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The electric vehicle frenzy, pioneered by Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) has triggered a global automotive evolution. The rising climate change concerns across the world has been one of the key reasons behind the rapid rise of the electric vehicle industry, bolstered by favoring governments. However, with the global economy currently grappling with one of the worst recessions in modern history, the automobile industry is currently in a slump. Consequently, without adequate earnings and revenue growth, EV stocks are presently trading at surmounting valuations, raising concerns regarding a potential asset bubble.
The EV Growth Trajectory
Are EV Stocks Overvalued?
Most developed countries have levied an umbrella fuel-powered vehicle ban in order to promote the usage of electric vehicles among the masses. The United Kingdom announced a ban on the sale of new fossil fuel-driven cars by 2030, while several regions in the United States and Canada have set the deadline for 2035. Norway aims to be the first company to phase out the sale of fuel-powered by 2025.
Two of the world’s biggest emerging economies – China and India, also aim to curb the automobile industry’s fuel-dependent segment within the next couple of decades. China has announced its plans to implement the ban in 2035, while India aims to ban two-wheeled fuel-driven vehicles starting 2025. Accounting for approximately 37% of the global population, an EV boom in the South Asian giants can accelerate the EV industry tremendously.
Apart from this, governments have announced direct cash benefits and subsidies, as well as tax credits on EV purchases. Transport Canada currently offers a C$2000- C$5000 direct subsidy on EV purchases under its National Purchase Incentive program for zero-emission vehicle sales. The United States announced federal tax credits of up to $7500 on certain electric vehicle brands.
At the individual level, the rising demand can be accrued to the increasing awareness regarding climate change across the world. Although the higher initial cost of investment while purchasing an EV might seem like a disadvantage, it is offset by the significantly lower cost of operations and maintenance compared to traditional vehicles.
Is the Electric Vehicle Industry Currently in a Bubble?
The ongoing EV boom has been raising concerns regarding the formation of an asset bubble, with many analysts drawing an analogy with the Dot Com bubble in 2000. Concerned people are raising flags regarding the striking valuations of EV stocks in general, vocalizing their concerns regarding a Dot Com 2.0. The S&P Kensho Electric Vehicles Index has gained 192.89% over the past year, and 23.67% year-to-date. In comparison, the tech-savvy NASDAQ Composite is around 400% over the span of five years. As of January 29th, the S&P Kensho Electric Vehicles Index has a projected P/E ratio of 80.64x. Its trailing 12-month P/E ratio is -30.68x.
However, the electric vehicle industry has managed to substantiate its price gains in 2020, as it witnessed a surge in sales volume globally. While the traditional fuel-powered vehicles saw a significant slump in sales, the electric vehicle market grew globally. According to S&P 500 Global, EV sales increased 43% over the past year, while global auto market sales declined by 20%. Moreover, the EV industry’s overall market share increased 170 basis points year-over-year to 4.2% of the global automotive market in 2020. EV sales in Europe increased by 137% from the prior year, while China’s yearly sales volume increased by 12%. While benchmark index returns indicate potential overvaluation, the industry’s sales volume and cash flow paint an optimistic picture. As of January 29th, the S&P Kensho Electric Vehicles index’s Price/Sales and Price/Cash Flow valuations are 0.92x and 11.38x, respectively.
Canadian EV Industry at a Glance
Canada is gearing up to become a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles for domestic sales as well as to meet rising international demand. With more than 70% of residents preferring EVs over traditional cars, the Trudeau administration is taking active steps to boost this market.
Unifor recently signed a $2 trillion deal with Ford Motor Company to establish a manufacturing unit in Ontario. According to the agreement, this deal will help Ford design 5 EV models suiting every need. Unifor also signed a similar deal with Chrysler Fiat for $1.50 trillion.
The country has an added advantage of having enormous natural resources and mineral deposits, making it a potential leader in the electric vehicle industry, provided it can direct its resource utilization. Thanks to its streamlined power grid and rich lithium and nickel deposits, the country is well-positioned to emerge as a dominant player in the EV battery maker segment. According to a Reuters article, Tesla, Inc. is currently in talks with the mining company Giga Metals to acquire low carbon nickel. Both parties are expected to enter into a long-term supply deal. As the largest EV maker in the world, Tesla’s plans to establish a supply chain in Canada can go a long way for the Canadian EV markets. Giga metals also announced that similar talks are being conducted with British Motor Works and Mercedes.
The Picture Is Not That Rosy
It is undeniable that electric vehicles will define the automotive industry in the future. The growth prospects in the backdrop of favorable macroeconomic factors have kickstarted a macroeconomic revolution, which is expected to yield results over the next couple of decades. However, the prevailing investor optimism has been inflating asset prices significantly without considering their future growth potential.
For instance, Nikola Corporation made a stellar entry through a Special Purpose Acquisition Merger in June last year, gaining 178.5% in just 5 days. However, soon the stock received widespread criticism, as well as the accusation of spreading misleading progress reports. As a result, the stock plummeted 330% since reaching its all-time high just a couple of days after its public debut. Nikola tried to improve its tainted market reputation by signing an agreement with General Motors but failed as the latter redacted its partnership offer.
Thus, while the electric vehicle industry might seem overvalued from afar, the underlying companies’ growth prospects seem to justify its current price gains. That being said, several companies, particularly startups, have gained traction based on bullish market sentiments alone, and have no product pipelines or financial strength to back up such premium valuations. Investors should take a thorough look into a company’s fundamentals to avoid such bubbles.
This Options Discord Chat is The Real Deal
While the internet is scoured with trading chat rooms, many of which even charge upwards of thousands of dollars to join, this smaller options trading discord chatroom is the real deal and actually providing valuable trade setups, education, and community without the noise and spam of the larger more expensive rooms. With a incredibly low-cost monthly fee, Options Trading Club (click here to see their reviews) requires an application to join ensuring that every member is dedicated and serious about taking their trading to the next level. If you are looking for a change in your trading strategies, then click here to apply for a membership.


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Store donates pet food to local shelters
MADAWASKA, Maine — The Tractor Supply Co. store in Madawaska is donating 57 bags of pet food to feed dogs and cats in need of adoption at animal shelters in Fort Kent and Presque Isle.
“More often than not, animal shelters and rescues depend greatly on food donations to support the pets they take in that await adoption,” said George Goomishian, manager of the Madawaska Tractor Supply store.
“Our goal at Tractor Supply is to do our part in helping adoption efforts in our community because we know that pets are more than just dogs and cats, they are family.”
The store presented the pet food donation to PAWS Animal Welfare Society in Fort Kent and the Central Aroostook Humane Society in Presque Isle.
In addition to the pet food donation, the business hosts pet adoption events throughout the year. Visit TSCEventPartners.com or call the store at 207-728-1113 to learn more.

domain: news


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By: Paige Baker
A rise in the production of merchandise designed to prevent sexual assault has attracted both praise and criticism from psychologists and students alike.
For many of the products, the idea is to prevent date rape by arming women with the technology to test their drinks for drugs such as Rohypnol, Xanax and GHB. While the concept is nothing new, the products increasingly are.
Innovators today are largely shifting focus to include this technology in common items such as nail polish, coasters, bar glasses, and even lip gloss, allowing women to discreetly be assured their drinks are safe.
For many women, products like these contribute to a sense of safety and empowerment against predators, but not everyone is entirely convinced.
The merchandise has also generated backlash from victim-advocates who say it neglects the underlying issue.
“The drugs are simply Band-Aids,” said Mona Scott, a professor at MCC, “the core issues aren’t being addressed.”
Scott represents just one of many who say the only way to truly prevent date rape is to focus on the predators rather than the victims.
“A better solution is to tell men not to rape,” said Suzy Horton, a professor of gender psychology.
According to Horton, a large contributing factor to date rape is a society which provides positive incentives to getting your way through use of force.
Another concern with these kinds of products is the likelihood that they could further a system of victim blaming.
“It puts full responsibility on the woman to prevent it,” Horton said. “People could say ‘you should’ve known better, these products are out there.’”
Student Amy Richardson echoed similar concerns.
“I do think these products could perpetuate victim blaming … especially with women, it seems that people somehow tend to lay the blame on them,” Richardson said.
Richardson also said that since rapes as a result of drugged drinks are statistically rare, these kinds of products could facilitate a false sense of security for women, allowing them to believe they will be safe, since their drink is not drugged.
Still, in spite of criticism, many agree that these products ultimately serve a purpose.
“Anything that helps is good, it gets people talking,” Horton said. “It’s, unfortunately, a cruel world and you have to be prepared.”
Jayon Wang, CEO of LifeShel; the company which works extensively to produce technology aiding in the prevent of sexual assault, said these kinds of products shouldn’t fool people into believing they put an end to a larger global issue, but rather work hand-in-hand with advocacy and education to help where possible.


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A recently-filed patent describing a so-called movable support surface does the same thing, providing us with an early look at how Apple plans to turn the cabin into a working environment.
Technology giants have been trying to boost users' productivity beyond the office for many years, and car interiors appear to be their next focus. Apple could take the lead once the Apple Car goes live, and this movable support surface could help.
While the patent application includes many technical details, Apple's idea pretty much comes down to a smart table whose role would be increasing occupants' productivity. In other words, vehicle passengers would be able to work on the device, access their apps, collaborate, and connect with others while traveling.
In one version, Apple explains that the table could be placed right in the center of the cabin, just like a living room table. The purpose is as simple as possible: such an approach would allow all passengers to use the gigantic iPad and access their apps individually.
Sure enough, this would require a complete reconfiguration of the car's interior. But for Apple, this wouldn’t necessarily be a major challenge, as the company is planning to overhaul the cabin dramatically.
People familiar with the matter said Apple wants to pioneer the living room on wheels concept. In other words, the iPhone maker wants to transform the current cabin into a living room full of screens, comfortable seats, and other technology to remain connected during the entire journey. The living room on wheels concept wouldn’t be possible without self-driving capabilities, as passengers would be allowed to work without having to care about driving.
As futuristic as this approach sounds, making it happen overnight isn't possible, not even for a company the size of Apple. Sources with knowledge of the Apple Car development said the Cupertino-based iPhone maker could originally launch the vehicle with a conventional cabin design. As such, the driver would get a steering wheel, pedals, and everything else already available in passenger cars.
On the other hand, Apple is still aiming for a more innovative transformation of the cabin, as seen in this rendering from Vanarama, and it could happen later this decade. The second-generation Apple Car, possibly coming in 2029 or 2030, could eventually sport full self-driving capabilities. And if everything goes as planned, this gigantic iPad idea could also come to fruition.


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Last week, Kempinski, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group officially launched its first resort in the Eastern Caribbean region, with special guests expected to fly in the following weeks. Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Resort Dominica is the first internationally branded hotel to debut on the ‘Nature Isle of the Caribbean‘ and will be a major boost for the country’s economy. Its development was partly funded via Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme – a worldwide success according to FT experts – whereby highly vetted investors also had the chance to become economic citizens of Dominica.
Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Dominica will host 151 rooms, duplexes, suites and beach cabanas and luxury amenities including four distinct restaurants, fitness facilities and large event spaces. Impressively, the resort will launch its own air service for guests travelling from nearby Antigua or Guadeloupe, and private SUV transfer for a complete door-to-door experience. The resort sparked significant international buzz, with Forbes naming it one of the Caribbean’s most anticipated hotelier openings this year.
Range Developments Managing Director, Mohammed Asaria, said the resort would transform the nearby area, “providing jobs to hundreds of people and bringing thousands of tourists every year to this beautiful country.” Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said that “this is the first time international hotel brands are making a debut in Dominica and there is a lot to come.”
CBI shares into the new Kempinski resort are already sold out, however citizenship hopefuls still have time to buy into other worldwide hotel groups, with Marriott’s Anichi and Hilton’s Tranquility Beach expected to debut their resorts in Dominica soon. Each of the hotels, along with other luxury boutique resorts like Jungle Bay, Secret Bay or Sanctuary Rainforest, will operate under Dominica’s world-leading CBI Programme. The legislated initiative encourages wealthy individuals and their families to acquire second citizenship in exchange for an investment into Dominica’s economy.
Investments worth at least USD 200,000 into pre-approved real estate are one of the options applicants have under the Dominican CBI Programme. The second route asks for a USD 100,000 contribution for a single applicant directly to the government’s Economic Diversification Fund. All applicants must first pass a series of due diligence checks, which a special FT report appreciated with top marks.
According to experts at the Financial Times’ Professional Wealth Management magazine, Dominica’s Programme has been the world’s best offering for economic citizenship for the last three years, citing affordability and efficiency as some of the key reasons for its success. With a 26-year experience, Dominica operates one of the most transparent programmes in the world. Generated revenue sponsors national development initiatives in Dominica in key areas like education, healthcare, housing, infrastructure, climate resilience and ecotourism.
With Dominican citizenship, investors gain access to a vast range of benefits, spanning from increased global mobility to alternative business opportunities, and, importantly, belonging to a stable democracy with a thriving economy, advocating for a global community.


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MO MONEY, MO PROBLEMS: A NEW STUDY SHOWS OUR MONTHLY EXPENSES ARE ADDING UP
Monday, May 13, 2019
The Notorious B.I.G. had it right.
A new study shows Americans are spending a whole lot on non-essential items. The monthly cost adds up to about $18k a year. Tune in to find out what exactly this money is going to and what Headkrack’s most recent impulse purchase was.


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Fruitcake may have gotten a lot of flack over the years, but it seems like candy canes are our readers' least favorite holiday sweet.
A recent poll showed that readers prefer to eat gingerbread cookies over the holidays, with 38 percent of the vote, instead of candy canes (8 percent). Pumpkin pie came in second, with 24 percent of the vote; chocolate Santas had 21 percent. Fruitcake received 9 percent.
Gingerbread's popularity is a no-brainer; gingerbread cookies are adorable, and their spiciness is welcomed on particularly cold days. And while gingerbread houses can be creative and elaborate (like this Ewok-themed one), the spicy flavor can lend itself to waffles, cupcakes, and blondies.
Pumpkin pie and chocolate are classic desserts that will never get old, but fruitcake's win over candy canes was surprising given fruitcake's somewhat stale reputation. But it seems like the fruit- and nut-filled cake is getting a sexy makeover.
The Daily Byte is a regular column dedicated to covering interesting food news and trends across the country. Click here for previous columns.


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Now it is clear why National Power had to sell its three power stations, almost halving its generating capacity. It needed the £1.31 billion profit on these disposals to mop up the massive £1.37bn write-offs and other charges against everything from gas contracts to power stations in Pakistan.
That did not worry investors: the shares rose by around 20 per cent last week as the City dismissed what is past and anticipated a better performance - including a higher-than-expected dividend - in the future. But that better performance is largely a product of the write-offs and a reduced tax charge.
This should not deflect attention from the fact that last year's results were abysmal, and the prospects for both parts of the business following the planned autumn demerger are not particularly bright.
Take npower - as the British supply business will be called. It makes much of the fact that it has 2.6 million customers and is now winning new ones a bit faster than it is losing existing ones. But it will have to start winning them a lot faster if it is to achieve its target of 4 to 5 million customers within the next five years - a level most analysts think essential if it is to be profitable in the long term.
The alternative is acquisitions, and npower's chief executive elect, Brian Count, said it would be interested in buying Norweb, the retail supply business being sold by United Utilities.
Whether that would be a good move depends on price - and npower's ability to integrate it with its existing supply business.
The adverse reaction to warnings in The Observer that the dividend could be halved again this year, despite the cut from 28.6p to 15p in the year to last March, has encouraged npower to think again.
The £495m provision against forward gas contracts will, like the lower tax charge, boost its profits going forward - although not its cash, as it will still have to fork out to pay the contract price.
The upgrade in earnings which results has encouraged the more pessimistic analysts to increase their dividend forecasts from around 8p to 10p - some even hope it will be maintained at the 15p level seen last year.
International Power will pay no dividend but will use its funds to build its global business. It has had its fair share of write-downs too: £246m 'to recognise the current circumstances' in some of its markets, including £131m specifically in Pakistan.
Philip Hollobone, utilities analyst at WestLB Panmure, warns that the remaining half of the investment in Pakistan could have to be written off.
The new chief executive will be paid in shares, so he will have a real incentive to make the business perform. Last week's share price rise makes no allowance for disappointment, something that National Power has provided plenty of in the past. Avoid.
One of the key things a chief executive should have is information about what the different bits of the business are doing. The mechanisms for supplying that at Compel, the software services group, seem to have gone awry.
Last autumn, it issued a profits warning within weeks of assuring Throg Street that its prospects were rosy. Last week, it was at it again. Three months ago the trading statement in its interim results claimed it had a 'strong flow of substantial new contracts with FTSE 100 companies' and was confident that its customers' spending would 'materially increase during the first half of 2000'.
Last week, it warned that lower-than-expected demand at Compelsource, the bit of the business that sells hardware, meant its results would fall 'materially short' of expectations.
The shares almost halved. Last time round, they quickly recovered, helped by both reassurances from Neville Davis, chief executive, that it was a temporary lull and results that backed this.
The recovery this time is likely to take far longer. The departure of Compelsource boss Mark Howling shows he is taking much of the blame for the disappointment.
But the buck should stop at the top, and the fact that Davis is giving up his role as chairman shows that he recognises his culpability. He will have to demonstrate far more foresight than so far before investors should trust him again.
Not safe yet
Back in the far-off days when consumers actually went out and bought things, Sir Richard Greenbury, then boss of Marks & Spencer, warned; 'Sales is vanity, profits is sanity.'
But that was in the good old days, when inflation and space expansion meant that sales increases were easy to come by, and profits only a little bit harder. Now that too many shopkeepers are falling over themselves to attract us, keeping sales steady, let alone increasing them, is becoming ever harder. That allows Safeway, the supermarket group, to gloss over a 29 per cent slump in profits in the year to 1 April while trumpeting a 10 per cent increase in sales.
The City seems happy about the strategy. The shares rose again last week and are now almost 60 per cent above their February low. But even Carlos Criado-Perez, the new chief executive who worked out that cutting prices could actually boost total sales, must realise that higher sales on their own are not enough. The only sensible reason for chasing sales is if they bring you higher profits.
On that, Safeway still has much to prove. Its sensible decision to abandon loyalty cards will save £60m, helping to repair some of the damage to its margins from its £110m investment in cutting prices. Its high-profile promotions are attracting customers back into its stores: it has added 750,000 shoppers - an 8 per cent increase - in the past four months.
It is hoping to keep them coming back by investing in availability, better own-brand goods and fresh produce, and improved decor.
This is building momentum. The sales figures show a steadily improving trend over the last year. It is confident that the increase in price promotions means that will continue, despite the withdrawal of its loyalty card. But it should not expect rivals to stand still.
Tesco and Asda will not be pleased that they are losing customers to Safeway; both are well-placed financially to respond. Safeway deserves credit for its success in fighting back, but the recent rise in its shares means that success is already discounted. Hold.


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FRUITA, Colo. (KKCO) It's a monumental loss for the Colorado National Monument after the government shutdown sets sales back by thousands of dollars. The 16 day shutdown resulted in an $18,000 revenue hit for the park's visitor center and a $30,000 loss in entrance fees, but officials say they plan on making the money back.
The staff sat down today to create a game plan for generating money to make up for the lost dollars. And officials say with the beautiful weather, fall is their money maker.
"How we can recoup these two weeks we lost in October, which is like losing Christmas sales for many of the national parks on the Colorado Plateau," said Linda Spinner, the Executive Director of the Colorado National Monument Association.
In an effort to boost business over the next couple of months the Monument will host a holiday open house and initiate a membership drive.
Park employees say they are staying busy and visitors have a newfound appreciation for the Monument after it was closed for over two weeks.
The Peaks, Plateau and Canyons Association's annual fall meeting will be held in Grand Junction this week and they will be discussing what to do in case a shutdown strikes again.


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Finally! Garrett Apex Pre-Order Available!
A few months ago we were writing about the new Garrett’s 2020 product here.
Finally, today Garrett added a new promo video to their official YouTube channel, and announced a new metal detector – Garrett Apex.
- The shaft. I see that the shaft seems similar to Ace and AT series detectors… Nothing new from Garrett? It is very sad if the design has not really changed…
- New control box. It seems that the control box has been changed and become a little bit modern, but at the same time, the buttons are very similar to AT Max too…
These are just my personal thoughts. Let’s wait for new videos and presentations on May 15, 2020.
What do We Know for Today?
Garrett says that it will be a totally newly designed metal detector:
- brand new technology;
- very lite weight;
- the metal detector doesn’t need batteries (USB charging option?);
- UPD: Adjustable Iron Audio level.
And that’s all 🙂 Not as much information as we hoped and expected, but it will be very interesting to see the Apex. I really hope it will be something special. Garrett hasn’t made anything truly outstanding for a very long time.
I expect it to be a medium-level detector with a good set of features; perhaps a strong competitor to Nokta Makro Simplex, Minelab Vanquish series and Quest X5 and X10 detectors. But maybe Garrett decided to come as a surprise with an expert-level metal detector, to replace the old GTI 2500?
The video contains a funny moment with jokes about Garrett Ace 250… probably they have finally understood that detector released back in 2005 must be a bit outdated by now 🙂
#1 Garrett Apex Promo Video
UPD: #2 Garrett Apex Promo Video


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We found 4544 items for the tag: AI
Apr 21, 2013 4:46 am
Cash in or cash cow? Epic gives another game developer some time with Gears.
Apr 20, 2013 7:16 am
Samsung could release a brain-controlled tablet in the near future
Apr 19, 2013 11:35 pm
Twitter to shut down all mobile versions of its TweetDeck software on May 7th.
Apr 19, 2013 4:25 pm
The SuperSSpeed Hyper Gold SLC SSD typically competes in the consumer market. With a great price point and impressive endurance from its SLC NAND, the S301 has great crossover appeal. Today we test the...
Apr 19, 2013 2:26 pm
KuaiTong, an app store for pirated iOS apps in China, gets a web-based front-end
Apr 18, 2013 9:32 pm
Yahoo releases new Weather app, iPad Mail app as part of rebuilding process
Apr 18, 2013 10:33 am
Anonymous raise $54,000 to begin their own news site, 'Your Anon News' or YAN
Apr 18, 2013 9:11 am
ASUS' Raidr PCI Express SSD is capable of 830MB/sec
Apr 17, 2013 4:56 pm
We analyze consumer SSD performance in comparison to an enterprise SSD. Ever wondered what the difference is, besides the price? Read on!
Apr 17, 2013 9:33 am
Hon Hai licenses Microsoft patents for Android and Chrome devices
Apr 16, 2013 1:56 pm
The CloudSpeed 500 leverages SMART Storage Technology's Guardian Technology suite to provide a low-cost SSD that features enhanced endurance and performance, along with host power-fail protection.
Apr 16, 2013 5:35 am
Origin unveil the ultimate desktop chassis, Corsair's 900D, and throw in 4-way GeForce GTX Titan's
Apr 16, 2013 5:21 am
Apr 15, 2013 10:02 pm
Leaked: Pictures of a new Corsair case have leaked out, said to be of the Obsidian 350D
Apr 15, 2013 7:33 am
ASUS Transformer AiO reaches the US, is an Android tablet and Windows 8 PC all-in-one
Apr 15, 2013 5:01 am
ICY DOCK brings forth a new product today in the ICYRAID dual bay USB 3.0 enclosure, and it also supports RAID.
Apr 15, 2013 4:23 am
Apr 12, 2013 3:15 pm
We take a look at our second retail GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost in the form of an offering from Gainward and see how it performs when in SLI mode and overclocked.
Apr 11, 2013 8:20 am
ZTE's new phone gets an interesting name, 'Geek' will feature an Intel Clover Trail+ processor
Apr 11, 2013 3:33 am
Quantic Dream to have an upcoming multiplayer game, the Heavy Rain developer is hiring staff
Apr 9, 2013 3:46 am
Leaked images of Google Babel for Gmail float onto the Internet
Apr 8, 2013 4:09 pm
Taiwan media mistakenly reports that the Queen of England has died, in reality Margaret Thatcher was the one to pass
Apr 8, 2013 6:01 am
It's an AIO, has LED lighting, software control, and a 280mm radiator... that's right. The Kraken X60 is here for testing.
Apr 4, 2013 11:15 pm
The Vengeance M90 gets a bit of a refresh. It's time to have a look at the new M95 MMO & RTS laser mouse in its arctic white clothing.


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Leading cloud translation company launches powerful Translate platform for quality human translations, fast and simple.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 1—Stepes (pronounced /’steps/), the #1 cloud translation service, has announced its on-demand Translate platform for the future of translation work. The new Translate series aims to fill a void left by Google Translate to achieve much higher translation quality, while making the language translation process simple and fast.
The digital transformation compels companies to deploy multilingual content fast for simultaneous product releases in international markets. Old fashioned, offline translation services are too slow to meet these on-demand, 24×7 translation needs. Google Translate is fast, but lacks sufficient quality for customer facing communications.
Stepes solves these challenges by combining the best of human-machine capabilities to deliver professional translation services at speed and scale. Companies can now drag and drop documents to get them translated in Spanish, Japanese, French, Chinese, German, and many other languages online and virtually.
“We are pleased to bring another innovative language technology to the localization industry,” commented Carl Yao, Stepes visionary. “The post COVID-19 world accelerates the adoption of simpler, faster, and more cost effective translation services online so companies can stay ahead of the competition in global markets. Cloud translation services like Stepes are ideally positioned to capture market opportunities as enterprises migrate to cloud translation models for better quality, speed, and scale.”
In addition to superior language quality, Stepes Translate also supports translating documents, videos, audios, and images, as well as multilingual desktop publishing, making it one of the most versatile and easy-to-use online translation platforms on the market.
The coronavirus lockdowns have fundamentally disrupted businesses in many industries and translation is no exception. Compared to offline translation workflows, Stepes cloud translation model is able to better manage multilingual resources virtually from around the world to deliver the most efficient translations solutions. Stepes AI powered translation ecosystem has streamlined the entire online translation process to deliver agile, always-on, and 24/7 localization solutions.
To learn more, please visit Stepes online translation services.
Stepes is the world’s #1 cloud translation service for the modern enterprise. Stepes disrupts traditional translation models with on-demand, agile, and continuous human translation services for the digital age. Stepes provides best-in-class online translation solutions for marketing translation, software localization, technical document translation, and website localization in over 100 languages.
+1 800 611 5698


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Let's Burn This Mothafucka to the Ground, Pookie
?After a 285-day stint, I am abdicating my post here at The Village Voice. I'm going to work for Esquire.com, so I may -- as one commenter noted -- continue...
?For my second-to-last Press Clips, Day 27, we have a very, very special treat. Every year, many of the New York-based media companies who produce a large portion of American...
Holy Scarface! Five Columbia University students/fratboys were busted this week for selling all kinds of crazy drugs at school. Ivy League? More like High-vy League. Luckily, via Columbia's BWOG, understanding...
Things About Us
New York Times
Sometimes We Do Nice Things
?As it's been noted, News Corp's daily newspaper built just for the iPad -- The Daily -- is on the way. It is Rupert Murdoch's newest child, the Draco Malfoy...
New York Observer
Yes, we're all for excited for the government subsidized handjobs many of us are about to receive courtesy the TSA during our holiday travels. And by excited, we mean: "preemptively...
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Businesses and entrepreneurs are gradually expressing more interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, which are now trending topics. Being a CEO of global financial ecosystem Kyrrex CEO, let me outline why companies need crypto and explain the advantages of
In recent years, blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies have become the hottest topics. The hype around them isn't going away anytime soon. The global economy isn't standing still, and the crypto sector is launching new projects almost every day. Take, for example, the rise of NFT and DeFi. In such circumstances, it is natural that businesses are interested in cryptocurrencies.
Visa has revealed that its customers had made crypto-payments totaling $2.5 billion in the first 2022 quarter. The company will significantly affect the adoption of cryptocurrencies by launching a relevant consulting service. Thus, crypto is progressively making inroads into the realm of traditional payment systems, making it wise for entrepreneurs to consider its use.
Blockchain technologies are, first and foremost, innovations that open up many unique opportunities. It is what attracts entrepreneurs from all over the world.
Let's start with some facts on the present state of crypto adoption:
● As of 2021, there are 13,951 Bitcoin ATMs in 58 countries worldwide.
● According to research published in late 2020, there are
over 15,174 bitcoin-accepting businesses worldwide, with 2,300 based in the US.
● Microsoft is the most prominent bitcoin supporter.
● Gambling, finance, food, tourism, and retail are the most
prevalent industries supporting crypto-usage.
Businesses that wish to assure superior transaction transparency and attract a new layer of clients would find cryptocurrency handy. Some company owners have seen an increased demand for crypto payments;
that's why they are incorporating them into their operations.
Entrepreneurs also value cryptocurrency for its capacity to enable secure transactions, for example, through smart contracts. That's how crypto allows businesses to manage risks and company capital effectively.
Of course, we must keep in mind that cryptocurrency is a solid investment. Businesses may raise funds considerably faster and at far greater rates with its help than they could with traditional assets. So, it's hardly surprising that entrepreneurs seek advantages in crypto.
As previously stated, crypto is all about innovation. And, more often than not, innovation entails revolutionary changes. Let's look at the prospects of implementing cryptocurrencies in business.
Fast and Safe Transactions
Cryptocurrency adoption can significantly speed up business processes and make them more efficient. Traditional transactions might take a long time, up to a day or more. There will be no such issues with crypto.
Low Transaction Cost
It's especially significant for entrepreneurs because businesses regularly receive a high number of payments. Cryptocurrency is known for its relatively low transaction costs compared to credit cards or other financial instruments.
Businesses can make crypto transfers without the involvement of a third party, such as a bank. It enables increased decentralization as payment occurs only between sender and recipient.
Effortless Cross-border Transactions
Crypto knows no boundaries and simplifies business transactions between companies from different countries. It also provides a substantial competitive edge.
Minimal Fraud Risk
Blockchain technology securely stores information about all money transfers, so businesses can easily track any transaction. It lowers the likelihood of encountering scammers.
New Revenue Streams
The use of cryptocurrencies in business has created a slew of new investment options. An initial coin offering (ICO) or access to liquidity pools are just two examples.
Businesses may implement cryptocurrencies in the following methods: integrate crypto into their organization themselves or contact a third-party provider.
● The first method implies that the company handles the private keys and incorporates crypto into its systems. Furthermore, businesses must set up a crypto gateway to accept cryptocurrency payments.
(It's a piece of software that lets companies operate transactions involving
the products and services purchases). It may be more complicated, but it gives the business more privacy.
● The second one is smoother since the service provider will be responsible for storing crypto. In this case businesses only transfer their assets to trusted third parties. For example, the crypto merchant service by Kyrrex will help expand business opportunities by accepting payments in cryptocurrency. The company will take responsibility for all matters related to the maintenance and storage of funds. The launch of this service is planned for the second quarter of 2022.
Entrepreneurs are starting to recognize the potential of crypto. No wonder, as such technology enables secure, fast, and low-cost transactions. Using cryptocurrency in business also means lowering the risk of fraud and increasing decentralization. Proper implementation of crypto will be an advantage for any company.


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Tickets on sale now for annual chowder cook-off
Tickets are now on sale for the 32nd Annual Great Chowder Cook-Off, the original, largest and longest running chowder championship in the country, featuring chowder creations from restaurants across the U.S., including Davenports's in East Providence (above). From now through May 1, enjoy “Ten Clams Off” the $25 day-of event ticket, which also includes membership in limited quantities into the Chowdahead Club featuring the “Chowder Power Hour” where the ultimate “Chowda” fans can enjoy an early, all-access experience an hour prior to the event’s official noon start. Once Chowderhead Club membership is filled to capacity, chowder enthusiasts can still take advantage of the $15 advance ticket price but admission will not include the early 11:00 a.m. access. All tickets include complimentary admittance to the Newport Oyster Festival, a new element to the Great Chowder Cook-Off this year. Children are admitted free if under the age of 12 and accompanied by a paid adult.
WHERE: Newport Yachting Center, America’s Cup Avenue, Newport
WHEN: Tickets on sale now; event June 1
COST: $15 now through May 1/$20/$25
MORE INFO: 800/745-3000; http://www.newportwaterfrontevents.com


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A Looming Avocado Shortage? These Chefs Are Ready for It. (Sort Of.)
If trade stops along the U.S.–Mexico border, we could run out of the luscious fruit in three weeks. We asked six California cooks how they’d handle the avo-crisis.
President Trump may be easing up on his recent threat to completely shut down the U.S.-Mexico border, but who knows what tomorrow may bring? If he does order a closure, the total cessation of $1.7 billion dollars in daily cross-border trade would shutter U.S. auto plants, halt the commutes of tens of thousands of workers, and stop the flow of nearly 40 percent of the nation’s fruit supply, including that most delectable of fruits: the avocado. Within three weeks of a closure, the United States could run out of Mexican avocados, potentially ending our nonstop indulgence in transcendently creamy guacamole, fancy toasts, and old-school avocado rolls.
A terrifying prospect, to be sure, so we asked top chefs in California (whose avocados ripen only in the warmer months) what that shortage might mean for them and for diners—i.e., us.
Smaller Toast, Less Avo
Avery Ruzicka is the chef behind Manresa Bread’s three bustling bakeries in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving up hyper-local and seasonal dishes in the obsessively farm-to-table Manresa/David Kinch ethos. Ruzicka uses hundreds of avocados a week in grain bowls, toasts, salads, and other dishes. “Avocado toast is the second best-selling item at our new Campbell location, so as a business owner I would continue to have avocado toast on the menu as long as I could,” she says. And even though the restaurants get 90 percent of their avocados from California, a border shutdown would quickly jack up local prices. “Right now we use half an avocado per order of toast at minimum. If prices went up, I could see it being more a mixture of avocados and other produce. We might change the bread we use for the toast to match the new produce. Whatever we change, we’ll do it in the smartest, most delicious way. But I’m not going to sell a $25 avocado toast. If I have to go past $14 or $15, I’ll take it off the menu.”
Avocado, Schmavacado. Favacado!
“When we opened,” says Vartan Abgaryan of Yours Truly, on Venice’s boho-beachy Abbot Kinney Boulevard, “I wanted to do a hummus, but I knew we had to have an avocado dish. So I made an avocado hummus. We use tahini, garlic, lemon; we char and roast poblanos and fold them in with yuzu and white soy and serve it with a salsa macha.” Within weeks, it was one of the top three dishes. If prices went up now, Abgaryan says he’d survive: “I was throwing a last-minute party a few years ago and didn’t have avocados, so I made a guacamole with fava beans.”
Time to Find the Next Avocado?
“We had a major avocado shortage around Thanksgiving of last year, and I had to use a backdoor avocado dealer who charged $100 a case, rather than the usual 43 bucks,” says chef Kat Turner of Highly Likely Cafe, one of those airy, white-walled, potted-plant-heavy all-day L.A. cafés that are the perfect backdrop for, yes, avocado toast. “We raised prices and put a sign next to the register explaining why, and people were willing to pay it.” If avocados disappear again, for months, she says, “I wouldn’t serve avocados—maybe that would be a good thing,” says Turner. “We’re running a special smashed-pea toast right now. Maybe it’s an opportunity for chefs to figure out what the next avocado is?”
No Avocados? That’s Nuts!
At Pikoh, his new restaurant in West L.A., chef Ricardo Zarate, a pioneer of modern Peruvian-Angeleno cuisine, is developing a version of the stuffed avocado dish palto relleno. “I was planning on stuffing it with crab, and a spicy Peruvian sauce with just enough acid and balance that you will not be able to stop eating,” he says. If the border shutdown happens, that’s it for palto relleno—not happening. And if the border does stay open, he says he’ll put it on the menu, garnished with nuts, because “the idea of shutting down the border is nuts.”https://www.instagram.com/p/BtGx0hSBWqK/
You Can’t Make It If You Fake It
Of all of the restaurants in Josef Centeno’s ever-expanding empire, the avocado crisis would hit his Tex-Mex restaurant Bar Ama in DTLA the hardest. “Bar Ama without guacamole—now, that’s tough,” says Centeno. “Fortunately I get my avocados from a farmer on the Central Coast that grows a variety you can’t sell because they bruise so easily.” But Centeno thinks all this focus on the avocado is missing the point. “Limes are really difficult to get domestically, and you don’t really think about how much lime you use. When the cartels shut down the Mexican lime imports, we tried every kind of citrus and the margaritas just didn’t taste the same. You can’t fake guacamole. But you can’t fake margaritas either.”


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Nokia is running a new global competition name “
The Mix Radio Summer Competition” over their Facebook page, where you could win a brand new Nokia Lumia 610 smartphone by just telling your favorite summer song to Nokia.
Program Period :
The Contest begins on May 15th at 16:00 p.m. GMT and ends on May 31st at 16:00 p.m GMT (hereinafter referred to as the “Program Period”).
How to Participate:
. For a chance to win a Nokia Lumia 610, you must provide the name of one summer song and the name ofthe artist who performed it.
Each participant must enter their name and email address before they can take part.
The winner/winners of the Contest will receive a Nokia Lumia 610 smartphone (the “Prize”).
Determination of the Winner:
. The winner/winners of the Contest will be determined by skill.
The winning song will be picked by a panel of judges who will rate the best content and select them as the recipients of a Nokia Lumia 610 smartphone.
For a chance to win a Nokia Lumia 610 – visit: https://www.facebook.com/nokia/app –


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Media Contacts Database
Journalist Enquiry Service
Press Release Wire
By Hayden Richards
22nd July 2014
American milliner Karen Morris has signed Forward PR to manage her UK press and publicity for Pure London 2014.
Morris set up her international namesake millinery label in 2012 and has since had her work featured in fashion titles including Elle and Vogue.
Links for media database subscribers


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The European Union has already established a target to ban internal combustion engine sales by 2035, in an effort to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, Germany isn’t on board unless there are exceptions for some piston-engine vehicles.
According to German environment minister Steffi Lemke said that Germany will take part in the EU ICE ban if an option can be added to sell “CO2 neutral” vehicles following the ban.
“This addition is important to Germany in terms of our position, we believe it can also be a bridge for the overall discussion,” Lemke said during a meeting of European environmental ministers.
We’re not entirely sure what Lemke means by CO2 neutral vehicles but it’s likely to mean vehicles with net-zero carbon emissions, despite having internal combustion engines. Plug-in hybrids that are built in carbon neutral facilities could be part of that.
The European Union wants to cut overall emissions down by 50-percent by 2035, which would bring greenhouse gas levels down to those from the early ’90s. However, not all European countries are on board with such a hard ban by that time. Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania all want to push the ban back to 2040, which isn’t surprising given the importance of the current auto industry to those countries. Countless car suppliers are from those countries and an ICE ban would drastically hurt the industry.
Just reading the tea leaves, it seems most brands won’t have to worry too much about this ban, as most brands will likely have fully-EV lineups by then. Certainly brands like MINI, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, Ford, and potentially even Volkswagen will be fully electric by that time. With its competitors aiming for full-electrification, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if BMW did the same, too. It’s already working on a Neue Klasse architecture, which will be for electrified vehicles. So Germany might be hesitant of such a ban but it might not be such a bad thing.
[Source: Automotive News Europe]


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FOX 11 shared Lena Reitz's story back on August 9, nearly three weeks after she visited one of the Los Angeles Police Department's stations to bail out a relative. Shortly after her July 16 visit to the station, she noticed her Citibank debit card was missing.
Reitz called the bank, froze the card and called the LAPD after she noticed someone went all over town using her debit card. Even after the arrest of the suspect, Edmond Babaians, was publicly announced, Citibank did not issue a refund to Reitz.
The bank's decision to not immediately issue Reitz a refund back in August came as the victim did all the investigating on her own – she contacted the stores that the thief had used, including Home Depot and IKEA – asked and got a chance to see the security video with the date and time stamps of the thefts and then alerted LAPD about it.
Come to find out, it was one of LAPD's own, Babaians, who was the one allegedly using Reitz's debit card.
In spite of all this, the bank didn't issue a refund back in August.
"Enough evidence to charge a police officer," Reitz said. "But somehow, that evidence wasn't enough to look at the situation and do something for me."
Fast-forward to September, Reitz got her refund!
Citibank issued the following statement:
"Being the victim of fraud can be extremely stressful. Our goal is to make reporting unauthorized transactions as seamless as possible. On further review, we're pleased to have resolved this matter with our client, and we regret the inconvenience."
At some point, Reitz will be called to testify in Babaians' case, but she is relieved she finally got her money back.
"I don't think I would have gotten a reimbursement if it wasn't for you guys," Reitz told FOX 11's Laura Diaz.


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Abstract : During the first INCLUSION Fintech Conference that kicked off on Thursday in Shanghai, a pet noseprint recognition technology developed by Ant Group, the parent company of China's leading mobile-payment business Alipay, was showcased and will be applied in more pet services.
SHANGHAI, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) — During the first INCLUSION Fintech Conference that kicked off on Thursday in Shanghai, a pet noseprint recognition technology developed by Ant Group, the parent company of China’s leading mobile-payment business Alipay, was showcased and will be applied in more pet services.
Pets’ noseprints are similar to human fingerprints in that they are unique. The noseprint recognition technology developed by Ant Group can accurately identify pets in one second. It is currently available for dogs and cats and used in the pet insurance products of Alipay.
Hu Jiangcheng, a pet trainer with eight years of experience in military dog training, came to challenge the technology with confidence in knowing the habits and characteristics of various dogs. However, he was also dazzled by three highly similar dogs and failed to identify the correct one.
With the technology, Alipay can create an electronic file for each insured pet, based on the information of the noseprint. Pet owners can scan the nose of their pets to make a claim.
According to a white paper on China’s pet business, published by the Chinese pet industry website goumin.com, urban consumption in the pet market in China exceeded 200 billion yuan (about 29.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2019, with 99.15 million pet dogs and cats in China’s urban areas.
“For many people, pets are important family members. The application of noseprint recognition is expected to be promoted nationwide,” said Wang Fang, general manager of property insurance of Ant Group.
In the future, pet noseprint recognition technology will likely be applied to urban pet management in China, which will provide each pet with their own electronic ID to improve management efficiency. Enditem
About Xinhua Silk Road
Xinhua Silk Road (en.imsilkroad.com) is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) portal.China’s silk road economic belt and the 21st century maritime silk road website,includes BRI Policy,BRI Trade,BRI Investment,Belt and Road weekly,Know Belt and Road,and the integrated information services for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Source: Pet noseprint recognition technology showcased at conference


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Fortinet’s NSE Xperts Academy offers our certified partners a hands-on security experience, giving them the resources needed to provide consistent value to their customers using Fortinet products.
In conjunction with the Cyber Threat Alliance, Symantec today released their blog post on an APT (advanced persistent threat) group codenamed "Thrip.” As part of our membership with the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA), we have received these indicators ahead of publication to ensure that FortiGuard customers are protected from this latest disclosure.
Fortinet’s Security Fabric cloud solutions are available to AWS enterprise, service provider, and public sector customers, providing comprehensive security, threat intelligence, and visibility to detect, isolate, and respond to threats in real time.
Even as digital technology is transforming business, government, and society, it also transforms how we think of and practice cybersecurity. There are five key implications for cybersecurity in the digital transformation era.
Threats like AutoSploit bring malware-as-a-service to a whole new level. Here are four ways to be prepared.


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Montreal-based underwear company Ginch Gonch is targeting women with its signature colorful, animated and playful styles.
The five-year-old firm began as a maker of men’s cotton briefs and boxers featuring vivid and graphic prints not unlike the kind found on children’s underwear. In May, Ginch Gonch will roll out its largest offering yet of women’s styles in its Boys & Toys line, some 64 styles of thongs, briefs, long johns and tiny underpants.
“We realized that not only were women huge purchasers of the men’s product, but they loved it so much that they were wearing their boyfriends’ boxer shorts,” said Rebecca Wilkinson, media coordinator at Ginch Gonch.
The company began testing the women’s market last year with a small offering, sold online, of styles featuring patterns such as dump trucks, miniature hot dogs and tiny roosters. The response was positive enough to justify a full-scale rollout.
“Because of the boyish themes, we thought it would be so unlike anything out there,” Wilkinson said. “The playfulness adds a fun and different appeal to it.”
The men’s line is available in stores such as Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s in the U.S. and Selfridges in the U.K. Wilkinson said she anticipated the same majors would carry the women’s collection. The line wholesales for $11 to $14.
“Intuitively, everyone would say that it’s a scary time to launch a new product,” she said. “But because it’s so different, we have managed to capture a certain niche, which is still growing.”
Ginch Gonch will be adding to its women’s offerings this summer with a line of tops and T-shirts. Wilkinson also said a women’s swimwear collection would bow in the near future.
@moncler unveiled its latest project, #MonclerGenius, yesterday at Milan Fashion Week. The Italian outwear maker gave show-goers a preview of the monthly collections – which were created by eight designers and creative talents including Pierpaolo Piccioli, Simone Rocha, Craig Green and more – that will start rolling out in the summer.
In honor of Rihanna’s 30th birthday, we took a look back at an interview with the Barbados-native when she was just 18 years old. Here, she talked about her second album, “A Girl Like Me” in 2006. “I want to be me. I want people to fall in love with who Rihanna is, and that’s why I want the album to be about me so people can really find out who this girl Rihanna is, because they only know the ‘Pon de Replay’ girl.” Fast forward 12 years, and she’s released six more albums and has become a powerhouse in both the fashion and music industries. Happy birthday, @badgalriri 🎈(📷: Pavel Antonov) #wwdarchive


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Xupes is gaining a reputation for unearthing top end pre-owned timepieces with provenance that more typically turn up at the big four auction houses.
Its latest coup is for a Patek Phillipe 175th Anniversary Watch previously owned by rock legend Eric Clapton.
The multi-scale chronograph 5975R-001, purchased by Slow Hand a year after the Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary in 2014, was never made available for general sale.
It was never a production piece so the guitarist, one of the world’s best-known watch collectors, was invited to buy the watch.
The chronograph has three different scales: a tachymeter, telemeter and a pulsimeter on a cream dial in a 40mm 18ct gold case.
It is on sale for £85,000 ($103,000) complete with box, manuals, 175th anniversary medal and guarantee dated 22nd January 2015.


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The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way a lot of people shop. Between capacity limits and general fears over in-person shopping, many consumers have shifted to online orders over the course of the past year, and many businesses have adapted by expanding their pickup and delivery options.
In fact, so many consumers have been ordering goods to be shipped to their homes that UPS (NYSE: UPS) is raking in major profits as a result. The shipping giant just released its most recent earnings, and the numbers were outstanding. Revenue came in at $22.91 billion, up 27% from a year earlier and above the $20.49 billion Wall Street analysts were forecasting. This is coming off a quarter where parts of the country saw major shipping disruptions due to a spell of harsh weather that battered the South back in February.
Of course, stellar earnings are great news for anyone who holds UPS stock. But they're also good news for investors in industrial REITs (real estate investment trusts). So if you've yet to look at warehouses for your portfolio, you may want to adjust your strategy.
Digital sales could be here to stay
While it's true many consumers have adopted more online shopping habits due to the pandemic and the safety issues it's brought to light, the reality is that it's a convenient, cost-effective way to buy goods. As such, there's a good chance digital sales will remain strong even once the pandemic is far behind us, which means there will not only be a need for businesses like UPS, but also more warehouse and distribution center space. And that gives investors a key opportunity to get in on a growing industry.
It's estimated the U.S. may need an additional 1 billion square feet of warehouse space by 2025 as e-commerce continues to dominate. And retailers are acknowledging this shift, too. Many are making plans to shut down underperforming stores and instead invest money in large distribution centers to support digital order fulfillment. And while that's bad news for mall REIT investors, it's great for those with industrial REITs in their portfolios.
Of course, investing in warehouses isn't risk-free. Building out that space isn't as easy as it may seem, with some cities pushing back against large distribution centers. There are also safety and regulatory concerns for warehouses to address, especially in light of certain issues that have come to light during the pandemic, like poor working conditions and safety hazards. As such, warehouses could become more costly to operate if the laws around them shift.
The Millionacres bottom line
But from a demand perspective, warehouses are likely to remain hot even as the pandemic peters out and consumers gear up to rejoin society. And that means now's a great time to consider investing in warehouses -- before it gets too expensive.
Of course, investors may also want to give UPS a look given its solid quarter. After all, if the demand for warehouses stays strong, somebody's going to need to haul all of those packages from distribution centers to consumers' doors.


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Kai Ryssdal: Here’s today’s story inspired by a quote from Shakespeare. “What’s in a name,” the line goes, “That which we call a rose?” the bard said.
But if you’re Apple, the name’s apparently worth $153 billion. The consumer research firm Millward Brown’s out with its annual report, wherein it lists the top 100 most valuable brands. On top this year is everybody’s favorite iPad maker; it edged out Google for the number one spot.
Now, Apple’s great and all, but $153 billion for just the brand? We sent Stacey Vanek Smith off to take a look at how much value a brand can really have, and how the heck you measure it.
Stacey Vanek Smith: Apple earned roughly $65 billion last year, but its brand is worth more than twice that, according to Millward Brown’s annual calculation. The company’s Mario Simon explains.
Mario Simon: So we look at the earnings of the company and then we ask how much of those earnings can be attributed to the brand. And then we use a multiple to actually make that into a brand value of Apple in the long run.
Millward Brown does that by asking buyers how much the brand factored into their buy.
Simon: Versus other drivers of the purchase choice such as price and location, recommendation and so forth and so on.
Which still sounds a little nebulous. I put that to brand consultant Rob Frankel.
Rob Frankel: It’s a lot nebulous. This is one of the struggles that business has with determining what their brand and brand strategy should be.
That’s because brands have real value. Andrew Zolli is curator of innovation network PopTech. He says a strong brand is what lets a company charge more for what it makes — and stand out in a sea of competition.
Andrew Zolli: Someone famously said of Coca-Cola that if you burnt down every one of their factories, they’d be back in business in a quarter. If you knocked everybody on earth over the head and gave them amnesia, they’d be out of business in a quarter. And the reason for that is that their brand really exists in all of our minds.
And as the economy becomes more global, companies are having to work harder to stay on our minds. And brands are becoming even more crucial.
In New York, I’m Stacey Vanek Smith for Marketplace.
We’re here to help you navigate this changed world and economy.
Our mission at Marketplace is to raise the economic intelligence of the country. It’s a tough task, but it’s never been more important.
In the past year, we’ve seen record unemployment, stimulus bills, and reddit users influencing the stock market. Marketplace helps you understand it all, will fact-based, approachable, and unbiased reporting.
Generous support from listeners and readers is what powers our nonprofit news—and your donation today will help provide this essential service. For just $5/month, you can sustain independent journalism that keeps you and thousands of others informed.


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Hyundai Motor North America announced that within 15 months (by the end of 2021), it will introduce 12 new and significantly refined "SUV" models.
The plan includes all models (Tucson, Santa Fe, Kona, Santa Cruz and a new electrified SUV) and powertrain types (ICE, HEV, PHEV, BEV).
Most recently we saw the official info about the upcoming Hyundai Tucson PHEV. It's difficult to say how many new plug-ins we will see in total.
One of the refreshed models might be the new Kona. It seems that there will be an all-electric SUV under the Ioniq subbrand, based on the new E-GMP platform:
"The fresh pipeline of new SUV products will include new and refined internal combustion, hybrid, plug-in, BEV and N performance models. These models include the Tucson, Santa Fe, Kona, Santa Cruz and a new dedicated-platform, electrified Ioniq SUV, all of which feature new designs, eco powertrain availability and major platform options."
Judging by how well the Hyundai Kona Electric was received, we hope that the new BEV will be even better. It would surely help to expand the BEV market, especially the more mainstream segment.
Without much detail on hand, we will stay tuned for the following announcements.


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Mazda recalls 374,500 total examples of the Mazda6, Mazdaspeed6, and RX-8 in the US to replace their passenger side Takata airbags that could rupture in an accident.
Mazda Mazda6 News
Earlier this week a Reuters report indicated that Mazda was considering a nationwide expansion of its recall for vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators. The company has now confirmed said expansion, with the vehicle count jumping from 86,770 to 330,000 affected in the US.
Vehicle recalls have come in force recently. Honda expanded its front driver's side Takata airbag inflator recall nationwide to cover an estimated 5.4-million vehicles, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration added 19 notices to its database covering safety campaigns dating back to October. It looks like there could be one more to add to the list soon because Mazda is considering a possible nationwide expansion of its own inflator repairs.
Car and Driver is keeping new blood pumping into its annual 10Best cars list with three new entries making it on for 2015 and a perennial favorite falling off. Among the biggest shocks this year is that the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series are no longer named, despite years of some portion of that lineup earning a mention. In another surprise, the Tesla Model S (specifically in S 60 trim to fit under the $80,000 cost cap) makes it to the 2015 roster and is the only electrically motivated member of the
The predecessor to the Mazda6, the Mazda 626, was sold in a multitude of body styles across the globe. It could, of course, be had as a sedan, but a two-door coupe, known stateside as the MX-6, was also available on the same platform. Now, a new report from Motor Trend claims that a two-door version of the modern Mazda6 could be on the way.
Faulty Takata airbag inflators keep taking their toll on automakers. Mazda is the latest to be affected in the US by announcing a recall covering 18,050 Mazda6 and RX-8 models to replace the front, passenger-side airbags. Specifically, the campaign covers 18,000 Mazda6 units from the 2003 and 2004 model years built between May 29, 2002, and March 4, 2004, and 50 RX-8 vehicles from the 2004 model year made between June 25, 2003, and June 30, 2003.
The scope of the problem with the faulty airbag inflators from Takata continues to broaden and is now reaching China, as well. Mazda is recalling 42,732 Mazda6 units there, produced by its local joint venture partner China FAW Car Company, to replace the front passenger airbags. It comes as part of Mazda's recall of nearly 160,000 vehicles worldwide, including about 34,600 in the US, according to Reuters.
- Volvo shoots for self-drivers by 2021
- Jeep spends $1 billion on factories
- Find Parts & Accessories for your vehicle!
- Obama rolls out new EV plan
- Infiniti dealers ranked best, Tesla worst
- Compare Volvo XC90 and Lincoln MKX


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MIAMI – (BUSINESS WIRE) – OneBlinc, a disruptive fintech that provides affordable and fair financing options for those cash-strapped and with low credit, announces free (no-fee, interest-free) salary advances to federal employees who may be in a predicament difficult financial. The payroll advance is instantly deposited into the client’s bank account for repayment on the next payroll cycle.
“With over 40 million unemployed, those who have kept their jobs may be the only ones in their household keeping it financially,” said Fabio Torelli, CEO and co-founder of OneBlinc. “Many families are going through difficult times. It’s even worse for those with bad credit. OneBlinc is here to help. ”
OneBlinc uses innovative technology to provide emergency loans to the underserved, low-credit segment. Getting a loan is quick and easy: 1) register; 2) link the bank account; and 3) validate the information / accept the fund offer. No credit check required.
“The pandemic has highlighted the difficult financial situation facing Americans. At OneBlinc, we get it. When the pandemic broke, we shifted gears in our expansion plans to other markets, to launch in record time the products that we knew would be most useful, ”commented Torelli.
In addition to free (no-fee, interest-free) salary advances, OneBlinc has rolled out its rewards platform, OneClub, to provide loyal customers with instant rewards, the ability to skip loan payments, and access to a relationship team. dedicated customer. In May, for example, OneBlinc surprised their loyal customers by paying for their monthly Netflix subscription, to make foreclosure a little less stressful.
“We believe in building long-term relationships with our customers through human interactions. When our customers call, they speak to a customer relationship manager who advises them on how to better control their finances. Our goal is to help those in financial need by providing an alternative to payday lenders who charge over 300% interest on their loans. Torelli concludes.
OneBlinc’s offering is available in eleven states, including Florida, Georgia and Texas, and plans to expand internationally. The company has a 5-star rating on Trustpilot, Google and Facebook and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
Customers can apply for and manage their loans at www.oneblinc.com.
OneBlinc, a technological finance platform, designed to provide easy-to-pay financial products, offers the ability to rebuild credit as well as education and finance-related services to help people improve their gambling. , avoiding abusive fees and predatory rates. OneBlinc does not rely on credit scores to assess creditworthiness, using technology to assess an applicant’s creditworthiness. OneBlinc offers a range of fair and affordable credit solutions because it believes that access to socially responsible credit and the development of financially savvy citizens can improve people’s lives and society.


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Jason Bonham, son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, is giving football fans the Led Zeppelin Experience before this Sunday night’s NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. Bonham will play a four-song tribute at the Land Shark Tailgate Stage on the AT&T Grand Plaza at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida starting at noon ET. “We’re looking forward to performing our tribute on the Land Shark Tailgate Stage at Sun Life Stadium,” said Bonham. “This South Florida appearance is a culmination of our successful 2010 tour across the U.S. and Canada and will give fans a glimpse of what the full show is all about, which has truly been a labor of love for me.” To purchase tickets for the game fans can visit MiamiDolphins.com or call 1-888-FINS-TIX.
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Can trendy vegan cheese at this new midtown spot convert carnivores?
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The evolving policy on ease of doing business in Nigeria received a boost recently when the Senate passed a Bill to repeal and re-enact Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA). The legislation is intended to make Nigeria’s business environment as competitive as its counterparts around the world. It is, essentially, a regulatory framework to promote the ease of doing business and reduce regulatory hurdles. This new legal framework is coming 28 years after the passage of the original Companies and Allied Matters Act and will make Nigeria among the best countries in Africa to do business. Presently, Nigeria ranks 145 out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, which rates countries on the basis of the ease with which one can open, conduct and close down businesses.
Analysts perceive this bill as a landmark reform by the Senate which will expectedly provide significant benefits to companies by reducing red tape and making it easier to comply with regulatory obligations. The bill contains significant changes that are aimed at encouraging investments and, in particular, allow small businesses and startups thrive, lower costs and ease regulatory burdens.
By the provisions of the bill, the change will make it possible for the over 75,000 private companies limited by shares which are established in Nigeria every year be able to incorporate more easily. What this means is that registration of businesses will not be as tedious as it used to be in the repealed CAMA. The benefits derivable from this development are many. Primarily, it will result in savings in professional fees and add substantial improvements to the ease of doing business in Nigeria by comparison to competitors in the continent.
Furthermore, the Bill will give impetus and possibly spur more young people to start new enterprises. Among the changes which will benefit those aspiring to start a company is the ability of a single person to incorporate a company. This, in our view, is commendable because allowing new, young and innovative start-ups the opportunity to operate as separate legal entities without the risk of loss of their personal assets is one good way of expanding the economy and generating the much talked about employment.
What this also entails is that small companies will no longer be required to have a company secretary or hold Annual General Meetings thus removing the requirement for statutory declaration of compliance.
Even more fundamental, in our opinion, is the fact that minimum share capital required for companies to be registered has been reduced to encourage more investments in small companies. With the bill, individuals will no longer need a lawyer to register a company as the bill makes provision that facilitates and enhances the registration and compliance with the e-Registration and filing system.
We consider it as innovative the introduction of Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), a new form of legal identity for businesses in Nigeria, targeted at increasing foreign investment in the country as well as give legal backing to enable Nigerians register their businesses from anywhere in the country through e-Registration system. Because as a new business vehicle, it will act as a step towards converting the informal, undocumented sector into a formal and regulated regime. The incorporation process is less stringent and formal as compared to a limited liability company.
The bill as passed by the Senate makes provisions for new regulations to revive ailing companies. What this entails is that a company can now reach compromises on its debts and for businesses which are nearly insolvent a new process for administration has been introduced which will enable such businesses to keep running under the supervision of an Administrator for a period of 12 months.
For a country like Nigeria in urgent need of investors, to say that ease of doing business plays a crucial role in the economic growth is tantamount to stating the obvious. The processes, rules, and regulations set up by the government or government agencies can either help promote a business-friendly environment or hold businesses back from their entrepreneurial ambitions.
This newspaper agrees with the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki that this is a pro-business law that demonstrates the audacity of Nigeria to move businesses in the country into a new era of success and development. With the passage of CAMA, Nigeria is saying to the rest of the world that she is ready for business and the government is ready to support small scale industries to promote innovations, and encourage enterprise on a sustained basis.
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A complex challenge compelled a full-working day trading halt on Japan’s stock exchanges, such as the well-liked Nikkei 225 index on Thursday.
The shutdown occurred when a backup procedure unsuccessful to kick in just after a hardware malfunction, in accordance to the Japan Trade Group.
It was swift to issue out the halt was not linked to cyber-attackers.
Investing was suspended at the major Tokyo inventory exchange together with linked bourses in Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo.
Japan Trade Team apologised for the 1-working day shutdown and reported it aimed to resume trading as standard on Friday.
Tokyo’s about $6tn (£4.6tn) stock marketplace is the world’s 3rd largest, following New York and Shanghai, according to information from the Globe Federation of Exchanges.
The buying and selling halt shut a person of Asia’s couple major regional markets on Thursday, with exchanges in Hong Kong, Shanghai, South Korea and Taipei all shut for vacations.
The suspension soured the temper of some buyers, who were anticipating the industry to rebound right after an acrimonious US presidential debate pushed the Nikkei 225 1.5% decreased on Wednesday.
- New Zealand stock trade halted by cyber-attack
The trading halt was the exchange’s to start with substantial glitch considering the fact that 2018, when a investing method challenge left some securities firms unable to make orders.
The Nikkei 225 index involves the shares of several of Japan’s largest corporations like Honda, Nissan, Hitachi and Canon.
A lot of stock markets have been hit with short term glitches in the earlier.
In August, the New Zealand Trade was strike by cyber-assaults that compelled it to halt buying and selling more than the class of one week.
Over the previous 10 years, the tech-large Nasdaq, the New York Inventory Trade, the London Inventory Exchange, the Singapore stock trade and Bombay’s Sensex have all confronted technical glitches that have delayed investing.
In 2017, a short-term industry mistake noticed the share selling price of several important tech firms wrongly stated at the similar price on the Nasdaq.


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Electrification is here to stay in the Porsche. The German brand says it is doing what it can, but the high demand for the Taycan electric sports car has significantly exceeded initial expectations and its production capacity.
The company’s CEO, Oliver Blume, said (via Reuters) during the Munich Motor Show that the sales target of 20,000 units for 2021 was reached in the first half of the year (of which more than 5,000 in the US alone) – in Brazil, the sports car was the best-selling electric car in the first half of 2021.
“Our initial production capacity for the Taycan was 20,000 units this year – we sold that number in the first half”
The demand is “huge”, which translates to wait times for customers of up to about six months. Frankly, it’s a good problem for us.
“The orders received are many – they are also doing well in China”
Given these data, we believe that the pair Porsche Taycan / Porsche Taycan Cross Tour it will be Porsche’s third most popular lineup this year, having placed fourth in the first half and with just under 1,000 units behind the 911.
At the current pace, the company could sell 40,000 units in total by 2021, with the potential to do more. However, it totally depends on the production line and its maximum capacity.
This is a clear indication of a successful launch of Porsche electric models on the market. By the end of this decade, the vast majority of the German brand’s total sales will likely be all-electric.
Battery-powered electric cars seem to have come in handy for Porsche, as their price range isn’t a big issue, while the electric sports car delivers performance and at the same time a quiet, smooth driving experience.
Porsche’s next big step will be the Macan electric compact SUV, based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) with 800 volt electrical architecture and expected to hit the market in 2023. With the Taycan and Macan, Porsche should reach the level of 100,000 electric vehicles a year and begin to retire conventional or hybrid models from the portfolio.
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Public Relations Reaches Blogosphere
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
A few years ago, when Richard Edelman and his public relations associates wanted to pitch a story on behalf of a corporate client, they would call their contact list of influential editors and television personalities.
These days, they also pitch Web loggers.
“Public relations has changed so that now we call both. In other words, we pitch from the bottom up as well as from the top down,” Mr. Edelman said in a recent interview with The New York Sun. “We have nine full-time bloggers to advise clients how to blog and how to deal with blogs.”
He is CEO of Edelman Public Relations, the world’s largest independent agency, with 2,000 employees in 49 offices worldwide. The company has led the industry in terms of its commitment and investment in the so-called blogosphere, which now totals an estimated 34 million blogs worldwide. Edelman’s total billings for the 12 months ending in May were $305 million, up from $206 million the year before.
Known as “emerging media,” blogs began as diary entries by individuals to be read, and replied to, solely by friends. Because they are posted on the Web, though, they have the potential to reach anyone with a computer around the world if the ideas, photographs, or artwork are considered captivating, controversial, or somehow of value. Some now have enormous audiences, in the hundreds of thousands.
“Companies must learn how to manage this,” Mr. Edelman said. “The reality is that companies face the problem of having employees with blogs who are griping about internal matters concerning their employer. Companies now have consumers with blogs who are annoyed and complaining about products or corporate behavior on the Web to hundreds or thousands of other consumers. Still others have blogs by NGOs that are complaining about offshore labor practices or environmental problems caused by a company’s operations or products,” he said.
Blog management has become a logical extension of public relations and advertising strategizing, he said. Not surprisingly, technology companies selling computers and software have used blogs for some time. They have marketed and promoted their products through their own blogs and by providing information to authors of blogs aimed at technology aficionados. Other advertisers are now getting this message.
“Tech companies get it, but packaged goods or food companies are going to change,” Mr. Edelman said. “Microsoft promoted its Xbox using blogs who cover gaming to get traction and create a positive predisposition for consumers and the media.”
Most recently, Britain’s Unilever moved markedly into blogs to promote its Dove and Axe personal care products. “For instance, the first media mention of the Dove ‘Real Beauty Campaign,’ featuring six women in underwear, was made in an influential blog called Gawker,” which was chosen because of its large, influential audience, he said.
“Certain blogs are read by reporters in the mainstream media, and then they call the client to do a story,and that’s how publicity is obtained,” Mr. Edelman said.
His company was involved this year in a successful promotion for AXE body spray on MySpace, a network of teenagers’ blogs. A popular MySpace female contributor agreed to sign up “friends for Axe” and attracted 60,000 teenage boys for the promotion.
“The promotion cost $100,000 and it generated all kinds of press interest,” he said.
Another example of blog-related public relations involved Wal-Mart Corporation’s recent annual general meeting. Edelman’s bloggers set up a special Web site in advance that was promoted, and offered live video from the “American Idol” winner who was performing at the meeting.
“This humanized the company and gave them the horizontal conversation: the peer-to-peer conversation, or word of mouth,” he said. “The ‘new thing’ in all forms of marketing is that companies must understand that the person consumers trust most are persons most like themselves.What we’re seeing is a devolution of authority.”
Edelman is 80% owned by the Edelman family, and key employees own 20%. It was founded by Richard’s father, Daniel Edelman of Chicago, who is chairman. Considered a pioneer, the senior Mr. Edelman launched the enterprise, and public relations itself, with his “Which twin has the Toni?” hair perm campaign in the 1950s, which proved that major attention in the press could increase sales.
Today’s public relations is about finding out how to spread a message in a manner that consumers trust. This means spreading the word in unorthodox ways and not strictly through paid advertisements.
“We’ve increased our income by 28% in the last two years,” Mr. Edelman said. “We argue that if public relations is 4% of a corporation’s budget it ought to be 5%. This is where companies have to spend money, and they are getting the message.”


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More photos leaked over the weekend showing two new variants of Motorola’s mysterious Moto X. The images show the device pictured in both black and white, with the designs matching previous alleged casing images we have already seen.
All items tagged with "white"
The white, 16GB LG Nexus 4, which was introduced just over one month ago, is now sold out on Google Play and “no longer available for sale.” If you didn’t already get your hands on one, then you may have missed your chance, because the limited edition device will not be reappearing.
LG has finally made the white Nexus 4 official, almost three months after it was first spotted out in the wild. The device has exactly the same specifications as the original model — there is no storage bump as previously rumored — but its back and sides have been given a new lick of paint.
Ugh! Just a few weeks after getting my Nexus 4, it looks like LG’s planning to launch a pretty white one. Doesn’t it look beautiful? The company hasn’t announced it yet, so nothing’s guaranteed, but photos of the device have already appeared online. These aren’t just questionable mockups, either — they’re real “hands-on” photos of the device itself.
A white version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is set to start shipping out to UK retailers sometime this week, and while there had been a cute rendering of the device circling the web, it wasn’t the actual device. Now, thanks to Clove, we have a look at what the actual white Galaxy Nexus will look like, and I have to say, it sort of looks like an Ice Cream Sandwich to me. Coincidence?


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LONDON — I’m always searching for shares that can help ordinary investors like you make money from the stock market. However, many people are currently worried the market could be overheating.
So right now I’m analyzing some of the most popular companies in the FTSE 100, hoping to establish if they can continue to outperform in today’s uncertain economy.
Today, I’m looking at retail giant Marks and Spencer Group Plc (LON:MKS) to determine whether the shares are still safe to buy at 469 pence.
So, how’s business going?
Marks and Spencer Group Plc (LON:MKS) has outperformed the market recently as investors continue to weigh up the possibility that the company could become a takeover target.
However, while the company’s shares have been outperforming, on the ground the 129-year old firm has been struggling to compete in the U.K.’s ferocious retail market.
In particular, Marks and Spencer Group Plc (LON:MKS) reported last week that its profits for 2012 had fallen back to a level not seen since 2009. In addition, it is struggling to reverse seven straight quarters of declining clothing sales within its home market.
Furthermore, these poor sales figures come two years into a three-year, 2.4 billion-pound turnaround plan aimed at revamping the retailer’s stores and expanding overseas.
That said, the company’s management remains upbeat and forecasts an “underlying profit improvement” for the 2013-2014 year. However, some analysts remain doubtful and believe that the retailer has lost support from its key clothing customers.
Unfortunately, while the company’s management remains upbeat about the future, many City analysts expect Marks and Spencer Group Plc (LON:MKS)’s earnings growth to remain sluggish for the next two years. City forecasts currently predict earnings of 33.5 pence per share for 2013/2014 (3% growth) and 36.8 pence per share for the year after.
Marks & Spencer has a checkered dividend history as the firm has slashed its payout twice since 2000. That said, it currently offers a dividend yield of 3.5%, larger than that of its peers in the general retailers sector.
In addition, after keeping its dividend steady at 17 pence per share for the last three years, many City analysts expect the company to begin increasing its payout again next year. City forecasts expect a dividend of 17.9 pence a share for 2013/2014 (5% rise) and 19 pence a share for the year after.
Surprisingly, despite Marks and Spencer Group Plc (LON:MKS)’s falling profits and struggling sales, it trades at a premium to its peers. It is currently valued at a historic P/E of 16.6, while its peers trade on an average historic P/E of around 15.8.
While the general market remains positive about Marks and Spencer Group Plc (LON:MKS), I do not share the same optimism. So, based on the company’s struggling sales and high valuation in relation to its peers, overall, I feel that Marks & Spencer does not look safe to buy at 469 pence.
The article Is It Still Safe to Buy Marks and Spencer? originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Rupert Hargreaves.
Rupert Hargreaves does not own any share mentioned in this article, and neither does The Motley Fool.
Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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It's become common in today's society that when a couple gets engaged, they are feted by friends and family, celebrations are planned, and they shout to the world at large that they are committing to each other for all eternity.
What if that same scenario were common in consumer packaged goods? Imagine what it could mean for retailers, if they were able to engage their customers for all eternity. The loyalty alone would be invaluable, not to mention the ability to better predict sales performance and essentially guarantee profits.
The reality of today's retail environment, however, is that shoppers can't be easily wooed into loyalty simply with shiny diamonds and parties. Retailers can't just show up and expect loyalty to happen, nor can they count on the consumers they do have to remain loyal. Consumers want more than just a pretty face–they want a retailer who listens, who pays attention to their needs. In short, consumers want a relationship. And savvy retailers are stepping up.
In late April 2015, Kroger bought assets from dunnhumbyUSA to create a new company called 84.51° that uses analytics and insights to improve customer engagement.
"We want everything we do–every decision we make–to be about the customer and what that person wants," Stuart Aitken, chief executive officer of 84.51°, said in a recent statement.
This consumer-focused attitude is growing momentum in retail, and means deploying a targeted, strategic plan on how to best engage customers and foster a loyal relationship with them.
RETAILER, KNOW THYSELF
Love yourself, and others will love you. That age-old advice holds up surprisingly well in retailing for developing a consumer engagement strategy. If retailers, whether big box stores or independents, don't know who they are, how are consumers going to get to know them, fall in love and commit?
"Establishing what you stand for is very similar, whether you're a one-store operator, small chain or multi-regional retailer," says Jim Hertel, managing partner of Willard Bishop, Barrington, Ill. Consumers, he notes, shop for food six to eight times per month, hitting two to three different banners. Knowing yourself as a retailer, and establishing what you stand for, creates a stronger presence for consumers, and can intrigue and engage them, pulling them back into your store.
"The task is less about getting them in the door and more about earning the extra visit or two each month."


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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon announced Thursday they will cut the sales tax (VAT) by one percent and do the same with the corporate tax.
Beginning October 1, the VAT will drop from 18 percent to 17 percent.
The corporate tax will drop from 26.5 percent to 25 percent, starting in January 2016.
It is estimated that the two benefits to consumers will cost the state approximately NIS 6.5 billion ($1.6 billion).
Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug, who is not in favor of the plan, immediately announced her criticism of the move.
But in a joint news conference Thursday afternoon, Netanyahu and Kahlon told reporters the move was designed to act as a “growth engine” on an economy that is slowing down.
“We believe in you, we believe in the free market, we believe in freedom,” the prime minister said. “I think this will help growth. I think this will give the economy the boost it needs. At a time when we are hearing about global slowdown, and here too, we want a growth engine and lowering taxes is one of them.”


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M’Tucci’s restaurants came up with a new lighter menu that allows customers to enjoy their food without worrying about calories. Executive chef and partner Cory Gray stopped by to show some dishes featured in the lighter menu.
According to Gray, the restaurant bought up this new light menu to go along with the happy hour. “Come in, have a nice meal and a couple of cocktails and wine options as well,” he said. This menu comes in “a little smaller plating,” he added.
Customers can currently enjoy this light meal from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays.
For more information, click here.


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Another one bites the dust: Bebe Stores (I had never heard of them) announced it was closing all of its stores -- I guess that means it is going out of business? -- the women's clothing retailer is the latest in a string of liquidations and bankruptcies that have swept the sector.
Sears: has been quietly closely more stores than it said it would.
Cut: Russia agrees on preliminary basis to extend cut in production when it is due to expire in June. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have already indicated the same (no previous link; I don't see this as news).
Shale doesn't matter?: From Reuters -- oil prices could tumble again on US shale influx. Shocked, I'm shocked! Memo to self: another note to Jane Nielson.
Record: US existing home sales surge in March -- reaching highs not seen since 2007.
Record: 1Q17 oil, gas M & A activity hit record $73 billion. Data points:
- due directly to Trump's policies
- the record represents a 160% increase in M & A
- includes the return of foreign capital in US shale assets
- deals: 53 were announced during the first quarter, a 36% increase year-over-year
- Permian Basin saw the greatest amount of activity: 20 deals in the Permian totaling over $20 billion; a new high for the play
- eleven (11) megadeals worth $62 billion were key to set the record
- the major plays (dollar amounts rounded):
- Bakken: 1 deal, $51 million
- Eagle Ford: 5 deals; $7 billion
- Permian: 20 deals; $20 billion
- Marcellus: 3 deals; $300 million
- Utica: 1 deal, $130 million
- After a winter that saw natural gas prices pop — and coal-use subsequently spike — the U.S. Energy Information Administration believes the cleaner fuel will retake the top spot when it comes to power generation this summer.
- Total generation will be lower this June, July and August, compared with last summer, but EIA believes gas' share will be about 34%, and coal's about 32%.
- While natural gas took over from coal the top spot in generation last year, the trend reversed itself during the winter. But as the weather warms up, federal officials expect that to change again. Milder weather this summer, however, is expected to keep generation 2.4% lower than last summer.