text:
Growth of European Plastic recycling capacity
Mar 09 2023
The recent report on the 17% growth in plastic recycling capacity in the EU27+3 is a welcome development, demonstrating that the industry is committed to building a circular plastic future. This growth has been made possible by the investments made by various stakeholders, totaling an estimated €1.75 billion. The plastic recycling sector, with its 730 recycling sites, now has a total capacity of 11.3 million tonnes, employing over 30,000 people and contributing €8.7 billion in turnover to the European economy.
The increased advancements in legislation, such as the Plastics Strategy and the Single-Use Plastics Directive, have helped the recycling industry weather the challenges it has faced in recent years. Ton Emans, the President of the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organizations (PRE), has praised the industry's resiliency to external factors and expects that the positive growth observed today will further strengthen the market for recycled plastics towards meeting EU targets.
The increase in plastic recycling capacity has been driven by the flexible PE & PP, PET, and rigid PE & PP polymers, which account for over 75% of the total share. These streams have shown the highest increase compared to 2020, with nearly half of the recycling capacity for rigid polyolefins dedicated to the household stream and half of the capacity for flexible PE & PP being for commercial waste. Germany, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and France are the countries with the highest installed capacities, representing two-thirds of the total market, while Poland and the Netherlands have seen notable growth.
The plastic recycling industry is an important employment generator, with over 30,000 jobs across Europe, and contributes substantially to the socio-economic welfare of the region. Increased investments and new capacities have created a strong foundation for the circular economy transition for plastics. However, a coherent legislative framework and its thorough implementation are critical to accelerating the transition further. The newly released proposal for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which calls for a comprehensive, EU-wide assessment scheme for design for recycling and sets specific recycled content targets, will help to achieve this goal.
Apr 11 2023 Moscow, Russia
Apr 17 2023 Hannover, Germany
Apr 18 2023 Las Vegas, NV, USA
Apr 19 2023 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Apr 19 2023 Shanghai, China


text:
From Vicenzaoro Dubai: Yoko London
Yoko London unveiled a number of new jewels at the show, including on-trend items like ear jackets and multi-finger rings and pieces where its pearls are set with black or rose gold.
Gemfields emerald production up in Q3
Emerald and beryl output nearly tripled for the colored gemstone miner in its third quarter, driven by an increase in average grades per ton at its Kagem mine.
John Ford to keynote at opal design awards
The acclaimed designer, who works with black opals, will speak at the International Opal Jewellery Design Awards, scheduled to be held in Australia this summer.
Galatea names new Canadian distributor
The company, which recently released a line of “smart” pearl jewelry, has appointed Edmonton, Alberta-based JewelMark Canada as the exclusive distributor of its collections.
ICA latest org. trying to attract younger crowd
The International Colored Gemstone Association is lowering fees for Junior Members, making it the latest in a line of organizations trying to pique young people’s interest in jewelry.

domain: news


text:
Commerce Secretary Md Jafar Uddin on Thursday said it is possible for Bangladesh to earn more than US$5.0 billion by exporting leather and leather goods annually.
"Leather is a potential sector of Bangladesh. The country has required raw materials and skilled manpower. There is a huge demand for Bangladeshi leather and leather products in different countries," he told a workshop titled 'linkage workshop on leather sector' held at a city hotel.
While speaking as the chief guest, Mr Uddin also said, "If we can utilize our full capability, we will be able to export leather and leather products worth more than US$5.0 billion annually."
The commerce ministry has launched a project titled "Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J)" to help boost the country's export earnings from leather and leather products, light engineering, footwear and plastics sectors, he added.
The commerce secretary said necessary work is being done to create skilled manpower who are involved in the sectors. There are huge employment and export earnings opportunities in these sectors.
Bangladesh is set to graduate from LDC status. For this, it will have to face major challenges in the field of trade, which requires necessary preparation. There is no alternative but to increase efficiency in export trade, he mentioned.
Project director (additional secretary) of EC4J Md Hafizur Rahman addressed the workshop as the special guest. Representatives from different leather associations also spoke at the programme.


text:
Amidst the border standoff across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Chinese custom data highlights that the middle kingdom’s exports to India fell by 13 per cent from January-November 2020, Times of India reports.
In contrast, India's exports to China grew by 16 per cent in that period.
The trade between the two nations was worth $78 billion in the first 11 months of this year, a drop from the figure of $92.68 billion in 2019. Furthermore, India’s trade deficit with China fell by $20 billion to $40 billion in January-November 2020.
China exported $59 billion worth of goods to India between the aforementioned period, thus recording a 13 per cent decline. On the other hand, their imports from the Narendra Modi-led country rose by 16 per cent to $19 billion.
Many in India have launched a movement to boycott Chinese goods, following the latter's unilateral and unprovoked aggression along the Line of Actual Control. Over 200 Chinese mobile apps have been banned in India, including popular ones such as Tiktok and PUBG.
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.


text:
Adam Scott will be eyeing off his third gold jacket when he tees it up in the 2015 UNIQLO Australian Masters.
Adam Scott has confirmed his appearance at the Australian Masters at Huntingdale, November 19 – 22. The 2013 Masters champion will be keen to add a third gold jacket after victories at Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne in 2012 and 2013.
Tournament organisers have also announced that Japanese global fashion retailer UNIQLO will be the major sponsor of the event – also Adam Scott’s clothing sponsor.
“I am delighted that UNIQLO has taken up the title sponsorship of the Australian Masters and via this new event partnership, I’m excited to introduce UNIQLO’s clothing to more Australians,” Scott said.
“Melbourne is a great city. I am looking forward to being back, playing at Huntingdale and competing for my third gold jacket.”
Scott and good friend Ernie Els will headline the prestigious tournament which see the Australian Masters return to Huntingdale for the first time since 2008 when Rod Pampling beat Marcus Fraser in a playoff.


text:
26 Jan 2021
Arcelik has ranked 34th on Corporate Knights’ 2021 Global 100 Index.
The ranking makes Arçelik the most sustainable home appliances and houseware company in the world.
The 2021 Global 100 Index is the 17th annual ranking of the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations by Corporate Knights, which rigorously assesses the performance of 8,080 companies with more than US$1 billion in revenues. The Index assesses the companies based on several performance indicators that reflect environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns. The list celebrated the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations delivering superior financial performance and leading the race to net zero economy.
Corporate Knights Inc. includes the sustainable-business magazine Corporate Knights and a research division that produces rankings and financial product ratings based on corporate sustainability performance.
Commenting on the Global 100 Index, Arçelik CEO Hakan Bulgurlu said:
“We are thrilled to rank # 34 in Corporate Knights' 2021 Global 100 Index and to have once again been recognized as one of the most sustainable companies in the world. It is a significant achievement for us as a business, and we are proud of what we achieved with all our employees. We are delighted to see that Arçelik is on track to achieve the ultimate standard for sustainability and that we have set an exemplary standard for the companies in our industry to follow. We will continue to adapt our sustainability approach that complies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), develop climate-friendly products that use less resources and make them accessible to encourage others to live a more sustainable lifestyle.”
Latest News Articles
19th May 2023
Beko plc colleagues examine the latest on-trend topics in the field of electrical product safety
Beko plc’s Managing Director and Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs Specialist, discuss emerging trends and issues affecting electrical product safety at the Scottish Electrical Product Safety Conference.
18th May 2023
Beko plc facilitates educational visit to Arçelik’s Garage Innovation Hub
Beko plc has continued its flourishing partnership with Marlborough College with an educational opportunity for two lecturers at the Arçelik Garage Innovation Hub in Istanbul, Turkey.
28th April 2023
Arçelik named on 2023 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations List
Corporate Knights have recognised Beko plc’s parent company, Arçelik, among the world’s 100 most sustainable companies for the third year running.


text:
German home battery provider Sonnen has announced its entry into the Australian market, claiming its business model will take retailers out of the equation.
Sonnen chief executive Christoph Ostermann launched the company’s “sonnenFlat” product in Sydney this week, saying that “crazy high” power prices in Australia created a good opportunity for the company.
Sonnen offers customers with home solar systems a flat fee contract, begining at $30 a month, wher they connect into a network of other Sonnen customers and trade surplus power.
Customers also need to acquire a Sonnen battery, which costs around $14,000 for an eight kilowatt-hour system, and must have a home solar system of at least 5 kilowatts.
The company says that at current prices, and with expected increases, the system could potentially pay for itself in five years for households on a $40 per month plan.
As part of the deal, Sonnen has access to the energy in the household batteries, and sells that into the grid during peak periods or at times when prices are advantageous.


text:
Record labels sue Pandora over older songs
Major record labels are suing Internet radio giant Pandora for copyright infringement for using songs recorded before 1972 without paying license fees.
Google's Street View address reading software also able to decipher CAPTCHAs
Satellite telecom vulnerable to hackers, researchers find
Security flaws in many satellite telecommunications systems leave them open to hackers, raising potential risks for aviation, shipping, military and other sectors, security researchers said Thursday.
Facebook rolls out location-sharing feature (Update)
Facebook users in the U.S. will soon be able to see which of their friends are nearby using a new feature the company is launching on Thursday.
Tiny power plants hold promise for nuclear energy (Update)
Small underground nuclear power plants that could be cheaper to build than their behemoth counterparts may herald the future for an energy industry under intense scrutiny since the Fukushima disaster, the ...
Neuromorphic computing 'roadmap' envisions analog path to simulating human brain
(Phys.org) —In the field of neuromorphic engineering, researchers study computing techniques that could someday mimic human cognition. Electrical engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology recently ...
Laptop used for first US presidential email finds a buyer
The laptop computer that Bill Clinton used in 1998 to send the first-ever US presidential email has sold for $60,667 in an online auction, the Boston auction house that handled the transaction said Thursday.
PsiKick's batteryless sensors poised for coming 'Internet of things'
Research from the University of Virginia and the universities of Michigan and Washington is the foundation of a startup company, PsiKick, that plans to manufacture the lowest-power wireless sensors in the ...
Wireless power transfer achieved at five-meter distance
The way electronic devices receive their power has changed tremendously over the past few decades, from wired to non-wired. Users today enjoy all kinds of wireless electronic gadgets including cell phones, ...
SRI microrobots show fast-building factory approach (w/ video)
Old timey car to replace NYC horse carriages shown
An electric car that proponents hope will replace horse-drawn carriages in New York City has been revealed.
Weibo shares jump in market debut
Weibo Corp.'s shares are rising in the Chinese social media company's debut in the U.S.
Zynga seeks new harvest with mobile FarmVille game
Social games pioneer Zynga on Thursday released a version of the hit "FarmVille" tailored for smartphones and tablets in the hope of reaping a bumper crop of players.
Nokia recalls 30,000 chargers for Lumia 2520 tablet
Finnish telecom company Nokia on Thursday recalled 30,000 chargers for its Lumia 2520 tablet due to risk it could give customers an electric shock.


text:
The Homeschool Supply Center, a three-story building, loomed over the main street of a small town northwest of Minneapolis. Townsfolk often wondered how such a business could survive.
Non-homeschoolers only ever saw the first story, where they would sometimes buy pencils or notebooks if there happened to be a sale and they happened to just have finished up breakfast at Andy’s Diner across the street.
The owner, Cheryl Meltantini, made considerably more money from the revenue source on the second story—advanced tutoring for homeschoolers who were already academically ahead of their mothers.
The second story business wouldn’t have surprised many people and was a much less guarded secret. It’s the third story business, a male brothel servicing the secret passions of homeschool mothers, that was the real money maker for Homeschool Supply Center.
Cheryl Meltantini managed to keep the secret for over three decades before selling the building and retiring on Lake Minnetonka.
The sale of the building made the local paper. The article included a quote from the new owner about the peculiar layout of the third story. Cheryl Meltantini did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did any of the local homeschool mothers.


text:
LAKEWOOD, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023 — Coloradans seeking to renew a driver license or vehicle registration online have a new payment option.
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles is pleased to announce that myDMV now accepts cryptocurrency through PayPal for online payments.
“At the DMV, we’re always looking for ways to better serve Coloradans and leverage technology to offer our services,” Senior Director Electra Bustle said. “This new online cryptocurrency payment option is yet another way the DMV is providing innovative and convenient service delivery to our customers.”
Coloradans can now select PayPal cryptocurrency as a payment option when paying for driver license, identification card, vehicle registration or other DMV services online.
Those who choose to pay with cryptocurrency will be directed to PayPal, where they can select a specific cryptocurrency to use for the payment. A sufficient amount of cryptocurrency to cover the transaction and fees is then converted to dollars and remitted to the DMV to complete the online transaction.
There is a service fee of $1 plus 1.83% of the DMV total for paying in cryptocurrency. Paypal fees may apply as well.
PayPal is the only cryptocurrency provider being accepted at this time.
For more information, please visit DMV.Colorado.gov/Cryptocurrency.
The DMV is committed to providing services for all Coloradans where they are needed most, whether it’s in-office, online or on the go. Visit DMV.Colorado.gov/Anywhere to find out how you can DMV anywhere. Yes, anywhere.


text:
Miles Morales Wearing Adidas Superstar Shoes in Marvel's Spider-Man is an Affront Against the AJ1
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales will see the game's titular character trading in his pair of Air Jordan 1's for a set of deadstock Superstars.
Look, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales seems awesome and I’m excited to play it later this week when my PS5 shows up on my doorstep. That being said, there’s a major elephant in the room that we need to discuss and it comes in regards to Miles’ shoewear.
Insomniac Games released a new post over on the PlayStation Blog this morning that talks all about the shoes that Miles will be wearing with certain costumes in the game, and it’s not the same pair that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing him don within the past few years. Yes, rather than wearing his iconic set of Air Jordan 1 shoes, Miles has now drastically traded down and will be wearing some red and black Adidas Superstars. Insomniac said that it wanted to honor the sneaker’s 50th anniversary in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and even is creating a real pair of the shoes that will go up for sale later this month on November 19.
It’s all about that #3StripeLife in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales for PS4 and PS5, check out his drip and get your own pair of Miles’s brand-new Adidas Superstars. #BeGreater #BeYourselfhttps://t.co/7z8saorjYj pic.twitter.com/3CfNbuNcld
— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) November 9, 2020
Look, if you’re not into sneaker culture, I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “What’s the big deal?” And honestly, this isn’t the travesty that I’m making it out to be. In fact, I really like Superstars and I think the pair that Miles is rocking in-game are actually pretty sleek. I may even look to cop the high-top iteration later this month because I’m bad with my money.
That being said, it just feels so wrong to see Miles wearing anything other than his iconic pair of Air Jordan 1’s that he has in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. For better or worse, that movie cemented the fact Miles is someone who would wear AJ1’s on a regular basis. Sneaker culture is very much about letting your shoes be reflective of your own personality and your taste. For Miles to now go from being an AJ1 guy to wearing Adidas is pretty much the sneaker equivalent of going from eating a steak dinner to snacking on a piece of bologna.
Obviously, there are a lot of factors at play with why the iconic AJ1 silhouette isn’t in Miles Morales. Perhaps Insomniac couldn’t get the license, maybe they preferred working with Adidas, and more so than anything, the ensuing real-world shoe deal likely ended up playing a major reason in why this came about. Either way, it’s still just an odd thing to see at face value. Then again, this is a different interpretation of Miles’ character. Clearly, it’s just one who has a worse taste in sneakers.
All the same, I’m excited to play through Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales later this week when it releases on November 12 for PS4 and PS5.


text:
Following the Monza SP1 and SP2 in the Ferrari Icona series, the Daytona SP3 limited edition model pays homage to the sports prototypes of the 1960s and the victory at the 1967 Daytona 24H.
Škoda has released to sketch renders that preview the renewed Karoq compact SUV, featuring a new front end and redesigned LED headlights and tail lights.
On 3 November 1966, the Maserati Ghibli made its debut on the world stage, at the Ghia stand at the Turin Motor Show.
Škoda has revealed the preview sketches of the Slavia, a classic sedan designed for the Indian market with a coupe-like silhouette.
Hyundai has released the first teaser images of the upcoming 2022 Santa Cruz, set to debut at an online event on April 15, 2021.
Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled the first preview images of the Ioniq 5 midsize CUV, the first model in its Ioniq dedicated BEV (Battery Electric Vehicles) lineup brand.
Set to be launched within the end of the year, the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class features a 18cm longer wheelbase a two-tone paint finish and and a host of exclusive onboard technologies.
The Ferrari Roma has won the Production Cars category of the Car Design Award, which ran from 1984 to 1997 before being relaunched in its current form in 2016.
Jeep has unveiled a near-production concept that previews the upcoming Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer premium SUV models, set to be launched in 2021.
The all-new Hyundai Tucson features short and long wheelbase versions, and the "Parametric Hidden Lights" distinctive lighting design signature.
Mercedes-Benz has revealed the new S-Class, featuring a cleaner design, elongated proportions with high aerodynamic efficiency and a host of advanced technologies.
The official design sketch renders and design interviews on the new Škoda Enyaq, the electric SUV that will be revealed on September 1st during a virtual event.
Volkswagen has released a set of design sketches that anticipate the look of the ID.4, the electric compact SUV set to debut next month.
An overview of the design of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP, a limited edition model inspired by the brand's racing heritage.
FCA presented the all-new Fiat 500, its first all-electric model featuring an evolution of the iconic design, a fast charger, advanced connectivity and level 2 autonomous driving system.
At the 2020 Geneva Motor Show Škoda will present the Octavia vRS iV, a sporty variant of the fourth generation sedan model.
At the 2020 Geneva Motor Show Volkswagen will unveil the near-production versions of the GTI and GTD variants of the eight generation Golf.
The official sketch renders released by Kia for the upcoming all-new Kia Sorento, set to make its debut at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.
Get all the updates with our weekly newsletter!


text:
According to reports, a major sports betting company, BetMGM, suffered from a cybersecurity incident that allegedly stole the data of over 1.5 million users.
A cybercriminal going by the alias “betmgmhacked” went to a hacking forum to post an advertisement for a database containing “all BetMGM casino customers as of November 2022”.
The database, according to the attackers, contains sensitive data of 1,569,310 users. Data varies by customer but includes names, contact information (postal address, email address, phone numbers, etc.), dates of birth, social security numbers (encrypted), account IDs and transaction details BetMGM – loads of information for serious identity theft (opens in a new tab) campaign.
Master Casino Datasets
“The database includes every customer of BetMGM Casino (over 1.5 million) as of November 2022 from MI, NJ, ON, PV and WV. Every customer who has placed a bet at the casino is included in this database,” the ad reads.
In addition, the attackers claim that the database contains user data for BetMGM casinos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as a “Master Casino” dataset containing customer information from all US states.
Since the announcement was made, the company has confirmed its authenticity in a press release published earlier this week. BetMGM said in it that the incident was discovered in November 2022, but it most likely happened earlier – most likely in May.
“BetMGM currently has no evidence that patron passwords or account funds were accessed as a result of this issue,” reads the press release. “BetMGM’s online operations were not affected. BetMGM is cooperating with law enforcement and taking steps to further enhance security.”
The company warned its customers that “unsolicited communications” and “suspicious activity” could be expected in the coming days and weeks.
There was no word on the methodology or tools used in the data breach, or whether malware or phishing sites were involved.
Through: Beeping Computer (opens in a new tab)


text:
Each year, the launch of the new iPhone (s) creates more hype than any other tech related event.
In a tweet, Evan Blass (better known by his Twitter handle @evleaks) Leaked the release date for the much awaited iPhone 7. According to him, Apple will be launching the iPhone 7 in the week of September 12 which is the third week.
There has been a lot of rumors about the upcoming iPhone(s) from the device(s) coming in new colours variants to the removal of the 3.5mm earphone jack.
Recently, a new video appeared online showing a new colour variant – Space Black that the upcoming iPhone 7 might come with. The new space black colour variant replaces the space grey color which was first seen on the iPhone 5S.
The rumored prices of the devices have been leaked as well. According to a post on Chinese social networking website Weibo, the base 32GB version of iPhone 7 is rumoured to be priced at about $792 , while the 64GB and 256GB versions will cost about $912 and $1061 respectively.
While the iPhone 7 Plus 32GB version is rumored to cost around $912. As for the 128GB and 256GB versions, they’ll likely be priced at $1,031 and $1,181 respectively.
Lastly, the rumoured iPhone 7 Pro with 32GB storage might cost $1,061 while the 128GB version will likely cost $1,176.


text:
Indian workers in factories supplying the supermarket chains Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, and the fashion brand Ralph Lauren, told the BBC they are being subjected to exploitative conditions.
Women working at a Ralph Lauren supplier said they had been forced to stay overnight to complete orders, sometimes requiring them to sleep on the factory floor.
"We’re made to work continuously, often through the night, sleeping at 3am then waking up by 5am for another full day," one woman said in an interview. "Our bosses don’t care. They’re only bothered about production," she said.
The BBC has withheld the names of those who agreed to be interviewed, as well as the names of the factories, to protect the workers’ safety.
Workers at the supermarket supplier said they had been made to endure conditions which would be unacceptable for staff employed by the same brands in the UK.
Please subscribe HERE http://bit.ly/1rbfUog


text:
Although many FTSE shares have been tearing upwards over the past few months, some of my favourites received a pummelling from the markets. However, I think the mood music is changing and these great stocks could be about to shine again.
I’d aim to put every one of these seven shares in my Stocks and Shares ISA for April and beyond.
Ever since AstraZeneca released its Covid-19 vaccine — and gave it to the world at cost price — the market battered the stock. They say no good turn goes unpunished and I reckon that’s the case here. But City analysts expect earnings to grow in the years ahead, so I’d buy for the ongoing growth story. However, the valuation is quite full and leaves little room for an earnings miss. It’s still possible for the downtrend to continue from here.
Online fashion clothing
Online fashion retailer Asos (LSE: ASC) is a clear industry leader I expect to go from strength to strength in the years ahead. But the valuation is high and immediate growth prospects don’t shoot the lights out. It’s possible the gap between valuation and growth could contract acting as a drag on the stock’s progress.
Boohoo (LSE: BOO) is another stalwart hoovering up once-proud bricks-and-mortar fashion clothing brands just like Asos has been. The firm has been under scrutiny because of alleged dodgy supply chains. However, earnings growth remains brisk. The valuation looks rich, but I think the quality of the underlying business justifies that. Nonetheless, the stock has been volatile. And the high rating could normalise downwards if earnings growth slows in the future. However, I’d buy the stock.
Fast-moving consumer goods
Soft drinks maker Britvic (LSE: BVIC) operates in a defensive, cash-generating sector and ticks many boxes for me. The valuation looks fair. However, the stock has essentially travelled sideways for seven years. If growth in earnings fails to pick up, I could endure another frustrating seven years from here. Nevertheless, I’m keen on the stock today.
Fast-moving consumer goods business Reckitt Benckiser operates in an attractive, defensive sector. City analysts expect a high single-digit earnings rebound ahead and that could arrest the slide in the share price. However, the valuation remains elevated. Maybe companies like this aren’t as valuable as I once believed. One possibility is valuation shrinkage could drag on share-price progress ahead. But I’d accept that risk and buy some of the shares now.
Information technology infrastructure services provider Computacenter has seen its business grow steadily for a number of years. The stock has done well too. But earnings growth has slowed to a trickle while the valuation remains elevated. I could be disappointed with this one if growth in earnings doesn’t pick up again soon. But I’m inclined to put my faith in the company and buy the stock.
Energy transmission company National Grid has been a steady dividend payer for years. But high borrowings and regulatory changes could yet sour the investment potential of the stock. Nevertheless, I still think the firm’s unique position in the nation’s energy infrastructure is attractive.
I’d be inclined to embrace the risks and buy all seven of these stocks for their potential in April and beyond.
The post My 7 top FTSE shares for April and beyond appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.
Kevin Godbold has no position in any share mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended ASOS, boohoo group, and Britvic. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.
Motley Fool UK 2021


text:
Collectors will buy and sell more than $20 billion of art this year, by one estimate, and many are trying to decide if they're buying their Cattelans and Picassos at the market's peak.
"This market does remind me of the wildness of the Nasdaq boom before it ended in 2000," says Robert Harshorn Shimshak, a California radiologist who collects Contemporary paintings. "I'll know it's time to sell if I start hearing art tips at my local coffee shop."
Art prices are being driven up by collectors ranging from Eli Broad's Broad Art Foundation and Charles Saatchi of London's Saatchi Gallery to speculators seeking alternatives to stocks. Prices of the top 25 percent of the most expensive Contemporary pictures sold at auction more than trebled since 1996, according to London index-maker Art Market Research.
Some collectors say buyers may face losses if they try to sell paintings bought recently, like investors who gobbled dot-com stocks late in the boom. Values won't keep rising forever just because wealthy people are building collections, says Marvin Ross Friedman, a Miami dealer and collector of works by artists including Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.
"If anything, the feverish buying suggests a kind of herd instinct and the market may well be in for a serious correction," Friedman says. "Many of the new collectors do not have a grounding in art history or a fundamental understanding of what they are buying."
Works by living artists from Maurizio Cattelan to Marlene Dumas now sell at auction for $1 million or more and even works by relatively unknown artists are snapped up at art fairs. Shimshak says he tried to buy a piece by a "hot" African artist, Wangechi Mutu, at the Art Basel Miami Beach fair in December and it had been sold at the outset.
"Art has become the chips in the poker game of life for people of means," Friedman says. "I mean it has become a very pricey lifestyle accessory."
Cattelan's Ninth Hour, showing Pope John Paul II felled by a meteorite, had a $2.7 million hammer price at a Phillips de Pury & Co. New York auction in November. The sculpture, one of two copies made of wax, cloth, resin and rock powder, brought $800,000 at a Christie's International auction in 2001, according to Art Sales Index, a London data service.
Art was bid up in the 1980s by new European and Japanese collectors, then collapsed as the effects of the 1987 stock-market crash spread. The top 25 percent of works in Art Market Research's Art 100 Index peaked at 9,040 in 1990, up from 1,658 in 1985. It dived 59 percent to 3,686 by 1992.
The Art 100 index, which tracks prices from 1976, includes artists from Rembrandt van Rijn to Pablo Picasso. The Contemporary index fell harder and longer. Higher-priced works in the Contemporary Art 100 Index peaked at 4,979 in 1990, and fell to 1,915 in 1996.
More than $20 billion of fine art is traded annually, says Joe La Placa of Artnet, a Frankfurt-based online gallery and data company. New York-based Sotheby's Holdings Inc., the No. 1 auction house, disclosed $2.7 billion of auction sales for 2004, and privately held Christie's International of London usually has similar results.
The most heavily attended auctions in New York and London are sales of Old Masters, Impressionist and Modern, and Contemporary works.
Tefaf Maastricht, a Dutch fine art and antiques fair in March, draws Old Master collectors while those seeking Contemporary works throng the stalls at Art Basel in June, its Miami offspring in December, New York's Armory Show in March and London's Frieze Art Fair in October.
"You need strong nerves to be buying" after the trebling of Contemporary prices, says Robin Duthy of Art Market Research, a stockbroker-turned-art analyst. "If prices go up that steeply there's trouble ahead -- but you don't know when."
Ali Bagherzadeh, a London-based manufacturer and collector just back from the Miami fair, says he'll decide where the market's heading after watching London's February sales and New York's Armory show in March.
Here are highlights of the coming Contemporary, Impressionist and Modern, and Old Master auctions:
Supermodel Kate Moss posed for Lucian Freud, one of Britain's top selling painters, in 2002 when she was pregnant. The result, Naked Portrait, will star at Christie's London sale of Postwar and Contemporary art on Feb. 9. It carries a top estimate of 3.5 million pounds ($6.8 million).
Two of Jean-Michel Basquiat's untitled 1980s acrylic paintings are being advertised by Christie's and Sotheby's for their Contemporary sales. Top estimates are 850,000 and 800,000, respectively. Sotheby's Basquiat, a little smaller, shows one of the cult artist's African masks with graffiti decorations. Sotheby's sale is on Feb. 10.
Private collectors of Basquiat, who died in 1988 of a drug overdose, include the Broad Art Foundation, Santa Monica, Calif., and Zurich-based UBS AG, Europe's biggest bank.
Shimshak, who spends as much as $100,000 a year on art, mainly at dealers, says he's looking for "somewhat undervalued" works by Alighiero Boetti and Richard Artschwager. "I am trying not to chase the train that has left the station."
For its Feb. 8 Impressionist and Modern sale in London, Sotheby's is advertising Picasso's Femme au Chapeau, a split-faced woman in a blue hat, and for its German and Austrian sale the same day, Max Beckmann's Dame mit Spiegel, showing a woman with a mirror.
Both paintings date from the 1940s and carry top estimates of 3.5 million ($6.6 million). Christie's ad for its Feb. 7 Impressionist and Modern sale features Gustave Caillebotte's 1877 Portrait de Femme Dans un Interieur for as much as 2 million.
Another Van Gogh?
The best of such works tend to appreciate because the artists are dead and their paintings end up in museums. The May 1990 sale of Vincent van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet for $82.5 million in New York marked the peak of the last art boom. Did the sale of Picasso's Garcon a la Pipe, which went for $104.2 million in May 2004, signal the top for the current rise?
While values are high, "I'm not seeing an irrational rise in prices in my market," says David Norman, Sotheby's co-chairman of Impressionist and Modern art. In the late 1980s, the art market was "walloped" by economic and political events including the Iran-Iraq war, while this time collectors absorbed the Sept. 11 attacks and the conflict that followed, he said.
Old Master sales draw buyers who fight for the few top-quality works that aren't in museums, passing over the rest.
Christie's New York sale on Jan. 26 will offer 15th-century Florentine painter Filippo Lippi's The Penitent Magdalen, valued at as much as $1.2 million, with 10 other works from the heirs of art journalist Denys Sutton.
For bargains, look at Old Master drawings, says Franklin W. Robinson, director of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
The Johnson museum recently bought Durer and Fragonard works in New York from a small auction house and a dealer, and one of its donors bought two items at Sotheby's London sale of Rembrandt etchings in December, he said. The best bargains may be at sales or dealers outside of New York and London, Robinson says.


text:
President Trump announced a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico Monday that is intended to replace NAFTA, the 24-year-old trade agreement that regulates roughly $1.2 trillion worth of trade between the North American countries. Assuming it passes Congress, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, is expected to take effect starting in 2020.
Bloomberg’s David Fickling says that the new agreement isn’t all that different from the old one and includes elements that will be welcomed by the “globalists” who promote the expansion of world trade.
"The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, clinched just before a midnight deadline on Sunday, reads more like an amalgam of the existing Nafta along with certain provisions from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership that Trump pulled the U.S. out of on his first full working day in office," Fickling writes.
Here are five key provisions in the agreement:
* Dairy: Canada eased pricing rules in one category of dairy products, opening the door for U.S. farmers to ship more powdered milk, protein concentrate and baby formula across the border.
* Autos: Starting in 2020, 75 percent of the components in cars coming from Mexico and Canada must be made in North America in order to qualify for zero tariffs, an increase from the current 62.5 percent. Additionally, 30 percent of the work on a vehicle must be done by workers earning at least $16 an hour. The agreement also contains “side letters” that allow Canada and Mexico to escape most auto tariffs in the future.
* Steel: The Trump administration has hit Canada with 25 percent steel tariffs, which the new agreement leaves in place, to be negotiated separately.
* Labor standards: Mexico is required to provide workers with better opportunities to organize and form unions.
* Prescription drugs: U.S. drugs will receive 10 years of protection from generic protection, up from the current eight years, in what is seen as a big win for Big Pharma.


text:
Incognito mode for Google Maps finally hits Android
Back in May, Google announced that Incognito mode – a setting that doesn’t store a browsing history of where you’ve been in Chrome – would be making its way to Google Maps. Four months later, it seems to be spreading to all Android handsets.
“Today, we’re excited to announce that Incognito mode is rolling out for Android users on Google Maps,” a Google support page that sprung up on Thursday reads. “We expect it to be available to all users in the next few days.”
Related: Best Android phones
So how does Incognito mode work with Maps then? Well, chiefly it means that any places you search for in Maps won’t show up in the history. Enabling it also means that personal data won’t be used to personalise Maps, and your location history and shared location won’t be updated.
As well as making things a bit more private, it’s an interesting way of seeing what’s around you once Google’s personalised recommendations lose their boosted weighting and are given the same prominence as everything else.
There are limitations, mind. “Turning on Incognito mode in Maps does not affect how your activity is used or saved by internet providers, other apps, voice search, and other Google services,” Google warns.
Related: Best smartphones
It’s probably not something you’ll just to leave switched on, no matter how much you value your privacy. Google says that when enabled, Incognito mode disables certain features including Contributions, Google Assistant microphone input and offline maps.
If it’s arrived on your handset already, then enabling it is pretty straightforward. Open Google Maps, then tap on your profile picture and press “Turn on Incognito mode.” To come out again, just go through the same steps and tap “Turn off Incognito mode.”
For now, this is an Android exclusive, but it will be on iPhones eventually. For now, though, the iOS version is marked as “coming soon.”


text:
Vietnam and China are reopening auxiliary border gates in the northern and northeastern provinces of Vietnam after these were temporarily closed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Vietnam’s northern province of Lang Son and China’s Guangxi province will reopen border gates on February 10 to facilitate border trade between the two neighbors, reported VNA.
Lang Son’s Department of Foreign Affairs said it received the announcement from Guangxi province’s Pingxiang city on February 5.
As concerns over the novel coronavirus mounted, China decided to close all auxiliary border gates and markets, halting import-export activities from January 31.
Guangxi province announced trade with the Vietnamese side would be paused until February 9.
Meanwhile, customs clearance through Bac Luan II Bridge at Mong Cai International Border Gate in Vietnam’s northeastern Quang Ninh province resumed on February 7 after the procedure was suspended for a week due to the impacts of the coronavirus.
At recent talks between Mong Cai city and Guangxi’s Dongxing city, both sides agreed to prioritize customs clearance for feedstock for production at Mong Cai Border Gate Economic Zone, as well as medical equipment and materials for the prevention and control of nCoV.
Customs clearance will be available for other products on February 8.
As this developed, competent forces of the two countries on February 8 also resumed customs clearance for exports and imports at Kim Thanh International Border Gate No. 2 in the northern province of Lao Cai in Vietnam, according to a VNA report.
On the first day of customs clearance resumption, a total of 54 Chinese agricultural product trucks were licensed to enter Vietnam, while eight Vietnamese farm produce trucks were allowed to go into China’s territory.
Vietnam has set up a quarantine area for all trucks from China right at the border gate. After being sterilized, these trucks are driven by Vietnamese drivers during the process of custom clearance and trading, which is closely supervised.
After the goods are unloaded, the trucks will be taken to the quarantine area and handed over to Chinese drivers.
There still remain 3,000 tonnes of Vietnamese agricultural products waiting for customs clearance at the border gate, the report said.
Photo by Phó Nháy


text:
A smartphone with augmented reality at its heart has been unveiled as Samsung’s latest addition to its growing UK portfolio of Android mobiles. First seen back in September 2009 and subsequently delayed by Samsung for unspecified reasons, the Galaxy Portal handset – also known as the i5700 – is available exclusively through T- …
Will this be upgradable? I seem to recall reading that the Galaxy "Classic" is not.
Don't think Layar is specific to this phone .... its an Android app available in the "marketplace" that can run on any Android phone.
Upgrade to 2.0
is coming this Feb
- Just TWO climate committee MPs contradict IPCC: The two with SCIENCE degrees
- 14 antivirus apps found to have security problems
- Apple winks at parents: C'mon, get your kid a tweaked Macbook Pro
- Feature Scotland's BIG question: Will independence cost me my broadband?
- Driverless car SQUADRONS to hit Britain in 2015


text:
Ola has been in the news recently for its newly released electric scooter. The popular ride-hailing app has been venturing into new spaces lately, with its foray into food delivery and now electric vehicles, the company is increasing its presence in the country.
Ola opened up the reservations for its electric scooter and within 24 hours received over 100,000 bookings according to the company. If what Ola says is accurate, it will make their scooter the most pre-booked scooter in the world. Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Group CEO of Ola mentioned that he is thrilled by this overwhelming response from customers across India for their first electric scooter.
This demand showcases the preference of customers towards electronic vehicles. The Ola scooter can be reserved at a mere 499 INR or $6.7 on the company’s official OlaElectric website.
The Ola electric scooter has been made in India and features a twin-pod LED headlamp with an LED strip running around it. The company had also added that this scooter will offer the largest boot space in this segment.
Currently, Ola has not yet divulged any other details of the scooter, the reported range of the scooter is 150 kilometers per full charge but it has not yet been confirmed by Ola.
- Sumo Group holdings to soon become a subsidiary under Tencent
- POCO F3 GT: Everything you need to know
- India’s electronic ecosystem improvement depends on Semiconductor manufacturing


text:
BANGOR, Mich. (WOOD) — A Southwest Michigan business is now making reusable face shields especially created for kids in local schools.
Barber Packaging developed the product just last week and is already beginning the production process.
Luke Barber, the president of the company, says the shields have been approved for use in schools by the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department and replace the need for a separate shield and face covering.
This type of shield is especially helpful for students who have challenges with wearing a traditional mask.
“The superintendent of a local district was having trouble with at-risk kids and special needs kids with the face coverings, and so they were looking for an alternative method to allow those kids to return to school safely,” Barber said.
The shields have a non-woven polypropylene fabric sewn around the base to cover the neck and catch respiratory droplets. Barber says the same material is used to make surgical masks.
The company started making face shields at the beginning of the pandemic because packaging orders were expected to drop from their clients in the automotive industry.
“Once we got into face shields, we had a couple of different people approach us with different needs. We’ve developed shields around those needs, and so we’ve always been very flexible to respond to people’s specific needs,” Barber said.
While many of the big orders being made for hospitals have tapered off, the company is still seeing a demand.
“Now we’re meeting the need at a much more local level,” Barber said.
Barber Packaging works with a partner company in Grand Rapids to sew on the fabric that covers the neck.
“As the word gets out about this shield and as the health directors from the local districts start to meet with other health directors across the state, we believe there will be an increased demand for this kind of product,” Barber said.
The shields range from $12 to $15, depending on the quantity purchased.
The company created a new website to sell directly to customers.


text:
As the digital economy continues to expand and as more customers embrace online shopping, companies should strive to give them a seamless experience through the omnichannel approach.
In a panel discussion at the CIO Year Ahead event, experts affirmed that more companies this year will adopt the omnichannel approach to meet the unique needs of customers who are scattered across different digital platforms.
Noah Amoke Business Development Manager at CM.com while explaining the importance of the omnichannel approach said: “Multichannel approach leads to different silos. Different organisations need to implement a single centralized data channel that will enable them to monitor customer behaviour and communicate to them”.
Niladri Roy COO, Little Cab explained that the pandemic pushed more customers to embrace online shopping and therefore organisations should make their experience better.
“The Pandemic did help with the transformation of the mind of the customer from physical shopping to online shopping. Businesses have to reach customers on all platforms available in the market,” he stated.
To develop the right omnichannel approach, Amoke advised online businesses to “try to visualize what your customers’ motivations, needs, expectations, and pain points are. The journey is no longer a linear one, because customers sometimes take a step back, analyze competitors’ offers, or take their experience multi-channel,”
He added: “Write a clear customer-centric vision so that you and your team know what your goals towards pleasing customers are. Focus on long-term relationships with your customers in order to increase customer lifetime value,”
The main takeaways from the panel are that businesses should develop a central platform and database to manage their customers. They should meet customers where they are on the digital platforms. They should strive to make sure that customer experience is consistent through all digital platforms.


text:
6 June 2017 – Immediate Release
London Digital Security Centre Out in the Community with London Businesses
London, UK – The London Digital Security Centre will work alongside the Metropolitan Police this week and next, engaging directly with small to medium sized businesses based in the West End of London, Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham. The programme will take place from Monday 5 to Monday 12 June, to highlight potential vulnerabilities in those business’ digital security.
The Community programme from the London Digital Security Centre is just one of its many innovative features aimed at 1 to <249 businesses operating in London and follows the recent launch of its free membership scheme and marketplace initiative.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police – Safer London Team – led by James Barrett, along with specialists from the London Digital Security Centre, led by Operations Manager Jack Lemon, will target specific areas of London to visit small and medium sized businesses to help enhance their digital security, to be better protected from Cyber Crime and know to report crime to ActionFraud – the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre – if they do become victims of Cyber Crime.
James Barrett, for Safer London at the Metropolitan Police stated, “We are delighted to have the support of the London Digital Security Centre in helping businesses improve their cyber security. Cyber security is of paramount importance to all businesses, and their work is even more prevalent given the recent ransomware attacks.”
Each business visited will be provided with a bespoke report, highlighting any potential vulnerabilities in their digital security with bespoke advice and support on how to remedy them and be better protected when conducting business online.
Each business visited will be provided with a copy of ‘The Little Book of Cyber Scams’, as well as official literature informed by research from the National Cyber Security Centre.
John Unsworth, Chief Executive for the London Digital Security Centre said, “This is the third time we have been out into the community now, working alongside the police, and we’ve received a really positive response. Our role, alongside those of our partners, is to help businesses to grow and innovate through improving their resilience to online threats and vulnerabilities. We want to help make London the safest place to innovate online.”
Download a copy of the press release here: LDSC Community Press Release 060617


text:
Ljubljana stock indices edge up in lower turnover
Bosnia's Federation retail sales up real 8.8% y/y in Oct
Most Sofia bourse indices end higher, Eurohold paces gainers
Podravka, Adris boost Croatia’s share indices in lower turnover
Romanian stock indices turn green, MedLife shines
Dec 04, 2017 11:42 EEST
BANJA LUKA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), December 4 (SeeNews) – Greek toy retailer Jumbo said it has opened its second store in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the northwestern city of Banja Luka.
Jumbo opened the store over the weekend, after in May it entered the country's market by unveiling a store in the capital Sarajevo, the toy retailer's Bosnian unit said on Facebook.
According to local media, the retailer plans to open another three stores in Bosnia over the next three years.
Jumbo was founded in 1986 in Greece exclusively as a toy store. After several years, Jumbo expanded into kid clothing, home deco, office supplies and seasonal products.
Elsewhere in Southeastern Europe, it is also present in Bulgaria and Romania.
You have run out of free articles this month.
Sign up in for
and get ten (10) free articles per month or sign up for
and get unlimited access.
Browse our free newsletter options


text:
Trademarks have been filed for “Reality One,” “Reality Pro” and “Reality Processor” ahead of Apple’s plans to launch a mixed reality headset, according to a report on Bloomberg.
The trademarks were filed by legal firms (not Apple itself) in the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Costa Rica. Apple has used the same companies for other trademarks in the past.
The filings haven’t been directly traced back to Apple, but they dovetail well with earlier leaks that Apple was considering naming its AR/VR operating system realityOS, rOS, or something along those lines; in fact, a trademark application for OS reality It previously appeared earlier this year. The company already offers a developer framework called RealityKit for iOS apps, which will likely be the basis for some future headset apps. Apple employees have used the word “reality” to refer internally to the upcoming headphones, according to the report.
Records obtained by Bloomberg showed that the trademarks were registered by a shell corporation called Immersive Health Solutions LLC, which was registered by Corporation Trust Co, a company previously used to file trademark registrations without first exposing the intended trademark owner. , even for the aforementioned. realityOS unveiled earlier this year.
The presentations seem to suggest that the headphones will take too long to arrive, although not in time for the company’s planned product announcement events in September and October.
Apple at one point hoped to release the earphones this year, but faced repeated delays due to disagreements within the company about what course to take with its design, overheating challenges, and more. But a near-final prototype was recently shown off on Apple’s dashboard, suggesting the long wait is almost over and the earphones could finally make their public debut in 2023.
The first headset Apple releases is expected to be an expensive, ultra-high-end device with virtual reality and augmented reality capabilities, and one that will attract developers and content creators looking to break into the ground floor of a new platform. Apple plans to release cheaper headsets, including AR smart glasses, a few years later.
Shipping these more expensive headsets sooner could mean that when the mass-market products finally arrive, they’ll already have an established market of apps, games, and immersive experiences to make them more appealing to consumers.


text:
Amazon Web Services' latest device is a truck.
Chief executive Andy Jassy watched as what has been dubbed the ‘Snowmobile’ - a 100 petabyte, container-sized data storage behemoth - was driven into his Las Vegas keynote this morning as part of the Re:Invent conference.
The Snowmobile is a dramatic expansion on the petabyte ‘Snowball’ transportable data migration boxes AWS unveiled last year, which can be physically delivered to the public cloud giant for rapid upload.
Sydney-based Strut Digital was one of the first partners to use the Snowball to migrate data into AWS S3 for magazine publisher Bauer Media.
Jassy said the 45ft, ruggedised, truck-drawn version is a response to customers who wanted to move much larger volumes of data to the cloud.
“They said, I love Snowball Edges, but if I have an exabyte of data I’m gonna need 10,000 of them," Jassy said.
“Is there something you can do to allow us to move exabytes of data so we can leverage the cloud as well?”
The Snowmobile comes with its own generator - it draws 350 KW of AC power - and a network cable capable of supporting data ingestion at a rate of 1TB per second, which AWS claims can see the storage facility filled in about 10 days.
Jassy said it would previously have taken 26 years to upload an exabyte of data to the cloud over a dedicated 10Gbps connection. With Snowmobile, he boasted, it can be done in 6 months.
AWS is targeting big enterprises and data-hungry start-ups with its new service.
“When we started AWS the notion of an exabyte of data seemed completely out there,” Jassy said.
“Today an exabyte of data is a lot more commonplace. You be surprised how many companies - large enterprises and successful start-ups given the way they collect data - have exabytes of data.”
Satellite operator DigitalGlobe is claiming to be the first customer of the exabyte scale migration solution, moving 100PB of its 16-year time-lapse image library to the AWS cloud.
Snowmobile is currently available in all AWS regions. Jassy said the transfer will be charged at US 0.5 cents per GB, per month.
Paris Cowan travelled to AWS Re:Invent as a guest of Amazon Web Services.


text:
Accepting a long-pending demand of traders and the Punjab government, Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said that his ministry would soon issue orders to facilitate trade from the Attari border through containers instead of sacks. His assurance came at a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandigarh.
Punjab has asked the central government to allow the export of wheat to Pakistan and CIS countries through the Attari checkpost, as the state's produce may cross a record 115 lakh tonnes this year.
Just a day after opening a new integrated check post at the Attari border, on April 14, India and Pakistan stated that the countries were exploring the possibilities of opening more routes to deepen economic engagements.
Trade between India and Pakistan through the land border route is expected to go up almost 10 times with the formal inauguration of the newly-built integrated check post (ICP) at Attari on April 13, along the international border between the two neighbours.
Trade and people-to-people ties between India and Pakistan takes on a new dimension with the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at the Attari-Wagah international border between the two countries to be formally inaugurated soon..


text:
The 2020 Pints for Parkinson’s Pints Passport features 32 businesses in Portland and Central Oregon that will participate in the $25 Pints Passport. Each Passport is good for 10 pints at any of the 32 locations. Proceeds from the sales of Pints Passports support BGF’s programs to improve the well-being of people dealing with Parkinson’s.
Back in 2008, former Portland Trail Blazer Brian Grant was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a few years prior to retiring from the NBA. In 2010, Grant continued his charity work when he established the Brian Grant Foundation in Portland that provides proven tools to improve the well-being of people with Parkinson’s.
The Pints for Parkinson’s kick off parties will be held on March 26, 2020 at Boneyard Pub in Bend and April 1, 2020 at Urban Studio in Portland. UPDATE: Pints for Parkinson’s kick off party on April 1 is now a wrap up party on June 10 at Urban Studio in Portland. Attendees of these events will be able to purchase their Pints Passports in advance while enjoying food, drinks and games. Tickets for the Portland event are available at www.briangrant.org/pintsforparkinsons/ and will include live music from the Greg Nestler Band. Best of all, 100% of ticket sales will support BGF’s programs. The event in Bend is open to the public, with $1 of every pint purchased that evening benefiting BGF.
“The incredible number of establishments participating in Pints for Parkinson’s shows the commitment of our business community to helping people with Parkinson’s live fulfilling lives,” said Katrina Kahl, executive director of BGF, in a press release. “Brian was known for his tenacity on the court and that determination is matched by the thousands of Oregonians that come out year after year to support him in his new journey as a Parkinson’s advocate.”
Pints Passports can be purchased at any of the participating locations or online throughout the month of April. Passports can be used starting on April 1, 2020 and ending two months later on May 31, 2020. Each passport entitles the purchaser to ten pints of beer at any of the locations listed on the passport (one pint per location). For more information about the program and the kick off parties and to purchase a passport online visit briangrant.org.
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 20 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter at @hopapalooza.


text:
Update: Microsoft Delays Consumer Release of Vista to January 2007
Business customers will still get the OS late this year
IDG News Service - The broad availability of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista client operating system has been pushed back to next year, Jim Allchin, co-president of the company's platform and services division, announced today.
Microsoft, however, plans to release Vista to business customers through its volume licensing program in November 2006, he said in a conference call.
In an interview in January, Allchin had said he would delay releasing Vista if the operating system did not reach a standard of quality he was comfortable with.
"Product quality and a great out-of-box experience have been two of our key drivers for Windows Vista, and we are on track to deliver on both, Allchin said in a statement. But the industry requires greater lead time to deliver Windows Vista on new PCs during [the holiday season]. We must optimize for the industry, so weve decided to separate business and consumer availability.
Microsoft still plans to release to manufacturing all of Vista's six core editions at the same time in November, Allchin said. But PCs with the consumer versions preinstalled will not be for sale until January.
The consumer editions of Vista, which Allchin said have not changed, are Windows Vista Starter, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate. The business editions are Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Enterprise, and they will be available through volume licensing in November.
Allchin said during today's teleconference that Vista development has slipped by "a few weeks" because of quality issues, primarily involving security. "If I had to pick out one aspect here, we're trying to crank up the security level higher than ever," he said, adding that Microsoft is "continuing to try to hone" some of Vista's security features.
Microsoft had originally targeted late November -- the start of the holiday shopping season -- for the broad shipment of Vista-based PCs. Some PC makers and retailers told Microsoft officials that they still could gear up to start selling machines with the new operating system during the holidays, Allchin said. But, he added, others told the software vendor that the development delay would prevent them from doing so.
"We needed just a few more weeks [on development], and that put us in what I would call a bubble where some partners would be affected more than others," Allchin said. "The fact is, we want everybody in the industry to be ready for this."
Microsoft said it isn't concerned about rival Apple Computer Inc. capitalizing on Vista's delay because the company thinks customers will still buy Vista simply because of the rich features it will provide.
- Best iPhone, iPad Business Apps for 2014
- 14 Tech Conventions You Should Attend in 2014
- 10 Desktop Apps to Power Your Windows PC
- How to Add New Job Skills Without Going Back to School
- Slideshow: 7 security mistakes people make with their mobile device
- iOS vs. Android: Which is more secure?
- 11 sure signs you've been hacked
- Taking Windows Mobile on Any Device Taking Windows applications mobile has many advantages, but the process of identifying a solution is complex. Learn how to solve this complex problem...
Red Hat Enterprise Linux - The Original Cloud Operating System
Linux adoption is growing against a number of measures, such as the
number of supercomputers that run Linux and the size of the contributing...
- OpenStack Hype vs. Reality: CIO Quick Pulse Open-source architecture can enable IT departments to build infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) clouds running on standard hardware.
- Building a Bridge to the Next Generation Data Center Selecting a widely adopted operating system is a foundational component of a standardization strategy.
- Webinar: Building a Big Data solution that's production-ready Big data solutions are no longer just a nice-to-have.
- Meg Whitman presents Unlocking IT with Big Data During this Web Event you will hear Meg Whitman, President and CEO, HP discuss HAVEn - the #1 Big Data platform, as well... All Windows White Papers | Webcasts


text:
Line Man Wongnai aims for unicorn status by 2023
The merger between restaurant review platform Wongnai and on-demand and delivery app Line Man is intended to create a unicorn startup and hold the pole position in the country's end-to-end food platform by 2023.
Competition in the segment is expected to intensify as other key players adjust business strategies. Gojek plans to outline its strategy tomorrow after rebranding from Get, while Foodpanda is gearing up for delivery of fresh food and grocery items.
Line Man Wongnai completed the merger on Sept 2 after receiving 3.3 billion baht in funding from growth capital firm BRV Capital Management in July.
"The pandemic accelerated online food delivery adoption by 1-2 years. Thais' behaviour changed, opening the door for a huge opportunity in the segment, which accounts for 5% of total food and beverage market valued at 700 billion baht," said Yod Chinsupakul, Line Man Wongnai's chief executive.
Last year the online food delivery market was valued at 35 billion baht and it is expected to grow by 84% this year, he said.
The food and beverage market records annual growth of only 2-4%, said Mr Yod.
The merger should increase the efficiency and profitability of its business as Line Man Wongnai aims to become the first Thai unicorn startup, he said.
"We have 600 staff with no plan for layoffs," said Mr Yod. "An IPO and the next funding round are in the pipeline."
In Thailand, consolidation in the segment can be expected, driven by the intense competition, he said.
Strong financial support is still needed as the players have to subsidise delivery cost and roll out promotion campaigns.
Mr Yod said if the rumour about a merger between Grab and Gojek comes to pass, Line Man Wongnai could face tough competition as Grab is a big app.
Yet Line Man Wongnai has insights into local merchants and customers that can differentiate its service, he said.
"The online food delivery war in Thailand began in 2018 and is expected to continue for three years through price cutting, service efficiency and new products and services offered," said Mr Yod.
Line Man has 3 million monthly active users while Wongnai has 10 million users. The merger will be a boon for the online-to-offline food segment, he said.
Line Man has engaged with 200,000 restaurant partners.


text:
Accelerating gas and food prices drove the U.S.'s producer price index up 0.5%.
Core consumer prices increased 0.4% in May, pushed up by high rents for primary residences, said the Labor Department.
But orders for non-defense capital goods (excluding aircraft) fell 0.8%, said the Commerce Department.
Best Buy expects sales in the second quarter will be flat, and that non-GAAP diluted earnings per share will fall short of Wall Street's expectations.
Energy prices rose 3.4%, including an 8.1% increase in the amount consumers paid for gasoline.
Adjusted net income rose nearly 16% to $7.50 per share, but analysts were expecting earnings of $7.97 per share.
The IMF's projection for economic growth this year is now only one-tenth of a percentage point above 2015's growth rate.
Sales rose 14% for the second quarter but still fell short of analysts' projections.
Here's a methodology for finding out that you're going to miss your number early enough to do something about it.
A survey finds nearly two-thirds of executives say the race for the White House is a consideration in their business planning.


text:
Burning Love has announced several additions to its line of fashion iPod cases. The new offerings include a corduroy Pod Pouch in dark blue, orange and turquoise, a green velvet case, and an imitation jaguar Pod Pouch. The new summer cases, which are all priced at $13, are available for all current iPods, including the mini and photo models.
- iPad Air vs iPad Pro: Which offers the best value for money?
- New iOS 14.6 beta introduces new features in Podcasts app
- iPad Pro orders are now preparing to ship (early orders)
- Apple’s AirTag used to track a mailed package by an UK resident
- Counterfeit Apple chargers seller fined $147,000 in the UK
- iPhone 11 is the best value for money iPhone
- Apple could release a portless iPhone this year
- MagSafe to return as a new feature on Apple Silicon MacBook Pro models
- Upcoming MacBook Pro models to be powered by M-series chips
- Leading Apple enterprise management company Jamf to acquire zero trust cloud security company Wandera


text:
A new update for the Rainbow Six Siege is out and a few new changes are here. The update mainly fixes the issue of connection with PlayStation 4. Both For Honor and Rainbow Six Siege faced the issue of matchmaking and connectivity, recently. Therefore, this quick patch has come out to fix the issues immediately.
After the installation of the new patch, the issue for the connectivity of PlayStation 4 should go away. The online multiplayer should connect to the server as normal as they used to. The new update is very small because it doesn’t fix many issues. It mainly focuses on a single issue that caused trouble to only one platform. The developers say that players should not expect a lot of changes in the new patch as it only focuses on a small issue to fix. The new update doesn’t bring any new operator works. Therefore, the gameplay remains exactly the same. Similarly, no new map changes are here. This means that the game remains totally unchanged even after installing a new update. Here are the few changes, Patch 1.95 brings.
Rainbow Six Siege Patch 1.95 Notes
Ubisoft did not release any patch notes for the new update. The organization, however, says that the new update came to fix the connectivity issue with PlayStation 4 only. In a post on social media, the organization says that we are well aware of the issue of connectivity for the PlayStation 4 users for Rainbow Six Siege and For Honor. The organization is currently on it and we will come up with an optimal solution very soon. We apologize for any kind of inconvenience this issue has caused and we appreciate your patience towards it. We would like to ask all the fans to keep checking this thread to look forward to any future updates.
Just in time
As Ubisoft makes the announcement of acknowledging the issue related to connectivity with PlayStation 4, the new update came out in only two hours. As the new update came out, the organization replied to its own previous post that the issue is now resolved. We are thankful for your patience.
With the new update, a lot of fans expected a grand update to bring a lot of new things to the game. However, Ubisoft clearly says that players should keep calm as gameplay updates will come very soon as well. Some of the new maps and modifications in the current game is the next target of the organization as most of the players now demand it.
The new update is necessary to install on all the platforms. Even if it only fixes the issue with one platform, Ubisoft makes sure that each and every player installs the update. To stay tuned with the new updates by Ubisoft for Rainbow Six Siege and For Honor, keep in touch and check out the Ubisoft forums for the latest news.


text:
Skip to main content
Expand main menu
Close main menu
Menards eyes Cincinnati expansion
The home improvement giant plans to build a fifth location in the Cincinnati market.
Menards expands in West Virginia
The Midwest home improvement kingpin opens two in the Mountain State on the same day.
Menards has expansion plans in Kentucky
Projects in the works call for up to four new stores in the Bluegrass State.
Menards eyes new Ohio manufacturing facility
An existing structure will be renovated to create a new concrete block manufacturing and distribution operation.
Lumber prices surge ahead
Production cutbacks and an increase in DIY projects are having a dramatic impact on board prices.
Trump names industry leaders to economic revival groups
President appoints top executives from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards and Tractor Supply to bipartisan teams.
Menards apologizes but gets a new warning
Michigan Attorney General says the big box home improvement retailer is enticing customers to shop for non-essential items.
Menards responds to price gouging allegations
Spokesman says that the company’s pricing strategy was “reasonable.”
Michigan accuses Menards of price gouging
Michigan attorney general says Menards doubled the price of cleaning products and face masks.
“[Unhappy employees are] soon to be going, or at least when the economy improves — that’s when they will leave in droves because of extreme low pay and lack of respect from employers. Why wouldn’t they? No one likes being used or abused. Do you?”
Menards plants fields of dreams
While builders around the country are selling off land parcels at bargain prices, the nation’s...
IN BRIEFMenards opens new ‘megastore’Menards, the midwestern DIY retail chain, opened a new “megastore” in...
As Menards continues to expand its borders, including into two new states in the United...
Weekly Circular Roundup
It’s an interesting week for hardware circulars, with Home Depot’s bathroom-centric deals, Menards’ focus on...


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Week in review: Flashies, AT&T fights for merger, Clearwire gets lifeline
- Aislyn Greene
It was a week of triumph and struggle.
The annual TechFlash Newsmakers Awards, a.k.a The Flashies, went off with a bang Thursday night, with an app-earance by Sir Mix-a-Lot and a surprise win in the Newsmaker of the Year category. Lockerz founder Kathy Savitt beat out her former boss, Jeff Bezos, Paul Allen and Intellectual Venture's Nathan Myhrvold as the top newsmaker of the 2011.
AT&T continues to fight for its right to merge with wireless carrier T-Mobile, hitting back at an FCC report that claims the merger would cause “significant harms” to competition and consumers, including increased costs for customers, reduced incentives for innovation and decreased consumer choices. AT&T maintains that the merger will increase innovation, create jobs and save T-Mobile and said the FCC report is a "one-sided" advocacy piece that "cherry-picks facts to support its own views."
Clearwire investors must have heaved a sigh of relief this week after Sprint extended a $1.6 billion lifeline to the struggling company. Under the extended agreement, Sprint will continue to offer Clearwire's WiMax network to customers and supports the build-out of its LTE network, scheduled to be up and running by the end of 2012 or early 2013.
Here are a few things I'm catching up on:
The growing Benaroya Company announced it has added Garrick Sturgill as its new facility manager for its new South Hill and Boise data centers. Sturgill was previously general and operations manger of CoreLink Data Centers and held management positions at The Westin Building.
"Garrick brings a vast amount of expertise and in-depth knowledge of critical environments design and operations.” said Larry Benaroya, principal of the Benaroya Company, in a statement. "He joins us at an exciting time as we expand our data center footprint."
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- What really had Nadella excited during yesterday's earnings report?
- Here's why you should be anxious about Microsoft's earnings report
- AWS revealed: Amazon shares pop in anticipation of AWS details
- High-rises up, Amazon apparently out as owner of this Seattle block
- Earnings extra: Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks
- Developers circle Seattle high-rise development site by Amazon HQ
- Patti Payne's Cool Pads: $7 million San Juan Island estate
- Here's the likely builder of huge complex at Capitol Hill rail station
- F5 names company leader as new CEO to take over from John McAdam
- Seattle Children's planning 13-story downtown research facility
Stay on top of the latest tech news from Seattle and beyond.
Marketing Coordinator Coughlin Porter Lundeen | Seattle, WA
Independent Sales Rep Flight Systems Automotive Group | Northwest United States
Interim County Auditor County of Kaua'i | Lihue, HI
Account Executive Puget Sound Business Journal | Seattle, WA
Construction Project Management Services Quinault Indian Nation | Taholah, WA


text:
Apex Legends seems like it could be well on the way to breaking some major Twitch records. The Titanfall battle royale is barely a week old, but yesterday it broke a massive streaming milestone. Earlier today, livestream data website Gamoloco’s founder, incolas, tweeted that players watched more than seven million hours in a single day.
That’s an astounding total by itself – seven million hours is roughly equivalent to 800 years, for what it’s worth. But what’s even more impressive is that that daily total has only previously been achieved by two other games. Fortnite managed it just once, while Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has done so several times – the FPS’s major esports competitions are many of the most-watched events on the entire platform.
But that’s not all. Incolas points out that battle royale streamer Ninja, who’s been broadcasting the game since its release, wasn’t even streaming yesterday. His streams have been picking up as many as 156,000 views, suggesting that there’s scope for the new kid on the battle royale block to continue growing.
The game’s rise has been stratospheric. Having only arrived on the scene last week, the Apex Legends player count has already topped 25 million, and it boasts concurrent player counts of more than two million. For the record, it took PUBG about seven months to reach those kinds of numbers, and even Fortnite took a while to reach certified phenomenon status.
Read more: Check out our guide to Apex Legends’ best guns
But its impact is being felt elsewhere, too. Titanfall 2’s player counts are also on the rise, and EA’s stock slip has been recovered thanks to its new release. I’m fairly sure that we’ve reached the point now where we can be certain that Apex Legends isn’t just a flash in the pan, and that Respawn will be a name regularly on all of our lips for the next few months at least.


text:
Redding tattoo artist Jamie Davies made his mark on Tuesday's debut of "Ink Master."
"I had faith the whole time," Davies quipped the day after watching the Spike TV show at home with friends and family.
Of course, Davies, who owns Tattooz Ink on Bechelli Lane, knows his fate up until the live season finale in December. But he and the other 16 cast members have been sworn to secrecy.
Tuesday's debut featured back-to-back episodes and the elimination of two contestants — Cee Jay Jones and Little Mike.
The show also featured unexpected drama when tattoo artist TJ Halvorsen, a former sniper in the U.S. Army, took himself out of the competition after slipping a disc during a challenge.
"He had like five bad discs from being blown up in a tank when he was in the military," Davies said. "It locked up on him and he was in really bad shape."
Having suffered his own back problems, Davies understood Halvorsen's decision.
"That is no joke," Davies said. "If you ever want to hold your children or plan on walking" that is something you want to take care of.
But it's not his trick back that sets Davies apart.
What makes Davies somewhat of an oddity in his industry is he doesn't have any visible tattoos anywhere on his body.
Davies, 35, was gone for several weeks earlier this year to film the reality show in New York. He said watching the first two episodes last week "was really weird."
"I got a little anxious before," Davies told me. "All the cast members started texting (each other) really quick, so you could feel the momentum getting started. It was a lot of fun."
The 13 remaining competitors are vying for $100,000 and a feature story of themselves in Inked magazine.
All but the live season finale, to be aired at 10 p.m. Dec. 18, has been shot.
A portion of the players' fate will be calculated from viewers who each week can vote on the Ink Master website (www.spike.com/shows/ink-master) for their favorite tattoo.
"It's important for people to get out there and vote," Spike TV spokeswoman Debra Fazio said last week. "It will affect who gets crowned 'Ink Master'. "
If you missed last week's opener, a rebroadcast runs 2 to 4 p.m. today.
Meanwhile, Davies will host a party Tuesday night at 9 o'clock at Shameless O'Leery's in downtown Redding to watch the next new episode, which airs at 10. Davies said cast member Sebastian Murphy of Detroit will join him for the viewing party.
MARKET STREET WINES UNCORKS MENU
They're mixing it up at Market Street Wines, the boutique wine and beer bar near the Cascade Theatre in downtown Redding.
The business reopened in mid-September after a six-week remodel.
Chapter two of Market Street Wines features a lunch and dinner menu of paninis, salads, individual pizzas, and soups made daily. It's the same menu day and night and prices range from $6 to $10 for lunch and dinner.
There are also three taps that feature a revolving menu of beers. Currently, they have two craft India pale ales and Stella Artois on tap.
This week, the wine bar and restaurant will add French-press brewed coffee.
"We had requests for it," partner Bryan Matthews said of the new menu. "We were making small amounts of things, but people kept asking, 'Can you do this, can you do that.' "
Market Street Wines opened in June 2010. Kenny Breedlove and Wes Matthews, Bryan's son, were the original owners. Breedlove and Wes Matthews own Market Street Steakhouse next door.
Today, Bryan Matthews is in partnership with his wife, Nancy; Adam Thibodeau; Susan Feise; Denise Truscott; and Gary Sittser.
"We have improved the seating arrangements, the decorations; the whole flow of the building is better," Bryan Matthews said.
Market Street Wines opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 4 p.m. Saturday.
A reader chimed in via email in response to last week's news that Costco's move north to Oasis Road is a done deal.
The 148,000-square-foot store — about a third larger than its current location on Dana Drive — could be open for business in spring 2014.
"Costco will have little shopping gain from the north and a lot to lose from the south," the reader said.
The reader believes shoppers in south Redding, Anderson and Cottonwood will shift their big-box buying to the Walmart Supercenters in Redding or Anderson.
"I am, and most of my friends are retired and on a fixed income and try to minimize our travel expenses," he said.
I don't know.
Costco is one of those retailers that consumers will find no matter where it's located. Walmart and Trader Joe's fall into the same category.
So moving a few miles north to Oasis Road isn't going to stop shoppers en masse from loading up on gallon tubs of mayonnaise, 10-pound bags of coffee, or enjoying that weekly mouth-stuffing smorgasbord through the Costco aisles.
Costco also is a major drawing card. My sense is now that the store has locked in Oasis Road, other retailers will follow.
One thing this certain: It's going to get a whole lot more congested in north Redding.
COUNTERFEIT AIR BAGS
Federal transportation officials are alerting consumers to be aware of bogus vehicle air bags.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) knows of the sale of counterfeit air bags in some parts of the country.
Cars, trucks and SUVs that have had an air bag replaced within the past three years by a repair shop that is not part of a dealership may be at risk, the NHTSA said.
"The tragedy of air bag fraud is nobody knows exactly how severe it is," James Quiggle, spokesman for the nonprofit Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, told me over the phone last week. "It's because we are still looking for comprehensive data to nail down the problem."
Malfunctioning of the fake bags has included the device failing to deploy and the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment, according to the NHTSA.
Federal safety officials are not aware of any deaths or injuries connected to counterfeit air bags.
Quiggle did not know whether any repair shops in California have been busted selling the bogus bags.
Consumers who purchased their vehicles new and have not had their airbags replaced are not at risk. Those who know the entire vehicle history of their car, SUV or truck also don't have to worry.
NHTSA officials recommend that consumers with concerns contact the call center that has been established by their manufacturer to have their vehicle inspected at their own expense and the air bag replaced if necessary.
A list of call centers and more information is available at www.SaferCar.gov.
Reporter David Benda can be reached at 225-8219 or firstname.lastname@example.org. He's on Facebook and on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS.
Need Help? Call us at 1-877-710-6185.
Monday-Friday: 6am-6pm / Saturday & Sunday: 7am-10am


text:
For more insights and key statistics on the biggest trends in today’s most disruptive industries, subscribe to our Chart of the Day newsletter.
This year, US entertainment industry mobile ad spend will surpass $11 billion, growing 19.4% from 2021. Growth will slow but remain in the double digits through 2024, when spend will top $15 billion.
Beyond the chart: The industry will invest close to $15 billion in digital ads overall this year, and nearly $20 billion come 2024. That means more than 3 in 4 entertainment digital ad dollars will go to mobile in 2022, as has been the case since 2018.
Video is a major trend to watch in entertainment advertising, accounting for 45.0% of the industry’s digital ad spend this year, up from 31.6% in 2018.
More like this:
Read yesterday’s Chart of the Day here.
Methodology: Estimates are based on the analysis of various elements related to the ad spending market, including macro-level economic conditions; historical trends of the advertising market; historical trends of each medium in relation to other media; reported revenues from major ad publishers; estimates from other research firms; data from benchmark sources; consumer media consumption trends; consumer device usage trends; and eMarketer interviews with executives at ad agencies, brands, media publishers, and other industry leaders.
11 Times SquareNew York, NY 100361-800-405-0844


text:
How does Amazon's Prime Day, held this year on July 16, compare to Alibaba’s Singles' Day, the largest e-commerce shopping day in the world? These two extravaganzas are not just carbon copies; each has its distinctive architecture and strategy, reflecting differences in both the two markets they serve as well as in the two companies.
Scale: Each event is a large-scale shopping holiday built around high volume, deep discounts and thin margins.
Multi-market: Amazon has added Australia, the Netherlands and Singapore to its list of participating countries. Alibaba has further integrated its Lazada acquisition to add Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines.
O2O: Amazon will bring its Whole Foods subsidiary into Prime Day, while Alibaba has integrated its Intime department stores and Hema shops, allowing both platforms to reach consumers who are more comfortable with offline than online.
What’s somewhat similar?
Multimedia: Both have offline events to bolster online sales. Tmall has been running a nationally televised gala in China for four years as a countdown activity to November 10, with up to 200 million viewers. Amazon has stated that it will run offline events in multiple cities for the first time. But the similarity ends there. Alibaba has made shopping entertaining and brought in a Hollywood production team to bolster its A-list from Michael Jordan to the latest Korean boy band. You can click to purchase while you watch the gala. You can use VR headsets to play games during the show. Shopping is fully integrated into the event. Amazon is built to be transactional; Tmall is built to be engaging. In other words, Singles' Day is a celebration. Prime Day is an online sale.
Size: Singles' Day is much, much bigger. In 2017, Alibaba passed $25.3 billion in sales and Amazon hit $2.4 billion (according to Internet Retailer).
Strategy: Singles' Day is brand-focused, Prime Day is Amazon-focused. Tmall has no “ticket price” or paid membership. But Prime Day requires you to join Amazon Prime to participate. This reflects a difference in strategy: Tmall is trying to sell to the entire nation. Amazon is trying to only reach e-commerce shoppers.
House Brands: The U.S. has a relatively mature consumer market, so Amazon focuses on the value-ad of bundled services. Amazon also uses Prime Day as a tool to drive Prime Membership and to promote its own products, the Echo, Kindle and over 80 private label brands.
China has a relatively new consumer market, so Alibaba’s goal is to introduce as many products to customers as possible. Alibaba has stated it will never launch house brands. Singles' Day is about empowering other brands. It allows these brands to launch their latest products and try out their most creative marketing campaigns. It’s the Super Bowl for brands.
This emphasis on brands also drives the overall results. Every brand in China is beating the drum for Singles' Day with communications planning starting four to five months out, but in the U.S. Amazon announced Prime Day only two weeks out, not allowing much time for brands to develop a marketing campaign.
So a Tmall web page will be an opportunity for creativity on the part of the merchant, allowing for streaming, KOLs and integration with the live event. An Amazon web page is a photo and a description. If Singles' Day is the Super Bowl for brands, Prime Day is a come-as-you-are party.
Timing: Tmall will start Singles' Day sales activity one month out with fashion shows and other promotional events, similar to Christmas sales starting just after Thanksgiving. Amazon focuses more on the back end rather than front end, wisely extending Prime Day 12 hours beyond a full day so it will get an echo effect of media coverage and word of mouth.
Summary: If you are in the U.S., you are lucky to have Prime Day, but it is not for everybody. If you are in China, you are even luckier to have Singles' Day--and it is for everybody.
Disclosure: My company Export Now is a regular and satisfied user of Tmall, the main Alibaba platform.


text:
The founding CEO of a neobank purchased by NAB for $200 million says he will leave in the new year just four months after the acquisition was completed.
86 400 CEO Robert Bell announced earlier today he would step down after nearly four years in the role after starting from scratch to build a digital bank that has sold $1 billion in home loans.
“With NAB’s full support and Ubank/86 400 coming together next year I’ll be following the future success from the sideline,” he said in a post on the career-focused social media website LinkedIn.
“I announced today I’ll be stepping down as CEO of 86 400 early in the new year. I’ll do so with an enormous amount of pride in what the team has been able to build together,” Mr Bell said.
He will be replaced by UBank CEO Philippa Watson who was appointed in mid-2020 after former UBank CEO Lee Hatton left NAB for AfterPay via a short stint at Suncorp. Ms Watson reports to NAB COO Les Matheson.
The acquisition of 86 400 with around 120 employees and close to 100,000 customers was one of two large deals announced by NAB. In August, it confirmed it would buy Citi’s credit card business and around 1 million customers for $1.2 billion.
In an email to staff sent on Tuesday, Mr Matheson announced both Mr Bell and 86 400’s chief product and marketing officer Travis Tyler would move on to new opportunities in 2022. He thanked them both for their hard work.
“UBank CEO Philippa Watson will assume responsibility for both UBank and 86 400, with the 86 400 management team reporting directly to Philippa,” Mr Matheson said.
Mr Matheson said Ms Watson’s deep experience in consumer banking ensured she was well-placed to continue the integration work and transfer 86 400’s banking licence to NAB.
“Rob will leave the organisation proud of having led the 86 400 team to strong foundations, outstanding technology offerings, true innovation, and a very unique and positive culture, and that he will follow the 86 400/UBank journey with interest and his best wishes,” Mr Matheson said.
Fetching latest articles


text:
Earlier this month, Travel Tacoma + Pierce County released data on the Pierce County tourism and hospitality industries, revealing all-time-highs. Since 2008 — the earliest data for tourism and hospitality recorded for the area — visitors spend 45.9 percent more money while they’re here, creating 13.5 percent more jobs and paying 55.3 percent more in taxes.
These jumps are undeniably substantial, and 2018 represented the best year for tourism and hotels in Pierce County’s history. Last year, 3.35 million visitors stayed overnight in Pierce County and funneled a record $1.19 billion of direct spending into the area’s economy.
“We’ve got a cluster of unique cities filled with art, culture and history situated between a glacial mountain and accessible saltwater shoreline, and the word is getting out about it,” Dean Burke, president and CEO of Travel Tacoma + Pierce County and Tacoma South Sound Sports Commission, said in a statement. “Everyone in Tacoma and Pierce County should love visitors as much as we do at Travel Tacoma. They show up, have a great time doing the same things we like to do, and then they leave with a memorable experience while making meaningful contributions to our local economy.”
Record high highlights from Dean Runyan Associates’ Travel Impacts Report on tourism in Pierce County include the following:
- Tourism supported 12,580 jobs in Pierce County
- Tourism earnings reached $370 million in Pierce County
- Total taxes generated by tourism reached $132.9 million
The hotel industry, like the tourism industry, also broke records according to the STR Destination Report. There was a 4.9 percent increase in demand and averaged a 71.4 percent occupancy throughout the year. More people visiting has led to eight hotel projects that are currently underway or recently opened in the county, adding 1,045 rooms in 2019 and 2020.
Highlights from the STR Destination Report include the following:
- Average daily room rate reached $103.33, a record high
- Overall hotel revenue reached a Pierce County record of $162 million
- A record 1,568,238 room-nights were sold in Pierce County hotels
To read more from Dean Runyan Associates’ Travel Impacts Report, click here.


text:
Retailers benefit from online spending in November
After all that talk about gloom and doom, there's some good news emerging for retailers. comScore, a digital marketing intelligence company, reports that retail sites posted the largest audience gains during November, surpassing popular virtual hangouts such as social networking sites. The big winners for the month were toys, consumer electronics, and department stores. Traffic in each of those categories spiked 30 percent compared to October.
Looks like shoppers were tempted to buy their gifts from the comforts of their homes rather than venturing into stores. The Wall Street Journal reported that online spending grew 10%, to nearly $12.3 billion in November, compared to a year earlier, while Black Friday online spending grew 11% from the same day a year ago. Among the toy sites, Toysrus led the category with more than 14.8 million visitors (up 82 percent), ranking as the fourth top-gaining property in November, comScore reported. The champions in consumer electronics were BestBuy.com with nearly 25 million visitors and Walmart with 9.9 million visitors (up 139 percent).
Walmart also led the department store category with 46.2 million visitors (up 62 percent), followed by Target with 38.8 million (up 43 percent).
While the verdict has yet to come in on retailers' performance this holiday season, these numbers should definitely bring some much-needed cheer.