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JTAG/boundary-scan software supports Altera USB Blaster Product News 7/25/2006 Post a comment If you're embedding IEEE-1149.x JTAG boundary-scan testability into FPGAs, GoPEL has a software option for its existing software suite that supports Altera's popular USB-Blaster download cable. It lets the USB Blaster be used as a native JTAG/boundary-scan controller.
ADI? TI? Or door #3? Signal Processing DesignLine Blog 7/25/2006 Post a comment People talk about ADI and TI as if they were the only companies selling DSPs. That's crazy--and it's bad business.
Altera sales rise sequentially News & Analysis 7/24/2006 Post a comment Programmable logic device supplier Altera Corp. posted second quarter 2006 sales of $334.1 million, up 14 percent from the first quarter of 2006 and 17 percent from the year-ago second quarter.
Spartan-3 issue could take weeks to resolve News & Analysis 7/7/2006 Post a comment A mold compound issue that forced programmable logic supplier Xilinx to issue a substantial recall of Spartan-3 FPGAs could take weeks to rectify, according to Satya Chillara, an analyst at American Technology Research.
Video and image processing design using FPGAs Design How-To 7/7/2006 Post a comment Higher resolution and advanced codecs are forcing developers to re-examine design architectures and consider, or re-consider, FPGA as an alternative to DSP, media processors, and ASICs. Altera explains why FPGA is a perfect fit.
As data rates begin to move beyond 25 Gbps channels, new problems arise. Getting to 50 Gbps channels might not be possible with the traditional NRZ (2-level) signaling. PAM4 lets data rates double with only a small increase in channel bandwidth by sending two bits per symbol. But, it brings new measurement and analysis problems. Signal integrity sage Ransom Stephens will explain how PAM4 differs from NRZ and what to expect in design, measurement, and signal analysis.
January 2016 Cartoon Caption ContestBob's punishment for missing his deadline was to be tied to his chair tantalizingly close to a disconnected cable, with one hand superglued to his desk and another to his chin, while the pages from his wall calendar were slowly torn away.122 comments


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China's economy expanded 7.8 percent year-on-year in July-September, data showed Friday, snapping two quarters of slowing growth, but analysts questioned whether the improvement was sustainable.
The gross domestic product (GDP) figure matched the median forecast in a survey of 11 economists by AFP. Growth for the first nine months of the year came in at 7.7 percent, the National Bureau of Statistics said.
"The overall national economy realised steady growth and enjoyed good momentum," the NBS said in a statement accompanying the figures.
"The major indicators stayed within the rational range, which was in favour of promoting economic restructuring and pushing forward reforms."
But its spokesman Sheng Laiyun warned of "pressures" in the form of a "complicated, volatile and severe" external environment, and accumulated structural problems in the economy.
Additionally, high comparative figures in the last three months of 2012 could mean China's growth rate may not accelerate in the fourth quarter, he added.
The latest result suggests China's economy, a key driver of global growth, remains on track to at least meet Beijing's own target for this year of 7.5 percent. The government usually announces a conservative number that it regularly surpasses.
Industrial production, which measures output at factories, workshops and mines, rose 10.2 percent in September year-on-year, the NBS said, while retail sales, a key indicator for consumer spending, was up 13.3 percent.
And fixed asset investment, a measure of government spending on infrastructure, rose 20.2 percent during the first nine months of the year.
The latest report card for the economy comes as China's new leadership has stressed the need to retool the country's growth model to one where private, consumer-led demand drives sustained -- albeit lower -- expansion.
Economists surveyed ahead of the release had said the jump was mainly a result of government stimulus since late June that featured increased rail and urban fixed-asset investment, tax cuts and looser monetary policy.
But analysts are questioning whether such measures can be continued, and some signs the recovery is waning have already emerged, highlighted by a surprising drop in exports last month.
"The GDP figure in the fourth quarter may be lower than the third quarter, as the momentum of the rebound is not that strong while the base from the fourth quarter last year is relatively high," Ma Xiaoping, a Beijing-based economist for British bank HSBC, told AFP.
Room for further monetary loosening is limited due to factors including rising inflation and excess market liquidity, economists say, adding that at the same time skyrocketing local government debt and slowing fiscal revenue growth are restricting further tax incentives.
ANZ bank economists Liu Li-Gang and Zhou Hao credited what they called the "mini stimulus" package for the growth uptick.
The government will more than make good on its 7.5 percent growth target, they predicted, with "risk biased to the upside", but added that the rebound was "not on a solid footing".
There were few indications that inventories are being restocked, they said, a situation "reflecting a cautious mood" ahead of a key Communist Party meeting scheduled for November, when economic reforms could be announced.
The pump-priming measures were taken after economic growth slowed for two straight quarters and following a 7.7-percent expansion for all of 2012 -- the worst performance since 1999.
The economy expanded 2.2 percent in the third quarter from the previous three months, the NBS said, the strongest expansion by that measure in five quarters.
Sheng said: "Despite the growth rate volatility, the internal structure of the economy and the growth quality have improved.
"Looking forward, it is more likely that the Chinese economy will maintain steady and relatively fast growth."

domain: news


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You Can Use The PureWrist Bracelet To Pay For Things It's easier than ever to pay for things.
There's Apple Pay, Google Wallet, PayPal, Square, Venmo and a litany of other tools that all basically do the same thing: Take dollars from your bank account and give them to someone else. But how would you feel about a bracelet that could pay for things and give to charity at the same time? That's PureWrist in a nutshell. It's a wristband that contains near field communication technology that syncs up to a special debit card, allowing you to pandora beads price tap the bracelet at compatible vendors to make purchases. This is basically the same idea behind things like Apple Pay, and plenty of stores already accept MasterCard Contactless, the technology PureWrist will use. Hey, that's even easier than pulling your iPhone out of your pocket to pay with Touch ID and profits generated by the device via fees from retailers will go to a good cause. "Watches and accessories have meaning," Ari Gardiner, a PureWrist co founder, told The Huffington Post. "Why can't bracelets be enhanced and used to do something?" That very question is one that the biggest tech companies are grappling with today. If you're going to wear something on your wrist, why not wear an Apple Watch that can call you an Uber, or an Android Wear device that can send text messages? But PureWrist is several orders of magnitude simpler. The founders compare it to the Livestrong bracelet, those rubbery yellow bands you son pandora charm may have worn before organization head Lance Armstrong was nailed in a massive doping scandal. "Lance evaporated and no one picked up on that advocacy," Eric Gardiner, PureWrist co founder and Ari's father, told HuffPost. The PureWrist is light, fairly unobtrusive and gives part of its profits directly to the The Leukemia Lymphoma Society. The senior Gardiner is a three time leukemia survivor, which is a large part of what motivated the founders to parter with that organization. Later this year, users will be able to select the charity they give to, his son said. Each time you use a device like the PureWrist, money pandora jewels changes hands behind the scenes. Basically, you may go to the drug store and pay $5.99 for a toothbrush, but the store isn't getting every penny. PureWrist will get a cut, 20 percent of which will go to charity. Of course, it's worth mentioning that PureWrist isn't the only payment service that has a charitable component. Venmo has allowed users to give to select charities using its platform, and PayPal, in partnership with eBay, has also offered a similar program. But admittedly, none are quite as convenient as tapping your wrist to buy something. To the Gardiners, PureWrist solves a major problem nonprofits face: continuous revenue. Ideally, anyone who has PureWrist will use it all the time, which means charities could accrue many small donations over a large span of time. That all sounds great, but there's a minor catch: The PureWrist requires a monthly fee. In order to use the bracelet, you have to get a special debit card called the Gratitude card, which requires a $4.99 per month subscription, 20 percent of which goes to charity. More on that here. PureWrist recently reached its $10,000 funding goal on Indiegogo, and the devices are scheduled to be delivered in September.
"Early bird" funders can get the band for $30, which will sell later for $40. The crowdfunding campaign has less than two days left, in case you want to get in on the ground floor. You can search for pandora new bracelet participating vendors here.
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Dec 01, 2014 10:47 GMT VisitScotland Kingsbarns Distillery officially opens
Nov 27, 2014 15:07 GMT VisitScotland Inverurie school pupils create Year of Homecoming inspired book.
Nov 27, 2014 11:01 GMT VisitScotland New VisitScotland campaign targets North East of England
Nov 27, 2014 10:00 GMT VisitScotland From ice skating in Aberdeen’s Castlegate to creating holly wreaths at Leith Hall in Aberdeenshire, visitors to the region are sure to experience a range of festive-al fun this Christmas.
Nov 26, 2014 10:02 GMT VisitScotland Accessible tourism training helps Kingsmills improve welcome for all guests.
Nov 25, 2014 20:39 GMT Thirty 30 Media Business expansion, job opportunities with growth of food brand development company who has major high street retailers as clients.
Nov 25, 2014 20:27 GMT Thirty 30 Media Helps people connect with other drivers in the hope of finding love.
Nov 25, 2014 11:55 GMT VisitScotland Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has announced that it will launch a new service between Copenhagen and Edinburgh in March 2015.
Nov 25, 2014 10:44 GMT VisitScotland VisitScotland celebrates an alphabet of winter in new one-off guide


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The need for newspaper publishers to include a digital revenue model is a given in the industry. But just how they are going about it varies wildly. Some publishers opt for paywalls for premium content, while others rely on display ads or marketing that reaches critical mass.
“Whether it’s business models, market conditions or audience profiles, there are a wide range of factors affecting how much of their revenue newspapers currently derive from digital,” writes Henry Taylor in The Media Briefing.
To get a better handle on where newspapers are in the process, Taylor and his team looked at four high-profile newspapers; Trinity Mirror, The Daily Mail, New York Times Co and Guardian.
“We’ve chosen these publications in part because they actually bother breaking out their print/digital split, but also because between them they are broadly representative of three very different approaches to modern news publishing,” Taylor explains.
Specifically, he notes:
- The NY Times offers three subscription models: print, unlimited digital; and NYT Now, a selection of top digital stories.
- Trinity Mirror doesn’t have a paywall, but it struggles with a global approach given a large proportion of its portfolio is regional
- The Guardian and the Daily Mail both have similar approaches – mass audience and mass display advertising
After duly diligent number crunching, it appears that print revenue continues to drive the lion’s share of revenue for each company, although some are seeing strong digital gains.
- NYT Co — 79.1% of its revenue still comes from print, but the two-pronged digital subscription approach seems to be paying off
- The Daily Mail — 7% of revenue overall comes from digital, as they still enjoy hefty print circulation
- Trinity Mirror — 3.5% is digital revenue, as they attempt to monetize their highly regional publishing model
One interesting finding is the Guardian; it appears to make 28.5% of its revenue from digital. But that number is deceiving, explains Taylor, noting that “wrapped up in that figure is a hefty slice of income from the Soulmates dating service.”
Taylor warns that this transition to a mixed revenue model is critical for survival for newspapers today.
“With declining digital and print ad rates and circulation drops, it’s not a pretty picture for these companies,” he writes.
Pretty or not, it does appear that people are willing to pay for premium, well-crafted content, whether in digital or printed format. And that is good news for newspapers.
It’s tempting for newspaper publishers to sit back and see what model works best before implementing it. Unfortunately, with declining print circulations, newspapers don’t have that luxury of time. There’s probably more than one way to crack this nut.


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(Reuters) – Sportswear giant Nike will waive performance-based targets for 12 months for any of their pregnant athletes after several runners revealed they had their payments frozen, according to a New York Times report on Friday.
American middle distance runner Alysia Montano and British distance runner Jo Pavey both said earlier this month that Nike had stopped their sponsorship payments while pregnant.
Sponsorship agreements with athletes typically include clauses that reduce payments if they do not reach performance-based targets.
The company told Reuters on May 16 it still had performance-based payment reduction clauses in their agreements, but they had changed their policy last year so that no female athletes would be “penalised financially for pregnancy”.
The New York Times added on Friday that Nike would waive performance-pay reductions for 12 months for athletes who have a baby and said they could do more.
“We’ve recognised Nike, Inc., can do more, and there is an important opportunity for the sports industry collectively to evolve to better support female athletes,” Sandra Carreon-John, a Nike spokeswoman, said in a emailed statement to the newspaper.
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)


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Marissa Mayer is leaving Yahoo‘s board as the sale of the majority of the company’s core web business to Verizon nears completion. Yahoo said in an SEC filing today that its board of directors will reduce itself to five members, meaning that the other six members of the board—Mayer among them—will step down.
After the closing of the sale, what’s left of Yahoo will become an investment company. And it will get a new name since Verizon will own the rights to “Yahoo.” That new name is Altaba.
By the way, the SEC filing gave no indication of how to properly pronounce the new name—just in case you were wondering. We sure were.
[Photo: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty Images]


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FARMING in South Africa is not for the fainthearted, particularly for those whose desire is to tread lightly on the earth while providing food for the growing masses in the most ethical ways possible.
In the upper reaches of the Dargle Valley, a husband and wife team set themselves that very challenge and if the proof is in the eating then they most certainly have set the bar.
True, Caz and Will Griffin (CORRECT) took over their farming operation, which includes beef and 1 500 pigs from their parents and their parents before them – as far back as four generations – and that is an advantage, but, as Will explained, farming is no longer what it used to be. Profit margins are tight, often non-existent as input costs soar, but farming, according to the couple, is about so much more than just food production – as important as that may be.
“For example,” said Will, “the beef price has dropped by 30 percent, there has been a huge drop in the pork price and the price of maize just keep going up.”
He said it was important the public were more aware of what farmers were doing and where the products they bought came from.
With the country historically a net importer of meat products, Will said it would be ideal if farmers could label their products themselves so consumers could know how they were farmed, who was benefitting and the integrity in the production process..
About fourteen years ago, the couple said, they went on a holistic farm management course held in the Free State. “We learned how to manage our lives as a whole. For us it’s about leaving the eco-system in good health for future generations, making sure we are responsible employers and producers of the highest quality products possible. Running a successful business is about more than just profit,” they said.
Caz said the holistic management style included her children. “I have always made it very clear to our children how hard we have worked, the sacrifices we have made so they could have the best. It really troubles me when I see young people just expecting, wanting stuff without waiting or being prepared to work for it."
Better known for her bespoke Dargle Valley Pork Products, Caz said when her own father, a farmer in the Mooi River district, lost everything she learned a hard lesson. “When I met Will I was a theatre nurse. I continued to work after we married. We wanted out children to go to private schools. We were also determined we would not go into debt to do that and that’s when I started thinking about business opportunities.”
She laughs heartily as she tells of her first venture when she kept R200 notes in a tin in the ceiling.
“Remember when the R200 notes first came out? I decided to keep each one I got in a cake tin. You cannot believe how quickly they accumulated. In no time at all I had R30 000.”
After much debate the couple decided to buy some Boran – the hardy indigenous cattle native to Kenya – which have now grown to a sizeable herd. "They’re our babies, ah, they are so beautiful,” she croons.
With a love of food, cooking and an eye for a gap in the market, Griffin also started making pork and chicken pies to make the extra money she needed for their children’s education. "I just could not keep up with the demand,” she chuckles.
After deciding to up the ante by selling pork cuts while keeping the pie business more low key, high-end restaurants in Johannesburg, Durban, the Mala Mala Game Reserve among a number of elite game lodges, will now only use her products. “Two very experienced retired butchers helped me to understand the different cuts of pork. I don’t sell anything frozen. It’s all fresh. I only slaughter female pigs which are raised here on the farm. I believe the males have a much stronger pork odour in their meat. I am also meticulous about the animals I select.”
The pigs, on average 18 a week with up to 36 slaughtered a week in the lead up to Christmas, are delivered to the Cato Manor abattoir on a Wednesday, left to stand for a day before being slaughtered on Thursday evening. “The pigs I select are marked and the ones I send are the ones I get back on a Friday morning when we collect. I also only slaughter what I need - nothing is left over,” says Caz
She says there are a number of things which have turned her business into the success it is. “I can track my products from the farm to the point of sale. I follow each step. This business has been running for eighteen years, for the first ten I was very hands on. I would get up at four in the morning, cut up the carcasses alongside my staff, package, deliver and take orders. There is not a thing I don’t know about this business,” she says.
In keeping with their attitude of holistic farming, both Caz and Will say their labourers and neighbouring communities are integral to their farming business. “By setting up the pork business we have created work for eight women and two men. Employment they would never have had. Also cuts which are not sold are processed and sold at a minimal price to local communities. “We always consider our staff and the community, they're inetgral,” says Caz.
And, as she leans over the homegrown chicken sizzling in the pot for pie orders, she says if anyone wants to open up a new business, be it in farming or anywhere else, they have to be prepared to put the work in.
"It’s a life lesson, I guess, what you put in is what you get out."


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Here are some headlines from the commercial trucking industry that show continued growth and higher demand for CDL trained drivers.
Website promotes women in trucking
A website from the Women in Trucking Associations hopes to promote the truck driving profession to prospective candidates.
Called “I heart Trucking” the website allows current drivers to upload their own videos explaining why they love driving a commercial truck for a living.
One video showcased amazing sunsets over the horizon while on the road, while another featured a female driver talking about all the states she had visited and the natural landmarks she had seen.
“Each video may be up to 2 minutes long and should be submitted to Women In Trucking for online display and judging,” the website says. “The project is sponsored by Internet Truckstop and the website is hosted and powered by AllTruckJobs.com.”
FMCSA improves truck safety website
Increased safety regulations, along with deeper accountability has many employers in the trucking sector looking for applicants with the skills and safety record to get the job done on time and in a safe manner.
An example of the increased focus on safety can be found in the website enhancements the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is making.
“The Compliance, Safety, Accountability program’s carrier rankings site — the Safety Measurement System — is getting a makeover in August, as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has finalized the redesign of the site first announced last November,” reports Overdrive Magazine. “One of the key goals of the redesign is to better highlight elements of the SMS that actually correlate with crash risk, FMCSA says. The site should also be easier for motor carriers to understand how they can improve their scores and easier for third-parties or members of the public who work with trucking companies to interpret the scores, the agency says.”
By offering improved resources and tracking systems to drivers, the FMCSA hopes to continue the industry’s trend of improving safety records. This also means truck carriers across the country are paying extra close attention to the safe driving habits of their drivers.
“FMCSA says the changes also ‘clarify the SMS’s role as a prioritization tool’ for carrier interventions, rather than a carrier scoring system,” Overdrive added. “The changes will take place Aug. 2, FMCSA says in its Federal Register notice.”
Trucking looks to grow over next decade
A new report from the American Trucking Associations predicts continued growth for the trucking industry as freight volumes are expected to rise and the share shipped by commercial trucks is predicted to increase.
“Trucking will see continued growth both in freight and revenue in the next 10 years, according to the American Trucking Associations’ U.S. Freight Transportation Forecast to 2025,” Overdrive Magazine reports. “Between now and 2025, tonnage will grow 23.5 percent, ATA predicts, while freight revenues are projected to grow a whopping 72 percent.”
This growth means truck carriers will have to adapt to new procedures in an effort to remain competitive.
“Adaptation by carriers will be key to enjoying the boom, says ATA, as regional growth patterns, technological changes and the evolution of manufacturing and distribution will make the industry more complex,” Overdrive adds. “Carriers that become ‘True logistics experts’ will be the ones that come out on top, ATA’s report says.
“The report also predicts that truck’s share of freight will continue to grow in the next 10 years, though by just a few percentage points — from 69.1 to 71.4. Truckload volume will grow by about 3.5 percent a year through 2019 and then 1.2 percent annually in the next five years, the report predicts. But truckload carriers will use intermodal rail for longer hauls.”
Truck dealers selling more trucks
Increased truck sales are a product of a growing economy, which is pushing up demand for truck shipping.
“Moderate freight growth and a stable economy, combined with our ability to offer unique solutions and company-wide efforts to ‘integrate and execute’ resulted in record-setting performance this quarter,” said W. M. “Rusty” Rush, chairman, CEO and President of Rush Enterprises. “We significantly outpaced the U. S. market in both heavy- and medium-duty new truck sales, achieving record market share in both segments.”
In its story, TruckingInfo.com also reported that “in the second quarter Rush’s Class 8 retail sales, which accounted for 6.5 percent of the U.S. market, increased by 74 percent over the same time period in 2013. Rush’s Class 4-7 medium-duty sales, which accounted for 5.7 percent of the total U.S. market, increased 49 percent over the second quarter of 2013.”
The growth of commercial trucking has made this an attractive job field for many jobseekers looking for long-term stability.
“During March we began to see the positive impact of a steady economy and improvements in freight movement in our Class 8 truck sales, and this trend continued throughout the second quarter,” said Rush. “In particular, sales of our new Class 8 stock trucks significantly increased as independent operators and smaller vocational fleets required work-ready equipment to take advantage of increased activity in energy, construction and refuse segments. Some larger fleets also replaced aged vehicles to reduce maintenance expenses, but fleet expansion remains tempered by the driver shortage and high cost of equipment.”


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In 88 years in business, Hodges Badge Co. has never had an unprofitable year. But in this rocky year, a potentially negative bottom line was too real a possibility for it to rest on its laurels. Like so many catalog/multichannel merchants, Hodges sought to defray costs to ensure that its 89th year would also be profitable.
So Rick Hodges, president of this family-owned, Portsmouth, R.I.-based B-to-B cataloger of ribbons, rosettes, medals, presentation silver, sashes and buttons, targeted his biggest cost center — postage rates — as the focal point for potential savings.
His goal was to cut costs without reducing the circulation of his catalog, which accounts for more than 70 percent of company sales. His solution: change the catalog’s format to a slim jim, which created cost savings while allowing circ to remain stable. Beginning with its general athletic book this past August, Hodges Badge began mailing slim-jim catalogs.
Despite this year’s difficult environment, the company is roughly 4 percent ahead of last year’s sales total of around $14 million.
“We were looking ahead, trying to figure out how we could get our hands around the postage costs,” Hodges says. “And this was the only thing that really came along, because when we started talking about reducing circ to keep things under control, we didn’t really like the effect that we thought that that was going to lead to: reduced sales. I don’t think I can replace the catalog with the Web yet. So it wasn’t an option to say, ‘We’re going to cut the catalog by 50 percent and double our e-mailing.’”
It’s not as if Hodges Badge made the transition to a slim-jim format without any trepidation. While concerned the move could hurt response, Hodges says the company didn’t have a choice — increased postage rates were eating away at its margins.
On top of that, Hodges Badge Co. was unable to test-mail a segment of its housefile the new catalog to gauge response efficiently enough, Hodges laments. At $14 million in sales and circulation of less than 400,000 catalogs last year, the company’s size is a liability in this case. With only a 25,000-book mailing of its general athletic catalog to kick off the new format, Hodges reasoned a test wasn’t cost-efficient.
“We looked at the cost of doing the book the old way vs. the new way and printing both, and I just decided that was something we couldn’t afford to absorb,” he says, regarding the production costs associated with printing the books in such a small quantity in each format.
So Hodges went against conventional catalog wisdom and ruled out conducting a test because it doesn’t mail enough books to bear the expense. Plus, the data wouldn’t yield a convincing enough response. “Think about what the production cost is to do all that work twice and only run 25,000 books,” he says.
One advantage Hodges Badge foresees from the new slim-jim format, however, is how the products themselves appear in the catalog. Most of the merchandise is long and skinny — ribbons, rosettes, medals — and in many cases better-suited for the vertical slim-jim format than a standard catalog.
Gives Customers a Heads-Up
The first slim jims started reaching customers in mid-August. A few weeks prior to the mailing, Hodges Badge sent an e-mail alerting its entire housefile of the format change. Rick Hodges also announced the change on his personal blog, with links for customers to preview the redesigned catalogs.
Although the company was still gauging response to the first slim jims at press time, Rick Hodges says he’ll be patient before making any future format decisions. The company plans to give the slim-jim format at least 18 months to prove its value before even considering another format change.
Regardless of response and beyond the postage savings, the slim jim has yielded at least one other key benefit: The format change forced Hodges Badge to address and upgrade the catalog’s creative, an area that had been more or less neglected for years. This was welcome news to Art Director Sue Brescia, whose department was often hamstrung by the company’s reticence to change the book’s creative.
Given the freedom to design the catalog as they saw fit, Brescia and her staff went to work. First on her agenda was conveying to customers the quality of Hodges’ products in the catalog. “We have the most beautiful products around,” Brescia says. “Our materials and how we produce these products … we really care about attention to detail.”
To convey this message, product photography shots were redone in an “up close and personal” style to highlight their detail and texture, particularly the medals. The company also updated the copy from its prior role of providing technical product specifications (e.g., “this rosette has a 4 inch rosette top with 2 by 9 inch streamers”) to more of an emotional pitch to customers. It resulted in a very clean book, according to Brescia, more so than in previous years. “Previously, there was no feeling to the catalog, and it didn’t convey the care that we put into the product or the quality of the product.”
Grazing on BlueSky
Hodges Badge’s Portsmouth neighbor BlueSky Brands was forced to close its doors this past March after failing to secure additional financing for its floundering operation, which included the Paragon Gifts, Bits and Pieces, National Wildlife Direct, and Winterthur catalogs. Hodges Badge seized the opportunity and brought in some of the now-defunct BlueSky’s higher-level talent, including Jean Giesmann (creative), who has since joined Uno Alla Volta full time; Gary Smith (marketing); and Eileen Houlihan (marketing) — all in freelance/advisory roles. In fact, Houlihan became the first freelance copywriter in the company’s history.
“Being a small cataloger in a state where there aren’t a lot of catalogers left, one of the problems you have is finding outside talent,” Rick Hodges says. “Right after BlueSky’s demise, we talked to Jean to get her to come in. Thanks to that connection with Jean, we were able to access Gary for help with our database and list management, and Eileen for copywriting.”
Giesmann, in fact, was responsible for a large portion of the creative redesign. “When you have somebody with a fresh pair of eyes come in, people listen,” Brescia says. “And that’s what Jean did.”
Circ Strategy Overhaul
Whereas Giesmann helped with the catalog’s creative redesign, Hodges Badge turned to Smith to build a customer database that would segment and prioritize customers based on their value to the company. Hodges produces individual books for the equestrian, fair, dog show, school, general athletic, gymnastics and swimming markets. The equestrian market accounts for the largest portion of Hodges’ sales at about 40 percent. Despite this dominance, the company had been primarily using the same mailing strategy for all of its customers, no matter what topic.
“All customers and leads were being treated equally,” Smith says. “Now we’re changing our contact and segmentation strategies so they focus on the higher opportunity customers and leads from the data research we’ve just done.”
Previously, the data was in several different places. By compiling it in one database, Hodges Badge has gained a common business understanding of its sales results, Smith says. The company plans to test its analysis in the upcoming fall/holiday season when some of its larger mailings are scheduled.


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Earlier we reported that E-Xpress Interactive had announced a trade marketing initiative called “Connect”. The first phase was supposed to be on September 3rd and now the distributor has announced that the initiative has received a great response and is a success.
There were 40 retailers from the Northern region of India at the event and they showed great confidence in games like “Grand Theft Auto V, Batman Arkham Origins, Watch Dogs, WWE’2K 14, NBA 14 and Assassins Creed Black Flag.”
Watch_Dogs managed to impress everyone and they unanimously thought that it showed the most promise.
“This is why the events like Connect is so important. This will certainly get more and more awareness to the trade about the upcoming games and get them enthusiastic about games on new IPs in advance,” Amit Khemani, director of E-xpress, revealed.
Tell us what you think in the comments section below.


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technology driven startup has launched affordable and smart electric
e-Scooters. Some of the features of the e-scooters include keyless start,
under-seat storage, USB port, reverse and motorcycle like handle. BattRE is launching e-scooters in the cities
of Nagpur, Hyderabad, Anantpur and Kurnool. The cost of BattRE e-scooters
starts from Rs 63,555 onward.
e-scooter has a digital display, which shows battery usage, speed, temperature,
odometer and faults, if any. It also comes with safety features like daytime
running lights, reverse, anti-theft alarm with tyre lock, front and rear disc
brakes, and broad tubeless tyres.
electric scooters by BattRE will run on lithium ferro phosphate batteries
instead of the lead-acid batteries. The batteries of this scooter will last
around 7 years depending upon the usage.
company is working on the new innovative feature of building IOT (Internet of
Things) connected electric scooter supported with a mobile app which will be
launched soon. It is a smart vehicle that uses Cloud-based GPRS to connect with
a smart-phone app and store all vehicle-related data online.
to a study, Indian Electric Two-Wheeler market is expected to grow with a CAGR
over 40% during the forecast period 2018-2025. In India, it is estimated that
the sales of electric scooters will cross 2 million a year by 2025.
Reise Moto, a division of Mahansaria Group, announced the launch of their premium two-wheeler tyre brand ‘Reise’ in India.
In the future, Continental will offer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) solutions based on the “CV3”artificial intelligence (AI) system-on-chip (SoC) family from semiconductor company Ambarell...
Post a successful foray into the auto tech segment with the launch of the Smart Dashcam, Qubo, Hero Electronix’s consumer technology brand is expanding the portfolio with their latest Dashcam Pro 4K.


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The Country Music Association is working to build awarenss of the plethora of licensing opportunities the genre presents.
Beach products manufacturer JGR Copa will develop a collection of beach accessories for beer brands Corona, Modelo Especial and Pacifico.
BBC Worldwide ANZ has tapped SuperCheap Auto as the exclusive retailer of Top Gear-branded automotive accessories in Australia and New Zealand.
Warner Bros. Television Group is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the series premiere of "Friends" with a Central Perk pop-up shop and product program.
Jockey International has a new addition–Baby Jockey, a new baby apparel line created in partnership with Gerber Childrenswear.
Nestlé has released two limited edition flavors of Nesquik inspired by Girl Scouts cookies.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is the latest in a growing list of eateries partnering with CafePress to meet the demand of loyal customers.
GiGGo Toys has partnered with the city of New York (NYC & Company) to produce licensed ride-on toys featuring iconic brands such as NYPD and FDNY.
Apparel company Poeticgem is developing two clothing ranges based on the beverage brands Pepsi and 7Up.
Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc. debuted a new limited-edition watch with its Brand Ambassador, two-time grand slam tennis champion Victoria Azarenka.
Haven Licensing will now represent Artestar and manage the licensing of its art, design and pop culture brands in Australia and New Zealand.
Garfield will be featured in a month-long promotional event at buffet restaurants in the U.S.
Brand Licensing Europe has announced that Volkswagen will give the second keynote address at this year’s event.
20th Century Fox Consumer Products and Burger King Worldwide have launched a new kids’ meal program that features interactive The Simpsons toys.
Paws, Inc.’s Garfield is the latest character to join Digital Giving’s new app, “T-Shirt Booth.”
Domain name business MyBrandEmail has received the kidSAFE Seal.
Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select special edition whiskey is now available at retail locations in select cities throughout the U.S.
Disney U.K. has teamed up with the pregnancy and parenting website BabyCentre in a yearlong partnership that will feature Winnie the Pooh.
Corgi is planning to add to its collection of Bentley die-cast model cars with two new designs that will launch in the second half of 2014.
Licensing agency Beanstalk has signed on to represent the California Milk Processor Board’s Got Milk? brand.
In conjunction with widened retail distribution in the U.K., RoBel Confectionery will debut a new range of its Tung Toos featuring Hello Kitty.
©2014 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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John Gillespie Joins American Standard as Vice President of Trade Marketing
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (October 8, 2013) ― American Standard Brands announced that John Gillespie has joined the company as vice president of marketing for the company's trade division.
"John brings a wealth of strategic business experience in professional trade marketing, wholesale distribution, as well as consumer marketing," said Jay Gould, president and CEO of American Standard Brands. "John will lead the domestic trade marketing team with the focus of bringing innovation and new integrated selling plans to American Standard's U.S. wholesale business."
Gillespie comes to American Standard after nearly seven years with Ferguson Enterprises as their director of corporate marketing. Ferguson is the largest wholesale distributor of residential and commercial plumbing supplies and pipe, valves and fittings in the U.S. Prior to joining Ferguson, Gillespie culminated a 25-year career with Anheuser-Busch from 1980 to 2006 where he held roles of increasing responsibility within their sales and marketing divisions, most recently serving as a vice president of marketing. Gillespie has extensive experience in brand development, market penetration and emerging market development in business-to-business and business-to-consumer organizations in a wide variety of industries.
“We 're very pleased and excited to have John on board to direct our trade channel marketing initiatives,” said Chris Capone, vice president of U.S trade sales. “His strategic approach and proven ability to deliver outstanding business and leadership results will make him a valuable member of our team.”
Gillespie received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Christopher Newport University in Virginia.
ABOUT AMERICAN STANDARD BRANDS
American Standard Brands make life healthier, safer and more beautiful at home, at work, in the community and throughout the world. Offering total project solutions for residential and commercial customers around the world with respected brands such as American Standard®, Jado®, Porcher®, Safety Tubs®, Crane Plumbing®, Eljer®, Fiat® and Decorative Panels International®. American Standard Brands is owned by Lixil Corporation (TSE Code 5938), a global building products company. Learn more at www.americanstandard.com, or follow us at twitter.com/AmStandard, www.facebook.com/AmericanStandardPlumbing.
Ferguson® is a registered trademark of Ferguson, owned by Wolseley plc.


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The e-commerce giant threw down $775 million in 2012 to purchase Kiva’s warehouse automation robots, ending the sale of Kiva’s products to warehouse operators and retailers that had come to rely on them.
The integrated logistics provider formed a joint venture in South Africa with Johannesburg-based Super Group, offering local and multinational customers a range of logistics and supply chain solutions.
The Mobile, Ala.-based full service intermodal drayage carrier and transportation broker opened its 13th intermodal drayage terminal at Baltimore.
Registration takes less than 1 minute.
South Korea’s second largest shipping line seems to be turning a corner in its debt restructuring of late, and has now set its sights on joining the leading vessel sharing agreement by capacity on the major east-west trades.
An American Shipper report released Tuesday found that nearly three-quarters of shippers and forwarders believe they will have containers held when the new verified gross mass mandate kicks in July 1.
A sense of what the container shipping industry may look like a year from now has started to emerge as ocean carriers seek to avoid a financial wreck from overcapacity and low freight rates.


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The firm added Bitcoin was “definitely on the table” as consideration for a treasury reserve asset.
The $30 billion Colorado-based data analytics company founded by billionaire Peter Thiel now accepts Bitcoin from clients as a form of payment.
According to a CNBC report today, Palantir said during its earnings call for the first quarter of 2021 that it had begun accepting Bitcoin (BTC) payments. In addition, the firm is mulling following in Tesla’s and MicroStrategy’s footsteps by adding BTC to its balance sheet, saying the crypto asset was “definitely on the table.” Palantir likely has more than $2 billion in cash on hand for investments.
MicroStrategy was one of the first major firms to adopt Bitcoin as a reserve asset, making several multimillion dollar crypto purchases in 2020 and 2021. Tesla entered the crypto space in February, announcing it had bought $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin. The car manufacturer later sold 10% of its crypto holdings “to prove liquidity of Bitcoin as an alternative to holding cash on balance sheet.”
Thiel also helped found PayPal, which launched crypto trading in late 2020. In April, PayPal-owned payments platform Venmo introduced crypto trading for BTC, Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH).


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In the wake of Samsung's investigation of their Galaxy Note 7 devices exploding and their announcement to discontinue sales, Sprint has immediately suspended sales of the Galaxy Note 7. Sprint put out a news release that indicated they were working closely with Samsung to ensure the safety of those customers that have already purchased the device. Sprint will give you a "similar device until the issue is resolved." Customers can go to any Sprint store to make the temporary exchange. Earlier today, T-Mobile announced that they were halting sales of the Galaxy Note 7, although it is still a little sketchy as to the exact details of Sprint and T-Mobile's policy, they are promising to take care of the situation. Sprint said they would share more information as it becomes available.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has only been on the market for two weeks – and what started off as a glorious introduction and unprecedented sales has turned into a marketing nightmare. The first reviews were great, but then there were stories of brittle glass – the Galaxy Note 7 is the first to use the new Gorilla Glass 5, which was to be harder and prevent breakage. There were reports that the device would reboot and get stuck in a loop. To top it all off, there are reports of a subtle percentage (0.1%) exploding. To their defense, Samsung did act fast to halt sales and conduct their own investigation. They concluded that it was a battery issue causing the explosions and are now ordering a recall of all Galaxy Note 7s.
After riding a wave of increased profits, Samsung's stocks have started to slip as the cost of a problem like this goes beyond the sheer money involved in a total recall. There are customer trust and loyalty issues that can also cost the company millions of dollars. Fortunately, Samsung immediately investigated the issue, halted production/shipments, and are now announcing a recall. This action shows that Samsung does care about the quality and safety of its product/customers and could turn into a great public relations move.
The timing could not be worse with Samsung's arch rival Apple getting ready to launch its new iPhone next week. It may be the reason that Samsung is acting so fast to fix the problem so sales of the Galaxy Note 7 can move forward.


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HSBC customers in China can now make payments with a selfie, thanks to the introduction of facial recognition technology.
The innovation allows people to add new payees to their account and transfer money easily and securely via their mobile phone. It is the latest way that HSBC is using biometrics – the measurement of unique physical, gestural or behavioural characteristics – to help verify people’s identity, making banking simpler and faster.
With the new system, the customer simply blinks into their camera using the ‘selfie mode’. Their identity is then checked against a photo held on a database. If the pictures match, and the customer enters the correct passcode into their banking app, they can transfer up to RMB50,000 (about USD7,600) a day.
Previously, they had to use a token device for authenticating and making transfers. China is the first country where HSBC is using facial recognition technology in this way.
People in Asia are more likely than those in Europe and North America to have confidence in new technologies, according to a recent report by HSBC. More than 60 per cent of Chinese people believe that biometrics, such as facial or fingerprint recognition, will be the only way to access banking services within 10 years, the Trust in Technology report found.
“We believe there is a huge growth opportunity, stemming from Chinese consumers’ enthusiasm for new technology,” said Richard Li, Executive Vice President and Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management, HSBC China. “Investing in digital banking is one of our priorities to ensure we continue to provide the services people want and expect from us.”


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2011 Peugeot 508 – Click above for high-res image gallery
2011 Peugeot 508
Peugeot's new executive-class sedan has spotted getting ready for a likely photoshoot in Madrid, wearing nothing but a car cover. Given the timing, we're guessing the new 508 sedan will get its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September and then go on sale late this year or in early 2011.
- Volvo shoots for self-drivers by 2021
- Jeep spends $1 billion on factories
- Find Parts & Accessories for your vehicle!
- Obama rolls out new EV plan
- Infiniti dealers ranked best, Tesla worst
- Compare Volvo XC90 and Lincoln MKX


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“Dallas-based Mozido, LLC, a leader in multichannel financial transaction services, has secured growth funding from TomorrowVentures, a California-based investment firm focused toward seed and early-stage venture capital investments. Established in 2006 and focused on the unbanked and under-banked population, Mozido offers a complete suite of mobile financial services and processes financial transactions across multiple channels — mobile devices, POS terminals and the Internet.”
This prepaid offering will be brought to market as a white-label product, which will enable retailers, financial institutions, and mobile network operators to easily introduce their own branded prepaid products.
“Mozido offers financial transaction processing services to retailers, financial institutions and mobile network providers. In a convenient, secure and cost-effective manner, Mozido puts the power to move money, pay bills, make purchases and accept social payments in the hands of consumers around the globe.”
“We are very excited for this opportunity to enhance and expand our suite of mobile financial services into new markets via the financial support of TomorrowVentures,” said Mozido Chief Executive Officer Craig McNeil. “Through our low-cost white-labeled mobile financial services market strategy, our offering is available to a sizable market of more than two billion unbanked and under-banked global consumers,” he said. “
The Mozidio team is primarily from the mobile world and their Web site would appear to indicate that this is currently a closed-loop mobile wallet intended primarily for retailers, not for financial institutions or mobile network providers. Until Mozidio establishes acceptance at a wide range of retailers, this solution remains a closed-loop implementation.


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Frugal Swiss prefer to save
What would you do if you were given SFr50,000 ($49,500)? Most Swiss would shove it in the bank, according to a survey published on Friday.
This is in marked contrast to their neighbours in France and Italy, where only one in six respondents would invest such a windfall. In those countries jewellery and other luxury goods were the first things to pop into people's heads.
A poll carried out by the opinion research institute Isopublic for Reader's Digest magazine revealed that 57.5 per cent of German-speaking Swiss would set the money aside for a rainy day. Fifty-three per cent of their French-speaking compatriots would do the same.
The thriftiest Swiss of all were found in mountain regions and in communes of fewer than 10,000 people, where 63 per cent of respondents would put the money in the bank.
One in four – mostly city dwellers – would go on holiday, and only one in ten would spend it on expensive clothes and jewellery.
While men were more likely to buy luxury goods than women (7.8 per cent compared with 4.4 per cent), women were more likely to make a charitable donation (5.5 per cent to 1.8 per cent).
Some 1,000 people took part in the Swiss part of the survey.
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U.S. auto sales rose 11% in May, confirming that the cold winter had more to do with damping demand earlier this year than a dip in consumer confidence.
Industry sales reached 1.6 million vehicles last month and the seasonally adjusted annualized selling rate hit 16.77 million cars and light trucks, according to market researcher Autodata Corp.
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Singles Day is over until next year, but we’re still unpacking the implications for cross-border e-commerce merchants. Once an obscure “anti-Valentine’s” holiday celebrated by single people in China on November 11, the day has now spread beyond Chinese borders and is nothing short of an international e-commerce phenomenon. This year’s Singles Day broke records, with early reports of Alibaba raking in $38 billion in sales compared to last year’s $30.5 billion.
What can international e-commerce merchants learn from the success of Singles Day 2019 as they head into the ever-important holiday shopping season? Here are five takeaways that can help cross border e-commerce companies refine their strategies for selling into China and the Asia-Pacific market at large this holiday season and beyond into 2020.
- Live streaming can boost international e-commerce sales. This year, the highly-anticipated day of online shopping started early on November 10th with a live-streamed performance from pop superstar Taylor Swift on Youku, a live streaming website owned by Alibaba. Approximately half a billion consumers watched the exclusive performance and were immediately sent to Alibaba’s e-commerce site as soon as it was over. While most e-commerce merchants can’t afford to broadcast a live concert by one of the biggest stars in the world, Chinese retailers are looking more closely at streaming video on their e-commerce sites as a way to capture consumers’ attention and increase impulse sales.
- Early deals moved the most inventory. Online retailers who are preparing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday should take note of when Singles Day made its most revenue. Within the first nine hours of Singles Day 2019, Alibaba raked in $23 billion in sales – more than half of the day’s total revenue. Alibaba accomplished this with an international marketing blitz touting the participating brands and top deals, so consumers were poised and ready to strike as soon as the Singles Day marketplace opened.
- Chinese consumers still want U.S. goods. Trade war? Not so fast. Speculation leading up to Singles Day focused on the escalating tariffs between the two nations, but ultimately, the holiday proved that if the deals are tempting enough, Chinese consumers still want to get their hands on U.S. brands. For example, Apple offered its latest iPhone on Alibaba marketplace Tmall and sold more devices within the first ten minutes than they did for the entirety of Singles Day 2018. In fact, Alibaba reported that U.S. retailers were the second-largest source of goods for Singles Day this year, coming in close behind Japan.
- A global logistics strategy can make or break a retailer. Perhaps the larger story beyond the $38 billion in sales is the day after Singles Day. That’s when retailers must fulfill all of these orders. In preparation for the deluge, Alibaba had staff working around the clock, aided by robots, packing somewhere in the neighborhood of 2.8 million packages. But it doesn’t stop there. These parcels must now be transported through Alibaba’s logistics system and delivered via a last-mile carrier. And they must be delivered within the time frame promised when the customers made their purchases. That’s why Alibaba has spent years building out its international shipping strategy, including investment in and acquiring logistics startups to help them streamline operations. Without that, there’s no way Alibaba could make Singles Day a success.
- Alternative payments boosted sales. In addition to Alibaba, Tmall, and the hundreds of other participating brands, Singles Day was also a big win for alternative payment providers. The Alibaba-backed Alipay app processed billions of dollars in payments, and Tencent Holdings’ payment app WeChat also got a workout. For domestic retailers who are considering expansion into China and other APAC markets, it’s important to note that Chinese consumers have very specific payment preferences, with Alipay and WeChat being the top, but not the only ones.
The biggest lesson Singles Day 2019 can teach brands and retailers is the undeniable buying power of China. It’s not an easy market to enter, but with the right amount of research and planning, it’s well worth the up-front work. To succeed as a cross border e-commerce merchant in this massive market, brands and retailers must have solid, tested strategies to address some of the biggest hurdles, such as currency display, product catalog restrictions, relevant taxes and duties, and proper customs documentation. It’s true that Chinese consumers are eager to buy goods from other countries, and brands who make it easy for Chinese consumers to find what they want and check out with ease can reap considerable benefits from this market.


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Explore and be inspired by the latest women's fashion news and trends.
Enjoy HYPETRAK's updates, features, and editorials on the dynamic world of music.
Featuring the WANGSQUAD.
Will hit stores again in Spring 2017.
Ready to buy on September 11.
Be the first to check out the new collection.
Wang wins his first-ever case against fakes and illegal websites.
Graphic-printed hoodies, baggy trousers and oversized coats.
Quite a conundrum for both the design and technology sectors.
Joining forces with the Three Stripes for the first time.
Along with a new team of senior level staff.


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MINSK, 27 February (BelTA) – It is necessary to bring into line China's Belt and Road Initiative and the new policy of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in the future, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said in an interview with Chinese media, BelTA has learned.
“We need to align the Belt and Road Initiative and the new policy of the Eurasian Economic Union,” the Belarusian leader said. According to him, the heads of the EAEU member states and Chinese President Xi Jinping agree with this. “Great China is welcome to make use of our capacities. The market is huge. Of course, not as big as the Chinese market in terms of population, but still very promising,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
“China is making inroads into our direction. Naturally, the EAEU has its own interests and advantages. China should take these interests into account. And it does,” the head of state noted.
One of the important advantages of the region that China can benefit from is the logistics to promote Chinese goods, and here Belarus can be and is of great importance to China. “Belarus is located right in the center of Europe. A huge springboard for huge China to step up operations in the region. Go ahead and do it,” the president said. “I suggested this to Xi Jinping, and he agreed. The previous leaders had been cautious and had reservations about it. Contrary to them, Xi Jinping managed to see how China could benefit from cooperation with Belarus and decided to go for it, to create production facilities here and this is a convenient platform from where China can work all over the world,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“Conflicts will end someday. Misunderstandings, disagreements will be resolved, but the interests of peoples and states will remain all important. It is in your interests to come here and launch operations in all economic sectors. We have no forbidden topics with the PRC. And this will not harm the neighbors. We are fully aware of America's attempts to push Europe to follow an anti-Chinese path. Europe is resisting, and rightly so. Indeed, if they fence themselves off from China, they will come into conflict with China, and simultaneously they will be put on the back foot by America. “Europe may disappear. First of all, Western Europe. The Europeans understand this, and thus enormous opportunities are opening up for China in this regard. Come and work,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president expressed confidence that all parties would benefit from aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with the EAEU policy: “We can benefit a lot from it not only in terms of logistics and simple trade, but also due to a two-way transfer of high technology. This is not long in coming. Therefore, this is very interesting for us, we have recently discussed ways to deepen cooperation with China at the CIS and the EAEU summits. The alignment can be based on the concept of the Belt and Road Initiative. This is a good proposal.”


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Almost a year on from our look into why graphics card prices often seem to be higher than their manufacturer suggested retail pricing (MSRP), it’s happening again in much more dramatic fashion. Availability, and the ever-present fluctuations of supply and demand, are the cause, but this time demand has skyrocketed because of graphics card-powered cryptocurrency mining.
It’s been years since graphics cards were used en masse for Bitcoin mining, because the hardware arms race meant that specialized application-specific integrated chip (ASIC) mining hardware quickly overtook them. Ethereum mining, however, as with other digital currencies, doesn’t benefit in the same way from specialized hardware, so graphics cards are a great solution for mining them, and that’s leading to stock shortages and price hikes.
On Friday, Nvidia stated that it was not happy with the current rising prices of GPUs, however, and requested that retailers take action to ensure the needs of gamers were met before cryptocurrency miners.
“For NVIDIA, gamers come first,” the company wrote in a comment to German website Computerbase.de. “All activities related to our GeForce product line are targeted at our main audience. To ensure that GeForce gamers continue to have good GeForce graphics card availability in the current situation, we recommend that our trading partners make the appropriate arrangements to meet gamers’ needs as usual.”
How high have prices gone? The once-humble Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 retailed as low as $200 back in April 2017. As of January 2018 however, it’s not uncommon to see the GTX 1060 hit prices anywhere from $400 to $800.
The GTX 1080 Ti, meanwhile, has a retail price of $700. That’s inflated to at least $1,000 on Newegg, with most cards going between $1,200 and $1,400. Amazon does no better. We couldn’t find any cards with stock direct from Amazon.com. Most listings, provided by third-party stores, were well above $1,000.
AMD’s cards have been hit just as badly. The once-inexpensive AMD Radeon graphics cards have seen their prices steadily rising over the past few months, culminating in stock problems around the world. Those show no signs of abating, though we may have finally reached a point where people aren’t willing to pay three times the MSRP for them. Vega 56 and 64 cards, like Nvidia’s GTX 1080 Ti, regularly sell above $1,000. The company made an effort to curtail the issue with bundles that include a Vega video card with several other components, targeting them as gaming system builders, but the bundles sold out and the promotion has since ended.
It’s not clear what can solve this problem. Even bundle are a poor solution due to the high prices of cards. Scalpers could still make a tidy profit buying bundles, then re-selling the cards and other hardware individually. Purchase limits have already appeared on some stores, but don’t to solve the issue. Again, due to high prices, scalpers swoop in on any available stock and quickly buy it out. Getting around a one-purchase-per-household rule isn’t hard for committed video card flippers.
Rumor has it that both AMD and Nvidia are working on releasing mining-focused graphics cards which would ship with a slightly lower price tag and no video connectors. That would make them useless for running a gaming PC, but perfect for mining rigs, and could help keep prices down on standard GPUs. That may finally present an option that has some impact on pricing, but few such cards have appeared so far.
For now, gamers can do little but stare at cryptocurrency prices and hope for a pause in their ascent — which has happened in recent weeks. Dampened enthusiasm for mining may all that could stop the current supply and price problems.


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The Dow Jones (INDEX: ^DJI) looks pretty placid today, gaining just 0.3% as of this writing. But there's always turmoil when you dig a little deeper.
Today, the index gets another jolt of adrenaline from the infrastructure sector, while telecoms hold the Dow back from larger gains.
The biggest winner at midday was construction machinery giant Caterpillar (NYS: CAT) , whose 2.5% jump added 17 points of Dow value. United Technologies (NYS: UTX) is hot on Caterpillar's heels, jumping 1.8% to boost the Dow by 11 points.
These infrastructure plays -- and several other solid gainers besides -- are still riding the wave of optimism that was triggered by the Fed's QE3 plan yesterday. Today, analysts are following up on that policy action with a slew of government-inspired upgrades, and Mr. Market is still taking notice.
So why didn't the big telecoms follow suit? AT&T (NYS: T) fell 2.3% overnight, and Verizon dropped by 2.4%. Combined, these two moves sliced 16 points off the Dow. That's enough to negate Caterpillar's index-leading gain. Aren't these guys part of our national infrastructure, too?
Well, there's this brand-new Apple (NAS: AAPL) iPhone 5 flying off the carriers' preorder shelves. While that's arguably good for Ma Bell and Big Red in the long run, record-breaking iPhone sales would hurt their margins in the launch quarter since the telecoms subsidize every handset by several hundred dollars. You have to spend money to make money, you know, and the short-term effects often outweigh long-term gains when there's blood in the trading waters.
To help investors understand the opportunities and challenges ahead of Apple and its ecosystem of partners, we've created a brand-new report on that august stock. It not only details reasons to buy and sell the company, but it also comes with continuing guidance and updates in the important months ahead. Not only that, but you get plenty of extras, like our brand-new report on which iPhone suppliers are set to gain the most from the iPhone 5 launch. Claim your inside edge on the mobile market now.
The article The Dow Is Feeling Bipolar Today originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Anders Bylund holds no position in any of the companies mentioned. Check out Anders' holdings and bio, or follow him on Twitter and Google+. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Apple as well as creating a bull call spread position in Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2012 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio—The future of the tire industry depends on how it responds to the revolution of transport systems globally, said Surendra Chawla, senior director of external science and technology programs at Goodyear.
Chawla, in his keynote address at ITEC in Focus: Reinforcements for Tire Performance in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Sept. 13-14, outlined some factors that will continue to challenge the tire industry. These issues will remain critical for the industry to address to develop sustainability, mobility and growth, he said.
Chawla gave several key themes for the future of vehicle transport, including environmental issues such as global warming, resource conservation, pollutant reduction and improvements in recycling. Social issues include a wider range of vehicle choices, an aging population, consumer safety and security. Economic issues include manufacturing cost reduction, reduction in development time and increases in value and reduction in costs of ownership. Political themes will be some of the most important for the industry to notice in coming years, he said.
"Regulations such as fuel economy, noise control and emissions are the biggest challenge for the automobile industry, and will continue to remain so for a while," he said.
The direction of vehicle technology will continue with a focus toward advances in engine and powertrain; hybrid, electric and alternative-fueled vehicles; advanced software and sensors; advanced structures and materials; and efficient design and manufacturing processes.
"The industry in general is focusing on tires that provide ultra lightweight, low rolling resistance, improved noise and vibration, and handling. Intelligent tires that can communicate with smart vehicles of the future," Chawla said.
Tires will need to bring continued reliability and safety, including improvements in wet traction while being highly flexible, using energy-efficient manufacturing design and manufacturing methods, he said.
Those changes in tire technology will come under stricter scrutiny and regulation going forward, as tire labeling has been instituted since 2012, and in Brazil in 2016. Both the U.S. and China are expected to use similar labeling regulations in the near future, Chawla said.
Goodyear has identified four industry drivers that are shaping the company's industry strategy for the future, starting today with "Industry growing and mixing up," and moving forward to "Increasing complexity" and "Empowered consumer" by 2020. Farther into the future, "Autonomous vehicles" will impact the industry.
Different segments of available tires are becoming larger sources of profit opportunity, Chawla said. Since 2010, the 17-inch-plus segment grew by 18 percent, outpacing the overall global consumer tire market, which had grown by only 3-4 percent, a "trend that's expected to continue," he said.
For increasing complexity, Chawla pointed to the Chevy Impala, which currently requires seven different tire specifications, he said.
Also, consumers are becoming more sophisticated decision-makers, Chawla said.
"They're constantly connected," he said. "A vast amount of information is available on social media and the Internet. They have increased expectations of convenience and shopping experiences, and broader purchasing criteria.
Looking farther out, autonomous, electrical and connected vehicles will be the future of mobility. It's not a question of if, but when, there will be shifts in both who is investing and what they're investing in, he said.
"As we disrupt the traditional transport system, it has attracted the attention of both our traditional and nontraditional vehicle manufacturers with billions of dollars of investment," Chawla said.
The tire industry will be expected to undergo evolution, he said. For tires, the focus "will be on the quality of ride, such as noise and comfort," he said.
Engines for autonomous and electrical vehicles will be very different, which will change the parameters for tires. For example, the speed of an autonomous vehicle will not be 100 miles per hour.
"Autonomous vehicles are coming, customers will change, priorities will shift, customer expectations will increase, and there is no going back," Chawla said.
An additional factor for the industry is a change in the economic landscape, as China's economy is projected to catch up with the U.S. economy by 2019 or 2020, he said.
"It is right on target," he said. "The U.S. is at $15 trillion to $16 trillion, China is about $12 trillion. You can project it and see it will catch up pretty soon."
Asia also is a leader in overall motor vehicle production worldwide, he said. The average tire demand globally is expected to grow at about 4 percent through 2022. Asia will grow at about 6 percent, with China increasing by about 7.5 percent.
As the tire industry evolves, manufacturers will continue to develop and expand into solutions with nanotechnology, smart and responsive materials, natural materials, molecular modeling, biomimicry, manufacturing flexibility, sensors and data analytics. No single entity in the industry will have the bandwidth to tackle these challenges alone, Chawla said.
"We will need to question new approaches with a different mindset," he said. "It is imperative that the global network for research and development evolve."
One area of research for Goodyear is the use of rice husk ash to create tire-grade silica. Rice husk ash, a byproduct of rice harvesting, can be used as an environmentally friendly, low-cost alternative to highly dispersible silica in tire tread compounds. Goodyear launched a product using RHA in 2016, and currently is working on developing capacity with partners, said Chawla.
As the future approaches, the tire industry will remain relevant to the automotive ecosystem and continue to grow.
"That's the good news," he said. "It will continue to grow and become more complex, and put an even bigger premium on service and offer continued profit pool expansions."
To overcome future obstacles and benefit from those industry megatrends, the tire industry will need to innovate and cooperate, Chawla said.


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Gov. Ricketts hosts bill signing ceremony
The final reading of the bill passed in the legislature on April 13 with a 46-0 vote.
One provision of the bill provides tax credits to fuel retailers selling E15 or higher blends of ethanol.
“LB 1261e will help to grow Nebraska agriculture and attract investment in our rural communities,” said Gov. Ricketts. “The bill also encourages fuel retailers to offer higher ethanol blends. Increasing the use of ethanol saves drivers money at the pump, cleans up our environment, and creates opportunities for our farmers and ranchers.”
Retailers can now apply to the Nebraska Department of Revenue for a credit of five cents on each gallon of E15 sold.
Copyright 2022 WOWT. All rights reserved.


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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)– A community staple made its 2023 debut as the Terre Haute Farmers Market kicked off the new year at The Meadows Shopping Center.
Around two dozen vendors were on hand for the event, which ran from 8 a.m. to noon. Market manager Carrie Schoffstall it’s a great chance to support local business owners.
“Over the last few years, it’s really come to our attention just how important it is to support our local businesses, to shop small and to shop local,” she said. “We love having an opportunity to give those vendors and those small business people an opportunity and a voice.”
The Meadows hosts the markets on a monthly basis throughout the winter– it picks up to weekly once the weather gets warmer. Schoffstall said, despite a slower January market due to the recent winter storm, it’s a great opportunity to get fresh ingredients.
“It’s difficult to shop at the grocery store right now because prices have increased so much,” she said. Because we’re shopping local and we have minimal transportation costs, our farmer’s have been able to maintain their prices more than larger companies. You can buy local, fresh organic produce for prices that compare to what you’re finding at the grocery store, and that’s really exciting our farmers here.”
The next market will be on Saturday, Feb. 4th. April will be the first month with multiple markets.


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Just in time for Facebook’s IPO today, a new infographic compares global ad networks such as WPP and Publicis Groupe with the social network across a few different metrics.
The infographic by Grey London charts categories such as 2011 profit, 2011 revenue, revenue per employee, number of employees, company age, global footprint, CEO tenure, and market valuation.
Facebook falls into last place when it comes to 2011 revenue (stg£2.3bn versus stg£10.02bn from WWP); number of employees (15,000 versus 114,000 at WWP); company age (Facebook is eight years old, Interpublic is 52); and global footprint (19 countries for Facebook, whereas Interpublic hits 109 countries).
Facebook does rank first in a couple of categories, however: revenue per employee (stg£657,143) and market valuation (an estimated £55bn).
The social network is in second place when it comes to 2011 profit (stg£620.7m) and in fourth place for CEO tenure (eight years for Mark Zuckerberg).
Facebook has set the final price for its IPO at US$38 a share in a flotation that will reap the company US$16bn-US$18bn. This is likely to value the social network at US$104bn – the biggest valuation of a US company at IPO.


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The Trump regime announced last night that it would impose additional tariffs on $16 billion in Chinese goods and, in response, China announced this afternoon that they'll impose retaliatory tariffs on $16 billion in American goods.
Once again, China's tariffs are going to hit right where it hurts members of Congress the most by targeting politically and economically sensitive industries including the oil and gas industry.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced a 25 percent charge on $16 billion worth of U.S. goods. The 333 goods being targeted by China include vehicles such as large passenger cars and motorcycles. Various fuels are on the list, as well as fiber optical cables.
China is also going after coal, grease, Vaseline, asphalt and plastic products, and recyclables. [...]
Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said it must retaliate against the U.S. tariffs "to defend the nation's dignity."
In addition to American coal, China is also imposing retaliatory tariffs on diesel, crude oil and liquefied natural gas.
Just as it was for many other products, China is (or was) the largest market for exports of American crude oil. Oil stocks took a hit in response to the news this afternoon and may see additional losses in the future.
Obviously, none of us are going to shed a tear if oil stocks take a beating, but this is the kind of thing that will leave elected Republicans vulnerable to challengers. This is the first time China has targeted exports of American crude oil.
When China runs out of American products to impose tariffs on, analysts expect they will increase the size of each tariff. Retaliatory tariffs may increase from 25 to 35 percent or greater. And in some cases, such as we've already seen with soybeans and sorghum, China will stop purchasing certain products from America altogether.
It's unlikely that China will be able to match Trump's tariffs in a sustained tit-for-tat because we don't export as much as they do, but they don't necessarily have to. China's retaliatory tariffs on American goods will inflict more focused pain than our tariffs will on them precisely because we export less than they do. Closing off the biggest market in the world to what little we export will have consequences for businesses that even partially depend on trade.


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Allied Specialty Vehicles Selects ʺREVʺ as New Company Name
November 02, 2015Facebook LinkedIn Google+ Twitter Share More...
ORLANDO, FL – November 2, 2015 -- Allied Specialty Vehicles (ASV) has announced the roll out of a new corporate name REV Group Inc., more directly aligning the company with its continuing commitment to building and delivering many of the world’s most popular specialty vehicle brands. The company serves a diverse group of market segments under the corporate brand, manufacturing 23 unique brands of buses, mobility vehicles, ambulances, fire apparatuses, recreation vehicles, terminal trucks and sweepers.
According to President and CEO, Tim Sullivan, the first priority in the selection of a new name was to ensure it communicated to the marketplace the company’s forward-thinking, international leadership in the industries it serves. Additionally, it wanted a name representing passion, momentum, and one of which all employees could be proud. Sullivan says changing the name from Allied Specialty Vehicles to REV Group, Inc. meets all of these criteria.
"Like a revving engine letting bystanders know a car is preparing for a quick acceleration, REV communicates to the world that we are set for growth," Sullivan says. "REV shows speed and engagement in action. REV lets the world know we don’t simply manufacture specialty vehicles—we REVolutionize them."
In connection with the new name and logo, the company has also introduced a new “Vehicles for Life” tagline. With more than 5,000 employees building more than 18,900 specialty vehicles every year, Sullivan points out that every one of the company’s 23 brands helps “connect and protect” lives around the world every single day.
“Whether saving lives by transporting the sick and injured to hospitals, enriching the lives of families as they travel on vacations, or making lives more mobile for those with disabilities, our vehicles are an integral part of everyday life,” Sullivan says. “We believe the REV banner will serve as a strong corporate identity for the role we play both nationally and internationally as we move forward.”
REV Group, Inc. is a +$1.7 billion manufacturer of industry leading motor vehicle brands serving commercial, fire & emergency and recreation markets. Within the recreational vehicle division, the company produces motorized RV's under several of the industry’s most iconic brands including Fleetwood, Monaco Coach, American Coach and Holiday Rambler. Within the commercial division, REV offers a full line of buses, terminal trucks, sweepers and mobility conversion vehicles. The fire & emergency division offers a complete line of fire apparatus and ambulance vehicles. For more information about REV visit www.REVgroup.com, or to view a short video about the REV rebranding effort, please visit: www.REVgroup.com/video
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We're just days away from the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC), a dedicated tech show around mobile phones. Smartphone makers from all over the world will descend on Barcelona to show off their newest products. As usual expectations from this year's MWC will be high, as smartphones have now become a part of our lifestyle.
Major manufacturers have been teasing MWC plans, sending out invites to press events with hints around forthcoming products. Yes we knew ahead of time that HTC would be debuting its upcoming high-end flagship device.
Similarly, Huawei is expected to unveil a slew of forward looking phones and tablets at the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) in early March.
Here, we take a quick look at what we know so far. Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!
Samsung Galaxy S6 Release Date and Rumour Roundup
Last year, we saw the unveiling of the Galaxy S5, and now we expects to see the much-awaited Galaxy S6 at the MWC 2015.
The Galaxy S6 is likely to be a premium beast. Unlike last year's Galaxy S5, Samsung's next-generation device is going to be made out of premium materials. There are some Galaxy S6 rumours out there though. Reports suggest that Samsung is designing the Galaxy S6 from scratch.
For months, the Galaxy S6 was rumoured to have a Snapdragon 810 processor. And according to a report, Samsung may not use a Snapdragon 810 chipset; instead, we could get to see a new chipset designed by Samsung. There's also talk of a dual-edge variant that's possibly going to be announced in early March.
Other than the Galaxy S6, the tech from South Korea is believed to unravel a new smartwatch. The speculated device will reportedly feature a circular display, and is aimed to take on Apple watch, due in April 2015.
Sony Xperia Z4 Release Date and Rumour Roundup
Despite rumours of Sony to exit the handset business, it seems that this Japanese giant is willing to unveil its last big-ticket handset, the Xperia Z4, at the MWC 2015.
The device has been certified in Japan, so we could possibly see the device in full action in early March. As far as its specs are concerned, the purported handset will reportedly sport a QHD ( unknown size), a Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, 20MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing shooter, Android 5.0 and a 3400mAh battery. The design of the handset is expected to remain unchanged.
Huawei P8 Release Date and Rumour Roundup
Huawei, the tech giant from China, is doing brilliantly in its native market. In 2014, the company sold a whopping 75 million smartphones, beating the likes of Lenovo and Xiaomi.
So, it should come as no surprise that we're seeing a repeat of things inside 2014. Already, we've heard a ton about the P8, the successor of the Ascend P7. It's said that Huawei could unveil the P8 with a new design and powerful hardware internals. Then comes the Mate7 Compact, a smaller sized version of the original Ascend Mate 7.
The said device will sport a 5.5-inch screen and 3GB of RAM.
For months, Huawei was rumoured to unveil its Android Wear watch. Now, according to a new report, the company is ready to showcase the device at the MWC 2015. No more details about the watch have been out yet.
HTC Hima (M9) Release Date and Rumour Roundup
HTC has had a rough ride in the high-end of the mobile phone market. But we saw this handset maker striving hard to come back on top of the game with the HTC One (M8) in 2014. Now, the firm aims to take on the likes of Apple and Samsung, with an all new phone, dubbed as the HTC Hima (M9).
HTC has already sent press invites to its event on March 1 in Barcelona. Early reports suggest that the M9 will look and feel same as the M8. However, the M9 is definitely going to be much powerful from inside. It's being reported that it may pack a Snapdragon 810 processor coupled with 4GB of RAM.
Reportedly, HTC will use a 20.7MP camera sensor on the rear back side instead of an UltraPixel shooter. The front facing shooter is pegged at 13MP.
Other than the M9, HTC could unveil its first ever intelligent watch next month. Some reports claim that HTC will introduce a fitness band instead of a proper smartwatch.
LG G4 Release Date and Rumour Roundup
We haven't heard anything about the G4 just yet but we have heard some whispers going around the much-awaited device. We know it will called the G4, but beyond that it's actually difficult to share more scoop.
But there are some rumours that could prove accurate in coming days to come. LG G4 will feature a Snapdragon 810 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM. Meanwhile, another rumour recently suggested that the G4 will come with a working stylus, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
There's also talk of a dual-edge version of the LG G4. Apparently, Samsung is also working on a dual-edge variant of the Galaxy S6.


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“Special Delivery” is the most widely available short from Google’s Spotlight Stories initiative thanks to a move to the YouTube 360 platform.
For a look at path-breaking VR animation, Sundance 2016 is worth checking out.
Darnell’s new company Baobab Studios will release its first virtual reality short, “Invasion,” early next year.
Moonbot’s interactive film introduces a new emoji-driven campaign that offers kids a modern way to confront bullying.
With the backing of major corporations like Disney and the Chinese government, virtual reality start-up Jaunt is now one of the most well funded companies in VR content creation.t
The short is now available to download for Oculus Rift and PC users.
After directing Pixar’s “Blue Umbrella,” Saschka Unseld has moved into the world of VR filmmaking.
Challenges and lessons learned from interactive animation storytelling.
Interactive, immersive animation experiences are now a reality.
How a two-hundred-year-old opera made the transition to an online motion comic for contemporary audiences.
Media Molecules’s follow-up to “Tearaway” and “LittleBigPlanet” mines user-generated art to create endless dream worlds.
Google’s interactive film division has announced four new animation projects, and introduced a developer’s kit that allows anyone to produce interactive animation.
Hop aboard the Pony Express in the latest interactive Google Doodle.
“The Secret of Kells” and other Irish animation highlights go postal.
Led by former Pixar artists, Oculus wants to inspire filmmakers to start creating virtual reality animation projects.
‘Way to Go’ is an interactive film experience that almost feels like you’re playing a video game.
The Sundance Film Festival has announced the film and installation selections for their upcoming edition, which will take place in Park City, Utah between January 22 and February 1, 2015.
Bruce Timm is working with tech company Otoy to recreate the Batcave from “Batman: The Animated Series” as an immersive entertainment experience.
“Duet,” the directorial debut of animation legend Glen Keane, has already appeared online and is a strong contender in this year’s Oscar field, but it hasn’t been available in its interactive format until today.
After a relatively quiet stretch, John Kricfalusi (“Ren & Stimpy”) is popping up everywhere nowadays: at the front “Simpsons” episodes, behind Miley Cyrus, and now, in your milkshake machine.


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Jolly music playing from a shop’s open doors, green and red decorations hanging from a front store display and Christmas trees lit up at night, bring out the holiday spirit in many shoppers, according to Gabrielle Stella, junior education major.
“I enjoy two months of Christmas decorations,” said Stella. “I mean it’s only one day that Christmas is, so it’s nice to have the whole winter season of Christmas music and spirit.”
Stella said it depends whether she will shop early for Christmas. She said her decision is based on what merchandise is on display and how the storefront is set up in decorations.
“It gets you in the spirit when stores set up Christmas,” said Stella.
According to Stella, corporations are skipping Thanksgiving: It is all about marketing. She said it is about what holiday will generate more money and appeal more to consumers.
“Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday for shopping at all,” said Stella. “It’s not gift giving; Christmas is.”
Stella said it is part of department stores’ business plan to set up early for each holiday, because that is what gets the customers hyped up to buy certain products.
“Without Christmas decorations up,” said Stella, “it would be like, ‘Oh should I start buying now? When should I start buying?’”
Matthew Irizarry, junior art major, does not shop for Christmas and said people can admire and take in the holiday spirit without spending. He said he enjoys stores’ Christmas decorations and music.
“I’m starting to lose my childhood and I get excited, like I’m a little kid all over again,” said Irizarry.
He said people do not forget about Thanksgiving, rather they become more materialistic. People are more concentrated on getting the best prices, he said, rather than the joy that the holiday season should bring.
“People are totally oblivious to the fact that there is a tree in the middle of the shopping center, or decorations hanging up,” said Irizarry. “People tend to see it as a time to splurge on money, leading to their own debt.”
Sylvia Morales, junior social work major and Wal-Mart employee, said she does not think Wal-Mart sets up too early for Christmas because after Halloween when they pack away the merchandise, she said it leaves an empty space in the seasonal section. Sales for Christmas started right after Halloween, according to Morales.
“I think starting the sales early is a good strategy,” said Morales. “Actually, it made me do all my Christmas shopping. I only have a couple people left to shop for.”
Karen P. Burke, associate professor of media studies, said the goal of advertising is to have someone stop to look, or touch, or smell, or taste a product.
“The purpose of advertising is to engage someone’s five senses, it’s not to sell. That’s the manufacturers’ job,” said Burke.
Burke said in the long run it is not the consumer that makes out, but rather the corporations. Burke presented an example: If Wal-Mart advertises a camera for Black Friday, a consumer will maybe save $40. The corporation will not lose the $40 because it is built into the price. She said the day before, consumers were willing to pay $100 more and on Black Friday they are willing to pay $60 more. In actuality, Burke said if Wal-Mart bought the camera for $20 they mark it up 200 percent to sell it for $60.
“They are going to anticipate the sale, so they mark it up another 10-15 percent,” said Burke. “Many people will buy it at that price, but all of a sudden they put it on sale to the original price of the 200 percent mark up. They are still making money.”
The purpose of the example, said Burke, is to question consumers’ humanity. According to the Associated Press, on Black Friday in 2008 at a Long Island Wal-Mart, a mob of shoppers trampled and killed 34-year-old Jdimytai Damour, who was an employee at the time. Crazed shoppers even pushed first responders as they performed CPR on Damour, according to Long Island police officers.
“How can you be running over a worker? Hundreds of people to save $40,” said Burke. “It’s a capitalistic society, and we are taught from day one to consume. In the 2008 case, it was at the price of someone’s life. It’s scary.”
Morales said she has never shopped or worked on Black Friday before, but she said this year she will be working from 11 p.m. Thanksgiving to 11 a.m. Black Friday. Employees working for the Dixwell Avenue Wal-Mart have been trained for the event, according to Morales. She said her managers told her it will get packed to the point where no one will be able to move, according to previous years.
Irizarry said he never shopped on Black Friday, unlike his parents. It is a tradition to some people, he said, that can actually be dangerous.
“I think it’s good that they have the sales, but what happened in the past with people actually getting hurt is ridiculous,” said Irizarry. “They are risking their lives for a TV, or a camera that’s only going to last for so long until the next best thing comes out.”
Stella said she keeps her distance because she would not risk her life for material objects. She said she would rather pay a few extra dollars and avoid chaos.
“Honestly, it’s for amateur shoppers that think they are getting good deals when really they aren’t getting any good deals,” said Stella. “It’s just this crazed day that America set up for businesses.”


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Yum customers are loco tacos
David Novak, chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands Inc., shared one reason why he’s happy about Taco Bell’s sale of 100 million Doritos Locos Tacos in the second quarter of this year: No one else can do it.
“It’s pretty nice when you have products that nobody will ever have but us,” Novak said on the company’s earnings conference call Thursday morning. “So it’s a platform that it totally unique to Taco Bell.”
The 100 million tacos sold during the quarter contributed to Taco Bell’s same-store sales increasing 2 percent for the quarter. During the second quarter a year ago, Irvine-based Taco Bell benefited from the launch of Doritos Locos Tacos with 13 percent growth in same-store sales in 2012.
“It continues to be one of the most successful new product launches in our history,” said Rick Carucci, president of Yum! Brands. (NYSE: YUM).
Overall, the company’s second-quarter net income fell to $281 million, 62 cents per share, diluted, from $331 million, or 71 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue fell to $2.9 billion from $3.17 billion a year ago.
Third flavor could come sooner
Taco Bell already has introduced Cool Ranch- and Nacho Cheese-flavored Doritos Locos Tacos, and a third flavor, Flamas, currently is being tested.
Carucci said Thursday the company originally planned to launch the third flavor early next year.
“We’re still evaluating the timing of that,” Carucci said. “We could right now forward that possibly a little bit into this year.”
Beyond Cool Ranch, Nacho Cheese and Flamas, there could be additional flavors, Carucci indicated.
“We’re obviously very excited about the results we’ve got as well as the future potential to add other flavors.”
Andrew Robinson covers these beats: Restaurants, retail, government, human resources, technology, automotive (dealers, services), media/marketing/printing, young professionals, West End, East End and Oldham County.
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