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Almost a year after a new comments system prompted a user revolt, social news site Digg appears poised to roll out another system that is so far receiving warm feedback from its notoriously volatile customer base.
Mozilla has warned that a malicious program inserted adware code into a Firefox plugin that has been downloaded thousands of times over the past three months.
McAfee and Yahoo this week announced a partnership on Web security in which Yahoo's search engine is making freely available to users the warnings about unwanted or malicious code on Web sites as determined through McAfee's security technology.
Microsoft won't be pursuing tie-ups or takeovers to replace its failed Yahoo bid, Bill Gates said in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Microsoft has warned users updating to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that they won't be able to downgrade from Internet Explorer 7 to the older IE6 without uninstalling the service pack.
Three months after acknowledging multiple vulnerabilities in its popular Reader software and then patching the program, Adobe this week finally provided some details about the bugs.
Security researcher Aviv Raff has published code that would allow someone to take control of a computer running Internet Explorer, but there's a catch. He's not saying exactly where he's hidden the attack.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has withdrawn a secret demand that the Internet Archive, an online library, provide the agency with a user's personal information after the Web site challenged the records request in court.
A Web measurement firm Wednesday blamed a massive online marketing campaign aimed only at nternet Explorer (IE) users for skewing its April data, which said Mozilla's Firefox and Apple's Safari had lost significant amounts of market share.
Adware pushers have found a new way to trick you into downloading their annoying products: fake MP3 files.
Blinkx has decided to package and sell parts of the technology it has developed over time for its video search engine, in an attempt to capitalize on the rapidly increasing amount of online video.
As its stock price plummets, Yahoo's executives must do something tangible and do it quickly to prove to shareholders that fighting a takeover bid by Microsoft was the right thing to do, analysts said this week.
A US judge has ordered the halt to an e-mail campaign by the operators of adult Web sites after complaints by the US Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice that the e-mail messages violated an antispam law.
Sun Microsystems used Tuesday's opening JavaOne Conference keynote to demonstrate its JavaFX client technology for building rich Internet applications (RIA) and announced that the tool set will ship in the northern Autumn.
Two public pension funds from the city of Detroit plan to expand a complaint against Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang and other members of Yahoo's board of directors, saying they failed to act in the best interest of shareholders in rejecting Microsoft's bid to ...
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Russia okays disposal of Volkswagen assets for US$140 million- report
There is no clarity on whether Volkswagen's transaction carries a buyback clause.
The Russian state has okayed a transaction for Volkswagen to dispose of its Russian assets for US$ 140 million (Euro 125 million) to Avilon, Reuters reported citing Interfax news agency.
If this does go through, Volkswagen will work against the usual trend where most other auto firms have sold their assets for a small fee back to the country, albeit with buyback clauses, keeping open an option to return in the future. There is no clarity on whether Volkswagen's transaction carries a buyback clause, the newswire stated.
Asset disposals by firms that the country calls 'unfriendly', essentially which have put sanctions on Russia, need a go ahead from the government commission which closely tracks foreign investment, Reuters reported. Interfax stated that the Euro 125 million price was decided on April 17, Reuters stated.
The deal got stamp of approval from the country's industry Ministry on Monday, the newswire stated. At the moment, Volkswagen is in the midst of selling shares to a Russian investor, it said, refusing to divulve any further information, the news wire reported. A person in the know said that the deal could be sealed as early as this week. The source stated that the purchaser was avilon and that the Euro 125 million sum was was roughly on mark, adding that the disposal encompassed the Kaluga plant, import activities, the financial and spare part units of business.
Avilon refrained from clarifying, the newswire stated. The Kaluga factory was opened in 2007 by Volkswagen, has been furloughed since 2022, due to sanctions on the back of Russia Ukraine conflict, which caused disruption of supply chains.
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MUMBAI -- Foreign direct investment in India is being suppressed by global economic uncertainty and the failure of Narendra Modi's government to make doing business in the country easier, new data suggests.
FDI fell to $33.49 billion in April-December 2018, from $35.94 billion a year earlier, according to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. After hitting a record high of $46.4 billion in 2016, FDI came to $40 billion in 2017 and $38 billion in 2018.
Analysts are blaming global factors including Brexit and U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist policies, along with the delays in policy implementation and looming general elections at home.
Although these factors may be temporary, economists said the concentration of FDI in certain sectors such as telecommunications and services also signals weakness in manufacturing investment. In addition, some economists warned that investors are divesting at an unsustainable rate.
In the first nine months of the financial year starting in April 2018, the services, computer hardware and software, chemicals, telecommunications and trading sectors accounted for nearly 65% of total FDI equity inflows, according to CARE Ratings estimates.
Technopak Advisors Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Singhal said investors were not as optimistic generally as two to three years ago and this is reflected in the way they treat India. He also blamed tight restrictions in the country: "India is receiving investments in concentrated sectors because in many sectors there are too many conditions."
Singhal added: "For example, multibrand retail [supermarkets] could've attracted $10 billion to $15 billion a year alone if not for restrictions because the consumption story in India is so strong."
The government has been sending more unwelcome messages. In February, it banned deep discounts and blocked e-commerce platforms, such as Walmart-backed Flipkart and Amazon, from selling products through local companies they own, a move seen as trying to win over domestic retailers ahead of the elections.
In some manufacturing sectors, according to India Ratings Principal Economist Sunil Kumar Sinha, investors had expected the government to relax rules around land acquisition and labor laws but those promises have not been acted on.
"Look at how nothing has been realized from big-ticket announcements by ArcelorMittal and [South Korea's] Posco. All these make foreign investors less optimistic about bringing in money via FDI," Sinha said. "Also the World Bank reading shows that India has climbed up in the Ease of Doing Business Index but the reality on the ground is different, and these rankings are mostly based on two- or three-city samples. In smaller cities, things are different."
Both ArcelorMittal and Posco had called it quits on investments totaling around 800 billion rupees before. India moved to 77th place in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business index in 2018, up 53 places in two years. It now aims to be in the top 50.
The Institute for Studies in Industrial Development also pointed out that the high rate of repatriation versus FDI flows, through sales of shares or goods and services to the country of origin, does not benefit domestic industry.
Divestment increased 39% in the April-December term, according to an analyst at the institute, K.S. Chalapati Rao. He said: "This is going to be a big problem as surplus is being extracted and it is draining out resources from the country." He attributed the practice mostly to private equity companies that invested in Indian companies.
However, CARE Ratings said that an improvement in the global economy could make emerging markets a favored destination for foreign investment again.
"India would also be able to reap the benefits of [the] improved business environment," it said in a note. "We are expecting that FDI equity inflows will be around $38 billion to $40 billion in fiscal 2019."


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This post was originally published on June 18, 2014.
It’s already been proven that rats who are fed junk food give birth to obese offspring, which apparently wasn’t unnerving enough. Now Time Magazine is reporting on a qualitative study of 30,000 kids between the ages of eight and 21 which revealed that they use addictive terminology when discussing their relationships with food, can’t decrease their use of junk food despite negative consequences and display withdrawal symptoms when the junk food isn’t available.
Starting Them Young
Sounds like addiction to me. And the New York Times revealed that the CEO’s who control America’s largest food companies refused, in a secret meeting 15 years ago, to alter this generational cycle, despite the fact that “the toll taken on the public health by a poor diet rivals that taken by tobacco.”
So the endless lobbying, marketing and selling of these products continues as we all watch the rate of childhood diabetes and obesity rise. While marketing doesn’t begin and end with childhood, schools are where manufacturers find their most vulnerable—and contained—audience.
That’s why the food manufacturers have geared their products towards kids, knowing that getting them hooked early is fundamental to the companies’ future health. As Morgan Spurlock and Jamie Oliver learned from their impassioned attempts to rescue schools from their corporate contracts, it’s dauntingly hard to undo decades of mis-feeding our kids.
Preventing Poisonous Lunches
Michelle Obama knows this. She recently delivered a stern speech to the Congressional Republicans who proposed to weaken nutritional standards in student lunches. She said the stakes on this issue couldn’t be higher and she’s right. And if a government doesn’t act on its citizens’ behalf, who will? The parents—many of whom were raised on these convenience foods?
It’s unsurprising that junk food diets can be addictive since the levels of fat, sodium and sugar are so fiercely concentrated. Only one can of Coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar, nearly double a child’s recommended allowance per day. That’s right, one can. And every day in this country, kids scarf cheeseburgers laced with ammonia and chicken nuggets made of 50% chicken meat and 50% fat, blood vessels, nerve, connective tissue and ground bone.
Junk Food Dependency
Researchers and academics continue to put the facts out there: they don’t depend on lobbyists’ dollars. Australian scientists found a chemical basis for junk food addiction, locating the psychoactive chemicals these foods create that trigger a change in brain activity. Junk food “increases the release of opioids” in the brains of pregnant rats, whose offspring later not only showed a greater tendency towards passivity and obesity, but also alterations in the reward pathways of their brains. “When we eat foods high in fat and sugar, this increases the release of opioids and the feel-good peptide dopamine in the reward centre of the brain and creates a pleasurable sensation that keeps us going back for more,” said Dr. Beverly Mühlhäusler of the University of Adelaide.
But for kids, the government-supported fast-food band plays on. And it’s tough to expect them to refuse food this culture celebrates. Friday, June 6th was National Doughnut Day. But for far too many kids, that’s no different than any other day in America.


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Labeling Cosmetics May Help Prevent Cancers
CHICAGO, Illinois, August 15, 2002 (ENS) - It's a right to know issue. Women who are sensitive to chemicals should have the benefit of warning labels on their cosmetics identifying those chemicals, say six environmental groups and Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition.
One of the groups, the Environmental Health Network of California, is petitioning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asking for warning labels on cosmetics to identify allergens and hazardous substances contained in the hair spray, deodorant, nail polish and perfume that many women use every day.
The fragrance industry uses phthalates to make scents evaporate more slowly, "Phthalates in fragrances make the scent last longer," the American Chemistry Council wrote July 10 in "Phthalates and Your Health."
Besides some 20 allergens, cosmetics and toiletries contain other numerous hazardous ingredients, says Dr. Epstein. "These include about 100 carcinogens and 15 endocrine hormonal disruptors."
The American Chemistry Council denies the use of chemicals in cosmetics can hurt people. "Phthalates are among the most widely studied materials in the world and have been researched and tested for more than 50 years," a council statement said.
"Consumers could reduce their avoidable risks of cancer and other disease by shunning unsafe cosmetic products and shopping for safer alternatives," he says. "While currently limited, their availability will rapidly increase with increasing demand; this is well exemplified by the organic food industry."
In May, Senator Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, introduced a bill (S.2499) that would require user friendly food label warnings of allergens, to which about seven percent of the population are sensitive.
Dr. Epstein suggests that cosmetics are even more deserving of warning labels since the hazardous ingredients pose risks of cancer, genetic damage and reproductive toxicity, including infertility, "to virtually the entire U.S. population of unsuspecting consumers, and their infants and children."
The risks are high, says Dr. Epstein, due to the "virtual lifelong use" of many cosmetic products such as shampoos and lotions, their "routine daily application to large areas of skin," and "the ready skin absorption of some ingredients."
Most troubling are the way the various chemical interact, described by Dr. Epstein as "the additive or synergistic interactions between multiple carcinogenic or otherwise toxic ingredients."
Women's Voices for the Earth, one of the groups endorsing the call for warning labels, says shoppers have little to guide them as they try to avoid chemical effects from using cosmetics. "Good luck trying to avoid products that contain phthalates, and don't forget your magnifying glass. Labeling requirements are so lax that many containers list the ingredients inside the sealed package in font fit for a flea - and many don't list the culprit at all."
Dr. Epstein says that this labeling failure "violates the 1938 Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act" which mandates that "each ingredient used in a cosmetic product - shall be adequately substantiated for safety prior to marketing." This law authorizes FDA to recall and seize unsafe products.
The act under which the FDA operates makes a distinction between cosmetics, which are intended to "cleanse, beautify or promote attractiveness," and drugs, which are defined as "agents that treat disease or affect the structure or any function of the human body." The law does not mandate pre-market approval for cosmetics, but does mandate pre-market approval of the safety and effectiveness of drugs.
The FDA does consider all products that make sunscreen claims to be drugs, including cosmetics such as lipsticks and shampoos, and the agency requires warning labels indicating the strength of these products' ability to block harmful solar rays.
Commenting on an FDA survey released earlier this year that turned up higher than expected levels of phthalates in the blood of women 20 to 40 years old, an FDA official who asked not to be named told Reuters, "the use of phthalates is ubiquitous."
Fragrances and perfumes are exempt from FDA listing requirements, on grounds of trade secrecy, a position Dr. Epstein can understand. But in the interest of public health and cancer prevention, he urges that the cosmetics industry be required to disclose their ingredients to the FDA and certify them as free from toxic ingredients.
As a variety of products is used by a single person, complicating factors come into play, that Dr. Epstein calls "hidden" carcinogens. "These include those contaminating non-carcinogenic ingredients, those formed in the product or skin by the breakdown of non-carcinogenic ingredients, and those formed by the chemical interaction between ingredients or contaminants," he says.
One of the six supporting groups is the Environmental Health Network of California (EHN). They filed a petition with the FDA to require warning labels on fragrance products in May 1999.
The Environmental Health Network says the petition was filed "on behalf of everyone who feels We The People have a right to know about the superfluous toxins in our synthetic fragrances."
The docket on their petition is still open for public comment, the FDA has been told the Environmental Health Network.
People are advised to report to the Food and Drug Administration their adverse reactions - first, second or thirdhand - to synthetic scents." Those who yet to suffer adverse effects, but want effective labeling, can also contact the FDA, referencing Docket Number: 99P-1340.
The group says it is best to chose one mode of comment - either letter or fax or email. Letters may be faxed to the FDA at: 301-827-6870. The email address is: email@example.com
Letters may be mailed to: Dockets Management Branch, The Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Rm. 1-23, 12420 Parklawn Dr., Rockville, Maryland 20857.
Several other groups have taken up this issue. Health Care Without Harm, a coalition of health, religious, labor, and environmental groups, has been lobbying against phthalates for years. Its website Not Too Pretty, makes the case against these chemicals.
"Chemicals that can damage the development and future fertility of babies don't belong in products marketed to women," the group's Bryony Schwan told reporters.
Schwan, who is also national campaigns director for Women's Voices for the Earth, says, "Phthalate-free products that perform as well are on the market for virtually every single phthalate-containing product."
Supporters include regional organizations such as the Oregon Toxics Alliance, a statewide grassroots organization, that supports citizens' efforts to avert the dangers of toxics use in their communities.
The California based Center for Environmental Health works to protect the public from environmental and consumer health hazards through education, litigation, and advocacy.
The North Carolina based Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, a regional, community based, nonprofit considers the cosmetics labeling issue fits into members concerns about focused on earth stewardship, environmental democracy, social justice, and community empowerment.
To find out more about how to prevent cancer, visit the Cancer Prevention Coalition at: http://www.preventcancer.com


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The world of hard cider has grown so much since we first started crafting our small batches back in 1991. Today cider makers from around the state of Vermont kick off the first annual Vermont Cider Week! We couldn’t be more excited for a full week dedicated to our favorite apple libation.
We’re hosting a ton of events right here at the Cidery in Middlebury, VT as well as events going on around the state! From cheese pairings courtesy of our friends at Cabot Creamery to special guest chats with folks who work with the apples so crucial to our locally made cider, this week is going to be awesome. There is no other word for it. We’re even dedicating a couple of days where our cider makers will break out some firkins of some very experimental batches! You do not want to miss what’s coming up this week at the Cider House.Tweet


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Last Updated: Tuesday, 23 May 2017 22:54
From April 19-21, ECOCERT China held a three day seminar on organic textiles in Xiamen, China. Felicia Shi, GOTS Representative for Greater China was invited to give a lecture as the first speaker on the first day.
Felicia firstly introduced the overview to organic textiles, then she talked about the latest market trends of organic textiles such as how brands embed sustainability as their core strategy, after that, she gave a brief introduction about GOTS standard, what's more, she presented the lasted updates at GOTS for example the promotional activities of GOTS worldwide and GOTS China. In addition, she illustrated the organic labelling globally, last but not the least, she showed how GOTS licensing and Labelling work for the facilities.
Over 50 participants attended the seminar, including brands such as C&A, H&M, as well as OCS and GOTS certified processors and manufacturers.


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Carmakers rev up Super Bowl ads
At least nine have spots airing Sunday, a new high
January 30, 2014
More automakers than ever will advertise in the Super Bowl this year.
At least nine plan to air spots in the big game on Fox Sunday, including first-time Super Bowl advertiser Jaguar.
It will mark the fourth straight year that auto has been the game’s biggest ad category, following a pullback in Super Bowl advertising by carmakers during the depths of the recession in 2009 and 2010.
“Car companies (along with beer/spirits) have long been a big part of the Super Bowl ad game, primarily because they are selling a lifestyle as much as anything,” says one buyer.
Last year six carmakers advertised in the Super Bowl, according to Kantar Media, out of 34 total advertisers in the game. Eighteen percent of all advertising in the 2013 game was for cars.
In 2012, seven auto manufacturers advertised, and in 2011 the number was six. But in 2009 and 2010, only seven total advertised.
It’s little wonder more brands wanted in this year. Over the past few games automakers have hijacked the post-Super Bowl commercial buzz.
In 2011, Volkswagen’s “Little Darth Vader” became the most-watched big-game ad ever online, attracting 59 million views and still counting. And Chrysler’s “God Made a Farmer” and “Halftime in America” ads have scored very well in postgame ad surveys the past two years.
This year luxury carmakers such as Jaguar and Audi are making a push into the big game.
“While during regular season, you might see a lot more Ford utility truck-type ads that resonate with the blue collar, everyday male, once you get into playoffs and Super Bowl you will see more luxury brands like Cadillac, Lexus, etc.,” the buyer says.
“These brands feel their products and image align with the demographic of who watches the Super Bowl.”
Indeed, Nielsen recently released a report that found that more than a quarter of households that tuned into the game made more than $100,000 per year.
Of course, there will always be debate over whether Super Bowl advertising is worth the high price, a reported $4 million for a 30-second spot this year.
At least one car maker that sat out last year and dropped out entirely during the recession seems to believe it is.
General Motors will return to the game after a one-year absence with two spots for Chevrolet.
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It could be that ESPN is ripe for a takedown
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Harbor Freight Tools�will open its new store in Tahlequah at 8 a.m. Dec. 5.
The Tahlequah store, located at 905 S. Muskogee Ave., is the 23rd Harbor Freight Tools store in Oklahoma. The new store brings approximately 25-30 new jobs to the community. As a designated essential service, the store will be open seven days a
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Halliburton is a well-known, shady company that has made a lot of profit on the misery of the world, thanks to it's partnership with corrupt politicians and dictators. The perfect company to churn out profits for it's conscienceless share holders, pumping dirty oil into the world. The rest of us will see no good from this. Typically, monopolized industries do not bring costs down for consumers.
This deal will be good for the companies and the shareholders. It will not be good for consumers or employees. The merged company will reduce the workforce, and call them 'efficiencies', and raise prices, 'to protect consumers'. We have all seen this show before. Ultimately, oil prices and related costs will rise.
Oil consumers won't know until the future if the Halliburton-Baker Hughes deal is a good deal or bad one, but there are indications that the deal won't be the best for all parties. As with any big company, the details of the arrangement seem to favor business more than consumers. This leaves many wondering if the consumer was part of the plan or if there is going to be a way to track how it might help people outside of the arrangement.
No, I do not believe the Halliburton-Baker Hughes deal will be good for oil consumers. Following this aquisition, there will be 1 less competitor in the field which I believe will cause an increase in prices. The lower the amount of competitiors, the less chance of a price war on oil overall.


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The government’s latest base rate cut is likely to have little effect on helping the economy to recover and therefore the automotive industry, it has been claimed.
Yesterday’s Bank of England decision to cut its base rate by 0.5 per cent saw it drop to 1.5 per cent.
With banks following suit and passing the rate on to their customers, the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) has expressed its concern that savers will suffer and will therefore have less disposable income to spend on a new vehicle.
RMIF director Sue Robinson commented that the government’s rate reduction should come with a wider package of measures.
She explained: “Unless counterbalanced with tax cuts and business support measures, further interest rate reductions could have a negligible effect on the economy.”
This Scottish Motor Trade Association has also appealed for the restoration of consumer confidence.
It called for lenders to relax access to credit in order to boost flagging motor trade.
Visit the #1 Motor Trade Insurance page


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FIFA 18 has made franchise history as EA Sports has announced that the game reached an all new milestone after successfully selling over 24 million copies worldwide!
Since it's release nearly a year ago, players from all over the world have been playing the game more than ever, totaling to over 7 billion matches played and over 17 billion goals scored since launch day. This also marks a whopping total of over 260 million copies sold across the FIFA franchise to date.
Another highlight to EA Sports’ most dominating title is the addition of the Football Ultimate Team mode or FUT in the game. First introduced in FIFA 09, FUT continues to be one of the most popular modes in FIFA, and FUT 18 fans have created over 13 million clubs within the mode. FIFA also made an entry to the mobile platform in the form of FIFA Mobile, which has surpassed 193 million installs worldwide, and was also recently released in China where fans have already played over 900 million sessions.
EA Sports FIFA also spawned a number of competitive competitions like The EA SPORTS FIFA 18 Global Series that had more than 20 million players from 60 participating countries, taking part in competitive gaming events across FIFA 18 and FIFA Online 3. On that note, the FIFA Online 3 and FIFA Online 4 continue to be immensely popular across Asia, and to date has more than 115 million registered players, and over 15 billion sessions played.
Darryl Laurance is an intern over at IGN Southeast Asia with a penchant for survival horror and action RPGs


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DrupalCamp Finland with DrupalCon Europe 2021
HTC Helsinki, Ruoholahti
This year's DrupalCon Europe is an online event, but local communities have the capability to gather smaller amount of people already together. Many camps this year have local programme and participate in the larger event in their own ways.
The Finnish Drupal Association wanted to bring a touch of the local community to the online DrupalCon by giving an opportunity for all community members to come watch Driesnote together. In addition to that, there will be some interesting presentations on-site.
The event will be free of charge, courtesy of the Finnish Drupal Association. As the strong recommendation for face masks has been lifted in Finland, and there is plenty of space in the venue, use of face masks is not required but you can definitely use one if you feel comfortable with it.
- 12.30 Opening the event, Finnish Drupal Association
- 12.35 Helsinki Business College introduces their Drupal programme
- 12.50 Break
- 13.00 Driesnote live from DrupalCon Europe
- 14.30 Coffee break
- 15.00 Empowering Next.JS with Drupal — David Corbacho & Mario Vercellotti, Wunder
- 15.30 Using Drupal core lazy building — Mika Tuhkanen, Siili Solutions
- 16.00 Why do you want a design system — Tomi Sjöblom & Jari Nousiainen, Siili Solutions
- 16.30 State of Drupal Business in 2021 — Janne Kalliola, Exove
- 16.55 Closing words, Finnish Drupal Association
The venue is HTC Helsinki auditorium "Kolumbus" in Ruoholahti, a familiar location to attendees to previous DrupalCamps in Helsinki.
HTC Helsinki is located at Tammasaarenkatu 1-7, 00180 Helsinki. The auditorium is in the building "Pinta".


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A game launching today on the ConAgra brand’s Facebook page invites people to enable their webcams, mark the position of their mouth in a video mirror image of themselves, and then contort their necks to “catch” the puffed kernels as they fall like snow on the screen.
Called “Pop Cam,” the game was created by Possible Worldwide – which has held the Orville Redenbacher’s account for more than four years (back then the agency was called Bridge). Aimed in part at Facebooking moms navigating the treacherous waters of family snacking, it continues an ad strategy embraced last spring, when TV, Internet, and mobile ads began touting popcorn’s health credentials (whole grain, high fiber, low sodium – that is until you shower it with salt).
As you play, the game periodically proclaims these advantages. “The campaign helps mom understand popcorn can be a guilt free snack and Orville is the leader of the category,” said Brian LeCount, director of strategic insights and planning at Possible.
Pop Cam was built by Possible Labs, Possible Worldwide’s R&D unit.
“Augmented reality is something we’ve been exploring in labs for a number of years,” said Jeff Busdieker, lead creative technologist and head of Possible Labs. He notes that early augmented reality required activation through a so-called marker or token. Those tokens often take the form of a printed icon, which functions as a glorified QR code. They are usually black and white and must be uniquely defined so the software can recognize them.
“We realized early on that that’s not very friendly for our brands,” he said. But this is no longer the case. “As we started to explore it over the years, the market became less complex as the software got better.”
The technology has now improved to the extent that Busdieker expects his team will test augmented campaigns for the mobile channel in 2012. Those executions will require an app, and may offer actually useful, as opposed to merely fanciful, interfaces – for instance ratings and reviews of in-store products.
What does the future of paid search and paid social advertising look like? Last Wednesday, ClickZ sought to answer that question, holding its first Digital Advertising Breakfast in London.
Instagram has increased the number of photos and videos we can upload for each post. How can brands take advantage?
With 80% of brands believing they provide good social customer service but only 8% of customers agreeing, it is easy to see there is a disparity between perception and reality in this space.
According to data gathered for the report,‘Communications Infrastructure: The Backbone of Digital,’ 88% of IT professionals and 61% of marketers ranked their company’s current communication infrastructure as 'cutting-edge' or 'good.'


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It has been rumoured recently that Microsoft may be developing a more powerful Xbox games console that they are planning to launch sometime during 2017, as well as a slimmer Xbox One system that will be available sometime later this year.
At the current time Microsoft has not confirmed anything, but with E3 just around the corner the company may reveal more details in the coming weeks.
Sony has already announced a new more powerful PlayStation 4.5 is currently under development and is expected to be launched just before the company officially releases their new virtual reality headset in the form of the PlayStation VR, during October 2016.
Microsoft has been contacted about the rumours and responded in the expected way, saying : “We do not comment on rumors or speculation,”. As soon as more details are announced or leaked regarding a more powerful Xbox which has been apparently code-named “Scorpio” and allegedly features a more powerful GPU with possible Oculus Rift support we will keep you up-to-date as always.
Source: Game Informer
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Why All the Boycotts?
They’re not generally effective, and demanding uniform political agreement is counterproductive.
Americans are finding it harder these days to get away from politics. Sure, our minds have for years been saturated with the 24-hour news cycle and the talkingheads who dutifully explain what it was that we just watched. And half the country still can’t accept that Donald Trump is our nation’s duly elected president. There’s a protest around every corner, and it’s harder than ever to avoid them. We can’t even grab a cup of coffee without being swept up into the latest cause célèbre.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen three major companies criticized and targeted for actions that strayed into the political. These include Nike being denounced after former NFL Colin Kaepernick pushed the company to pull its Betsy Ross flag shoe, Starbucks being castigated because one of its locations asked police officers to leave because a customer felt uneasy, and Home Depot being disparaged because one of its co-founders announced that he’d make a contribution to President Trump’s reelection.
And how can we forget the 2012 boycott of Chick-fil-A? All it took was a statement by its president and chief operating officer: “We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that. … We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that.” Dan Cathy added, “We intend to stay the course. … We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”
Seems like a fairly innocuous statement of principles, not an attack on the “LGBTQ community.”
But supporters of same-sex marriage and LGBTQ causes didn’t see it that way. In response to Cathy’s comments and Chick-fil-A’s support of organizations such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, homosexual-advocacy groups encouraged a boycott of the restaurant chain. Fortunately, there was pushback and the restaurant actually saw its post-boycott sales increase, but suddenly people going out for a chicken sandwich found themselves embroiled in a nationwide political storm.
As citizens and parents, we should ask ourselves: Do we really want our children growing up in a society in which every time they go to the mall or grab a bite they have to take a political stand? After all, for the time and energy exerted by both sides, boycotts don’t seem to be having any real impact.
Matt Walsh writes at The Daily Wire, “People may have good reason to be miffed about the Starbucks and Nike controversies, but boycotts are equally pointless in those cases. Starbucks didn’t enact a policy banning police officers from entering their establishments. This was a bad decision made by one shift manager at one location.”
Walsh adds, “Why would you refuse to buy coffee from a Starbucks in Scranton, Pennsylvania because an employee in Tempe, Arizona did something obnoxious? Nike’s decision about the shoe was indefensible, but it was a marketing calculation made by one person, or one small group. Most of the people theoretically impacted by a boycott are innocent of the crime.”
Now, there’s nothing wrong with individuals taking a principled stand against an organization or company that somehow violates their values or beliefs. But does everything have to become a national cause? And should we seek to punish an entire company in response to a poor decision made by one of its employees? Some of these companies have thousands of workers in hundreds of locations around the country, and there’s no way to ensure that every single one of them will always act appropriately. It seems better to deal with these situations on a case-by-case, or even an individual, basis.
But in 2019, too many Americans want every one of their fellow citizens to agree with them on everything. 100 percent. Or else.
Here’s some advice: If you don’t like your local bakeshop owner supporting this or that cause, then don’t buy your pastries there. But don’t expect a nation of more than 300 million people to join you. And don’t seek to destroy others’ livelihoods if they don’t pledge to embrace your worldview. It seems simplistic, but maybe more Americans need to mind their own business instead of telling others who they can and can’t support.
The problem here seems to be that we’re living in a hyper-society, made possible in part by social media and also by our desire to politicize every aspect of American life. And that society is no longer unified by the same beliefs, resulting in a nation more fragmented than ever. As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recently said after Nike’s unshelving of the Betsy Ross flag shoe, “If we’re in a political environment where the American flag has become controversial to Americans, I think we have a problem.”
Indeed, we do.
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May 16 (GMM) Honda is expected to announce before the week is out its highly anticipated return to formula one.
Citing Honda sources, major Japanese newspapers including the Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun, and the Kyodo news agency, are reporting that a formal announcement of the 2015 comeback is now imminent.
The announcement will almost certainly be of a works engine collaboration with the great British team McLaren starting in 2015, and potential customer engine deals for the radical new turbo V6 regulations.
A Honda spokesperson would not comment.
Interestingly, however, Tokyo-born former Honda driver Takuma Sato has ruled out a return to formula one in the near future, insisting he is committed to Indycar.
“Formula one isn’t the only racing,” the 36-year-old told NBC.
“My first focus is to win races here, win the (Indy) 500 and win the championship.”
German-language Speed Week, however, said it could be a totally different story for the newly-departed and formerly Toyota-backed Japanese Kamui Kobayashi.


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Packers players cups hit Kwik Trip this week
The race to collect a new series of 3D animated cups featuring six different Green Bay Packers players starts this week at your closest Kwik Trip.
An individual player cup will be issued every other week beginning with wide receiver Jordy Nelson on Thursday to coincide with the Packers-Seattle Seahawks season opener that night. The other five players to be featured are linebacker Clay Matthews, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Randall Cobb, running back Eddie Lacy and cornerback Tramon Williams.
They'll be available at Kwik Trip stores statewide. Cost for each cup is $2.99 with a 32-ounce self-pour beverage.
Which player cup will be the next to be released has not yet been announced, but the remaining dates for cup introductions are as follows (each is a Sunday): Sept. 21, Oct. 5, Oct. 19, Nov. 2 and Nov. 16. Each design will be available only while supplies last.
The cups were created by Oshkosh-based Dynamic Drinkware in partnership with the Packers.
— firstname.lastname@example.org and follow her on Twitter @KendraMeinert


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Eastern Consolidated has arranged a 950 s/f lease at 220 East 60th Street for makeup salon Rouge New York, founded by Law & Order: SVU star, Stephanie March, and Rebecca Perkins, the head makeup artist on the show.
This second retail location for Rouge New York is slated to open December 4, on the ground floor of the 12-story Upper East Side residential building.
March, who had a long-time role as ADA Alex Cabot on Law & Order SVU, and Perkins opened their first Rouge New York salon in 2013 at 130 Thompson Street in SoHo.
“This space at 220 East 60th Street was a high-value offering and its location was a major draw for the tenant given the constant foot traffic that this side street commands from the connecting Third Avenue retail corridor anchored by Bloomingdales,” said Brad Cohen, senior director at Eastern Consolidated, who along with associate Jon Kamali exclusively represented the owner in the transaction.
“This block and the surrounding blocks are heavily populated by design and home furnishing tenants, but that’s starting to change with the arrival of more tenants like Rouge New York.”
Added Kamali, “The makeup salon will serve as a catalyst for more diverse users coming into this market as the area begins to experience a shift in retail tenancy due to the attractive value of this location.”
Jacqueline Klinger and Jordan Cohn, of SCG Retail, represented the tenant in the transaction.


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As the January 2020 new car market draws near, Ford says it has an exciting range of offers to woo customers during the busy new car registration sales period.
Under the banner of the Ford 201 Sales Event, the deals on some of Ireland’s best-selling cars include a registration bonus of up to a €1,000, and the extra peace of mind of seven years' warranty and seven years' roadside assistance. All the offers cover vehicles ordered before the end of December 201.
Ciarán McMahon, managing director of Ford Ireland, says the objective of Ford 201 Sales Event campaign is to bring a range of enticing offers to motorists who are in the market for a new car and to "provide the car packed with the latest smart technologies”.
“Our overall package includes the option of a registration bonus or low rate of finance on popular models such as our award winning Focus or the EcoSport compact SUV, plus an upgrade pack of selected technologies. And all with the added security of a seven-year warranty and seven years of roadside assistance.”
Examples of the Ford 201 sales event deals are the Ford Fiesta Titanium with the option of a 3.9 per cent APR rate or a registration bonus of €1,000. Another is the new Ford Focus ST-Line with the option of a 1.9 per cent low APR rate or €1,000 registration bonus, priced from €24,481 with a special upgrade pack that Ford says includes a rear view camera.
Ford EcoSport Titanium offers boast option of a 3.9 per cent low APR rate or €1,000 registration bonus, priced from €23,820 with special upgrade pack that includes privacy glass, front parking sensors and a rear spoiler.


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- Agostoni Chocolate
Pandemic Chocolate: How COVID Changed the Market and Where It’s Going
The coronavirus impacted almost every aspect of our lives, including our eating habits, and our relationship with chocolate is one of the many things that changed.
Did you turn to chocolate for a taste of comfort during some of the darker COVID days? You’re not alone. Lots of people enjoyed more chocolate, and ate larger amounts of high-quality chocolate, during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Let’s look back at the chocolate trends we saw over the past year and forward to where these trends are headed.
Why did people turn to chocolate during the pandemic?
Simply put, chocolate makes you feel good. People aren't just imagining those good feelings that come when they eat chocolate; science has proven that chocolate has several mood-lifting compounds. These include phenylethylamine, a natural antidepressant that the brain makes when you're struck by love, and tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body produce the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter serotonin.
How did chocolate habits shift as the world weathered COVID?
People consumed more chocolate and better chocolate -- when it was available. Globally, while people around the world craved chocolate, and overall sales went up, they often had to settle for lower-quality confections that they could find in supermarkets. The supply issues resulting from coronavirus restrictions were responsible for the slump that the premium chocolate sector saw across the globe last year.
In the United States, where supply problems were less of an issue, the consumption of high-quality chocolate outpaced lower-grade chocolate in 2020. The National Confectioners Association calculates that overall chocolate sales rose 5.5% and premium chocolate saw a spike of 12.5%. The percentages of chocolate purchased at local supermarkets and grocery stores were even higher: chocolate sales went up 17.9% and premium chocolate rose a whopping 21.4%.
Why did people more often choose premium chocolate over non-premium chocolate? The market research firm ReportLinker found that in 2020 consumer inclination leaned toward dark chocolate because it's generally healthier, lower in calories, and carries a premium cachet. Findings suggest that this demand for dark chocolate will only increase and fuel market growth.
Chocolate is a part of daily life for many Americans.
Data from the food giant Mondelēz International (Oreo, Chips Ahoy) shows that in mid-2020 about one in four consumers said that they regularly ate chocolate. The market research company FMCG Gurus surveyed chocolate eaters in the United States and found that 93% of them buy single-serve chocolate bars. Ten percent of those people ate one chocolate bar every day, and 38% of them said that their consumption of single-serve chocolate bars increased during the pandemic.
Sustainable and dark chocolate will drive the future.
In almost any market you look at it’s a fact: sustainability sells. Chocolate is no different. A staggering 81% of U.S. consumers say that they have positive inclinations toward products with sustainable ingredients.
And consumers favor dark chocolate. ReportLinker predicts that the world's chocolate market will have a compounded annual growth rate of 4.5% from 2021 to 2026. The market research company Technavio forecasts that dark chocolate will outpace general chocolate sales, growing at a rate of 7% annually to become a 3.5 billion dollar sector by the year 2024.
Will chocolate consumption continue to rise at the same dramatic rate without end? According to Packaged Facts, market researchers who specialize in packaged foods, the 12+% surge we saw in 2020 and 2021 will level off. The effects of that chocolate boom, however, will reverberate for years. The elevated levels of snacking and baking with chocolate we saw during the pandemic are expected to hold. Going forward we should see more consumption of chocolate than we did in pre-pandemic days.
There have been some small silver linings with COVID. Not a lot, but some. And one may be the rediscovery of the restorative properties of delectable chocolate, which we can surely keep with us as the world returns to normal.


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FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio (WJW) — Employees were notified Wednesday the Fairview Park Earth Fare location is closing.
The health and wellness supermarket company announced they’ll be offering a 25% off-everything liquidation sale at the spot on 3450 West Gate Mall starting Wednesday and running until items are gone.
The company filed for bankruptcy in 2020, but reopened with new leadership. The Fairview Park location, which opened in 2011, reopened last fall after being closed during the pandemic.
The company blamed the “economic climate” for the decision to close the location.
“We are extremely disheartened to announce the closure of this store,” Henry Kugler, Chief
Operating Officer of Earth Fare, said in a statement. ” … Ultimately we are unable to provide our shoppers with the experience they need and deserve. We will always be grateful to our loyal shoppers who have supported us through the years.”
The employees out of a job were reportedly told they could transfer to the nearby location in Canton if they so choose.


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| Dec 18, 2014
| 5:46 PM
Two women stood before a cookie display and marveled at the sight of a snickerdoodle, chocolate chip and red velvet assortment behind glass cases.
"December is the best month to get cookies because you know what we'll be doing in January," the friend...
| Dec 18, 2014
| 8:11 PM
The holiday season is a time for good food and getting together with friends.
So when Doug Bennett, executive director of college advancement at Orange Coast College, and Liz Parker, an OCC Foundation specialist, invited me to lunch and tour their...
| Dec 1, 2014
| 2:50 PM
The other week, I went grocery shopping and brought a bag to fill for charity, as we're wont to do during the holiday season. The blue reusable bag, produced by a church pantry, contained a list of suggested donations on the side: rice, cereal, canned...
| Nov 21, 2014
| 11:52 AM
His name isn't Willy Wonka, but that hasn't stopped him from opening a chocolate factory.
And Richard Foley, 53, plans to share the inner workings of his ChocXO Bean-to-Bar Chocolatier in Irvine with the public Friday and Saturday.
Foley, a Dana Point...
| Oct 10, 2014
| 9:36 AM
Here he grows again.
Clayton Peterson, the Costa Mesa native who took over a 1940s industrial building on the west side of town to record local bands, showcase his personal art collection and host a private venue, is now hoping to liven up the space...
| Oct 11, 2014
| 3:14 PM
The Corona del Mar Home Tour, the Corona del Mar High School PTA's only annual fundraiser, will take place Tuesday and feature seven homes, including the owners of Roger's Gardens' Cameo Shores home.
Tickets are $75, and include breakfast at Le Pain...
| Sep 25, 2014
| 4:29 PM
As sommeliers poured a 2011 Malbec into wine glasses and suited waiters greeted guests, Geeta Bansal stood behind a stainless steel counter and delicately sprinkled a mix of black rice, rye and black salt atop an elk, foie and radish appetizer.
| Aug 14, 2014
| 8:17 PM
The dog days of summer are here, and while it may be too hot to cook, it's the perfect temperature to read books where baking is a component of the story.
"Bread Alone" by Judith Ryan Hendricks features a woman who has found herself moving from Los...
| May 2, 2014
| 3:43 PM
Jon Favreau was right — it's an exceptionally bad idea to watch "Chef" on an empty stomach.
Slow-cooked cured meats, golden-brown grilled cheese sandwiches, sugar-sprinkled beignets and undeniably delicious-looking Cuban sandwiches drew murmurs of...
| Jun 26, 2014
| 7:28 PM
Four years after he started his food-truck career, Phi Nguyen is a Hollywood star.
Well, not him specifically. But eateries on wheels have been the rage recently at the multiplex, thanks to "Chef," Jon Favreau's sleeper hit about a man who recovers...
| Feb 6, 2013
| 3:44 PM
Mark's — renamed ReMark's — recently reopened in Laguna Canyon on the site of his original restaurant that has been shuttered for two years. Mark DePalma tells us proudly that his 11-year-old daughter Ashley suggested the clever new moniker....
| Feb 12, 2013
| 11:14 AM
Cindy Dole and Marena Padden, grade-level advisors of the Newport Chapter of the National Charity League, hosted an event this week at the newly opened Hood Kitchen Space in Costa Mesa.
More than 30 of the chapter's eighth-grade girls participated in an...


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Australian Innovative Systems (AISystems) is a multi-award winning, Australian owned leader in the design, production and supply of commercial and residential chlorine generators and water…read more
Chinese cinema attendances to overtake USA as of 2020
The Chinese cinema industry is set to outshine the US in box office takings as of next year according to a newly released study.
According to a new reported from PricewaterhouseCoopers, Chinese cinemas will next year gross US$12.28 billion in 2020, compared to US$11.93bn in the USA. The study predicts that the US box office will generate US$12.11 billion in 2019, compared to China’s US$11.05 billion.
China, with a population of 1.4 billion people, currently sells more cinema tickets than the USA, which has a population of 328.9 million.
The study explains “as the Hollywood majors continue to release mega-budget films, exhibitors are tempting consumers away from streaming platforms at home and back to theatres with high-quality screening facilities.
“Membership schemes can soften the impact of increased admissions for cinemagoers and are expected to become more popular over the forecast period.”
China’s anticipated overtaking of the US as the world’s biggest cinema box office comes as reports suggest the country has begun targeting Hollywood as part of the two nations’ escalating trade war. According to London's The Daily Telegraph this also includes China refusing to show Western films and not hiring American actors.
The US film industry has increasingly relied on the success of its movies in the Chinese market, but China’s Film Bureau has reportedly been indicating to distributors that US movies would not be given release dates in future.
11th May 2018 - Dalian Wanda Group opens world’s largest movie studio
23rd November 2017 - Chinese cinema sees box office records broken
26th September 2017 - China’s major cinema ticketing companies set to merge
9th February 2015 - Hoyts Cinemas sold to Chinese-backed ID Leisure Ventures
30th August 2014 - Official debut of THX in China launches a new era of movie-viewing
1st August 2014 - Shanghai Film Corp to build 19 IMAX cinemas across China
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Lake Bluff, IL - (February 25, 2003) - BFG Technologies, Inc, a prominent supplier of advanced 3D graphics cards for PCs, announced today that it has begun shipping the Asylum(tm) GeForce(tm) FX 5800 Ultra to fulfill the orders of customers who pre-purchased the product from Best Buy between January 15 and February 9, 2003.While it looks like BFG has beaten larger manufacturers like Asus, Leadtek, and MSI when it comes to getting cards into gamers' hands, BFG has already blown through its allocation of Ultras, so it doesn't look like the Asylum GeForce FX 5800 Ultra will ever make it to store shelves. However, BFG will have non-Ultra GeForce FX 5800s available next month. Early pre-orders get the worm, I guess.
"We are proud to be the first company to deliver this significant new graphics product into the hands of our customers," said Shane Vance, executive vice president of sales for BFG. "We know how important it is to the pre-order customer to be one of the first to own the latest graphics technology, and our efforts to deliver these products before anyone else have paid off. With this first-to-market win, BFG continues its quest to become the 3D graphics card provider of choice for the avid PC gamer."


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Google may be the company most associated with autonomous driving—its modified Toyota Prius Google Car project continues to develop—but Nissan looks to further self-driving car plans of its own.
Read This Article
Nissan is recalling select 370Zs and Infiniti is bringing back 1788 G37s citing power windows that are programmed incorrectly.
Let’s start with the fun part: Nissan Tech Center for Europe dropped a 478-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-6 engine from the Nissan GT-R into a compact Nissan Juke body.
The program begins July 1.


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Logan Paul has denied he faked the $3.5m Pokémon card scandal, saying it was “a
In case you needed to check – though you almost certainly didn’t – an FPS
Pokémon cards can be worth up to £1.2million, meaning fans of the Japanese gaming franchise
For the second half of January, Pokémon Go has gone all in on one event:
Welp, Pokémon Legends: Arceus appears to have leaked ahead of its Jan. 28 release date.
Pokémon Unite players are not running out of ways to collect more in-game goodies. After


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Instead of focusing on rebuilding the country after years of state capture, we were distracted by a sideshow, writes Mandy Wiener.
Afternoon clouds. Mild.
"We simply don't know what the impact or even the potential impact could be. We only have SARS in 2003 to base assumptions on."
IHS Markit said it was "the steepest downturn for nearly seven years" and the data was "sending increasingly grim signals for the fourth quarter".
A gauge measuring sentiment in South Africa’s manufacturing industry rose to a three-month high in April but has had the worst start to the year since the financial crisis.
For the second month in a row, respondents to the Absa Purchasing Managers' Index have scaled back their optimism about future business conditions.
While the Absa Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index declined in January, a subindex tracking expected business conditions in six months’ time to rise.
Business conditions in the private sector deteriorated for the sixth consecutive month, but there are signs of a turnaround in the economy, according to the IHS Markit Purchasing Manager's Index for December.
South Africa’s manufacturing sector got off to a poor start in the fourth quarter as an index tracking factory activity fell to a 15-month low in October.
An index tracking South African manufacturing activity posted its worst reading in 13 months in August as new sales orders dropped.
The BER/Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index came in weaker than expected in June, losing 1.9 points to reach 47.9, down from 49.8 points in May.
ABSA's Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 50.9 points in April on the back of new sales orders, after dipping below the 50-point mark in March.
Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index only managed to rise above 50 points for two months in 2019.
The index rose from 48.8 in March to 50.3 in April, only the second improvement in business conditions in 10 months.
The Absa Purchasing Manager's Index for April 2019 rose 2.2 points to 47.2, the first increase following three months of decline.
Global markets are rallying after Chinese industrial data smashed predictions to paint a rosier-than-expected picture of the world economy.
For the first time since July 2018, respondents in the Absa Purchasing Managers' Index expect business conditions to improve in six months' time.
Analysts say there is a good chance that SA will officially exit its recession when Stats SA releases third quarter GDP figures this week.
Economic policy uncertainty and increased cost pressures on consumers saw the August PMI slip to its lowest level since April 2016, says Standard Bank.
The latest Standard Bank Purchasing Managers' Index has signalled a contraction in SA's private sector during the last month.
The impact of the recent listeria outbreak, labour strikes and a VAT hike contributed to a dip in the purchasing managers' index, the latest PMI data from Standard Bank showed
There has been a continued modest improvement in the health of the South African private sector in March as indicated by the latest Standard Bank PMI.
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UPDATE: Zenbu’s lawsuit against Rdio has been dismissed. “We’re pleased the lawsuit was dismissed,” a spokesperson for the company said. “Rdio respects copyright and is committed to compensating artists for their creative works and pays royalties for all songs we offer.”
The owner of recordings by the Flying Burrito Brothers, Hot Tuna and New Riders of the Purple Sage has filed seven lawsuits against the major streaming companies, alleging they are playing music that was released before 1972 illegally. Among the defendants are Apple’s Beats, Sony, Google, Rdio, Songza, Slacker and the company that operates Grooveshark, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The recordings’ owner, Zenbu Magazines, is seeking the money the companies made from distributing the music, punitive damages and a restraining order that would keep the companies from continuing to offer its music without a license, among other judgments. None of the lawsuits, which Zenbu’s lawyer, Jack Fitzgerald, filed separately against each company, have been certified for class-action status.
The lawsuit against Sony, which THR is hosting as a PDF, calls the companies’ distribution of music through PlayStation “immoral, unethical, unscrupulous or substantially injurious.” Sony offers music through its Music Unlimited service, for which it charges $4.99 per month. According to the lawsuit, it offers several albums by Zenbu’s artists. The company is seeking a trial by jury.
In the Seventies, Congress amended a law that federally protected the rights of sound recordings made after February 15th, 1972. After the law was passed, terrestrial radio stations, restaurants and bars have been playing music before that date without much legal issue.
But in 2013, Sixties rockers the Turtles filed a $100 million lawsuit against SiriusXM, claiming that the rights to their music were protected on the state level. Last October, a California judge ruled in their favor. The “Happy Together” artists have since filed a similar class-action suit against Pandora for $25 million.
Pandora and SiriusXM provided the lion’s share of performance royalties —$656 million in 2013, according to The New York Times — that SoundExchange, the company that processes royalties for artists, collects.


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To support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Peninsula Tokyo hotel has partnered with visionary Chinese multimedia artist Chen Man to create pink-themed interactive installations. Photographs taken by Man will be covered with two big pink circles, and visitors will use traditional Chinese “Nao Nao” bamboo sticks to gently scrape away the dots to reveal the image behind.
The annual Peninsula in Pink campaign, which is now in its ninth year, is on until the end of October, and aims to help champion the fight against breast cancer by raising awareness and funds for local charities. Besides showcasing Man’s innovative artwork, the hotel lights up every evening with bright pink illuminations, and you can enjoy a Pink Afternoon Tea with sweet and savory delicacies such as chocolate mousse, pear shortcake and smoked salmon mille crêpes – all in pink. We especially enjoyed the house-made organic scones accompanied by The Peninsula original clotted cream and house-made jam, and the taramasalata with petit choux – savory with bright pops of crunch, pitched against choux’s subtly sweet kiss. There is also an option for a glass of sparkling rosé should you prefer.
Of her very personal collection featured in this year’s campaign, Chen Man says: “I wished to celebrate distinctive interpretations of beauty and power, while at the same time evoking dialogue about a subject that is often deemed taboo.” Her inspiration stems from the Beijing of her childhood, where she says emotions were not shared publicly yet feelings of sympathy and understanding were conveyed through subtle gestures such as “scratching a loved one’s back.”
Similarly, the guest’s interaction with this art installation is unspoken yet physical, and the artist hopes that the removal of the dots – which symbolize breasts as well as punctuation in sentences – will help to open up a dialogue about breast cancer.
So what lies behind these pink dots? Take a look…
For more information, visit www.peninsula.com/en/pink


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Governor Charlie Baker is proposing expanding the state's annual two-day sales tax holiday to a two-month event this year to supercharge the post-pandemic economy.
In comments Wednesday, he said the state can afford a 60-day period free of most sales taxes thanks to tax revenues that are almost 15% above projections as well as an infusion of federal coronavirus relief funds.
He estimated an August and September sales tax holiday would save consumers and businesses $900,000.
The state has a 6.25% sales tax on most goods and services. The proposal needs legislative approval.


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Suzette Parmley/The Philadelphia Inquirer – Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, which owns several malls in the region, is fishing for “replacement tenants” for its Macy’s stores at Plymouth Meeting, Moorestown, and Altoona malls.
A PREIT representative did not deny the report and declined to cite reasons Thursday for seeking replacement stores for the three Macy’s.
Top brokers speculate that those three stores are among the 100 nationally that Macy’s Corp. wants to close by early 2017 as it seeks to downsize its stores and grow online sales.
Macy’s announced the pending closings last month and said that a list of the locations would be made public after the Christmas shopping season.
This process is known in the real estate industry as “offering out” stores by a landlord to gauge interest.
Traditional department-store anchors, such as Macy’s, Sears, and the Gap, have been battered by online competition and have focused on paring physical stores in the last few years. Many of these stores sit on prime real estate and could command high rents.
“So if they become re-tenanted, it could be a net positive for a mall,” he said.
“That is the case of the former Sears at King of Prussia Mall that became a Dick’s, Primark, and restaurants.
“Replacement retailers that are more popular can result in more traffic.”
Dan Brickner, principal at Metro Commercial, based in Mount Laurel, who represents the entertainment and dining firm Dave & Buster’s, said the closure of Macy’s stores represents “opportunities to drive traffic to these malls that traditional department stores haven’t been doing.
“There are great opportunities if [PREIT] gets them back [in the company’s portfolio].
“The question that struck me is what are the best uses for those spaces? There is a lot of pent-up demand for big boxes, but there is not a lot of new construction” due to high construction and land costs and what tenants are willing to pay.
“With the closure of Sears and Macy’s, malls have done a good job with more nontraditional uses, and that sometimes entails just demolishing them. You have the benefit of the parking lot and the ability to build your box like the Wegmans in Montgomeryville at Montgomeryville Mall,” he said.
“Mall shopping is changing where you need to drive traffic to a lot of these interior malls, and many of them have taken these boxes and added entertainment like a Dave & Buster’s.
“It’s bittersweet losing a mall anchor, but it’s providing an opportunity to fill a void that hasn’t been built by big-box traditional developers lately,” he said.
“Now the space is there.”
Jeff Green, a retail consultant based in Phoenix, said in an email Thursday: “I am not sure this definitely means that these three stores are necessarily on the soon-to-be announced store closure list (especially Moorestown). However, being proactive in a challenged department store market . . . is certainly the best way to hedge these store closure bets.”


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A third-generation family-owned trucking company and brokerage — Certified Freight Logistics, headquartered in Santa Maria, California — is ceasing operations on Saturday after 95 years.
Scott Cramer, president of Certified Freight Logistics (CFL), said he notified employees on Aug. 22 that the trucking company and freight brokerage, which employs 157 workers, including 101 linehaul and local truck drivers, would begin layoffs on Saturday with the wind down of the company concluding on or about Nov. 18.
CFL, which hauled refrigerated food and fresh produce for major retailers throughout the western U.S., also filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notification in August with the California Employment Development Department of the company’s impending closure.
Cramer told FreightWaves he is working with truck dealers about early lease terminations, adding that the “current freight conditions have been pretty difficult.”
“Management has been attempting to maintain profitable operations but current market conditions have made it difficult to operate without a loss,” said Cramer in a statement to FreightWaves. “Pandemic volume demand, equipment availability issues, increased costs followed by falling freight rates and reduced volume put us in a place to have to make this difficult decision.”
Cramer said the company has arranged transition services for its employees, including many who have been with the company for more than 20 years.
Besides closing its headquarters in Santa Maria, CFL will close its yards in Stockton, California, and Sumner, Washington.
“The company delayed any decision for some time while trying to resolve the fundamental operating issues and is no longer able to viably operate,” Cramer said.
Read related articles here:
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40-year-old Montana trucking company, freight brokerage shutters operations
Truckers: Shuttered Sunset Logistics still owes final paychecks, escrow
Judge rules TQL owes thousands of former employees overtime pay


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Good morning, Hubsters. MK Flynn here with the Wire on International Women’s Day.
Take private. In deal news this morning, Clearlake Capital announced it is buying Intertape Polymer Group in a $2.6 billion take-private deal. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec and Sarasota, Florida, IPG develops packaging materials and machinery for industrial and retail use. Demand for packaging materials has soared along with e-commerce during the pandemic.
“We believe this transaction is a great next step in the evolution of our business, as Clearlake has strong industry knowledge in the protective packaging and e-commerce ecosystems,” said Greg Yull, president and CEO of IPG. “Clearlake provides us the operational and financial resources to accelerate our acquisition strategy, as well as organic growth opportunities such as investing in product innovation, sustainability, and market expansion.”
Said José E. Feliciano, co-founder and managing partner, and Arta Tabaee, managing director, of Clearlake: “We believe IPG’s customer-centric and sustainability-oriented approach and capabilities position the Company well to capitalize on growth within its target end markets, and the addition of IPG to our portfolio highlights our thesis that long-term consumer trends favor providers focused on sustainability and innovation.”
#BreakTheBias. The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is Break the Bias. At PEI Media, we’re conducting a workshop on bias later this morning, and I’m looking forward to participating as a moderator.
More than 120 stock market exchanges throughout the world, including the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq in New York, are participating in the annual “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” today. Now in its eighth year, the initiative is designed to “promote gender equality, highlight the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace, and recognize the contribution of women in building a better future for all,” according to the World Federation of Exchanges.
Earlier this morning, the American Investment Council released a video featuring women in private equity, including Pam Hendrickson, chairman of AIC and the vice chairman of the Riverside Company; Suzanne Yoon, founder and managing partner, Kinzie Capital Partners; and Jeri Harman, founder and chairman, Avante Capital Partners.
At PE Hub and Buyouts, we recently published Women in private equity: The class of 2022. In the special report, we profiled 10 women who stand out for their prowess in dealmaking, and we’re featuring them here on the Wire throughout March.
Today, we’re featuring Amy Christensen, partner and co-head of healthcare at The Vistria Group, which she joined as a founding member in 2013. Christensen serves on the boards of Alacura, Chiro One, St Croix Hospice, Supplemental Healthcare and Behavioral Health Group.
“At the Vistria Group we are trying to create a next gen PE firm at the intersection of purpose and profit,” Christensen told Aaron. “We want to demonstrate you can make a great return while at the same time, make a great impact on other people’s lives.”
Diversity is a key component of Vistria’s mission. “The LPs have led the charge, and they truly believe it, which is key, because if you are getting more diverse just to check off a box, I don’t think we are going to see sustainable change, and it won’t be meaningful change. LPs are telling the GPs, you need to be more diverse, not for diversity’s sake, but we believe it leads to better returns.”
For more on Christensen and all the dealmakers in our report, read the story.
Ukraine invasion impact on PE. Many of you have taken me up on my invitation to share your thoughts on how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may affect the private equity industry. Here are insights from a couple of dealmakers.
“The transaction balance between buy-side and sell-side is expected to swing in favor of the buy-side,” Jeremy Swan, managing principal of CohnReznick’s financial sponsors and financial services industry practice, told me. “At the end of 2021 into the beginning of 2022 the market remained a seller’s market with valuations still at or near record levels and plentiful capital on the sidelines waiting to be put to work, which produced a heavier weighting in the market of sell-side transactions. As inflation proved to be more than transitory and supply chain issues continued to plague goods manufacturers, distributors and retailers, we began to see more volatility in earnings and the broader markets. The invasion of the Ukraine has begun to exacerbate increasing inflationary pressures as well as supply chain issues (one step forward and two steps back), as well as adding geopolitical uncertainty to the base of economic risk factors. The overall impact on the private equity markets is and will continue to be felt through declining valuations in both existing and potential portfolio companies as public market valuations decline and companies struggle to maintain earnings growth. The decline in valuations will likely make PE firms think harder and potentially pull back on portfolio company exits but will allow for more cost-effective acquisitions on the buy-side, both for new platforms and existing portfolio company add-ons. The seller’s market seems to be ending for now and we expect the pendulum to swing towards a heavier weighting towards buy-side transactions in the current environment.”
Beata Stepantchenko, associate in the political due diligence team at Global Counsel, also reached out and shared a LinkedIn post she wrote on how the war in Ukraine will affect PE deal flows.
“For portfolio companies that have supply chains going through eastern Europe, disruptions will impact routes and see increases in price,” Stepantchenko wrote. “Air cargo is currently avoiding Ukrainian airspace, leading to higher cost of flying and longer routes. Shipping routes in the Black Sea are also disrupted as some logistical companies have begun charging a danger premium for transpiration near Russian and Ukraine.”
She also said that political due diligence will take on more urgency. “Precautionary measures should be made before they become unavoidable. Reviews to portfolio companies’ touch points with Russia and Ukraine will be needed to assess whether these connections could present legal, commercial, or reputational issues.”
I’d love to hear from more of you about the impact of the invasion of Ukraine on private equity deals. Email me at firstname.lastname@example.org
That’s all for now. Chris writes the Wire on Wednesdays, so I’ll see you on Thursday.
Happy International Women’s Day,


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Tax-advantaged benefit accounts -- including FSAs, HSAs and HRAs -- promise value to consumers, but a new Algeus report finds that despite being widely offered by employers, those accounts are often under-funded and underutilized.
The authors cite a report from earlier this year that found out-of-pocket health spending in 2017 is predicted to be $371 billion.
Yet just $86.3 billion of that spending will flow through tax-advantaged benefit accounts. This means, assuming an average tax rate of 30 percent for both state and federal, consumers will leave nearly $85 billion in tax savings unclaimed this year.
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The findings indicate that low consumer fluency plays a significant role in this scenario.
Part of the issue is that consumers are often undisciplined about saving in general, not just for healthcare. Slightly more than half, 51 percent, of consumers said they haven't established a rainy day fund and aren't disciplined about saving for retirement.
They also lack confidence about financial topics in general, with 48 percent saying they don't know how to build a financial plan. Four out of ten don't feel confident discussing financial topics.
More than that, consumers often struggle to grasp basic health and financial terminology and concepts, the report found, with 42 percent failing a basic true/false fluency test regarding their personal finances. Even more (50 percent) failed the health insurance fluency test.
That lack of knowledge extends to the tax-advantaged accounts themselves. It's even true for those who are already enrolled in them. Only 35 percent of existing health savings account holders knew enough about their accounts to pass a basic fluency test.
The news is troubling for hospitals, particularly those that are attempting to better communicate patient financial responsibility to their consumers. Hospitals can find some revenue cycle success by retraining staff to better communicate that responsibility, but those efforts could fall flat if patients don't possess the necessary vocabulary and grasp of their finances.
One out of two consumers can't forecast their out-of-pocket costs this plan year, and nearly six out of ten, 58 percent, don't know how much they need to save for healthcare costs in retirement, according to the report.


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The EC is preparing new rules for cyber security
According to the draft, manufacturers will have to take responsibility for product safety throughout the entire life cycle. Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, pointed out that many hardware and software products are not subject to any security requirements. “When it comes to cyber security, Europe is only as strong as its weakest link, whether it’s a vulnerable member state or an insecure product along the supply chain.” Breton noted that any unprotected device, from computers and smartphones to toys and cars, is a potential entry point for a cyberattack.
Penalties for breaching the new rules will be severe, with fines for the most serious breaches up to €15 million or 2.5% of global annual revenue, whichever is greater. Companies could also be fined up to €10m or 2% of revenue for less serious offences, while those providing inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information could face fines of up to €5m or 1% of revenue. The European Parliament and the Council will now examine the draft. After adoption, companies and member states will have two years to adapt to the new requirements.


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The Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag release date has been set for Tuesday October 29 on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and PC, according to a since-edited page on Ubisoft’s website.
The game is “also coming to next-gen consoles”, presumably at a later date in 2013, the site revealed, according to a screengrab posted on AGB, which also unearthed the artwork above.
The Ubisoft website currently features a timer counting down to Monday, when the publisher has confirmed plans to release more information on the newly revealed game. It also teases the release of the title’s debut trailer.
It has been rumoured that Black Flag will be set in the Caribbean, with players visiting multiple islands including Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas. We've seen the game and will have plenty of coverage for you when the embargo lifts early next week.


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BMW To Showcase i8 At Fleet Technological know-how Congress
BMW will use the new BVRLA Fleet Technology Our elected representatives to showcase it has the innovative i8 plug-in hybrid racecar.
On sale from July 2014, the BMW i8 uses a host of impressive technologies, including a carbon fibre and aluminium engineering and safety features for instance autonomous emergency stopping and surround view cameras.
Confirming that the cutting-edge model will be displayed at the Fleet Engineering Congress, BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney proclaimed: Rental and leasing organizations will no doubt turn out to be keen to see know-how under the skin on this revolutionary sports car as it will gradually form of filtration down and become normal on mainstream fast cars in the future. Were delighted that Mercedes is sponsoring the event, and look toward giving fleet employees the opportunity to hear from important industry personnel in 1 July.
With any 131hp 1.5-litre petrol serps mated to a 7.1kWh battery pack, the i8 emits merely 49g/km CO2 and profits an impressive 135mpg. However, this wont be the only vehicle attending at the Heritage Powerplant Centre in This summer.
BMW has also confirmed all kinds of other models will be on show at the event, along with the i3, 435i Luxury Gran Car, 218i Active Tourer and X4 cross-over, as well as the new F56 Smaller.
The BVRLA Fleet Technology The legislature takes place on Thursday 1st July along at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon. It is remaining held in association with ACFO along with ICFM and with the support connected with BMW and Drive Software.


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Seemingly out of nowhere, Sony has announced a brand new partnership with none other than Discord. Sony President and CEO Jim Ryan made the announcement in a special post stating that both companies have already started working together, with the intention of bringing the service to the PlayStation Network by next year. ” Our goal is to bring the Discord and PlayStation experiences closer together on console and mobile starting early next year, allowing friends, groups, and communities to hang out, have fun, and communicate more easily while playing games together” Ryan also mentioned that Sony made a “minority investment” in Discord during their most recent capital-raising round, putting an extra emphasis on the partnership.
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) May 3, 2021
While this is an exciting venture for both companies, neither one went into a great amount of detail about how this integration will work. It also wasn’t made clear just how long Sony and Discord have been working on the integration. Since this partnership was just announced, it’s more than likely that a plan of action or method has at least been discalced, but until we see something concrete, we probably won’t truly know the longevity of this project.
This announcement also comes not too long after it was revealed by The Wall Street Journal that Microsoft was in talks with Discord in regards to outright acquiring them. At first, it seemed like it would be a done deal, until the same publication reported that Discord had ended talks with the corporation, halting the potential purchase. Discord is arguably the most dominant and most popular communication service software on the market today. It initially launched in late 2015, and as of the end of 2020 has reportedly more than 140 million users, the majority of which use it for playing games with others in an ease-of-access style.
One other possibility that Sony might use Discord is with their other huge acquisition this year, the Evolution Championship Series (EVO). Sony bought the entire event in March, shocking the gaming community in the process. The company could use Discord’s massive communication service and showcase tournament matches through it, in addition to their YouTube and Twitch platforms. It’ll be interesting to see how this new partnership progresses throughout the year, and hopefully, we’ll find out more sooner than later.


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A major part of the Ubersettlement was Uber agreeing to allow drivers to put small signs in their cars to the tune of: “Tips are not included or necessary but are appreciated”.
We want to help every Uber driver in the country have a great looking tip sign. As a SherpaShare member, you can now order a free tip decal from SherpaShare. The pre-order decals are limited.Pre-order here.
In an hour long conversation, Shannon Liss-Riordan provided details on the $100 million dollar Uber Settlement, announced last Thursday, directly to SherpaShare to help share with every single driver in the US.
Shannon’s message is clear: This settlement is a major step forward for drivers, and given all of the circumstances, was the clear best choice to help impact and improve the daily lives of Uber drivers.
In a major announcement on Thursday, Uber announced they had reached a settlement in it’s ongoing legal battle over worker classification – a move seen as a major benefit to Uber (albeit expensive)
The settlement comes just a week after we had Shannon Liss-Riordan, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, answered driver questions on the SherpaShare blog with absolutely no indication that this legal fight would end so soon.
Many drivers assumed this legal battle would continue and potentially disrupt the on-demand industry as we know it if companies were forced to classify drivers as employees. But, instead of going to trial, Uber made the following concessions:
We’ve got more independent work experts and celebrities joining us exclusively on our Pulse app to answer your questions. Next up:HippyChick is answering your tax questions on Thursday April 14th, Sara Kessler from Fast Company talking about Gig Work next Wednesday April 20th.
Submit questions on Pulse, learn more on the Events page.


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Habitat Partnership Providing Home Purchase Loans
Family Trust Federal Credit Union recently announced an innovative partnership with Habitat for Humanity of York County to provide affordable new home purchase loans for qualifying Habitat homeownersRead More
Online Merchants Hit Hard: Formjacking Back With A Vengeance
As consumers are aware of, hackers are always working to separate them from their hard-earned cash. This time, it's popular e-commerce websites that have been compromised.Read More
Ho Ho Ho, Where Did My Package Go?
Cyber scammers don't take any time off for the holiday season. In fact, they're working overtime to take advantage of the spirit of giving.Read More


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No other country on Earth has bet as big on electric vehicles as Norway, and it’s finally paying off. Half of all new cars sold to Norwegians are either fully electric or hybrid, making the country of 5.3 million the biggest per-capita market for EVs.
Norway’s EV success is owed to both the carrot and the stick. It offers extremely generous incentives to EV buyers, and it punishes people who continue to use gas or diesel cars. Capital city Oslo has made extraordinary efforts to promote EVs, including toll-free roads, HOV-lane access, free parking, and free charging.
“I think you could call it a success, because the density of EVs in Oslo is quite special at the moment: 57 percent of all new cars sold are electric [or hybrid]. The percentage of plug-ins is 12 percent, and battery electric is more than 45 percent,” said Sture Portvik, manager of electro-mobility for the City of Oslo. That helps make Oslo one of the cleanest, quietest cities on the planet.
But as the EV market overtakes gas and diesel cars, a question looms about how long the country will be able to continue its lauded incentive programs. In Oslo, plans to make the downtown core entirely car-free mean the city is starting to roll back some of the freebies it gave to EV owners.
What happens when an EV incentive program is so successful that it accomplishes its goal? If you take off the training wheels, can the EV market roll on its own? That’s a question cities, states, and countries around the world are trying to answer.
In the U.S., a popular federal incentive is being phased out for customers of automakers that sell more than 200,000 EVs. But Americans collectively own more than 276 million vehicles—EVs have barely made a dent in the auto market. There are efforts to extend the credit until 2022, although it’s debatable that four more years of the same credit will truly transform the U.S. market.
Norway, meanwhile, wants every single vehicle on road, water, and rail to be zero-emission. Its EV incentives date back to 1990, when the country eliminated the purchase tax on zero-emission vehicles. National and local incentives have only become more numerous and aggressive since then. These discounts primarily come at the expense of gasoline and diesel car owners, who pay higher fees, taxes, parking, and tolls to compensate for all the EVs getting a free—or at least cheaper—ride.
“You could say that the [national] government has made it cheaper for the consumer to buy an electric car (through government-induced tax exemptions), whereas the cities have made it easy and affordable to use,” noted Lan Marie Berg, Oslo’s vice-mayor for environment and transport, in an email to CityLab.
Currently, a Volkswagen Golf costs a Norwegian the equivalent of €31,000, or about $35,000—a price that includes about €11,000 in taxes and fees. By comparison, the fully electric e-Golf sells for €27,000 all-in. Norwegians looking for sportier options could opt for a Tesla Model S for €66,000 ($75,000), which is a steal when compared to the €81,000 ($93,000) it would cost to get a Ford Mustang.
Considering that the per-gallon price of gas in Norway is at least double what it is in the U.S., EVs are no-brainers for most Norwegians.
“We needed a new car, and the best choice was the EV,” said Vibeke Jarness, an insurance-claims handler whom I met during September’s Oslo Innovation Week. She cited free parking and tax incentives as major motivators for her buying a Tesla. She’s not alone: According to the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association, all the freebies remain integral to adoption rates, despite the country’s well-publicized decarbonization efforts.
In 2020, however, Norwegians risk losing one of the most important incentives: the exemption from a 25-percent sales tax (VAT) that saves each EV buyer thousands of dollars.
Changing the VAT exemption is just one way EV incentives are starting to get clawed back. Oslo’s electro-mobility manager Portvik says that in 2019, EV drivers can expect a €1 toll on the ring road, higher tolls leading out of the city, and €1-per-hour curbside charging (with parking included).
Until now, EV privileges have been a bit of a free-for-all. Portvik said EV owners are using parking spots reserved for free curbside charging simply to park for the day, even if no charge is needed. People are also opting to use public chargers for free rather than charge at home. The new fees are a way to help rein this in, he explained. And fees for non-EVs will rise, too. “You could say you’re [still] saving the same amount of money” by owning an EV over a non-EV, Portvik offered, since both groups will be paying more than they did previously.