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Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is India’s most significant engineering outsourcer, with revenues topping $22 billion, more than fifty percent-a-million workforce scattered throughout 46 areas and, according to a single report from Model Finance, a prime-three globally rating amid the most precious brand names in its market. These are metrics that would make most marketers come to feel fairly cozy in their career. Quite a few would choose to keep the training course, rather than hoping to cleave a new route.
Nonetheless, for India’s $200 billion outsourcing business, the pandemic about the earlier two a long time has thrown a spoke in most plans. TCS, as the industry’s bellwether, has led the way in acquiring new approaches to industry itself—and the sector.
Main the way in this reinvention is Rajashree R., the firm’s main internet marketing officer, who owning served in the trenches as TCS’ world wide retail follow chief for the previous 15 several years, located herself catapulted into her new part just a month just after the pandemic strike India.
Whilst TCS functions with external businesses, the company’s in-household advertising staff is the motor driving substantially of its get the job done. Rajashree points out that the company does a great deal of its electronic marketing in-house (350 strategies and counting), has its own martech stack, and even manages social media and content material (50 to 60 white papers annually). Practically 50 percent of TCS’ creatives are also produced in-property.
“The concentration is on automating strategies and on information-driven marketing and advertising,” Rajashree tells Marketing campaign Asia-Pacific. “I invested virtually 15 a long time in the retail organization of TCS and I created products and solutions for [fields such as] artificial intelligence.… So I am bringing a small bit of my individual studying right here, but we truly want to be extremely info-pushed.”
“Our work is also to generate greater personalisation utilizing algorithms, (and) our aim is going to be on attaining scale by far more autonomous functions.”
Even though resourceful output also remains an significant aspect, how to get “a lot more and far more algorithmic about how we push advertising and marketing in our small business is heading to be a large concentration spot”, says Rajashree. Listed here the workforce has a crafted-in house benefit. “We have a entire-time chief technology officer for internet marketing in our device. We have a really highly developed workforce of facts scientists and industry experts in info to establish some of these algorithms.”
If advertising and marketing in the technological innovation marketplace is in-man or woman and gatherings-hefty for customers and staff members alike, the pandemic has pressured Rajashree to recast TCS’s marketing and advertising strategy, relocating concentrate away from conversations and imagery of “buildings, servers and folks,” and toward connecting more with “aspiration and human daily life”.
Rajashree contends that right until not long ago B2B has presented tech for the sake of tech, without talking about the relationship to human existence. Instead, she contends, the “entire message wants to be human and aspirational—to consumers and enterprises.” The obstacle for entrepreneurs, Rajashree provides, is “B2B ads are generally very indistinguishable.”
As aspect of this transition, TCS is altering the tone of its interaction from becoming largely B2B to becoming much more B2B2C. “So absolutely, it is really a changeover,” she says. “The way you concept, the way you connect your visuals, is unique.” For example, TCS did a campaign suitable in the middle of the pandemic—an eight-element television campaign—where the company took almost 2000 tv spots across India for its Transforming India sequence. This was potentially the to start with time a B2B manufacturer took this sort of a B2C technique.
Rajashree has experienced her endeavor slice out for her creating TCS’s brand name stand out in teh B2B sea of sameness. “In the everyday living of a citizen, TCS tends to make an impact across segments these kinds of as banking, insurance coverage, retail and grocery merchants and health and everyday living sciences and vaccine advancement,” she suggests. “We want the identification of a extremely humane model.” About a 12 months in the past, TCS kicked off this approach with its corporate brand name campaign named #TCSPartOfYourStory, showcasing stories of the company’s contribution to India’s electronic journey.
Then, in March 2021, 15 yrs following it introduced its ‘Experience certainty’ positioning, the agency refreshed its id with the ‘Building on belief’ featuring. The new manufacturer positioning aimed to encapsulate the collaborative job TCS plays in partnering with prospects about the long expression, leveraging its contextual know-how, its investments in investigate and innovation, and its technological know-how know-how to assist customers mature.
“If everything, the pandemic has definitely strengthened the message that know-how is an important force in the world today” she suggests. “What you discover with a great deal of B2B communication is that we present technology for the sake of engineering. So you talk about AI, you communicate about cloud…without seriously conversing about how that impacts human everyday living.” Rather, TCS’ approach with ‘Building on Belief’ is that we really want the manufacturer message to be human and aspirational.
A essential element of TCS’s repositioning has been to emphasis on its hundreds of thousands of workers worldwide. As a large greater part of its workforce has been homebound in the pandemic, a significant part of Rajashree’s time has been focused to pivoting her team’s personnel communication tactic to hold them engaged and energised. If swish campuses and places of work captivated leading talent to the business right until a short while ago, TCS has had to appear for other levers to drive staff engagement.
“Employees are our greatest brand name ambassadors,” states Rajashree. “Over the previous 18 months, we have drastically enhanced our employee conversation on a platform identified as 1 TCS, which presents multi-channel interaction together with an ‘America’s bought talent” format to assistance staff continue to be determined.”
With a young workforce and a major quantity of women staff, TCS is leaning on pop lifestyle and social media to maintain its messaging stylish. For example, the variety of followers on small business networking web-site LinkedIn has developed from close to 2.5 to 3 million to nearly 7 million in the past 18 months.
“We want to understand from popular society and be current in written content they listen to and observe,” Rajashree suggests. “So far more than the effects an advertisement marketing campaign can make, or a digital campaign can make, your workers turn into your major mouthpiece…. So it’s incredibly, very vital for us that we talk well to our personal staff.”
In Oct this calendar year, the company took a further step in this path when it launched the ‘TCS Perception Song’, which serves as a decide on-me-up for folks amidst the pandemic. Rajashree suggests that even though the track is meant to be a enthusiasm booster shot for employees—it capabilities TCS employees and their families—the firm’s identify is not pointed out at all, and she hopes it can catch on with a broader audience as well. TCS has even released the track on Spotify and Apple Audio as it hopes to make it common outside the house of its very own ecosystem.
Even as TCS has centered sharply above the past two several years on remote operations for consumers and personnel, the advertising team is now searching to an fast future with markets re-opening or at the very least functioning in a hybrid manner.
“All our marathons are happening bodily,” Rajashree says. “We are starting up to do some smaller sized customer activities as very well. But we are trying to keep them quite little. I consider again, in some feeling, marketing has to play a job into the journey back again to physical…and the stability will be somewhere in the center.” The organization is by now experimenting with function formats to enable its income teams get again on the street and assist the organisation back to a 50-50 harmony amongst remote and in-particular person marketing ideas.


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The recent Great American Trucking Show (GATS) in Dallas was a great venue for trucking industry professionals to “touch and feel” the new Giti TBR product line-up, and the response was very positive.
An estimated 30,000 owner operators, fleet managers and other trucking industry professionals attended the three-day show. The Giti booth was manned by Phillip Lucero and Gary Hendricks.
While all the Giti tires on display received favorable comments, the two new ultra-wide base tires — GDL633 FS for the drive axle position and the GTL933 FS for trailers in long haul applications – really turned heads.
“We had a lot of people stop and look at the ultra-wide base display,” Lucero noted. “They wanted to touch and feel the tires and their comments were very encouraging.”
Not only do the wide base tires look and feel great, but they are also performing well, according to a representative of Pilot Flying J who has been monitoring their tread wear performance on the company’s tankers.
“It was very good exposure for Giti commercial tires, which is very important with Giti being a new brand in the industry,” Lucero said.

domain: news


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Forget giving up sugar in tea, or putting a booze habit on hold this Lent: the Church of England wants congregations to give plastic the elbow.
The message has gone out to pick up a fountain pen, shop for a bamboo toothbrush and pop a set of cutlery in the car.
The climate-conscious commandment – or at least polite suggestions – to reduce plastic use in the run-up to Easter have gone out to all 42 diocese.
The call for churchgoers to swap disposable cups for reusable mugs and to switch back to old-fashioned bars of soap instead of the liquid variety in a plastic dispenser is already finding favour within the hierarchy in the South West.
The Bishop of Plymouth is supporting the plastic-free Lent idea and urging church members to do their bit to make Earth a little greener.
“I always use a fountain pen, and we use ordinary soap at home,” said the Right Reverend Nick McKinnel. Using a pen and pot of ink avoids throwaway plastic ballpoints.
“I think there are some very useful ideas. There are some people I know who take all the plastic packaging off their fruit and vegetables in the supermarket before they get to the till.”
The church advice also includes advising people to stream films, TV shows and music online instead of buying DVDs and CDs, and to avoid using the mini bar for drinks and snacks when staying in hotels, warning that they are “not only incredibly expensive but they all come in plastic packages or bottles”.
The guide was put out by Ruth Knight, the church’s environmental policy manager and contains a suggestion for every day of Lent.
One idea is to carry reusable bags, another to have your own cutlery with you, and leaving a set in the car.
Clothes with synthetic fibres should be avoided – each wash produces thousands of tiny particles that ultimately end up in the ocean, where plastic waste is harming wildlife.
Bishop Nick said he was one of many who were shocked at the environmental damage done by plastic that was highlighted by the BBC series, Blue Planet II, which inspired the Church of England advice.
“I would put this in with ‘caring for creation’,” said Bishop Nick who is an assistant to the head of the diocese, the Bishop of Exeter, the Right Reverend Robert Atwell.
“It is the poor who are hit the hardest by pollution and waste generally.”


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Novak Djokovic visits Uniqlo in NYC
Novak Djokovic, who lost against Roger Federer in the last Cincinnati finals with a score of 6-0, 7-6, is now preparing for the US Open, and also visited his sportswear brand shop, Uniqlo, in New York City.
Uniqlo is a Japanese brand that was first created in 1974, and now is a very popular clothing store throughout Japan. Uniqlo has gotten some attention after Novak Djokovic contracted with Uniqlo for his sportswear. Uniqlo is also contracted with Kei Nishikori, who is ranked 18th in the current rankings and is a Japanese tennis player. Novak Djokovic contracted with Uniqlo before the French Open in 2012, which he unfortunately lost against Rafael Nadal. However, Rafael Nadal will not be playing in this year’s US Open, which is a great chance for Novak, but it is also a great handicap for Novak’s rival, Roger Federer, as well.
Back to the topic. Novak Djokovic visited a Uniqlo shop located in New York City on August 22nd, and many fans crowded the area, trying to take a look at the world’s former number 1 (currently number 2) tennis player. Novak Djokovic uploaded a photo on Facebook which showed what he will be wearing in the US Open for this year.
The colors are mostly white and blue, with some red strips along his side. I like the design for this sportswear, as it reminds me a little of the tennis anime, “Prince of Tennis.” The sportswear shown above will be released once the US Open begins, which is on August 27th. Here is also another photo that I found on Djokovic’s Facebook account.
That’s all for today’s scoop, but I would like to announce that we have a new author, Diego Bocanegra. He will be posting some articles on the site, while advertising a betting website as he goes along. Please note that the sites that he posts are not supported by CLN. Anyways, welcome Diego!
See you all tomorrow.


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Search For "trade ministers meet"
Updated : 2 months ago IST
New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday that nations which trust each other are increasingly coming together to build global supply chains and it is trust and transparency which determine the sustainability of global supply chains.
Updated : 10 months, 2 weeks ago IST
Brasilia [Brazil], Nov 12 (ANI): Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal attended the 9th BRICS trade ministers meet in Brasilia on Tuesday during which he deliberated on the global economic climate with his counterparts from other member nations.
Updated : 10 months, 3 weeks ago IST
New Delhi [India], Nov 9 (ANI): Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will attend the 9th BRICS trade ministers meet being held at Brazil's capital city of Brasilia next week, according to an official statement released on Saturday.
Updated : 1 year, 1 month ago IST
Beijing [China], Aug 4 (ANI): The Ministers from the 16 countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have called on the member states to find pragmatic and solution-oriented approaches to narrow divergence on the various remaining issues of the trade pact.
Updated : 3 years, 1 month ago IST
New Delhi [India], Oct 13 (ANI): India will today host a meeting of the BRICS trade ministers here in New Delhi, during which the leaders will adopt a framework to enhance economic co-operation among the member nations.


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Xiaomi just launched the Redmi K20 series in India. It has been some weeks since the Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro have arrived in the country and looks like the company has already started working on future Redmi phones that it is going to bring to India. The next Redmi phone that is going to come to India will have a 64MP camera, the company has officially announced. The name of this 64MP camera phone is still a mystery but rumours suggest it could be the Redmi Note 8. Following the 64MP camera phone Xiaomi will bring a 100MP camera phone. This also the company has officially confirmed.
Earlier this week Xiaomi confirmed the Redmi 64MP camera phone that was being talked about a lot in the past. The company also officially confirmed that the Redmi 64MP camera phone will launch in India in Q4 of 2019. This means that the Redmi 64MP camera phone will go official between October and December this year in the country. We at India Today Tech predict an October launch considering Realme has confirmed to launch its 64MP camera phone before Diwali -- which means around October and November.
On Thursday Realme announced its 64MP camera technology and said that the phone will come with four rear cameras. Some rumours suggest that the Redmi 64MP camera phone will come with quad-camera setup on the back panel. The rumours may be true considering rival Realme will also launch a 64MP camera phone with four cameras on the back. Redmi and Realme will leave no stones unturned to compete with one another.
Announcing the 64MP camera technology Redmi has confirmed that the upcoming smartphone will use high-resolution 64MP Samsung GW1 sensor. Interestingly the upcoming Realme 64MP camera phone will also use 64MP Samsung GW1 sensor as its primary camera. Realme has confirmed that the upcoming 64MP camera phone from the company will include a high-resolution 64MP Samsung GW1 sensor, an ultra-wide-angle camera, a 4cm macro lens and a 2x telephoto camera. Xiaomi is yet to reveal details about all the cameras that will be present in the Redmi 64MP camera phone. We expect the company to announce more details about its 64MP camera phone in the days to come.
Xiaomi announces that the 64MP camera will pack almost 38 per cent more pixels and will be able to click "brighter, vibrant and more detailed" pictures when compared to 48MP camera. This indirectly suggests that the camera of the upcoming Redmi phone will be much better than the Redmi Note 7 Pro and Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro as these phones use 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor. In addition, Xiaomi has also revealed that the 64MP image sensor will be as large as 1/1.7" and come with ISOCELL, Smart ISO and Hybrid 3D HDR capabilities. "Our #Redmi #64MP camera will redefine the way you've been experiencing the smartphone camera," Xiaomi India's Managing Director Manu Jain says.
Redmi has confirmed that it will be one of the first brands in the world to launch a "class-leading #64MP camera" phone. There are Realme and Samsung in the competition too. As noted earlier, Realme has confirmed that its 64MP camera phone will launch before Diwali in India. Rumours also suggest Samsung is working on a 64MP camera smartphone very soon. For now, we aren't aware which of the three brands will be the first one to launch a 64MP camera phone but all three companies want to lead the competition.


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Irvine-based Advantage Solutions acquired ecommerce specialist Sage Tree LLC in Naperville, Ill. on undisclosed terms.
All four Orange County-based automakers exceeded the national sales pace for new vehicles in May, according to New Jersey-based market researcher Autodata Corp.
RETAIL: Kaleidoscope seeks ‘experiential’ stores for bare spots
A recent visit to Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo felt like showing up to a party two days early.
Hires Real Estate Firm To Rustle Up the Right Mix
Lynwood-based M+D Properties, developer of the Source at Beach in Buena Park, hired the Los Angeles office of Madison Marquette real estate investment management firm to help identify additional tenants for its 428,000-square-foot shopping center.
Slow Growth Comes As Biggest Tweak Leadership
A lot can happen in a year, and the past 12 months were no exception for the 53 largest apparel companies based in Orange County. The top three on this week’s Business Journal list are under new leadership, one emerged from bankruptcy, and several others have traded hands. A few firms also notched significant local staffing changes, the metric the list is based on.
Shares of Tilly’s Inc. in Irvine were up 12% in midday trading Thursday following a first quarter report that exceeded Wall Street expectations on revenue and despite a higher-than-expected loss.
Globetrotting Exec Wants to Redefine Mazda
Masahiro Moro—or Moro-san as employees at Mazda North American Operations call him—reclined at his office in Irvine, where a picture of a red RX-Vision concept sports car Mazda Motor Corp. introduced in October at the Tokyo Motor Show hung on the wall directly across from his desk.
Event Showcased SoCal, Vietnam-Based Designers
Viet Fashion Week, showcasing designers of Vietnamese heritage, was held over the weekend outside the Westminster Mall.
RETAIL: SF-based private equity firm lined up as stalking horse
The fate of Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. could be decided in a bankruptcy auction that’s scheduled for next month, with a stalking-horse bid in place and the possibility of additional interest in the Anaheim-based teen apparel and accessories retailer on the horizon.
Was Premier Sponsor Of Recent Mom 2.0 Summit
Kia Motors America Inc. in Irvine was the presenting sponsor and official transportation sponsor of the Mom 2.0 Summit at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point last month.
Gymboree Exec Divides Time, Conquers Challenges
Kimberly Sentovich looks at every day as a pie, slicing each as she sees fit, and almost never coming up with equal pieces for her work duties and personal life.
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. said it will take a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corp., the parent company of Cypress-based Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc., for about $2.2 billion.
The Orange County Visitors Association in Irvine has added a “Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions” effort to its Beijing office.
Brand Hopes New Skate Circuit Will Lead to Tokyo Games
Vans Inc. is betting its future on what some consider a lifestyle rather than a sport.
Campaign Encourages DIYers’ Self-Expression
Paint maker Behr Process Corp. in Santa Ana released a flight of four TV spots that celebrate self-expression and aim to “inspire DIYers to transform their homes with colors that bring them joy,” according to Jodi Allen, the brand’s chief marketing officer. “This campaign is all about finding a color that’s right for you with paint that will give you a beautiful, lasting finish and a space that is all your own.”
Autobytel Inc. in Irvine reported mixed results for its March quarter, exceeding Wall Street expectations on revenue but delivering below forecasts on earnings
Working Wardrobes, a non-profit that provides career training, job placement assistance and professional wardrobe services, is moving from Costa Mesa to Irvine.
Three of four Orange County-based automakers exceeded the national sales pace for new vehicle sales in April, according to New Jersey-based market researcher Autodata Corp.
San Clemente-based Stance Inc. received $30 million in Series D funding led by Mercato Partners in Salt Lake City.
Chain Takes Advantage Of On-Air Banter
Boot Barn Inc. in Irvine recently hired country music star Kelsea Ballerini as the face of women’s apparel brand Shyanne, but the real buzz is coming from its employee who is competing on NBC’s “The Voice.”
New Line Launches in Time to Catch Buzz of Summer Olympics
It’s not your mother’s aqua aerobics, but both of you are welcome to join in.
Midlothian, Texas-based Ennis Inc. said it plans to sell Alstyle Apparel LLC in Anaheim to the newly formed Alstyle Operations LLC for $76 million in cash and $12 million to cover a 60-month equipment lease.
Cypress-based Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. said the fuel economy data for its vehicles model years 2013 to 2017 sold in the U.S. is accurate and is not affected by testing irregularities its Japan-based parent revealed last week.
Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. named Ernie Sibal its chief financial officer after Chris Tedford resigned “to pursue other endeavors.”
Mini Mystery Plots ‘Purple Surveillance’ Heroism
Ads for Irvine-based Western Digital Corp.’s Purple Surveillance Drive appeal to IT professionals’ inner geek—the product “saves the day” while starring in a comic strip.
A new marketing campaign by Irvine-based Kelley Blue Book aims to help the 90-year-old company build a reputation as a “go-to resource” for new-car buyers, alongside its longstanding status as a guide on used-car valuations.
Gourmet Grocer Anchors Unique Mix at Center
Developer Regency Centers wanted to build more than just another strip mall in Brea—it envisioned a retail and dining hub that prompts nearby residents to abandon the comforts of online shopping and walk over for a bite or a drink with a neighbor. It also had to stand apart from the surrounding offerings, a plethora of middle-of-the-road chain stores and restaurants that often make one street corner look like the next.
Boot Barn Adjusts as Energy Sector’s Cuts Trickle Down to Core Customers
What does the price of oil have to do with sales at Irvine-based Boot Barn Holdings Inc.?
Jim Graham, owner of Santa Margarita Ford, acquired Santa Margarita Toyota from John Dinsmore.
Digital First Media expanded Brian Calle’s duties as opinion editor at the Orange County Register in Santa Ana and Riverside-based Press-Enterprise to include oversight of the editorial board and opinion content for its entire Southern California News Group.
Volcom Taps Agency Vet as Head of Women’s Business
Volcom Inc. in Costa Mesa picked agency vet Lyndsey Roach as its global head of women’s business, a new position.
Luxe Brand’s Americas Head Puts Promotion in High Gear
Laura Schwab’s latest marketing move resembles a Depression-era anecdote about a mother feeding a whole family with one potato.
MEDIA: New owner sees route to profits as renter with 11 SoCal dailies
Digital First Media holds the reins at the Orange County Register, but the 14.3 acres surrounding the daily newspaper’s operations at 625 N. Grand Ave. in Santa Ana went to developer Mike Harrah for $34 million.
Year of Corporate Tweaks; Advantage Remains No. 1
Orange County’s largest advertising agencies posted an estimated 12.8% gain in revenue last year, the second consecutive year the group has surpassed the $1 billion benchmark.
MARKETING: LPGA deal benefits from schedule shift
Yokohama Tire Corp.’s namesake Ladies Professional Golf Association tournament will help decide who will compete in the Rio Summer Olympics—a task that’s necessary for the first time since the sport was removed from the Olympic lineup 112 years ago.
30 Biggest Combine to Stay About Even at $618M
The local printing industry isn’t dead, but it’s not growing either. That’s the takeaway from a review of Orange County’s 30 largest commercial printers, which combined for $617.7 million in sales last year, about the same as in 2014.
Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. in Anaheim filed for bankruptcy protection and said it will convert debt into equity for creditor Golden Gate Capital.
Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. is preparing to file for bankruptcy next week, according to news reports.
Winners Move to Next Round in Contest
The American Advertising Federation of Orange County held its annual awards ceremony at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana.
Cargigi Inc. in Irvine was acquired by eBay Inc. on undisclosed terms.
TECHNOLOGY: Avetta helps companies vet suppliers
PICS Auditing LLC, an Irvine-based software-as-a-service company that specializes in prequalification of vendors, dropped the Pacific Industrial Contactor Screening acronym and rebranded itself Avetta.
Only one of four Orange County-based automakers exceeded the national sales pace for new vehicles in March, according to New Jersey-based market researcher Autodata Corp.
Digital First Media’s Executive Editor Frank Pine will be in charge of the Orange County Register in Santa Ana and the Press-Enterprise in Riverside, according to sources close to the matter.
Freedom Communications Inc. Chief Executive Rich Mirman was let go Thursday along with about 70 staffers, including Editor and Senior Vice President of Content Rob Curley; Vice President of Circulation Bruce Blair; and Lake Trout, senior vice president of sales.
The Outlets at Orange said it will add a Bloomingdale’s outlet to its 120-tenant lineup at a shopping center in Orange.
Digital First Media, the new owner of the Orange County Register, has parted ways with several members of prior owner Freedom Communications Inc.’s senior management team, according to sources close to the matter.
Cargigi Inc. in Irvine was acquired by eBay Inc. on undisclosed terms.
The Wet Seal LLC in Irvine hired Judd Tirnauer as its executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective May 1.
Adaptive Medias Inc. in Irvine said it plans to combine with AdSupply Inc. and move its headquarters to Culver City.
Features French Drawings, LA-Produced Soundtrack
Cypress-based action sports footwear and apparel brand Vans Inc. launched The Story of Vans, a marketing campaign that combines “a mix of artistic methods to highlight iconic moments from the brand’s 50-year history.” It includes five short videos—one depicting “the journey of the Vans brand” and four others that “emphasize Vans’ core forms of creative expression.”


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The music-streaming company could double the amount of funding it has, which might lead to a delayed IPO.
The Internet Archive has released a library of 2,314 classic MS-DOS games that you can download and play for free in a browser-based emulator.
Bill Nye and The Planetary Society want to propel a spacecraft by bouncing the sun's photons off it. The first test of such a craft will take place this May.
Just in time for the Super Bowl, the league launches a YouTube channel and unveils a new partnership with YouTube's parent Google.
By using HTML5 by default to deliver YouTube video, Google helps the Web root out Adobe's Flash. The next challenge for the Web: competing with mobile apps.
Cards Against Humanity's weird holiday promotion resulted in the death of Santa Claus, an apocalyptic lizard uprising and the carving up of a private island in Maine.
It's unlikely to dethrone major names like Chrome and IE, but CEO Jon von Tetzchner hopes Vivaldi will attract power users who want a full-featured PC browser.
Mozilla is on a path to add core virtual reality support to their Firefox browser, and Khail and Ashley are "scarexcited" about it. Will we ever leave the internet if we can experience it in a VR headset?
The newest competitor to Internet Explorer comes from Microsoft itself. Project Spartan is the company's take on browsing in Windows 10.
Sony Pictures gets the controversial film online a day before it hits some theaters. Eager viewers can rent the film for $6 or buy it for $15.


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Nothing tastes sweeter than your success
...and nowhere is it easier to seal your success in this industry than at ProSweets Cologne – the international supplier fair for the confectionery industry. After all, the entire industry will meet in Cologne 27th till 30th January to present innovations and new technologies for production processes and packaging to an expert audience.
Click here for further information and to register for ProSweets 2013
Forty-eight hours after Tesco CEO Philip Clarke signalled the UK retailer was likely to quit the US (a move broadly welcomed in the City), a former colleague central to the venture provided a rare glimpse into the personal effect such decisions can have.
"On my way to Cheshunt as an ex-employee," Tim Mason, a Tesco executive of 30 years, wrote on Twitter on Friday afternoon. Mason, who helped lead the retailer's move into the US and became CEO of its Fresh & Easy chain in the market, said a former colleague had "cried" the last time they drove down the road on which Tesco HQ resides. "We will see," Mason, who was also Tesco's chief marketing officer and deputy CEO, added.
News of Mason's exit from Tesco came on Wednesday as the UK's largest retailer announced a "strategic review" of its Fresh & Easy business.
Clarke said Tesco had done "all it could" for Fresh & Easy, which despite hundreds of millions of pounds of investment, has still yet to make a profit. The Tesco boss said the retailer was "considering all options" for the chain, including teaming up with a "partner" to "develop" the business. However, he admitted Tesco was likely to quit the US five years after it opened its first Fresh & Easy store.
In a statement to accompany the announcement of the review, Clarke pointed to the impact the financial crisis had on the West Coast, where Tesco has targeted Fresh & Easy. Speaking to reporters hours later, he refused to be drawn on the specific reasons why the chain had not met expectations.
However, Clarke did reveal he decided Mason should leave the business. "I didn't think it was appropriate for Tim to lead the review. I wanted a fresh pair of eyes to lead the process."
Mason is the latest senior Tesco executive to leave the retailer. Among those who have moved on include Richard Brasher, the former head of the company's UK business, who quit in March after Clarke wanted to "take a much closer involvement" in its under-performing domestic operations.
On Wednesday, Clarke indicated he believed Tesco was seeing the benefits of its massive GBP1bn (US$1.6bn) investment programme to revitalise its UK business. He said he was "really pleased" with the performance of its UK food business. "Although it's still early days, the offer is improving and the consumer is starting to respond," he said.
Tesco's third-quarter underlying sales in the UK were down 0.6%. In the first half of the retailer's financial year, they were down 0.7%. That said, the latest data from Kantar Worldpanel showed Tesco's share of the UK grocery market was lower year-on-year in the 12 weeks to 25 November. Elsewhere, Tesco is facing challenges in non-food.
It is Tesco's UK performance that, in large part, explains why it has decided to consider quitting the US. If Tesco's UK business was thriving and seeing off the competition, perhaps Clarke may have persevered for a bit longer with Fresh & Easy. But Tesco still faces a battle in the UK and ultimately Clarke has decided the time is likely to be up for the retailer's American venture.
On Friday evening, Mason took to Twitter again. "Happy to report no tears. Great to see a few people. Onwards and upwards, fight on."
A sentiment Mason and his former boss will no doubt share as one of Tesco's more challenging chapters draws to a close.
Until next time...


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The dust has settled and now it’s time to share our Prime Day 2021 results!
Bobsled is one of the Marketplace Pulse Top 100 most important companies in the ecommerce marketplaces ecosystem, and we’ve been guiding our clients through Prime Day since 2015. In today’s post, we’ve aggregated some key Prime Day insights across our 80+ client accounts surrounding event participation, category trends, promo type preference, ad performance, and total sales. We have also shared some macro Prime Day insights from our ad tech partner Pacvue.
How does your brand’s Prime Day performance compare? Read on to find out!
What the analysts are saying
CNBC claimed that Prime Day 2021 was more muted compared to prior years. In 2020 Amazon disclosed that third-party sellers brought in $3.5 billion during the event, but this year Amazon opted not to share any hard numbers.
Adobe Analytics estimated that total Prime Day 2021 sales surpassed $11 billion, that’s a 6.1% growth compared to 2020. Some factors that impacted this year’s event include;
- Rising US inflation likely made some shoppers more cautious
- The current shipping crisis in China hurt supply chains
- Last year Prime Day took place in Q4 for the very first time. In 2021, the event returned to the summertime, which seemed to excite many shoppers. However, it is likely that many shoppers who spent big in 2020 were not in a position to spend as aggressively in 2021.
With that all being said, the Bobsled project team agrees that Prime Day 2021 sales were strong, aligning with our pre-event expectations.
Prime Day 2021 – Bobsled Client ParticipatioN
Over half of Bobsled’s clients participated in Prime Day 2021 by running various types of promos. The vast majority of participating brands promoted their entire Amazon product catalog.
|Prime Day 2021 Approach||Percentage of Bobsled clients|
|Promoted entire product catalog||30.9%|
|Promoted half of product catalog||10.9%|
|Promoted best selling SKUs only||16.4%|
|Showed last-minute interest||5.5%|
|Low inventory levels prevented participation||10.9%|
|Did not want to participate||25.5%|
There were some noticeable differences in approach across categories. Brands selling within Health & Personal Care, Grocery & Gourmet Food, and Beauty were far more inclined to promote their entire catalog.
Brands selling within Tools & Home Improvement and Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry were more likely to ignore the event, and if they did choose to participate, they generally only promoted a handful of bestselling SKUs.
In terms of deal type, Coupons and Prime Exclusive Discounts (PEDs) were by far the most popular promos run by Bobsled clients.
Amazon Prime Day 2021 Performance Data
Average PPC impressions for Bobsled clients was 329,349 on Day 1 and 333443 on Day 2 of Prime Day. This marks an increase of approximately 283% from the rolling 14-day average.
Average PPC Clicks for Bobsled clients was 1,185 on Day 1 and 1,205 on Day 2 of Prime Day. This marks an increase of approximately 255% from the rolling 14-day average.
The average PPC CTR percentage for Bobsled clients was 0.69% on Day 1 and then this normalized to 0.45% on Day 2.
The average PPC Ad Spend for Bobsled clients was $1,499 on Day 1 and $1,583 on Day 2 of Prime Day. This marks an increase of approximately 338% from the rolling 14-day average.
Average PPC Ad Sales for Bobsled clients was $10,478 on Day 1 and $10,065 on Day 2 of Prime Day. This marks an increase of approximately 464% from the rolling 14-day average.
Average Total Sales for Bobsled clients was $14,393 on Day 1 and $14,573 on Day 2 of Prime Day. This marks an increase of approximately 267% from the rolling 14-day average.
Pacvue Prime Day 2021 CPC Report
The following information has been sourced from first-party data from Pacvue, Bobsled’s ad tech provider. It includes data from hundreds of advertisers across small, mid-sized, and large brands and every major product category.
Pacvue’s Key Prime Day 2021 Findings:
- Ad spend increased 38% year-over-year for Prime Day 2021.
- Broken out by ad type, ad spend increased 41% for Sponsored Products and 28% for Sponsored Brands year-over-year.
- ROAS declined 9% year-over-year for Sponsored Products on the first day of Prime Day. This is in line with the 6% year-over-year decline in ROAS seen in Pacvue’s Q1 2021 CPC report.
- ROAS increased 30% year-over-year for Sponsored Brands on the first day of Prime Day and increased 23% on the second day. This is a marked shift for Sponsored Brand ads, which have been declining in ROAS for three quarters and were down 12% year-over-year in Pacvue’s Q1 2021 CPC report.
- Many advertisers noted that Sponsored Brand Video performed particularly well this year, with increased placements above the fold and on product detail pages.
- CPCs increased about 25% year-over-year for Sponsored Products and were relatively flat for Sponsored Brands.
- While some leading brands have been experiencing supply chain issues and chose not to invest in Prime Day this year, many advertisers noted increased competition from smaller and emerging sellers, which pushed up the cost of advertising.
🔔 Pacvue will be hosting a webinar called Prime Day 2021 CPC Report: Inventory Limits and Back-to-School on Wed June 30 – sign up here!
PRIME DAY HAS ENDED – WHAT NOW?
Brands that invested marketing and advertising budget into Prime Day should be looking to capitalize on the halo effect from the spike in sales. On the other hand, brands that didn’t participate are now playing catch up.
To figure out your next move, read our article from earlier this week – What Should Brands Do After Prime Day Ends?
If you need further assistance diving into your Prime Day numbers, don’t hesitate to book a free consultation below. The Bobsled team will be able to use our internal data sets to benchmark your performance compared to other brands selling within your category.
Tagged: Amazon Account Management


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People are realizing more every day that all those derivative markets are fraud. The crypto market is waiting for BAKKT to launch physical Bitcoin futures and many think that this will start a new bull run in the crypto market. On the other side, we have a patent application from Mastercard for a fractional reserve Bitcoin banking which many think that will increase the Bitcoin supply from 21 million to 210 million.
Some days ago we wrote an article about Mastercard applying for a patent for Fractional Reserve Cryptocurrency Bank — Application 20180308092
But what is Fractional Reserve Banking?
What fractional reserve means in simple words is increasing the paper supply of something that has a limited supply like gold and bitcoin for example. Imagine a device that is able to create unlimited bitcoins!
This is how the fractional reserve multiplies money:
The Multiplier Effect
Let take a simple example:
Bob deposits $1000 in his bank account. The banks hold a $100 dollar reserve and issue a $900 dollar loan. Alice gets this $900 loan and goes to buy a product for $900 from Steve. Steve deposits $900 in his bank account. The banks hold a $90 dollar reserve and issue an $810 dollar loan. And the cycle can repeat over and over again creating unlimited supply and inflation decreasing the value of the money.
Bitcoin and many cryptocurrencies might have limited supply but the “Fathers of our Financial System” invented ways to create unlimited supply even from things like gold and silver and of course bitcoin. Meanwhile, Bitcoin came to solve the problem of the unlimited supply that the traditional financial system creates causing the Great Depression in the 1930s and The Great Recession in 2008. The Fathers of our Financial System” are trying to solve the Bitcoin scarcity creating a fractional reserve banking for Bitcoin.
Derivatives can create an unlimited supply
I found this interesting discussion on Twitter between @officialmcafee and @Super_Crypto on November 30, 2017, before the launch of CME and CBOE on December 2017 when bitcoin price hit the top record $20.000.
Mathematically, more than 21 million Bitcoins cannot possibly be created.
— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) November 30, 2017
They first launched Futures in the past year which brought down the cryptocurrency market by 75% (in December 2017 the total market capitalization was 800 billion and at the time of writing is 200 billion) and now with the volume increase, comes the idea if the fractional reserve.
Practically with this patent, Mastercard will be able to create 10 times more Bitcoin supply than the Bitcoins they will hold in their reserve which is 10%.
However nothing in the world is perfect, will come a day when this Ponzi scheme will end. Until that time comes FR and banks will continue to rule our financial system.
Sometimes the road just ends…..
Sometimes the road just ends… and you either hit a wall or fall right off a cliff. [PT]
What do you think will be the effect in the crypto market in the case this patent gets approved?
Feel free to post your opinion in the comments below.


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Just for the pleasure, a selection of vintage control rooms dating back to the Soviet era! A beautiful collection of control rooms filled with large buttons and analog dials, long before the democratization of computers and screens.
Adapted from our book and video series, Refactoring UI.
These people may look familiar, like ones you’ve seen on Facebook or Twitter. Or people whose product reviews you’ve read on Amazon, or dating profiles you’ve seen on Tinder.
Bookmark (Bloomberg Opinion) — In an anecdote often attributed to President John F. Kennedy’s father, the moment he knew to get out of the 1920s stock market boom was when he started receiving share tips f…
If a website offers you to sign-in using Google (or any third-party service, say Facebook, Github, etc.), don’t use that feature.
But this year, Musk set off on the most difficult mission of all. An expedition that has nothing to do with space, or fossil fuels, or coronavirus, or saving the lives of 7.7 billion people.
The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed virtually every aspect of life around the globe.
Comprehensive time tracking software with invoicing, reporting, payments, and more. Promate Education,Access and Opportunities that increase Diversity and Inclusion in Cycling.
Although the stereotypical scientist stays in the lab, most researchers spend at least some time studying their subject out in the field. Geologists visit volcanoes, botanists retreat to rain forests, and oceanographers swim the seas.
Researchers at MIT have used machine learning to create software capable of detecting whether a person has caught COVID-19 by analyzing their cough, a development that could eventually result in an iPhone app for daily checks.
Raspberry Pi has always been a PC company. Inspired by the home computers of the 1980s, our mission is to put affordable, high-performance, programmable computers into the hands of people all over the world.
Neuroscientists see unmet demand for technologies that detect and translate neural signals to help people with mobility problems
A lot of commentary has followed the launch of the iPhone 12, some of it praising Apple for going back to the old design and some complaining about Apple’s inability to do something different from a design perspective.
SpaceX is expanding the beta test of its Starlink satellite internet service, reaching out via email on Monday to people who expressed interest in signing up for the service.
When the country shut down and the highways thinned out, a stealthy group of amateur car obsessives glimpsed an opportunity to revive the fabled cannonball run—the highly daring, absurdly illegal cross-country endurance race.
Between things like camera shake and poor lighting, the videos you take with your phone, DSLR or mirrorless camera can end up blurry for any numbers of reasons. Worse yet, it’s difficult to sharpen a photo or video after the fact, and more often than not, the results don’t look great.
“History is the record of man’s steps and slips. It shows us that the steps have been slow and slight; the slips, quick and abounding.” – B.H. Hart An important thing that explains a lot of things is that good news takes time but bad news happens instantly.
With the unveiling of its latest autonomous test vehicle, Ford believes it’s one step closer to offering a commercial self-driving car service (via NBC News).


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Here are the details on the new Ford recall on their F-150 line.
In a statement on their website, the company explained that the affected trucks have frozen door latches or a bent or kinked actuation cable. These issues can prevent the door from opening and closing properly.
Even when the doors appear closed, there is a chance they may not have latched. This increases the risk that the door could come open while driving, which presents a safety issue.
Ford will repair the affected trucks for free, at an estimated cost of $267 million to the company.
Your truck is subject to the recall if it is:
- A 2015-2017 F-150 built in the Kansas City Assembly Plant OR the Dearborn Assembly Plant from March 12, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2016.
- A 2017 Super Duty built in the Kentucky Assembly Plant from Oct. 8, 2015 to Sept. 1, 2016.
The reference number for the recall is 17S33. For more information, visit the Ford website.
The F-series trucks have been a best-seller for the historic automobile maker. The Michigan auto giant recently released their most expensive truck yet, a 2018 F-series Super Duty that costs nearly $100,000 when fully loaded.


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PUBG creator Krafton to use IPO proceeds to invest in India
Krafton's goal is to attain a leadership position pre-emptively in high-growth emerging markets such as India and the Middle East, The Korea Herald quoted Krafton CEO Kim Chang-han as saying.
Battlegrounds Mobile India esports with Rs 1 crore prize begins July 19
The in-game qualifiers start on August 2 and end of August 8 and any ...
Battle-ready: PUBG comes calling, in a new avatar
Last fortnight, the game's publisher Krafton was forced to allay fresh concerns over the tr...
Krafton officially launches Battlegrounds Mobile in India to repeat PUBG success
Battlegrounds Mobile India is now available for download on the Google Play Store in India, publisher Krafton says. Almost 40 million signed up for the game since pre-registrations opened on May 14.
PlaySimple makes it rain
From PlaySimple's acquisition to Licious's new fundraise and Robinhood's IPO, here's a quick look at the top tech news today.
Krafton said it was working to comply fully with Indian laws and regulations in the lead up to the official launch of the mobile game version of the banned PUBG
PUBG's India business faces the China threat, again
According to IGN, data of Battlegrounds Mobile India players is being sent to servers of China Mobile Communications Corp. in Beijing. The game pings the server of Chinese technology company Tencent Holdings while booting up.
PUBG mobile back in India with green blood, new name
Months of long wait for PUBG Mobile game lovers has officially ended with the return of ...
PUBG maker Krafton aims for up to $5 billion in South Korea's biggest IPO
The Krafton IPO will offer for purchase 10 million shares, including 7 million new shares and 3 million existing shares, of the company at an indicative range of 458,000-557,000 won per share.
PUBG maker targets up to $5b in South Korea's biggest IPO
Tencent-backed Krafton said in a regulatory filing it expected to offer 10 million shares, or 7 million new shares and 3 million existing shares, at an indicative range of 458,000-557,000 won per share.
Battlegrounds Mobile India clocks 20 mn pre-registrations in two weeks
Battlegrounds Mobile India, a localised version of PUBG Mobile, received 7.6 million pre-registrations on its opening day and 20 million in two weeks, South Korean publisher Krafton says.
Remodelled PUBG version Battlegrounds Mobile clocks 20 million pre-registrations in 2 weeks
In September last year, PUBG Mobile, which was then published in India by Chinese internet giant Tencent, was banned along with other Chinese apps amid a prolonged border standoff between the neighbours.
'Ban' fears echo on social media as Big Tech clashes with government
Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter are flooded with hashtags and posts calling for a ban on them in India or defending them.
Battlegrounds Mobile India set to make online gaming big again in India
The launch of Battlegrounds Mobile India (PUBG Mobile India) is expected to not only boost India’s online gaming ecosystem, but also revive the fortunes of millions of gamers who built successful careers on top of it.
Arunachal MLA calls for a ban on Battlegrounds Mobile India, PUBG Mobile’s new version
In a letter to PM Narendra Modi, Ninong Ering says Battlegrounds Mobile India, the local version of Krafton’s PUBG Mobile, will once again give China’s Tencent Holdings access to the Indian market.
PUBG Mobile India pre-registrations start on Google Play store
Designed for Indian players, Battlegrounds Mobile India (PUBG Mobile India) offers specific rewards on pre-registration, which can be claimed after the official launch.
PUBG to relaunch in India as Battleground Mobile India
PUBG developer Krafton will have to make up lost ground in the esports segment, as several gamers and esports organisations have shifted to other titles like Sea’s Garena Free Fire, Activision Blizzard’s COD: Mobile, & SuperCell’s Clash of Clans.
Return of PUBG
From PUBG plotting return to India, to Uber's India biz being hit by second wave and NPCI refusing to block crypto trades, here's a quick look at the top tech news today.
FAU-G: 'Made in India' online game now globally available on Google play store
Online multiplayer action game 'FAU-G: Fearless and United Gua...


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BusinessWeek has a feature article on Facebook & Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook goes public today, May 18th & its more than likely the company would be valued north of $100 billion. The thing I respect Zuckerberg for, is how he managed to stay in control of the company when everyone wanted a share in FB. A former VP of Global sales has this to share
“Control is incredibly important to Mark, and not because he runs things like a dictator. Control for him is more about his belief that in the long run, his perspective on the company and what he hopes it can become would be something that very few people could understand.”
It’s a well-known fact that Facebook hasn’t had quite the same success in mobile & their acquisition of Instagram for $1 billion was to change that. On that note, here’s a WTF fact
One person close to Facebook partly attributes the company’s mobile fumbling to Zuckerberg’s long affection for the BlackBerry, which he traded in for an iPhone in 2010.
Here’s an infographic on who earns how much if FB hits its $100 billion valuation


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A $3.6 billion-asset California thrift company said it has an agreement with the Office of Thrift Supervision under which it must reduce its exposure to rising interest rates, strengthen its loan underwriting standards, and fill two open spots on its board.
Los Angeles-based PBOC Holdings Inc. said it does not expect the order to affect its pending application to convert to a state-chartered bank. It has begun efforts to comply with the order, it said.
PBOC said it began tightening underwriting standards for consumer and commercial loans last year as it shifted focus away from residential mortgages and hired three top executives this spring to administer the consumer and commercial departments. PBOC president Rudolf P. Guenzel said the thrift had also started to reduce interest rate risk before the order.
Mr. Guenzel also said he soon plans to name two outside directors to round out the company's board at nine members.


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Next week sees the official consumer launch of the Oculus Quest VR headset, and content is actively being prepared for the new platform. Today, Google has confirmed that YouTube VR will be ready for Oculus Quest in time for the product’s release.
Just in time for the May 21st release of the Oculus Quest, Google says that YouTube VR will be ready on the platform for customers to download right away.
This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as YouTube VR is already available on other Oculus hardware including the Rift and Go. The app is also on Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR. As with those releases, YouTube VR on the Oculus Quest will grant access to proper VR videos as well as standard videos in a VR-optimized viewing experience.
YouTube’s arrival on the Quest is a pretty big deal in terms of content for the new device. After all, Google says that at least one million videos are available on YouTube in stereoscopic 3D with full 360-degree support. Notably, the Quest’s YouTube VR app will be limited to 60Hz, but it will support room-scale tracking.
You can pre-order the Oculus Quest from Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, and more from $399. The new headset will also support Google’s Tilt Brush VR experience.
In a blog post, Google further goes over some more details on its efforts in virtual reality. Specifically, the company highlights some of the award-winning VR content that’s available on YouTube including Crow: The Legend VR, NASA’s Cassini’s Grand Finale 360, and Isle of Dogs: Behind the Scenes VR.
The company also mentions that it’s currently accepting applications for the European YouTube VR Creator Lab – a three-month program that helps creators embrace the VR180 format.
As part of our efforts to continue democratizing VR content creation, we’re currently accepting applications for the European edition of the YouTube VR Creator Lab. This three-month, learning and production intensive helps creators embrace YouTube’s VR180 format.
Selected participants get to attend a three-day boot camp at a YouTube Space and receive advanced education from leading VR instructors and filmmakers, ongoing mentoring, a shiny VR180 camera to keep, and $20,000 USD in funding toward the production of their dream projects.
More on YouTube:
- YouTube adds actions to fullscreen UI on Android including Like, Save, Share, more
- YouTube testing new ‘Bumper Machine’ which lets advertisers automatically make shorter ads [Video]
- YouTube VR coming to the $199 standalone Oculus Go VR headset
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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The New Javelin Model—The Jupiter
Jowett Cars Ltd. announce that good progress is being made with their new high-performance car. It will be produced at their Idle, Bradford, factory, and will be known as the Jupiter. Full details will be published in the near future.
It will be recalled that a prototype chassis, designed by English Racing Automobiles Ltd., was exhibited on the Jowett stand at Earls Court last year and aroused great Interest.


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Keg system utilizes customize air compressor for beer dispensing
March 19, 2015
Heineken USA, White Plains, N.Y., unveiled BrewLock, its patented new on-premise technology that transforms the quality, consistency and environmentally sound delivery of draft beer, the company says. The BrewLock draft beer system is designed to consistently provide a freshly brewed beer taste in an easy-to-install format, it says.
PMMI, Reston, Va., will host its first edition of Pack Expo East, which will take place Feb. 16-19 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. At the event, exhibitors will display machines with advanced efficiency, data collection, and line integration and control capabilities; automated productivity monitoring systems; and services for assisting food and beverage customers with overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) projects.
Foxjet releases 10-inch printer controller for improved visibility, use
December 16, 2014
Highlighting its Freightliner Trucks Business Class M2, Daimler Trucks North America LLC’s Freightliner trucks offer the M2 106 and M2 112, which both feature best-in-class visibility with a 2,500-square-inch windshield and have numerous manual, automated and automatic transmission choices, the company says.
Kenworth Truck Co., Kirkland, Wash., took its Kenworth T680 Advantage truck on the road this summer as part of its “Efficiency in Motion” tour, which visited numerous Kenworth-dealer-hosted events throughout the United States and Canada to show the truck’s fuel efficiency and cost savings. The company completed the tour Oct. 1.
Pack Expo East to take place Feb. 16-18 in Philadelphia
November 13, 2014
Next year, PMMI, the Reston, Va.-based owner of the Pack Expo tradeshows will bring the latest packaging and processing solutions to the East Coast with the debut of its newest Pack Expo event: Pack Expo East. The new show will take place Feb. 16-18, 2015, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.


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A second highest court of the EU has overturned a ruling in favor of Apple which had been initially ordered to pay a record fee of US$14.9 billion in taxes back to the Irish government.
The ruling was originally made by the European Commission back in 2016 with odds against Apple until there was a court ruling against the EU Antitrust body headed by Margrethe Vestager who had initially concluded that a “Sweetheart deal” from the Irish government meant that Apple paid an effective tax rate of less than 1% which is a preferential deal that is deemed “illegal state aid.”
“Member States cannot give tax benefits to selected companies — this is illegal under EU state aid rules,” said Vestager in 2016. “The Commission’s investigation concluded that Ireland granted illegal tax benefits to Apple, which enabled it to pay substantially less tax than other businesses over many years.”
Both Apple and the Irish government refuted this, with Apple CEO Tim Cook calling the ruling “total political crap.” Ireland’s government moved to appeal the decision, hoping to also refute allegations that the country was essentially a tax haven for the EU bloc.
- Advertisement -
The 2016 decision had been overturned on Wednesday July 15th 2020 by the General Court of the EU which stated that “the Commission did not succeed in showing to the requisite legal standard that there was an advantage” for Apple.
“The General Court considers that the commission did not prove, in its alternative line of reasoning, that the contested tax rulings were the result of discretion exercised by the Irish tax authorities,” said the court.
The Irish Department of Finance welcomed the ruling, saying in a statement: “Ireland has always been clear that there was no special treatment provided to [Apple]. The correct amount of Irish tax was charged, taxation in line with normal Irish taxation rules.”
Apple also welcomed the decision, saying the case “was not about how much tax we pay, but where we are required to pay,” reports Bloomberg.
Margrethe Vestager, now the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, said the Commission would “carefully study the judgment and reflect on possible next steps.”
“The Commission stands fully behind the objective that all companies should pay their fair share of tax,” said Vestager in a statement. “If Member States give certain multinational companies tax advantages not available to their rivals, this harms fair competition in the EU.”
But there is chance to appeal the case with two months and 10 days to do so before everything gets overturned completely and the EU Antitrust body won’t be able to do so any longer.


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The Winchester Town Center has seen an increase in activity and businesses over the last year.
About two years ago, a number of Winchester families went to the looking for a way to increase the number of restaurants in town. The result was an update in the town’s liquor license and the eventual creation of the
“The town center is one of Winchester’s most valuable assets,” said selectmen chair, Thomas Howley. “We’re all concerned about the strength and vibrancy of the center.”
Prior to 2009, the town’s liquor license stated that an establishment couldn’t serve alcohol unless the customer was seated at a table. That has since been changed to state, “No person is to be served alcoholic beverages in any seating area whose intention is not to dine.”
On Monday night, the discussed updating and changing the town’s liquor license.
Selectman Forrest Fontana had suggested updating the wording to say that customers can order two drinks before needing to eat.
“I feel as though this is a more definitive statement, while allowing a broader consumption,” Fontana said. “It’s more definitive to have a two-drink minimum before customers can dine.”
However, members of the Chamber of Commerce that were in attendance, and the restaurant owners felt as though changing the wording would confuse customers and potentially drive business out of town.
“In my opinion if you do that, people will think it’s a two-drink maximum,” said Jim Covino, one of the owners of the Black Horse Tavern, along with his wife, Kim. “It would be detrimental to the downtown restaurants. Customers will start to go to Woburn and Lexington, where restrictions aren’t so strict.”
Judy Manzo, owner of , and representing the Chamber of Commerce, said that the current liquor license wording is sufficient.
“The word’s been spreading that Winchester is the place to come,” Manzo said. “The chamber feels that a change in regulations at this point in time would be a mistake. We’ve added a lot of new businesses the last year and a half.”
After hearing members of the chamber and restaurant owners disagree with the proposed change, the Board of Selectmen decided to keep the current license in place.
But Winchester resident, Patrick Fortin, who also worked on the committee that created the current license, advised the board that they should not request these hearings on rules and regulations too often.
“These business owners have to make major decisions,” Fortin said. “To fiddle with regulations every time there’s a debate, would be a mistake. You have to be careful that every year or every two years these owners don’t need to come in front of the board. They’ll start to look at other spaces.”


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Atrix 4G Launch Date Pushed Up– Now Launching Next Week
Counting down the day until you can get your hands on AT&T’s hottest new 4G phone, the Atrix 4G, comes out? Well, awesome news– prepare to knock two weeks off that countdown as AT&T has just announced that the superphone will be coming much earlier than initially announced: next Tuesday the 22nd as opposed to the previously announced March 6th date.
Price is still $199 with new 2 year contract and data plan, with the same option to buy the laptop dock and phone for $500 with tethering data plan. Anyone going out on Tuesday to pick this beast up?


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PHILADELPHIA — PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Destination Maternity Corp.'s September revenue at stores open at least a year edged up 0.2 percent. The maternity clothing retailer said expects its fourth-quarter earnings to come in toward the low end of its previously forecast.
This metric is a key indicator of a retailer's health because it excludes results from stores recently opened or closed.
Total monthly revenue rose 6.6 percent to $44.2 million, benefiting from better sales from its expansion at Macy's Inc. stores and increased online sales.
Destination Maternity said Thursday that its comparable retail sales, which include online sales and same-store revenue, climbed 2.4 percent in September. Online sales surged 35.5 percent during the period.
For the fiscal fourth quarter, revenue at stores open at least a year declined 4.1 percent. Total revenue rose 4.2 percent to $129.4 million. This was closer to the low end of Destination Maternity's outlook for revenue between $128.5 million and $131.5 million.
CEO and President Ed Krell said in a statement that the quarterly performance was hurt by promotions and additional markdowns made to drive sales and manage inventory. He also said that the company's leased department expansion with Macy's likely hurt its fourth-quarter revenue at stores open at least a year by between 1 and 2 percentage points and hurt its full-year performance by about 1 percentage point.
Destination Maternity, whose stores include A Pea in the Pod, Destination Maternity and Motherhood Maternity, anticipates its fourth-quarter earnings will be at or slightly above the low end of its prior guidance for earnings between 18 cents and 28 cents per share.
Analysts polled by FactSet expect earnings of 25 cents per share.
Online sales increased 34.9 percent. Comparable retail sales down 1.7 percent, which was within the company's forecast for a decline of 0.3 percent to 2.8 percent.
Full-year revenue at stores open at least a year dropped 1.4 percent, with total revenue up 2.7 percent to $545.4 million. Comparable retail sales rose 0.1 percent and online sales climbed 22 percent.
Destination Maternity, based in Philadelphia, had 658 stores, 1,694 leased department locations and 2,352 total retail locations as of September's end.


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Know Zomato’s co-founder Deepinder Goyal’s net worth
- Deepinder Goyal's net worth is close to Rs 2200 crore
- He is an IIT-Delhi graduate
- Zomato has made entry into 'Top 100 Listed Companies'
The net worth of online food delivery platform Zomato’s co-founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal is ₹2,200 crore as per Hurun List 2020. The entrepreneur’s net worth increased by 16% in 2020 during the pandemic-induced lockdown. Deepinder Goyal’s Zomato acquired UberEats India in an all-stock transaction deal, giving Uber 9.99% ownership in Zomato in 2020.
The Zomato CEO is an IIT-Delhi graduate who started the online food delivery platform in partnership with Pankaj Chaddah in 2008. Initially, it was simply a restaurant and food listing website known as ‘Foodiebay’. Zomato gradually found itself rising in the market in 2011, becoming a one-stop solution for anyone wanting to see restaurant recommendations, bookings, ratings, reviews and more.
In a recent development, Deepinder Goyal’s company paved its way into the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Friday, at Rs 116 and Rs 115 respectively. With this, Zomato made entry into ‘Top 100 Listed Companies’ according to its value, which now stands at over Rs 1 lakh crore in market capitalisation.
This came as the company made a stellar debut in the market with its Initial Public Offerings (IPO), making Zomato the only internet-based company to get listed.
"Today is a big day for us. A new Day Zero. But we couldn’t have gotten here without the incredible efforts of India’s entire internet ecosystem," said Zomato Co-founder Deepinder Goyal in a statement. "India is a tough market to operate in, but if you are building to succeed in India, you are already exceptional. I say that because I believe Zomato and Swiggy are two of the best food delivery apps in the world today. We have a long way to go before we can call ourselves world class by our customers’ standards, but we are determined to get there," Goyal added.


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We've yet to hear much about Alcatel-Lucent's lightRadio since it's original introduction in early 2011, but here in Barcelona, the outfit has announced (in cooperation with China Mobile, no less) that its latest innovation could help spread the wondrous waves of TD-LTE across China. Available now for large-scale commercial deployment in China Mobile's first trial TD-LTE network, which spans 13 cities in China, lightRadio Metro Radio will bring legitimate 4G services to residents in densely populated areas of Shanghai, Nanjing and Qingdao.
China Mobile itself has over 722 million subscribers, and a huge swath of those are no doubt clamoring for faster transmission speeds. In China, lightRadio Metro Radio will be deployed in bustling indoor and outdoor locations, such as shopping malls and stadiums, but there's no word on when the masses might expect this stuff to launch in earnest. Here's hoping for a speedy trial, eh?
Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile accelerate deployment of 4G TD-LTE across China with the introduction of lightRadio™ Metro Radio
Latest lightRadio innovation – co-developed with China Mobile - will help meet rising mobile video and data traffic in three of the fastest growing cities of the world
Barcelona, February 25, 2013 - Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) and China Mobile are to unveil an innovative new member of the lightRadio™ family that will help accelerate deployment of 4G TD-LTE technology across China, the largest mobile market in the world, as it continues to meet fast rising customer demand for mobile video and data.
lightRadio Metro Radio – co-developed by Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile - will be launched on February 26that the Global TD-LTE Initiative's (GTI) "TDD Night" during Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona.
Available now for large-scale commercial deployment in China Mobile's first trial TD-LTE network, which spans 13 cities in China, lightRadio Metro Radio will bring high-performance 4G services to residents in densely populated areas of Shanghai, Nanjing and Qingdao, three of the fastest growing cities in China and indeed the world. This will help to meet the ever-increasing demand for mobile Internet, video and data in the world's largest smartphone market. China Mobile itself has over 722 million subscribers - over half of the total mobile subscriptions in the country.
As more and more people use mobile devices to access high-bandwidth services such as streaming video and gaming, cellular networks are being stretched beyond capacity. Small cells are critical to the future of wireless broadband by enabling operators to continue to provide high-quality, consistent services to customers without the need to build costly, and sometimes logistically challenging, cell towers.
In China, lightRadio Metro Radio will be deployed in busy indoor and outdoor locations, such as shopping malls and stadiums where coverage can suffer either from the large number of consumers trying to access a network, or because the density of buildings impedes the radio signal. In these locations it can be traditionally either too difficult or costly to deploy a macro cell base station. lightRadio Metro Radio will provide a cost-effective alternative.
Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile signed a co-creation agreement in January 2012 to conduct joint development and test activities on a series of lightRadio TD-LTE projects to speed the deployment of LTE in China. TD-LTE is the 4G standard developed for use across China, and it is now being adopted by operators across the globe. lightRadio Metro Radio houses two lightRadio cubes, fully integrated with a directional antennae, allowing it to provide the coverage normally associated with a much bulkier, heavier remote radio unit linked to an external antenna via an RF coaxial cable.
lightRadio Metro Radio has been short-listed for the GTI's "Innovation award", which recognizes innovation in the LTE industry and encourages the development of innovative products that address the challenges faced by GTI operators.
Bill Huang, President of China Mobile Research Institute, said: "China Mobile is committed to delivering the high-speed and performance mobile broadband service that customers are asking for. 4G TD-LTE is undergoing the final large-scale tests before commercial deployment and once completed the active antennae like Alcatel-Lucent's lightRadio Metro Radio will be key to rolling out this service to meet our customers' needs wherever they are."
Alcatel-Lucent's lightRadio portfolio of products, reduce the costs, power-consumption and size of LTE network elements, and help operators meet growing global demand for mobile video and data with increased speeds and performance.
Rajeev Singh-Molares, President of Alcatel-Lucent Asia Pacific Region said: "It is very exciting to think about the transformation these cities are soon to undergo and that Alcatel-Lucent will be at the heart of that transformation. As consumption of mobile data and video escalates in China, our small lightRadio Metro Radios will satisfy demand with the highest performance that China Mobile's customers' have come to expect."


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A new internet-based system designed to help subscribers assess thefinancial strength of organisations with which they do business has beenlaunched.
TradeRADAR.net includes a time-sensitive tracking system with dailyupdates, as well as ready access to full hard-copy reports asrequired.
Access is instant and businesses can accurately identify and trackcustomers' ability to pay debts, with any change automatically andimmediately notified by e-mail. The service also enables its users toobtain any
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In August 2015, Retail Vision published a post on their website with predictions for the future of retail from 42 retail industry experts, including our own Marge Laney. From that post, Retail Vision also created an infographic that highlights 20 of the most intriguing responses.
Ready to learn what 20 of the top retailers of the world had to say?
20 Industry Experts Predict the Future of Retail
Graphic courtesy of Retail-Vision.co.uk
Future of Retail Experts Quote Summary
Below is a list of the featured quotes, reduced to tweetables. Share them with your followers now!
[Tweet “The future of retail is here – the customer is informed and in control @margelaney”]
[Tweet “The future is bright for retail …for those that drive brand enthusiasm. @Ralph_Jacobson”]
[Tweet “Shoppers are dictating the future of retail @RayHartjen”]
[Tweet “The future will belong to retailers that empower consumers to make their own decisions. @RickMoss”]
[Tweet “Omnichannel flexibility will look different for every retailer @rproceo”]
[Tweet “Young people will grow up with an eye to having their own store @TheRetailDoctor”]
[Tweet “The future of retail will be more defined by the consumer vs the stores themselves. @RetailMinded”]
[Tweet “Brands will become less important especially in apparel as savvy shopping becomes the norm. @PennaPlc”]
[Tweet “There is a huge disruption coming in retail over the next few years around mobile technology. @rowsell”]
[Tweet “there will be a huge surge of brands embracing the use of attribution & measurement over the next 3-5 yrs. @RakutenMKTG_UK”]
[Tweet “[Technology will enable] fantastic levels of personalisation and co-creation between retailer and customer. @ClareRayner”]
[Tweet “Developments in e-commerce & mobile technology will change the payments world beyond recognition. @SalmonLtd”]
[Tweet “The easiest way to predict what will be adopted is to start with what needs to be fixed. @maxmedia_atl”]
[Tweet “Retailers are mastering the present and the future by studying the past @upstreamcomm”]
[Tweet “Get into the details behind serving the important moments a consumer goes through to arrive at a purchase decision @gibbassett”]
[Tweet “As retail continues to evolve, new tools like these can be used to reinforce a retailer’s true focus: the customer experience. @fortegra”]
[Tweet “The future of retail lies in technology enabled customer-centricity @paula_rosenblum”]
[Tweet “No one has to go to a store anymore, we have to want to go to a store. @WD_Partners”]
[Tweet “retailers will use personalization in an effort to remain relevant @mehalchin”]
[Tweet “thanks to technology, retailing will continue to become increasingly profitable @DavidBiernbaum”]
A lot of these experts mention technology as a driver behind future retail success. Along those lines, we’ve created an eBook that shares how to use Retail Analytics to your advantage. To get the eBook, click below.


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The development team at Cryptic Studios announces that it is briefly taking down its MMO Neverwinter in order to implement a rollback linked to an in-game bug that some players exploited in order to get access to free Astral Diamonds using the Open Beta Gateway.
The team says that all those who were guilty of exploit were banned from the game but that because of the damage done to the game’s economy, the state of the world will be reset to a snapshot from 5:20 PM Sunday Pacific Time.
The game is expected to be up and running again before midnight and all gamers will get a gift to compensate them for their lost Neverwinter progress.
Cryptic states on the official forums that, “When the servers do come back up, a few systems will not be active: the Auction House and the Astral Diamond exchange. When the servers are back up and running, well still be examining these features and preparing some resolutions.”


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We have seen people wondering about South Dakota’s CBD laws quite a bit, and we understand why that’s the case. Well, CBD is illegal in South Dakota. Technically, you should be able to buy it, and retail stores should be able to sell it without worrying.
However, South Dakota has taken a different path than most of the other states. They’ve decided that federal law only legalizes the production of hemp plants, and they don’t care if you get to use CBD oil. That might change within a few months, or it might stay this way for years. Either way, we’re going to break the laws down to help you understand where South Dakota stands on CBD.
To start off, CBD isn’t technically outlawed in South Dakota. The state is just treating it that way, and they have no right to. The federal government has already made it legal, and many interpretations of the federal laws have determined that CBD oil and CBD oil products are perfectly legal.
That doesn’t mean much for you, though. If the state is arresting people for it, you might as well say it’s illegal.
This all has to do with the 2018 Farm Bill. We have mentioned several different times that the bill is difficult to understand, and we’ve acknowledged that it has caused a ridiculous amount of confusion.
Most states have interpreted the law in a positive manner. While you can’t buy CBD consumables in all states, you can at least get a hold of CBD in some form in the majority of states.
South Dakota officials have decided that the 2018 Farm Bill only legalizes hemp production and hemp seeds. They don’t see hemp-derived CBD as a legal product.
This has caused quite a bit of controversy. Before the state’s decision was made, stores were selling CBD in the same way that you can expect to see the products sold in other states. The products had a very limited amount of THC in them, and they never claimed to have therapeutic benefits or dietary benefits.
After South Dakota officials declared it illegal, nearly every store owner pulled the products from their shelves immediately. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still find the products in a few stores.
Some store owners have decided to ignore the law. They say it is their right to sell the products because of the 2018 Farm Bill. However, that doesn’t mean that they’re safe from law enforcement.
South Dakota law enforcement officers have continued to press charges against store owners that illegally sell the products, and they also confiscate their products and communication systems.
Store owners and consumers are unlikely to face any consequences, though. The majority of prosecutors have decided that they will not pursue any charges against people who are selling or buying CBD products. They simply can’t find anything within the state’s records that makes the sale or use of such products illegal, and they feel as if South Dakota officials need to immediately create laws that clearly legalize CBD in the state.
As more pressure is placed on South Dakota’s officials, CBD oil becomes more likely to be legalized in the state.
We still suggest staying away from CBD, though. There are still a few prosecutors that are willing to pursue charges, and even if the prosecutor you face refuses to, you’ll still be responsible for court costs, and you’ll probably lose any products that you have. It’s simply not practical for stores to sell the products in South Dakota right now.
Like usual, the federal government is to blame for South Dakota’s issues. It’s true that South Dakota could choose to behave like other states, but the core of the problem is the 2018 Farm Bill.
When you look at the bill, it just says that industrial hemp programs and hemp-derived products are legal. It leaves everything else to the FDA and state officials. That’s why South Dakota has been able to ban something that is legal practically everywhere else.
When you look at South Dakota’s reasoning behind their CBD ban, you see that the people in charge blame the wording of the 2018 Farm Bill, and they’re choosing to enforce the ban to prevent backlash from the FDA. If the federal government simply says that CBD oil is legal in very clear terms, no state will be able to ban it, and consumers will have a reasonable amount of access to CBD regardless of which state they live in.
The wording of the 2018 Farm Bill has caused issues in other states, too. Texas seems to have several different opinions on the matter depending on which county you’re in, North Carolina has enforced some crazy restrictions, and Nebraska has been extremely negative about the sale of CBD products. Even Louisiana has had to make some controversial decisions about its CBD industry.
Traveling between states presents a number of unique challenges, too. CBD might be legal on the federal level, but the varying laws among states makes it nearly impossible for someone to travel between states without doing a lot of research before starting a trip. For instance, if you want to go from California to Illinois, you won’t just have to research the laws of both states. You’ll have to research the laws of every state that your route will take you through. That’s the only safe way to travel with CBD products. Plane travel has gotten more difficult, too. The TSA had to ban all products that aren’t approved by the FDA, and the FDA doesn’t want to approve anything besides prescription-grade products.
Overall, the federal government just hasn’t put a lot of effort into ensuring that every state will properly legalize CBD. Some states have prevented its sale, some have just slapped a bandage on the problem, and some have gotten behind CBD so much that they blatantly ignore the federal government’s restrictions.
That leads to some states being CBD-friendly, but it allows other states to prevent citizens from enjoying the positive benefits of CBD. Until the federal government makes some major changes to its approach, these problems will persist.
Why CBD Should Be Legal In South Dakota
If you look at other pages on this site, you’ll notice that this is usually the section that we dedicate to highlighting a state’s best products. However, we can’t do that with South Dakota because of the unreasonable ban they have in place. So, we’ll dedicate this to busting some of the myths that have held CBD back.
First, a lot of people think it’s like smoking weed. That’s simply not true. Most CBD products aren’t inhaled or consumed in any way. The majority of products are creams or other topical solutions. What’s even better is that none of them get you high. There’s almost no THC in CBD oil, and the tiny amount that is there can’t affect you. It doesn’t even show up on a drug test.
Even the items that resemble THC products are nothing like their marijuana counterparts. Hemp cigarettes don’t provide any psychoactive chemicals, and vape juice with CBD oil in it doesn’t look or smell like THC oils.
Another common myth is that CBD is simply a placebo, and the people who buy it are just falling for the hype that it’s generating. That’s not true. We might not have much evidence supporting its ability to treat or cure illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, and other mental disorders, but we have proven that it’s an anti-inflammatory, and we have proven that it helps with epilepsy. We haven’t proven the other claims because the FDA won’t bother to run tests, but there are millions of people supporting the claims, and the claims are expected to be proven within a few years.
Finally, the price of CBD products has garnered some attention. Some people claim that they’re too expensive considering a lot of the benefits are just claims at the moment. It is true that CBD-infused products cost more than non-CBD variants, but you have to look at the reason behind that.
Hemp is a new agricultural product in the United States. New products are always more expensive than products that have been around for a while. The constant battles that manufacturers must wage against the FDA also drive up prices.
So, CBD products are typically more expensive. However, none of them usually cost more than $20, and you’re not supposed to use them very frequently.
CBD should be legal in South Dakota. In fact, it should be legal in all 50 states. However, muddy wording in the 2018 Farm Bill has made it possible for some states to deny consumers the right to buy CBD products.
Unfortunately, South Dakota is one of those states. You can help solve this problem by contacting your state representatives, and you can pressure your local mayors to take the fight to South Dakota’s highest form of government, too.


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Weekly Digest: Chinese New Year diamond sales, a new president for AWDC and a UK delegation
Sales spikes during Chinese New Year, a quick look at what’s happening in the Indian market and an exciting collaboration with the UK’s National Association of Jewellers all feature in this week’s round-up of headlines from the international diamond and diamond jewellery industries.
Diamond jewellery sales improve during Chinese New Year
Diamond jewellery sales picked up during Chinese New Year in February, Rapaport reported.
Suppliers noted positive holiday orders and continued firm prices for polished diamonds in the run-up to the annual March Hong Kong show.
Chinese New Year.
In other news, the Indian polished diamond market is acting cautiously following a major bank fraud claim against Nirav Modi and Gitanjali Gems, Rapaport said. Indian diamond dealers are now said to be focusing on the United States and China.
Related News: Demand for coloured gems on the rise in 2018
Elsewhere, Reuven Kaufman has been re-elected as President of the Diamond Dealers Club (DDC) of New York, trade media reported.
AWDC Board appoints new President
The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), the industry organisation representing the interests of 1,600 diamond companies in Antwerp, has appointed Nishit (Bali) Parikh as its new President, replacing outgoing President Stéphane Fischler.
The Board of Directors also appointed Freddy Inzlicht and Samir Mehta as Vice-Presidents, respectively representing the bourses and the trade.
Stéphane Fischler has been a steady and guiding presence at AWDC for the past 11 years, serving first as its Vice President and then, since 2012, as its President, the AWDC said in a statement.
After more than five years as President, Fischler will now hand the torch back to Nishit (Bali) Parikh, former AWDC President (2010-2012) and CEO of one of the world's leading diamond companies, Diarough.
UK’s National Association of Jewellers to lead visit to CARAT+
Members of the UK’s National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) are being invited to register their interest in a trip to CARAT+.
CARAT+ is offering CARAT+ Club status to a small delegation of 20 NAJ members, plus an invitation to CARAT+ Night with iconic British actress and model, Elizabeth Hurley. Also on offer is an optional tour conducted by leading diamond grading facility, HRD Antwerp on Monday, May 7.
NAJ Logo United Kingdom.
“What an amazing opportunity to source unique stones and see special diamonds; I’m sure CARAT+ will put on a very interesting, educational and profitable show for visiting members,” NAJ Industry Ambassador, Lindsey Straughton said.
Exhibitors taking part in CARAT+ 2018 include Roberto Coin, Paul Wild, Shapiro Gems, Rosy Blue, Kunming Diamonds, Dali Diamond, Venus Jewel, Taché Diamonds and many more.
India’s polished diamond exports surge – Rapaport
Polished-diamond shipments out of India rose sharply in January, Rapaport News reported, quoting data from the nation’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
Polished exports climbed 29 percent year on year to $2.08 billion and, by volume, rose 20 percent to 2.7 million carats. The average price grew 7% to $766 per carat.
Polished imports dropped 21 percent to $136 million, while net polished exports — the excess of exports over imports — surged 35 percent to $1.95 billion.
Rough imports saw a 14 percent increase to $1.44 billion, while rough exports slid 29 percent to $105 million. Net rough imports soared 19% to $1.33 billion.
Words by David Brough
Discover more industry news on the CARAT+ website every week.
CARAT+ is The World’s Premier Diamond Event, covering the full spectrum of the diamond and diamond jewellery trades. The show specialises in four sectors: loose diamonds, branded diamond jewellery, non-branded diamond jewellery and services for the diamond jewellery industry.
Taking place in Hall 1 and Hall 4 of the Antwerp Expo on 6, 7 and 8 May, entry to the show is restricted exclusively to industry professionals, including diamond and jewellery wholesalers and manufacturers from around the world, and jewellery retailers from across Europe and the wider world.