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Fresh Farms opens warehouse
Grower-shipper Fresh Farms is opening a grape warehouse next to its current facility in Rio Rico, Ariz., just in time for the Mexican grape season.
Director of sales and marketing Jerry Havel said the new warehouse is slightly smaller than the existing facility, with storage for up to 75 loads, but capacity should double next year after the company installs a rack system.
The original building can hold 80 loads, Havel said.
International Fruit Co. markets for Chiquita
The new International Fruit Co., based in Charlotte, N.C., plans to source its first grapes from Mexico this spring as the exclusive licensee of Chiquita Brands International.
“IFC will perform as importer and will work with quality grapes to get the best results on sales for growers and customers,” said Chiquita veteran David Espinoza, now IFC’s president and sourcing director.
He sees this year’s prices and market for Mexican grapes as very similar to previous years.
“Red seedless volume from Chile is always a big volume at the end of the season, but the market is reacting well on consumption and promotions,” he said.
MAS Melons partner expands storage
One of the four Mexican partners of Nogales, Ariz.-based MAS Melons & Grapes LLC has quadrupled his storage facility in Mexican grapes, said major shareholder Miguel Suarez, who distributes 70% of the Molina Group’s harvest.
“We keep improving our pre-cooling facility and capacity,” Suarez said. “We’re working on improving our yields and quality using different techniques, trying to keep up with technology.”
Oppenheimer Group expects more grapes
Vancouver, British Columbia-based The Oppenheimer Group says its Mexican grape volume could increase by more than 50% compared to last year’s program.
“With the addition of new growers and increased acreage coming into production, we are able to expand our offerings this season,” said Marc Serpa, director of domestic grapes.
Oppenheimer works with four well-established growers producing the full range of preferred varieties, including autumn and summer royals, flames, perlettes, thompsons and red globes, Serpa said.
The program includes zip bags, handle bags, clamshells and RPCs, all packed under the Oppenheimer brand.
Pacific Trellis Fruit increases volume
Fresno, Calif.-based Pacific Trellis Fruit plans to pack about 1 million boxes out of Mexico this year from its two main growers.
With new plantings coming into production, that’s slightly up from last year, said general manager Josh Leichter, who joined Pacific Trellis a year ago.
For the second year, the grower-shipper will feature its Going Ape brand in greater volume on boxes and packaging this year, Leichter said.
The brand features a high-graphic, stand-up bag with a label appealing to children.
Along with traditional perlettes, sugraones and flames, he said Pacific Trellis expects to pack more red globes and black seedless this year.
Pandol Bros. aims to extend shelf life
One of the 12 Mexican growers who work with Delano, Calif.-based Pandol Bros. Inc. has built a temperature-controlled packinghouse for assembling multicolored special packs.
John Pandol, director of special projects, said the grower brings in three colors of fruit and repacks them in clamshells after they’re chilled.
Chilling before packing gives the fruit a stronger post-harvest life, Pandol said.
“Last year was his first trial,” Pandol said. “He’s willing to do anything, and he doesn’t have to worry about the heat — he may keep white grapes for five days, red grapes for 10 days and pack black grapes that day.”
Most packinghouses pack at ambient temperature, he said, but fruit from the field may be delayed before it’s chilled.
“When you see clamshells on retail shelves with fruit that looks older than it would in bags, it’s because the fruit was delayed before entering the cold chain,” Pandol said.
Stevco to offer more grapes, flames
Stevco Inc. expects to add about 150,000 more boxes of Mexican grapes this year, predominately flames, said vice president of marketing Jared Lane, based in Bakersfield, Calif.
“We pack in RPC’s or whatever our customers demand,” said Lane, “and we’re able to place GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) labels on all our boxes for traceability.”
Selling grapes from Mexico and California’s Coachella Valley at the same time has its benefits, he said.
“If red grapes are a little tight in one area you might have them in another area and vice versa.”
The two deals are usually harvested about a week apart, he said, depending on the weather.


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Nicki Minaj says she will stop using Instagram if ‘likes’ are no longer visible. The social media photo sharing site recently revealed plans to hide how many people have liked a post for everyone but the owner of it. Users will no longer be able to see how many people have liked a photo, unless they are the ones posting it – so essentially no-one will be able to brag about how many likes they’re getting. Many have applauded the decision as one to help people combat the pressures of social media and being ‘successful’ online. Yet Nicki, 36, has said she will refuse to use Instagram if this function is removed because she doesn’t think it makes the app any ‘better’. The Superbass singer, who currently has 107 million followers on Instagram, tweeted: ‘I’m not posting on IG after this week cuz they removing the likes. Hmmmm what should I get into now?
‘Think of all the time I’ll have with my new life.
‘They took away your engagements in the first place by disrupting the algorithm. Then they boost it to show you how much better this new iPhone is. ‘I mean how much better this new IG feature is. – lemme guess, u don’t believe your iPhone messes up when the new iPhone comes out… ‘
What do you think? To like or not to like on IG? Leave your comments below!

domain: news


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Texas Beach Vacations In February
On your abutting Southwest Airlines flight, boarding and deplaning procedures ability attending a little altered if you’re at assertive airports in California. USA TODAY
Cheap fares accept disqualified the airline industry this year as airlines attempt to fill a ashen cardinal of seats during the coronavirus pandemic, and there’s no sign it will end anytime soon.
Southwest Airlines on Tuesday launched addition three-day book sale, with biking dates into February on best routes and as backward as April on flights to Hawaii. The nation’s bigger calm carrier about has two big book sales a year, in June and October,but has tossed that agenda out this year.
The latest auction is the third ample auction back May and the additional to affection annular cruise fares starting at $39 one way on abbreviate flights.
Southwest is casting one-way fares as low as $39 for ceaseless calm routes like Raleigh/Durham-Nashville and and Oakland-Las Vegas. For travelers attractive to hit the bank on the cheap, there’s additionally a $136 one-way book from Lubbock, Texas, to Cancun Mexico and a $139 one-way from Baltimore to Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic.
Tickets allegation be purchased by Thursday, Aug. 27, on Southwest’s website or through its anxiety centermost back the airline does not advertise through above online biking agencies like Expedia or account its fares on Google Flights. Check added airlines’ prices, too, as airlines about bout anniversary others’ fares on aggressive routes.
The best way to boutique for the cheapest prices on Southwest? Use the airline’s low-fare calendar.
Of course, there is accomplished book galore, the best notable detail actuality that key anniversary biking dates are blocked out and Friday and Sunday biking is excluded, which about rules out quick weekend getaways.
Southwest is the alone U.S. airline that allows two chargeless arrested accoutrements and does not allegation admission change fees.
Southwest has affluence of aggregation in the book auction department. Alaska Airlines afresh had a 2-for-1 auction and American has been announcement fares as low as $49 one way.
The Dallas-based airline’s latest auction comes adjoin a austere industry backdrop. Last week, Southwest told investors in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it continues to acquaintance “significant abrogating impacts to commuter demand and bookings.”
Like all carriers, the airline said it was encouraged by May and June trends but said the drive adjourned in aboriginal July due to the acceleration in COVID-19 cases, bidding it and added airlines to carve approaching flights to bigger bout demand.
Southwest said it has apparent a bashful advance in August but acclaimed it was for last-minute vacation bookings.
The auction is advised to activation travelers to book biking added out.
In the the anniversary catastrophe Aug. 16, commuter aggregate on U.S. flights was bottomward 68% from a year ago, all-embracing flights, 88%, according to industry barter accumulation Airlines for America.
Airline passenger aggregate won’t return to 2019 levels until 2023 or 2024, with acquirement backward that, the accumulation predicts.
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Texas Beach Vacations In February


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NEW DELHI: The government has banned the export of surgical face masks, the textile material that goes into making the masks and covers along with ventilators and respirators as it seeks to ensure adequate supply of the critical materials at a time when the coronavirus count is rising in the country.
Following a meeting of the group of ministers, the ban was notified by the directorate general of foreign trade, sources told.
While India had banned the export of masks soon after the outbreak due to a surge in exports to China, it later on withdrew the curbs. But by that time the price had shot up in the local market. A surgical face mask which sold for Re 1 a piece just around a month ago was selling for around Rs 30 on Amazon.
The availability of these masks has become difficult with sellers accusing raw material suppliers of raising prices, resulting in higher cost for the consumer. In any case, there has been panic buying of these masks despite repeated assurances from the government that there is no need to sport them unnecessarily.
Also read: Coronavirus vaccine within a year
By imposing a ban on export of the material used for making the masks, the government is hoping to make more supplies available in the domestic market and rein in prices.
In case of ventilators, given the respiratory problems associated with coronavirus, there is a spurt in demand globally with the UK asking companies such as Rolls Royce, Ford and other car companies to manufacture the critical care equipment that assists in breathing.
Although India imports a large part of its requirements, the government wants to ensure that domestic players do not end up exporting whatever supplies are available.


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Vox has launched the Valvenergy pedal series, consists of four Nutube-fitted stompboxes: the Copperhead Drive, Cutting Edge, Mystic Edge, and Silk Drive. Per the brand, all four valve distortion stompboxes
The onomatopoeic wah pedal is probably the best-known guitar effect to non-guitarists, thanks to ultra-distinctive sounds like the opening to Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft” and Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Slight
Vox has announced the latest incarnation of its wah pedal, the V847-C Custom, designed for Japanese guitar superstar, Char. The V847-C sports traditional Japanese artwork on its front and bottom plates.
Living up to its name, Joyo’s newly unveiled R-15 Preamp House approximates the sounds of nine preamps from the likes of Vox, Fender, Marshall, and more. Per Joyo, the new pedal


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Shares in Domino's Pizza plunged over 13% early on Thursday (9 March), after the company revealed it was facing an uphill battle to sustain its rate of growth.
In the financial year to 25 December, the FTSE 250-listed group said its like-for-like sales grew 7.5% year-on-year, sharply slower than the 11.7% rate recorded in the previous 12 months, while total sales were 14.5% higher than in 2015. Domino's, however, added it was planning to open a further new 80 stores across Britain this year, on top of the 81 new sites it launched last year.
There was more positive news on the revenue and profit front, with the former rising 13.8% year-on-year to £360.6m ($438.8m), while on an underlying basis the latter was 17.1% higher than in 2015 at £85.7m.
As a result, the fast food chain said it will increase its final dividend by 15.6% to 8p.
"Our cash conversion remains very strong and we have reinvested through international expansion and returned cash to shareholders through dividends and share buy-backs," said group chief executive David Wild.
"We remain confident in the resilience and long-term potential of our business model and are committed to continue to invest with our franchisees for growth."
Meanwhile, Domino's has also stepped up its expansion in Northern Europe, with the acquisition of Dolly Dimple's, Norway's third-largest pizza company, which operates 42 stores across the country.
The deal will see Domino's UK business, which also runs outlets in Germany and a number of other north European countries, pay £4m in debt and cash to Norges Gruppen.
"Dolly Dimple's is a great operation with a loyal customer base, because of its great tasting pizzas," added Wild.
"The Norwegian market has plenty of opportunity for growth and with Dolly Dimple's stores and dedicated colleagues, alongside our expertise in digital and e-commerce, this acquisition will drive Domino's growth across Norway."


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The concept of built-in obsolescence should be familiar to anyone that has ever bought a piece of advanced consumer electronics.
Back in the early 2000s, a brand new gaming PC would be out of date faster than its owner could notify all his or her friends of the acquisition. Over the past decade, smartphones have taken over as the devices that keep tempting us to buy new hardware with ever-escalating specs and capabilities.
And as we look forward to the next few years, it looks like self-driving car technology will be one of the fastest-moving areas of innovation.
Only one problem with that: people don’t buy cars anywhere near as often as the oncoming cascade of upgrades will arrive, and if each of those requires us to buy a new car, there’ll be a great deal of discontent.
Audi launched its new flagship sedan last week, the A8, which might be the smartest car ever put on sale. It can park and unpark itself without a driver inside, and it can be completely autonomous when driven on a highway at moderate speed and with plenty of other cars around to help it orient itself. I was at Audi’s launch event and asked the carmaker’s executives what happens when the company moves on to more sophisticated forms of autonomous driving.
The new A8 is rated for Level 3 autonomy, but what should an A8 owner expect when Audi reaches Level 4 and, the ultimate, Level 5? Would they be able to retrofit the new tech into their car? Nope. Alejandro Vukotich, head of Audi’s autonomous driving initiatives, told me that the A8’s smart systems will get software updates, but no hardware upgrades will be made available. Peter Mertens, Audi’s chief of technical development, stood by Vukotich and also seemed unperturbed by this future scenario.
Read more of the original article at The Verge.


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The Central Bank of Canada found out the number of Canadians who own bitcoin nearly doubled over the course of a year, according to the results of a newly-published survey.
Throughout the Bitcoin Omnibus Survey (BTCOS), the country’s central bank was looking to identify “the driving reasons for ownership during the sudden rise in Bitcoin prices” and understand “bitcoin’s potential impact on how the Bank of Canada undertakes its core functions,” according to the analytical document presenting survey results.
The bank, conducted a similar survey back in 2017, and this new analysis found that there was increased interest in bitcoin’s price over the year. The results show that ownership among Canadians rose from 2.9 to 5% and overall awareness of the cryptocurrency jumped up to 85%.
Also, results show a significant improvement in general understanding about bitcoin with the proportion of Canadians believing bitcoin is “government-backed” falling about 40% from the previous survey. Further, half of Canadians who own bitcoin do not use it to transact, but rather, hold the coins “as an investment”.
The timing of the survey is notable, given that December of last year saw the price of bitcoin went up to nearly $20,000.
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Local ads will account for lion's share of mobile ad investment, says BIA/Kelsey.
Spending on location-based mobile ads in the U.S. will grow four-fold over the next five years, eventually accounting for 70 percent of mobile ad spend, according to forecasts by local media consultancy.
The firm predicted advertisers will invest a total of $690 million on local mobile ads this year, reaching $2.84 billion by 2015. Meanwhile, overall spending on the channel will attract a total of $1.6 billion in 2011, rising to $4.05 in the same period, the firm expects.
Growth in the mobile ad space will be predominantly driven by the continued proliferation of smartphones as well as the emergence of self-service ad platforms, BIA/Kelsey suggested, aided by a focus on digital media from local media companies and the continued growth of location-aware technologies.
"Ad volume growth will be compounded by premiums placed on location-targeted ads," the report said, citing the increased performance of location-based ads versus those targeted by other means. "This performance is a function of higher relevance, immediacy and consumer buying intent, which are more prevalent in mobile than many other print and digital media," it explained.
Despite the promise and potential of location-based advertising, however, regulators remain concerned about the potential privacy implications of the practice. Last month the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing titled "consumer privacy and protection in the mobile marketplace," and invited representatives from Google, Apple, and Facebook to testify alongside David Vladeck, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection of the Federal Trade Commission.
Meanwhile in Europe, the European Commission's Article 29 Working Party - a collection of data authorities from across the EU responsible for promoting pan European privacy practices - issued an opinion classifying location data from smartphones as "personal data," the collection of which it suggested is only legal following consumers' "prior informed consent."
WPP-owned media agency GroupM also issued its own mobile privacy guidelines yesterday, which encouraged ad providers to offer users an easy opt-out for targeted advertising, and to limit the amount of data collected for advertising purposes.
Jack Marshall was a staff writer and stats editor for ClickZ News from 2007 until August 2011.
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Big data holds a lot of promise for marketers, but are marketers ready to make the most of it to drive better business decisions and improve ROI? This study looks at the hidden challenges modern marketers face when trying to put big data to use.
December 2, 2015
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The ban on selling foie gras that New York City passed in 2019 will not go into effect on 25th November 2022 as originally planned. On 15th September 2022, a judge for the New York State Supreme Court issued an injunction to that effect. Two of the only three foie gras farms in the United States are in New York, and in May this year, they took legal action to prevent the ban from being enacted. Hudson Valley Foie Gras and La Belle Farms claimed that they would face economic hardship as about 30% of their business come from the city, and the city council had gone beyond its scope because the farms exist outside its jurisdiction.
The NYC city council initially passed a bill banning the sale of foie gras because of animal welfare issues concerning the inhumane force-feeding of geese and ducks used to produce it (which is nothing more than diseased liver).
This is not the first time that a campaign to ban foie grass in the US has suffered a setback. In May this year, a court ruled that the law passed in 2004 that banned the selling of foie gras in California, which went into effect in 2012, did not cover imports from outside the state. The ninth circuit’s decision upheld a lower court’s 2020 ruling, which also permitted the shipping of out-of-state foie gras through third-party delivery companies. The UK was going to ban imports of the substance too, but they may not go ahead with the ban as the government has changed, and it is believed the new Prime Minister Liz Truss will ditch all current animal protection bans proposed. The 2014 ban on importing foie gras to India seems to be holding, though. The production of foie gras is banned in several European countries, including the Czech Republic, Italy, and Germany, but not the selling (which makes no sense if the reasons were animal welfare-related).


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According to the report, Multichoice will continue to lead with 20.8m subscribers expected by 2027.
Africa will add 18m pay-TV subscribers between 2021 and 2027, taking the total to 57m, according to the report by Digital TV Research.
Subscriber numbers will climb by 46% over this period, but pay-TV revenues will rise by only 35%, indicating that subscribers will pay less. Pay-TV revenues will reach $6.46bn by 2027, up from $4.78bn in 2021.
Three groups account for 90% of Africa’s pay-TV subscribers. Multichoice, through its DStv and GOtv platforms, will continue to lead – with 20.8m subscribers expected by 2027, followed by StarTimes (18.4m) and Canal+ (11.2m).
Commenting on the findings of the report, Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Few new players are expected. Instead, the three protagonists will battle for supremacy – often by cutting prices.”


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Revealed in a recent forum post by a Battle.net developer, the hit card game Hearthstone may have a whole new level of information coming to the general public. While the details are scarce, the developer in question, Andanion, indicated that " I would love to be able to give more information on this but...I've probably said too much already ;). Just know that it is a thing here on our side - we all really want it - its just a matter of the when...". While Hearthstone has an upcoming expansion in The Grand Tournament that's releasing on August 24th, this information could have as much as an impact of the meta game about players and how players will counter their opponents decks.
For those who are unaware, an API (application program interface) provides a set of functionality for those interested in elements regarding Hearthstone. From what is described, we may see data regarding player's profile data, and seasonal rankings. It's dependent on how much Blizzard opens up in terms of the API, as it is unclear what will be available and what won't be at this point in time. But any additional information, like the most popular cards and desk constructions, could change how players with that knowledge will approach the game. While no official time line has been given other then "Very Soon", it's the first mention of an official release of an API done through Blizzard regarding the game. In the meanwhile, players looking to get an edge must rely on community feedback and different kind of meta resources in order to counter the next Facehunter deck they must likely will face.
It's always cool to see developers opening up information to the public, and some may throw this aside and say "well, it's not that important." But given the 20 million dollar a month revenue stream that the game apparently makes and the popularity of it, it's clear that anyone who is looking for even the slightest edge will be able to make use of this information.


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App selects Belfast as launch pad
A new smartphone app franchise has launched its first venture into Northern Ireland.
The Big Local App brings together local businesses, news, events and information in various towns and cities across the UK.
Each listed business has a mini-app providing contact and general information, as well as features to engage customers.
It also has over 100 business categories and a voucher system which businesses of the city can use along with a mini-app to reach out to potential customers who use this type of technology.
Franchisee Martin Duddy said that the Big Local App parent company has already reported good feedback.
"The app is very user-friendly and has great information from the main institutions of the city such as Belfast International Airport, Belfast City Council, leisure centres and Queen's University to name a few," he said. "Additionally the app is also packed with news, tourist information, cinema and arts listings and information about Belfast Zoo, Titanic Belfast, the Odyssey Arena and the Waterfront Hall.
"I'm confident that the app will provide a great service to visitors, tourists and the local community," he added.
The app is free to download at the App Store and Google Play.
For info visit biglocalapp.com/belfast.


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These case studies highlight real examples of Cyber Attacks in New Zealand and show the impact to any business, big or small.
CERT NZ has received reports of different opportunistic online scams and attacks in the wake of the tragic events in Christchurch last week.
Google has reported a security issue in its Chrome browser. This issue is known to attackers who are using it to gain access to some computers.
Social media has become a way of life for many people.
Google has become the first major casualty of Europe's new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and has incurred a €50 million fine for failing to meet transparency and information requirements,...
On January 14th 2020 extended support for Windows 7 will end - is your business ready?
For many of us, our mobile phone has become something we can’t do without. We carry it around with us all day, and we use it to check everything from...
Sports fields and concert venues are becoming the most advanced smartphone environments on Earth.
Good luck to all those businesses entering this years Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce Business Awards which will be presented this coming Friday evening.
CertNZ have released a new advisory.
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New CBN forex restriction will kill ailing firms, MAN warns
Local manufacturers have kicked against directive by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that dealers should stop opening form M for payments that are routed through a buying company or any other third party.
According to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the good intention of the apex bank is inimical to the survival of many manufacturing concerns that are not involved in any unethical practices, especially at a time when the nation is implementing gradual ease of the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
MAN noted that most manufacturers, especially SMEs, deal with accredited agents for their supplies, as many Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) abroad do not sell directly to individual buyers.
Specifically, the association said many companies had gone into contractual agreements via the procurement agencies for the 2020 financial year and, in some cases, beyond, hence, a default on the contractual obligations may result in expensive lawsuits across jurisdictions, bring disruptions to the production process and further undermine the resilience of the sector.
“Consequently, the multiplier effect on the economy will be reduction in productivity, loss in business revenues, supply chain disruption and ultimately loss of employment,” the local producers said.
The CBN had, in a circular titled “Destination Payment for All Forms M, Letter of Credit and Other Forms of Payment” on Monday, taken the decision in a bid to ensure prudent use of foreign exchange, by eliminating incidences of over invoicing, transfer pricing, double handling charges and avoidable costs that are ultimately passed to the average Nigerian consumer
A Form M is a mandatory statutory document to be completed by all importers for the importation of goods into Nigeria. It is mandatory for all importers to complete and register Form ‘M’ with authorised dealers at the time of placing orders.
MAN President, Mansur Ahmed, argued that a phased approach should be adopted to enable companies to have sufficient time to re-organize and build the required relationships with original suppliers, which they do not currently have.
He advised that to checkmate abuse, the apex bank could put in place a monitoring mechanism to ensure that unverifiable claims by some manufacturers are identified and dealt with accordingly, rather than stifle the business of genuine firms whose interest and commitment is to grow the economy.
“Given the prevailing extremely stressful operating environment our fragile manufacturing sector is contending with, the implementation of this new directive is like hammering the last nail into the coffin of many of our ailing members,” he said.
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Airbnb Plus listings are of homes “of the highest quality offered by hosts with great reviews and attention to detail”, explained a release issue on Thursday (Nov 22).
“As travellers look for more unique stays based on trusted recommendations by peers and key influencers, every Airbnb Plus home has been verified for quality by a third party, giving added assurance to guests about the quality of their stay,” said the release.
Airbnb Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan’s Country Manager Mike Orgill said, “Airbnb Plus was introduced to broaden the appeal of Airbnb and recognise local hosts who go above and beyond to provide outstanding and authentic hospitality.
“We’re thrilled to be launching this new tier of homes in Bangkok and will roll out in Phuket next month. With more than 400 million global guest arrivals, our engagement with our hosts have allowed us to continuously improve our product and launch Airbnb Plus homes, now personally verified for all the comforts and amenities we know travellers expect in a home.”
Airbnb Plus hosts are highly rated (4.8+ out of 5) and receive excellent reviews, and the homes have been inspected and verified in person by a third party against a 100+ point checklist covering cleanliness, comfort and design, explained the release.
“Thailand is an important and fast growing market for Airbnb with nearly half a million Thais using the service to travel in the past year alone. With the peak travel period in December, Airbnb Plus is a great option for Thais travelling as a couple or with families. Thailand is one of the most popular destinations with more than 1.5 million inbound guests in the past year, showing that people from all over the world are using Airbnb to explore and experience Thailand,” the release noted.
The launch of Airbnb Plus continues to drive local momentum and is also off the back of Airbnb’s success in launching Experiences across the country and developing key strategic partnerships with the Thailand Boutique Accommodation Trade Association (TBAA) and the Thailand Ministry of Interior’s Department of Local Administration (DLA), said the release.


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Small Business Startup News
Immigrants Are Driving Main Street Business Growth
Written by Tim Morral
New report shows the important role immigrant entrepreneurs play in launching and growing businesses that are critical to the health and vitality of local neighborhoods.
Historically, immigrants have played a role in the U.S. small business economy. But a recent report by the Americas Society/Council of the Americas sheds new light on the rising influence of immigrant entrepreneurs in Main Street businesses--i.e., businesses that shape the fabric of the nation's local communities.
The Role of Immigrants in Main Street Businesses
The report, titled Bringing Vitality to Main Street: How Immigrant Small Businesses Help Local Economies Grow, showed that from 2001-2013, immigrant entrepreneurs (documented and undocumented) drove all of the nation's net growth in Main Street businesses (e.g., groceries, restaurants, clothing stores, etc.).
Similarly, immigrants accounted for the net growth of Main Street businesses in 31 of the nation's 50 largest metro areas.
Additional findings from the report included:
- Immigrant entrepreneurs represent 28% of Main Street business owners--significantly higher than the share of immigrants in the labor force (16%) and the overall share of immigrant business owners (18%).
- Main Street immigrant business owners earned a combined $13 billion in 2013.
- Immigrants comprise a large percentage of Main Street business owners in major metros: Los Angeles (64%), San Jose (61%), Washington D.C. (56%), Miami (54%).
- By business category, immigrants own 53% of all grocery stores, 45% of nail salons, 38% of restaurants, 32% of jewelry stores and 32% of clothing stores.
The efforts of immigrant and ethnic entrepreneurs in launching and growing Main Street businesses is important because it is helping to revitalize depressed communities, reversing population decline and increasing the economic base in hard-hit neighborhoods.
In addition to Main Street businesses, immigrants are also occupying a larger place in the greater small business economy. From 2001 to 2013, immigrants were responsible for 48 percent of the overall growth of business ownership in the U.S.
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Travel plans for Greece in 2016 will not be affected by the economic crisis, according to research conducted by LoveHolidays, a U.K. online travel agency.
The study shows that despite the economic situation in Greece, 66 percent of participants perceive the country as a safe holiday destination. In fact, 21 percent of people aged between 45-59 said they would travel to Greece specifically to help the country’s economy.
Furthermore, the study shows a generational gap in travel attitude as about half of travelers over 60-years-old would prefer to travel independently and help local businesses. At the same time, 71 percent of millenials would choose the safety of a well-known travel agency.
Regarding the Grexit scenarios, over 50 percent of participants believe that tourism in Greece will benefit from the country’s exit from the euro bloc because that would lead to lower prices in hotels and tourist sector businesses.


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Twin Disc reported a “significant decline” in fiscal 2016 first-quarter sales, from $64.8 million to about $37.4 million, because of a global decline in oil and natural gas prices, along with softening demand in Asia for the company’s commercial marine products.
The company reported a loss of $4.3 million, or 39 cents a diluted share, for the quarter that ended Sept. 25, compared with a profit of $4 million, or 36 cents a share, a year earlier.
Twin Disc said demand from customers in Europe remains weak and overall demand in North America remains stable for the company's commercial marine and industrial products.
Currency had an unfavorable effect on first-quarter sales, compared with the prior year, totaling $4,496,000 because of a strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the euro and Asian currencies. Adjusting for constant currency, first-quarter sales declined 35.4 percent, compared with the prior-year’s quarter.
"Sustained lower oil and gas prices have severely impacted demand for our oil and gas pressure-pumping transmission systems,” Twin Disc president and CEO John Batten said in a statement.
“We took initial actions during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015 to lower costs and to improve efficiencies, but demand continued to erode in the first quarter. As a result, we will be taking additional actions throughout the year to reduce costs and adjust for challenging global market conditions within our oil and gas and pleasure craft markets. We remain dedicated to these markets and will continue to invest in our leading product portfolio and service organization.”
Gross first-quarter profit was 21.9 percent, compared with 34.5 percent in the quarter a year earlier. Twin Disc said the decrease in first-quarter gross profit was the result of lower volumes, a less profitable product mix, an unfavorable currency effect and reduced absorption primarily at the company's U.S. manufacturing operation.


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Luxury vehicle manufacturer Porsche has threatened legal action over London’s proposed £25($50) per day “gas guzzler tax”.
Image by Stefan
London Mayor Ken Livingstone recently proposed the charge on all vehicles entering central London that emit more than 225g of carbon dioxide per kilometer. Almost all vehicles currently pay £8($16) to enter the central London congestion zone. Only the most environmentally friendly vehicles, such as hybrids, are exempt from the charge. Porsche announced plans to apply for a judicial review of the proposal, calling the increase on high emission car owners disproportionate and unjust.
Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche Cars Great Britain, said: “A massive congestion charge increase is quite simply unjust. Thousands of car owners driving a huge range of cars will be hit by a disproportionate tax which is clear will have a very limited effect on CO2 emissions. Not only is this rise completely unfair to many drivers, but it will also damage London-based businesses of all sizes, and successful people from across the world will start to think twice about basing themselves here if they think they are going to be used as cash cows for City Hall.”
The company will officially contact Livingstone on the matter within a week, after which the mayor will have 2 weeks to respond. The company said: “If the mayor fails to respond to Porsche’s letter or refuses to reconsider his plans, Porsche intends formally to submit its application for judicial review at the Royal Courts of Justice.”
Environmental activists believe Porsche’s threat is proof of just how much the high performance cars actually pollute.
Blake Ludwig, a spokesman for the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s said: “We know from the enormous amount of support for our campaign, and from our own surveys, that charging the most polluting cars a higher congestion charge is already very popular with the public. This measure sends a strong and clear message to those manufacturers, like Porsche, who are putting their heads in the sand and flexing muscle rather than clean up their vehicle fleets.”
Info from Guardian Unlimited


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In an ambitious move that signals a new era of digital innovation, the fintech company Rauva has made headlines by acquiring a bank for a staggering €35 million. This bold step is just the beginning of their expansive vision, which includes plans to grow their team by 100 new hires by the year's end. But what truly sets Rauva apart is their strategic use of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize content creation, specifically targeting the Portuguese market.
Rauva's acquisition is not merely a financial investment but a strategic move to cement their position in the fintech sector. By leveraging AI, Rauva aims to produce tailored content in Portuguese, enhancing their visibility on Google and attracting more users. This approach is not just about scaling their business; it's a testament to their commitment to innovation and user engagement.
The cornerstone of Rauva's strategy is the use of AI to generate engaging and relevant content for their audience. By focusing on the Portuguese market, Rauva addresses a critical gap in financial literacy. Portugal, like many countries, suffers from a lack of widespread financial education, making Rauva's content not only innovative but also immensely valuable to its audience. Here's Journalist AI's SEO strategy.
Rauva utilizes a sophisticated AI tool that simplifies the content creation process. This tool, akin to the popular ChatGPT, allows for the input of specific parameters, such as article quantity, inclusion of videos, images, and links. The output is nothing short of remarkable: comprehensive articles complete with featured images, structured content, internal and external links, and even multimedia elements tailored to the content's theme.
Rauva's initiative goes beyond mere business growth; it's about making a tangible difference in people's lives. Financial literacy is a crucial skill, yet it remains underrepresented in educational curriculums around the world. By providing accessible, high-quality content on personal finance, taxes, savings, and investments, Rauva empowers individuals and businesses alike to make informed decisions.
The implications of Rauva's use of AI extend far beyond the realm of content creation. AI is likened to a wrench in the toolkit of modern businesses—a tool that significantly enhances efficiency and productivity. Just as a wrench allows for faster and more effective tightening of bolts, AI streamlines various processes, enabling businesses to achieve their goals more swiftly and with greater impact.
In Rauva's case, AI automates not only content creation but also keyword research, content publishing, and social media syndication. This comprehensive approach to digital marketing allows Rauva to maintain a consistent online presence, engage with their audience effectively, and drive growth through SEO and content marketing.
Rauva's strategic acquisition and innovative use of AI in content creation serve as a powerful example of how technology can be harnessed to drive business success and make a positive impact on society. As Rauva continues to grow and evolve, their journey offers valuable insights and inspiration for businesses looking to leverage AI to enhance their operations and outreach.
In the rapidly changing digital landscape, Rauva's story is a reminder of the transformative potential of AI in reshaping industries and enriching lives. Their success underscores the importance of embracing innovation, pursuing strategic growth, and committing to making a difference in the world.
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The 2013 edition of the Business Outlook from BMO Bank of Montreal showed that Canadian businesses are becoming more reliant on trade with the United States. The report showed that 39 percent of Canadian business owners said they were reliant on the U.S. for trade, up 18 percent on a year-over-year comparison.
For small businesses owners looking to save on the high rents associated with office space, portable storage containers are available to conduct business operations.
"Canadian businesses are showing a growing level of confidence in the prospects for the North American economy, and they continue to look for opportunities to grow beyond our borders," said Cathy Pin, vice president, Commercial Banking, BMO Bank of Montreal. "What is most interesting is that while Canadian businesses may have looked to diversify their supply chains and sales markets beyond the U.S. during the economic downturn, we are now seeing them once again look south for growth opportunities."
As the world grows digital, many are turning to online storage for their documents. However, it's always a good idea to have physical backups. Jiffy Self Storage is a leader inToronto storage and can provide plenty of space for important files and other items. Those interested in learning more should visit Jiffy's website, where they can enter to win a free iPad 3.


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7:42pm, Fri 6th Jul 2012
Woking Football Club is pleased to announce the addition of a number of new sponsors for the 2012/13 season.
Allenbuild, a specialist construction service provider based in North Cheam, have taken up advertising space on the Kingfield Road End. Woking Football Club are excited to be linked with such a prestigious name in the industry and look forward to this new venture.
Beggars Banquets, a quality catering company offering locally sourced, home cooked food based in Westfield have joined the Cardinals Companies Directory.
Woking Aerials have also joined the Cardinals Companies Directory. The company specialises in Terrestrial/Satellite TV & radio aerials and operate within a large coverage area in the South East of England.
Another sponsor to sign up with Woking Football Club is London House, a restaurant based in Old Woking and run by MasterChef semi-finalist Ben Piette. The package includes advertising within the matchday programme for next season.
London House specialises in South Eastern and South Western French Cuisine, applying attention to detail with quality ingredients, great flavour and excellent service.
Finally, Groupon, a national company offering discounts on various businesses and services throughout the country have signed up with the club. Their sponsorship will be linked to the Woking Football Club Website via a text link. By using this text link, Woking FC supporters will be able to view and take advantage of the offers available on the Groupon website.
We thank all of our new and current sponsors for the support you give us, we truly appreciate it and we hope this partnership is beneficial for you and your business.


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Gov’t finally approves sale of menstrual cupsThe Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced Thursday that it officially approved the sale of menstrual cups in Korea.
The first menstrual cup to be allowed to distribute nationwide is Femmycycle, made by U.S. manufacturer Femcap. Sales will start next month at roughly 40,000 won ($36.40)per unit. The ministry added that one domestic product and two imported ones are undergoing evaluation as well.
“The permit [of Femmycycle] will expand consumers’ range of choices for sanitary products, allowing them to select according to their respective living patterns,” the Drug Ministry said in a statement.
Made of medical grade silicone, menstrual cups are bell-shaped feminine hygiene products that can be inserted into the vagina to stop menstrual blood leaking outside the body. They are reusable for over a year and are already widely used in the United States, Europe and Canada.
There has been a push to permit sales in Korea since last year, as positive reviews from consumers who actually tried the product surfaced online. Doubts over the cost of sanitary pads, which carry one of the highest prices in Korea among OECD countries, and their safety fueled the demand for alternatives.
One women’s organization, the Methodist Women’s Leadership Institute, tried in March to purchase 500 from France, but the delivery was stopped at the airport, as the ministry cited a lack of safety regulations.
Despite campaigns to make menstrual cups available, the Drug Ministry refused to concede on the grounds that it could not permit the sale of sanitary products that have not been tested. Thursday’s statement, however, showed that the ministry had finished its first inspection of menstrual cups and concluded they are safe and useful.
The ministry’s safety tests evaluated Femmycycle in terms of cytotoxicity, skin stimulation, product durability and the emittance of metal substances. The menstrual cups were also tested to see if they caused toxic shock syndrome, an extreme form of staph infection that causes blood pressure to rapidly drop and can lead to death.
The ministry officially approved the cup’s usefulness, saying that a case study of three menstrual cycles using the product proved its effectiveness in blocking bleeding, allowing more ease of movement for the user, reducing odor, and being handy to use and comfortable to wear.
It also warned that people who are allergic to silicon, have experience of suffering from toxic shock syndrome or have symptoms of vaginitis should refrain from using menstrual cups.
BY SONG KYOUNG-SON [firstname.lastname@example.org]


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FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A new dessert shop in northeast Fresno is helping to keep customers cool during the summer heat.
Heavenly Freeze held its official grand opening Saturday morning.
It's connected to the 76 gas station at the intersection of Bullard and Fresno.
The shop held a soft opening last month and management says business has been growing steadily ever since.
The shop sells a variety of desserts but its specialty is dairy-free Italian ice.
Heavenly Freeze is open every day from 11 am to 8 pm
New dessert shop opens in northeast Fresno
More TOP STORIES News


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Growth in consumer demand for mobile payments is building and offering Apple Pay remains the only effective way for a bank to satisfy customers with Apple devices. This 10-page guide from Rambus explains why banks might want to integrate with Apple Pay and looks at the options open to them.
This newly updated 12-page primer explains in clear and simple terms how Apple’s NFC-based mobile payment system works and makes an ideal fast introduction to Apple Pay for executives that are new to mobile payments.
This second volume of What’s New in Payments features in-depth articles on the mobile payments market in China, the rise of mobile money, the potential of mobile-only banks, the bank of the future, the role of the IoT and artificial intelligence in payments, the retailer wallet opportunity, the market in Russia and the challenges and possibilities created by Europe’s new PSD2 regulations.
The initial impact of digital finance and mobile payments in China is difficult to over-exaggerate, says Zennon Kapron, founder and director of Asian financial services and research firm Kapronasia. The launch of services such as Alipay and WeChat Pay brought with them a dramatic change in the way the average Chinese consumer spends — especially […]
In a market where it was previously unheard of for people to trust a mobile network operator with their money, Vodafone’s M-Pesa has carefully built confidence with consumers and grown over the last ten years into a financial service that is relied upon by millions of customers every day, mobile money pioneer Michael Joseph explains […]
The mobile banking and payments market has grown exponentially in the past few years, says Orange’s Marc Rennard, and the opportunity “has not been ignored by the mobile operators, with many taking an active role since the beginning of the millennium, often targeting very specific use-cases as a means of carving a niche for themselves,” […]
Banks need to engage with customers, adapt to consumers’ changing needs, and provide the best user experience to secure their role in the rapidly changing payments industry explains Dejamobile’s Lorcan Burke, before setting out how these aims can best be accomplished.
Although the Russian payments market is characterised by little contactless infrastructure and simple mobile devices without NFC technology, the percentage of people paying for goods and services using mobile devices is growing fast, writes Yandex Money’s business development director Maria Gracheva.
The introduction of the EU’s revised Payments Services Directive (PSD2) will create a range of challenges for payment service providers who will have to comply with new requirements for stronger authentication and data sharing while also adapting to competition from new entrants, says Helene Oger-Zaher, retail banking conduct supervision expert at the European Banking Authority […]
This latest issue of Mahindra Comviva’s quarterly magazine Vritti looks at the trends and technologies driving the next wave of mobile payments and digital commerce and includes articles about conversational commerce, the use of biometrics in payments and ways to address the gender gap in the uptake of mobile money.
• Search NFC World for more about 'Banking'


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17 September 2015, 17:48
Entatech announces Innovative EZTIP™ Reversible Micro USB from Scosche.
18 June 2014, 17:58
Scosche Launches smartBOX, 2-in-1 Retractable Charge & Sync Cable for Lightning and Micro-USB Powered Devices.
30 October 2013, 17:50
Scosche Ships lobeDOPE On Ear Headphones Designed to Deliver Thumping Bass with a Splash of California Color.
27 March 2013, 15:27
Perfectly balanced sound in a stylish package - Scosche announces UK availability of award winning headphones.
20 February 2013, 17:02
Scosche Lightning Accessories Available Now.
19 November 2012, 17:51
Shape up in 2013 with the Scosche RHYTHM Pulse Monitor available in Pink.
11 October 2012, 16:57
Scosche launches powerFUZE International – An app enhanced dual home and car USB charging kit.
21 September 2012, 16:43
Scosche Cases and Protective Screens for New iPhone® to Ship Shortly After Launch.
19 September 2012, 16:34
Scosche Announces Availability of the RHYTHM Pulse Monitor and App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
10 August 2012, 20:45
Scosche launches the reVOLT c2 dual USB car charger.
6 July 2012, 16:46
It’s not just athletes that are on the move this summer as workers prepare to go mobile.
2 May 2012, 17:05
Essential ‘line-up’ of festival gadgets.
2 April 2012, 16:45
Push through the last stages of Marathon training with Ranieri’s clients.
28 October 2011, 11:13
Scosche launches the myTREK Pulse Monitor and App for iPhone and iPod touch.
5 October 2011, 10:47
The Scosche boomCAN makes the ideal Christmas stocking filler.
3 May 2011, 11:07
Scosche Announces Availability of freeKEY – Flexible Wireless Keyboard for iPad 2 and other Bluetooth Enabled Tablets.
8 April 2010, 09:48
Chargers feature dual USB ports to power iPad and another USB powered device at home or in the car.
19 March 2010, 11:11
Come see all of Scosche’ new products at in the North Hall Booth # 5928 Las Vegas Convention Center.
5 March 2010, 09:50
Second generation docking charger features USB port to simultaneously charge two devices.
29 January 2010, 10:21
Polycarbonate and rubber hybrid case with integrated kickstand for horizontal vertical viewing and a low angle setting for typing.
11 November 2009, 09:36
Scosche to display full product line of iPhone and iPod accessories at the iLounge Pavilion at CES in Las Vegas Jan. 7-10 2010.
19 June 2009, 09:37
Scosche Industries (www.scosche.com), an award-winning innovator of mobile electronics and iPod accessories, today announced it is expanding its line of kickBACK polycarbonate cases with the launch of the kickBACK S.
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Whether grappling with or embracing the wonders of modern day marketing automation, one thing for sure is there’s an intense amount of change going on under the hood for today’s marketer, Pippa Chambers reports.
From automation, tech stacks, customised algorithms and mixed model attribution, the pressure is on to keep ahead of the latest dynamic and innovative functions that can plug in, finesse and ramp up a marketer’s specified ROI metrics. And as if the cornerstones of their ‘markitecture’ wasn’t enough to plan out, that’s only one part of an ever-changing and increasingly high-pressured role for CMOs.
Many companies are still struggling with personalised, relevant and timely communications with their customers but beyond the clutter, we are seeing an evolution in marketing automation technology, with a clear focus on ease of use and simplified implementation.
Sean Jenner, manager of business consumer marketing at Virgin Australia, said the biggest challenge for marketers navigating the automated adscape on the brand side is still educating the wider business on the fundamentals of automation and the implications of how it operates as a marketer.
“While we’re reasonably advanced to date, the pace of change is only going to accelerate as programmatic continues to roll out across more traditional media such as OOH and TV,” he said.
“Today, we’re still shifting internal expectations that campaigns must be led by certain media and publishers, rather than buying an audience and trusting in a programmatic strategy.”
With so much complexity, it’s almost impossible for a marketer to be across every available option in the tech stacks.
Andy Lark, CMO at software company Xero, and former CBA CMO, said a big challenge sits simply with human capability in the martech area – followed by process definition and invention.
“There is a serious lack of talent capable of implementing, running and then executing on today’s marketing platforms,” Lark said.
“Most CMOs now bear the burden of not just selecting marketing platforms and managing their deployment, but in reskilling, retraining and hiring the talent needed for them.”
Flight Centre global head of digital for business travel Kevin Wordon believes that down the line, these tools will no longer require specialised resources and will form a part of a marketer’s everyday remit.
“There will, however,be a greater need for marketing teams to have dedicated resources for content and analytics,” he said. “This is a skill set that many teams lack and this affects the ability to reap the full ROI of marketing automation.”
But Jenner reckoned that clients don’t necessarily need to be proficient in every facet of marketing technology emerging, be it data, IT or technical systems.
“There needs to be a level of understanding of course, but given the pace of change I think expecting too much is both unrealistic and unnecessary,” Jenner said.
“Our fundamental role as marketers hasn’t changed. We need to understand our brand and business, be able to solve problems and deliver solutions that generate sufficient ROI, and most of all, be able to delight and engage consumers. Martech offers us incredible new ways to skin that cat but it’s still the same cat.”
The long-range view of marketing automation is threefold: integrated technology across the marketing organisation; building the internal skills and structure to move from manual, broadcast communications to automated and individualised marketing and using the data to continually improve results, increasing ROI to ultimately gain market share.
Vice president of customer success and consulting at Oracle Marketing Cloud, Paul Cross, has spent the last 30 years in marketing and says he’s seen more happen in the last 12 months than the last 20 years combined.
“We are seeing almost all marketers now investing in the technology foundation of marketing automation with a goal to automate as much as possible to both reduce costs and improve performance (and customer experience),” he said. Cross added that in the past marketing automation meant simply automating repetitive tasks, mainly triggered email or simple personalisation mainly focused on emails to generate sales leads.
“Today we see modern marketers applying technology to their end-to-end customer lifecycle – beginning with automating all areas of data management in tools that enable custom audience creation or individualised targeting,” he said.
“Then moving from slow, expensive, manual campaign creation and management to automated cross-channel orchestration where data defines what happens, and an individual’s behaviour is used to further refine the communications.”
Cross revealed that marketers are both grappling and embracing the new streams of marketing automation.
“There is no doubt technology is being embraced all over the world by marketers, consumers, by everybody,” Cross said. “But to be ahead of the competition, marketers have to do more than just what everyone is doing. The marketers that are adopting faster, taking calculated risks and introducing the newest technology are those that are getting ahead.”
Flight Centre fights the fear
Flight Centre has a fully integrated technology stack that encompasses Salesforce, Marketo and Drupal. There are also multiple ancillary BI tools that it uses to analyse transactional data. It has also rolled this stack out globally, establishing governance, best practice and consolidation of its technology. Its global head of digital for business travel, Kevin Wordon, said “keeping up in the digital world can be exhausting but you don’t always have to be the first to market.
“Digital provides the ability to test and iterate on a small scale. Real-time results provide the ability to very quickly establish whether your investment will work on a large scale. There are so many demands on digital teams so a best practice approach is to focus on business value and prioritise accordingly.”
As customers place more demand on companies in years to come, leaders in the marketing automation space will set the standard for how businesses target, market and respond to customers.
Wordon believes that in response to change, trialling new approaches and pivoting when things don’t work out are key.
“We are heavily embracing pretotyping [inexpensive mock-up of an idea] to very quickly test theories and approaches before making large investments,” he said.
Wordon revealed the business will continue to assess how well matched its marketing is to the buying process and where customers are in the cycle and that its shift in marketing tech has enabled them to quickly gauge the success of itscampaigns and deliver the right offering to customers.
“We are able to analyse the ROI of our marketing in real-time and can very quickly pivot our spend and media mix to garner the best results,” he added.
“Ultimately, the implementation of good tech leads to the ability to easily show successes and failures. Marketing teams now have the ability to be seen as a source of revenue rather than a budget black hole.”
Wordon revealed that the fear of change is one of the biggest challenges a marketer faces, while there is also the fear of making mistakes.
“We overcome this fear of change and failure by pretotyping to learn quickly and adapt. Marketers need to be provided with the ability to embrace ad tech, test and trial, prove a use case and show solid ROI,” Wordon said.
“Failure is ok as long as there isn’t a negative impact on brand or budget and the change is reversible. Start small, prove the results and embrace the change.
“Most importantly, marketers need to present ad tech results in a way that the business understands.”
Red Balloon: A constant learning mentality
Marketing tech is a vital part of RedBalloon’s business and it has invested heavily in this space, allowing it to become more scalable, more targeted and more knowledgeable about its customers.
The company has shifted from being a purely transactional-based business to one that is now focused on discovery and is able to carry out extensive A/V customer testing, is producing more seeded contextual content and is ramping up in the personalisation area.
Last year, RedBalloon opted to utilise the Adobe Marketing Cloud, which CEO Nick Baker said has been pivotal in helping the business understand more about the customer and their journey.
From the various tech tools that sit behind the website and analytics to email campaigns, he said having one view of all aspects, and the customer, has been crucial. The next phase is to further improve the fragmented view of the customer and post-customer purchase aspects.
“But before all of that [setting up a martech stack] you have to have an organisational culture that embraces and takes on that technology and marketing and mix because if you don't have the people who understand it and will work with it then you will fail at it because it is hard work,” Baker said. “Digital transformation is not just about putting something in place, it's a way that you bring everybody together and chief to that is the role of the CMO and the CTO and they have to work lockstep with each other.”
As well as the CMO and CTO having shared KPIs, Baker said one trick for marketers is to spend at least one hour a day learning and exploring what else can be done within the martech stack. The “constant learning mentality” is a must, he said.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at email@example.com


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Sony Computer Entertainment America informed IGNPS2 that it plans to release a special bundle package this November that will include PS one console and the official LCD screen for a paltry $199. The screen, which will be the low-end model that was announced at May's Electronic Entertainment Expo, will also be sold separately for the previously announced price of $129. It will have a 5" LCD screen, AC adapter, AV Multi-out, Stereo headphone jack and AV input.
Sony will also release a high-end version of the screen in November that will retail for $149 that will include a headphone packed in and high-end video output. All three products, the low-end standalone screen, the high-end screen, and the PS one/LCD screen bundle are due to ship this November.


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As IoT applications penetrate the market the competition between different LPWA options has grown fiercer, especially between the better known solutions like LTE-M, NB-IoT, Sigfox and LoRA and their unlicensed rivals. One such rival is the British Telensa, a smart-lighting company with over 50 city and regional networks deployed in 8 countries and a project footprint covering over 1 million streetlights. Yet Telensa doesn’t only offer a lighting solution: its bi-directional radio-enabled network can serve sensors and wireless IoT applications. Called Ultra Narrow Band (UNB), Telensa’s network claims to combine what all LPWA options strive for: low cost, long range, long battery life and a 2-way communication for massive numbers of devices.
It’s not just the features that might give Telensa an edge- it’s the fact that it has a ready-to-use product and a “business-case-first” attitude. Lighting is perhaps one of the first smart applications cities adopt, mostly due to its relatively low cost and easy maintenance. Selling a lighting solution first earns vendors like Telensa customers far easier than any other LPWA option that has to prove good coverage and performance. The fact that the lights come with a free wireless IoT network makes Telensa an even more appealing option for cities wanting to become smarter.
Today over 9 million devices across 30 countries use UNB, with a brand new pilot launched in Essex and Hertfordshire County just last month. Piggy-back riding on the 250,000 Telensa streetlight deployed in the area by utilizing their UNB network the pilot will attempt to solve various daily-life struggles through gully, wind, traffic, waste and air quality monitoring. Both counties previously relied mostly on residential reports to solve such issues and now hope to improve quality life, save taxpayer money and cut on reaction time to fixing issues. Considering that big cities like Moscow and Shenzen are using Telensa’s UNB network- it seems like Essex has made a step in the right direction. Despite predictions of unlicensed solutions having a much slower growth rate, so called “niche companies” just might give bigger LPWA options a run for their money.


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A growing number of UK customers are choosing to purchase from brands using smart speakers such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, with the devices predicted to drive the next wave of ecommerce.
In a study of 2,000 adults carried out by data agency Artefact UK, six out of 10 smart speaker owners say they have used them to make a purchase in the past year, with almost a quarter (22 percent) saying they have done so within the past week of being asked.
Sarah De Martin, Managing Director at Artefact UK, says: “Voice offers a simple and spontaneous path to purchase that reflects how people behave naturally. Forty percent of our sample already owns one or more of these devices so the channel is nearing critical mass. Both Google and Amazon are offering aggressive discounts on their smart speakers and ownership grew by 79 percent last year alone.
“As an e-commerce business, it’s clear why Amazon wants to get Alexa into as many homes as possible. During its recent Prime Day event it even experimented by allowing Prime subscribers to access to some of its best offers through Alexa.”


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Hackers are leveraging the popularity of these tracking maps to steal usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, browsing history, cookies and other information stored in users’ browsers.
The CARES Act provides $2 trillion of stimulus to individuals, businesses, and hospitals and other impacted industries in response to the economic distress caused by the pandemic.
Initial claims for unemployment benefits rose 3.00 million to a seasonally adjusted 3.28 million in the week ending March 21, eclipsing the previous record of 695,000 set in 1982, the Labor Department said.
As Congress is poised to pass a historic $2 trillion stimulus package to address the impact of the escalating COVID-19 health crisis, America’s auto dealerships continue to work through the challenges of operating during the coronavirus pandemic.
As dealers are maneuvering their operations and adapting to the state of business stemming from the coronavirus, NADA has a number of resources to support dealers along the way.
Dealer Groups, ATD, Alliance for Automotive Innovation Urge Trump to Clarify Auto, Truck Sales as Essential
The ability to provide replacement cars and trucks in response to any number of scenarios will be vital to ensuring that those in need of reliable personal transportation continue to have access to it, the groups said, stressing that franchised car and truck dealers recognize the need to conduct even limited sales and leasing activities in manner that protects the general public, our customers and our employees.
Alliance for Automotive Innovation, NADA and MEMA Call on White House and Congress to Pass Economic Stimulus Package to Address COVID-19 Impact
The Alliance, NADA and MEMA have asked Congressional leaders and the White House to enact policies that provide immediate economic relief broadly, as well as to the auto industry, and that help all businesses work through the challenges arising from the coronavirus pandemic.


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Billionaire Russian businessman Alexander Govor has his fingers in many pies.
He'll now also have his hands full of burgers after buying the country's 850 McDonald's outlets.
It's a huge increase from the 25 former McDonald's franchises he has run in Siberia since 2015, and his interests aren't limited to fast food.
What is happening to Russia's McDonald's?
McDonald's has been hugely popular in Russia since the early 1990s, but pulled out of the country after the February invasion of Ukraine.
However, McDonald's says it will retain its trademarks, meaning its former Russian outlets need a new name.
Enter Mr Govor, and the rebranded fast-food chain Vkusno-i Tochka.
The name translates as "Tasty and that's it".
The company also unveiled a slogan: "The name changes, love stays."
Who is Alexander Govor?
The price he paid to buy McDonald's Russian operations hasn't been disclosed, but Mr Govor has plenty of wealth on which to draw, given his interest in industries like mining.
Mr Govor is half-owner of Neftekhimservis, a construction investor that owns an oil refinery in Siberia.
He also holds a 50 per cent stake in a small forestry company and 25 per cent in a fishing and hunting company, according to the Interfax news agency's Spark database.
As well as having stakes in those companies, Mr Govor also sits on the board of directors of Inrusinvest, which has projects including a medical centre and a Park Inn hotel in the Siberian city of Novokuznetsk.
Mr Govor has said he plans to expand the new brand to 1,000 locations across the country and reopen all the chain's restaurants within two months.
"I am very proud of the honour that developing this enterprise has given me," Mr Govor said earlier this month.
"I am ambitious and I don't only plan to open the 850 restaurants but to develop new ones."
What are Govor's plans for the new chain?
The rebranding was only announced a couple of hours before the reopening of the Pushkin Square restaurant which had been the country's first ever McDonald's.
The logo is different, but still evokes the golden arches: a circle and two orange oblongs — representing a beef patty and French fries — configured into a stylised M.
But some key McDonald's items are missing from the menu.
There are no more Big Macs, and some other burgers and desserts, such as the McFlurry, are not offered.
McDonald's former Russian head Oleg Paroev is running the rebranded business for Mr Govor.
Until the takeover, Mr Paroev had worked for McDonald's for seven years.
He says he wants to reopen 200 outlets by the end of the month.
Under the terms of the takeover deal, Mr Govor agreed to retain McDonald's 62,000 Russian employees for at least two years on equivalent terms.


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Native CBD Oil is not a medicine, it is a food supplement designed to support general health and wellbeing as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
Last October the Medical Healthcare Regulatory Agency in the UK made the decision to recognise some products containing CBD as a medicine, citing its therapeutic benefits as a reason for the reclassification. However, Native is sold as a food supplement and not a medicine. Other products are being developed by pharmaceutical companies as medicines for specific health concerns.
Beware of CBD brands claiming medicinal benefits. It is not legal to do so in the UK and any company that advertises CBD as a medicine is in breach of the Advertising Standards Authority.


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Ad dollars spent in Out-Of-Home (OOH) advertising, “positively impact purchase behavior,” according to Jim Spaeth of RealityMine, who conducted a recent study.
The report determined that consumers rarely leave home without their mobile devices…and OOH’s reach, interactive capabilities and captivating messages move consumers to immediately look up and learn more about products and services. Additionally, OOH is more likely to reach potential clients in the hour leading up to mobile activities, consistently outperforming TV, Radio and Print.
According to Jim Spaeth, “OOH is often the first step on the path to purchase…and can secure shopper engagement with an effective hand-off to mobile.” Four out of ten respondents indicated that they had an OOH ad in mind up to one hour prior to engaging in their mobile online shopping action.
Remember…OOH Advertising – whether it’s Buses, Billboards, Benches and more – cannot be turned off, turned down, or tuned out. OOH Advertising is up live and working for you 24/7 to get your message out to potential customers and keep your company branded.
Article from OAAA 9/2/15, reported by Jack Loechner, Center for Media Research


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Google may be launching its Music store very soon. Various reports have indicated that when an Android device user visits music.google.com, a page opens which provides two options: First, upload the user's personal music collection and second, "shop millions of songs in the Android Market."
These reports are enough to indicate that Google is planning to launch the Google Music platform sooner than expected.
Further, it was observed that the links that appeared on the earlier versions on the splash page were broken and redirected users to the Google Music Manager's About page.
Bu now, all such indications are gone. However, the music icon with the well-known shopping bag-shape made an appearance in the Chrome operating system's developer a week before. Thus, very soon the world will experience the Google Music store. This is very exciting news for those who have been waiting for Google to provide music streaming services.
Earlier, it was reported that Google was in talks with four major record labels to provide Internet users an all new experience and an alternative to iTunes.


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Follow us on Twitter: @y7lifestyle
Popular clothing brand American Apparel have found their 2011 October campaign banned in Britain for its use of 'gratuitous' images.
It was brought to the attention of Britain's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after a complaint that the eight images on the American Apparel website and free lifestyle magazine Crack, were pornographic and exploitative.
The images of the semi-naked women showed them modelling underwear, socks and sweaters in positions that exposed their breasts and buttocks.
American Apparel insisted that the images featured "real, non-airbrushed, everyday people" who were "happy, relaxed and confident in expression and pose". They also said that they believed it was "important to judge what was and was not offensive by reference to the current times and the views of the majority of decent and reasonable people, not a small and puritanically-minded minority."
The ASA however banned all but one of the images in American Apparel's campaign, telling American Apparel that they could "not to use similar images which were exploitative of women or that inappropriately sexualised young women in future."
They argued that the majority of the images were not featuring lingerie, yet the included nudity became "focal points of the images rather than the products", and that the "voyeuristic and amateurish quality to the images" served to heighten the impression that the women in the photos were being exploited.
It's not the first time that the company has run into hot water with the ASA - it was only 2009 when their campaign was banned for using a partially nude model who appeared to be under 16.
Do you find the images in the campaign offensive and exploitative?


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Plastic recycling news from the world of waste in June
It’s time for the next instalment of our news round-up blog series, bringing you the latest interesting developments from the plastic waste and recycling industry.
As Heinz moves towards producing fully recyclable Beanz snap pots, and a world famous festival bans single-use plastic water bottles, there’s a lot to catch up on in the world of waste! Find out more below…
In a bid to help tackle the UK's soft plastic recycling challenge, Heinz has announced its upcoming collaboration with UK supermarket giant, Tesco, as it introduces fully recyclable Snap Pots.
Using the soft plastics returned to store by customers, the pots will contain 39% recycled content following ongoing work with the food retailer and a team of specialists, with the trail set to begin in July.
The infamous Glastonbury festival banned single-use plastic bottles for this year’s event, instead asking ticket holders to consider bringing reusable ones instead.
The ban was first introduced for the 2019 event, which saved an estimated 1.7 million bottles from landfill. In order to supply the required three million litres of water a day to festival go-ers, work began back in March this year to install a new reservoir on-site.
Earlier this month, the Biden Administration announced its steps in phasing out single-use plastic products on US public land – including the network of national parks – to help cut pollution figures.
The sale of single-use products across US national parks – including wild refuges and public lands – will also soon grind to a halt, with a full ban predicted to be in place by 2032.
As part of a new partnership, full sized Dove products will soon be available to guests across all IHG Hotels and Resorts, as the consumer goods organisation, Unilever, joins forces with the hotel group to help target the plastic waste crisis.
Switching to full-sized products, is estimated to save 850 tonnes of plastic annually, in the American regions alone. IHG is the first global hotel company to revert from plastic miniatures, with a pledge to remove all single-use plastic products during all guest stays by 2030.
That’s all this month, keep up to date with our favourite news stories next month, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, for more recycling updates and news from Indigo Environmental.


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Known for its destination focus and high-level cuisine, Oceania Cruises has returned to service after an absence of over 500 days. The line’s Marina set sail from Copenhagen Sunday as the first cruise ship to leave the port since 2019.
“Today is one of those days we will all remember for a lifetime as we reunite with our shipboard families and our guests to start exploring the world once again,” stated Bob Binder, co-founder, President, and CEO.
Owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings since 2014, Oceania operates seven ships that carry no more than 1,250 guests. each. It tends to offer longer voyages of 10-14 days, as well as lengthy world cruises of up to six months.
The Marina‘s first voyage since the industry shutdown in March 2020 will call on ports in Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland prior to docking in Stockholm, Sweden.
The 2011-built, 66,084 gross ton Marina was the first new-build ship for the line founded by a group of prominent cruise industry veterans in 2002. It will spend the last days of summer and most of the fall cruising around Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Greek Isles. That will be followed by a repositioning cruise to Miami, where she will arrive December 1.
Next up for Oceania’s restart is the Marina’s sister ship the Riviera, which will begin exploring the Greek Isles on October 18. Then the 30,277 gross ton, 824-passenger Insignia — one of the line’s four intimate Regatta-class ships — will depart Miami on December 21 for a six-month-long “Around the World in 180 Days” voyage.
Sister ship the Sirena will resume sailing in the Caribbean on January 21, 2022, followed by two more sisters — the Regatta, will start sailing on February 5, 2022 in Polynesia and the Nautica, which will return to service in the Mediterranean on April 1 next year.
Consistent with sister brands Norwegian Cruise Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania will restart with a requirement that 100 percent of guests and crew be vaccinated, creating what the company calls “one of the safest vacation experiences in the world.”
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has developed the SailSAFE Health and Safety Program, which is designed to offer a science-backed plan for a healthy return to service that protects guests, crew, and communities visited. It was created with guidance from public health and scientific experts including the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council and the Healthy Sail Panel.
In early 2019, Oceania Cruises announced it would create a new class of ships — the Allura-class — weighing in at 67,000 gross tons and carrying up to 1,200 passengers. The two new ships will be put together by prominent shipbuilder Fincantieri at a cost of more than $650 million per ship, with delivery dates in 2022 and 2025.
Food lovers will find a happy home on Oceania’s ships. The luxury cruise line began a relationship with Master Chef Jacques Pépin back in 2003, and the author of 30 cookbooks and host of 13 PBS television series remains the Executive Culinary Director.
All Oceania restaurants are included in the cruise fare and open seating means guests can dine where they want and when they want. Restaurant specialties include French, Italian, Asian, and American, giving credence to the line’s boast that it offers ‘The Finest Cuisine at Sea.’ The Marina and the Riviera even offer food-focused ‘Culinary Discovery Tours’ that aim to connect deeply with the cuisines of destinations.
That unwavering focus on fine dining will continue and expand on Oceania’s next ship the Vista, which will feature a dozen different restaurants, four of them new to the line.


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I try to eat as healthy as possible, buying my family whole wheat products instead of white. I also like to bake pita breads (see my recipe), cookies, and make dinner from scratch as much as I am able. As much as I like healthy choices like quinoa and cranberry juice, sometimes there is nothing like some street meat: a greasy kebab and a Coke to satisfy those hunger pangs. And according to a new research project published in Current Biology, there are some natural reasons why certain unhealthy food pairs go well together. It’s the reason why cheese and wine go good together, as well as pastrami and pickles, burgers and soft drinks.
And it all has something to do with astringents which make food pairing more enjoyable, the researchers say. “They cancel each other out, so to speak,” study researcher Paul Breslin, a sensory biologist from the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, told The New York Times.
In his study, some 21 people rated more than 80 taste combinations. From this, the scientists determined that astringents and greasy food seem to balance each other out well. Astringents, like wine or cola, will leave the mouth feeling dry and rough, while the fattier foods leave the mouth feeling unpleasantly slippery.
Grease and water for instance wasn’t as enjoyable as a carbonated drink with the same greasy meal.
While I am not promoting that you change the way you eat, it is worth considering why we need to satisfy for those fatty and possibly unhealthy food combinations.
Image of mouth eating from Shutterstock


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Jessica Roberson is a college senior in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was spending an evening sitting on the patio drinking few PBRs when a 2 guys walk to up the group, demand beer, brandishing a knife. The knife wielding man takes the beer and runs away. Pabst got wind of the incident and personally replaced Jessica’s beer.
Pabst owner C. Dean Metropoulos mentioned at the Beer Industry Summit today that he is and will be looking for more beer acquisitions in the future. As the craft beer sector grows, the market is prime for such new purchases.
Metropoulous purchased Pabst in 2010 with his sons for $250 million dollars. While Mr. Metro didn’t so much as hint to what brands, he did say that ciders were a potential. It’s no secret that the cider category is on the move. SABMiller’s Tenth & Blake just acquired Crispin Ciders, Michelob plans Ultra Cider, and Sam Adams is in the process of launching a new Angry Orchards line.
What brand would you see selling to Pabst? [Bloomberg]
Ok this is a pretty awesome blast from the past. Patrick Swayze in a 1979 Pabst commercial. Time to boogie. (Thx Jeremy for this nugget of joy)
Recently Pabst Blue Ribbon was toying with idea of removing Old Style from Wrigley Field after 50+ years of serving the brew. Fans didn’t take to kindly to the thought. Traditions are traditions, and Old Style was just as much apart of the Cubs experience has the baseball is.
“For more than six decades Cubs fans have been drinking Old Style beer at Wrigley Field and it has always been part of the game day experience at this legendary ballpark,” said Daren Metropoulos, co-owner of Pabst Brewing Company. “It was important for us at Pabst Brewing Company to continue this long-standing tradition.”
Not only that, but Old Style will be hosting a Fan Appreciation Day at the Cubs vs. Astros game on Friday, Sept. 16, 2011 thank fans for their loyalty.
According to a recently press release, a new Old Style agreement is in place. New signage in the part, and renewed commitment to the city of Chicago are all mentioned in the deal.


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Foxconn is one of the major suppliers for Apple. But many of its factories are now being shut down in Shenzhen after the local authorities have imposed a lockdown on the city that has a population of 17.5 million. China is currently facing a massive COVID-19 outbreak that is said to be the worst since the beginning of the pandemic. Orders have been sent out to shut the factories of tech and manufacturing at the borders of Hong Kong.
The residents of the country have been advised to stay indoors while the public transport and restaurants have been shut down after more than 5,000 locally transmitted coronavirus cases have been registered across the country. The sudden increase in the number of cases has been reported in the north-eastern province of Jilin and Shanghai. Many of the neighboring regions have been out in to lockdown while other cities are facing a number of restrictions. Jilin authorities are looking forward to build four new hospitals along with quarantine facilities with 16,000 beds that will help to separate those who are infected with the rest of the population.
Similar steps were taken at the beginning of the pandemic in Wuhan in 2020. The Shenzhen lockdown is expected to last for six days and could also affect the global supply chains that could lead to an inflation in the United States and Europe. As many as 30 companies based in Taiwan, that are responsible for making everything from touch-screen modules and circuit boards have halted the production at the factories in the city. Majority of the manufacturers have said that the plants would remain shut until March 20, 2022 and added that more announcements would be made by the local authorities.
At the same time Foxconn had announced that the company had made some adjustment in production at other plants that would help to minimize the impact of the closures.
Photo Credits: Pixabay


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Leading e-tailer Snapdeal on Monday said it was terminating strategic discussions to sell its stake, ostensibly to rival Flipkart, as it had decided to pursue an independent path.
"As we have been exploring strategic options over the months, we have decided to pursue an independent path and terminate all strategic discussions, said a Snapdeal spokesperson in a statement, without referring to Flipkart.
A company official, who did not want to be identified, however told IANS that the formal negotiations scheduled between the two e-tailers on Monday here were called off at short notice.
Though Flipkart declined to confirm that its meeting with Snapdeal was cancelled, the latter's official admitted that their representatives could not meet to take the abandoned 'deal' forward.
After Flipkart offered to buy out the Gurgaon-based Snapdeal at its revised $900-950 million price, the latter's board decided to seek the consent of its investors, including Ratan Tata and Premji Invest of Wipro czar Azim Premji for exiting the e-tail business.
Other strategic and institutional investors in Snapdeal are Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Foxconn, Temasek and BlackRock.
Snapdeal co-founder and Chief Executive Kunal Bahl is, meanwhile, putting up a brave face insisting on growth ahead, though the future remains uncertain for its staff and other stakeholders.
"We have a compelling direction (Snapdeal 2.0) to create life-changing experiences for millions of buyers and sellers across the country," said the Snapdeal statement.
"With the sale of certain non-core assets, we expect to be financially self-sustainable. We look forward to the support of our community, including employees, sellers, buyers and other stakeholders in helping us create a designed-for-India commerce platform," added the spokesperson.
The company recently sold Freecharge, the mobile payments company it had bought in 2015 for around Rs 2,500 crore for Rs 385 crore to Axis Bank. There was speculation that the move would finally pave way for a deal between Snapdeal and Flipkart.
Later, in an e-mail to his 1,200 odd employees, Snapdeal co-founder and Chief Executive Kunal Bahl said a lot of time and effort went into the process, leading to speculation and uncertainty for the team, partners and investors.
"We will continue the journey as an independent company. The opportunity of e-commerce in India is immense and the surface of the $200-billion market has barely been scratched yet," he said.
Affirming that the company had all the ingredients of success, the CEO said it was time for all to focus on the business and leverage its strength to build the best marketplace to connect buyers to sellers across the country.
On calling off talks with Flipkart, Bahl said the deal was complex to execute as reported by the media.
"First of all, there isn't going to be one successful model for e-commerce in India. In every market, there are multiple successful e-commerce businesses, and as long as one's strategy is differentia ted and has a clear path to success, there is a great company that can be built," he noted.
Elaborating on Snapdeal 2.0 (version), he said the new direction would enable anyone to set up a store online and focus on providing a wide range of products at great prices to consumers.
"We made progress on this new path over the months and are profitable to make upwards of Rs 150 crore in gross profit in the next 12 months," he claimed.
Following streamlining of costs and sale of some assets like FreeCharge, Bahl said the company was financially self-sufficient and did not need to raise additional capital to reach profitability.
"Needless to say, we need to keep a tight control on our costs and work towards becoming an efficient culture, delivering profitable growth, month on month," averred Bahl.
With many team members reiterating that the company should continue in its independent capacity, Bahl said the decision was made and there was no ambiguity about it.
Uncertainty for all
The decision to call off the talks seems to have taken the sector observers by surprise.
Snapdeal has seen its fortunes dwindling in the face of stiff competition from Amazon and Flipkart. It is in this context that a sellout of the company was proposed. The deal has been in the works for long.
“I believe what happened today was not in the best interests of a majority of stakeholders,” The Ken cites venture capitalist Vani Kola of Kalaari Capital as telling a TV channel.
According to a report by news agency ANI, the company is laying off 80 percent of its staff. A senior official of the company has said that with the money from the sale of Freecharge, the company has decided to sack around 1,000 employees out of their present workforce of 1,200, and carry forward with the remaining. It has to be remembered that the company had about 9,000 staff in July last year.
However, as a detailed analysis (paywall) in The Ken says, it remains to be seen what the company can do with the remaining staff in a sector that is reeling under fierce competition from a global giant with deep pockets and a much bigger domestic rival.
Not many analysts share the optimism of Bahl. "They will to have to raise money from existing investors. It is not going to be easy and in the wake of stiff competition from Flipkart and Amazon. Snapdeal will have no chance to go it alone,” an analyst told Firstpost on Monday.
Clearly, Snapdeal 2.0 seems to be a long and painful journey for the staff and investors. One can only hope it will come out of the woods.
(With inputs from IANS)
Updated Date: Aug 01, 2017 09:14 AM


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Employees at the Tesla car-manufacturing plant in Freemont, California, have been informed by company officials that a former worker “maliciously sabotaged” operations at the factory last month.
According to an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg News, the unnamed employee was caught trying to cover his tracks by attempting to destroy a company computer, and even blamed a colleague for the incident.
“Two weeks ago, our IT and InfoSec teams determined than [sic] an employee had maliciously sabotaged a part of the Factory,” Tesla’s legal chief Al Prescott said in the company email. “Their quick actions prevented further damage and production was running smoothly again a few hours later.”
The employee apparently confessed and was fired. It remains unclear if the worker will face legal consequences for his actions, and Tesla has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
“We place tremendous trust in our employees and value everyone’s contribution,” Prescott added. “However, whatever the personal motivations of the attacker were, these are crimes, violations of our code of conduct, and are unfair to other employees. We will take aggressive action to defend the company and our people.”
Two months ago, Tesla dodged a similar attack, and a Russian national was arrested for attempting to bribe an employee to plant ransomware on company systems.


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Real-time events on Twitter are about to get way better.
As is typical of every issue online, the hardest battle is getting the attention you deserve.
Check-ins are out.
Google Maps isn't just for directions anymore.
Weather may have a significant impact on how customers rate their experiences online, a new study shows.
Yes there are still check-ins, and yes you can still be mayor. But there's more you should know.