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First it was burgers and now Guy Fieri has opened a new authentic smokehouse and barbecue venue aboard Carnival Magic – replacing Fat Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ.
Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse is a complimentary open-air eatery located on Carnival Magic’s Lanai on Promenade Deck featuring a wide variety of BBQ favorites smoked right on board over hickory and cherry wood using Guy’s signature recipes, rubs and spices.
- Pork Butt
- Dry Rubbed Chicken
- Sliced Smoked Beef
- Smoked Andouille sausage
- Mac Daddy Mac n Cheese
- Old Skool Potato Salad
- Scratch-Made Slaw
- Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
- Molasses Baked Beans with Bacon and Burnt Ends
You can see the full menu here.
The BBQ joint will expand to Carnival Vista in late 2016 and Carnival Dream and Carnival Breeze in 2017.
- Brown Sugar (sweet and sticky)
- Kansas City (smoky and sweet)
- Sriracha BBQ (spicy and tangy)
- Carolina #6 (tangy with sweet heat)
The venue will be open sea days from noon to 2:30 p.m.
Carnival Magic will continue its seven-day schedule from Galveston through April 10, 2016 then reposition to Port Canaveral to launch year-round seven-day Caribbean cruises April 23, 2016.
- Overview: Visiting Bar Harbor, Maine on a Cruise
- 18 Photos of The Bimini Beach Club & What Cruisers Should Expect
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- 8 Tips, Hacks, and Ways to Save Money on a Carnival Cruise
- Cruise News Today — November 26, 2021 [VIDEO]
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- New MSC Seashore Arrives in Jamaica, Docks Beside Sister-Ship
- Cruise News Today — November 24, 2021 [VIDEO]
- Chef Emeril Lagasse Cuts Ribbon on New Carnival Cruise Restaurant


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Our Daily Bowl, which describes itself as a “superfood bar” and has been open in Rotterdam for about three years, is finishing work on a second location, in a former Verizon store near Newton Plaza on the Latham/Loudonville border. An opening date is unclear, but the company has been advertising to staff the shop since late March.
I’m not finding a complete menu online. Photos show lists of bowls with bases of acai berry, dragon fruit, graviola/soursop and more, available with granola, fruit, nuts and seeds.
I’m told Our Daily Bowl is independently owned. The original location, at 834 Duanesburg Road, opposite the Schalmont schools campus, is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday.

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The Chinese regulatory authority has asked at least two state-owned insurance companies to urgently report their business and investments in Russia due to concerns about the damage to the two economies amid the intense war between Russia and Ukraine.
Reuters, citing sources, reported on Saturday that the authority also required the insurers to measure the impact of the sanctions and submit their contingency plan by Friday.
According to the sources, the move was prompted after some countries sanctioned Russia.
This move also came after the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) announced that it suspended all Russia-related activities on Thursday.
The AIIB said that it has put on hold and under review all activities relating to Russia for the bank’s best interests in a recent economic and financial woe.
According to VOA, AIIB was established in June 2015 in Beijing with 57 founding members, among them China is the largest shareholder in the bank, holding 26% of its voting power.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Western countries cut off Russia’s economy from the global financial system and called international companies to halt sales in the country.
China, the most significant export and import trading partner with Russia has opposed the sanctions and has expressed its hopes to trade exchanges with Russia as usual.
On Wednesday, Guo Shuqing, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission chairman, explained that Beijing opposed financial penalties because they lack a legal basis and have negative consequences. Instead, Quo said China would maintain usual trade and financial ties with Moscow and Kyiv.
His comments echoed Commerce Minister Wang Wentao’s remarks when Wang said China hopes to promote regular trade with Russia and Ukraine.


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Huawei has launched a new mid-range phone called the Y9s in select markets which seems to be a slightly bumped up variant of the Y9 Prime 2019 which was recently launched in India. Just like the Y9 Prime 2019, the Y9s is also a pop-up selfie camera phone. It also has triple rear cameras with a 48MP main sensor and a 4,000mAh battery powering the whole thing with USB Type-C charging.
The Huawei Y9s continues Huawei’s signature gradient finish design – the phone will be available in Midnight Black and Breathing Crystal options. Unlike the Y9 Prime 2019, the Y9s has a side mounted fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication. There’s also USB Type-C for charging and data syncing.
In terms of core specs, the Huawei Y9s has a 6.59-inch LCD display with a 1080p+ resolution. The phone is powered by Huawei’s in-house Kirin 710 processor paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage which is also expandable. The dual-SIM phone runs Android Pie-based EMUI 9.1 and pack a 4,000mAh battery under the hood.
On to the optics, the Huawei Y9s comes with a triple rear camera setup consisting of one 48MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP depth sensor. The Huawei Y9s further comes with a 16MP pop-up selfie camera.
The Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 also has a 6.59-inch LCD display with a 1080p+ resolution and is powered by the same Kirin 710 processor but this is paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. On to the optics, the Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 comes with a triple rear camera setup consisting of one 16MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP depth sensor. The Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 triple camera setup AI is claimed to identify 22 categories and 500+ scenes in real-time. The Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 further comes with a 16MP pop-up selfie camera. The front camera supports AI features like 3D portrait.
The Huawei Y9 2019 sells in India at a price of Rs 15,990 for the variant with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage.


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With Apple's third fiscal quarter earnings report scheduled for next week, Verizon is giving us a hint at what we may be able to expect from iPhone sales, and the numbers look good. Verizon announced its second fiscal quarter numbers on Thursday with 3.9 million iPhones sold -- a 44 percent increase year-over-year.
Verizon quarterly iPhone sales jump 44 percent
Verizon reported a 16 percent year-over-year increase in income at US$6.6 billion with a 22 percent operating income margin. The cell service provider reported $29.8 billion in revenue with $20 billion revenue from its wireless division.
BTIG analyst Walter Piecyk noted on Twitter that the iPhone accounted for half of Verizon's smartphone sales saying, "$VZ iPhone acts of 3.9 mil beat our est of 3.5 mil as $AAPL smartphone share remained over 50%."
With Verizon's quarterly iPhone activations up 44 percent, there's a good chance we'll see increases in AT&T and Sprint iPhone numbers as well. AT&T's second fiscal quarter earnings report is set for July 23, so its iPhone sales figures won't be available for very long before Apple's own earnings announcement, and Sprint's quarterly earnings won't be announced until July 30.
With T-Mobile officially offering the iPhone now, too, that adds another opportunity for increased sales.
Apple's third fiscal quarter earnings report is scheduled for Tuesday, July 23. Company executives said they're expecting between $33.5 billion and $35.5 billion in revenue, which is in line with the same quarter last year, but down compared to this year's second fiscal quarter.
Apple didn't release updated iPhone or iPad models during the quarter, so any increase in sales won't be coming from new product launches. With Verizon's year-over-year iPhone sales up by so much, however, interest in Apple's current iPhone lineup still looks strong.
The next iPhone update is expected this fall, most likely when iOS 7 is released. Apple hasn't announced new iPhone models yet, but knowing iOS 7 is coming some time in the fall, it's a good launch point for new hardware, too.
Assuming Apple does roll out new iPhone models this fall, we can expect an even bigger jump in quarterly sales because the upgrade hype will also fall into the holiday buying season, although the big numbers from those sales won't hit until the first fiscal quarter of 2014.
Apple's third fiscal quarter iPhone sales are expected to come in around 27 million units, and Verizon has already taken care of about 4 million of those. Assuming Verizon's sales figures are a good indicator of the iPhone's overall market performance, Apple's smartphone numbers next week shouldn't disappoint.
Apple is currently trading at $427.40, down 4.36 (1.01%).


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The exodus of major retailers from downtown San Francisco continues, as Westfield has stopped making payments on its mortgage for the Westfield San Francisco Centre mall and plans to leave the premises.
As Breitbart News reported last month, the Nordstrom store in downtown San Francisco decided to leave the city due to a change in “the dynamics of the downtown,” a subtle reference to crime and decreased foot traffic.
Nordstrom was the anchor tenant of the Westfield mall, which has prompted the owners to leave the mall, too.
Fox News reports:
Shopping center giant Westfield is walking away from its San Francisco Centre mall, becoming the latest major company to leave the California city amid rampant crime problems.
Westfield confirmed to FOX Business Monday that the company and partner Brookfield Properties earlier this month stopped making payments on a $558 million loan securing the San Francisco Centre property.
San Francisco Centre generated $455 million in sales in 2019, before the pandemic.
Last year, sales were down about a third to $298 million.
Nordstrom occupied 312,000 square feet in the mall: when it closes, Westfield San Francisco will only be 55 percent leased.
Other Westfields are on average 93 percent leased.
Retail sales have struggled generally in the past few years, as pandemic restrictions forced stores to close and moved consumers to online shopping. But San Francisco’s retail decline was particularly steep, augmented by a massive population exodus as the tech industry embraced work-from-home, and employees abandoned their commutes into the city. San Francisco’s recovery was, by some measures, the slowest of any major U.S. city.
In addition, San Francisco has suffered from street crime, homelessness, and open-air drug abuse, and was hit with a wave of “mass looting” events in late 2021 that hurt retail just as the local economy was reopening.
Liberal pundits have tried to dismiss the idea that San Francisco’s soft-on-crime policies have led to the retail exodus, but shoplifting has led to losses and some employees of downtown retailers fear coming to work.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the new biography, Rhoda: ‘Comrade Kadalie, You Are Out of Order’. He is also the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.


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The rate of existing-home sales ended a six-month slide and rose 0.5 percent in October compared to September, though the rate was 11.5 percent below the October 2005 level, according to a National Association of Realtors report today. Total existing-home sales -- including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops -- reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.24 million units in October. This rate is a projection of a monthly sales total over a 12-month period, adjusted for seasonal fluctuations in sales activity. The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $221,000 in October, which is 3.5 percent below the October 2005 rate and level with the September median price. The average home price, meanwhile, has dropped for the past four months, and the Octob...
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Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign-up here.
Please Mr. Regulator
US advertisers are asking the FCC to ease up on the privacy gas pedal. Their key trade org, the ANA, wants more time to evaluate a rule from the agency requiring ISPs to get the OK from customers before sharing personal info such as search and app data with an outside company. More in Ad Age. And, read AdExchanger’s coverage of the FCC’s expanding privacy remit.
Open For Business
CNBC launched a full-service in-house agency called Catalyst, which will join its content studio to offer brand solutions across TV and digital. The agency is “also working digitally and programmatically using our DMPs and other clever ways of targeting our clients throughout the business day,” SVP Max Raven tells The Drum. CNBC faces some new competition in its niche from the likes of Cheddar TV, a social native broadcaster focused on younger finance audiences.
According to a recent survey, Snapchat has surpassed Instagram as the go-to social app for teens (Facebook rose slightly and Twitter continued its steady decline). In response, “Facebook has introduced a slew of Snapchat-like features to its own apps.” With personal sharing reportedly on the decline among Facebook users, the company will do everything it can to shore up the human connections that made it great.
“Rumors Of My Death…”
A Financial Times report on Tuesday alleged BuzzFeed was slashing revenue forecasts after missing expectations in 2015. Zack Kaplan, VP at the investment firm General Atlantic, which placed early bets on both BuzzFeed and Vox, took to Medium to dispute the FT’s reporting and an avalanche of “Death Of New Media” hot takes. “Reach and engagement will always be valuable to advertisers. Our view is that there always has been, and always will be, a balance of leverage between distributors and content owners.” Here’s hoping.
Caught On Video
Facebook debuted a tool to quash video “freebooting” on its platform. Facebook gets billions of video views per day, but many content creators who make their money on YouTube see their videos poached and distributed on Facebook. The new “Rights Manager” tool allows creators to either permit or report videos across the platform. Creators had previously complained takedown requests went unnoticed for hours or days (which is significant when you consider the velocity of digital video sharing). Facebook says turnaround will soon be quick enough to shut down live videos in midstream if content is being pirated. More at The Wall Street Journal.
But Wait, There’s More!
- Shoppers Flock To Apps, Shaking Up Retail – WSJ
- PlaceIQ First Location Data Company To Get NAI Membership – release
- Study: People-Based Ad Spend Increasing – BizReport
- White Paper: Header Bidding Container Solutions – release
- Ad Blocking Is A Significant Drag On Programmatic Growth – eMarketer
- Lotame Partners With Kantar Shopcom On CPG Data – release
- Refinery29’s Platform Model, End Of ‘Broad, Indiscriminate Scale’ – Digiday
- Datonics Adds New Demographic Data Segments – release
- Shopify Gets Into Chatbots With Kit CRM Acquisition – TechCrunch
- Nativo Names Eugene Cherny VP Of Product – release


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- 13 Jul 2012:Imports of China-based solar cells and panels into the US decreased for the second straight month in May on year, according to the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM).
- 12 Jul 2012:Applications for jobless benefits decreased by 26,000 in the week ended July 7 to 350,000, the fewest since March 2008.
- 21 Jun 2012:
- 20 Jun 2012:CASM accuses Chinese manufacturers of conspiring to commit offense or to defraud the US (June 19) - PV-TechThe dust is yet to settle on tariff determinations against China-based manufacturers, but the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) has released a statement warning of a "conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud the US".
- 18 Jun 2012:Solar power has long been touted for its environmental impact. But now it has a new role: saving teachers' jobs.
- 14 Jun 2012:
- 13 Jun 2012:
- The US Department of Commerce (DOC), responding to last autumn's petitions by SolarWorld and other members of the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM), announced preliminary duties of 2.9-4.73% on crystalline silicon solar PV cells to counter Chinese subsidies to its solar PV manufacturers.
- Solar installations in the US jumped 85% in the first quarter of 2012 from the previous year, according to an industry report that prompted a research firm and a lobbying group to raise their capacity forecasts for the year.
- 4 Jun 2012:
- 31 May 2012:
- 30 May 2012:
- 28 May 2012:
- 25 May 2012:China is developing third-generation photovoltaic technology, which may help China-based solar makers circumvent heavy duties imposed by the US, according to He Zuoxiu, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
- US renewable-energy subsidies in five states violate free-trade rules, China's Ministry of Commerce said today.
- California is poised to more than double its targeted electricity output from rooftop solar panels.
- 24 May 2012:Solar companies Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd and Trina Solar Ltd said their first-quarter margins were squeezed as they set aside money to offset anti-dumping tariffs imposed by the US government on solar panel imports from China.
- 22 May 2012:
- A move designed to punish China-based solar panel makers that charge unfairly low prices in the US could, ironically, end up hurting American-based solar panel installers, a fast-growing sector of the green economy.
- 21 May 2012:China-based solar panel manufacturers are making plans to source components from Taiwan in order to get around US anti-dumping tariffs of at least 31% announced by the Department of Commerce last week.
- China unleashed a storm of protest Friday on multiple fronts against the US decision to impose a 31% antidumping tariff on Chinese solar-panel makers and said the action could backfire on US industries.
- 18 May 2012:The move, announced by the Commerce Department, is certain to infuriate Chinese officials already upset after recent bilateral frictions over China's human rights policies and its increasingly confrontational approach toward American allies like the Philippines and Japan.
- The US yesterday imposed tariffs of as much as 250% on Chinese-made solar cells to aid domestic manufacturers beset by foreign competition, though critics said the decision may end up raising prices and hurting the US renewable energy industry.
- SolarWorld said its Hillsboro, Oregon-based U.S. unit can't compete with Chinese exporters, including Suntech Power Holdings Co. (STP), the world's largest solar-panel maker, and Trina Solar Ltd. unless tariffs are imposed. Suntech was told to pay 31.22%, Trina's levies were set at 31.14% and others were told to pay duties ranging from 31.18-249.96%.
- 17 May 2012:The US solar-power industry has been nervously awaiting a federal decision on whether to impose antidumping tariffs on Chinese solar-panel makers.
- 11 May 2012:
- 27 Apr 2012:NRG Energy, First Solar and MidAmerican Solar representatives gathered to connect the first 100MW of the 290MW Agua Caliente Solar Project to the grid. The project is owned by NRG Energy and MidAmerican, while operator First Solar designed and constructed the plant in Yuma County, Arizona, using thin-film modules.
- 26 Apr 2012:
- 23 Apr 2012:Some domestic solar manufacturers praised the recent import levy as a victory for job creation, but an analysis of the industry suggests the duty may actually be a job killer.
- A DWP pilot program will let solar power producers reduce their bills and sell excess energy, but some say they're worried the new system will be plagued by the same problems as an older system.
- 16 Feb 2012:
- 15 Feb 2012:
- 8 Feb 2012:
- 6 Feb 2012:The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved a total of seven solar-power projects toward the end of 2011, according to records of the department.
- 4 Feb 2012:
- 3 Feb 2012:Local LED lighting firm lands contract with Toshiba International (February 2) - San Antonio Business JournalLocally based GreenStar, an LED lighting manufacturer, has signed a contract with Houston-based Toshiba International Corp.
- Clientron reveals its brand new all-in-one POS terminal - Wing650
- ThroughTek to showcase partner solutions at Computex 2015
- Launching custom-made projector LED light sources, shaping up speedy service model
- Sidekick at the 2015 SIA new product showcase in ISC West won award
- Jorjin launch SimpleLink module solutions for Internet of Everything
- AccuTouch Five Wire Resistive Touchscreens
- Getting the Most Out Of Your Next Generation Digital Security Surveillance System
- Embracing the New Generation Intel Atom Family with DDR3 Memory Support
- Got The Message? Ensuring efficient and reliable delivery of content across a mission critical digital signage network
- Emb' Store On-Demand Software Service for Embedded Computing
- Digitimes Research: Six 2-in-1 Chromebooks scheduled for 2015 to tackle non-education markets
- Demand for overclocking surges in the face of declining desktop market, says HWinsights
- Is Japan losing its influence in global semiconductor market?, asks IC Insights
- Digitimes Research: Philips makes wise move selling Lumileds stake
- Digitimes Research: Microsoft patent fee cut to attract vendors to pre-install apps in Android products
Global demand for LED lighting will peak in 2018, with LED applications to acount for 70% of all lighting...
Through intensified cooperation with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and MediaTek,...
Taiwan-based crystalline silicon solar cell makers have been impacted by the US imposing an average...
The IC backend service industry was capped by a flurry of merger and acquisition (M&A) activities...
- Smartphone and tablet industry: The view from Taiwan - May 2012
Taiwan-based companies have a long and successful history of involvement in the supply chain for mobile devices, which for the purposes of this article consist...
- Taiwan motherboard industry overview - May 2012
The year 2011 saw the motherboard industry reverse its trend of declining shipments year-on-year, to post a slight 0.2% growth. This upturn in fortunes was expected...
- Notebook market overview - Jun 2011
The notebook industry in 2010 experienced several major events that significantly changed the industry's ecosystem for the year and the industry is also believed...
- LCD TV overview - Jun 2011
Growth of the global LCD TV market was not as strong as expected in 2010 as the market continued to feel the aftershocks of the economic recession that had hit...


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The Fire Phone has been on the market for just over four months and commercial (or even critical) reception has been lackluster. Arguably the biggest issue with the handset is its price. Amazon is solving that issue now by lowering the price to $199. The list price prior to the discount is $449; however, the off-contract price of the Fire Phone actually started at $649. So now the Fire Phone has an off-contract price comparable to on-contract counterparts.
Will the price change affect the Fire Phone’s performance? We doubt it. Let us know in the comments if you intend of giving this handset a look for yourself or anyone else this holiday season.


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A New York investor has paid $5.34 million for 1617 Walnut St., a 7,000 SF, two-story building in the center of Philadelphia’s High Street retail corridor. While the building has been vacant for the last roughly five years, the new owner secured a tenant, Free People, to lease the space.
A New York investor has paid $5.34 million for 1617 Walnut St., a two-story building in the center of Philadelphia’s High Street retail corridor.
The nearly 7,000-square-foot building was put up for sale in late 2019 by a local family who had it in a trust and listed for $7.5 million. The price that it ended up selling for is a reflection of how the pandemic has affected real estate and the building, which has been vacant for the last roughly five years but the new owner did secure a tenant, Free People, to lease the space.
“The market was much different then,” said Ken Mallin of MPN Realty Inc., which sold the building along with colleague Veronica Blum. “2019 was a very good year for real estate and then the pandemic hit. What ever I was working on, went away. It suffered like other real estate during the pandemic and there had to be a price adjustment.”
It was marketed for its potential for development as well as prime retail space along Walnut Street. The property is zoned CMX-5, which allows for dense development and additional stories to be constructed atop of the structure. The building was designed by Seeburger & Rabenold and built in 1921.
Mallin declined to disclose the name of the buyer but said it’s a real estate investor who owns property in Manhattan, Miami, Los Angeles and is expanding into Philadelphia.
“The more difficult the New York market becomes the more interesting the Philadelphia market becomes,” Mallin said. “It’s easy and convenient. Every person I deal with from New York likes Philadelphia. The population is expanding each year, our retail didn’t suffer as much and it’s a stable environment here.”
The building at 1617 Walnut has stood vacant after Jack Wills, a British retailer, closed its store that had occupied the space. Though the space was vacant at the time of the sale, the new owner has landed Free People, an Urban Outfitters brand, to backfill the space, according to market sources. Mallin declined to comment on the tenant.
Free People has a store next door at 1625 Walnut St., which it closed and indicated that it will reopen soon at a new location. The building at 1617 Walnut allows it to double the amount of square footage it now occupies.
While New Yorkers have acquired real estate in Philadelphia over the years, that trend picked up in earnest around 2019. That’s when two of New York’s storied real estate firms, Durst Organization and Silverstein Cos., decided to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the market and make a commitment to the city. It has continued ever since.


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by Tina Manzer
“I think fourth quarter will be bonkers – we need to prepare now for the onslaught,” commented Sarah Evers, co-owner of Dancing Bear Toys in Ashville and Hendersonville, North Carolina. “Business will be coming at us from our website, the stores, and curbside. It’s a time-consuming way to do retail, based on our experience this summer. I expect it will make the holidays very intense.”
Dancing Bear closed its doors in March and reopened in May on a limited schedule. “We are being ultra-careful and conservative about this virus,” reports Sarah. “Shoppers are required to wear masks and social distance, and we set a store capacity limit that’s probably half of the recommended number.”
For a variety of reasons, several employees did not return to work when Dancing Bear reopened. “It’s been a challenge. It has been very hard to get back to hiring because of all that we have to do as a result of the pandemic.
“We never thought that coming to work in our toy store would be a health risk, but COVID has changed everything,” she adds. “We keep an open dialog with all of our staff, and make sure we are all in agreement about how to handle things. It feels good when our employees tell us how much they appreciate the steps we take to keep them safe.”
Business has been good, says Sarah. “We have been having very large average sales. Our website is doing awesome!”
Pre-pandemic, the scope of Dancing Bear’s ecommerce site was limited. “But during March and April, we went to town getting categories updated with tons of new products and images. It was well worth all of the time and hassle – we think that the website will continue to be a big part of shopping for the remainder of the year and into next.
“We are proud of the work we did on the website,” she adds. “It finally feels like it represents our store.”
The death of George Floyd in May added to the COVID conflict. For Ellen Joy at Alakazam Toys in Charlottesville, Virginia, the incident was a catalyst for starting a community dialogue about diversity – as an important theme in raising kids and as a change agent for the toy industry. In July, Ellen kicked off a blog series (visit alakazamtoys.com) with a post entitled “Representation in Toys and Why It Matters to Us.” She wrote:
The lack of diversity in toys means so much to children of color. I hear often from parents that they want a doll that looks like their child. I have bought those dolls myself, for my own children. White parents: imagine what it must feel like to struggle to find a doll that looks like you. Imagine what it must feel like for a child of color to walk into a place that is supposed to be for them, and to find themselves immediately excluded. When we don’t make an effort to represent all children, we are doing all children a disservice. We aren’t doing our jobs as parents if we don’t expose our children to the world. Not just their world, but the world at large.”
Ellen is a relative newbie in the toy industry – the transplanted New Yorker has owned Alakazam for a year. She believes in being transparent; in making it clear to customers where she and her business stand. “We support Black Lives Matter and the blog series helped illustrate our position,” she said. “It garnered us a lot of support in our little community, which, as you know, has undergone its own difficult patches in the past.”
The series has featured the voices of a variety of writers. They’ve addressed the responsibility of keeping all children safe, solutions to parent/child power struggles, celebrating a kindergartener with Down syndrome, and the therapeutic power of creating art.
“Being honest has helped us to form stronger relationships with our customers,” Ellen says. “Even if it hadn’t worked out that way, we feel it’s important to be honest. It’s a conversation that needed to be had. We have also been very clear on how grateful we are for our customers’ support. Our goal has always been to be useful to them, and to bring joy into the world.”
When the doors of Alakazam were locked in March, delivery and curbside pickup remained customer options. Reopening was postponed until July so that she could use June to post products online. “We were lucky that we started the process pre-pandemic. We had invested in a pretty serious inventory designed to make e-commerce part of our business and, right now, we have more than 3,000 products online.”
By August, business was “okay,” Ellen said, “but to be honest it’s been tough. I had to let my staff go. We kept them as long as we could; we didn’t want them to leave. I took advantage of PPP early on. I paid my employees and it was gone.
“By the same token, I remain optimistic,” she adds. “I’ve learned so much. While everything has been much more difficult at times, frustrating, and even sad, I am happy that we are still in business.”
With fourth quarter looming, Ellen doesn’t know what to expect. “It will be as unpredictable as things are now. There are no clear sales patterns to help us. During the holidays, we’ll be in some version of what we’re in now with limited hours, delivery and curbside service.”
Last year, the walls of Old Tyme Commissary in Ridgeland, Mississippi came down – on purpose. Four walls between its gift store in front and toy store in back were eliminated, making the 50-year-old local staple one big store. “It was a great idea and made all the difference in the world,” says owner Melissa Skelton. “Customers who always looked at gifts discovered the great toys we had, and toy shoppers found our gifts for all ages. They still talk about what a positive transformation it was.”
This year, though, she worries that those enthusiastic shoppers will be scared away by the lingering pandemic. “We have a website and there are lots of items on it, but you know as well as I do that in-person selling is much more effective. It’s hard to explain how an item works to someone who can’t see it for themselves. Plus, we enjoy helping our customers. My employees are trained to demonstrate our toys and games, and they like playing with the children.
“My biggest concern is that the constant talk about rising COVID-19 cases will keep customers out of stores.”
The COVID shutdown closed The Commissary in April. It reopened in May. “Business was great during June,” Melissa reports. “I feel there was a lot of pent-up demand on top of everyone’s frustration over being self-quarantined. Shoppers were ready to get out again. Numbers continued to grow and August got off to a good start.”
Melissa attended some virtual tradeshows. She meets with reps via Zoom and in person. “I did not attend any markets this summer because I don’t need to spend the money,” she says. “All of my vendors have websites with pictures, demonstrations and price lists, and I order online. The challenge right now is ordering the right amount of merchandise for the last four months of the year.
“I am very optimistic about the fourth quarter,” Melissa concludes. “I know that many of our customers enjoy the shopping experience, and love to come in to see what’s new and fun. We offer layaway, and several customers have already started layaways in anticipation of Christmas. That’s a good sign.”


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The Bombay Company to launch ecommerce
August 7, 2012-- Home Textiles Today,
New York - The Bombay Company - a brand now owned by Hermes-Otto International USA and licensed out in numerous product categories - will launch an ecommerce site in September.
Initially, the site will carry about 300 items, according to Wil Hollands, president.
"Bombay truly is a lifestyle brand," he told HTT. "People really relate to the sense of style."
The company decided to move forward with ecommerce based on feedback from its social media interactions with consumers. "The number one response was "When will you have it online?'" said Hollands.
Bombay signed a home textiles license last October with JLA International, which includes bedding, curtains and bath accessories. The collection is exclusive to Bed Bath & Beyond. Last month, Bombay announced its latest licensing agreement, which covers youth, occasional, dining and accent furniture to be produced by The Powell Company.
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New homes for Indo Count, Trident


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SHELL is to slash its spending by $15bn (£10bn) over the next three years as the Anglo-Dutch oil giant attempts to protect itself from the collapse in oil prices.
In what will be one of the biggest cost cutting programmes in corporate history, Shell said it will cancel, cut or defer some of its most expensive projects after one of the biggest oil market downturns in years placed its investment plans under ‘severe pressure’.
Shell’s chief executive, Ben van Beurden, said the company “must be careful not to over-react” to the price of oil, which has plummeted 60% since June last year but warned that lower oil prices and the impact of its 2014 divestments would “likely reduce this year’s cash flow”.
“We are taking a prudent approach here. Shell is taking structured decisions to balance growth and returns,” van Beurden said.
Further reductions to capital spending are being considered “should the evolving market outlook warrant that step”, Shell said.
At the same time, Shell revealed that it will freeze its dividends at current levels and delivered a rise in profits to $4.2bn, which failed to meet analyst expectations.
Join Financial Director, Oracle and a host of ‘Fast Data’ experts to discover how financial professionals can help create a Fast Data business
Wolseley is to cut up to 800 UK jobs and close around 80 branches costing the company about £100 million, the plumbing and heating supplier said on Tuesday despite reporting rising sales and profits
GoCompare is to demerge from esure and and be floated on the London Stock Exchange with the aim of boosting growth and performance
Three former Tesco executives, including the former finance director of Tesco UK, have been charged with fraud in relation to a £263m accounting scandal at the supermarket chain


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Xiaomi Entry into the Automotive Industry: Teasing the Arrival of Their Car at MWC 2024
Known for its inventiveness in the digital sector, Xiaomi made a big announcement at MWC 2024 that appeared to allude to its entry into the automotive market.
This action demonstrates Xiaomi’s goal to broaden its product line and signifies a strategic push outside of its main smartphone market.
Attendees and aficionados alike were filled with enthusiasm and intrigue after seeing Xiaomi’s teaser at MWC 2024.
Although specifics are still unclear, the teaser suggested that Xiaomi’s car will soon arrive, signaling a significant turning point in the company’s development. Xiaomi’s Entry into the Automotive Industry: Teasing the Arrival of Their Car at MWC 2024
Xiaomi Expansion Strategy
Xiaomi’s move into the car sector is consistent with its overarching diversification and innovation strategy.
With its cutting-edge goods and services, Xiaomi hopes to upend the automotive industry by utilizing its experience in consumer electronics and technology.
The arrival of Xiaomi in the automobile sector could cause a significant upheaval in the industry.
With Xiaomi’s introduction of its distinctive strategy for smart and electric vehicles, traditional automakers may encounter more competition.
Challenges and Opportunities
Building a supply chain, negotiating regulatory obstacles, and creating brand confidence in the automobile industry are just a few of the difficulties Xiaomi will face.
Nonetheless, Xiaomi has numerous chances to profit from its well-known brand, devoted clientele, and technological prowess.
Customers are excited to learn more about Xiaomi’s vehicle and anticipate seeing cutting-edge features and technology.
Expectations for Xiaomi’s debut in the automotive industry are higher due to its reputation for providing premium goods at affordable costs.
With its debut in the automobile market, Xiaomi has embarked on an exciting new chapter, as seen by its teaser at MWC 2024.
As excitement grows, everyone is watching Xiaomi to see how it will innovate and upend this fiercely competitive sector. Xiaomi Entry into the Automotive Industry: Teasing the Arrival of Their Car at MWC 2024
With that in mind, Xiaomi’s foray into the car industry could fundamentally alter the course of transportation in the future.
Xiaomi is positioned to have a big influence on the automotive sector in the years to come because of its dedication to innovation and customer-centric business model.Xiaomi Entry into the Automotive Industry: Teasing the Arrival of Their Car at MWC 2024


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More women are climbing the leadership ladder in the public and private sectors. According to Catalyst.org, the number of women in senior management positions globally grew by 29% both in 2019 and 2020. Recently, female roles have been acknowledged, with more women joining the C-Suite and becoming innovators.
E-commerce is one sphere where women play significant roles, especially in Africa. A report by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor revealed that Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest percentage of women entrepreneurs in the world. As a veritable online marketplace, e-commerce holds a unique attraction for women because it enables them to sell to consumers in a male-dominated market without the fear of gender-related biases.
Women and e-commerce in Africa, a 2021 report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) done in partnership with Jumia, estimated that more than 51% of the sellers in Jumia Nigeria are women. E-commerce proudly boasts an array of successful women who have made significant marks as managers of e-commerce brands or leveraged e-commerce platforms to build their brands as entrepreneurs.
Fittingly, e-commerce platforms operating in Nigeria, notably Jumia, are proven veritable workplaces and online platforms that offer opportunities for women to make a significant impact in all spheres of life. Jumia, through several initiatives, career opportunities, partnerships, training and capacity building programmes, have been impacting women by providing them the platform to reach career goals and a wider market audience.
Jumia is renowned for promoting gender inclusion. The chairwoman of Jumia Nigeria is Juliet Anammah, who doubles as the Group Chief Sustainability Officer. She also sits on the strategic group within the influential Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) as chair of the e-Commerce Sectoral Group. She has occupied strategic and key roles that have impacted business growth and expansion.
“It is absolutely essential for women to be factored into the future of e-commerce. Africa is at the start of its e-commerce growth trajectory. Now is the time to ensure women entrepreneurs are at the forefront of Africa’s digital journey,” affirmed Anammah.
Women’s inclusion in the digital economic transformation of Africa has indeed become a subject of serious global advocacy. IFC’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Stephanie von Friedeburg, stated that bridging the gap between female and male vendors could add more value to African e-commerce.
‘‘One of its key ﬁndings is that, if the gap in sales between female and male vendors was closed, over US$14.5 billion could be added to the value of the African e-commerce market between 2025 and 2030, again that would continue to accumulate in future decades. In other words, for every year that gender gaps go unaddressed, just under US$3billion in market value is lost,’’ she said.
Adedoyin Adeigbe, a single mother of three university undergraduates, attests to how selling online on Jumia has boosted her business growth, supported her family and even allowed her to mentor other women.
‘‘I started selling on Jumia in 2015 for two reasons: to reach more customers outside of my physical shop and increase my revenue. I have three children in the university and there’s a lot of pressure to deal with as a single mum, especially catering for the family. My friend encouraged me to fend off this pressure by selling my goods online on Jumia. My three children also sell on Jumia, which has helped take a lot of pressure off me. In my physical shop, I have to employ more staff who are also helping me fulfil my orders. I am also currently mentoring many young women, who have started selling their goods on Jumia,’’ she said.
Jumia aims to further penetrate women-owned businesses and deepen e-commerce adoption, given the compelling new realities occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘‘The COVID-19 crisis made it clear that e-commerce is not just a convenience, but an essential utility for the new world in which we now live, where health and safety underpin everyday life decisions, including how we acquire goods. In this new reality, there is a pressing need to ensure that women are not left behind and have the resources, access, and tools they need to thrive. This is not only an economic imperative for women but also one that is necessary to ensure a stable and sustainable future for 1.3 billion Africans,’’ Anammah noted.


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LA - Recycled Glass, Turned into Sand, Is Restoring Louisiana’s Shrinking Coastline
It’s just one example of how pulverized glass has become an upcycling hero, finding new purpose in landscaping, construction, even coastal restoration.
Most ideas that start over a bottle of wine don’t go anywhere, but this one is different. Two Tulane University seniors in New Orleans, Franziska Trautmann and Max Steitz, were drinking wine in their dorm when they started lamenting the fact that the bottle would end up in landfill after they threw it in the trash. Trautmann, whose father immigrated to the US from rural Germany before she was born, had visited his home country and observed that Germany had a nationwide glass recycling program. Louisiana didn’t.
“So we decided to be a part of the solution,” Trautmann says matter-of-factly via Zoom from her office in New Orleans.
With the moxie of youth, they simply started collecting glass bottles from fellow students and friends. After a local paper reported on their mission, the heaps of glass in their backyard grew so fast that they soon crowdfunded $18,000 for a professional machine to pulverize glass into sand. “That’s when we got really fired up,” Trautmann says, “because people obviously cared about this.”
Fast forward from their humble start in February 2020 to today, Steitz and Trautmann, both 25 years old, recycle about 100,000 pounds of glass every month at Glass Half Full Nola, a low-profit limited liability company whose primary purpose is to achieve a social benefit. So far, they have diverted 3.2 million pounds of glass from landfills with just eight employees.
They no longer collect the glass in their backyard, but have moved into a professional 40,000-square-foot facility in August 2020, with its own processing systems, forklifts and containers where the glass is sorted into different colors. Cooperating with a local glass blower and a jewelry designer, Andrew Barrows and Travis Laurendine, they started a jewelry shop, Nola Alchemy, that shows off the beauty of recycled glass that has been crafted into amulets and beads. “We’re essentially turning trash into treasures,” Trautmann says.
Much of the rest gets blasted into sand that can be used for landscaping and other purposes. “I didn’t even know at the beginning that the main component of glass is silica, essentially sand!” Trautmann says, shaking her head. “When a hurricane is forecasted, we give burlap bags filled with glass-sand to residents for flood protection.”


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Travel companies will increasingly turn to third party ancillary services as a means to increase revenue quickly and for a relatively small investment, says a new study.
The global research from Amadeus into the potential benefit to the bottom line from selling third party ancillary items reveals travel companies could achieve a 30% increase in revenue by 2015 by tapping into this market.
The report also projects revenue from third party ancillary items is to grow 10 times faster than general travel industry sales.
Marcos Isaac, director, travel services business group for Amadeus, said both business and leisure sectors could tap into the potential but that the trick for travel companies would be to hook up with the right products and services to avoid becoming part of an increasingly commoditised online world.
“Ancillary can be many different things so it’s about finding the right kind of product and travel providers making it part of their DNA and creating their own value chain,” he said.
The report highlights the potential for what it terms ‘extreme’ ancillaries such as virtual reality tours enabling consumers to experience elements before departure.
More than half of travel providers expect to offer these types of services by 2020 according to the study. Isaac also said as technology evolves it is becoming easier and quicker to integrate and sell third party services.
The study also reveals that sales of third party services via mobile devices is likely to equal sales via PC-internet by 2015 as mobile distribution offers a more flexible option after the main booking stage.
Social media and self-service kiosks are also highlighted as key distribution channels for ancillary services.
“Travel providers are starting to have a lot of interaction with customers through mobile technology. They offer consumers things that are convenient to them and I believe this goes beyond SMS-based offers to more pertinent, more accurate services.
Personalisation will improve because mobile is, by definition, a very personalised thing,” said Isaac. He added that while the internet has enabled travel suppliers to attract consumers to book direct, it is via ancillary products and services that companies can engage with consumers and foster loyalty.
The Amadeus ‘Cross-Sell Your Way to Profit’ study was conducted by Forrester Consulting. The research comes on the heels of a paper on airline ancillary revenue published in October from Amadeus and IdeaWorks which predicted worldwide airline ancillary revenue would hit US$22.6 billion in 2010.
A number of carriers within the study are already seeing ancillaries account for almost 20% of total operating revenue.


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Coffee farming catches on
Palpa, June 24:
Farmers in Arghakhanchi district are attracted to coffee farming as it fetches them a good income.
Coffee Entrepreneurs’ Association, Arghakhanchi (CEAA) has said that farmers are generating a good income from the coffee far-ming. Coffee produced in the district is exported to western countries, including US. “Some 11 tonnes of coffee was exported to the US this year,” CEAA said.
“Coffee is being exported to the US through Kathmandu based Holland Coffee Promotion Company (HCPC),” said Bishnu Pra-sad Bhusal, CEAA vice-chairperson, adding that coffee that was ready for roasting was exported to the US market. “A coffee collection centre has also been established in the district headquarters Sandhikharka,” he said.
“CEAA had exported 15 tonnes of coffee to the US, Japan and Korea last year, however, less amount of coffee is exported this year due to white insects that affected coffee,” Bhusal informed.
Over 70 tonnes of coffee is produced in Nepal every year and half of the produce in consumed in the local market. “The district has set a target to produce more than 18 tonnes of coffee next year,” CEAA said.
Out of 42 VDCs in the district, 14 VDCs including Balkot, Wangla and Thulopokhara are actively involved in coffee farming. Some 600 farmers of 22 groups are involved in the coffee farming in the district. “Coffee farming fetches them over Rs 10,00,000 every year.”
“We are planning to farm coffee in almost all VDCs in the district next year,” Bhuvan Bhattarai, a coffee farmer said. CEAA has 14 coffee processing machines which it has distributed to the different groups.
Women are also actively involved in the coffee farming. “Coffee farming is beneficial to us and we are involved in every aspect of coffee farming”, Indira Bhusal of Balkot VDC said.


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Fruit Salad Day (Pre-Primary) : 10.9.17
Fruit salad day was celebrated with the Jr. Kg. Students. They carried different kinds of fruits in their snack boxes to the school. Ms. Dillian explained to the students the importance of eating fruits and also showed them different kinds of fruits. Students enjoyed eating various kinds of fruits.


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Shenzhen city would be embracing the blockchain technology for the electronic tax invoices. Reportedly, the Shenzhen Municipal Taxation Bureau and Tencent have linked the blockchain invoice system with the WeChat payment platform. It is recognized as the ‘substantial exploration’ initiated by the Shenzhen Tax Department so as to meet the actual needs of the taxpayers.
BlockchainOther Public Protocols
Shenzhen embraces blockchain for electronic tax invoicesIncryptsDec 13, 20180
Mar 05, 2020
Mar 03, 2020


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FASHION REVOLUTION WEEK 2018, 23- 29 April
jeudi 19 avril 2018 à 04:00
5 years since the Rana Plaza tragedy, what has changed ?
April 2018 will be the 5th year anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse and 5 years since Fashion Revolution was born. During that time, millions of people have joined Fashion Revolution to demand a fairer, more transparent industry.
It is clear that brands are listening and we are holding them to account.
To ensure they continue to listen and create the far reaching, permanent change needed to ensure we never see a tragedy like Rana Plaza again, we need everyone to join Fashion Revolution and keep asking one simple question : Who Made My Clothes ?
5 achievements in 5 years
- Last year 2 million people across the world got involved. Over 100,000 people used social media to ask the brands they wear #whomademyclothes
- Brands are listening and the industry is starting to change. 2,416 brands responded to our #whomademyclothes demands sharing information about their supply chain. Over 150 big brands have published their factories where their clothes are made.
- Producers, farmers, factories and makers in our fashion supply chains have become more visible through social media. Last April, over 3600 producers were heard, with our hashtag #imadeyourclothes. And conditions have improved. Hundreds of factories in Bangladesh are now safer places to work. More than 1,300 factories have been inspected since Rana Plaza and 1.8 million garment workers have received factory safety information.1 515 factories, 87% of garment exporters in Cambodia, have published data about their working conditions compliance.2
- Minimum wages for garment workers have increased in places like Bangladesh and Cambodia, but more still needs to be done. The Bangladesh government has delivered a 77% increase in the minimum wage to $68 per month for garment workers.318 big brands and retailers have signed up to ACT to achieve living wages for workers with industry-wide collecting bargaining linked to purchasing practices.4
- Brands are starting to reduce the use of toxic chemicals and clear up their supply chain. Over 70 brands and suppliers have committed to Detox5 by 2020 and remove harmful chemicals from their supply chains. Combined, these brands account for 15 percent of global textile production. Over 100 brands have committed to working towards a circular fashion system6. But our landfills still overflow with clothes, the industry continues to get bigger and move faster. We buy more clothes than ever before and wear them for half as long as we used to. This is why we need to make our #lovedclotheslast.
One Week to Go to Fashion Revolution !
The small, but dedicated Fashion Revolution team in Luxembourg is raising awareness in Luxembourg throughout the year. After our big all-day event last year & our Upcycling Workshops in collaboration with Caritas, we have welcomed the new local campaign ‘Rethink Your Clothes’ that focuses on the challenges the fashion industry is facing and targets the local population.
This year, three events are scheduled for the upcoming Fashion Revolution Week and we invite you to transmit to your audience the importance of being part of this global movement and asking Who Made My Clothes together with us during the whole week of 23rd – 29th April.
Events in Luxembourg
Fashion Revolution Afterwork at de Gudde Wellen !
5 Years Rana Plaza at Place D’Armes
Fashion Revolution Warm-Up at Akabobuttek
A Positive Image for Youth in Luxembourg
This year, we welcome in the team Andy Schammo, who has been animating informative sessions on Slow Fashion VS Fast Fashion for schools in Luxembourg. The first one was Lycée Hubert Clément in Esch-sur-Alzette and students were interactive & pleased to know more, especially from someone like them. For his bio visit our team pagehttps://www.fashionrevolution.org/e...
We have chosen Andy, because he is an engaged young person who has experienced fast fashion addiction first-hand to spread the message, talk to schoolchildren & explain to them how to shop consciously & why shop-until-you-drop is harming our planet and our fellow human beings.
Schools interested to organise a session can get in touch with the Country Coordinator Stylianee Parascha via the Fashion Revolution contact form https://www.fashionrevolution.org/a...
We have been offering the successful Upcycle Your T-shirt workshop in banks in Luxembourg, trying to inspire with a combination of DIY & Zero Waste. We aim to offer this option of ecological recreation to more corporations in the future. Visit our local Facebook Page for Updates :
MORE INFO : Styliani.firstname.lastname@example.org
Fashion Revolution Afterwork in de Gudde Wëllen – Program
ETHICAL FASHION MARKET
WHEN & WHERE : 26 April, 18:00 – 22:00, de Gudde Wëllen, 17, rue du Saint Esprit
This year we have chosen local creators & brands with an eclectic mix of ethical fashion products : handmade, ethically sourced materials, transparency in production, organic, made with love or all the above. With us :
- Aitheria – Handmade Bracelets for Him & Her
- BLANLAC – Vegan Shoes, Handcrafted in Italy
- Ethico Clothing – T-shirts & Bags Made from Certified Eco Materials
- HELS1NK1 – Eco fashion brands & make-up
- Kimby Stone Friperie – Second Hand & Vintage Treasures
- Luciferine Designs – Clothes & Accessories with a vintage touch, Handmade for Him & Her
- RINA Oliveira – Handmade & Personalized Jewellery Made in Luxembourg
- Sopolipili – Consciously Curated Accessories, Jewellery & Clothing
- Risaikourou – Bags, Hats & Accessories 100% Made in Luxembourg, Handmade using Upcycling Technique
- What.Eve.Wears – Clothes & Accessories Made from Upcycled Cotton Yarn in Greece
Elita Lemoni will make ladies pretty in a natural way. Showcase of the vegan, eco-friendly & cruelty-free makeup line Emani.
18:30 – 19:30 How to Make Accessories using Plastic Bottles
20:00 – 21:00 Upcycle your Old T-Shirt
FASHION REVOLUTION STAND : GET your copy of the fanzine LOVED CLOTHES LAST & learn how to BE PART of the Revolution !
Fashion Transparency Index 2018
Our third edition of the Fashion Transparency Index will publish a list of 150 of the biggest global fashion and apparel brands and retailers with how much information they share about their social and environmental policies and practices.
Brands have been chosen on the basis of their annual turnover, over $500 million USD and represent a spread of market segments including high street, luxury, sportswear, accessories, footwear and denim from across Europe, North America, South America and Asia.
We have seen that more and more brands are seeing the importance of publishing information about their suppliers and their codes of practice. This is a major step towards our demand for greater supply chain transparency. We’ve counted 152 across 32 parent groups that are disclosing at least some of the facilities making their clothes.
Orsola de Castro, Fashion Revolution Founder said : “Fashion is a reflection of the culture we live in, so together we must change the culture that surrounds it into one that demands positive leadership, transparency, accountability, and better lives all round. The fashion industry should lead on ethics and sustainability.”
For further information and other ideas on how to get involved, visit www.fashionrevolution.org


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Conversely, despite medical evidence confirming that the true incidence of some of these conditions increases with age, millennials are now the most likely to complain about digestive issues, regularity, joint/back pain, skin issues, bone strength, and mental sharpness.
Successfully addressing these conditions in the context of a new generation’s health attitudes, favored product forms, and ingredient preferences will offer significant incremental sales opportunities for well-established dietary supplement, functional food/beverage, and OTC/homeopathic categories.
And a big business it will be. According to the Hartman Group’s Health & Wellness Report, on average, U.S. households are actively managing 9.6 health conditions, treating 3.4, and trying to prevent 6.2. Households headed by someone 70 years and older are working to manage 10.3 health conditions, treating 4.3, and trying to prevent 6.0.
Moreover, IRI’s September 2017 Realigning for Growth report confirmed that Americans shifted their food buying decisions from one based primarily on form (e.g., water or coffee) and brand to one driven by the product’s benefits (e.g., protein). This change allows marketers to increase potential revenue by competing across multiple product categories for the same benefit.
After vitamins/minerals, specialty supplements were the most used dietary supplements last year, taken by 38% of adults; followed by herbals/botanicals (29%), sports nutrition (22%), and weight management (15%), per CRN’s 2017 Annual Survey on Dietary Supplements.
Those 65 and older are now the most likely to describe themselves as active, at 55%, vs. 38% of those aged 18-34, according to Mintel’s Managing Your Health – US (January 2017). Forty-five percent of the U.S. adult population is now age 50 and older.
In 2017, 41 million adults over age 50 were regular exercise walkers, up 14% over the past five years; 12 million aerobic exercisers, up 46%; 9 million exercised at a gym, up 14%; and 4 million were runners, up 87%, per the National Sporting Goods Association’s 2017 Sports Participation Study. Those 65 years and older were the fastest-growing exercise segment.
The sports/energy beverage category—whose sales are projected by Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ) to reach $23 billion in 2018, up 5%—has plenty of room to grow among older consumers. Forty percent of those age 45-54; 30% age 55-64; and 15% age 65 and older currently use sports drinks. Although reformulation will be necessary to attract those 50 years and older, 12%, 7%, and 4% respectively, use energy drink/shots, per Packaged Facts’ 2017 Energy and Sports Drinks U.S. (Figure 1). A 2016 HealthFocus survey reported that 43% of those age 50-64 and 35% age 65 and older are personally affected by tiredness/lack of energy.
One-third of adults over age 45 tried to lose weight last year vs. 20% of those age 35 and under; efforts to maintain weight increased with age, led by those age 65 and older, according to Packaged Facts’ 2018 Organic and Clean Label Food Consumer in the U.S.
Half of Americans are watching their diet; 65% age 65 and older vs. 38% age 18-34. Those 65 and older also over-index for checking for lactose, as lactose intolerance increases with age.
Half of those age 50 and older are very/extremely concerned about muscle health/muscle tone, per HealthFocus. Only 17% over age 65 meet the NIH’s muscle strength guidelines; only 13% age 75 and older.
According to Abbott’s and AARP’s 2016 survey on Managing Muscle Loss, 74% of adults age 50 and older are aware of losing muscle with age. One in four said their doctor had talked to them about muscle loss. Seven in 10 would increase their protein intake to minimize the risk of losing muscle and to improve lean body mass/tone. In the U.S., 45% of those age 65 and older already have sarcopenia, which is defined by low muscle mass and low muscle quality/function.
Boomers, by far, are the most likely to suffer from insomnia, snoring, sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders; followed by those age 70 and older. Women over age 50, and especially those who are overweight, have the highest incidence of sleep disorders, per Packaged Facts’ February 2017 Sleep Management in the U.S.
Lastly, nearly one-third of those age 55-64 use nutrition bars; 29% of those 65 and older. Although just over one in 10 adults buy shakes/beverage mixes, these products have potential as condition-specific nutraceutical product carriers, per Packaged Facts’ November 2017 Nutritional Shakes and Bars U.S. (Figure 2).
Although 82% of adults report suffering from digestive issues, and 37% are trying to manage them, younger adults are the most likely to say they’re afflicted, per Mintel’s Digestive Health - U.S. (July 2017).
Those age 25-34 are the most likely to report they suffer from indigestion, gas, bloating, or flatulence, 77%; diarrhea 72%; constipation, 69%; stomach cramps, 68% (not menstrual); and 64% motion sickness/nausea, per Mintel. Those age 35-44 are the most likely to suffer from heartburn/acid reflux. Younger adults are significantly more likely to report nervous stomach and irritable bowel syndrome than any population group (Figure 3).
In descending order, fiber, probiotics, and digestive enzymes were the top three specialty supplements used by millennials in 2017, per CRN. Digestive health is the fastest-growing condition-specific supplement category, projected by NBJ to reach $3.1 billion in 2018, +10% vs. 2017. Probiotic supplements are projected to reach $2.4 billion in 2018, up 12%; digestive enzymes $364 million, up 6%. Regularity is clearly an untapped market for young adults.
With many in more labor intensive and computer office jobs, it’s not surprising that 38% of those age 18-29, 42% age 30-39, and 43% age 40-49 are afflicted with back or neck pain, per HealthFocus; 30%, 43%, and 43% respectively, are very/extremely concerned about arthritis. Two-thirds of those afflicted with arthritis are under age 65, per the Arthritis Foundation. Joint health supplements are projected by NBJ to reach $1.8 billion, up 2% in 2018.
Lower back/neck pain and muscle soreness are the most cited types of pain among young adults after headaches, per Packaged Facts, January 2017 Pain Management in the U.S. Four in 10 age 18-29 and half of those age 30-49 are very/extremely concerned about bone strength.
While often thought of as concerns later in life, mental sharpness/focus and depression are issues among young adults; 22% of those under age 50 say they are personally affected by depression; 16% lack of mental sharpness or focus, per HealthFocus. Eight in 10 millennials and 67% of gen Xers believe that food impacts their energy and mental clarity, according to NBJ’s 2017 generational consumer survey.
Half of those age 18-34 and 45% of those age 35-49 are very/extremely concerned about skin health; one in 10 age 18-39 and 24% age 40-49 worry about wrinkles and other signs of aging, per HealthFocus. Keratin and collagen supplements were the fourth most used specialty supplement by millennials last year, per CRN, each used by one out of 10.
With 51% of all adults watching their diets—25% to manage a health condition—per Packaged Facts 2018 report, functional food/beverages remain in high demand. Although heart health still leads the list of conditional benefits consumers want from foods (76%), it is quickly followed by energy (73%), digestive health (70%), maintaining/improving mind health (70%), immunity (68%), and helping build physical strength (65%), according to FMI’s 2016 Shopping for Health report.
While one in five adults admit they don’t think they get enough of their basic vitamins/minerals, even more consumers—30% of millennials and 24% of adults overall—feel they don’t get enough special nutrients, per FMI’s 2017 U.S. Grocery Shoppers report.
Brain health/cognition/alertness topped the list of the biggest new opportunities for targeted nutrition products in a 2017 survey of nutraceuticals manufacturers; followed by gut health, anti-aging, weight management, diabetes, immunity, joint health, mood, and heart health, per NBJ’s 2017 supplement manufacturer/marketer survey.
Dr. A. Elizabeth Sloan & Dr. Catherine Adams Hutt
Sloan Trends, Inc.
Dr. A. Elizabeth Sloan and Dr. Catherine Adams Hutt are president and chief scientific and regulatory officer, respectively, of Sloan Trends, Inc., Escondido, CA, a 20-year-old consulting firm that offers trend interpretation/predictions; identifies emerging high potential opportunities; and provides strategic counsel on issues and regulatory claims guidance for food/beverage, supplement and pharmaceutical marketers. For more information: E-mail: email@example.com; Website: www.sloantrend.com.


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Future Supply Chain Solution IPO subscribed 25% on Day 1; should you buy?
The issue received bids for 16,95,760 shares against 68,49,200 shares offered by the company, NSE data showed.
Incorporated in 2006 and promoted by Kishore Biyani, Future Supply Chain Solutions is one of the India’s largest organized 3PL Service Operators. The company offers automated and IT-enabled warehousing, distribution and other logistics solutions to a wide range of customers.
On clientele basis, Future group contributed around 70 per cent of H1FY18 revenue. Apart from the promoter group the customer base includes Pepe Jeans India, Clarks Future Footwear, Surya Roshni, TTK Prestige etc.
Most of the brokerages has given subscribe rating to the issue. Over, FY13- FY17 the company sales has grown at a CAGR of 12.2 per cent whereas over FY12-17 logistics sector has grown at a CAGR of 12 per cent.
Nirmal Bang Securities said, “With the growth in the logistics sector which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.8 per cent over FY17-22, we believe FSC, having a strong parentage support with presence in different verticals accompanied with a shift from unorganised to organised sector, will be able to capture the rising opportunity in the industry. We recommend subscribing to the issue with long term view.”
Operating margins of the company for FY17 stands at 13.2 per cent which has been improved to 15.7 per cent in H1FY18. This improvement was due to volume growth, renewed management strategy to focus on clients with lower receivable days in the express business.
Management expects margins to improve going ahead mainly due to higher volume and turnaround in cold storage business.
The company has posted ROE and ROCE of 20.4 per cent and 18.6 per cent respectively for H1FY18.
According to SSJ Finance and Securities, on the upper band of price of Rs 664, the issue is priced at PE ratio of 39.9 times of its H1FY2018 annualised EPS of Rs 8.3. “We believe that the IPO is fairly priced leaving a room for upside. Hence, we recommend to Subscribe the IPO,” the brokerage house said.
Future Supply Chain Solutions has fixed a price band of Rs 660-664 for the ongoing public offer and the issue will close on December 8.


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Valley due for commercial surge?
For better or for worse, the Roaring Fork Valley has become quite a twinkle in the eyes of national chain stores.That interest is helping line up the Aspen-to-Parachute area for unparalleled commercial development over the next few years, according to two local experts in commercial real estate.Craig Rathbun and Mark Wyman of Coldwell Banker Commercial Fleisher Co. said the population of the region has reached the critical mass necessary to trigger the interest of national restaurants and retailers. The opening of Target, Lowe’s and other national retailers at Glenwood Meadows this fall is just the beginning of the trend, not the end, Wyman said.”It will be easier and easier with the passage of time for them to justify coming here,” Wyman said. “Before, there weren’t enough rooftops.”Rathbun said the expected explosion in commercial development shouldn’t come as a surprise. Commercial development always follows success in the residential market.The population and housing development has soared in New Castle, Silt, Rifle and Parachute. Pitkin County has set real estate sales records the past two years, breaking the $1 billion barrier.Second homes throughout the area are getting used more often, creating more demand for services and workers. When more architects, lawyers, landscapers and plumbers are needed to serve the second homes, they create demand for more teachers, cops and cashiers at grocery stores. That supply of people has produced demand for more commercial services.”There’s a lot of commercial development getting ready to take place to accommodate the residential development that’s already taken place,” Rathbun said. “Right now we’re at the leading edge of that growth curb.”The observations of the commercial real estate agents dovetailed with what Willits developer Michael Lipkin has discovered recently. Lipkin is starting to develop what will eventually be 450,000 square feet of retail shops, restaurants and offices, topped by residential lofts, in the Willits Town Center.He is filling the commercial space in the Triangle Loft building, which will open next year. The interest national retailers have shown in western Colorado has exploded in the past year, Lipkin said.Parts of the service industry – such as plumbers, electricians and other building trades – are desperate for space, he said. Demand is also increasing for additional retail shops and restaurants. Demand is lowest, but growing, for office space.The commercial boom will spur infill projects in Aspen, Basalt and Carbondale on empty lots and it will usher in redevelopment of properties in the towns, according to Rathbun.On larger pieces of commercial property, Wyman expects to see more development anchored by a major tenant and surrounded by smaller stores. An example, he said, is the Carbondale City Market, which serves as an anchor for a variety of stores in its complex, including an Ace Hardware.Rathbun is so certain of the commercial boom that he’s beefed up his company to match the anticipated demand. He bought Fleisher and Co. from Don Fleisher two years ago and became affiliated with Coldwell Broker Commercial in August 2005 to increase his exposure with potential commercial clients outside of Aspen.Last month, Rathbun merged his firm with the Real Estate Specialists, a Carbondale firm that Wyman helped found. Wyman was recruited to head the combined firm’s Aspen office because of his broad expertise in commercial real estate sales and investments. The company also operates an office in Carbondale and will add one next year in Rifle so it can be involved in commercial real estate leasing and sales throughout the region.Highlights of Wyman’s and Rathbun’s assessment of the commercial real estate market include: An even greater interest among high-end shops in locating in Aspen. Exclusive stores that have only one of two shops in the entire U.S. are interested in locating in the town. “They want to do it right and very high end,” Rathbun said. He doubts that chains on the level of the Gap or Banana Republic will be interested in subsidizing an operation in Aspen any more for the sake of strategic placement. Snowmass Village begins its ascent among the elite resorts. The construction of Base Village by the Aspen Skiing Co. and partner Intrawest coupled with the sale and redevelopment of the Snowmass Mall and Snowmass Center will create some uncertainty in the town’s commercial market. Niche will develop as Base Village matures, Wyman said. The sale of fractional-ownership condominiums will introduce new people to Snowmass Village and interest them in single family homes, sending house prices soaring. Basalt will continue to capitalize on the steady trend of businesses relocating downvalley. The latest move is by Aspen architect Harry Teague, who plans to construct a residential and commercial building in excess of 8,000 square feet in Basalt and relocate his firm there. Wyman said the commercial vacancies are low in Basalt, and sales and lease rates are climbing steadily. Even less popular locations “are gaining traction.”Willits is poised for success because of its location right off Highway 82 and the growing residential base that surrounds it. “It’s a bit of an enigma to me,” Wyman said, explaining that he didn’t know why it hasn’t developed faster. Carbondale’s tussle over the Crystal River Marketplace property 18 months ago ended with questions about how that major commercial property will be developed, but it also sparked decisions to revitalize the downtown. The town governments partnership with the private sector to enhance downtown and provide initiatives for development has brought the biggest influx of investment capital to the core that Wyman has seen in 13 years in Carbondale. Now the town is turning its focus on how businesses in the Highway 133 corridor will function. The lower Colorado River Valley can simply be described as a “boom town,” Rathbun said. Oil and gas production is fueling a lot of the growth, but the area is also benefiting from retirement of baby boomers. Commercial development is booming to meet the demands of a rising population.”There’s a lot of speculation going on, I think, by amateurs. Those are the guys that, as soon as there’s a hiccup, are going to get hammered,” Rathbun said.Scott Condon’s e-mail address is email@example.com.
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Each week, we pick out our favorite and not-so-favorite tweets (at least those that are printable) about Aspen and display them on Sunday’s page A2.


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The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has welcomed London Wine Fair as a Bronze Corporate Patron. The organisation has joined WSET’s list of illustrious supporters from across the industry as further recognition of the Fair’s growing dedication to educating the drinks trade.
WSET’s Corporate Patron programme helps organisations add value to their business by maximising the benefits WSET education provides, whilst providing essential support to enable WSET to continue to develop its world-class qualifications and maintain its global alumni programme. It also offers businesses facilitated engagement with WSET’s network of over 750 Approved Programme Providers worldwide that reach thousands of wine and spirits professionals and enthusiasts.
A long-standing exhibitor at London Wine Fair, WSET is now the official partner for the Education Zone. Now in its second year, the Zone is one of the most sought after areas of the show for exhibitors and offers visitors a full schedule of educational sessions from the country's best wine and spirits training providers, covering everything from wine faults to bar training. There is also the opportunity for visitors to sit the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines entrance test free-of-charge to encourage them to take the next step in their professional education.
In addition, as part of the new Corporate Patron partnership, WSET will also support London Wine Fair staff through WSET qualifications to deepen their own knowledge and expertise.
Hannah Tovey, Head of London Wine Fair, says, “London Wine Fair recognises the incredible importance of education across the whole industry, influencing and improving what the trade are stocking and what consumers are drinking. Better education benefits everyone, and WSET continues to do phenomenal work in driving the standard, so we’re delighted to support them.”
Ian Harris, WSET Chief Executive, comments, “We’re thrilled to add London Wine Fair to the list of revered organisations in our Corporate Patrons programme. It is these partnerships that allow us to nurture wine and spirits professionals and secure the future of the industry through education, particularly in these uncertain times. As a landmark event in the UK trade calendar, we look forward to continuing to work with London Wine Fair on its educational offering for visitors at the 2019 event.”


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* SoftBank Group Corp. said it expects to record approximately ¥1.2 trillion in pretax profit after completing the sale of some of its shares in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. The company said it would book the profit in the three-month period ending June 30. The transaction, which involves selling 73 million American depositary shares, leaves SoftBank and its subsidiaries with a 26% stake in Alibaba.
* Tencent Holdings Ltd. terminated its bid for South Korean game developer NEXON Co. Ltd., 36Kr reported. The five final bidders are game publisher Netmarble Corp., web service company Kakao Corp. and private equity firms Bain Capital LP, KKR & Co. and MBK Partners.
* Airtel Africa Ltd. confirmed plans to list on the London Stock Exchange and is looking to raise about US$750 million. The Bharti Airtel Ltd. unit plans to use the proceeds from the IPO to reduce its net debt. The number of shares to be sold and indicative price range will be announced in the coming weeks.
* Though the proposed merger of Sprint Corp. and T-Mobile US Inc. appears to have cleared all federal regulatory hurdles besides the U.S. Department of Justice, California's influential public utilities commission continues to be a potential obstacle for the deal.
* KDDI Corp. will enter into a mobility-as-a-service business with NAVITIME JAPAN Co. Ltd., a navigation technology and services provider, The Nikkei reported. Under the tie-up, the two companies will work closely together to offer systems and data to companies and local authorities.
* Hitachi Ltd. formed an alliance with U.S. IT services company Virtusa Corp. to offer artificial intelligence-based solutions to financial institutions. The two companies will also collaborate on sales, delivery and maintenance activities.
* Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. subsidiary NTT Plala Inc. formed a business alliance with consumer electronics company Funai Electric Co. Ltd. to create new business opportunities amid increase demand for 5G.
* LG U+ is considering selling its payment gateway business unit for 400 billion won, Chosun Biz reported. A source from the telco said the company is reviewing options, and the decision to sell is yet to be finalized.
* In other LG U+ news, the telco is set to offer its 5G-based game show streaming service called U+ Game Live during the League of Legends Champions Korea starting June 5, ET News reported. The service will provide viewers with a multiview function to pick a specific gamer's play and a time machine function to replay scenes.
* SK Telecom Co. Ltd., in partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and Harman International Industries Inc., successfully demonstrated ATSC 3.0-based broadcasting services on its 5G networks in a moving car, Financial News reported. Following the demonstration, the joint venture of SK Telecom and Sinclair plan to roll out ATSC 3.0-based solutions to 191 broadcasting stations that Sinclair owns.
* KT Corp. will collaborate with six small and medium-sized companies on new 5G-related businesses, Digital Daily reported. The selected companies will each receive 50 million won from the telco for research, prototype development and marketing.
CHINA, HONG KONG AND TAIWAN
* China blocked CNN (US)'s website after the news outlet published a story about the 30th anniversary of Tiananmen Square, TechCrunch reported. The block came shortly after financial information provider Refinitiv took down Reuters news stories related to Tiananmen Square from its Eikon terminal, following an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
* Tencent is leading a US$40 million funding round for TrueLayer Ltd., a London-based financial technology startup, The Times reported, citing sources. Other potential backers include Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings (Pte.) Ltd.
* Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is laying off workers from its last factory in China, Caixin reported, citing an internal document. The job cuts are voluntary, with one staff saying the factory is still operating as usual.
* Red Hare, a social app tailor-made by LinkedIn Corp. for the Chinese market, will go offline after 31 July, Tencent News reported. Users can download all their data before the shutdown and switch to the LinkedIn app afterward.
INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA
* The Cellular Operators Association of India said the government's proposed base price for the auction of 5G spectrum is too expensive, Reuters reported. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India earlier proposed a base price of 4.92 billion Indian rupees, which, according to COAI Director General Rajan Mathews, is higher than rates in other parts of the world.
* Star India Pvt. Ltd. is preparing to launch two regional language versions of the National Geographic Channel (US), Rapid TV News reported. National Geographic Tamil and National Geographic Telugu will go live June 20.
* Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime Video secured streaming rights to the Indian adaptation of scripted comedy "La Famiglia." According to World Screen, the series will premiere on Prime Video June 7 under the local title "Mind the Malhotras."
* Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. has given an expanded role to Vibha Chopra as head of global syndication and international film distribution, Indian Television reported. Chopra has taken over the global licensing and syndication profile in addition to her current role of leading the international film distribution business.
* Securities Commission Malaysia registered three market operators to establish and operate digital asset exchanges, DealStreetAsia reported. The three companies — Luno Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SINEGY Technologies (M) Sdn. Bhd. and Tokenize Technology (M) Sdn. Bhd. — will be given up to nine months to comply with all regulatory requirements.
* Bangkok-based Planet Communications Asia PCL and Bliss-Tel PCL formed a joint venture called Bliss Planet to jointly bid for a rural broadband internet project of the local telecom regulator, Kaohoon reported. The joint venture reportedly won the bid and will be installing internet infrastructure in northern Thailand.
* Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will partner with Khon Kaen University to build a 5G testbed with a focus on medical and agricultural applications, Siam Rath reported. The two parties will sign a memorandum of understanding for this on June 20.
* Singapore-based telecom operator Singtel launched an unmanned 24/7 pop-up store called UNBOXED, which allows customers to consult with a live bot, try out phones, sign up for mobile plans and collect their purchased devices.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
* EQT Infrastructure, a fund managed by private equity firm EQT Partners AB, is no longer interested in an A$5.25-per-share acquisition of Vocus Group Ltd. The decision comes after EQT conducted its due diligence on the Australian telecom operator.
* Telstra Corp. Ltd. will lay off about 25% of its contractors in the next two years, Reuters reported, citing Telstra CEO Andy Penn's statement at an investor conference. With the Australian telco estimated to have approximately 40,000 contractors, the job cuts may impact about 10,000 people.
Data Dispatch: Slack readies for debut amid bullish expectations despite volatile markets: Slack Technologies will launch an unconventional direct listing in an IPO market that experts say has been generally upbeat, despite some high-profile misses and broad market uncertainty.
Economics of Internet: State of Singapore online video: Subscription: Subscription over-the-top video service providers face a considerable amount of competition in Singapore, but they continue to stake claims in the market by focusing on sustaining subscribers through wider distribution and differentiated content.
Nozomi Ibayashi, Myungran Ha, Emily Lai, Ed Eduard and Wil Hathaway contributed to this report. The Daily Dose has an editorial deadline of 7 a.m. Hong Kong time. Some external links may require a subscription. Links are current as of publication time, and we are not responsible if those links are unavailable later.


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Amazon.com (AMZN) - Get Amazon.com, Inc. Report shares rose Friday as analysts lifted their share-price targets for the online retail colossus after it reported blowout second-quarter earnings on Thursday after the close.
Amazon shares recently traded at $3,183.47, up 4.30%. The stock has soared 65% year to date through Thursday, topping the Nasdaq Composite’s 18% gain.
Consumers flocked to the platform in droves as the coronavirus pandemic stranded them at home, and enterprises increasingly used Amazon's cloud computing services to run their businesses.
Goldman Sachs analyst Heath Terry boosted his share-price target to the highest level among major analysts, Bloomberg reported -- $4,200 from $3,800. He maintained his buy rating.
“We believe that the long term steepening of Amazon’s growth curve, driven by the acceleration of consumer adoption of e-commerce and enterprise adoption in cloud computing, enabled by the company’s investments in fulfillment and infrastructure,” Terry wrote in a note. “The associated high returns are likely to drive share price outperformance well beyond the current crisis.”
J.P. Morgan’s Doug Anmuth hiked his share-price target to $4,050 from $3,000, keeping his overweight rating. Like Terry, Anmuth is impressed both with Amazon’s e-commerce business and its cloud segment.
“We believe Amazon is well positioned as the market leader in e-commerce and public cloud, where the secular shifts remain early,” Anmuth wrote in a note. “U.S. e-commerce represents about 20% of adjusted retail sales, and we estimate about 15% of workloads are in the cloud today.
Morgan Stanley’s Brian Nowak, lifted his share-price target to $3,750 from $3,450 and kept his overweight rating. Cowen’s John Blackledge raised his share-price target to $4,000 from $3,700 and maintained his overweight rating.


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Tickets are on sale for a joint 70th anniversary celebration in Pomona for In-N-Out Burger and Hot Rod media.
The event will take place Nov. 17 at Auto Club Raceway and includes a drag race, car show, live music, and In-N-Out cookout trucks, according to a news release.
In-N-Out opened as a drive-through hamburger stand in Baldwin Park in 1948 and has grown to a chain of more than 300 restaurants in western states. It is now based in Irvine.
Hot Rod magazine began publication that same year and has grown into the Hot Rod Network with brands such as Car Craft and shows such as “Roadkill” and “Hot Rod Garage” through Motor Trend’s video-on-demand subscription service.
Rod Hot staff will be on hand to meet fans.
In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder, a descendant of the chain’s founders, said the “big double birthday party” is a tribute to Southern California’s unique car culture.
Hot Rod’s first editor was Wally Parks, and the Fairplex in Pomona is home to both the raceway at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.
70th Anniversary celebration
Where: 2780 Fairplex Drive, Pomona
When: Gates open at 8 a.m., Nov. 17
Tickets: Spectator, $15; car show participant, $40; car show and racer, $65


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Ipswich: Alan Prickett named as new MD at Ransomes Jacobsen
- Credit: Archant
Alan Prickett has been appointed managing director of Ipswich-based turf maintenance equipment manufacturer Ransomes Jacobsen.
It means a return to the town for Mr Pickett, where he was previously the company’s sales director, after three years based in Singapore as its managing director for the Asia Pacific region.
Mr Prickett has a total of 33 years’ experience in the retail and manufacturing sectors of the grounds care industry.
He joined the Jacobsen division of parent company Textron UK in early 1997 after a sales career with Ransomes distributors P ATurney Ltd and E T Breakwell Ltd.
Following the merger of Ransomes and Jacobsen in 1998, he was appointed UK branch manager and was subsequently promoted to the role of UK sales manager and then sales director in 2004.
David Withers, president of Jacobsen, and a former managing director of the company’s Ipswich operation, said: “Alan has done an excellent job for us out in Asia Pacific; in the past three years he and his team have significantly enhanced our distribution in the region and implemented our strategy of employing more customer-facing people, resulting in higher sales volumes and greater customer satisfaction.
“His appointment also reinforces Textron’s stated objective of identifying talent from within the business and providing long-term career opportunities. I’m absolutely delighted to see Alan return home and I have total confidence that he will take the business forward in the years to come.”


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For now, the security company will continue with its current pricing strategy while it works "really hard" on deciding what the models will be for thein the new $5.1 billion Symantec portfolio, company executives said on Wednesday.
The comment came as Symantec set out its, in which it aims to capitalize on the joint worth of the two companies.
"The overlap (between the two companies) is quite small," said Lindsey Armstrong, Symantec's vice president for Europe, who described the security company as "a frequent acquirer." Frequent acquirers tend to outperform the market, she said, predicting solid growth for the company.
But while advertising the merits of Symantec, Armstrong admitted that licensing was an issue. "We are looking at a range of licensing models," she said. "We have shown what we plan to do now, in six months and in a year. This is definitely in the year range."
The problem for the company is its diverse range of pricing models. Symantec security products have been sold in a variety of ways--from a store product for a single user, up to a site license for thousands of users. Veritas products have tended to be sold on a per-CPU model, where companies are charged according to how many central processing units are involved.
That model has become more controversial with the advent of multicore processors. Companies such as Oracle have opted to, rather than per-processor, raising prices.
Symantec has experimented with per-CPU pricing, said John Poulter, Symantec's vice president for Northern Europe. He added that the company would probably continue to see different pricing models for different products.
Colin Barker of ZDNet UK reported from London.


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Automakers under trouble!
News just came in today that Government of Pakistan has decided to take serious actions on expensive and over priced vehicles in Pakistan. This means that the big three automakers are in trouble as the allegations against them are selling very expensive vehicles and not making sufficient vehicles in time.
Government also accused some auto manufacturers of not producing the cars locally completely as per their contract. Lets hope that this notice turns out in favor of public and Government also looks upon the quality of Motorcycles being produced in Pakistan.