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22 of November of 2016
Lisboa, 19 de July 2016 – BURGER KING® recently opened a new restaurant in Ermesinde, in the municipality of Valongo, Porto. Located in Rua Dr José Rodrigues Cosgaya, next to Recheio, this latest space of the Ibersol group has thus created 26 new jobs in the region. With an area of 400m2, the restaurant has 176 seats and 40 parking spaces and is in a total implementation space of 3600m2.
This new BURGER KING® restaurant has an open-drive service available from Monday to Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Saturday, and holidays from 11:00 am to 4:00 p.m. The counter is open from Monday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, Friday, Saturday and 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Guests can also enjoy free Wi-Fi, free refill for drinks and an interactive playking with an interactive educational games area for the younger guests.
The image of this new space, located in the north of the country, reflects the desire of BURGER KING® to create spaces with a rustic and welcoming environment, using bright colors and a variety of textures and materials such as wood and metals.
Burger King is governed by the highest quality standards both in its products and in the training of its employees. Before the opening of a new restaurant, employees are trained to offer excellent service to BURGER KING® customers.
“The recent opening of this space in Ermesinde reinforces the commitment that BURGER KING® has been making in Portugal, allowing us to offer our customers the quality of our products throughout the country,” says Michael Hancock General Manager of BURGER KING® to the South of Europe.


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Brooklyn sisters see grand success in Asian-inspired 'Omsom' sauce kits
Two Brooklyn sisters launched their own business that let's shoppers make Asian-inspired dishes from the comfort of their own home. News 12 has more on how the sisters are hoping to use their brand to re-imagine what they call the "outdated" ethnic aisle at the grocery store.
Sisters Kim and Vanessa Pham are re-imagining Asian American cuisine and bringing restaurant-style meals right to customers' kitchens with their Omsom sauce kits. The sauce kits are called Starters and give cooks shortcuts to creating their favorite Asian-inspired meals from Thai larb to Vietnamese lemongrass BBQ.
Their products include Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese, and they partner with chefs for each region.
With their brightly colored packets and a brand named after the Vietnamese phrase for rambunctious, the two are on a mission to change stereotypes about what it means to be Asian-American.
After constantly seeing products on shelves with dragons and pandas, the sisters say they wanted a brand that was loud and proud. The entrepreneurs say the brand they launched two years ago is seeing so much success that it has already sold out eleven times.
They're now hoping Omsom will one day become a household name.

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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Dollar General (DG) isn't walking away from its $78.50-a-share cash offer for Family Dollar (FDO) , even after the company's bid was rejected earlier in August on antitrust grounds. Family Dollar continues to favor a lower-priced merger offer from competitor Dollar Tree (DLTR) , which Family Dollar said carries lower regulatory risks and was negotiated after a thorough six-month sale process.
Even so, Dollar General said on Thursday it isn't backing down from its offer.
"[We] remain firmly committed to the acquisition," Dollar General said of its proposed merger with Family Dollar. Dollar General believes that in addition to offering a higher price, its proposed merger simply makes more sense financially. Antitrust hurdles, the stumbling point in Dollar General's bid for Family Dollar, are manageable, the company said.
"The financial benefits of our offer to Family Dollar shareholders are indisputable, and the proposed combination would unlock tremendous value for Dollar General shareholders," Dollar General said in a Thursday press release appended to earnings.
"We continue to believe the potential antitrust issues are manageable and that our transaction as proposed is both superior and achievable," the company concluded.
Dollar General on Thursday reported slightly disappointing second-quarter earnings, and missed analysts' estimates on sales. Second-quarter sales at the discount retailer rose 7.5% to $4.72 billion, slightly below estimates of $4.77 billion. Earnings per share were 83 cents, meeting forecasts.
Comparable same-store sales increased 2.1% for the quarter, as a result of rising customer traffic and transaction volumes. Gross profit fell 53 basis points in the quarter, as a result of discounting across the retail sector. Dollar General, like Family Dollar, believes it offers consumers everyday low prices on household and food goods. Family Dollar is currently investing heavily in promotional activity, as the company tries to become more competitive on price with Dollar General, which has taken market share in recent quarters.
For the full year, Dollar General expects sales to rise between 8% and 9% from 2013 levels, with same-store sales rising between 3% and 3.5%. Adjusted diluted EPS for the fiscal year is expected to be approximately $3.45 to $3.55.
Dollar General didn't repurchase shares in the second quarter, as it continues to press its acquisition of Family Dollar.
-- Written by Antoine Gara in New York


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As part of a new promotion, City Center Mall will hold extended hours on Friday, staying open from 3pm until 4am Saturday morning.
“Starlight Shopping” begins at 4pm with a musical parade, the mall announced in a press release this afternoon. Other free activities that run into the night include magic and puppet shows for children, performances from “golden living statues” and stilt walkers.
Most stores will stay open until 2am and food and beverage shops, until 4am. Regular hours will resume Saturday morning, with the mall opening from 10am to 10pm.
Mall manager Olaf Kindt said the event is being held as a sign of customer appreciation.
When asked whether bachelors would be allowed, as Friday is Family Day, he stressed to Doha News that the event was family-oriented, but did not say that anyone would be turned away.
Credit: Photo courtesy of City Center Mall on Facebook


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The Google logo as we knew it came into existence 16 years ago, when Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, were just PhD students at Stanford University – albeit students with a small company and a big vision. Ruth Kedar, principal at Kedar Designs and the designer of the old Google logo, was a professor at the university when she was introduced to Page and Brin, who were looking for someone to create Google’s logo and brand identity. The project, which took roughly only two months to complete, resulted in a logo that has now represented the company for close to two decades.
A week after a common friend connected Kedar to Page and Brin, she received an email asking “if we could talk about possibly designing a brand for Google,” says Kedar. Initially, there was no brief; it was more of a conversation. As Kedar explains, Google was just a small company with five or six employees and it had gone through its very first round of funding at the time. “They were at a place where they had to talk it out,” she says. They were at least talking to one other designer at the time, but, Kedar says, it was probably her approach that made her stand out. Kedar has done her fair share of traveling the world and understanding different cultures – something that, she thinks, translates into her work. “I kind of live in two worlds. I love technology and come from a tech background as well as an artistic and aesthetic one,” she says. Her interest in how products and technology have developed symbiotically means that she’s looking to turn her work into something that can continue to evolve with the brand as it grows.
What’s going on?
Google wasn’t exactly anti-establishment, but it was looking to bring in a fresh culture and a way of doing things – typical of the youth. Kedar says that, at the time, the Internet was really in its infancy. Although it had been around for a while, in terms of universal adoption, “people weren’t really going in droves to use it – unless you were in computer science”. Psychologically, people were also intimidated by this new technology: “They were afraid of using the Internet and making mistakes, [as if] you would click on a button and the world would explode.” This presented Kedar with the challenge of making Google accessible in a way that would establish trust, so users could initiate and engage with something they didn’t fully understand.
On the other hand, while analyzing the competition and what other brands – such as AltaVista, Netscape, Hotbot – were doing on the Internet, Kedar realized that a lot of it was jarring and amateurish. “They were either taking a newspaper pretty much the way it is in print and putting it out there, or thinking that it’s a completely new technology and forgetting everything we’ve ever learnt about aesthetics,” she says.
This or that
At some point, it was collectively decided that the logo would be typographical, instead of a symbol. It was important to Page and Brin that the word Google stayed prominent. “From the get-go, it was clear that it [the logo] wouldn’t be a huge icon with the company’s name in small font next to it,” says Kedar. She worked on various iterations, combining typography and symbols, but, “at the end, we decided that we were getting a lot more if we would take away any imagery that, in some ways, would limit the ability [of the logo],” she adds. A good decision, considering that the logo, which was created when Google was only a search company, has continued to represent the organization through its vast expansion and diversification.
Kedar explains that fonts are very influenced by technology. For instance, the letterforms of the Phoenicians were influenced by the fact that they used chisels on clay; the Greeks used chisels on marble and had to write from left to right and vice versa, resulting in a certain symmetry in their letterforms; and the use of the quill led to the cursive style of writing. Kedar wondered how the new font she was planning to create for the logo would fit in with this new technology. “For me, search is where the past and future meet,” she says. “Today, you’re looking for something that exists in the past so you can solve a problem for the future.” That’s why she wanted to use a typeface that was a connection between the past and the future: something that was classic and yet modern. “I also wanted to play with colors and be a little irreverent – even if we’re going primary – and play with fonts, so it wouldn’t feel monolithic, corporate and daunting, but inviting and playful,” she explains.
A new world
When the new logo was being designed, no one anticipated that Google would become the giant it is today. “No one imagined it would be this huge, because what happened in the last 16 years is the stuff of science fiction,” says Kedar. She did buy into Page and Brin’s version of being “big, but no one knew ‘big’ meant this big,” she adds. Although Kedar didn’t work on the minor tweaks to the logo she created and wasn’t approached for the new logo either, she admits that rebranding a company is way harder than creating a brand when you have a clean slate. With a rebranding, the company is dealing with “a very complex problem”, since it already has a history that users relate to, a presence in the minds of consumers, critics and competitors – and “here you are, saying to the world, ‘Wait a minute, I actually mean this’.”
Most technology giants, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, started off the same way as Google did – by placing importance on typography. “There is so much choice for consumers today for any given product and we have very short attention spans. We move very quickly between things. So, if you’re a new brand looking to establish yourself, it makes sense for you to put your name out there and make it recognizable,” she explains. Going by the progression of these companies’ logos, it seems that, once the name has become identifiable and has resonated with consumers, brands can chisel it down to something more symbolic. “So, Twitter has gone through different iterations and, now, it can be distilled to the bird. Today, if you see an F in a blue background, you’ll recognize it as Facebook,” adds Kedar.
Google seems to be doing the same thing with its new logo by distilling it down to the multicolored G. For Kedar, this simplification of the Google logo – and its form, more specifically – is an opportunity to continue to address challenges and new areas of business – even ones that it’s not aware of. Yet.


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Under Armour Inc. UA, -2.39% affirmed Friday its 2016 revenue outlook, as the athletic gear maker attempted to dispel concerns about the impact of the bankruptcy of The Sports Authority, which is one of its customers, earlier this week. Under Armour said it still expects full-year revenue of $4.95 billion, compared with the FactSet consensus of $4.99 billion. Under Armour said it did not believe that the exposure to its receivables from The Sports Authority "is materially impacted by these developments," the company said in a statement. The company plans to offset impact of the bankruptcy through continued sales to The Sports Authority and sales through other customers. Since The Sports Authority declared bankruptcy before the March 2 opening bell, Under Armour's stock had declined 2.2% while the S&P 500 had gained 0.8%. The stock was still inactive ahead of Friday's open.
Under Armour says it's not 'materially' affected by The Sports Authority bankruptcy


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Ford Performance claims its 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet would accelerate by more than a second a quarter of a mile faster than the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, but no one will be able to mock the exit sign to the drag -Strip. His monstrous, charged 5.2-liter Coyote V8 is not street legal.
But with a name like "Cobra Jet" it's not like this thing has to be street legal. The name itself is scary enough to keep people from going back through the barriers into Cobra Jet territory.
The Cobra Jet has been a thing since 1968, only four years after the first Mustang appeared in 1964. This marks its 50th anniversary this year, and Ford wants to celebrate with 68 turnkey Mustang racing cars that have been certified and approved as NHRA's terrifyingly powerful. You just have to get on track with a dumper.
All 68 Cobra jets will have the supercharged Coyote V8 in the teaser photo of Ford, which looks like it's just about to get out of the bonnet top, as well as racing engineering suspension. Extras for the car include an NHRA-certified roll cage, racing seats, a drag-specific coil-over suspension, and 50-year-old racing bikes. There is also the option for a 50-year graphics package, for those who adore the brands.
There is still no information on the car itself, as Ford has just released information on how fast the company claims that it can set off pulling the strip. Final specifications and ordering will come "this summer," Ford said.
None of the 68 Cobra Jets will have VINs, which means they can not be allowed to drive on the road. But they will be seen in either red or white exterior colors for everyone on the drag strip, at least in the form of a blur – Ford claims the new Cobra Jet is the fastest and most powerful, and that I drive the quarter mile in "the middle the 8-second range while reaching 150 mph. "
These numbers come just over a year after the debut of the Dodge Demon, rated at 840 hp on 100-octane gasoline and with a claimed quarter mile of 9.6 seconds at 140 mph. The Cobra Jet, which Ford said was developed on the Mustang 2018 platform, sounds like it's destroying that.
While the history of the Cobra Jet is not really on the streets, the Demon comparison was inevitable. They float around the same baseball pitch in claimed performance figures, and they are both American V8 drag racing monsters. One has the famous Coyote engine and the other, the famous Hemi.
But even if it can not win in a direct drag race, one of those drag cars seems to be taking home the cool trophy after a day on the track: the car that can drive the trophy home to itself .


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WeedLife News Network
It’s a mix of good and bad when it comes to how weed might help entrepreneurs come up with creative and feasible business ideas, although seasoned business players with less “out-there” thoughts seem to experience fewer ups and downs.
Appearing in the Journal of Business Venturing, new research out of Washington State University (WSU) suggests that weed use “may have some benefits in the early brainstorming stages of the venture ideation process,” but it remains key to ground creativity in reality to successfully launch a new company.
Researchers considered feedback from 254 entrepreneurs who “completed a new venture ideation task, generating as many ideas for a new business as possible based on virtual reality technology,” according to a WSU article. Each entrepreneur chose his or her best idea and its originality and feasibility were rated by a panel of experts.
Although ideas — not individuals — were the focus of the current study, research published in 2017 tested whether users’ personalities or cannabis itself positively affected creativity. Relative to non-users, researchers found that while sober cannabis consumers “appear to demonstrate enhanced creativity, these effects are an artifact of their heightened levels of openness to experience.”
And a review back in 2011 suggested that using weed “produces psychotomimetic symptoms, which, in turn, might lead to connecting seemingly unrelated concepts, an aspect of divergent thinking considered primary to creative thinking.” By breaking free from ordinary thinking and associations, weed users upped the likelihood of generating novel ideas or associations.
Marijuana use fluctuates throughout the year. A new study shows why, when and how much.
For most people, marijuana use ebbs and flows. There are weeks were you smoke a lot and others where you’re busy doing other things. New research looking into drug use over the course of a year suggests that there’s some seasonal variation; while every person’s relationship with marijuana is personal and different, there’s an arc that a lot of us follow.
A study recently published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that marijuana use drops during the start of the year and increases periodically as the seasons pass by 13%. Researchers theorize that this fluctuation might be influenced by New Year’s resolutions.
“We found that marijuana use is consistently higher among those surveyed later in the year, peaking during late fall or early winter before dropping at the beginning of the following year. We think this may be due, in part, to a ‘Dry January’ in which some people stop drinking alcohol or even stop using marijuana as part of a New Year’s resolution,” said Joseph Palamar, associate professor at NYU’s School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “We’re now in the time of year when people are the least likely to use marijuana.”
Photo by rawpixel.com
Recreational marijuana sales in Arizona officially began Friday, after the state granted 73 dispensaries a license. However, it will still be some time before you're able to buy pot in Yuma County.
The Arizona Department of Health Services has now approved 90 recreational marijuana dispensaries in Arizona, including Jamestown Yuma, the only dispensary in the county.
But, Jamestown Yuma says its not selling recreationally just yet. Its management wants to make sure they have enough staff and are prepared for the large crowds.
Meanwhile, Robert Smith, director of sales and marketing at Territory Dispensary in Maricopa County had all its labeling done in advance.
"We had to prepare for it could be in a few days, it could be in a few weeks," Smith said. "One way or another we had to start preparing and right away."
Three pals out for a late-night, cannabis shopping spree had their fun cut short when police stopped them for breaching COVID-19 lockdown rules and then learned what they had been buying was a bit of weed.
The trio — all in the same vehicle, but all from different households — was busted on the night of Jan. 22, according to the Island Echo. All were fined for breaching health regulations and one man was also cited for possessing a controlled drug.
The wish-list purchase did nothing to convince the Hampshire Constabulary officers that the men needed to be outside during COVID-19. All three were ordered to pay £200 ($348).
The coronavirus “is spreading fast. Do not leave your home unless necessary. One in three people who have the virus have no symptoms, so you could be spreading it without knowing it,” notes information from the U.K. government, which has also issued video messages emphasizing the need to stay home.
“Robust enforcement action should be taken as required, where blatant breaches in public places or private premises are reported to us,” Maggie Blyth, assistant chief constable for the Hampshire Constabulary, said in a statement after the national restrictions were reintroduced.
A 2019 study published in The Journal of Pain found that cannabis use was associated with 64% lower opioid use in patients with chronic pain.
Although opiates are meant to be a temporary tool, millions of Americans have not been able to kick opiate dependency after being prescribed it. With an estimated 10.3 million Americans using opiates in 2018, that’s almost 4% of the country’s population. Due to this, it is imperative to find an alternative in the world of pain management.
Many promising studies have been done using cannabis with opiates or as a replacement for them, including a December 2020 survey. This research focused on the effects of cannabis and opiates used together. However, as explained by the survey, research on medical cannabis is severely limited by cannabis’s status as a Schedule 1 substance. Because of this, physicians are unable to give concrete advice to patients. Thus, patients heavily rely on medical dispensaries when choosing cannabis, as doctors are legally and informatively limited.
With the outsider status of medicinal cannabis, research is often performed through surveys. The December survey included analysis of 525 responses out of 1181 responses given (656 either did not use opiates for 3 months to treat their pain or did not use cannabis and opiates together).
Photo by Roxana Gonzalez/EyeEm/Getty Images
Regular marijuana users tend to know how to get high efficiently. Still, accidents happen. Here’s how to fix them.
Seasoned marijuana users don’t tend to stumble into bad highs or a bong that smokes poorly. These people tend to be ready when it’s time to smoke, having all of the necessary tools to get high as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Still, accidents can happen, ruining your moment to get high and forcing you to look for alternatives when you’d rather do anything else.
Here are 5 of the most common problems that pester marijuana users, and how to fix them:
Running out of weed
Photo by Elsa Olofsson from Pexels
Smoking weed and then running out of it is a thing that rarely happens unless you’re distracted by other people, or keep your stash stored in different places (why?). It’s terrible either way. Luckily, in this day and age, you can just order some more online. And while you may have to wait a bit and loose some of that exciting buzz, the losses aren’t that great. You can stay in your couch and wait comfortably in your pajamas.
Though it’s increasingly legal, marijuana can still raise red flags for life insurance companies. While some insurers don’t mind covering you if you use pot, others will charge you higher rates or deny your application outright.
About 22.2 million Americans use marijuana every month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s now legal for medical use in 36 states and for recreational use in 15, as well as for both in Washington, D.C.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who use marijuana and you’re looking for a life insurance policy, you can probably find coverage. You may need to shop around, however, as companies don’t view the risks that weed poses to long-term health in the same way.
In a word, yes, you can get life insurance if you use marijuana. In fact, life insurance may not cost more for some marijuana users than for those who don’t use it at all — depending on the insurance company and other factors.
Every insurer measures risk differently. Most consider factors like age, gender, weight and family health history. Some might look at your hobbies, such as mountain climbing or skydiving. Your history of drug use, whether marijuana or otherwise, can also come into play.
The price of marijuana can change significantly from state to state. Here are some factors that could have an influence on the final price tag.
Cannabis is gaining more and more traction across the United States, with each passing election approving new medical and recreational programs in various states. If you’ve never been to a marijuana dispensary, or if you’ve been to several and have noticed significant price fluctuations, it’s easy to wonder why this happens and whether there’s a price standard that the industry follows. Short answer: there’s not.
Marijuana prices can vary a lot, depending on the place where you live, the type of product you’re purchasing and its quality. Since cannabis remains federally illegal, there’s not a fixed price tag that dispensaries must follow, with every state demanding different things of product makers and impacting the final price of their product.
Here are some of the most important factors that can have an influence on your cannabis price:
Photo by Patrick Tomasso via Unsplash
With the state strapped for cash, some Hawaii lawmakers are considering legalizing recreational marijuana. Despite years of similar measures being shot down, some of the state's top house leaders have signed on this year.
The bill would allow people to have up to an ounce of cannabis. It would also create a process for cultivators to grow and sell marijuana which would then be taxed by the state. State house representative Jeanne Kapela and other lawmakers KITV4 spoke with Friday, believe the move could generate at least $150 million in revenue for the state at a time when the state is in desperate need of money.
"This bill is a bill that will legalize marijuana and tax it that way we can utilize that revenue for essential services which right now in the middle of this budget shortfall are being cut. We should not be furloughing teachers, we should be generating revenue and utilizing this opportunity to allow people to do something that they've already been doing and making sure we are no longer going to disproportionately harm the working poor or Native Hawaiian," Kapela said.
The bill passed first reading this week and is waiting for a potential hearing. Important to note, Governor David Ige does not support the use marijuana for leisure.
Aloha Green Apothecary has two locations on Oahu, spokesperson Ty Cheng says they see up to 400 people with medicinal cards per day. If it's legalized, he believes the dispensary will see three times more local clients.
From spicy “happy” salads to soups sprinkled with cannabis shoots and deep-fried marijuana leaves — a Thai hospital restaurant has rolled out a weed-inspired menu which has curious customers flocking to sample its euphoria-inducing offerings.
Since becoming the first Southeast Asian country to legalize medical marijuana in 2018, Thailand has ploughed ahead on the extraction, distillation and marketing of cannabis oil — eager to capitalize on the multibillion-dollar industry.
The plant itself was finally removed from the kingdom’s narcotics list last month, which means licensed providers — like hospitals — can now use its leaves, stems and roots in food.
This marks a return to Thailand’s culinary past, said doctor Pakakrong Kwankhao, who heads the Centre of Evidence-based Thai Traditional and Herbal Medicine in Chao Phya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital.
“Putting cannabis leaves in the food is our culture,” she told Agence France-Presse Friday.
Arizona officials on Friday approved the first 86 licenses for marijuana dispensaries to sell cannabis to adults for recreational use.
The Arizona Department of Health Services said six other applications submitted since the process began Wednesday remain under review.
The approved sites can start selling marijuana for recreational as soon as they are ready, according to an ADHS spokesman.
Fifty-six of the newly licensed dispensaries are in the Phoenix area.
In November, Arizona voters approved Prop 207 to legalize sales and possession of 1 ounce or less for non-medicinal purposes for people ages 21 and up.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sarah Stokes prepares deliveries of medical cannabis for customers of WholesomeCo, in Bountiful on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Medical cannabis at WholesomeCo, in Bountiful on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.
From the last couple of years, the demand for cannabis products has been bombed. Scientists have proved the amazing benefits of this powerful plant.
CBD acts as a non-psychoactive way to treat various mental issues like anxiety. Many people use CBD products regularly but are not seeing any effect of cannabis for improving their anxiety. Remember, the reason is not cannabis but the way you are using it. There could be two common mistakes like too much CBD consumption, buying the wrong product. These blunders may be becoming a big hurdle from getting effective results. Let’s know these mistakes to see the real benefit of CBD.Going With Cheap Quality Products
One of the common mistakes that many people make is not choosing the right product.
Users purchase cheap quality products to save some bucks or sometimes are not aware of less reputed brands in the market. Therefore, to get the best quality, you need to choose high-quality products? But how to choose the right quality products is a matter of concern for new CBD users. Therefore, keep in mind certain factors;Check out whether the product is made from a local source of organic hemp or not. It will save you from buying pesticide-contaminated products.Choose a product that is undergone with a CO2 extraction method rather than petroleum processing.Check whether the CBD products have been lab-tested before selling. It will ensure that you are choosing the right product from a reputable vendor.
Sometimes it could be hard to get a quality product that can meet the guidelines mentioned above. But once you choose a product, it will help minimize anxiety and other symptoms.
The events of recent months – which, at no risk of ambiguity, will not be discussed here – have created something of a roadblock for nearly every industry that was, just twelve months ago, thriving in the global marketplace.
Not least among those industries is the world of travel and tourism which, on both a local, national and international level, has ground to a halt for nigh-on twelve months.
There are plenty of ideas swirling about the best ways to restart the world of travel when circumstances allow, and forecasts for how that side of life will have changed for good. The notion of harnessing the new freedom surrounding marijuana usage holds plenty of potential for the industry, and offers an exciting new normal for millions of people. Read more below.
It Began at the Heyday of Commercial Air Travel
Of course, the notion of cannabis-related tourism is nothing new – it is, in reality, the driving force behind the sheer quantity of strains we now have today.
Sales of 1-gram cannabis flower packages tumbled in multiple North American marijuana markets last year, likely related to consumers who shopped less often because of the COVID-19 pandemic but made larger purchases when visiting a dispensary.
The shift away from 1-gram packages offers implications for both retailers and producers trying to keep up with shifting consumer preferences sparked by the pandemic. Despite the shift, the single-gram flower format – the smallest, cheapest size of marijuana bud available on the market – remains relatively popular in terms of unit sales. That suggests consumers haven’t given up on the package size altogether.
Nevertheless, the downward slide in 2020 readily is apparent in point-of-sale data from Seattle-based cannabis data-analytics firm Headset.
“I think that one of the big reasons that we see grams trending down is as a result of COVID,” said Liz Connors, Headset’s director of analytics.
Connors said the 2020 trend toward fewer sales of small cannabis packages mirrored broader trends in consumer packaged goods during the pandemic.
America has a bad case of pandemic anxiety.
COVID-19 infections are rising.
Tens of millions of workers lost their jobs and face dismal prospects of getting new ones.
There is no end in sight.
Anxiety has gone mainstream and so has marijuana.
No one has died from a marijuana overdose and there is no evidence of anything more lasting than embarrassment. That certainly is not the case with alcohol.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast.
The pandemic has produced a number of social changes that we hope may last. An online Harris Poll sponsored by marijuana company Curaleaf found that 45% of cannabis consumers age 21 and up have replaced or reduced their alcohol consumption with marijuana since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and one-third of those who use cannabis recreationally prefer cannabis to drinking alcohol.
Half of the respondents (50%) said they increased their use because cannabis helped them relax, and 48% said they did so to help them sleep. Of those who said they use marijuana recreationally, a third (33%) said that they prefer cannabis over alcohol.
Interestingly, parents are actually turning to cannabis at higher rates than those without children. Think of the children!
There have been a considerable amount of studies done on different cannabinoid formulations, not just on CBD. The studies focused on all kinds of areas that could impact you at work, including memory, computer or telephone skills, even driving skills.
We don’t know exactly which cannabinoid causes any type of concerning problems surrounding any of these issues. The products that were tested in these settings were formulations. They were combinations of multiple different cannabinoids. It is possible that CBD could have an effect in any one of the places where all of these different cannabinoids impacted people. It’s worth keeping in mind and exercising a significant amount of caution so that you do things properly and safely at your workplace; you want to maintain an excellent work environment for yourself.
We used to think that people who used cannabinoid formulations regularly had ongoing difficulties with their memory and IQ. But in fact, further studies have shown that there’s really no significant changes in IQ.
Studies on CBD and work
It was initially a British study that suggested a drop in IQ of seven points when people used cannabinoids regularly. But then a subsequent New Zealand study said that there was actually no significant change in IQ. There was a US study finally done that was very well done. It had almost twice the number of people studied than either the New Zealand or the British study. The US study also had a number of identical twins. One of whom was using cannabinoid formulations and one of whom was not. In the identical twin pairs, there was no change in IQ.
The U.S. study involving several thousand people is our best research today to say that there is no impact on IQ with the use of cannabinoid formulations. However, significant heavy use of cannabinoid formulations can lead to changes in memory. Again, we don’t know which cannabinoid is implicated in this. It is possible that some people could see changes in their short term memory capacity with high dose usage or high serving sizes of CBD.
Hemp is one of the most talked about ingredient in the beauty industry. When it comes to skincare the many benefits of hemp or hemp seed oil makes it’s a hero ingredient. It contains a very little cannabinoid, a compound often used for therapeutic purposes and help in soothing the skin and relieving inflammation. Along with essential fatty acids, hemp oil contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids which improves skin’s health. Nowadays the buzzy ingredient is taking over the world of beauty and skincare, from hand cream and facemask to body oil, creams and cleansers, there is an array of hemp-infused products popping up in beauty supply stores everywhere.
Plabita Sharma, Beauty Training Manager, The Body Shop India lists down the top five benefits of hemp induced skincare products:
Good for sensitive to super dry skin: One of the many benefits of hemp induced skincare product is that it has been found to have significant soothing properties. Its substantial skin-soothing and skin-normalizing effects can help minimize issues related to skin sensitivity, dryness including redness and reactivity. Since all skin types are affected daily by environmental stressors, hemp seed oil soothing mechanism can help and keep everyone’s skin in check.
Rich in Antioxidant: Hemp seed oil is a rich source of antioxidant and helps in promoting repair and rejuvenation of skin. It can also protect the skin from environmental damage, such as over-exposure to sunlight which can accelerate premature sign of aging like fine lines, dark spots and more.
Promotes clearer skin: Acne is a most common concern for oily skin however incorporating a skincare product enhanced with hemp oil could mean the difference between pimple-ridden skin and a clearer complexion. Hemp oil is perfect for most skin types as it can moisturize without clogging your pores. It can even help to balance out oily skin, hydrating it and regulating the skin’s oil production. Dryness can also cause your skin to overproduce oil, which in turn, can stimulate acne. Hemp oil can prevent dry skin without clogging pores. This helps reduce acne that’s caused by excess oil.
As more sporting organizations reform their approach to drug testing, U.K. Anti-Doping (UKAD) has announced it is retrospectively shortening the bans for athletes who are suspended due to recreational drug use, reports Inside the Games.
As of Jan. 1, 2021, U.K. athletes who test positive for substances like cannabis and cocaine while out-of-competition will face three-month suspensions rather than two-year bans. The suspension could be reduced to one month if the athlete completes a treatment program.The changes bring UKAD in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s rules.
UKAD chairman Trevor Pearce toldInside the Games that a three-month ban will only be applied to athletes who test positive while out-of-competition. “If an athlete can’t prove that the drug use was out-of-competition and unrelated to sports performance, they may receive up to a four-year ban,” Pearce said.
As for athletes currently suspended over the previous rules, their suspensions will be amended to reflect the changes.
Scottish runner Luke Traynor is one of seven athletes who will now be eligible to return to their sports earlier than anticipated.
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It’s been years since the company was Apple Computer Inc., but America still loves Apple.
Just not only for its computers anymore.
Apple has been declared America’s computer brand of the year, mobile phone brand of the year, and tablet brand of the year by a Harris Interactive poll of 38,500 Americans, beating out strong competitors such as Google, Samsung, and Amazon.
“Americans continue to give Apple brands strong ratings,” Manny Flores, an SVP at Harris Interactive, said in a statement. “What really stands out is that in all three of the categories Apple brands are measured – Computer, Tablet and Mobile Phone – its brand momentum scores are in the top 30 of all 1,500 brands evaluated in the study, showing that consumers see this as a brand of the future.”
That makes sense, certainly for phones. Apple just had an unexpectedly good iPhone sales quarter, selling 31.2 million of them. But while iPad sales have been a surprise, it’s been a nasty one: far few sales than anticipated.
Apple was the top-ranked brand for computers, beating out HP, Dell, and Sony. Unfortunately, desktop machines are a declining category, with PC sales having dropped for a record five quarters in a row.
- Apple Computers: 2013 Computer Brand of the Year
- Hewlett-Packard (HP) Computers
- Dell Computers
- Sony Computers
When it comes to tablets, Apple beat out Kindle, third-place Google with its Nexus line of tablets, and fourth-place Samsung for tablet brand of the year. Also-ran HP (HP makes tablets?) came in fifth.
Amazon actually gave Apple a pretty good run for its money, says Flores.
“While both the Apple iPad and Amazon Kindle Fire series of tablets show small gains in Brand Equity for 2013, they both receive strong increases for Purchase Consideration.”
- Apple iPad Series: 2013 Tablet Brand of the Year
- Kindle Fire Series
- Google Nexus Series
- Samsung Galaxy Series
- HP Slate Series
In mobile phones, the iPhone surprised no one by taking top honors, followed by a surprising good HTC One, and trailed by Samsung’s multiple models of phones. This was iPhone’s second consecutive win.
Mobile phone brands:
- Apple iPhone: 2013 Mobile Phone Brand of the Year
- HTC Phone
- Samsung Phone
- LG Phone
One negative for Apple: Its quality scores dipped this year, according to Americans. Overall, the news is great for Apple at home. Its major concern has to be international sales, which have dipped almost across the board in the past three months.
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Microsoft has released a new version of its SP2 update for Office for Mac, fixing an issue that was causing some Office for Mac users to have problems with corrupted identity databases.
LG V10: A solid contender distracted with gimmicks
Coin 2.0: More of a conversation piece than your credit card replacement
Is Steve Ballmer the unsung hero of Microsoft's resurgence?
Microsoft launches 'Release Preview' ring for Insiders
Windows 10 build 10586.104 and changelog history site rolls out
windows 10 update
Microsoft has halted downloads of the SP2 update for its Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 software from its Microsoft AutoUpdate system until it can fix an issue with the upgrade.
Russian website Wzor has obtained a list of updates compiled for Windows 7 Service Pack 2 (SP2), which is planned to ship sometime in the middle of 2012, The site claims that work on Windows...
Windows XP, the stalwart OS that kept Microsoft chugging through the rollercoaster days of Windows Vista, will be officially taking versions of XP running SP2 off the patch schedule tomorrow. This comes as no surprise,...
TechARP predicted last month that RC-Escrow build of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 will be released between the dates Jan 26-30 and the RC build between the dates Feb 16-20. The RC...
Microsoft have made available build v6002-16497 of Service Pack 2 for both Windows Vista and Server 2008 to testers late last night. The bits show a compile date of October 17th and weigh in on...


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MOMS NGO has announced that they will be hosting the first ever Momtrepreneurs in the Maldives.
The expo is to be held on 4th to 5th October in Billabong High International School.
MOMS EXPO is a unique exhibition for Maldivian Women Entrepreneurs within the country to showcase their businesses and connect with public. This is the first exhibition organised by MOMS NGO that’s only targeted for all the women-led businesses across the country.
According to MOMS NGO their goal is to empower women entrepreneurs in the Maldives and provide a platform for them to connect, inspire and get guidance to take their businesses to the next level.
MOMS is a registered non-profit organisation (NGO) founded with the objective of empowering mothers across the Maldives.


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Dairy product prices rise, bolstered by whole milk powder
Dairy product prices rose at the GlobalDairyTrade auction, increasing for the third time in seven auctions, amid stronger-than-expected demand for whole milk powder.
The GDT price index rose 0.9% from the previous auction two weeks ago to $US3368. Some 34,117 tonnes of product was sold, up from 33,501 tonnes at the previous auction.
Whole milk powder increased 0.6 % to $US3122 a tonne.
"Price gains [were] recorded in the nearby delivery contract but weaker prices [were] recorded in the later delivery contracts," AgriHQ dairy analyst Susan Kilsby says, referring to whole milk powder.
"The price for regular grade whole milk powder for November delivery fell less than 0.2%," Ms Kilsby says.
"Extra product was added into this contract last week so it was good to see that the market was able to absorb the additional whole milk powder without too much of a negative impact on the price."
"It was surprising to see more product added to the auction given the weak start to New Zealand's milk production season," Ms Kilsby says.
Anhydrous milk fat gained 5.3% to $US6764 a tonne, while butter rose 1.2% to $US6026 a tonne.
Meanwhile, skim milk powder fell 1.2% to $US1920 a tonne, while cheddar declined 1.9% to $US4032 a tonne.
"Skim milk powder pricing remains weak and this is unlikely to change while there is so much stock held in Europe," Ms Kilsby says.
Rennet casein slid 2.4% to $US6036 a tonne, while lactose dropped 3.8% to $US759 a tonne.
Buttermilk powder was not offered at this event.
The New Zealand dollar last traded at 73.20USc at 12.24pm in New York, compared with 72.63USc at 5pm in Wellington yesterday.
There were 134 winning bidders out of 174 participating at the 17-round auction. The number of qualified bidders rose to 539, up from 537 at the previous auction.


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May 5, 2012 |
Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest Galaxy phone to take on rival Apple , arming the new device with a more powerful processor and a screen that's nearly twice the size of iPhone's.
August 16, 2008 |
SAN FRANCISCO: T-Mobile is to launch the first phone based on Google's Android design Sept 17, in hopes that the new device will compete with Apple's iPhone, Wired magazine reported on Friday. The smartphone will be manufactured by Taiwan-based High Tech Computer, and will have a large touch screen that slides out to reveal a five-row QWERTY keyboard. The device, which will be called the G1, will sell for $150 to T-Mobile customers in the first week of launch before it is offered to other customers at a higher price.
August 4, 2005 |
SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Computer's neglect of the humble mouse is over. It now offers a model that's nimble. Apple introduced on Tuesday its first computer mouse with multiple buttons, including four sensors and a tiny scroll ball. Although a departure from the company's traditional mouse, the "Mighty Mouse" looks very similar to the single-button model Apple has long produced. The tiny scroll ball at the mouse's head can move cursors diagonally and up and down across display screens and can be pressed to "click" on functions.
November 4, 2012 |
To get Windows Phone 8 , you will have to buy a new device. The question: how does it compare with other smartphone behemoths?
March 10, 2006 |
HANOVER: In a bid to crack the crowded market for hand-held computers and music players, Microsoft and two electronics companies, Samsung of Korea and Asus of Taiwan, plan to unveil an ultralight tablet computer on Thursday that melds a laptop and media player into a thin, new device. Samsung's device, the Q1, will use Microsoft's Window's XP Tablet PC Edition operating system. It is a product of Microsoft's so-called Origami project, an effort to shrink and redefine laptop, while bolstering company's software sales for new hand-held devices . Asus will also produce a version.
January 27, 2010 |
SAN FRANCISCO: The McGraw-Hill Cos. Inc.'s CEO spoke on a business channel Tuesday and appeared to confirm speculation that Apple Inc. will indeed unveil a tablet computer running on iPhone software during a highly anticipated media event Wednesday. Harold McGraw, the company's chief executive, was discussing his company's earnings on the cable television business news channel. When asked about the tablet, McGraw said Apple will "make their announcement tomorrow on this one" and that "the tablet is going to be based on the iPhone operating system.
September 20, 2015 |
NEW DELHI: Pune-based tablet and smartphone-maker Swipe Technologies on Friday said it will launch a new affordable 4G tablet, named Ace Strike, with 2GB RAM during the last week of September at a price range of Rs.8,000 to Rs.10,000. According to Swipe, it is going to offer the new device at a more aggressive price point in contrast with rivals who are offering increasingly sophisticated devices at continually higher price points. Swipe's current market share in the tablet category is approximately 10 percent.
July 10, 2013 |
LONDON: A new type of atomic clock may be a more accurate way to measure time, scientists say. The French researchers said the new device, called optical lattice clock, lost just one second every 300 million years. Currently, atomic clocks are used to count the seconds, but the new clocks proved to be more precise in tests and offered a better system for defining the second, researchers said. The atomic clock has proved to be quite an accurate method of keeping the world on time and since the 1960s has been used to define a second in the International System of Units (SI units)
June 25, 2015 |
NEW DELHI: Lenovo aims to be among the top three smartphone players in the country in the next few quarters as the Chinese technology major expands its product portfolio and increases presence in the offline market. "Globally, we are among the top three players and India is one of the most important markets for us. We don't see any reason why we won't be in the top three here as well," Lenovo Smartphone worldwide Sales Executive Director Dillon Ye told reporters here. The company, along with Motorola, which it had acquired last year in a $ 2.9 billion deal, has a 5.6 per cent share of the global smartphone market and ranks third cumulatively, after Samsung and Apple in January-March quarter, as per research firm IDC. In India, Lenovo (along with Motorola)
July 21, 2008 |
LONDON: A robot, almost the size of a briefcase, has been introduced by the United Kingdom border agency to nab illegal immigrants trying to cross into the country. Fitted with powerful searchlights and high-resolution video cameras, the robot - codenamed Hero - carries out detailed searches of the undersides of lorries and coaches. The robot, which costs about ?6,000, is also used inside vehicles as its four-wheel drive enables it to easily scramble over obstacles while looking for concealed people.


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Launch of Location-Enriched Transaction Services with Snowdrop Solutions
Today, we’ve become the first crypto provider to show exactly where their transaction takes place, by partnering with Snowdrop.
What are the New Features?
The new feature is available to Wirex customers in-app, and includes a range of location-enriched services to show users where their payments take place. It removes the confusing information often found in a card transaction and replaces it with the merchant name, location and, where appropriate, associated brand, all of which is clearly displayed in any of the 20 digital and traditional currencies that we offer.
Utilising Snowdrop’s Merchant Reconciliation System (MRS) technology, we’re also able to capture unique spending insights to show our customers better ways to visualise financial habits and patterns.
Why are these Features Important?
With over 3.5 million customers, we’ve already gained recognition for our innovation and desire to always pair the latest next-generation of payments infrastructure with digital payments. Building on our customer’s ability to spend crypto in-store at over 61 million locations with their Wirex debit card, the new features provide a greater level of transparency for user’s transactions, and remove the confusing information often found in a card transaction. By replacing it with useful information, Wirex cardholders across the globe benefit from more confidence and insights when reviewing their transactions.
Who are Snowdrops?
These services were launched in partnership with Snowdrop Solutions Ltd, who are an award-winning Google Maps & Cloud Premier Partner that provide location-enabled solutions for leading firms like Wirex across the Travel and Leisure, Transport, Real Estate, Telecommunications and FinTech sectors.
Like us, they’re based in the UK but offer multiple services globally, including optimised Google Maps and Cloud licenses and advanced customer care. In 2017, they launched their Merchant Reconciliation Systems API which is currently being used in hundreds of millions of transactions across Snowdrop’s banking customer base.
What do the CEOs have to say?
Pavel Matveev, our CEO and Co-Founder, commented that:
“Since creating Wirex in 2014, we’ve tried to make the often-confusing world of crypto more appealing for everyday users. Partnering with Snowdrop will give our customers access to even more cutting-edge and convenient financial features that add value to their lives, whilst bridging the gap between the traditional and digital economies.”
Ken Hart, CEO of Snowdrop, also said that:
“We’re excited to partner with Wirex. They put quality customer experience and transparency at the forefront of their business and are committed to lead by example.”
Head into the Wirex app today to see the new location-enriched features!


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THE designers Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs, known professionally as Cushnie et Ochs, have been critical darlings ever since starting their business in 2009, just a few years out of college. They have been prominently featured in WWD and Vogue, have won prestigious honors, like the Ecco Domani Foundation Award, and were one of 10 finalists for last year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award.
But even with that acclaim, they were still having trouble getting some prominent retailers to buy their clothes or even grant them a showing.
Then Michelle Obama was photographed in one of their designs: a forest-green crepe dress for the “Christmas in Washington” television special in December.
Suddenly, their phone calls were being returned. “Stores that thought we were too risqué before have booked market appointments after seeing Michelle Obama in our dress,” Ms. Cushnie, 28, said in a recent phone interview. After a quick tally, she later e-mailed, “We booked approximately 25 additional appointments for the upcoming fall collection, including Harvey Nichols Hong Kong.”
For many promising young designers showing at New York Fashion Week, their most important potential client won’t be in the front rows at Lincoln Center, but perhaps at home in the White House. There is arguably no more powerful influence in American fashion today than the country’s stylish, risk-taking first lady.Continue reading the main story
It’s by now a well-known tale — how the surprise choice of Jason Wu to design the ivory silk chiffon, one-shouldered gown that Mrs. Obama wore to the inaugural balls in 2009 propelled the then-little-known designer (a former Narciso Rodriguez intern working out of a Midtown studio with a staff of four) into a global marketing powerhouse, with lucrative partnership deals with TSE, Net-a-Porter and, most recently, Target.
But dozens of other designers, some already stars and some barely known outside their own families, have benefited from the “Michelle Obama effect” in the three years that she has been first lady.
Sometimes the designer is an active participant in the selection of a gown, working closely with the first lady’s staff to tailor a runway look to something that accommodates Mrs. Obama’s preferences. (When the first lady wore a purple gown designed by Doo Ri Chung to a state dinner in October, it was altered from the runway original by the addition of a strap to the left shoulder, as well as a belt and a more modest slit.)
Or sometimes they just find out by turning on the news or opening the pages of Us Weekly to see Mrs. Obama wearing something they had designed a couple of seasons ago.
No matter what the circumstances, the immediate fallout is almost always the same: excited text messages and phone calls from friends and families, and then the gradual opening of once-closed doors, whether it is a retailer that showed no interest in the past or a fashion magazine that suddenly wants to pull in their clothes for an upcoming spread.
Chris Benz, who designed the blue metallic brocade skirt suit that Mrs. Obama wore at the arrival ceremony of the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak, on Oct. 13 and the strapless sheath she wore for a gala for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute on Sept. 14, recalls, “one time I was in Denver eating a taco and another time I was at the gym” when he got the word that Mrs. Obama was wearing something of his.
Duro Olowu, a London-based designer that Mrs. Obama has worn on at least seven occasions in 2011, was tipped off that she was going to wear a sleeveless multi-print frock of his on “Oprah,” when a friend happened to see a preview for the show and called him excitedly to share the news.
Alexis Bittar, the jewelry designer and another favorite of the first lady (she wore his bracelets to the state dinner for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on June 7 and his flower brooch on a visit to El Salvador), counts on his mother to alert him. “My mother is a huge Michelle Obama fan,” he said, and watches for her son’s jewelry in photos.
Like Cushnie et Ochs, nearly all of the 16 designers interviewed for this article said that Mrs. Obama’s patronage had helped their business, either with an actual bump in sales or sometimes just by heightening their public image, which they believe then led to more orders by store buyers and more purchases by store customers.
For J. Crew, which Mrs. Obama has worn numerous times, from a photo spread in Vogue in 2009 to an appearance on Jay Leno last month, the association has seemingly paid solid dividends for the global brand. “It’s amazing how many people pay attention, such as in England,” says Jenna Lyons, president and creative director of J. Crew. “They say, ‘It’s the label the first lady likes.’ It’s made us relevant to customers who hadn’t thought of us before.”
For Prabal Gurung, whose clothes the first lady has worn several times, most notably to the 2011 Governors’ Dinner, the recognition factor suddenly soared. “Before she started wearing my pieces, I was just a new designer,” he said. “Maybe there were five people paying attention. Then all of a sudden people knew who I was.” He added that when he goes home to his native Nepal, everyone seems to know he has dressed Mrs. Obama.
“When you are endorsed by the first lady of the most important country in the world, that has impact,” said Naeem Khan, whose ivory chiffon beaded column dress Mrs. Obama wore to a June 2011 state dinner honoring Chancellor Merkel. “After her, I had a lot of important women wearing my clothes, royalty from other countries. It wasn’t new markets, but my business grew bigger in the Middle East and Asia.”
Press coverage, too, can get a bounce. “There’s definitely been an uptick in interest from editors,” said Gregory Parkinson, citing the impact of the pink-and-purple skirt from his spring 2011 collection that Mrs. Obama wore on vacation in Hawaii that January. “We’ve had increased attendance at the shows,” he said, adding, “It’s higher-ranked editors coming.”
Though many of the designers were happy to discuss the impact the first lady has had on their visibility or their business, few would talk specifically about their dealings with the White House or with Meredith Koop, the assistant largely acknowledged as the key stylist for Mrs. Obama, taking over a role previously filled informally by Ikram Goldman, the influential Chicago retailer.
Some were secretive. (“I don’t feel comfortable answering whether we worked with Ikram or Meredith” Mr. Gurung said.) Some were vague. (“They order clothes and you never know for when, or how, or where she is going to wear it,” said Sophie Theallet.) And some were downright hostile. (“It’s an invasion of her privacy” to discuss the first lady’s fashion decisions, said Barbara Tfank, who designed the sapphire-blue dress Mrs. Obama wore to the most recent State of the Union address.)
Mr. Wu, perhaps the designer most influenced by Mrs. Obama’s patronage, did not want to be interviewed for this article; another designer asked that a quote about the process of working with the White House be taken off the record, so as to avoid possibly angering the first lady’s staff.
The White House declined to have Ms. Koop be interviewed, issuing this statement by e-mail: “Ms. Koop’s responsibilities include advising the first lady on her wardrobe and acting on her behalf in arranging for purchases.”
FOR designers looking to outfit Mrs. Obama, sometimes being direct helps. Byron Lars, who designs under the label Beauty Mark, had dressed Mrs. Obama twice through Ms. Goldman, whom he met through Mr. Olowu, a friend. When Ms. Goldman stepped down, Mr. Lars sent pieces, unsolicited, directly to Ms. Koop.
In December, the first lady wore his fit-and-flare black frock for an Obama family portrait. “Of course, I was over the moon,” Mr. Lars said. “There’s actually a fall dress I’m working on now that is perfect for her.” He may send it over with a spring coat.
Others, like Tracy Reese, Peter Som, Ms. Theallet and Maria Cornejo (of Zero & Maria Cornejo), have shifted seamlessly between Ms. Goldman and Ms. Koop. “First, it was through Ikram, and she reached out to me,” Ms. Reese said. “We transitioned to Meredith last year, but we just consider it Mrs. Obama’s team. It was very smooth.”
All four designers said they had tweaked existing collection pieces and produced them according to Mrs. Obama’s specifications (or those of her team). For Ms. Cornejo, it’s a certain sleeve the first lady likes. Mr. Som will work with a specifically requested pattern or fabric.
And Ms. Theallet has been guided by a general idea. “For the dress she wore for the Fourth of July, they saw pictures from the Web site,” said Ms. Theallet, a French-born, New York-based designer. “They don’t give me so much direction. I made the dress with the same kind of feeling as the pictures. I change the length, then, voilà.”
Ms. Reese will extend the skirt length a couple inches to accommodate Ms. Obama’s height. “Luckily, she and I are pretty much the same size,” Ms. Reese said with a laugh. “She’s just taller and more elegant than me. Before sending the pieces out, I try them on to see if they will work.”
Though reluctant to share too many details, the designers and others in the fashion world did seem eager to talk about the influence Mrs. Obama has had on American fashion, particularly since she tended not to go for a signature look (“Nancy Reagan red”) or patronize a small number of designers.
“Unlike very chic first ladies we’ve had, like Jacqueline Onassis, Michelle Obama wears so many different designers,” said Anna Wintour of Vogue. “She wears established designers like Michael Kors and a whole array of young designers. Within that group, she’s very choose-your-own-style. She never looks like the clothes are wearing her.”
J. Crew’s Jenna Lyons agrees. “With previous first ladies, one of the things that happened is that they fell into a uniform and it was always a secondary point of view,” she said. “We’ve sort of gotten used to the suits and really downplaying the femininity aspect. The incredible thing about Michelle Obama is that she’s front and center, and it has done a lot for women in that regard.”
Added Ms. Lyons: “In the beginning, I was surprised with the Lanvin sneakers and the J. Crew skinny pants. But the thing is, we’re used to being surprised now. That’s become the standard. The only thing I have come to expect is amazing color.”
Mr. Bittar said he was struck quite recently by how the first lady has become a powerful trendsetter in fashion. “I was looking at the M.L.K. picture of her the other night with my boyfriend,” he said, referring to Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe over the Martin Luther King Birthday weekend, which included a body-skimming black dress with portrait neckline one night and a scarlet J. Mendel organza gown the next. “I said to him: ‘Can you believe this is the first lady? She looks incredible.’ ”Continue reading the main story


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Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and German National Tourist Office for the GCC sign new partnership to inspire travelers to visit the country post COVID-19.
The German.Local.Culture. campaign promotes Germany focusing on four themes: ‘Flair, Craft, Taste and Green’. The campaign will be marketed to Wego’s wide user base to bring more travelers from the MENA region.
Wego’s data shows that Germany is in the top 10 destinations for MENA travelers looking to travel to Europe in 2022. The campaign will be launched digitally through social media networks for a broader reach to establish an authentic image of Germany as a sustainable travel destination. The country attracts tourists for its historic architecture, picturesque Old Towns, urban city vitality, impressive industrial monuments, castles and palaces and unspoiled nature.
The ‘Flair’ theme showcases the architectural styles of the German cities and places of cultural interest to the tourists. The theme highlights the regional roots of small towns with fascinating historical stories. GNTB, through the campaign, aims to reignite the love of architecture among foreign tourists.
Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and India of Wego, said: “Following the successful campaigns, we’re partnering with the German National Tourist Board for the third year running. We are looking forward to inviting even more travelers to this preferred European destination through this campaign.”
The campaign also focuses on enjoyable travel experiences even under covid-19 circumstances. These experiences include Germany’s classical and world-famous opera houses attracting about one-third of worldwide operatic performances. The famous opera houses have historic concert halls, ornate stucco, and plush furniture.
Yamina Sofo, director of sales and marketing at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO GCC), said: “The GCC is our second-strongest overseas market with more than 130,000 overnight stays recorded in the first quarter of 2022. That is an immense increase of roughly 258 per cent when compared to the same period of 2021. Our German.Local.Culture. campaign aims to inspire travelers to explore Germany differently, immersing themselves in the country’s cultural delicacies. Summer travels are just around the corner, and we are eagerly awaiting an influx of visitors from the GCC coming to enjoy the four elements of the campaign: Craft, Taste, Flair, and Green.”
Before the pandemic, Germany reported the arrival of about 39.56 million tourists.


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Semper International reports pessimism regarding third quarter sales in its most recent print Industry Insight survey
Global economic concerns fueling domestic fears about the print and graphics industry’s sales.
Boston, MA – July 27, 2012 – Semper International, the leading placement firm for skilled help in the graphic arts and printing industry, announces that in spite of profitability throughout the industry, many companies have a negative outlook for the rest of the quarter. Results of Semper’s most recent Industry Insight survey show a negative outlook and indecision about hiring plans.
Since February 2003, Semper International has provided a quarterly survey offering estimates of trends in the printing and graphics industries. To prevent bias, survey questions — both qualitative and quantitative — are designed by Semper corporate partner Cvent. Survey participants include more than 300 small, medium and large printing companies; both clients and prospects of Semper International. Participants provide data on revenue and hiring as well as estimated outlooks on future trends. Data is requested from a random sample and are not screened. To preserve confidentiality, individual company information is not part of the tabulation.
“The bad news coming out of Europe and Asia seems to be making waves here,” notes Dave Regan, CEO Semper International. “The sentiment in the industry is difficult to read. The majority of companies reported a profitable second quarter, but sales have dropped over the last two weeks. We’re looking for the typical sales cycle, where we see a big bump at the end of the third quarter, but people aren’t counting on it this year.”
The most recent survey indicates mixed business trends:
* 75% of companies surveyed reported a profitable Q2. This represents a 6-point increase over last quarter.
* Looking at the first two weeks of Q3, companies reporting an increase in current sales are down by 15 points. The number of companies reporting a decrease in sales is up 12 points over last quarter.
* 46% of companies expect sales to increase through the remainder of Q3, 2012 while 40% expect sales to stay the same. Last quarter nearly 53% expected a sales increase and only 33% expected sales to stay the same.
* The vast majority of respondents indicated that hiring levels will remain the same or increase. Of the companies who plan to hire, only 9.2% of them plan to replace staff this quarter.
* Just over half of companies reported that healthcare is the labor cost component that increased the fastest last quarter. Base pay, the next largest component, continues to increase steadily. Companies are taking steps to control costs, but healthcare has remained the fastest growing component of cost for the last 9 quarters.
* The greatest competitive threat to printers remains largely unchanged from last quarter. The current economy (52%) is the biggest threat, far exceeding lower cost competitors (18%) and emerging technology (10%).
* Print buyers place the greatest pricing pressure on ink to substrate printing (57%) than other graphic service.
* 79% say digital print has increased significantly or increased somewhat as a segment of their business over the last 5 years. 12% do not offer digital print services, at all.
* Referrals (38%) and online searches (36%) continue to be the most popular ways to find employees. These methods put pressure on traditional help wanted advertising, which continued its downward trend for the third quarter.
To participate in future surveys, please email email@example.com. More information is available at the Semper International website: http://www.semperllc.com/index.cfm?page=president
About Semper International
Semper International is a temporary help placement firm founded and staffed by professionals who were raised and trained in the printing and graphic arts industry, and who understand the innate needs and demands of the profession. Semper has a thorough understanding of all the positions, equipment, and software essential to the business, which assures a perfect employee - employer match.
The Semper team constantly monitors job market trends in the industry. They understood the changes that occurred in job responsibilities when electronic prepress replaced the typesetter and mechanicals, and similarly understands the impact trends such as direct-to-plate and digital print have on staffing. Semper most recently introduced TechCreative professionals whose skills encompass both artistic, design and technical skills to output to any media.
To provide career growth, Semper offers Semper University, an online training program for its employees to help prepare conventional printing professionals for upcoming changes in the industry. Realizing how the Internet is revolutionizing the industry, Semper also works with the most talented web designers, graphic designers, desktop publishers and production managers.
Semper has offices in Boston (HQ), Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Minneapolis and Wayne NJ. Direct Hire services for sales and management positions are conducted throughout the country.
For more information, visit Semper International at:
Semper Blog: http://semperllc.wordpress.com


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The economic data that's been released for December and January now appear to be confirming my view that the economy hit a wall in November. As I suggested here: Expect A Decline In Auto Sales Going Forward, auto sales would start to plummet this year. Based on today's auto sales report for January, I may be on the right track. Ford's sales were down 7.5%, GM down 12% and Chrysler was up 8%. Note that Chrysler's sells the least number of cars of those three. Toyota's sales dropped 7.2% and Volkswagon's fell 19%.
The bad weather excuse just does not hold water. What makes it even more absurd is the fact that private construction spending - i.e. housing and commercial real estate - increased a little in January. Wall Street analysts and financial media reporters want me to believe that the same weather across the entire country that didn't prevent outdoor construction spending prevented people from looking for new cars? Really? Just for the record, I bought a new (used Subaru WRX) in January and I was test-driving in 20 degree weather right after a big snow storm.
And what about the plummet in manufacturing? The ISM manufacturing index registered its biggest miss of expectations on record for January and the new order index plummeted the most since 1980: Bad Weather Inside? Is Wall Street going to explain to us that leaky factor roofs and broken heating systems prevented factories from operating during bad weather days in January? Well the Purchasing Managers manufacturing index also missed expectations and the sub-indices for new export orders and order backlogs slipped below 50, indicating a contraction. Hmmm...did bad weather prevent purchasing managers from picking up their office phone and placing new orders?
The truth is that the consumer is done. According to reports from insiders at Dell, they are getting ready to cut 15,000 from the workforce. Several major retailers are chopping heads and closing stores. JC Penny and Sears are fighting off bankruptcy. The economy is in big trouble and Wall Street wants us to believe that bad weather is the culprit. George Orwell is looking down on us from somewhere in the heavens with a giant grin on his face.


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Diane Donovan was facing a tough decision after the hurricane wiped out her business.
Should she stay and rebuild or move on?
‘Everything was destroyed. It was hard to wrap my mind around the amount of work that would be involved in re-opening.’
Buoyed by the encouragement of her clientele and the company’s past success, the co-owner of Body Works decided to go forward and rebuild the business from the ground up.
Five months and countless late nights later, Donovan and partner Elizabeth Thompson are poised to re-launch the holistic wellness centre in Queen’s Court Plaza.
‘It was a hard decision but this is my passion,’ said Donovan, a yoga instructor and massage therapist who has run the wellness centre for six years. ‘I can’t imagine doing anything else,’
On Tuesday, Body Works will celebrate its re-opening with a reception from 6pm to 9pm that will also feature an exhibition and sale of works by Austrian artist Elisabeth Schafzahl.
Donovan said Body Works had to be completely refurbished from top to bottom as the storm took off its roof, blew out a window and flooded the interior with four feet of water.
‘We had rain coming in from above and the sea from below. We were able to salvage only a little bit of product that was on the higher shelves – that was it.’
The storm not only demolished the business but wiped out Donovan’s home and vehicle as well.
‘It was absolutely devastating.’
With the worst now behind her, Donovan is looking ahead to getting Body Works back on track. She said Ivan gave her a chance to refine the business as well as introduce some new products and services.
‘We didn’t do a lot of major changes but just fine-tuned it a bit.’
In addition to yoga, Body Works is introducing Pilates, body rolling and stretch therapy classes led by Dottie Rau. It has several new beauty treatments as well.
To fill in the gap before re-opening, the company’s aestheticians and massage therapists have been offering mobile services. Donovan has also been teaching yoga at various locations since November.
‘Everybody said it made such a difference. Starting up yoga made them feel like there was some sort of normalcy in their lives. They looked forward to that hour of calmness.’
Originally from Canada, Donovan came to the island for a change of pace, intending to stay just one year. Six years later, she now calls it home.
‘I really love it here.’
She built a yoga studio onto Body Works after taking over in 1999 to complement its massage and beauty therapy services.
‘As a wellness centre, it’s not just about looking beautiful but feeling beautiful and being beautiful.’
While the last few months have been challenging, Donovan said moving forward has been healing.
‘It’s a new beginning,’ she said. ‘I’m really excited about it.’


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TIME to Hold ETH, Demystify the Metaverse for Readers via Galaxy Digital Partnership
“The partnership with TIME is a first of its kind,” Galaxy Digital CEO and founder Mike Novogratz told Blockworks.
- TIME is launching an array of products and coverage focused on the metaverse through a partnership with Galaxy Digital
- The American magazine will hold ether on its balance sheet
TIME Magazine is set on educating the world about the metaverse, and it is putting its money where its mouth is.
The American magazine and news site is going to hold ether on its balance sheet and launch a TIME 100 Companies list for the metaverse and a weekly newsletter to be called ‘Into the Metaverse,’ financed by ETH, the company announced Thursday. The deal will be made possible through a partnership with Galaxy Digital, TIME said.
The TIME 100 list, commissioned by Galaxy, will be the latest in the magazine’s growing family of lists, which cover influential businesses. The metaverse list will include builders in the space, the company said. Applications for the list are currently open and will close December 31.
The newsletter will be authored by TIME entertainment reporter Andrew Chow.
“The noise around the term ‘metaverse’ is loud and constant enough to render it almost meaningless,” Chow said on Twitter. “But the money and effort being poured [into] the space are undeniable and will likely have a huge impact for decades to come.”
In addition to the newsletter, TIME will also create online resources for metaverse education, with the help of experts at Galaxy.
“We see our role as the bridge bringing together institutions and innovators/wall street and Web 3.0,” Novogratz said. “More simply, we are always trying to bring more people into ‘the tent’ – this partnership aims to do exactly that via education, content, TIME100 companies, and more.”
Get the day’s top crypto news and insights delivered to your inbox every evening. Subscribe to Blockworks’ free newsletter now.


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SCOTS will pay up to £11.4 million extra for deliveries over Christmas, according to figures.
Online firms are still penalising shoppers in Scotland, particularly those living outside of the bigger cities and towns.
MSP Richard Lochhead, who has been campaigning on the issue, said shoppers north of the Border have been forced to pay £36m a year more than people living elsewhere in the UK.
He is outraged at new figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre which reveal that the festive bill from October to December could account for nearly a third of this amount.
“It is absolutely astonishing that online shoppers in Scotland still face an £11.4 million penalty in the form of parcel delivery surcharges this Christmas,” he said.
“As far as some retailers are concerned Christmas is not about giving but about fleecing. This is a huge additional cost and all because of parcel delivery surcharges that are applied without any justification to mainly northern postcodes. Many retailers deliver free or for a modest cost but others apply eye-watering surcharges.”
Online retailers are now facing a crackdown on these charges as UK ministers finally admit that action to curb fees is needed.
Minister for Small Business Kelly Tolhurst has indicated that the Scottish Government could launch a review into current legislation, which could lead to new regulation on prices.
Mr Lochhead met the minister last week, soon after the Scottish Government launched an initiative to publicly name and shame firms charging massive fees for rural customers.
He said: “Rural Scotland is home to some of the most loyal online shoppers and in the run-up to Christmas. I will continue campaigning and piling the pressure on retailers to end the rip-off surcharge facing too many Scottish consumers.
“It’s now time for the authorities to act and for every retailer to review its delivery charges and to stop discriminating against many parts of Scotland.”
Charges for parcel delivery for Highlands and Islands addresses are more than 30% higher on average than those on the mainland.
In Golspie, Sutherland, David Crayton, 59, is sick of being charged extra because delivery companies refuse to believe he lives on the mainland.
He said because he has a KW postcode – the same as Kirkwall in Orkney –couriers assume he lives on an island.
“It is ridiculous. I have tried to explain that I’m on the mainland, not in Orkney, but companies just won’t listen.”
David said he has given up on ordering big-ticket items such as washing machines or fridges online because he gets charged an extra £30 for delivery.
“People in Rogart, just six miles down the road, don’t have to pay any surcharges because they have an Inverness postcode. I’m caught in a no-man’s land.”
In Inverness, photographer John MacPherson, 60, is also fuming about surcharges.
“I wanted to buy a crash helmet from London which offered free delivery but it cost £29 to send it to Inverness,” he said.
“I also discovered it was only £9.99 to deliver the same item to countries like Croatia and Estonia.”
John said when he also tried to order car parts online from England, surcharges to the Highlands were in the same price bracket as delivering to the Caribbean.
Following Mr Lochhead’s campaign, the Advertising Standards agency promised to issue enforcement notices to companies making excess charges, while Amazon and eBay have pledged to ban third-party sellers for overcharging.
Eigg resident greased £99 for a 10-litre canister of engine oil
By Jonathan Jobson, mini-bus driver, Isle of Eigg
LIVING on a remote island and having no choice but to do much of your shopping online you quickly become used to the delivery premiums added when checking out.
A postcode surcharge is the norm for many websites while hidden in the delivery details section of others is the dreaded script “excluding the Scottish Highlands and Islands”.
However, even I was surprised when a recent attempt at purchasing 10 litres of engine oil on eBay – priced at £37.74 – came up with a delivery surcharge of £99. Changing the delivery details to my mother’s Glasgow address saw that £99 disappear completely to be replaced with the words “free postage and packing”. How can that be? Free to the Central Belt but £99 to be delivered to the Caledonian MacBrayne office in Mallaig, which is as far as any courier gets, the shipping company then being responsible for the final delivery.
It isn’t the first time this has happened to me and it won’t be the last.
The Sunday Post View: Parcel rip-off must stop, post-haste
It’s hugely frustrating that folk in some parts of Scotland are still being ripped off by firms when it comes to having parcels delivered.
After all, it’s not as if these customers live in caves, cut off from the outside world with no road or rail links.
No they will probably live in a semi-detached house in a suburban street that, wait for it, might even be connected to the internet. (How do the firms involved think folk order their wares?)
So there’s no reason at all why they should be forced to cough up extra for a delivery.
You would imagine some parts of London would pose bigger delivery problems with congestion charging and traffic-clogged roads.
So do Londoners have to stump up more? Not a chance.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.Subscribe


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While many of us consider Bing to be no real threat to Google, it would seem that Google thinks otherwise. With the recent unveiling of their “Explore Google Search” page, they’re allowing users to see everything that they offer.
The new page features plenty of tips on quick searches that can help you on a day-to-day basis. Everything from weather, movie times, sports scores and flight tracking is available all through Google’s search engine.
If you want to see how Google is stepping up their game and showing off every feature that they offer, be sure to check out the page here.


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- Cleveland Clinic announced Oct. 21 that it has partnered with American Well to provide broad access to comprehensive and high-acuity care services via telehealth.
- In just five years, 50% of outpatient visits will be virtual, according to a Cleveland Clinic press release.
- Annual virtual visits at Cleveland Clinic have grown 68% in 2018 alone, according to the press release.
- HFMA’s Chad Mulvany will discuss examples of disruption like this in HFMA’s Nov. 12 “Fall 2019 Virtual Conference: Industry Trends and Outlook.” Sign up for the session here.
Modern Healthcare is reporting, is reporting, “Cleveland Clinic and Boston-based telehealth company American Well are forming a joint venture digital health company, called The Clinic, to provide broad access to comprehensive and high-acuity care services via telehealth to reach patients nationally and globally, according to a news release.”
“The new company, to be based in Cleveland, will offer virtual care from Cleveland Clinic’s experts through American Well’s digital health technology platform,” the Modern Healthcare piece continued. “Cleveland Clinic has seen a rapid increase in the use of virtual visits to deliver patient care, with the number of annual visits growing by 68% in 2018 alone.
“Telehealth is a key part of its aim to double the number of patients it serves in the next five years, a lofty goal Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic, announced earlier this year. The health system projects that 50% of outpatient visits will be virtual in just five years, according to the release.”
You’re not just competing with the folks across town for market share (whether they be a local health system or a national player like Optum that employs physicians). As soon as The Clinic is operational, you’re competing with the Cleveland Clinic on both convenience and brand reputation (e.g. perceived quality) for your well-insured PPO business.
How soon will it happen?
How will you know when this has happened? When you start seeing ads for the service start popping up on popular social media sites and during live broadcast events (e.g. college football games, high-visibility Winter Olympics events) or other broadcast programs (e.g. “This Is Us”).
Who will the service target?
At a minimum, based on the experience of Walmart and others who have deployed center of excellence programs for high-volume/cost procedures, employers will provide this service to their employees as an opportunity to get a second opinion on a diagnosis or a care plan.
Some employers (those who rely on highly skilled labor forces) may include the telehealth service as in-network through national carriers. The initial volume impact probably isn’t going to be significant. However, it will likely grow over time as comfort with receiving care via telehealth increases and more national brands offer similar services. And the loss of “well-insured” business will compound challenges organizations are facing due to deteriorating payer mixes (folks aging into Medicare), payment-rate increases (mostly Medicare and Medicaid) that are not keeping up with input-price inflation, and services shifting to settings that command lower payment rates.
Obviously, improving quality, particularly in the targeted service lines, is one important step. Another significant step is understanding how consumer-centric your organization is and increasing those capabilities.
New HFMA quantitative tool to gauge consumer maturity
HFMA will soon introduce the Consumerism Maturity Model, a concrete, quantitative tool that will enable provider organizations to assess their consumer-centric progress and how much they need to improve. Through a guided self-assessment process, the model gauges a provider’s overall capabilities and identifies specific areas for improvement.
It incorporates the patient-financial-experience building blocks that a growing number of organizations have already adopted and supplements them with relevant revenue cycle metrics from HFMA’s MAP initiative as well as external metrics. Beyond defending your existing market share, improving in these two areas will likely lead to growth.
Not everyone who has a virtual visit with a The Clinic (or other similar service) and requires additional diagnostics or a procedure will want to travel for follow-up care. This should create partnership opportunities in regions where Cleveland Clinic (or other national brands) lack a physical-care delivery presence.
Virtual teleconference Nov. 12
I will be covering examples of disruption like this in HFMA’s Nov. 12 “Fall 2019 Virtual Conference: Industry Trends and Outlook.” Sign up for the session here.


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Volvo and Microsoft announced their technical collaboration for future technologies, starting with the revealing of how the latest holographic tech could be used for a better customer experience.
Using the HoloLens, the first fully untethered holographic computer, Volvo and Microsoft showcased how customers could configure their cars using holograms that are mixed into the physical world.
“HoloLens offers the freedom to create a bespoke experience which customers can steer themselves. Imagine using mixed reality to choose the type of car you want – to explore the colors, rims, or get a better understanding of the features, services and options available,” said Björn Annwall, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service at Volvo Cars.
The demonstration of the HoloLens also gave the chance to a few journalists to preview the upcoming flagship of the company, the new S90, which is set for debuting at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.
“We are thrilled to be working with Volvo Cars to reimagine what is possible in car design, discovery and purchasing. We are excited to be at this intersection of technology and human-centric design with Volvo,” Scott Erickson, Senior Director, Microsoft HoloLens at Microsoft Corp.
This marks the beginning of longer term cooperation between Volvo and Microsoft, which will spawn a range of new technologies, including autonomous driving and predictive analytics to improve safety.


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Closer Look: Footpatrol X ASICS Anime-inspired GEL-Saga
London’s Footpatrol have again linked up with ASICS, this time revisiting the cult anime TV series, Mobile Suit Gundam.
Originally inspired by the Gelgoog mecha suit, 1991's GEL-Saga channelled a futuristic colourway to portray the Gundam universe, and it looks like the 2018 colab will follow a similar design trajectory.
The new model embraces a metallic paint job across the side panels, subtle tonal uppers, a clean white hit to the midsole with understated grey outsoles. The colour scheme allows the metallic blue to do most of the design’s heavy lifting.
Footpatrol will launch the sneaker at their London and Paris outfits on July 28, gifting the first 25 customers an exclusive package. A worldwide drop will follow on August 11.


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The impact of cybercrime is considerable. Much bigger than I thought. The majority of consumers (66%) do not seem to be inclined to shop or do business with an organisation from which personal data has been stolen. As a result, the damage caused by a data breach continues for longer than expected.
Particularly retailers (62%), banks (59%) and social media (58%) are banned from a data breach. This is due to the fact that 70% of consumers believe that the responsibility for data protection lies with organisations. In fact, 93% blame the organisation for a data breach and consider taking action against them. This is shown by the Customer Loyalty survey of Gemalto, the world leader in digital security.
Only a quarter of consumers feel that the protection and security of personal data is taken very seriously. They mainly do not trust social media (61%) and banks (40%) when it comes to protecting their data. 91 percent believe that the applications and websites they currently use pose a risk to the protection and security of personal data.
That is why 82 percent of consumers want organisations to take more online security measures. This is sometimes necessary in order to bring the internal policy of companies more in line with crucial issues such as the European privacy legislation GDPR. In order to meet this requirement, data security must also be in good order.
A quarter of the respondents were victims of fraudulent use of financial information (26%), personal data (19%) and identity theft (16%). In addition, two-thirds are worried because they think they will be the victim of a data breach. Despite this fear, consumers do not intend to change their own online behaviour. For example, more than half (55%) of consumers say they use the same password for different accounts.
Dirk Geeraerts, identity and data protection expert at Gemalto, states in a statement that it is important for organisations to work with data security. Stimulating good consumer behaviour is important in this respect. Despite the fact that an organisation is seen as responsible by the consumer, passwords really do lie partly with the consumer himself. This means that as an organization you protect your most valuable assets, including customer data, with encryption and two factor authentication,” says Geeraerts.This news article was automatically translated from Dutch to give Techzine.eu a head start. All news articles after September 1, 2019 are written in native English and NOT translated. All our background stories are written in native English as well. For more information read our launch article.


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Cybersecurity solutions are a necessity in all digital innovation.
Cyber Hub improves the growth journey for innovative Danish startups in cybersecurity and strengthens the growth potential and competitiveness of cybersecurity in Denmark.
We connect the dots between stakeholders in cybersecurity – startups, established companies, talents, research and educational institutions, and investors – and facilitate access to development programmes, networks and funding.
In May 2022, CyberHub merged with DigitalLead, Denmark’s cluster for digital technologies, which already has cyber security and digital resilience as a core focus area.
The aim is to raise awareness of cybersecurity and digital resilience, and for many more Danish startups and companies to develop new cybersecurity solutions.
The merger will help strengthening the society against an increasing number of cyber threats and unlock the growth potential of Danish companies in cyber security.
DigitalLead has already initiated several initiatives to strengthen cybersecurity among Danish companies and now, all the activities and community that has been built in CyberHub will be activated in a much larger part of the Danish business society.


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Sep 13, 2018New campus will serve Austria and act as a gateway for Eastern Europe from 2019
Sep 5, 2018
UPS has announced a new service, Ware2Go, that aims to match up merchants with short-term warehouse space close to their markets.
Aug 31, 2018
A dive into self-drive
Aug 30, 2018
Quality and the personal touch are critical to success in the supply chain but achieving that is proving to be tough for providers
Aug 24, 2018
Out of stock? How a lack of labour is putting the brakes on growth in the logistics industry.