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Some things change, some stay the same – and while the face of beer may have morphed in recent years, from the rise of craft beer to the resurgence of ale, it seems the pint persists as a big hitter for publicans.
According to figures from CGA Strategy, traditional lagers and keg ales continue to dominate in terms of beer sales in Scotland’s pubs and bars, although more and more variety is filtering into the on-trade.
And it seems the broadening range of strengths and styles available is good news for publicans.
Kathryn Purchase, customer marketing director at Carlsberg UK, said the landscape for draught products has “shifted dramatically” in recent years, with the category now attracting a broad range of drinkers.
Purchase said stocking a range of keg beers which offers enough variety is key.
“From familiar big brand draught lagers, to on-trend craft, to traditional ales – it’s important that choice is at the forefront of any venue’s offering,” said Purchase.
“Today, consumers are being offered greater choice when it comes to keg beer, and craft is playing a major role in this increasing demand for variety.”
While many customers in the on-trade might know their Saaz hops from their Amarillos, it’s not just the craft beer aficionados that offer publicans the chance to up-sell; premium world beers are also proving popular, according to Purchase.
“Alongside craft, there is also a real buzz surrounding the world beer category, as consumers are increasingly aware of beers from other markets and are eager to experiment with the different profiles on offer,” she said.
“Operators should continually monitor these trends and stock draught and bottled variants accordingly.”
Getting the range right is one thing, but even the most premium pint can leave a bad taste in the mouth if the serve isn’t up to scratch.
Brian Bagnall, operations director for Belhaven pubs, believes that of all aspects of training, “serving a consistently perfect pint is one of the most critical and that begins with impeccable cellar management”.
Sam Rhodes, director of customer marketing at Miller Brands UK, agreed that quality is key to any draught offer.
Rhodes said that to guarantee consistently good quality beer publicans must regularly clean draught lines; maintaining clean glassware is also crucial.
“Good quality, clean branded glassware is extremely important, even more so for premium beers,” said Rhodes.
“If a consumer is paying a premium, the serve and experience should reflect this. In warmer weather, consider chilling glassware to provide a cool, refreshing serve.”
Quality is crucial, but it’s of no use if the customer isn’t enticed into choosing a pint in the first place.
While Kathryn Purchase at Carlsberg UK agreed that “knowing the technicalities of serving is essential and effectively demonstrates a venue’s credibility”, she added that training staff on the profile of the beers on offer “is equally vital”.
“The entire team at a pub or bar should be able to talk knowledgeably about the range, as this will significantly impact consumer choices,” she added.
“It’s important to remember that drinkers are willing to trade up for a particularly special product, and if staff are able to confidently promote such beers it will help entice the customer into selecting something more premium – amplifying revenue as a result.”


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Apple shares dive as growth slows
Apple shares have plunged after the company reported quarterly results that point to growth slowing after five fat years.
The stock was down 53.55 US dollars (£33.93) or 10%, at 460.46 dollars (£291.79) in midday trading.
Apple is still the world's most valuable company, a position it's held for more than a year. It's now worth just 3.5% more than No 2 Exxon Mobil Corp, however.
Last night, Apple reported October-December earnings that were flat compared with the year before. Sales grew 18% from the year before, but the start-up of production lines for multiple new products like the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini held back profits.
Of more concern to investors is Apple sales growth forecast for the current quarter of around 7% - far from the 50-%-plus rate it's often hit in recent years.
Apple is usually cautious with its forecasts, but Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer indicated that it's moving toward providing more realistic figures from now on.
Analysts believe Apple is unable to fully capitalise on the global smartphone boom with just one new - and very expensive - phone model every year.
There has been speculation among company-watchers that Apple may launch a cheaper iPhone, or a premium model with a bigger screen, but CEO Tim Cook put a damper on those rumours in his comments on a conference call following the report.
Net income in the fiscal first quarter was 13.1 billion US dollars (£8.2 billion), or 13.81 US dollars (£8.70) per share.
Revenue was 54.5 billion US dollars (£34.4 billion), up 18% from a year ago. Analysts were expecting 55 billion US dollars (£34.7 billion).

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The two municipalities run the program alongside the central government and the Japan External Trade Organization, or JETRO.
Sendai City official Arakida Osamu acknowledges there is substantial work to be done. “The next ten years will be about sharing our knowledge learned during the recovery with the world,” he says. “We would like to build a system that fosters cooperation between industry, governments and other groups, to develop the field of disaster prevention and come up with new solutions.”
With the vetting process held online during the pandemic, close to 40 companies from around the world applied, of which nine made the final cut.
From Japan, four big firms joined the program, including tech firm Mitsui Knowledge Industry. Its Sendai office teamed up with a research institute to create a system that can automatically predict damage by analyzing data from earthquake sensors and send reports to building owners.
Mitsui Knowledge Industry hopes to enhance the system by connecting it to social media, so it can analyze photos and videos uploaded by local users in the event of an actual quake. This would help officials more accurately assess damage and find areas that are safe for evacuation.
For this aspect of the project, the company is considering partnering with Qlue, a firm in Indonesia specializing in “smart city” technology that allows people to notify authorities of infrastructure issues. For example, a local resident who sees a pothole and takes a picture can use the system to send it to the relevant authorities.
“Qlue already has smart city services in Indonesia and we have created our own system, so I would like to combine those ideas and strong points to develop new solutions,” says Tando Shoichi of Mitsui Knowledge Industry.
Watch Video 4:06
Small players thinking big
The program is also an opportunity for small local companies to go global. Among them is Sendai-based IT firm Andex, which has ideas based on first-hand experience. Ten years ago, after the Great East Japan Earthquake, company president Mishima Jun spent time in an evacuation center where he found room for improvement.
“When centers needed something and made a request, some received more than they needed,” he says. “At the same time, some centers with 100 people would get supplies for fewer than 10. There was a mismatch.”
To tackle the issue, one idea is to use AI or image-recognition software to show officials where relief supplies are needed in real time with information on headcounts, age and gender.
In a bid to make the idea a reality, the firms met with foreign businesses, including a Thai company that uses similar techniques to show store owners when products should be restocked. The March meeting ended without a deal, but the companies say they’ll keep talking.
“We have experience -- we know real pain and fear,” says Mishima. “We would like to create solutions and share them from Sendai to the world.”
JETRO Regional Investment Division Director Kigawa Mikiko believes the program will help attract more foreign companies to the area. Usually, she says, such firms only look to major cities like Tokyo when expanding their business to Japan.
“The experience here can be a draw for foreign companies,” she says. “There are few cities in the world that have faced such a massive disaster, but it’s something that can happen anywhere.”


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An software that may higher tell shoppers, allow them to evaluate costs of a few 100 merchandise throughout other supermarkets and as a result, make extra knowledgeable purchasing alternatives can be introduced in January 2023.
This used to be introduced via the Minister of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Soodesh Callichurn, the previous day, all through a press convention, in Port Louis, at the achievements, for the 12 months 2022, of the quite a lot of departments falling below his purview.
The Minister used to be of the view that the brand new software would carry extra pageant and favour shoppers. He stressed out that at shoppers’ stage, the 12 months 2022 were marred via financial demanding situations due to escalating value of imports, however that Government took decisive steps to counter emerging inflation and to give some respiring room to the inhabitants. These steps incorporated the solving of a most value for a chain of goods; the position of crucial merchandise below the mark-up regime; and provision of subsidy on those merchandise with a view to compensating the loss in income to those that promote the products to shops.
“A subsidy of some Rs 1.3 billion had been disbursed by Government, and 371 different brands of commodities were fixed under the Consumer Protection (Maximum Price of Essential Goods) Regulations,” mentioned Mr Callychurn. He highlighted Government’s efforts to lend a hand the inhabitants in buying flour, safe to eat oil, rice and family liquefied petroleum fuel in spite of their prime costs, in addition to the grant paid via the Mauritius Revenue Authority to bakeries to atone for the upward thrust in the price of manufacturing and care for the present value of breads.
Moreover, Mr Callichurn recalled the re-establishment of the previous Price Observatory in order to supply to the general public a better visibility on costs of crucial merchandise for extra knowledgeable purchasing. He talked as smartly of the verdict to allow the State Trading Corporation (STC) to import sure crucial merchandise in order to cut back importation prices, stabilise retail value and make the product extra obtainable and reasonably priced to most of the people. The Minister knowledgeable that in a bid to carry in extra income, the STC would range its actions and discover chances reminiscent of in the bunkering sector.
Observing that the freight price were declining for a while, the Minister mentioned that there can be an overview overview to perceive why the reducing prices weren’t mirrored in the costs on cabinets. He additionally warned retail stores and supermarkets in opposition to the use of the upward thrust in electrical energy tariff scheduled subsequent 12 months to lift costs abusively.
Labour, Human Resource Development and Training
On the labour entrance, the Minister remarked that the unemployment price dropped from 10.4% in 2020 to 8.1% recently, and that enterprises, basically in the hospitality sector, had difficulties in recruiting and filling vacancies.
According to Mr Callychurn, the measures taken via Government to offset the dangers of prime unemployment following the COVID-19 pandemic paid off. These measures consisted of the reskilling programme for individuals who misplaced their jobs with the fee of a stipend of Rs 10,275, and amendments to the Workers’ Rights Act to obstruct enterprises benefitting from Government subsidies to lay off staff. He additionally spoke of the Wages Relativity Adjustment protecting 17 sectors with a view to restoring the distortion in salary relativity due to the implementation of the National Minimum Wage in 2018.
Other amendments to rules and rules to give protection to staff’ rights that have been presented in 2022 have been discussed. Among featured the precise for an worker to be reinstated, and combating an employer from disregarding an worker at the grounds of dangerous efficiency after the latter were injured at his administrative center.
Furthermore, the Minister indicated that in 2023, the National Remuneration Board can be reviewing the wage and dealing stipulations in a number of sectors just like the hospitality trade. He added that the following overview of the National Minimum Wage via the National Wage Consultative Council can be due for 2024. He apprised too of the need of undertaking analysis at the institution of a wage scale that may take into accounts years of provider.
As regards coaching, the Minister reiterated the significance of vocational training in equipping the native staff, in explicit younger other folks, with the essential wisdom, and talents, and to reply to the prime call for for tradesmen. Underlining the quite a lot of incentives arrange via Government to inspire younger other folks to practice Technical and Vocational Education reminiscent of unfastened coaching, and fee of per thirty days stipend, Mr Callychurn known as at the early life to avail of those alternatives.
Author: Government of Mauritius


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Paul Henderson and his suddenly-very-valuable Team Canada jersey from 1972 are about to be reunited, Canwest News Service has learned.This reunification is the apparently the seller's idea.
Nearly 40 years after Henderson last saw the sweater he wore when he scored the most famous goal in hockey history, the retired NHLer is scheduled to hold it in his hands again Monday ahead of a high-profile auction later this month.
“It was really important for the consignor of the jersey that Paul gets to see it,” Classic Auctions president Marc Juteau told Canwest News Service.
I'm hoping that this is good news, and that the seller has stipulations as to what happens to the jersey after it is sold - namely not allowing it to be destroyed by a hockey card company. There is an approval process for prospective bidders, although I had assumed that was just to weed out bidders who weren't serious. Perhaps the approval process also has some stipulation about the jersey's future?


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Pirelli's celebrated calendar turns 50 this year and the company is marking the event by bringing together some of the most famous photographers and models who have posed for it over the years.
MILAN, ITALY (NOVEMBER 21, 2013) (REUTERS/PIRELLI HANDOUT) - Some of the world's most beautiful women and top name photographers were on hand on Thursday (November 21) as tyre company Pirelli marked the 50th anniversary of its iconic calendar.
Getting things started on Thursday was the presentation of the new 2014 version of the calendar inMilan.
Breaking away from past practises the company has not produced a new calendar but instead decided to release the unpublished 1986 Pirelli Calendar created by Helmut Newton.
Addressing an audience of top models, reporters and other guests, Pirelli chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera said the anniversary was an important one for the company.
"Today is very special for Pirelli, it is special because we are marking 50 years of tradition, 50 years of history of our company during which there was an interruption due to the ten years of oil crisis and therefore altogether we've produced 40 calendars," he said.
Thirty-one world-famous photographers, among them four women, have created the 40 calendars over the years. Seventeen of the calendars were shot in Europe, ten in the United States, four in theCaribbean, five in Africa, three in Brazil and one in China. There are nine black-and-white and 25 colour editions, the other six are mixed.
The Estonian beauty said she believed the calendar's strength lies in something much deeper than its superficial image.
"If you saw all the 50 years, the work they have done, I think it doesn't only emphasise the beauty of the woman or the sex appeal of the woman and also not only about the genius of the artist, the photographers and art directors that have been part of it but I think a very, very important aspect about of it is that it somehow shows the motion through the time, that our society has envisioned and seen women through the time and I think that makes it very very special," she said.
"For the career of a model it is really one of the coolest things you can do because it is not just fashion and sometimes they've used non-models and actors and it really makes you feel that it is something more than just posing in any fashion magazine," she said.
The current 2013 edition of the calendar was created by famed American photojournalist Steve McCurry, best known for his photograph the "Afghan Girl" which originally appeared in the National Geographic magazine.
Speaking to Reuters following the news conference, McCurry said he'd seen the calendar shoot as an opportunity to highlight a different side of the models.
"For me it was a way to show these incredible models who are making the world a better place, whether in education, environmental concerns and it was a great opportunity to show these women in the best possible way," he said.
Conditions during the shoot in Rio de Janeiro weren't always ideal and lent to some unforgettable experiences, McCurry said.
"I think the most interesting, the most funny situation I had was we were photographing in a pouring rain, it was absolutely pouring and we had to shoot. We had this incredible model and we actually did the whole shoot in the pouring rain, we had an umbrella and it was just an impossible situation but the rain became more atmospheric, it was a kind of dramatic sense to the whole picture but everything was wet, the model was wet, I was wet, the camera was wet, everything was wet, it was crazy," he said.
A starry gala dinner will be held in Milan later on Thursday evening to officially mark the Pirelli Calendar's beautiful half a century.


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Bring on the Funk
By Treena HeinFood Trends Fruit & Vegetables Health & Wellness Specialty Foods
The fermented food movement is taking off, as consumers seek bolder, nutrient-packed ingredients
By Rebecca Harris
For some Canadians, the term “fermented food” calls to mind Grandma’s vinegary sauerkraut served straight from a mason jar. But thanks to fresh takes on this ancient food-preservation technique, consumers are discovering a bold new world of funky, fermented flavours.
“People are realizing that fermentation is important – there is a reason we used to do it as a way to preserve food and it offers so many health benefits,” says Jenna Empey, co-owner of Pyramid Ferments in Prince Edward County, Ont., an artisanal business that makes a variety of raw, live fermented foods, as well as kombucha, a fermented tea beverage. “It’s a different approach to food and there are so many interesting and innovative things you can do with it.”
For example, alongside Classic Sauerkraut, Pyramid Ferments makes Dill & Garlic Sauerkraut and Seedy Sauerkraut, which contains cumin, coriander, mustard, fennel and caraway seeds. And the company’s kimchi line includes Cult Kimchi, which blends nappa and red cabbage with the two hottest peppers on Earth: the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion and Bhut Jolokia (Ghost) peppers.
But even traditional varieties of fermented foods pack a pungent, zesty punch, which appeals to the maturing palate of today’s consumers. According to Packaged Facts’ 2014 Fermented Artisanal Foods report, heightened consumer interest in bolder flavours is contributing to the increased popularity of fermented foods. “Fermented foods have found a rising tide of popularity due to the convergence of this desire for spicier, bolder flavours and a growing focus on global foods that represent authentic preparations,” noted David Sprinkle, research director, Packaged Facts, in a press release. “It’s the perfect storm, so to speak, for propelling globally inspired fermented artisanal foods into the mainstream.”
While kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented-vegetable dish, is already quite popular, bold fermented sauces and seasonings are also gaining traction, says Garth Mercer, director of national accounts at Korea Food Trading, a Canadian importer and distributor of major Korean food brands that targets both Asian and non-ethnic consumers. “With the mainstream population taking very well to things like Huy Fong Sriracha, many are looking to other Asian sauces and seasonings to enhance the flavour profile of their foods,” says Mercer. These include, gochujang, a fermented hot pepper paste; doenjang, a fermented soybean paste; and ssamjang, a mix of fermented bean paste and red pepper paste.
An increased focus on digestive health is also putting fermented foods – particularly lacto-fermented foods – in the spotlight. Lacto-fermentation naturally preserves food without the use of vinegar, sugar or pasteurization. These live cultured foods are packed with beneficial probiotics, digestive enzymes and nutrients that aid digestion. Packaged Facts notes that the probiotic goodness of foods such as kimchi, lactic-acid fermented craft pickles and miso in particular are appealing to those looking to boost digestive health.
Aside from the health benefits, many people are gravitating towards fermented foods simply because they taste good, says Robert Belcham, chef and owner at Vancouver restaurant Campagnolo. “It all starts with how it tastes and a lot of fermented foods are absolutely delicious,” he says.
Belcham has been making fermented sausages for the better part of a decade, coinciding with the charcuterie trend that has swept restaurants across the country. “Fermenting meat is like the holy grail of fermentation because it’s very difficult to do properly,” he says. “But when it’s done properly, it’s an amazing product.”
Toronto restaurant Borealia, which draws inspiration from the historic foods of Canada’s First Nations, early settlers and immigrants, also makes house-cured meat. For its popular Bison Bresaola dish, the meat is inoculated with a mould called Bactoferm 600, which grows around the exterior of the meat. “[The mold] protects it from light and causes it to age a little bit slower, but at the same time gives it that nice salumi flavour,” says chef and co-owner Wayne Morris. “People really like that one. A lot of people don’t realize it’s mould on there. But whether you’ve been eating [cured meat] your whole life or even trying it for the first time, if it’s good, it’s good.”
In its report, Packaged Facts notes that chefs and consumers are also taking a deeper culinary dive into umami – the salty, savoury taste profile also known as the fifth taste. That means fermented ingredients like fish sauce, dried shrimp and shrimp paste are seeing larger roles as ingredients in restaurants.
“Fermentation gives foods a bit of a funk, but it also gives it that umami flavour,” says Alan Liu, general manager of Toronto restaurant Linda Modern Thai. Liu notes that fermented foods like shrimp paste, fish sauce and yellow bean paste have long been a core part of the Asian diet. But unless someone grew up on some of the funkier flavours, they typically don’t go full bore with using these ingredients. That’s changing, says Liu. “In the past, when we used shrimp paste, we would have to dial back a bit so it wasn’t as overwhelming,” he says. “Now, we are starting to use more of it and introducing some of the funkier smells. We’re not quite at the point where we can have a free hand, but it’s getting there.”
Liu credits the shift in part to New York chef David Chang, founder of the Momofuku group of Korean-inspired restaurants. Chang also developed a fermentation test lab and production facility called Kaizen Trading Company, which experiments with Old World fermentation techniques on non-traditional ingredients (for example, Bonji sauce is made with fermented grains instead of soy). “David Chang has brought Korean fermented foods to the forefront and people are engaging in this new approach,” says Liu.
While funky fermented flavours are largely the domain of restaurants and specialty retail stores, fermented foods are well on their way to having mass appeal. Pyramid Ferments’ Empey says that as more small fermentation companies start to pop up, we’ll start to see more products on grocery store shelves.
And she believes the resurgence of this Old World food-preservation technique is more than just a trend. “Fermentation is a movement,” says Empey. “It’s an old way of preserving food and it was forgotten for a number of decades. But when people put something so far away, they eventually come back to it.”
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Valentyn Volkov via Getty Images
An international team of researchers on Thursday released the sequenced genome of coffee, saying it could help improve the flavour of one of the world's most popular beverages. The genome could lead t...
The concept of sustainability is not just a feel-good marketing concept; it is both a moral and functional imperative. And so, to make the financial case for paying farmers more is simple: if we don't do it now, there won't be coffee to sell later. To make the humanitarian case for it is just as simple: coffee farmers deserve better.
While not exactly a certification, like Fair Trade or the Rainforest Alliance, direct trade is really more of a loose concept: remove as many of the middlemen as possible and make sure the most marginalized and impoverished people in the coffee chain, the coffee farmers themselves, are given a bigger piece of the pie.


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Uber’s CEO Talks Australia
This Wednesday, Melbourne was chosen as a pilot city for trialling Uber’s air taxi ride-sharing program together with two other US cities: Dallas and Los Angeles. The strong support from the Victorian government, coupled with Melbourne’s unique geospatial factors and culture of innovation, helped ensure Melbourne was the first non-US city for Uber Air.
Uber’s active global expansion has transformed it from an ambitious startup in 2009 to the all-pervasive ride-sharing giant today. It has operations in 60 countries and 20,000 employees, across which the company took $US50 billion in bookings ahead of its IPO. Uber’s chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi praised Australia as one of Uber’s global “bright spots”. Mr Khosrowshahi said, “If the world looked like Australia he might be taking a vacation next week.”
Regarding the fears that autonomously driven cars may impact job stability as Uber’s technology innovation may lead to fewer drivers, he struck back at the media’s rumour, claiming that automation technology is far beyond mature and those cars can only run on “incredibly simple, repeatable and predictable routes.”
On top of the criticism regarding developments in autonomous vehicles, Uber has also faced negative press that they were employing ‘cash-burning’ strategies, deteriorating the enterprise value since its initial public offering last month. Uber successfully raised $US8 billion by going public, as the most anticipated Wall Street IPO in years.
However, Mr Khosrowshahi claimed the recent escalation of trade wars between the US and China damaged investors’ confidence, causing Uber’s stock price to suffer. Uber’s rivals like Lyft also suffered in this tough period.
Uber reported $US1 billion net loss for the first quarter at the end of last month; Mr Khosrowshahi said that the loss reflected investments Uber was making in its search for a market of “historic proportions”. He justified the investments as an aggressive profile in the field of movement of people, food and freight, and for not cheating investors.
During the low-interest period
The global economic slowdown amid the uncertainties of the trade dispute between the US and China added to the anxiety of global investors. To boost people’s confidence in sustainable economic growth, Central banks around the world are setting out plans to cut base interest rates. The yield on a ten-year Treasury bond has plunged from 2.5% to 2.1% in the past month and Ten-year Bond yields have turned negative again, reaching a new all-time low.
Mr Khosrowshahi was a former banking industry analyst. He joined the investment bank Allen&Company in 1991 and then became the CEO of Expedia, an online travel booking firm in 2005. In 2017 he replaced Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick after a series of scandals over toxic corporate culture and an aggressive approach to regulators.
He acknowledged that the low borrowing rates, that critics have blamed for asset bubbles, were helping Uber’s precarious business model. He then stated there was no doubt that a low-interest rate period would create an environment that may pay for growth and Uber was going to take advantage of this environment.
As for the threat from trade wars, Mr Khosrowshahi said, “Based on the tone of politics that I see, the relationship is going to get more hands-off, and there’s going to be greater separation than less separation, and there’s going to be a period of some difficulty.”
As the company is in an early growth stage, the de-globalisation phenomenon won’t hurt the ride-sharing business too much and Mr Khosrowshahi said one or two percentage points did not make a difference when the company was growing at forty plus percent.
Uber’s investment in Australia
Apart from the proposed Uber Air program in Melbourne, the ride-sharing company also has a partnership with Qantas where riders can earn Qantas points by using Uber to get to Australian airports through their frequent flyer loyalty program. This is the first commercial relationship that Uber has had with an airline.
Mr Khosrowshahi said since Australia is an English-speaking country with infrastructure such as mature wireless spectrum and payments functionality, the operation in Australia is as easy as it originally was in America. He appraised the Australian team as second to none.
By Frank Zhang
Click here for a 7 days access to our Lotus Blue Portal.


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Sir Jim Ratcliffe may abandon his plan to build a new off-road vehicle in the UK, ending the dream of a new British car manufacturing business before it begins.
His company, Ineos Automotive, is in talks with Daimler about buying its car plant in Hambach, France, to make the Grenadier.
Sir Jim has previously spoken of his desire to make the new car – which has been billed as the spiritual successor to the original Land Rover Defender and was unveiled last week – in the UK.
In September Ineos – which has put almost £1bn into developing the Grenadier – unveiled plans to build a factory to produce the vehicle in Bridgend, south Wales that would eventually employ about 500 people.
Work with the Welsh government had already begun on clearing the site in preparation for construction.
Similar activity had begun at a sub-assembly plant in Portugal, which would also create about 500 jobs.
However, Ineos said that “opportunities thrown up by Covid-19” meant that it was now investigating a deal to buy the Hambach plant from Mercedes-owner Daimler. It emerged the factory, which builds the Smart car, was up for sale last week.
If a deal is agreed, the Welsh and Portuguese sites would be abandoned, with all production work on the Grenadier taking place in France.
Mark Tennant, commercial director at Ineos, said: “We are in talks about the potential acquisition of Hambach from Daimler. It is a fast-moving situation and there is no final decision yet but we have put on hold the return to work at the Welsh and Portuguese sites.”
Sir Jim had praised British automotive expertise when he revealed plans for the Grenadier in 2017 and talked about his hopes of building it in the UK.
However, Mr Tennant added: “ UK construction is one thing we talked about and what Jim said was we would love to do it if it makes sense. However, it is a commercial proposition and has to be from beginning to end.
“We are comfortable with the UK and Portugal from a manufacturing point of view but the environment has changed, and using the Daimler plant is something we need to look at because it has commercial merit.”
Even before coronavirus sent car sales plummeting there was huge over-capacity in the European car industry, with under-utilised plants at risk of being closed.
Ineos taking on an existing plant could reduce costs of building the Grenadier.
Hambach was recently kitted out by Daimler to build a large SUV, which could be an attraction for Ineos.
Mr Tennant said that Ineos still planned to have its manufacturing facilities up and running by late 2021, with sales of the car starting early in 2022.
Changing the company’s plans could be “a risk to timing” he said, adding that Hambach is an “additional opportunity that just wasn’t there before Covid”.
Production of the Grenadier could also be delayed by chaos in automotive supply chains caused by the pandemic.
There are concerns that lockdowns and collapses in demand for car parts caused by coronavirus could mean suppliers failing, forcing Ineos to source components from alternate companies.


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The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has expressed its resentment towards the indifference of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) towards the industry’s pleas for consumer interest and sustainability of the sector. COAI, the non-government body aiming to aid service providers to establish and maintain world class, affordable mobile services in India has alleged that TRAI has been pushing flawed recommendations, along with being biased. COAI also disapproves of the discriminatory environment existent between dual technology operators and GSM operators and also the subsequent violations of the level playing field. It claims that TRAI has ignored the industry representations and further burdens the sector with its erroneous and unfair recommendations for the reserve price for auction of spectrum. This, it believes would further lead to serious public interest and public policy impacts and could critically detriment interests of the consumers. “A definite death knell”, as stated by Mr. Rajan S Mathews, Director General, COAI.
Flawed recommendations (Image Credit: Getty Images)
It further states that despite the concern expressed by COAI on ‘Refarming’ that would lead to Destruction of Capital and Forced Obsolescence of Infrastructure, the authority refused to address the issue and continues to maintain its earlier position. TRAI’s recommendations are said to be favouring a few dual technology operators. Apparently, gradual inclination towards the dual technology operators has been highlighted in TRAI’s previous recommendations and turns out to be even more evident now with this parting gift in the price of 800MHz spectrum, which has been arbitrarily reduced from 2 times to 1.3 times the reserve price of 1800MHz spectrum.
The industry has been already concerned with irrational high reserve prices and TRAI further suggests an increase in the spectrum usage charge from 1 percent to 3 percent. This will eventually hamper consumer affordability. According to COAI, the regulator continues to rely on fallacious assumptions and even leading Financial Analysts from around the globe have pointed out to the shockingly erroneous conclusions of the TRAI and have provided clarifications and calculations, which tally with the ones provided by the COAI earlier. The industry has been revealing that exorbitantly high reserve prices will be ruinous for them, while leading independent financial analysts maintain the same.
Published Date: May 15, 2012 10:27 am | Updated Date: May 15, 2012 10:27 am


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Apple is getting ready to launch at least two new Apple Watches as well as new AirPods based on supply chain data, according to a new report. New Apple Watches have already been rumored for an announcement this month, while AirPods could arrive at any moment as well.
According to DigiTimes, ASE Technology is packaging chips for the new devices ahead of launch.
We’d previously heard from Bloomberg that Apple plans to launch not just one, but two new Apple Watches this year. The Apple Watch Series 6 will be the new flagship model, with another wearable set to sit below it in the lineup.
As for AirPods, they’re due a refresh and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously pointed to 2021 as the expected launch window for those. The DigiTimes report seems to echo that.
The report claims the third-generation AirPods will be released in 2021, lining up with a timeframe shared by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who expects a launch in the first half of the year specifically. There have been conflicting rumors as to whether these AirPods will sport the same design as the AirPods Pro, including in-ear tips and shorter stems below the ears.
The next few weeks are going to be big for Apple and its hardware launches. New Apple Watches, iPhones, iPads, and potentially new headphones are all in the running for a September or October announcement.
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Artist’s impression of the development of Nelson Junction near Miter 10 Mega.
Development of the Nelson Junction site begins with the progress of plans for a large-format shopping center.
Nelson Gibbons Company, owner of the Annesbrook site, is starting the first clearing and infrastructure work, company chief executive Scott Gibbons said.
Colliers International real estate agency is marketing the development of Quarantine Rd on the vacant land of Miter 10 Mega, seeking tenants for the first stage of the project.
In the first stage, opposite Miter 10 Mega, there will be 10,948 square meters of shops with up to 11 tenants.
* And action … site work begins for the development of Richmond West which includes the cinema
* Former Todd Property shopping center in East Auckland put up for sale by new owners
* The future of the Nelson Junction site is clearer, according to the new owners Gibbons Property Investments
Colliers was looking for tenants such as furniture, appliance, housewares, plumbing, lighting, home furnishings and lifestyle retailers. The size of buildings or sites will vary from 500 m² to 2500 m².
Gibbons said development of the site will begin early next year after completion of stormwater and other service updates, as well as site preparation. There was a wide range of interested potential tenants, including some from outside the Nelson area, some who were already in the area but were looking for a different location, and some from the food industry, he said. declared.
It was hoped that the first stage of development would be completed in early 2023. Gibbons envisioned that it would eventually include a mix of light industry, retail and home improvement businesses.
The 8 hectare property, which once housed the Honda factory, was touted as a future shopping and shopping center before Miter 10 Mega opened in 2006. In 2019, Gibbons Property Investments purchased the remaining 4.5 hectares of vacant land.
“There has been a lot of non-activity on the site,” Gibbons said. “We take our time to prepare the plans well. “
Gibbons said the site was a central location that should be attractive to buyers in the Tasman and Nelson areas. He believed there was a good demand for a home improvement and lifestyle center near the town of Nelson.
“The road restrictions inside and outside the city make this site very attractive and it is truly a pivotal location for these types of services, with a profile like no other.
The second stage of the project would see development on the ground closer to Speight’s Ale House. The Gibbons site shows that a large retail / commercial format is offered for this site and is being offered.
Gibbons has over 230,700 m² of properties in its portfolio, housing 150 tenants. Its portfolio is diversified into three key sectors: bulk retail, industrial and commercial real estate.
Colliers Nelson broker Geoff Faulkner, who markets the Nelson Junction development with Colliers national retail manager Leroy Wolland, said he expected strong interest in the center due to the strength economy.
“Nelson is in booming city mode. We have almost zero retail vacancy on Main Street and the CBD, and nearby Richmond has almost zero vacancy on Main Street, ”Faulkner said.
Wolland said there is no comparable complex with vacant space in Nelson Market and Miter 10 Mega is a huge asset to potential tenants.
“It’s a perfect choice for furniture, appliances, housewares, home furnishings, tiles, flooring, paint, plumbing, kitchen showroom, lighting, automotive retail and, possibly, marine retail. “


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TORONTO, March 27, 2015 /CNW/ - Canada's largest union in the private sector, and the leading union in the auto sector, will release an independent study Monday examining the economic impact of the General Motors plant in Oshawa.
"This study will give industry, government and labour the hard data they need to make decisions about the future of the auto industry in Canada," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias, who will be at the press conference.
Unifor commissioned the study to provide an independent assessment of the importance of the plant to the Canadian economy as a whole. Unifor has long argued that Canada needs a national auto strategy, as other countries already have, to ensure the industry continues to be a source of good jobs.
The study examines the economic impact of GM's Oshawa complex – including its 3,600 hourly production workers and an estimated 500 salaried staff whose jobs are tied to manufacturing production there.
Unifor Economist Jim Stanford, along with the report's author, will also be at the press conference.
- What: Press conference to release an independent study on the economic impact of the General Motors plant in Oshawa
- When: March 30, 9:30am
- Where: Queen's Park Media Studio, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park
- Speakers: Unifor National President Jerry Dias, Unifor Economist Jim Stanford and the report's author
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 305,000 workers, including close to 40,000 in the auto sector. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union merged.
For further information: please contact Unifor Communications Director Sarah Blackstock at [email protected] or (cell) 416-949-1072.


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There is only one week left to enjoy ad-free viewing on Amazon Prime Video.
The ads will finally arrive on Amazon Prime starting next week and users who want to avoid them will have to pay additional costs.
Starting February 5, Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the UK will start receiving ads as part of their streaming service.
Those who don’t want ads interrupting their chosen content will have to pay an additional £2.99 per month.
Subscribers have already criticized the move as “greedy” on social media, with many even threatening to cancel their accounts over the change.
Amazon Prime Video users will soon have to endure ads on shows and movies unless they subscribe to an ad-free tier at a higher cost.
Amazon announced the decision in September to bring ads to its streaming platform, but did not publish the dates until December of last year.
Amazon Prime Video is one of the products that customers get when they subscribe to Amazon Prime, the tech giant’s paid subscription service.
Amazon said it won’t make any changes to Prime’s current price, so customers who don’t mind seeing ads when watching Prime Video won’t have to pay more money.
However, customers who do not want to see ads will have to pay an additional fee: £2.99 per month.
Social media users have already reacted with outrage to the change, taking to social media to criticize the decision as “greedy.”
One commenter wrote: ‘Prime video now has ads?? Why are you so greedy?
‘I’m disappointed to hear that Amazon Prime Video is introducing ads. “It’s a paid subscription service and I wait and add a free experience,” wrote another.
While another furious commenter wrote: ‘What’s the fucking point of @amazon prime if they’re going to start including ads?!
‘Now do we have to pay extra money to get it back to the way it was?’
On X, formerly Twitter, Amazon Prime subscribers reacted angrily to the change, calling it “greedy”
With ads ready to roll out to the paid subscription service, some social media users began to wonder why it was worth paying for.
This led one to wonder: ‘What is it about Prime?’
Other subscribers have gone further and taken to social media to say they would cancel their subscriptions rather than face the ads.
‘It’s happening! Amazon Prime Video nickel and dim. It’s time to cancel,” wrote one commenter on X.
Another wrote: ‘Instead of paying an extra $36 a year to get rid of them (ads), I’ll watch less Prime Video. Way to go, Amazon.’
One social media user even said they would “strive to boycott any product that disrupts my viewing.”
Some Amazon Prime Video subscribers were so outraged by the decision that they took to social media to say they would cancel their subscriptions and called on others to do the same.
Amazon announced the changes would come in an email sent to existing Amazon Prime Video subscribers.
But the date on the email was different depending on where the recipient was located: January 29 for US users and February 5 for UK users.
In the email, the company wrote: “Prime Video movies and TV shows will include limited ads.”
‘This will allow us to continue investing in engaging content and continue to grow that investment over a long period of time.
‘Our goal is to have significantly fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.
“There is no need for you to do anything and there is no change to the current price of your Prime membership.”
The ads will come to Amazon Prime Video in other countries later in 2024, including France, Italy, Spain, Mexico and Australia.
With Amazon Prime Video set to roll out ads next week, some subscribers have begun to question why the service is worth paying for.
Amazon’s move follows rivals Netflix and Disney+, both of which have launched ads on their cheaper subscription options over the past year.
Amazon is just one of the companies trying to maximize revenue from its video streaming service, as both Netflix and Disney+ have recently introduced ads that generate millions of dollars from advertisers.
Netflix’s ad-supported tier, ‘Basic with Ads’, launched in November 2022 and was originally an alternative option to the existing ‘Basic’ tier for £6.99.
However, earlier this year Netflix got rid of this Basic tier, which did not display ads, in an attempt to force users to opt into the ad option.
Disney+ followed suit by introducing a tier of ads, first for US users in December 2022, and then in the UK and eight other European countries in November.
Disney+ also announced a crackdown on password sharing, following a similar move by Netflix.
Ads on Netflix and Disney+ last an average of four minutes per hour, so the fact that Amazon promises “significantly fewer ads” suggests they will be fewer on Prime Video.


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BMW along with Audi and Mercedes have experienced large sales increases in South Korea in the first quarter, each by at least 25% – faster growth than even in China.
Foreign brands have managed to secure 41% of Korea’s market for premium vehicles (up from 28% two years ago). A big part of the reason is the lower duties on European imports – down to just 3.2% (from 8%) after a trade agreement was signed in 2011. Next year will see these taxes eliminated for most … CONTINUED
The BMW Group continued on its successful course in April with an increase of 6.8% in sales. A total of 155,419 (prev. yr. 145,541) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles were sold worldwide last month. Over the past four months the number of deliveries climbed 5.7% to a new all-time high of 603,619 vehicles (prev. yr. 571,084).
BMW has started the national roll-out of a ‘BMW Genius’ programme at UK dealerships following a highly successful pilot scheme in 2012. Each BMW Genius will be steeped in the increasingly sophisticated technologies and personalisation options available from BMW to help guide customers through every step of the ordering, buying, test drive and handover process, and will be on call to help with any subsequent queries or service updates.
Feedback from the pilot programme, conducted at 10 BMW dealerships who collectively employed 14 Geniuses, produced an … CONTINUED
BMW has been ranked as the world’s most powerful car brand by Forbes. Among all companies in the world, it ranked #9 overall and #5 in consumer perception. In Forbes’ Most Admired Company List, BMW came in 14th.
The BMW Group continued to perform well in the first quarter of 2013. Group revenues totalled € 17,546 million (2012: € 18,293 million; -4.1%). Despite higher expenditure on new technologies, increased personnel expenses and challenging market conditions worldwide, the profit before financial result (EBIT) for the three-month period totalled € 2,039 million (2012: € 2,134 million; -4.5%), the second highest result ever achieved by the Group in a first quarter. The EBIT margin for the Group was 11.6%.
Profit before tax (EBT) for the period from … CONTINUED
The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported April sales of 29,011 vehicles, an increase of 8.3 percent from the 26,793 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) is up 5.3 percent on sales of 107,968 in the first four months of 2013 compared to 102,522 in the same period in 2012.
“The solid April results are a good set-up for the months ahead as BMW transitions to model year 2014 with a … CONTINUED
According to Leftlanenews, a leaked document reveals that the official English name of this new joint brand is called “Zinoro” (which, not surprisingly, sounds like an English variation on “Zhi Nuo” (the Chinese name of the new brand)). The Zinoro models are expected to be green entry-level vehicles which will slot in under the MINI brand.
The BMW Group sold more vehicles in March than in any other month in its history. The company sold a total of 191,269 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles in the past month, exceeding the previous all-time high in March last year (185,741 units/+3.0%). The company also achieved a new high for the first three months: Retail volumes for the year to the end of March increased by 5.3% to 448,200 units (prev. yr. 425,543 units).
Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing … CONTINUED
Name: bmw-brilliance.jpg Views: 0 Size: 32.3 KB
We recently reported on a new joint venture between BMW and China’s Brilliance car company, called “Zhi Nuo” (which translates into “The Promise”) [more details]. This new brand name will be introduced at the Shanghai auto show later this month and will build its cars in China upon the E90 3 Series and X1 platform.
Under the joint venture, BMW has the right to export cars produced under the co-brand. According to Autonews, BMW is now considering exporting the Zhi … CONTINUED
BMW brand sales up 13.1 percent, best March ever
MINI brand sales up 3.5 percent
BMW Motorcycle sales up 7.6 percent
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 2, 2013… The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported March sales of 33,149 vehicles, an increase of 11.2 percent from the 29,806 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) is up 4.3 percent on sales of 78,957 in the first three months of 2013 compared to 75,729 in … CONTINUED
BMW was named today the of the 2013 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award winner for “Best Overall Luxury Brand.” The awards, which are based on consumer perception data from the Kelley Blue Book’s Brand WatchTM study, honor the automotive brands that have most successfully captured and maintained positive consumer attention and enthusiasm. BMW’s win was credited to its well-rounded image and broad appeal, according to Kelley Blue Book.
“It is an honor to be recognized as the ‘Best Overall Luxury Brand,” said Ludwig Willisch, President … CONTINUED
Here is a breakdown of BMW sales figures, broken down by models and units, for the past 6 years (2007-2012). As expected, 3 Series and 5 Series models dominate.
BMW has been experiencing record sales and profits and this has helped propel BMW heir, Susanne Klatten, to the top of the list of the wealthiest people in the auto industry.
Forbes values the 50 year old German at $14.3 billion, up $1.3 billion from 2012. This makes Klatten the:
Richest person to have made his/her money in the auto industry.
4th richest person in Germany
58th richest person in the world
How did Klatten accumulate … CONTINUED
Statement and Presentation by Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Annual Accounts Press Conference
Ladies and Gentlemen!
We have a clear vision for the years leading up to 2020: To be the leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility.
We are already the top-selling premium automaker worldwide. For us, however, leading the premium segment is more than volume leadership.
We set standards for products, technologies and services, as well as manufacturing.
We … CONTINUED
BMW Group cautiously optimistic for 2013
Ambitious targets in challenging environment
Sales volume set to rise to new record figure in 2013
Earnings before tax expected at previous year’s level
High rate of expenditure for new technologies and models
EBIT margin between 8% to 10% targeted for Automotive segment
All Strategy Number ONE interim targets fully attained
Reithofer: Several hundred advance orders received for BMW i3
Munich – March 19, 2013… After achieving a record-breaking year in 2012, the BMW Group’s outlook for the current 12-month reporting … CONTINUED
Fortune has published its World’s Most Admired Companies 2013 list and BMW has been ranked at the most admired automobile company, and 14th most admired company overall.
Why it’s admired says Fortune:
The Rolls-Royce and BMW names are synonymous with luxury – and not just in the carmaker’s native Germany. The world’s leading premium vehicle manufacturer has earned global renown in places such as Brazil, Russia, India and China. Its progress there, analysts predict, will be particularly lucrative in coming years. The company turned a profit during … CONTINUED
The sales war posturing between BMW and its German competitors continues. Bloomberg reports that BMW has plans to hire Peter Schwarzenbauer, the former Audi AG sales chief. The report has Schwarzenbauer joining BMW next month, in a top level management position which will report directly to BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer.
This move comes during a period of all out sales battles between BMW, Audi and Mercedes, each seemingly intent on capturing the top sales crown each month (and year). BMW recently regained the top spot in … CONTINUED
BMW Manufacturing announced today the successful expansion of the company’s hydrogen fuel-cell material handling equipment across its 4.0 million square foot production facility. In 2010, BMW completed the installation of a hydrogen storage and distribution area near the plant’s Energy Center to power about 100 pieces of fuel cell material handling equipment. Since that time, the company has more than doubled its hydrogen-fuel cell fleet to approximately 230 units to service the entire plant’s production and logistics functions.
“BMW continues to complement its sustainable production model … CONTINUED


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Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured the Chinese business community for provision of all possible services as the country appears to encourage foreign investment.
According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday, a Chinese business delegation met Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad.
The delegation included representative of Easy Prefabricated Homes Pvt. Ltd., La He Trading International Pvt. , CEO of Zhengbang Agriculture Pakistan Pvt. Ltd., CEO of Exert Tech Pvt. Oy Ltd., Challenge Fashion Pvt. Manager. LLC among other.
In recent years, Chinese companies have invested heavily in projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as well as other separate projects.
Both countries also have a Trade agreement, the second phase of which began last year.
The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of China to Pakistan Nong Rong.
The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Prime Minister’s Trade and Investment Advisor Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Special Assistant on CPEC Khalid Mansoor and senior officials.
The Chinese Business Delegation praised the government’s investor-friendly policy and expressed great interest in investing in Pakistan. The Prime Minister welcomed the delegation that the government is serious about simplifying business practices.


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BMW Motorrad has confirmed that it will be premiering four new models at EICMA in November.
One of the models looks likely to be an updated R1200GS model with Euro4 emissions compliance, but there are a few interesting possibilities also on the horizon.
The German firm is expected to announce a new Dakar Rally-inspired version of the R nineT, as was previously spotted as a concept at the Wheels and Waves custom bike festival in the south of France last year.
Named the ‘Concept Lac Rose’ at the time, the model takes GS styling from the Dakar winning G/S from 1985 and, if, as expected it is similar to the concept, it is likely to feature longer suspension travel than the standard R nineT, plus spoked wheels and studded tyres.
Beyond the R1200GS and the GS-styled R nineT, it also looks as though BMW will be officially revealing the mini-GS that has been spied in recent months. In a press release, BMW said: “Two more world premieres come from the range of BMW Motorrad models in the Adventure world of experience, making the GS family larger and more versatile.”
It looks highly likely that this will be the G310GS which is thought to use the G310R as its base platform. The model takes styling cues from its older siblings and will be an extremely interesting addition to BMW’s adventure line-up.


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Female entrepreneurs report feeling pressure to conduct business online in a traditionally feminine way, a new study suggests.
This includes maintaining social media personas that display modesty, sociality, and “an aura of decorum”—the same restrictions that often apply to women in off-line business settings.
“I doubt workers—male or female—in traditionally masculine-coded industries such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields experience these same demands,” says coauthor Brooke Duffy, assistant professor of communication at Cornell University.
“While it’s inspiring that we are seeing a rise in female entrepreneurship in the digital age, these business categories tend to be highly feminized. This means that gender hierarchies and inequalities in the world of work endure,” Duffy says.
They interviewed 22 self-employed women professionals who work in digital media, including blogging, writing, entertainment, and marketing. The researchers asked the women how they used social media to run their businesses and how they understood entrepreneurship and their relationship to it. All the women were active on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Often, female entrepreneurs were caught in what the researchers call a “digital double-bind.” On one hand, they participated in the traditionally masculine-coded category of entrepreneurship, where figures like Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos are often upheld as paragons of success; on the other, they were constrained by feminine stereotypes. That resulted in taking on more work and risk than men to ensure the success of their online ventures.
The entrepreneurs felt obligated to use social media to build their brands in an understated way; cultivate intimate relationships with audiences, clients, and peer networks; and share their personal lives in a professional context. These strategies adhere to gender roles that cast women as social and emotionally expressive, Duffy says. And they emphasize the social prescription that women should be modest about their achievements, she adds.
For example, the entrepreneurs promoted their businesses with a soft sell, rather than an aggressive approach. Many attributed their successes to their ability to “build relationships” and grow their businesses “organically.”
“By framing these successes as ‘organic’ rather than calculated or hard-won, interviewees effectively conceal the time and energy required to participate in networking and marketing activities, rhetorically distancing themselves from overt self-promotion,” the study’s authors write.
“…visibility can be a very dangerous thing for a woman.”
The business owners also felt compelled to constantly interact and maintain social ties with clients and social media followers. Many viewed these social interactions as a prerequisite for success.
But they also highlighted the stress brought on by the urgency of building relationships with their client base on social media—and the difficulty of not going over the top with their interactive intimacy to the point where it would damage their business credibility.
In addition, the entrepreneurs felt obligated to put their private lives on public display to cultivate relationships with clients. As a professional decision, they had to consider whether to post photos and information about their families on their social media accounts, for example. “One interviewee recounted how her website was hacked repeatedly and she began to worry that her personal information could threaten the safety of her family. She explained how ‘visibility can be a very dangerous thing for a woman,'” Duffy says.
The authors linked this obligation to act “feminine” on social media to a long history of women’s devalued, unpaid labor, from child care and domestic work to the “emotional labor” implicit in the service industries.
“Though our culture valorizes self-enterprise and prods young people that ‘We’re all entrepreneurs now,’ it’s important to keep in mind the many ways in which digital media amplifies—rather than challenges—traditional norms and social hierarchies,” Duffy says.
Duffy and coauthor Urszula Pruchniewska of Temple University report their work in the journal Information, Communication & Society.
Source: Cornell University


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Apr 15, 2022
Springtime is a period of growth and renewal in our vineyards, as our vines wake up from their winter dormancy and their buds come out to say hello. Discover what keeps us busy this time of year, both inside our winery and across our 150 acres of grapevines.
Mar 25, 2022
1NGREDIENT is Steve Beckmen showcasing his biodynamic fruit through the lens of traditional winemaking. Wines are made naturally, without oak, additives, preservatives or other distortions. As a winemaker, this required starting over and considering the process with a fresh perspective. It reminded Steve of his first days making wine.
Jan 18, 2022
We introduced 1NGREDIENT wines in 2020 as a part of our evolution as winemakers, combining our years of winegrowing and winemaking experience with the goal of making wines exclusively from one ingredient, certified Biodynamic wine grapes. While our initial bottlings under this label were white wines, we are very excited to expand into red wines with the release of the 2019 1NGREDIENT Syrah.
Oct 18, 2021
With the fall season comes a new occasion to dive into a selection of new release wines. Our 2021 Quarter 3 Wine Releases are produced in extremely limited quantities and are only available directly from our Los Olivos winery. We’ve hand-selected four wines that will pair perfectly with everything from rooting on your favorite football team to sharing pumpkin pie with friends and family.
Aug 5, 2021
For nearly twenty years, we have opened our cellar doors every fall for a rare opportunity to taste a limited selection of our small production red wines still aging in oak barrels during our annual Futures program. This year, we will host two Futures tasting events at our Los Olivos winery and have tasting flights available to be shipped directly to you.
May 11, 2021
Discover more about the five new wines released to our Wine Club members in May 2021: 2020 Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2019 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Grenache, 2019 EXP La Finca, 2019 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Syrah, and 2019 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Clone #1 Syrah.
Apr 22, 2021
While it would be great to have perfect weather all the time, the heat spikes in 2020 proved challenging to both our vines and our winemaking team. Risked with the possibility of losing some of our most valued crop, the 2020 Block Eight Rosé and 2020 Block Six Rosé rose like a Phoenix out of the ashes. Many thanks to our winemaking team and crew for turning what would have been raisins into epic Rosé wines.


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In a release published on 12 November, Microsoft announced the departure of Steven Sinofsky, the chief architect of its newly launched Windows 8 operating system »
Windows Division President Steven Sinofsky has announced that a near-final version of Windows 8, dubbed the “Windows 8 Release Preview,” will be available the first week of June »
Mobile retailer Phones 4u has launched a contract that lets customers upgrade their handset as often as every six months, without egregious upfront costs »
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Sony has confirmed an April 24, 2020 release date for Predator: Hunting Grounds.
Originally announced for PS4 in May, it was revealed on Tuesday that the asymmetrical multiplayer shooter is also in development for PC at IllFonic, in partnership with Fox. It will be available on the Epic Games store.
The game’s 4v1 setup sees a group of four players controlling members of an elite fireteam, while one player controls the Predator.
A new trailer for the game also reveals a previously unseen female Predator.
IllFonic CCO Jared Gerritzen told the PlayStation Blog: “When we first came up with what this game would be, I knew we had to create a world where this ultimate female warrior would exist too.
“We had fun imagining her backstory which helped us create a fierce warrior that any gamer will have fun playing. She is agile, fast, and relentless. She is a huntress without fear and she thrives in the hunt. In the trailer we see her with a weapon that IllFonic created, the Yautja Bow.
“This is no ordinary bow, it deals massive damage to its prey and will pin the enemy to walls and other structures at death. She has access to the entire Predator arsenal as well.”


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A new seat prototype has been unveiled that could see passengers practically standing on flights using horse-saddle-style seating. Conceived as a way to increase capacity on planes, Skyrider 3.0 was unveiled at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg by Italian seating company Aviointeriors.
The design of the seat is aimed at enabling airlines to increase passenger numbers by 20%, which could hopefully lead to cheaper passenger tickets. The seating is arranged in a formation known in the industry as ‘ultra-high density,’ and it weighs 50% less than a standard economy seat and has a reduced number of components, which makes it cheaper and easier to maintain.
The seats resemble a horse’s saddle rather than a traditional seat, and they have a raised section in the middle. They are suited to journeys of a shorter duration as passengers place a leg on either side and lean rather than sit, and the manufacturers say they would be suitable for flights of up to three hours duration. They would not be comfortable enough for longer duration flights as the legroom is diminished from around 28 inches to 23.
This new design is very similar to previous versions of the seat, including the Skyrider 2.0, which was unveiled at last year’s expo. The difference is that the new design doesn’t include a pole between the seats to connect them to the floor and ceiling, as the previous version did, and a coat hook has been introduced. The next hurdle to overcome is that civil aviation authorities have not yet approved the use of vertical seats like this one in any country to date.


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Intel has secretly developed a mega-chip called Knights Mill with the hope to advance artificial intelligence.
Electric cars would meet the needs of nine out of 10 drivers today, enabling the replacement of most combustion-engine vehicles, according to an MIT study of U.S. driving patterns.
The maker of so-called spyware program WebWatcher can be sued for violating state and federal wiretap laws, a U.S. appeals court has ruled.
Ditching analog headphones for USB-C audio opens up a world of new features, Intel says.
Spoiler: It does not look much like a Metal Gear game.
The biggest news out of the Intel Developer Forum this year is Project Alloy — Intel’s push in virtual and augmented reality.
Both Intel and Microsoft are betting that Project Alloy, the new "merged reality" headset that will be free to whoever wants it, will be the next big thing for PCs.
Service NSW is the first government agency in Australia to adopt Google’s cashless Android Pay service.
The U.S. will go ahead with its plan to hand over oversight of the internet's domain name system functions to a multistakeholder body on Oct. 1, despite fierce opposition from some lawmakers and advocacy groups.
HP said it would return to the high-end gaming PC market with a bang, and it sure has with fully loaded Omen PCs.
Microsoft has begun rolling out its big Anniversary Update for smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile.
The chances of Apple using Intel's factories to have its iPhone and iPad chips made have just rocketed up.
Not even the National Security Agency is immune to carelessness, according to noted leaker Edward Snowden. The agency’s operatives can get lazy, and sometimes they leave behind files inside the servers they’ve hacked.
Google shared information on the best new security features in its next major mobile OS update, Android 7.0 'Nougat,' including a faster direct boot, streamlined software updates and enhanced integration with corporate directories.
Ford today announced plans to have a high-volume, fully autonomous self-driving car in commercial operation in 2021 for ride-hailing or ride-sharing services.
Learn how to protect your digital lifestyle. A must read for all those who are active online.
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How did a 60-year-old academic from Leipzig become the fashionistas’ new crush? They swear he can make them look younger, of course. Harriet Walker meets Augustinus Bader, the professor behind a bottle of £200 skin cream.
Victoria Beckham thinks it’s “AMAZING” and Vanity Fair described it as a “real-life time machine” – meet the wrinkle cream for which the A-list are prepared to pay £8 a squirt. Net-A-Porter can barely keep it in stock and the product itself has racked up sales of more than £4.7 million in only two years.
Margot Robbie uses Augustinus Bader, as does Carla Bruni. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Naomi Campbell and Yasmin le Bon are all fans. Beckham was so obsessed, she enlisted its creator to come up with a moisturiser for her own range.
I meet Professor Bader, director of applied stem cell biology and cell technology at the University of Leipzig, at the 0.01 per cent Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, London, a few days after he sat front row at Beckham’s fashion week show last month.
What do the 60-year-old German academic’s colleagues make of his new celebrity friends?
“I haven’t told them,” he says nervously. “I said I was going on holiday.”
Read the full article at TheTimes.co.uk


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The luxury retailer has had a tumultuous two years, going into administration in the early part of 2012 before being rescued by Hong Kong-based retailer YGM. It is now trying to restore its fortunes and has relaunched its website, as well as making a return to London’s West End. It is also on the hunt for a larger flagship store that it hopes to open next year.
Speaking to Marketing Week, ecommerce manager Emma Godfrey said: “We want to reignite the brand. We are committed to elevating the brand image of Aquascutum and regaining some credibility with the luxury fashion market after the past couple of years.”
That strategy includes making sure the firm appeals to its old customers, reminding them that they are still around and investing in its British heritage products, including trench coats. However, it also wants to appeal to new, and younger, customers through a focus on innovative design and high fashion.
“Our core customer is someone who likes British heritage products, who looks for good quality and classic investment pieces. We have to try to also target a new customer who is more about high fashion. We want to come across as an innovative brand which will attract younger customers looking for high end designer products,” said Godfrey.
A big focus for Aquascutum now is content. It is hoping to engage with customers via its new website through improved product pages, as well as on its relaunched social media pages and using direct marketing.
Godfrey says the firm is also looking at adding video with the hope of being able to showcase content for its Spring/Summer collection such as behind the scenes footage of the latest shoots, interviews with designers and advice on how to wear trends.
“Engaging with your customer, especially online, you want them to keep coming back and the only way they’re going to do that is if you’re enticing them in. Brands need that more editorial-based content, especially with newsletters and email marketing. You want to make it exciting so traffic converts. The pressure is there now to constantly produce the newest most exciting form of content,” she said.
Burberry is Aquascutum’s main competitor, and Godfrey highlights the Burberry Kisses campaign as a great way of raising brand awareness. She says Aquascutum would love to launch its own viral campaign in the future when it comes up with a concept that fits the brand.
It is also looking to follow in the footsteps of its rival with the introduction of iPads in stores so that it can sign customers up in store and link up its CRM with the aim of getting to know its customers and personalising the experience for them.
“There are people that love the Aquascutum brand. We want to make sure that when we engage with them its relevant and that whatever channel they use the customer receives a seamless experience that is very on brand,” she said.


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Disney World celebrates 50 years of magic starting October 1, 2021 with the launch of the 18-month, “The World’s Most Magical Celebration”. The hosts of this celebration are Mickey and Minnie Mouse, dressed in their all-new sparkling EARidescent attire for the 50th anniversary. We have shared the first look at the Golden 50th Anniversary Crest On Cinderella’s Castle, and more exciting happenings such as 50th Anniversary Disney Touches Being Added To Orlando International Airport.
Today, we have an exlusive SNEAK PEEK at The World’s Most Magical Celebration Merchandise, honoring the 50th anniversary of Disney World.
While no specific items are yet revealed, Disney has teased us with these images! However, upcoming Aug. 6th will be more exciting new details revealed about the 50th anniversary merchandise collections.
Sneak Peak Photos:
Click here for all the latest Disney News!
Going to Disney? You might qualify for a Disney Gift Card when you book your trip with the Couponing to Disney travel specialist!


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POSTED: Friday, March 16, 2012 - 10:30am
UPDATED: Friday, March 16, 2012 - 10:34am
NBC NATIONAL NEWS — A beef product dubbed "pink slime" by critics and frequently found in school lunches has come under scrutiny for its nutritional value and how it's made.
The USDA, under increasing pressure from parents and consumer advocates, announced it is giving schools the choice not to buy products made with beef trimmings.
Starting in the fall schools will be able to choose 95-percent lean ground beef made with the trimmings, or ground beef that is less lean, but doesn't contain the product.
It's official name is Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings, left-over muscle meat that is separated from the fat with heat and treated with a commonly used ammonia wash to kill bacteria before being blended with ground beef.
The USDA says the process meets federal regulations.
The beef industry says the process has been around for 20 years and is safe.
"This really is a great process that helps us from wasting beef from the cattle that we process," says the American Meat Institute's Janet Riley, "and we do it under federal inspections so that its safe and nutritious."
Others, including one Houston mom, disagree.
She used her blog, TheLunchTray.com, as a platform for a petition asking the USDA to get it off school menus.
Within a week, she had 225,000 signatures.
The USDA says it made the changes after school districts asked for options.


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Liberty’s iconic department store on Regent Street closed in March, but has since reopened with reduced services. Private equity group Bluegem Capital bought the firm for £32m in 2010. It sold its remaining 40% stake to a consortium led by Glendower Capital in a deal valuing Liberty at £300m last year, as sales hit £140.5m. Known for its haberdashery, designer brands and mock Tudor façade, the retailer is led by chief executive Adil Mehboob-Khan, 56, who is investing in online sales.
This profile reflects the company at time of publication and does not reflect any changes that may have subsequently occurred. Fast Track and its sponsors do not endorse, guarantee or recommend investment in any of the companies.


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A few days ago, there were reports that multiple Samsung phones in China were crashing for no reason. While some of the devices had black screens, others showed garbage characters as well as continuous restarts. Subsequently, an official statement from Samsung shows that the company was looking into the issue. It said that it is investigating the cause of the issues and will provide a solution as soon as possible.
As for what caused the mobile phone system to crash, Samsung officials did not give a clear answer. However, a recent video shows that on May 25, many Samsung users lined up for repairs in the Weifang Samsung Electronics Service Center. According to Samsung Customer Service, the system crash was caused by an error in the calculation of the lunar leap in April. However, it said that there is no guarantee that the data will be safe after repairs.
Gizchina News of the week
Samsung user laments the loss of important data
A Samsung S8+ user said that his phone had a failure on the 23rd, a black screen without reason. Furthermore, he had no way to restart the phone. After repairs, thousands of his images were gone. The user said “Now the data is gone. Although the phone is good, my stuff is gone.”
According to the user, he has over a thousand images of his three-year-old daughter on his mobile phone. These images were taken from her birth to the present. There is no backup, and she can’t find it now.
For Samsung customer service, if it tackles the situation by flashing, it is generally impossible to retain the data. The Weifang Samsung Electronics Service Center said, “It is as a result of the miscalculation of the lunar leap in April. We are only solving a problem so that the user’s mobile phone can be used normally”. As for whether the information in it will be safe, the manufacturer does not have a specific answer.
With users already lamenting the loss of important data, a lawsuit may be looming. It will not be a surprise if a good number of affected users go to court. It is a common occurrence in the smartphone industry. In all, it was quite disappointing that Samsung users had to pass through this. As a major manufacturer, the South Korean company need to avoid such issues.


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The first foray was the launch of the original Surface RT
tablet back in 2012.
In 2013, the company reportedly shouldered $900 million in unsold Surface RT
inventory to keep its fledgling product line around, allowing.
Microsoft unveiled Windows RT (a variant of Windows 8) on the Surface RT
Microsoft said its Surface tablet posted a sharp increase to $400 million in sales, largely due to rising interest in the smaller, heavily discounted Surface RT
Like Microsoft's Surface RT
and Surface Pro, the Lumia 2520 has been well received by reviewers, but is hampered by the lack of apps for the Windows operating system compared to iPads and tablets which run on Google's Android operating system.
Last week, users complained of 'bricking' in which their Surface RT
tablets went inoperable after updating to Windows RT 8.1.
The Surface RT
is a basic version of the tablet, which received a 30 percent price cut earlier this year after failing to gain traction in the market.
The Surface RT
is a basic version of the tablet, which got a 30 percent price cut earlier in the year after failing to gain traction in the market.
"First-party devices" could be a roundabout reference to Microsoft's current hardware lineup of the Xbox, Surface RT
and Surface Pro.
Six months later, Microsoft began offering its Surface RT
tablet to educational institutions for $199, a discount of more than 50 percent.
Just ask Microsoft, which forayed into the tablet market in October 2012 with the Surface RT
, and has since taken a $900 million charge to pay for the experiment.


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Dear Instagram Stories, Add Audio Filters And Beat Snapchat Once And For All
Instagram stories is just snapchat. Instagram’s founder Kevin Systrom even said so. And although Facebook has had several unsuccessful attempts at conquering the ephemeral messaging space in the past (ie. Poke, Slingshot), This time around it could be different as they attempt to leverage the market proven Instagram. They’re well on their way to blowing Snapchat out of the water; but with the addition of audio filters and spatial audio support, Facebook could put the final nail in Snapchat’s coffin.
How Instagram Stories has already taken the lead, and how Spatial audio support can seal the deal.
1. For many people, this will be their first encounter with story like media sharing.
Facebook’s first big win is tapping into a market-proven app instead of introducing a new app for users to download (poke, Slingshot and the never launched Messenger Messages). Tons of celebrities and brands have already amassed a following on Instagram and the thought of putting work into a separate platform seems tedious. But here’s the thing: many of those celebrities and brands use Instagram to share content, where Snapchat tends to be more social and centered around posts outside of work hours.
There’s no better time than now to introduce spatial audio support to these users that are new to ephemeral messaging. Their content will thrive and stand out, thanks to instagram, not snapchat.
2. Instagram Just Locked In the 15-25 year olds.
Instagram and Snapchat may be both for the youth. But Snapchat is younger. And that matters.
I’m 27 years old and the biggest reason I hear from my peers for not being on snapchat is this: “I was on Instagram first and feel “too old” to start anew on snapchat. It would take forever to amass a new following.” The second, “why would I want two apps that basically do the same thing. I already have videos on Instagram.” Users under 25 don’t see instagram and snapchat as the same app. They use them in very different ways.
Here’s the important difference between 30 year old Instagram users 20 year old snapchat users. Instagram users capture moments they want to remember, snapchat users capture moments they do not. So how does Facebook get archive-first market interested in ephemeral messaging? Offer them quality that Snapchat cannot. If Instagram invented the filter, take it one step further with the sound filter. This is where spatial audio can be an advantage for Instagram stories. Sound filters in the Instagram style might make existing users more willing to jump in.
3. Instagram Stories Successfully Emulated Snapchat’s backbone.
Mainly because they completely copied the UI. Stick with what works and in this case Facebook does just that. If the backbone is there, this is where Facebook can put their own “spin” on the messaging format. Systrom sees Instagram stories and Snapchat as being different, even though they do the same thing:
“When you are an innovator, that’s awesome. Just like Instagram deserves all the credit for bringing filters to the forefront. This isn’t about who invented something. This is about a format, and how you take it to a network and put your own spin on it.
Facebook invented feed, LinkedIn took on feed, Twitter took on feed, Instagram took on feed, and they all feel very different now and they serve very different purposes. But no one looks down at someone for adopting something that is so obviously great for presenting a certain type of information.”
I agree with Systrom, you can’t patent “the feed” or “filters” because it’s a format, but you can put your own spin on it. And that’s exactly what Instagram Stories will do. Twitter adopted the Facebook feed and succeeded by adopting a newsfeed style that could only come from a platform that limits content to 140 characters. However Facebook supported stereo audio on video uploads, twitter did not (though it does now). Visuals look the same on both platforms, with the same filters and ability to write on images. But changing the way users both create and consume AUDIO on Instagram Stories could put Facebook way ahead in the race. This is just one audio “spin” that Instagram stories could implement.
4. Instagram Stories is Facebook and Facebook Has Access To The Best Tools. Including VR.
Anyone who’s been reading TechCrunch over the past 6 months can see how invested Zuckerberg is in VR. Just last month Facebook bought VR audio company Two Big Ears and is making their tech free to developers. Is it so crazy to think some of this VR tech will be integrated into Instagram Stories in a way we’ve never seen before? Last week Zuckerberg said “When it comes to AR or VR, mobile phones will be the main device.” Facebook already has a leg up on Snapchat with Oculus, Two Big Ears and Instagram. All of these tools can be implemented into Instagram Stories seamlessly. And for the user, they don’t even have to download a new app. That’s a huge advantage.
Instagram Stories, Integrate VR Audio!
Immersive audio is very real and will soon be present in most of our daily devices. The one thing that holds Instagram stories and snapchat back is mono audio from the smartphone built in mic. Instagram invented the mobile filter, how about re inventing the audio filter? How about giving users the same creative authority over their sounds as they have had on their images? Zuckerberg believes AR and VR will come from the phone, not a new piece of Hardware. Fine, then start at the phone and move outward. Knowing that right now Snapchat and Instagram are identical, would you ditch snapchat if Instagram offered the added feature of capturing and playing back immersive audio? Audio is a frontier that can be heavily disrupted not just by audio companies, but by the companies who are providing us the tools to make our own story. Instagram Stories, integrate immersive audio and put the final nail in Snapchat’s coffin.
Here’s our instagram btw, WE WISH IT WAS IN STEREO 🙂


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As it Turns Out, Most Cord-Cutters Aren’t Missing Cable at All
Cord-cutters might still be the exception to the old school cable watchers out there, but with the growing popularity of streaming TV on devices from various platforms, it turns out that the people who have made the leap aren’t looking back. That’s because, in a new survey over over-the-top (OTT) video users by programmatic platform OpenX and analytics firm The Harris Poll, 52% of 528 cord-cutters said they don’t miss anything about cable or satellite TV.
While the study showed that the majority of cord-cutters don’t feel like they’re missing out on much by not having cable or satellite TV, some do feel as though they live events on TV (23%) local news (22%) and live sports (19%) are the things they do miss the most. But with a number of options out there across multiple platforms, cord-cutters are quickly becoming more of the norm.
“Cord-cutters are reacting to the fact that they do not like being forced to pay for channels they do not watch—and they do not like being restricted by device, time or place to access their programs,” said Dallas Lawrence, chief communications and brand officer at OpenX.
Although cable TV subscribers are still considerably higher than cord-cutters at the moment, households which pay for TV is expected to decrease by 3.0% in 2019 to 87.9 million users.
“Cord-cutters are part of a small group of early adopters, most of whom don’t watch a lot of TV, and for whom the ability to watch live sports is not an issue,” said Alan Wolk, co-founder of video consultancy TV[R]EV. “I would bet that many of them also had access to their parents’ cable TV passwords for those times they wanted to watch linear TV.”
With a number of streaming services already partnered up with mega communications and TV networks, or those brands creating their own streaming services — like ESPN+ and Disney+, among others — cord-cutters continue to have gain more options to watch their favorite TV shows, movies and live events.


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Heavy Duty Trucking, an industry trade publication, has included Valvoline Premium Blue One Gen2, a commercial vehicle oil that was launched last year, in its list of the top 20 products for this year. What’s more, it is the only lubricant on the list.
A panel of three experienced editors select the products for the magazine’s list by examining reports of products from the previous year. The panel seeks to single out exceptional products that offer innovative features with the potential to improve the operational efficiency of fleets or address common concerns in the haulage sector.
The Vice President of Sales at Valvoline Heavy Duty, David Young, said in a press release about being included in the list:
“We are consistently working to develop innovative products that deliver strong under-the-hood results, and help reduce cost per mile for fleet owners. As the only lubricant among 20 products chosen, it is a testament to the ingenuity and performance of Premium Blue One Solution Gen2 that we received this industry distinction.”
Valvoline’s Premium Blue One Solution Gen2 stands out from the competition because it enables fleet managers to consolidate their lubricant stock to a large degree, which in turn can save money and reduce the possibility of using an incorrect oil in an engine.
Having been developed in cooperation with Cummins Spark-Ignited (SI) Engineering, it can be used in light, medium, and heavy-duty engines, regardless of whether they are fuelled by natural gas (both compressed and liquefied), diesel, petrol or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).


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Statewide, Agriculture Industry partners will celebrate Ag Day with online events and outdoor activities
Cookeville – Agriculture is TN’s top industry. In celebration, Governor Bill Lee has officially designated March 21 Tennessee Ag day.
“The Tennessee Department of Agriculture invites citizens to join them in celebrating agriculture and forestry businesses and workers,” said the State of Tennessee in a release. “This special day is set aside to help people understand how food and fiber are produced and the role farmers and foresters play in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.”
Agriculture is more than business. To many, it is their life, means to an end and families life blood.
“For many Tennesseans, Ag Day is every day,” Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “Families across the state work hard to make sure we have a dependable food supply and premium lumber products. This is the second Ag Day during the COVID-19 pandemic and that environment spotlights the critical work and economic impact of the agriculture industry.”
On March 24, lawmakers in the House of Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will host “Virtual Ag Day.” The committee will hear from a group of speakers from the agriculture industry. The theme of AG Day is Food Brings Everyone to the Table.
“Whether families get their food from the farm, farmers market or grocery store, meals are the perfect time to reflect on where quality food comes from and how purchases support local communities,” according to the release. Now is the time to “appreciate our farmers and those in the agriculture industry who provide food for Tennessee families and drive our local and statewide economies.”
Statewide, Agriculture Industry partners will celebrate Ag Day with online events and outdoor activities and schools will have the chance to promote Ag related careers. The public can tune into this virtual event live at 2 p.m. with the Tennessee General Assembly.
Visit www.tn.gov/agriculture to learn more.
Image by aleksandarlittlewolf on Freepik.


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Customer loyalty to utility vehicles reaches record levels
Consumer loyalty to utility vehicles continues to grow at record levels, according to recent analysis by business information provider IHS Markit. This trend is expected to continue, given the steady growth of utilities and pickups at the expense of sedans. Over the next three years, there will be five times as many new utility nameplates introduced to the U.S. market as new sedans.
The IHS Markit analysis of 17.1 million new vehicle registrations in 2017 proves loyalty to utility vehicles reached a record high 66.9 percent last year, up from 64.4 percent in 2016 and from 54.3 percent in 2012. Two of every three households with a utility vehicle in the garage that returned to market in 2017 acquired another utility vehicle. Utility loyalty is 14.6 percentage points higher than the industry average loyalty of 52.3 percent. In addition, pickup truck loyalty in 2017 has risen, measuring 50.6 percent, up 8.1 percentage points since 2012.
Conversely, sedan loyalty has fallen to 47.7 percent in 2017, down 8.5 percentage points since 2012, representing the furthest drop of all body types over the five-year period. In 2012, sedan loyalty led the industry with 56.2 percent loyalty.
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