiger, one of the world's leading premium designer lifestyle groups, has announced its Spring 2015 global... ...http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/fashion-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=170353
Comments HONG KONG, Jan. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ASIA APPAREL EXPO will open its doors in Berlin from Sunday, February 15 through Tuesday,... ...http://www.andhranews.net/Intl/Web/65-13.asp
(Italy) The just wrapped up 87th instalment of international menswear showcase Pitti Immagine Uomo highlighted an array of Fall/Winter 2015/2016... ...http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/fashion-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=170342
nese sportswear major Asics will not renew its exclusive distribution pact with Reliance Retail and is setting up its own sales operations in India... ...http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/asics-starts-india-sales-ops-not-to-renew-pact-with-rel-retail-115013000645_1.html
Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp. (NYSE:PVH), is pleased to announce that Tommy Hilfiger will publish a memoir with Ballantine Books, an... ...http://businesswireindia.com/news/news-details/tommy-hilfiger-publish-memoir-with-random-house/42432
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Downtown Green Bay's Black and Tan Grille closing operations through August
The owner of Black and Tan Grille, located in downtown Green Bay, has announced the restaurant is closing its operations effective immediately.
Steve Schneider, who owns the restaurant, said it will be closed through at least August, and he is looking for alternatives for the restaurant to function in the pandemic.
Schneider said the restaurant's customer base is largely made of people celebrating special events, business dinner seminars, and special nights out for families, coworkers and friends, and due to a lot of uncertainty, customers are choosing to limit restaurant and bar visits.
He added that has resulted in a 70% or greater reduction in business.
Schneider went on to say that previously planned events will be honored and done by the Executive Chef, and the group is evaluating providing private fine dining services at some point.
He also added Black and Tan Gift Certificates and coupons will be honored when the business reopens.
In a release Tuesday evening, it stated no employees or guests of Black and Tan have experienced any cases of COVID-19.
Earlier in the day, a post was made to the restaurant's Facebook page saying it wouldn't be open this week.
Tuesday's release stated that The Daily Buzz at the Bellin Building and Diamond's American Diner, which are also owned by Schneider Restaurants LLC, will remain open and gradually expand back to regular or extended hours.


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MARK this in your diary now, Saturday, October 29 the Coolum Men’s Shed will be celebrating their 10th birthday and would like the entire community to come along and help them celebrate.
Located at 26 Research St in the Coolum Industrial Estate, the celebratory day will run from 8am to 4pm and will also serve as an open day of sorts where people can see exactly what goes on at the shed and what the ‘sheddies’ create.
There will be a monster garage sale and lots of handmade wooden products up for sale- get your Christmas shopping done early!
The birthday will also feature at 9.30am the unveiling of the memorial garden which will be dedicated to past members and local dignitaries will be on hand for this special dedication.
Please come along and join the Coolum Men’s Shed as they celebrate 10 years.


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Later today, we expect to see Apple unveil the iPhone 13 at its next big Apple Event, and a lot of people are anticipating that Apple will bring high-refresh rate screens to its phones for the first time.
The most common rumours say that the regular iPhone 13 will stick with a 60Hz screen – the same as the iPhone has been since its launch – while the iPhone 13 Pro will upgrade to a 120Hz screen. Given that many Android phones now include 90Hz or 120Hz screens, yet come in at a cheaper price than the existing iPhone 12, it feels Apple is maybe behind the curve if it doesn't add this feature this year.
But realistically, even if Apple didn't update either the normal iPhone or the Pro with a high-refresh screen this year, it wouldn't matter. It just wouldn't. The phones would sell by the bucketload anyway, and 99% of buyers will never lament what they're missing out on, because they won't care.
The thing about high-refresh screens on phones is that while they're really nice, they offer very little practical advantage to most people, but eat battery life like Pac-man eats dots. And they're not an easy thing to get people revved up about, either – try asking someone about how many Hertz their screen is and you'll usually get an Olympic-class shrug of apathy.
Given that we recently reported that the thing people most want from a new iPhone is more battery life, to include a feature that severely reduces battery life probably isn't going to be a massive priority no matter how nice and smooth the screen is.
Apple isn't against high-refresh screens: it uses them in the iPad Pro. Those displays max out at 120Hz, though they're actually adaptive, switching between 30Hz, 60Hz and 120Hz as needed, to help preserve battery life.
The reason Apple uses a 120Hz screen here is the Apple Pencil: when you're drawing, seeing the results of your movement twice as quickly has a real benefit, since it means you can draw more accurately. It makes the digital art seem more like real materials.
On phones, though, there isn't really a killer application like this that clearly justifies it. The closest thing is gaming, which benefits in the same way as Apple Pencil – you see the results of your actions slightly faster. That's why the best gaming monitors all have high refresh rates. But while gaming in general is huge on phones, gaming that requires millisecond-precision isn't – not like it is on a PC.
On phones, the main advantage you get from a high-refresh screen is that it makes animations and scrolling on your phone look smoother. And as I said earlier, that's really nice. In fact, it's quite an Apple thing to include, because it really adds an extra level of premium feeling to the phone. I would love Apple to add a high-refresh screen to iPhone for this reason.
But the effect on battery life can be up to 10%, and phones that include it tend to give you the option to turn it off (or have it off by default) for this reason. That's not a very Apple way for its mainstream products.
That's why it makes sense to include it on the Pro model, where adding in new technologies as an optional extra (like it did with the ProRaw photo format in the iPhone 12 Pro, for example) is more accepted. It's for 'pros', after all.
But ultimately, if the regular iPhone 13 doesn't include it, it's something that serious tech watchers in comments sections will point to as evidence of Apple being too restrictive and backwards… while everyone who just wanted practical improvements that they understand, like improved battery life and better cameras, will buy iPhones by the armful, and be delighted.
- Here are the latest iPhone 13 leaks and rumours ahead of tonight's launch event.


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New survey shows California's regulations are not popular with small business owners
A survey out this week shows small business owners rank California near the bottom of a nationwide survey showing which cities and states offer the most business-friendly environments.
More than 12,000 business owners participated, making it the largest of its kind according to Thumbtack.com, the company that conducted it.
California received a grade of F for its friendliness towards small business, one of the worst grades in the country. The state received low marks for its regulations, earning a grade of F for its labor, health and safety, and environmental regulations, and a D for its tax code, licensing, and zoning laws.
The state's best grade was a B- for the ease of hiring new workers.
What may come as a surprise to some is that more than half of California's small businesses said they paid the right share of taxes, in line with the national average. California is often targeted for being a state that overtaxes on the business front.
Of the 82 cities surveyed, seven of the lowest rated were found in California, including San Jose (#68), Santa Rosa (#70), Riverside (#71), Los Angeles (#74), Oxnard (#76), San Diego (#78), and Sacramento (#82)—the worst ranking possible.
The top rated states overall were Utah, Idaho, Texas, Virginia and Louisiana. The lowest rated were Rhode Island, Illinois, California, Connecticut and New Jersey.


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Crisis-hit pubs demand more support - but Chesterfield micro-pubs buck the trend
More than 30 pubs in Chesterfield have closed over the last 20 years – and there are fears more could follow without Government help.
People shelled out more money in the pub when allowed back indoors, figures suggest, but limits on social contact mean spending is still below pre-pandemic levels.
Now hospitality and pub industry leaders have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding support for their sector following the four-week delay to the so-called ‘freedom day’ and the planned lifting of all restrictions.
Banking firm Revolut analysed 4,000 customers in Chesterfield between May 17 – when indoor hospitality resumed – and June 13.
It found Chesterfield punters spent 66 per cent more in pubs over this period than the previous month, when only outdoor hospitality was allowed – but spending was still 59 per cent below February 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic struck.
Mr Johnson pushed back the end of England’s coronavirus restrictions to July 19, due to concerns over Covid-19’s rapidly spreading Delta variant.
Pubs across the country had been preparing to welcome customers back with no limits on social contact or group sizes from June 21.
The British Beer and Pub Association, UK Hospitality and the Campaign for Real Ale say they are “bitterly disappointed” by the delay, which they estimate will cost pubs £400 million.
A spokesman said: “Our sector is facing one of its toughest periods in its history and this latest delay is yet another setback.
“Many pubs cannot break even under current restrictions and about 2,300 still remain closed.
“It is critical the Government provides our sector with further support.”
Office for National Statistics figures show UK pubs had been under increasing pressure before the pandemic – the number fell to 38,900 in March 2020, from 52,500 in 2001.
In Chesterfield, this figure fell from 120 in 2001 to 85 in 2020.
Rough ride for hospitality
The All Saints Tap announced it was closing last month, saying: “Hospitality has had a rough ride up to now and has been hit harder than most.”
Helen Marshall, manager of The Kelstedge, Kelstedge, admitted all pubs would have liked more Government support to help them through the pandemic.
“We’re just relieved we can reopen inside as well as outside,” she said, “but there are still a lot of rules in place – there are quite a few customers that are fed up with it now.”
Miss Marshall, who was placed on furlough during the pub’s enforced closure, said it was busier now than before the pandemic, thanks to a substantial investment during the forced closure, as well as a new menu.
She put the industry’s pre-pandemic troubles down to a mixture of things, including lifestyle changes and the homogenisation of chain pubs, while the rise in at-home drinking is also a threat, although not one affecting her pub.
“Everywhere you go, it is the same atmosphere, the same menu and there’s so much competition when you want to just go out for a bite to eat, wherever and whenever.
“Just before we reopened, a lot of people were saying ‘why would you go out when people have learned to drink at home’, but we don’t have a lot of people coming out to get drunk.
“It’s the social aspect, we have a lot of customers who like to come out to be social. We have some elderly customers, it might be their only social interaction of the week, with our staff.
“As soon as we reopened, we realised how much people have missed the social aspect, not just the drinking.”
Micropubs buck the trend
Micropubs also seem to be bucking the trend and are rising in popularity.
A planning application has just been approved for The Beer Station to convert a retail unit on Station Road, Whittington Moor, into a pub.
Ben Stephenson, who launched Brimming with Beer in Brimington five years ago, puts the success of down to the personal touch – but equally called for more support.
“It’s been tough,” he said. “I knew the support wasn’t necessary going to be enough to keep going – I went back to my old job driving wagons just to make sure I had enough money.
“I got a grant at Christmas of £1,000, but I can take that in a day at Christmas.”
He added home deliveries to support the business during closure – but customers have flocked back since restrictions were lifted and, thanks to “a lot of hard work”, he is now looking forward to a brighter future.
“It’s the personal experience,” he says. “I know most of the other landlords of Chesterfield’s other micropubs and they will say the same. I know 90 per cent of the customers by name, which you don’t get in bigger venues.
“If you come in alone, you’re not stood in the corner, you’re involved in a conversation, with me, or people around you – you’re not all alone in the corner on your phone, which can happen in a larger pub.”
For Stephen Eyre, the secret of his micro-pub’s success was a gap in the market.
He said the business was always a five-year plan, but the pandemic meant he pulled out a year early after enjoying the enforced break.
He said he survived the pandemic due to having a regular job for his main income, coupled with being able to furlough staff and a supportive landlord.
“I think the reason the Dam Nation took off was the fact there was no pubs in Walton,” he says. “That was one of the selling points, for people wanting to come in and sit down and have a pint.
“There were a few days at the start where you wonder ‘what have I done’, but that’s a psychological issue with any small business. Word got around and it took off.”
A spokesperson for Chesterfield Borough Council said a scheme was in place to support businesses which are struggling and severely impacted by COVID-19.
They added: “If a business has more than a 20 per cent loss of income then we are happy to review their claim, we will just require profit and loss statements so that we can carry out a full assessment.
“It is our intention to help and support as many local business as we can during these difficult times.
“The council regularly reviews the grant schemes to ensure that they best support our local businesses. We advise all businesses to visit our website for the latest schemes and eligibility and to contact us if they have been severely impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”


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Star Wars Celebration LIVE! presented by Geico is coming to Star Wars Celebration Anaheim later this month, streaming panels, exclusive interviews, and other unforgettable segments direct from the show floor for those at the event and watching from home.
Tune in on StarWars.com and YouTube.com/StarWars, May 26-29, for colorful commentary from your hosts Andi Gutierrez, Anthony Carboni, Krystina Arielle, Hector Navarro, Jordan Hembrough, and Kristin Baver.
You never know who will pop up on the LIVE! stage, promising lots of surprises, celebrities, and the chance to see yourself and your friends in the crowd!
The post Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022: Star Wars Celebration LIVE! Announced appeared first on Jedi News.


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(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. has hired David Smoley, chief information officer of pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca Plc, for a vice president role.
Smoley joined the Cupertino, California-based technology giant this month after six years at the U.K-based drugmaker. At Apple, he will work in a similar information technology role and won’t be focused on Apple’s growing health-care efforts. He is reporting to Mary Demby, Apple’s chief information officer. Apple confirmed the move on Friday. AstraZeneca declined to comment.
Smoley is known for his early embrace of cloud computing. He has also served as the CIO of Flex Inc. and as an executive at Honeywell International Inc. and General Electric Co., according to his LinkedIn profile.
Apple has about 100 vice presidents who help Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and his executive team run one of the world’s most profitable companies. Smoley’s hire comes after several key executive departures this year.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Gurman in San Francisco at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tom Giles at email@example.com, Alistair Barr, Andrew Pollack
For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com
©2019 Bloomberg L.P.


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O’So Eats is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with a revised menu and updated dining room.
The restaurant was opened in September 2009 by three brothers — Pete, Jimmy and Spiro Strates, the sons of Duke’s Restaurant owner Paul Strates — plus their friend Sammy Gianopoulos. Gianapoulos left to work on other restaurants, including Fratellis Italian Steakhouse in Winston-Salem and Three Bulls Steakhouse in Clemmons. Three years ago, the Strates brothers took on a new partner, Johnny Faulkner, who started there as a server.
The four partners also own Sherwood Restaurant in Sherwood Plaza at 3348 Robinhood Road, and people visiting both restaurants will notice a few similarities, though the restaurants have distinct identities. (The Sherwood has a fifth, on-site partner, Kosta Janos.)
Earlier this year, the partners gave O’So’s dining room an update with new paint and artwork. They also revamped the menu to reflect the changing times and tastes of its loyal customers.
“We’ve adjusted with the times. We’ve added a lot more quick, casual items,” Pete Strates said.
“We felt at a certain point that we were starting to become stagnant,” Faulkner said. O’So used to be more formal, he said, which some customers misinterpreted as expensive. “So we had to change to be that family, neighborhood restaurant.”
O’So’s new slogan is “Casual American & World Flair.” The menu is as big and broad as ever. “I tell people the only thing we don’t sell is sushi and pizza,” Strates said with a laugh. That’s a slight exaggeration, but o’So does offer a wide selection of sandwiches, salads, entrees and pastas.
“We’re known for our pastas,” Strates said.
So such dishes as the Bayou ($8.59/$10.59), pasta with Cajun cream sauce, onion, bacon, mushrooms, tomato, spinach and choice of protein made the cut onto the new menu.
All in all, the new menu offers more sandwiches and salads. O’So also switched to one menu all day instead of separate lunch and dinner menus. As a result, all of the salads and pastas and some of the sandwiches are offered in small and large portions.
The Yasou salad ($5.29/$8.39) is essentially a Greek salad with the addition of dried cranberries. The Brie or Not to Brie ($5.29/$8.39) has spinach, onion, pecans, strawberries and brie with raspberry vinaigrette.
A new salad, the Yoko ($8.09/$10.89), has chicken salad with cranberries and pecans, plus apples, spinach, hard-cooked egg, grapes and creamy Italian dressing.
The new Club o’So ($8.99/$12.39) features turkey, bacon, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayonnaise. Also new is the Philly Philly ($9.69), with steak or chicken, mushrooms, onions, peppers, mozzarella and queso sauce on a sub roll.
There are several vegetarian options, including a vegan wrap ($8.79) and black-bean patty wrap ($9.49). And o’So makes its crab cakes gluten-free, with no bread crumbs — just crab, egg and mayonnaise.
Returning staples include the Plum Ribeye — along with the Drunken Ribeye the most expensive item on the menu at $24.99. The Drunken steak has a bourbon marinade and oysters; the Plum has an Asian plum-sauce reduction and shrimp.
Strates, 43, and Faulkner, 30, said that the Sherwood and o’So share a handful of dishes such as the Shrimp Bang ($8.29/$11.09), a salad of shrimp with Thai chili sauce, and the Heidi Jo chicken salad ($8.99). The Sherwood also has a cousin to the Club O’So, made the same way but with pastrami instead of salami.
“In general, the Sherwood is more home cooking,” Faulkner said. O’So, in contrast, is more fusion food, with a lot of sautéed items cooked to order.
Strates said he is grateful to his loyal staff and customers over the years. “It hasn’t always been easy,” he said. “But we take pride in what we do. It’s been a great 10 years. We’ve learned a lot.”
To show its appreciation, the restaurant will announce some anniversary specials this fall through its Facebook page.
Strates and Faulkner said that every restaurant is always trying to find its identity — one that clearly speaks to customers. “We’re still working on it,” Faulkner said with a smile, noting how the restaurant business is constantly evolving.
“But we want to be that Cheers kind of place, a family, neighborhood restaurant,” Faulkner said.
Or as Strates put it, “I don’t have a marketing plan. But I do have a following.”


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Prime Outlets includes 22 shopping centers, according to Simon Property Group. One is off Sharpsburg Pike (Md. 65), on the southern edge of Hagerstown.
Prime Outlets at Hagerstown, which opened in 1998, is listed as having 484,906 square feet of gross leasable area, making it the sixth-largest of the 22 centers. It is one of Washington County's largest tourist attractions.
As of June 30, Prime Outlets' centers were 92 percent occupied and generated about $370 in annual sales per square foot, according to Simon's press release on the acquisition.
Prime Retail took out a three-year loan in 2000 to help stave off bankruptcy and sold some centers, including part of Prime Outlets at Hagerstown.
The company paid off the $90 million loan in 2002 -- 10 months early.
Morris said the sale announced Tuesday is expected to become final around the spring of 2010 after obtaining agreements from lenders.
He said in an e-mail that it's too soon to talk about operational details once the shopping centers change hands.
Questions to Prime Outlets at Hagerstown and The Lightstone Group were referred to Beckerman Public Relations in New Jersey, which didn't return several messages. An employee later said the firm would not comment.
Simon Property Group, which is based in Indianapolis, describes itself as the largest public U.S. real estate company. It owns or has an interest in 385 properties with 262 million square feet of gross leasable area in North America, Europe and Asia, the company's press release says.


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Bank of Ireland debit and credit card spending declined 6% in June despite a 23% increase in outlay among 13-17 year-olds month-on-month as the school year came to an end.
Spending fell in all age groups, except the teenage cohort -- with monthly declines of 8% among the 66+ group, 7% among those aged 56-65 and 6% among 36-45 year-olds -- as well as across both the domestic retail and social sectors.
Fast-food purchases dipped 5%, while pub spending was down 4%, and restaurant decreased 1%. The data also shows that spending on tourist attractions (+19%), car rentals (+12%) and cinemas (+11%) was up from May, while outlay on florists (-8%), barber shops (-7%) and transport all declined.
“Whilst June’s spending fell, with dips in grocery (-7%), clothes (-6%) and pharmacy (-4%) indicating many people restricted their expenditure, it was no surprise to see teenagers leading the way in the spending stakes given schools started to close," said Jilly Clarkin, head of customer journeys and SME markets at Bank of Ireland.
The decline in spending partially mirrors the same period last year when total spending decreased 4% from May, and all counties recorded shortfalls month-on-month, led by Dublin (-7%), Mayo (-6%), Monaghan (-6%), Kerry (-6%) and Donegal (-4%).
Not surprising, spending increased in a number of popular holiday destinations, including Croatia (+71%), Greece (+55%) Italy (+32%), Portugal (+22%) and Spain (+13%).
“July and August are normally busy months, with all schools closed, children at summer camps and families enjoying well-deserved breaks across Ireland," Clarkin said of the outlook for the rest of the summer.
"People will also leave the country and spend abroad so, based on last summer, we may not see a big spike in overall spend next month either. However, July last year saw an uplift in social spending, so hopefully, some sectors see a boost in spending next month.”
(Pic: Getty Images)


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Howard Stringer has been replaced as chief executive and president of Sony by Kazuo Hirai, head of consumer products.
In a planned move, Stringer will step down as chief executive and president, and limit his role to chairman of the board.
Stringer has been chairman and chief executive of Sony since 2005 and president since 2009. His new move will take effect from April 1.
Stringer said in a statement: "Three years ago, I started to work with the board on succession plans, and in February 2009 we named a new generation of leaders to be my management team. Among them was Kaz Hirai, who had distinguished himself through his work in the PlayStation and networked entertainment businesses. Kaz is a globally focused executive for whom technology and the cloud are familiar territory, content is highly valued, and digital transformation is second nature."
Hirai said: "The path we must take is clear: to drive the growth of our core electronics businesses - primarily digital imaging, smart mobile and game; to turn around the television business; and to accelerate the innovation that enables us to create new business domains.”
Together Stringer and Hirai have engineered the release of several high profile Sony products, including the PS3, Playstation Move motion controller, the new Playstation Vita and the Sony 3D Handycam projector.
Yotaro Kobayashi, the current chairman of the board, said in a statement: "We agree with Sir Howard that Kazuo Hirai is the right man at the right time to lead Sony. He has a unique capacity to inspire people, to build teams, to make the tough decisions, and to think with clarity and foresight about the challenges we face and how to surmount them."
Pre-order Sony Playstation Vita at £219 from Amazon for 22 February delivery.


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In 2016, Supermarket Trade Show will reach a landmark 50th anniversary, as a B2B trade show focusing on spreading the latest information in the distribution industry mainly in supermarkets.
For this 50th anniversary, four different exhibitions involving food will join us under the comprehensive name "FOOD TABLE in JAPAN 2016." The exhibition space will expand to 1.5 times, using the whole building of Tokyo Big Sight. The number of visitors is estimated to increase to approximate
Mar 30, 2021 - Mar 31, 2021 - in Online, Belgium.
2 months left
May 13, 2021 - May 15, 2021 - in Ohrid, Macedonia.
3 months left
Jun 01, 2021 - Jun 02, 2021 - in Brussels, Belgium.
4 months left
Apr 01, 2022 - Apr 30, 2022 - in Newcastle, United Kingdom.
1 year left
That E-mail already exists on our list !


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The students running stalls at the annual Lunar New Year Fair in Victoria Park have fully capitalised on this year’s zodiac animal. We were amazed to find pigs on everything from keychains to laptop cases to tote bags when we visited the fair yesterday. We also got to speak to six stalls to learn about their designs and marketing strategy.
The Chill Pig stall is run by 24 secondary school and university students, most of whom are veterans with two years of fair experience. “In 2017, we named our first stall ChillChick, and we have kept the word “Chill” since then,” says Wah Yan College (Kowloon) student Clayton Chan Kwan-to, 17. “That’s because we think Lunar New Year should be a time for celebration and relaxation, and we want HongKongers to let go of any stress and have fun at the Fair.”
This year, the team decorated their products – such as stickers, weekly planners, and laptop cases – with illustrations of pigs and mean-but-funny motivational quotes. “We want to encourage people, especially students, to stay positive and strong even when they feel tired or frustrated about work or studies,” says Clayton.
This is the fourth time Hong Kong University Graduate Association College students have participated in the Fair. This year, 14 students teamed up to set up the stall, Piggy Sugar .
The Form Five students are primarily selling key chains, tote bags, and school supplies.
“For our key chain designs, we looked up some popular pig-related phrases on the internet and worked them into the key chain’s design,” says team member Yoyo Fung Pak-ying, 16.
“Then we created some original cartoons to go with the phrases”
Its name was inspired by a famous bubble tea shop called Tiger Sugar, says Stephanie Chan Wing-huen, 16.
“Brown sugar bubble tea has been very popular recently, so we thought using a similar name, and making it more relevant to the Year of the Pig, would attract customers’ attention,” she explains.
Pig Friends Dog
The name of stall 110, Pig Friends Dog, is a literal translation of a famous Chineses idiom. It is a metaphor for how some friends can be just like filthy barn animals – “undesirable and pathetically comical”.
There are 17 students on the team. Most of them are current St Paul’s Co-educational College students, while some are from Hong Kong International School and Harrow International School.
Their products not only celebrates the Year of the Pig, but also poke fun at toxic friendships. They are selling originally designed merchandise for everyday use such as bags, folders, T-shirts, and laptop stickers.
Sell What Pig
A group of 12 students from Wesley College are running a stall for the second time.
The stall’s leader, Anson Choy Fu-ki, 18, says “Many students nowadays believe someone can help them organise everything and all they have to do is to just follow the plan and execute it.” However, the team behind Sell What Pig didn’t go to anyone for help. It was student-led through and through.
This time around, they are selling pillows that come in the shape of bubble tea. They thought this was fitting because it will be the Year of the Pig, and the word for pig in Cantonese sounds like the Cantonese word for the pearls in milk tea.
They are also offering five different designs of files, bearing Chinese song lyrics on backgrounds they designed. Also available are tote bags with their logo.
The name of one stall belonging to a group of students from St Paul’s Co-educational College was inspired by Mentos sweets.
“Mentos explode and fizz up when dropped in Coca Cola. We thought this name could totally represent our energy,” says Callie Lau Man-ying, 16, who is responsible for the stall’s publicity.
“Also, the literal translation of our brand from Cantonese to English is “Infinite Happiness”. That’s the feeling we want to convey to people.”
cup holder 相信大家都好鍾意飲珍珠奶茶啦 但係宜家天氣咁凍 隻手仲要拎住杯凍冰冰嘅野飲 點算呢 . 呢個珍珠奶茶袋就啱曬你啦 佢唔洗你直接掂到個杯 唔單止隻手唔會比杯上嘅水整濕 仲可以掛杯嘢飲喺手臂上 俾你兩手空空去打機!! 最重要嘅 係袋上嘅豬仔 全部都係由同學親手畫出嚟 好得意架 . 希望我地嘅手繪cup holder可以帶俾大家歡樂 令你地可以開開心心同啲豬仔朋友過肥年啦. #年宵 #年宵市場 #年宵2019 #年宵攤位 #維園 #維園年宵 #維園年宵2019 #豬年年宵 #豬年限定 #農曆新年 #新年 #豬年 #157號檔 #chinesenewyear #cny #newyearfair #hkig
The group of 28 are selling bags and stationery at the fair, including stickers and files that they designed themselves.
They’ve also incorporated a lot of trendy slangs and popular song lyrics into their stickers. They’ve created handy bubble tea holders to make people’s lives (and drinking) easier as well.
Twenty Form Four students, from St. Paul’s Co-educational College, are selling their products at Victoria Park, including a selection of files, memo pads, folders, toys, tote bags, temporary tattoos, and stickers. A lot of them are inspired by popular memes.
“We strongly believe that everyone, regardless of their age or background, enjoy and laugh at memes on the internet, that’s why we settled on this theme,” says Christine Chui, a 16-year-old student.
[實物圖] 年宵又點會冇公仔賣喎我地 真豬 特製「唯他」豬古力牛奶攬枕超大舊超軟熟 啱曬各位豬仔朋友攬住嚟煲劇同瞓覺而角落頭「唯他」既牌子仲可以係你送俾「佢」既時候幫你傳達心意添另外我地仲有自家設計既豬仔好打意架買嚟同朋友情人襯翻一人一隻就perfect ———————————————————— 維園年宵攤位 170號 (近銅鑼灣站)1月30日至2月5日 約定你 - #年宵 #年宵市場 #年宵2019 #維園年宵 #維園 #維多利亞公園 #維園170號 #170 #真豬 #realpiggie170 #豬年 #豬年年宵 #豬年限定 #新年 #農歷新年 #香港 #香港學生 #學生 #手帳 #手繪 #手繪照紙 #自家製 #hk #hkig #hkstudent #student #pig #happynewyear #chinesenewyear #2019
All products are designed by the team, and are aesthetically pleasing as they are practical.
“Most importantly, we hope our products can spread the interests and culture of teenagers around our society,” says Christine.


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Bien Mérité creates 'Game of Thrones'-inspired latte to celebrate show's final season
Bien Mérité Chocolates and Bakery created a "Game of Thrones" latte that will have you ready to see who will take the Iron Throne this season.
The bakery announced on Facebook that its added "The White Walker," an horchata latte, to the cafe's menu to celebrate the show's final season premiere.
The drink will only be available this week while supplies last.
The French bakery will also feature dragon eggs, also known as madeleine cake with golden covered almonds, to add to the limited time menu.
Bien Mérité Chocolates and Bakery opened its doors in mid-February on South Staples Street near Morgan Avenue.
The cafe features an array of delectable pastries, croissants, French bread, hand-crafted artisan chocolates, coffee and Matcha teas.
Meagan Falcon covers entertainment, things to do and trending news in South Texas. Consider supporting local journalism with a digital subscription to the Caller-Times.
Other Game of Thrones news:


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Just as D.C. Fashion Week draws to a close, the city’s hipster fashion pack crammed into the Longview Gallery for a Betsey Johnson runway show to benefit Pink Jams, a D.C. based breast cancer awareness charity.
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As D.C. dug out of the 2010 Snowpocalypse young professionals came out to the SOME Junior Gala.
The Phillips Collection dips into the nightlife scene, with their monthly happy hour that celebrates art, music, food and wine.
The Nation’s Capitol gives MTV’s “Jersey Shore” a loving fistpump as cast members hit up McFadden’s
Mary Amons’ Labels for Love combines fashion, art and philanthropy to raise money for the Children’s National Medical Center
Backlash against a New Year’s Eve Party at the National Building Museum continues, and revelers take aim at promoters Reed Landry and Fritz Brogan.


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February 18, 2022
HONG KONG – While Hong Kong’s retail sales recorded a double-digit slump after tightened social distancing rules amid the fifth wave of the pandemic, the Hong Kong Retail Management Association announced a recent survey result on Thursday, calling for more support from proprietors and the special administrative region’s government.
The industry has been under pressure since social protest activities in 2019, the association noted. The result revealed a third consecutive drop in retail sales in Hong Kong compared with 2018. In 2020, total sales fell by 33 percent compared with 2018 to HK$326.5 billion ($41.85 billion), recording a historical low.
The HKRMA predicts there will be a further decline after the vaccine passes come into effect on Feb 24, with about 70 percent of interviewees forecasting an over 50 percent drop in business for retail stores in shopping malls
From Feb 14 to 16, the association interviewed over 22 companies which included 3,900 retail shops and 74,000 employees in total. Eighty percent of interviewed companies recorded a drop in sales in the first two months of 2022, compared with the same period two years ago. Forty percent of respondents saw a 40 percent drop in sales.
The HKRMA predicts there will be a further decline after the vaccine passes come into effect on Feb 24, with about 70 percent of interviewees forecasting an over 50 percent drop in business for retail stores in shopping malls. About 80 percent of companies believe the sales in retail shops on the street will also slip, but more mildly than in malls.
“The rent for retail shops is vital for the industry as it occupies the largest of the costs,” said Annie Tse Yau On-yee, HKRMA’s chairwoman. “But few of our respondents received support from the proprietors.”
According to the survey, nearly 70 percent of interviewed companies said they have not received any reductions in rent from proprietors. Only 30 percent of companies have got rent reductions ranging from 10 percent to 40 percent.
The association suggested the Hong Kong government give more support to the retail industry, which could cover asking developers to provide rent relief for tenants, including the sector in a new round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, as well as rolling out electronic consumption vouchers soon after the current wave subsides.
“We hope the government and proprietors stand together with us to overcome the difficulties,” said Tse.


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Some traders affected by the ongoing demolition of Agboju Market in Festival Town (also known as FESTAC Town), Lagos, are in tears over the demolition of their “source of livelihood.”
The traders have blamed market leaders for “insincerity” over the exercise.
Bulldozers rolled into the market, last Friday and pulled down the structures, just as the traders started displaying their goods for sale.
Some of the affected traders said the demolition issue had been ongoing between the state government and the traders.
They, however, expressed shock over the exercise, which occurred before the seven-day quit notice issued them expired.
A trader, Uzo Thomas, said they assumed the demolition would be done, today, after the notice would have elapsed yesterday.
“To our surprise, Friday morning, we were displaying our goods, we just started hearing, ‘pack, pack,’ we thought it was a joke. Before we knew it, bulldozers started bringing everything down,” he said.
Another trader, Mrs Anulika Chukwu, said last Thursday, officials of Amuwo Odofin Local Government came to warn them not to sell on the walk ways, which they complied with.
“If we had known beforehand, I wouldn’t have spent the money I had buying goods for sale,” she lamented.
However, some other traders said the land where the market was situated was a buffer zone, with pipelines running underneath and electric cables overhead.
Yet, another trader, Olawale Ashakaba, said: “This is a Federal Government property; there are pipelines running under here. I believe there’s something our leaders are not telling us,” he said.
Another trader, Mrs. Blessing Ogomchi, added: “Nobody knows exactly what is going on or what is going to happen. The leaders haven’t even called a meeting to tell traders what is going on.
“If, indeed, there’s going to be a new market, how long will it take to be completed; how many months or years?”
The Iyaloja General of Amuwo Market, Mrs. Osinatu Adebayo, refuted allegations of foul play.
“No. No, it’s not true. The problem is that the market is too rough and the state government called us to say they want to rebuild it to a modern market.
“They would have finished building it but we’ve been delaying and begging for more time, ‘please allow us to sell for Christmas’ or ‘please let us sell for Easter’.”
She said buying and selling will continue as usual, once the site has been cleared.
Adebayo pledged her commitment to the traders, in ensuring that they all get shops when the new market is completed.
“My children are also traders, here, so I can’t allow things get spoiled. Before outsiders get shops, all the traders would be considered first,” she affirmed.
Another official, who declined to be named, said he wasn’t sure how long it would take to complete the project.
He, however, urged the traders not to kick against modernisation of the market.


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EXETER — Thousands of people lined up for the seventh annual Powder Keg Beer and Chili Festival on Saturday. The line was so long it extended beyond Swasey Parkway and halfway up Water Street.
"We max it out at 5,000 and I think we will reach that number," said Jen Wheeler, president of the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce. "We had more pre-purchases of tickets than ever before and we are selling them at the gate."
The beer and chili from the many vendors are judged. New this year was the addition of junior chili judges, the brainstorm of Wheeler's 12-year-old daughter Annabeth.
The chili winners were: Judges' choice (meat) Smuttynose/Hayseed and judges' choice (vegetarian) the Holy Grail. The junior judges’ choice: Thirsty Moose for meat chili and Portsmouth Brewery for vegetarian.
Cisco Brewers won a people’s choice award, with the Holy Grail and Kettlehead coming in second and third.
The duck race, a benefit for the Chamber Children's Fund did a booming business. "We have 1,800 ducks and we had already pre-sold 1,130," said Karen Drapaniotis, who organizes the event. "I have cute kids selling ducks in the waiting line for the race. I am pretty sure we will sell them all."


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Singles Day: Turnover of billions in one day
On Singles Day, every year shopping madness breaks out in China. On only one day, retailers attract millions of customers with online deals and are constantly turning over new record sums. The resulting flood of orders is a tremendous feat for logistics and fulfillment, which Arvato Supply Chain Solutions China has successfully mastered with good planning.
On November 11, China hosts the country's largest online shopping event, which in the past ten years has become one of the highest-turnover days in e-commerce: Singles Day - also known as Double 11 - is in fact an "anti-Valentine day" for singles because the date consists only of ones - the symbol for singles in China. The Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba made it popular as a shopping day, celebrating the day for the first time in 1993 with a huge discount. The idea behind it: Single people don't have to have a family and can indulge themselves. A concept that has been a complete success. According to data from Statista, 27.2 billion euros were turned over by Alibaba alone on Singles Day in 2018, which corresponds to an increase of 27 percent over the previous year. During the 24-hour shopping marathon, the products of around 180,000 brands such as Nike, Adidas and Apple were offered at special conditions, selling goods worth over 12 million euros in the first 30 minutes. No wonder, since Chinese consumers are considered to be particularly price-sensitive. Not only are sales prices shared on social media platforms. A particularly favorable purchase price is celebrated as a success.
Order volume ten times higher in one day
As a result, many customers in China are waiting for November 11 and postpone planned large purchases until then. When the signal is finally given, buyers will have access to thousands of offers ranging from smartphones to furniture, clothing and cosmetics.
The sharp short-term increase in shipping volumes is a major challenge for fulfillment and logistics. "On Singles Day, the order volume for our customers increases almost tenfold," says Raoul Kütemeier, Head of Asia at Arvato Supply Chain Solutions.
"In normal operations we process around 8,000 orders a day, on November 11 there is an absolute peak - that's now around 60,000." This is not solely due to the fact that consumers hold back their orders until Singles Day. "Our customers not only place their special offers on the e-commerce platform Tmall, but also integrate almost all sales channels."
In China, however, the largest volumes are handled via platforms rather than individual websites. This is due to the price transparency offered, which is particularly important to Chinese consumers. In order for online retailers to achieve the best possible profit increases in this environment, there are special marketing companies that specialize in trading platforms.
Important numbers of the Singles Day 2019
- Overall, according to Alibaba, goods worth 38.3 billion dollars were sold on the Alibaba platforms (+24% compared to the 30.8 billion dollars in 2018).
- For the first billion it took 68 seconds.
- In the first hour a turnover of about 12 billion U.S. dollars was achieved.
- The total number of orders from 2018 was reached in 2019 after 18 hours 31 minutes.
- Approximately 500 million online orders were received in the 24 hours.
Good preparation is the key
Arvato Supply Chain Solutions' customers in China mainly come from the high-tech & entertainment and consumer products sectors, including leading international companies such as the Swedish cosmetics company Oriflame. Around 300 employees in various distribution centers provide comprehensive logistics and fulfillment services for these customers, ranging from complete warehousing and transportation to import and export processing and value-added services, as gift packaging or specially packaged promotional packages are the order of the day in e-commerce. Seasonal peaks such as Singles Day are thoroughly prepared to ensure full customer satisfaction. "We plan such events already weeks in advance together with our customers: We calculate the capacities, rent extra space at short notice if required and train an average of 100 temporary workers in order to process the volumes as quickly as possible," explains Raoul Kütemeier. "In addition, we try to pre-produce as much as possible operationally - for example, product bundles are tied in advance.
Maximum delivery time is three days
As Singles Day is celebrated almost exclusively in China, no international transport is necessary on this shopping day, although Arvato Supply Chain Solutions supplies the whole world from Asia.
In total, it takes a maximum of three days from order to delivery, depending on the region and the scheduled delivery date.
In large cities, consumers are generally even supplied the next day. A service that can be easily implemented with the excellent parcel service providers in Asia. "Here it has been customary for several years to call the consumer before his parcel is delivered - he is now even informed via chat or SMS," says Raoul Kütemeier.
Platforms are on the advance
Singles Day is extremely important not only for local traders, but also for online sellers from the West. Not only is most of the sales generated on November 11 - the shopping day is also an important opportunity to position your brand. Western online retailers can offer their products on the special Tmall Global platform without having a presence of their own in China - but they do not participate as strongly in the record sales there, as the discounts are generally lower than on Tmall. "Analogous to China, online platforms and shopping days such as Black Friday have also established themselves in the US shopping culture," explains Raoul Kütemeier. A significant decline in volume is also noticeable here in advance, as customers wait until the bargain hunting begins. "I think that the platforms with their action days will also gain importance in Europe in the future. However, it will be difficult to top the Singles Day - here currently a higher turnover is generated than on Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined..."