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Post office to lease space at Lubeck store
LUBECK – In response to reduced hours at its Washington station, the United States Postal Service is leasing space at a store on West Virginia 68.
Postal officials held a ribbon-cutting at the “village post office” at James’ Country Store, outside Lubeck Thursday.
Jane Holter, customer support specialist for the Parkersburg Post Office, said the village space will sell stamps, handle mailing and partial package pick up.
In May, to stave off the closure of about 150 West Virginia post offices, officials reduced hours at several hundred offices throughout the state. The postal service had slated the closure of a handful of offices in area, such as Rockport and Auburn. Instead, those offices remain open at reduced hours, along with 28 other post offices in the area.
Many of those have been reduced from eight hours of operation to six or even two hours. Post offices in Friendly, MacFarlan, Palestine, Big Springs and Walker were among those to have hours of operation cut in half, from eight to four hours. Hours at the Auburn office was slashed from eight hours to two.
Holter said the hours at the Washington office have been reduced, and to offset that, officials are leasing space at the store.
“This is to help that,” Holter said.
The store sells groceries, gas, a pizza station and now postal supplies. The station will not be staffed by postal employees.
Katrina Nusbaum, acting retail specialist for the Appalachian District, said many customers are addressing needs on-line, ordering stamps and pre-printing postage for packages.
“They just need a place to drop the items off,” she said. “It shouldn’t require a 20-mile trip.”
The space has been operational for about a week. Postal officials have a 1-year lease with the store.
Store owner James Kincaid has no idea how much the operation will be used by customers. “People need to know what you are doing and options are available,” he said.


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After years of speculation Microsoft has finally gone on record to discuss its new home console.
The comments come as part of the latest Major Nelson podcast.
Microsoft’s interactive entertainment chief of staff Aaron Greenberg revealed that the company is planning a two-stage console reveal. The first part is tomorrow night’s event. A second, games-centric presentation will take place at E3.
"We have so much goodness that there’s no way we could have packed it all into one event," Greenberg stated, as transcribed by CVG.
"The best way I can describe it is, we’re really gong to tell one story across two events. So we’re going to start on the 21st [of May] and really that’s about revealing the next Xbox platform and our vision for the future of games, the future of entertainment. We definitely have a lot of surprises planned.
"People are going to get a great inside look at the making of the new platform and the team that brought it to life. To be honest it’s really about the team, the people here. We’ve never done this before, so it’s really exciting to be able to do that.
"It’s a lot of laying the foundation, and then just a couple weeks later we go to E3, and E3 is all about the games. It’s going to be tons of exclusives [and] world premiers.”
CVG also highlights Greenberg’s confirmation that we have a lot to share between [tomorrow’s event] and this holiday”, taking this as confirmation of a Q4 2013 release. Which it was bound to be anyway, in reality.

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Stakeholders have said Nigeria’s earnings from cargo trade are threatened by poor structure of the cargo and unfavourable terms of trade.
They noted that one of the greatest hindrances to a thriving maritime sector was Nigeria’s lack of control over its cargo.
The stakeholders including a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr John Egesi, who spoke during a recent industry event, argued that Nigeria generated a lot of cargo but had not reaped its benefits.
Egesi said, “The problem of the Nigerian maritime sector is with the control and structure of cargo. You have to have control over cargo before you can share it.
“Nigeria must also correct the lapse in its maritime sector through the production of valuable cargo. “There is nothing wrong in trading in cargo but you may trade in cheap cargo that does not make money. What makes money is the value.”
He added, “What makes Singapore great is the value of the cargo in Singapore. What makes China great is the value of the cargo in China. What makes Japan great is the value of the cargo that leaves their port to other ports. What cargo do we have? Until that structure is corrected, we will continue to have these meetings and conferences without much result.”
He maintained that the problem was an economic challenge that had to do with the country’s production base.
He said, “This is an economic problem that is based on what we produce. If you produce nothing, you carry nothing. When you produce good cargo, ships will be begging to carry it. But if all you have are raw cocoa and other agricultural products, those things cannot earn you much freight.”
Egesi pointed out that the challenges in the maritime sector could be resolved with stable power supply and other infrastructural provisions.
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr Hassan Bello, said for Nigeria to be a fast growing economy, its products must be competitive.
He said, “We need to be a productive society; we need to be a manufacturing society; we need to have an overall view of the global economy and see how we can integrate into it in a competitive mode.”
He stressed that if all the stakeholders in the maritime industry came together, they would influence policies that could move the sector forward.
Nigeria’s infrastructure must be built to reduce cost of production, he stated, adding that this was why the government was putting in a lot of efforts to make sure that Nigeria’s operating environment would cease to be harsh.
The Chairman, Shipowners Forum, Margaret Orakwusi, said Nigeria was losing a lot due to the unfavourable terms of trade its cargo attracted.
She said people who generated cargo were supposed to dictate freight terms but that was not the case in Nigeria.
She said, “We are losing in terms of services for maritime lawyers, contracts insurance and banking. We just let people come and take our goods without any added value.
“It is not just affecting the maritime industry alone; the ministry of finance is also involved. The question is, why is it taking so long for them to understand that we are losing millions of dollars annually?”
Orakwusi and other stakeholders had earlier lamented the loss Nigeria suffered by shipping its oil cargo using the Free On Board arrangement instead of the Cost, Insurance and Freight terms.
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Expedia Archives - Inside Retail Singapore
ShopBack Thailand has launched with more than 100 merchants on board.
Qourier, which describes itself as the “Uber for logistics”, has raised S$890,000 in seed money.
Performance marketing technology company Criteo has appointed Yvonne Chang as executive MD of Asia-Pacific, the company’s fastest-growing region globally.
Singapore software company Ematic Solutions has raised nearly $1 million in extra funding as it enters the Indonesian market.


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For years, affiliate marketers, social media companies, online marketplace platforms, and search engines alike have enjoyed the seemingly ubiquitous tax-free landscape from their digital activities afforded to them by the United States’ Internet Tax Freedom Act of 1998. However, that could all be changing soon.
On the horizon, taxpayers should prepare themselves for the next evolution in state taxation: digital advertising taxes. As policymakers and tax practitioners eagerly look to Maryland to spearhead the first-in-the-nation digital advertising tax (DAT), legal concerns have been raised about the validity of Maryland’s recently enacted tax.
Poised as a gross receipts tax on in-state digital advertising revenues, Maryland’s DAT takes aim at large technology companies that have benefited from years of digital advertising as the catalyst for generating insuperable amounts of wealth.
Maryland’s digital ad tax applies a graduated rate that escalates based on the taxpayer’s global annual revenues. The tax brackets are as follows:
- 2.5 percent of the assessable base for persons with global annual gross revenues of US$100 million through $1 billion
- 5 percent of the assessable base for persons with global annual gross revenues of more than $1 billion through $5 billion
- 7.5 percent of the assessable base for persons with global annual gross revenues of more than $5 billion through $15 billion
- 10 percent of the assessable base for persons with global annual gross revenues exceeding $15 billion
Currently, Maryland’s DAT applies to taxpayers with at least $1 million of annual gross revenues derived from digital advertising services within Maryland and taxpayers with global annual gross revenues of $100 million or more.
Taxpayers subject to the tax are expected to file an annual declaration of estimated tax and make quarterly estimated tax payments. Maryland’s first declaration of estimated tax is due April 15, 2022. In addition, taxpayers must maintain books and records of their digital advertising services provided in Maryland to validate the basis for their apportionment and, ultimately, the taxpayer’s calculated digital ad tax.
The Maryland Comptroller has issued proposed regulations to provide clarity on the calculation. The Comptroller proposes to calculate the numerator of the apportionment factor by determining whether the device showing the advertising is in Maryland. The denominator is the number of devices that have accessed the digital advertising services from any location. This fixes one of the issues with the statute in which the denominator was only devices in the U.S., but the revenues were worldwide revenues.
Expanding on the legality of Maryland’s digital ad tax, the law presents unique constitutional challenges at the federal level that will undoubtedly be an uphill legal battle for the state. Maryland’s DAT law creates a legal inequity in that the law unfairly targets online advertisers while not applying the same rules to other forms of advertising in the state, such as radio, television, and print.
The Internet Tax Freedom Act was created over twenty years ago to prevent this type of digital discrimination. However, similar to the surprising outcome for many tax practitioners in the Wayfair case, it’s entirely possible that federal law will evolve to service the ever-changing e-commerce landscape.
The legal battles include the complaint filed in federal district court by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and various trade groups. Their complaint states that the new law violates the dormant Commerce Clause, the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process Clause, and the Internet Tax Freedom Act. They argue that the tax is discriminatory in that it favors in-state companies and punishes out-of-state activities as the tax base specifically includes gross receipts from outside the state of Maryland.
In addition, Comcast and Verizon have filed a separate complaint in state court. Their complaint challenges the tax on grounds similar to the federal district court case and on additional grounds that it violates the Supremacy Clause and the Declaration of Rights in the Maryland Constitution.
New York, Connecticut, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington have all drafted or proposed similar legislation for gross receipts consumption-based taxes on digital advertising services. In 2021 alone, twelve DATs or similar tax-type data bills were introduced in various states.
However, many of these bills have not been enacted because state legislators are waiting on how Maryland’s digital advertising tax will be implemented amidst the administrative, economic, and legal challenges.
Is California Next?
Maryland’s new law has put many California tech companies on notice. Moreover, the question is: “Will California enact its own DAT?” Admittedly, it’s too early to make any reasonable predictions. While it’s possible California could enact a DAT or something similar, it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.
First, the Internet Tax Freedom Act would need to be challenged by state lawmakers, adjudicated by the Supreme Court, and changed. This is no easy feat. Next, California would need to pass its own law either through California legislative and executive branches or potentially through a state proposition.
Given that California is already seen as an unfriendly business state compared to Texas, Tennessee, and Florida, a California DAT could create more incentives for companies to leave the state or cease to do business in California altogether.
Additionally, tech is a prominent and influential business sector in California. The industry contributes to the state’s corporate income tax revenue, and it creates jobs, leading to an echo revenue stream generated by individual California resident taxpayers.
From a state sourcing perspective, determining where to source digital ad revenues can be problematic, especially when an ad’s reach, impression location, and impact are unknown to the advertiser.
By California regulations standards, Section 25136-2 provides cascading rules on how to source services and intangibles, including digital ad revenue. In situations where either the benefit of the service or intangible is indeterminable, California allows taxpayers to use a reasonable approximation approach, whereby sales are bifurcated by jurisdiction based on a common variable, such as census data population, ad impressions, unique user IDs, customer quantity, sales metrics, etc.
Furthermore, California’s sourcing regulations are soon changing. Proposed amendments to the sourcing of sales other than tangible personal property go into effect starting in 2023.
What does the future hold for online advertisers? At this point, it’s unclear. Many of the DAT and sales of personal data laws currently proposed are targeting Big Tech, but there will certainly be a ripple effect amongst small businesses who use their services. Online marketplaces will need to adapt and, more importantly, stay educated on this constantly evolving issue.


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Nokia plans to fold all its mobile phone development efforts into a single new business unit, reflecting the growing importance to its business of multimedia and internet-enabled devices.
The new Device unit, as it will be called, will produce all of Nokia's mobile devices, including more traditional mobile phones, as well as internet-enabled devices like the N series. The products were previously produced by three separate divisions, for mobile phones, multimedia and enterprise solutions.
As part of the reorganisation Nokia will also create two other new divisions, called Software & Services, and Markets, to replace its existing structure. The divisions will all be launched on January 1, 2008, the company announced yesterday.
"When we introduced the (current) structure in early 2004, the market was still very voice centric at the time," said Nokia spokeswoman Arja Suominen. "The other areas were small but have grown much since then. So it makes sense to bring all these together in one unit."
Nokia said the changes will help to make its product development and manufacturing operations more effective and reduce the time it takes to bring new products to market.
The move comes as Nokia faces new low-cost challengers from Asia, as well as markets with high levels of phone penetration in developed countries.


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Planning Alternatives Ltd. ADV reduced its stake in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Rating) by 1.8% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 52,326 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 962 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises 1.5% of Planning Alternatives Ltd. ADV’s holdings, making the stock its 13th largest position. Planning Alternatives Ltd. ADV’s holdings in Apple were worth $9,137,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of AAPL. Cardinal Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Apple by 5,525.0% in the 1st quarter. Cardinal Capital Management Inc. now owns 225 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 221 shares during the period. Shore Point Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Apple in the fourth quarter valued at about $41,000. St. James Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in Apple during the fourth quarter worth about $57,000. Emerson Wealth LLC raised its stake in Apple by 363.6% in the 1st quarter. Emerson Wealth LLC now owns 408 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 320 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Econ Financial Services Corp boosted its holdings in Apple by 29.1% in the 1st quarter. Econ Financial Services Corp now owns 421 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $74,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the period. 57.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on AAPL shares. set a $175.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, July 29th. Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on Apple from $200.00 to $195.00 in a report on Friday, April 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $200.00 target price on Apple in a report on Monday, July 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $175.00 price target on Apple in a research note on Monday. Finally, Credit Suisse Group set a $166.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, July 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, twenty-one have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Apple has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $179.21.
Apple Stock Up 3.8 %
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 28th. The iPhone maker reported $1.20 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $82.96 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $82.97 billion. Apple had a return on equity of 152.97% and a net margin of 25.71%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.30 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Apple Inc. will post 6.11 EPS for the current year.
Apple Announces Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 11th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.23 per share. This represents a $0.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 5th. Apple’s payout ratio is presently 15.18%.
Apple declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program on Thursday, April 28th that authorizes the company to buyback $90.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the iPhone maker to repurchase up to 3.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.
Apple Inc designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, and accessories worldwide. It also sells various related services. In addition, the company offers iPhone, a line of smartphones; Mac, a line of personal computers; iPad, a line of multi-purpose tablets; AirPods Max, an over-ear wireless headphone; and wearables, home, and accessories comprising AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, HomePod, and iPod touch.
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Last edited 3:31 p.m., Dec. 20, 2012
Waverly, Neb.-based Smart Chicken made a delivery of 6,500 pounds of frozen chicken to Ozark Food Harvest today, as part of the culmination of the company's Feed the Hungry promotion.
Smart Chicken also will make donations to Kansas Food Bank and the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. In total, the company will donate approximately 22,900 pounds of product during its eighth consecutive Feed the Hungry campaign, according to an Ozarks Food Harvest news release.
“We are so fortunate for our continued partnership with Smart Chicken,” said Bart Brown, Ozarks Food Harvest president and CEO, said in the release. "Thanks to Smart Chicken, we’ll be able to provide thousands of nutritious, protein-rich meals to families in need."
Last year's Feed the Hungry campaign provided meals for more than 5,300 people in southwest Missouri, the release said.
During the campaign, Smart Chicken donates one pound of product for every 10 pounds purchased at local grocers.
In Springfield, the company sells products at several grocery stores, including Dillons, Ramey's, Price Cutter, Harter House and Smillie's, according to its Web site
Smart Chicken products are produced by local growers from Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa, the release. said.[[In-content Ad]]


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Create the best event for your business or your social occasion through Venuerific, which cuts out the middle man and allows people to contact venue managers directly to choose the country, destination and venue that’s right for them.
A new service has launched offering a way to source event venues and related services as an individual consumer rather than through event management companies. Called Venuerific, it was created to lead the transition between event companies, whose event organisers often hid behind contacts in the industry, and a new process where information is readily available online.
More information can be found at: http://venuerific.com/
Venuerific is the bridge between the consumer and the event they want to create. It can help people set up events in a wide range of countries, and has already established over 900 event spaces across South East Asia.
It has generated over 6,000 event leads in the past four years, and continues to grow. In 2017, it sent an estimated USD $1.4 million worth of leads to its partners, helping them to create numerous different events in major cities around the world.
As a one stop shop for venues, it allows visitors to search and explore the most attractive function venues, helping people to hone in on their ideal space. The site is completely free to use, and allows users to contact venues directly.
This means that people can cut out the middle man and contact venue owners directly, negotiating terms and sending out multiple inquiries at the click of a button.
Upon landing on the Venuerific site, people can choose from a selection of different countries, which includes Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, and is growing all the time.
After deciding which country they would like to host their event in, visitors can fine tune their search by filtering results by Party, Corporate Function, Weddings, and Other, which includes events like film and video options, fashion shows, and more.
This means that people looking to create the perfect event for their business, or for a social occasion, can do so with ease, picking the destination that best suits them and what they would like to achieve.
Full details are available on the URL above.


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Sony took a beating in last year’s Greenpeace report on the green efforts of the top electronics companies, and clearly, the company felt the sting. This year, they’re doing a lot better, with some Sony Ericsson phones and a Vaio ranking decently in the organization’s electronics guide. They’re trying to step up their efforts, however. The Graphic Splash Eco Edition promises to be a lot more eco-friendly by offering the following features:
Slim design for minimum use of natural resources Easy-to-recycle materials for resource conservation Packaging comprised primarily of recyclable materials RoHS compliant components—free of lead and other hazardous materials
Glad to see they didn’t limit themselves to simply flaunting designs inspired by nature and that they actually took steps to make the laptop more environmentally friendly.


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The top Us securities regulator on Thursday accused Tesla Inc chief executive Elon Musk of fraud and sought to remove him from his role in charge of the electric car company, saying he made a series of “false and misleading” tweets about potentially taking Tesla private last month.
The charges come with Musk facing increased scrutiny over his volatile behavior that has included smoking marijuana during a podcast interview and assailing a Briton involved in the Thailand cave rescue as a “pedo guy.”
Musk has built the widely-admired auto-manufacturer with global ambitions Tesla, along with the private space exploration firm SpaceX, the brain-computer interface startup Neuralink and Boring Company — designed to build tunnels that could transform mass transportation.
This month, SpaceX said it would send Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa to fly around the moon as early as 2023.
“Elon is Tesla and Tesla is Elon and that’s great when Elon is scoring touchdowns and grand slams but not so great when there are negative things tied to him, “said Karl Brauer, executive publisher at car research firm Kelley Blue Book.
Still, the 47-year-old South African-born Musk is recognized as one of the most influential innovators in the United States, and has an estimated net worth of more than $20 billion.
Musk’s conduct has drawn comparisons to US President Donald Trump, another prominent figure who has embraced filter-free social media and whose mental stability has been questioned.
And like Trump, Musk has lambasted the media and been picky about appearances, granting a few rare interviews to publications like the Wall Street Journal, while favoring Rolling Stone magazine.
Musk has suggested the skeptical coverage of the company stemmed from the media’s dependence on advertising from the oil and conventional car industry. He has discussed creating a website to “rate the core truth of any article” that would be called Pravda.
Regardless of his reputation, Musk, who has frequented the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual gala among other glitzy appearances, has seen his wealth soar with Tesla after earlier ventures.
After leaving South Africa, Musk, who holds US and Canadian nationalities, completed academic work in Ontario and the University of Pennsylvania.
By 25, he had created Zip2, an online advertising platform, and was a millionaire by age 30 after selling the company to Compaq Computer in 1999.
He followed that with the creation of the online bank, X.com, which was later merged into PayPal and in 2002 bought by eBay for $1.5 billion.
He also manages a foundation focused on education, renewable energy and pediatric health.
Musk has also had a stormy personal life, having been divorced three times — twice from the same woman — and has five living sons.


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Falling asleep wasn’t the problem for Aubrianna Veitz, 27, of Pittsburgh. “However, staying asleep was difficult,” she says. “I tend to toss and turn in the night and sometimes would wake up with anxiety.”
She didn’t want to take sleep medication, so when a friend said a weighted blanket had eased her anxiety, Veitz ordered one. Since she began sleeping under it in July 2018, she has noticed a big improvement. “I wake up in the same position that I fell asleep in, and I also don’t have anxiety attacks waking me up,” she says. Weighted blankets, viewed as a fad just a few years ago, are now mainstream. While features vary, the blankets are usually filled with plastic pellets to add weight, usually ranging from about 4 to 25 pounds. The ideal weight depends on a person’s own weight.
Time magazine called one of them, the Gravity Blanket, “One of Time’s best inventions of 2018.” In a write-up, Time said: “If you’re wondering why everybody on Instagram seems to be draped in weighted blankets, you can thank Gravity.” Time noted that while the company didn’t invent weighted blankets — they’ve been used for many years to calm adults and children with anxiety, autism, and attention problems — it did perfect mass-marketing. The startup raised nearly $5 million on Kickstarter in a matter of months in 2017.
These days, Gravity has plenty of competition. In 2018, experts estimated that a half-dozen or so companies were producing weighted blankets. By the spring of 2019, the list has grown past two dozen. Big names like Gravity, Mosaic, SensaCalm, YnM and Beautyrest share the market with many other companies, including Sensory Goods, Peace, ZonLi, and Grandpa’s Garden.
Target entered the market with its Pillowfort weighted blankets in late 2018, responding to customers who wanted more affordable products for their children who had special needs, says Kristen Mezzenga, a company spokeswoman. At $49.99, it costs a fraction of what some others do. Now, Walmart, too, has joined the fray, with a number of weighted blankets that range in price from $29 to $130 and more.
The range of options has grown with the market. Options now include waterproof models. For sweaty sleepers, there are cooling weighted blankets that promise to wick moisture away from the body. “We are seeing a demand for larger weighted blankets,” says Laura LeMond, owner and co-founder of Mosaic Weighted Blankets.Gravity Blankets is into bundling — it is working with Calm, offering a 1-year subscription to the app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation help with the purchase of a $249 weighted blanket.
Where’s the Research?
Even though the blankets are getting more popular, scientific research is still sparse. Much of the research is industry-funded, such as one paid for by blanket makers. It found that after using the blanket for 2 weeks, 31 men and women who had moderate insomnia reported a calmer night’s sleep with fewer movements.
In another study, researchers studied 32 adults who used weighted blankets. It found that 63% reported less anxiety and 78% preferred the weighted blanket as a way to calm down. In another study, researchers took a look at the total sleep time of 67 children with autism spectrum disorder, assigned randomly to sleep under a regular blanket or a weighted one for 2 weeks, then switched to the other blanket type for 2 weeks. The researchers did not find the weighted blanket helped the children sleep longer, fall asleep faster, or wake less often; but they did find the children and parents liked the weighted blanket better than the regular one.
More recently, Gravity Blankets did its own study, looking at use of the blanket over 1,000 nights of sleep, says Mike Grillo, Gravity’s managing director. The study, validated by an outside company, found that 72% of the weighted blanket users reported more relaxed and restful sleep. The concept behind weighted blankets — deep pressure stimulation that feels like a firm hug, massage or swaddling — has been researched and found to help adults and kids who have anxiety, autism, and attention difficulties, experts say.
The Power of the Grapevine
Word of mouth is driving the trend, says Donna Chambers, founder and CEO of SensaCalm. The decline in stigma about anxiety and other mental health issues is helping, too. “People feel more comfortable discussing [mental health problems] publicly,” she says. “This leads to word-of-mouth recommendations, which is how our weighted blanket business picked up steam in the first place.”
What the Experts Have to Say
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine does not have an official stance on the blankets. Neither does the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Parents are less likely to ask her advice about the blankets than to tell her they have begun using them, says Jennifer Poon, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She’s also a member of the executive committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. She works with children with developmental delays, and she tells parents who ask that “unfortunately, there is not great evidence” supporting the blankets.
“Anecdotally I have had some patients tell me it’s made a difference and others tell me it didn’t make a difference,” she says of the weighted blankets. “Perhaps there is a placebo effect going on.”
Advice and Warnings
Weighted blankets come in a range of weights; most manufacturers recommend getting a blanket that is 10% of the user’s weight. For children, get 10% of their weight plus 1-2 pounds, says LeMond of Mosaic. When the blankets are used on children, Poon warns parents to be careful about a choking hazard from the weight, “especially if using it on a child with ADHD or an impulsive child.”
Weighted blankets are not safe for babies, says Chambers of SensaCalm. And she tells parents to ask their pediatrician before using it on an older child. Poon reminds adults and children to pay attention to sleep hygiene: Avoid caffeine before bed, turn off computers and other screens before bed, and sleep in a dark room. “If those other things are not in order,” she says, “I am not sure a weighted blanket is going to make a difference in your sleep.”
Original article: https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20190415/weighted-blankets-from-fad-to-mainstream


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The organiser of Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) has announced details of the airline buyers and exhibitors set to attend its new virtual event, which will take place online from 14-16 September.
The digital platform will enable aviation professionals from across the globe to come together for three full days to conduct targeted business meetings, discover the latest products and services from the supply chain of cabin interiors and gain insights from sector experts via three streams of content.
Representatives from more than 60 airlines have already expressed their interest in attending the virtual event, including Air France, Emirates, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways, as well as suppliers such as Geven SpA, MGR Foamtex, Inmarsat Global Ltd, Safran and Sabeti Wain Aerospace.
Kevin Kleist, who looks after emerging trends at Southwest Airlines said: “The AIX gathering always brings us exposure to new and emerging technologies, products and solutions while providing an opportunity to meet with existing vendors and learn more about their products and innovations. Now more than ever, even virtual discussions could bring immediate value to Southwest, as we look to solve new needs. We look forward to maintaining connections and establishing new ones, as we all hopefully move toward future in-person gatherings, like those we’ve valued in previous years.”
Director of customer experience at Condor Flugdienst Rainer Kroepke added: “The upside of a virtual event is that you can better organise appointments, meaning you can fit even more topics and discoveries in the same amount of time.”
New product developments prioritise hygiene
Returning exhibitor Muirhead will showcase its new Muirhead Active Hygiene Leather, which offers built-in antiviral properties for best-in-class hygiene onboard. The self-disinfecting leather features built-in ViralOff® technology, which is proven to eliminate 99 per cent of bacteria and viruses within two hours, including SARS-CoV-2, H3N2 and H1N1, without compromising performance, appearance or sustainability.
Attendees can also find out more about the company’s new lightweight, full substance leather specifically designed for the aviation industry. Selected by Ryanair for its Boeing 737-800 and Max fleet, the innovative, easy-clean leather is 25 per cent lighter than its standard counterpart, offering substantial lifetime weight savings.
Fellow exhibitor Adhetec manufactures technical adhesive films dedicated to decorative and industrial applications for aerospace. It will present its antimicrobial range of antivirus and antibacterial films ideal for IFE screens, tray tables and other high touch areas in the cabin. Mankiewicz, a leading manufacturer of high-quality coating systems, will also highlight its paint products for cabin interiors, including Alexit FST PureGuard. The long-lasting carefree interior coating with antimicrobial effective additives is proven to deactivate a corona typed virus and fulfils the most stringent OEM requirements.
Speaking about AIX Virtual, René Lang, executive managing director for aviation at Mankiewicz, remarked: “For Mankiewicz, as the market leader in cabin interior coatings and a loyal exhibitor since the very beginning of AIX, it was a matter of course to also follow the digital path. AIX has chosen a great way to provide a modern communication platform for all market participants to meet each other and discuss the latest developments for the cabin.”
Bucher will present new products, concepts and further developments including a brand-new antiviral Galley kit to protect passengers and crew throughout the flight, a compact front row monument and tray tables for the business class cabin, as well as various retrofit solutions. While International Water-Guard (IWG) will highlight how its Healthy Lav Touchless products offer a simple and effective way of increasing onboard lavatory hygiene, enhancing passenger confidence and comfort.
In addition, Sekisui Kydex will display a range of new innovative solutions that allow designers to expand the possibilities for cabin design, including its Kydex Ion Technology that was shortlisted in the Crystal Cabin Awards. The new technology is 99 per cent effective at inhibiting the growth of stain and odour-causing bacteria on Kydex Thermoplastics. The antimicrobial treatment is incorporated into the sheet, which helps keep the treated surface cleaner between cleanings.
Digital to the fore
With digitisation playing a critical role in supporting the aviation industry’s long-term recovery, Inmarsat Aviation will showcase its award-winning inflight connectivity solutions at AIX Virtual, including a brand-new platform that helps airlines to monetise onboard wifi. Inmarsat will also delve into the findings of a major upcoming global report into the latest impact of the pandemic on travel habits and passenger expectations.
“We’re excited to reconnect cabin interior and onboard services professionals at this critical time. The impressive names and companies that have already expressed their interest in attending or booked stands at the virtual event is testament to the industry’s eagerness to move forward. AIX is renowned for being a hotbed of innovation and the place to do business, and this will be no different at AIX Virtual 2021,” commented RX (Reed Exhibitions) event director Polly Magraw.
In May, the first details of the new virtual events were announced. Hosted on a fully digital platform, AIX and World Travel Catering & Onboard Services will enable the entire supply chain of cabin interior and onboard services professionals to reconnect at this crucial time and thereby accelerate the industry’s recovery.


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But exciting new opportunities are emerging as well. The food retail industry has taken a more prominent position in both national and global debates, for the first time at the White House conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in September and at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 in November.
Against this backdrop, 2023 will be a very important year for the industry. Grocers and retailers are looking to not only survive, but thrive in this rapidly changing landscape. From leveraging new data and technology to prioritizing environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) accountability, below are his four predictions for the future beyond 2023.
1. Retailers invest in more actionable data and visibility on fresh produce.
Retailers across the country recognize that leveraging data and analytics is key to reducing food waste throughout the supply chain. Next year, retailers will invest in more real-time tracking data, especially for products such as fruits, vegetables and dairy, when it comes to real-time freshness monitoring.
Data-driven insights enable retailers to monitor variations in time, temperature and handling throughout the food journey (some of the leading causes of food spoilage) in order to develop best practices to maintain food quality. ) can be better understood.
This level of tracking and insight will increase investment in technology not only at the level of individual boxes and containers, but also focused on detailed actions along the supply chain, from farm to shelf.
Investing in more granular and actionable insights will give retailers a holistic view of what’s happening within their retail environment, including the full range of what they’re not selling. These insights can be easily woven into existing business models to minimize food waste.
2. Accelerating adoption of reverse logistics to become the backbone of food waste diversion and prevention.
One of the main ways to reduce food waste is to keep food out of landfills and incinerators in the first place. However, that requires an efficient diversion infrastructure, which has so far been inadequate in the United States.
Over the last few years, more and more retailers are laying the groundwork for transformation, especially in the form of reverse logistics. At a high level, reverse logistics is a simple self-managing program that leverages existing infrastructure and ordering practices to more efficiently manage food that cannot be sold or donated.
The benefits of reverse logistics technology are enormous: reducing a retailer’s carbon footprint, allowing retailers to self-manage their stores across geographies with a single solution, and distributing unsold food to local food banks and processors. This includes diversion to facilities to prevent. Keeps it out of landfills.
Retailers such as Ahold Delhaize and CVS have incorporated this diversion and prevention approach into their business models. In the coming year, most of the retail food industry will accelerate the adoption of reverse logistics, especially considering sustainability and its importance. Achievement of ESG targets.
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents huge opportunities, but food retailers will find it imperative to build and enhance their data infrastructure first.
AI is reshaping every industry, including food retail. Food retailers that successfully build and deploy AI are poised to reap significant benefits, from better understanding of current and future conditions to optimized pricing and streamlined operations.
That said, we are only at the forefront of the widespread use of AI. This is due to the need for larger and more balanced data sets for training machine learning and AI algorithms. Food retailers will invest more in building and scaling their data infrastructure to fill this gap. To do this, food retailers will increasingly hire specialized technical talent and drive cross-functional collaboration between teams to build and leverage a clear data strategy. .
In addition, we also see food retailers investing in new technologies that not only complement their existing AI initiatives but also enhance them over time. Technologies that ensure food freshness or provide new insights into the efficiency of the supply chain provide food retailers with a significant competitive advantage. Over time, these new technologies, and most importantly the data and insights they generate, will gradually be incorporated into retailers’ AI initiatives.
Four. Food retailers work beyond the EPA Food Takeback Hierarchy Pyramid to meet ESG goals.
Today’s consumers expect brands to be deeply committed to sustainability and the environment. That pressure is especially felt across the retail food industry and the wider food supply his chain.
As one of the industries with Largest carbon footprint, the food retailer is doubling down on its sustainability initiatives, focusing on environmental, social and corporate governance. This trend he will only accelerate in 2023.many retailers EPA Food Takeback Hierarchical Pyramid – Comprehensive approach to waste management including source reduction, recycling, combustion and landfill –We will enable them to look beyond and have a greater impact on their environment and communities.
One additional metric that food retailers employ to further meet their ESG goals is carbon intensity. In the coming year, more food retailers will invest in technology and analytics to enable efficient carbon accounting across their supply chains, and carbon intensity metrics to drive processes to reduce food waste and emissions. use.
Tipping point in 2023
Since the pandemic began, the retail food industry has faced major disruption, causing widespread transformation across the industry. However, 2023 will be a tipping point that will drive the adoption of new innovations, technologies and infrastructures, and ultimately the exciting changes that will shape the future of the industry.


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For his sections of June, Alibaba had a wonderful and great wish. “our governmental center exchange has made a full physiotherapy on pre-COVID-19 terms,” said Elizabeth Huang, Chief Money Officer of Alibaba, as Chinese economy reviews of COVID-19 with coronavirus spreads aimed at huge numbers. The hate was that the investigators did not expand to the degree predicted by various yearly buyers on the internet interface computer. Alibaba NYSE BABA is heading into cloud storage and is, among other insights, an incredibly high-end marketing via Google and Walmart. Network Alibaba has grown by 62 percent per year, 334 per cent higher than its substantial.
Alibaba Bunch Developments Ltd. (Nyse BABA) – an enormous internet supermarket commonly regarded as China’s online shops – significantly overturned the wider presentation in 2020 following the break-up of COVID-19 and the greatest economic tragedy of the decades. The views of Alibaba have been seen by the strict regulation in China of coronavirus epidemic, which would be the biggest chest of drawers.
Analysis of NYSE BABA
As described for Prominent speculative investors are looking to see Alibaba’s growth prospects for revival, the organization will complete its 2019-2020 year (FY). (FY). Analysts expect that this year’s Harmony earnings per share and profits are considerably greater than the last quarter of the year (YOY). The exceptional news, considering the fact that investigators expect the progress of the transactions, as opposed to the final quarter, will both boost.
In the beginning of the fourth section, the coronavirus steadily started to spread. Adjusted EPS was an exciting quiet in the final four months, with YOY’s growth touching 36-56 per cent and its slowest growth since the generates a lot of 2019. Income rose slightly by 22.3 per cent to 16 quarters and to the third consecutive segment of the YOY Faction.
In any case, the price has fallen gradually last week. This obviously shifted from the second quarter of Alibaba to the year 2020-related capital, but was unaltered by COVID-19. Sound EPS has made steady gains at 49.0 per cent. Security experts are now opting to deliver the most unbelievably awful progress of China’s greatest visit to FY I 2020. The section is projected to have a strong EPS of 5.6 percent by the end of June 30, 2020. It will mitigate the slowest improvement since the generates a lot of 2019. Income is expected to grow by 28.6 per cent to 147.8 billion yuan; a substantial growth in production in the final year, but also the most notable rate reported in the previous year. Before investing, you can check its balance sheet at https://www.webull.com/balance-sheet/nyse-baba.
Disclaimer: The analysis information is for reference only and does not constitute an investment recommendation.


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The 2021 Honda Ridgeline is finally starting to get some well-deserved respect. It isn’t the most tough-guy pickup truck on Earth, but consumers are starting to realize the value in a more friendly, comfortable, and understated pickup truck. Although the Ridgeline is great, it is still struggling to compete with the 2021 Ford F-150 even though it killed the Ford on Consumer Reports.
How good is the 2021 Honda Ridgeline?
Consumer Reports gave the 2021 Honda Ridgeline an overall score of 80/100, making it the highest-rated pickup truck of the year. A score of 80/100 may not seem all that great, but when you compare the 2021 Honda Ridgeline to the rest of the trucks CR reviewed this year, the next closest competitor is the Toyota Tundra with a score of 65/100.
In fact, when you compare the 2021 Honda Ridgeline’s score to the 2021 Ford F-150’s score of 55/100, you can clearly see which one CR prefers. The Honda Ridgeline is a truck that isn’t particularly outstanding in any one category, but it does everything that an average person needs from a truck.
The 2021 Honda Ridgeline sports a peppy 3.5-liter V6 making 280 hp. It comes with a solid AWD system, a comfy ride, decent gas mileage, and a rock-solid reliability rating.
Although it can only tow 5,000 lbs, that is plenty for most people’s average needs. The point of Honda Ridgeline is to be a friendly, approachable truck that will offer what most people should need, offering little in the way of excess.
But people love their F-150s
The 2021 Ford F-150 is a tough competitor. It seems like no matter how good, or bad the F-150 is, people will never stop buying them. The 2021 model has some incredible features, particularly when you step up to the hybrid PowerBoost model. It can have a built-in power generator, tons of hybrid horsepower, and starting in June, a scale that weighs the bed loads.
However, the 2021 Ford F-150 did not impress Consumer Reports all that much. The reliability rating is the killer here.
The Ford F-150 has a long history to draw from for reliability information. Unfortunately, based on the Consumer Reports review, the 2021 F-150 has a low predicted reliability rating.
CR determines this rating based on owner reports from previous models. The F-150 struggled with transmission issues along with body hardware and power equipment problems.
Even more alarming is the fact that after a few months of ownership, some 2021 Ford F-150 owners found the underside of their pickup trucks rusted.
It is things like this rust debacle that lead to low-reliability ratings. Even with these reliability issues, F-150 owners still love them. CR polled 2021 F-150 owners on owner satisfaction, and the F-150 scored an impressive four out of five.
Consumer Reports really only cares about a few things
At the end of the day, when Consumer Reports rates vehicles, they look at every detail of the unit. Still, the final score tends to come down to owner satisfaction, reliability, practicality, and comfort.
The 2021 Honda Ridgeline hits all of those metrics dead between the eyes. It is fuel-efficient, comfortable, practical, and reliable. Granted, it isn’t a very hard-working and brawny pickup, but that isn’t what most truck drivers actually need.
The 2021 Ford F-150, on the other hand, is strong and brawny. It comes with a million different power options and configurations. Still, according to Consumer Reports, it isn’t very comfortable, it doesn’t handle very well, and is likely to have a myriad of problems. It is for this reason that CR gave it such a low score.
The post The 2021 Honda Ridgeline Just Killed the 2021 Ford F-150 On Consumer Reports appeared first on MotorBiscuit.


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January 25, 2023 | 13:00
Vietnamese agricultural saw a record export turnover of $53.2 billion last year, over $3 billion more than the goal, while many agricultural products gained access to high-standard markets.
November 28, 2022 | 11:57
The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, which has been known for Con Dao Islands and many beautiful beaches, is working to promote ecotourism, bringing new experiences to visitors in its agriculture and rural areas.
November 15, 2022 | 17:08
A lack of capital is making it difficult for businesses to maintain operations.
November 03, 2022 | 10:00
A partnership with farmers is not established in a single day, but over a long period of time. Le Nguyen Doan Duy, director of Business Development at Asia Ingredients Group, told VIR’s Hai Yen about the rapidly devised complementary solutions that can gain trust and enhance farmers’ livelihoods.
July 27, 2022 | 18:43
While the sharp increase in food prices across Europe has opened up prospects for Vietnamese agricultural exporters, processing issues remain at the forefront.
June 28, 2022 | 09:00
With Vietnam accelerating the development of a circular economy, many businesses are attempting to apply this model in agriculture – but barriers to approval still stand in the way for some.
May 17, 2022 | 10:00
With the demand growing, the United States is maintaining its position as the largest export market of Vietnamese agricultural products, which are increasingly advancing in quality.
May 03, 2022 | 23:55
Vietnam is making efforts to pave the path for exporting agricultural products in order to reach $50 billion in turnover for the whole year.
March 24, 2022 | 16:04
With the increasing demand for preserving agricultural products, especially tropical fruits, of high-quality standard and up to the European Union market’s requirements, Belgian company ICE-LOFT has developed and inaugurated the first model of its smart cold cabin technology.
February 28, 2022 | 13:00
After the Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam (MXV) was allowed to connect with international exchanges by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the domestic commodity trading market was organised to operate stably and sustainably, creating the premise for breakthrough developments.
February 28, 2022 | 10:58
This is one of the goals set in the new strategy on agricultural and rural development in the period 2021 – 2030, vision 2050, approved by Decision 150/QĐ-TTg on 28th January.
January 26, 2022 | 09:33
The participation of supermarkets and retail businesses in Vietnam to support the consumption of agricultural products that cannot be exported is helping to create a more abundant supply with Lunar New Year approaching.
January 15, 2022 | 11:00
The situation of congestion of agricultural products at border gates has brought into light requirements to diversify export markets and modernisation in the processing stage to improve product value and reach.
October 23, 2021 | 08:00
Some farmers and distributors remain hesitant to restart operations meaning Vietnam could face food shortages in places, with vaccinations and conditional free movement seen as salvation.
September 04, 2021 | 12:48
Vietnamese agricultural products have been introduced at the 10th Chili Pepper Festival, one of the most awaited culinary fests in a year that is taking place in Italian central city of Rieti from September 1-5.


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Earlier today we reported that OnLive was putting in free game codes inside boxed copies of the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. The codes give folks a way to play a free version of the cyberpunk-themed action-RPG from publisher Square Enix via OnLive's streaming PC game service. Now GameSpy is reporting that GameStop, the US's largest game retail store operating, is ordering its employees to remove the free OnLive game code cards from the PC retail boxed of the game.
The story says it has obtained a memo allegedly sent to GameStop store managers which states, "Please immediately remove and discard the OnLive coupon from all regular PC versions of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Our desire is not to have this coupon go to any of our customers after this announcement." GameStop's PR rep Beth Sharum confirmed the move, saying, "Square Enix packed the competitor's coupon with our DXHR product without our prior knowledge and we did pull and discard these coupons." In post on its Facebook page, GameSpot added, "We don’t make a habit of promoting competitive services without a formal partnership." As far as opening a new copy of the game just to remove the OnLive coupon card, GameStop said, "While the new products may be opened, we fully guarantee the condition of the discs to be new. If you find this to not be the case, please contact the store where the game was purchased and they will further assist." So far neither OnLive nor Square Enix have commented on this move by GameStop.
One of the reasons GameStop might have made this kind of move is that the retailer is planning to launch its own streaming game service that would be a competitor to OnLive. GameStop acquired the streaming game technology from Spawn Labs earlier this year. Earlier this month GameStop announced it has started closed beta testing of the streaming game service and plans to officially launch the service in mid-2012.


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High-fat diet boosts risk for obesity, diabetes
July 10, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- You may have been told that a high fat diet can help lose weight. But a new study in the Journal of Nutrition found that a high fat diet actually increases the risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus.
The study led by Mary Helen Black from Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA and colleagues found that Mexican Americans who used a high fat diet had "higher age- and sex-adjusted mean body mass index, body fat percentage, and trunk fat and lower insulin sensitivity and deposition index."
A high fat diet was defined as a diet that has 35% of total energy from fat, 44% from carbohydrates and 21% proteins. It should be noted that the diet has also high protein! So it should actually be classified as a high fat, high protein diet, which has been known to be a risk factor for diabetes mellitus.
The study of 1150 Mexican Americans aged 18 to 65 years with 73% females also found that high fat intake was associated with greater adiposity and lower insulin sensitivity even after adjustment for age, gender, and daily energy intake.
Dietary fat has been known to be a risk factor for diabetes mellitus.
Low fat diet was defined for the study to have 20% of total energy from dietary fat, 65% from carbohydrates and 15% from proteins. Note that the diet has also relatively lower protein.
The researchers concluded "These findings suggest that high-fat diets may contribute to increased adiposity and concomitant insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction in Mexican Americans."
The best diet you can use to have lower risk of all types of Western diseases including heart disease, diabetes and cancer is a diet full of whole foods with low fat and low protein, particularly protein from animals (or meats), according to some studies.
(Send your news to email@example.com, Foodconsumer.org is part of the Infoplus.com ™ news and information network)
- Are Cholesterol-Rich Eggs Really Okay to Eat?
- Pumpkin seed extract fights prostate cnacer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer
- Mistletoe cancer treatment reviewed
- Turmeric based herbal supplement as effective as antidiabetic drug
- White wine drinkers more likely to develop melanoma


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Xbox One owners officially have four more older Xbox 360 games they can play on their current-gen console. Microsoft has expanded its Xbox One Backward Compatibility to include LEGO Batman, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Sam and Max Beyond Time and Space, and Trials HD.
That means people who already own either the digital or disc versions of those Xbox 360 games can play them on the Xbox One as well for no additional cost.
A few days ago, some Xbox One owners were also able to download and play Red Dead Redemption and some other games, but Microsoft later said those games are still in testing and their public release was an error. The games were later blocked from being accessed on the Xbox One.
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Wm Grant & Sons Sez More Canadian Women Enjoying a Wee Dram!
on 23/01/12 at 11:24 amSpirits
With Robbie Burns Day just around the corner, bartenders across the country from Vancouver to St. John’s have confirmed that more women are ordering more Scotch. Industry experts have also substantiated the findings that lead us to expect the lassies will be joining the laddies in orders of a wee dram on Robbie Burns Day, January 25th.
Nothing could make the women who work with William Grant & Sons more excited. Beth-Anne Perry, National Brand Manager of William Grant & Sons in Canada (Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Grant’s, Tullamore Dew) says, “Over my past 9 years in the spirits industry, I have seen more and more women coming out to the scotch seminars and education classes.” Perry added that “it’s an exciting time for us in the category, where women are appreciating and exploring both single malts and blended whiskies. I am proud to represent the world’s #1 and most awarded Single Malt, Glenfiddich.”
Jan Westcott, President & CEO at Spirits Canada said “There is definitely strong anecdotal evidence that women are drinking more whisky. It is a recent phenomenon and we are hearing it both from the industry and from various liquor board product consultants.”
Alan Sayne, President of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society recently interviewed with MSNBC.com, “There are so many different styles now and a wide range of flavors and aromas, there really is something for everyone. That variety has made more whisky drinkers out of women.”
Some quick facts about scotch drinking women in Canada:
-- According to a survey conducted by Ipsos Reid for William Grant & Sons, 30% of serious whisky drinkers are women. -- Whisky Live - The world's premier whisky tasting show that comes to Canada every Fall confirmed a 10 %+ increase in women participants from 2010 to 2011. They attribute the increase to a scotch renaissance and whisky cocktails.
Right alongside the increased interest in whisky, more women are playing growing role in the distilling industry. William Grant & Sons, CEO Stella David has been with the company since 2009. In an industry that was historically dominated by men, she is one of a few women executives in the business that have taken leading roles.
The scotch industry has a lot to celebrate this Robbie Burns day, so here is to an elegant wee dram and a toast to the lassies.


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That’s the way it sounds. The famous and sometimes controversial Markus Persson, known as Notch, has sold Minecraft to Microsoft for about 2500 million dollars. The three founders of the project, Notch himself, Carl and Jacob leave the company and will work on other projects that we assume we will soon start hearing about. Now it does seem complicated that official support for virtual reality arrives, although luckily the Minecrift mod will allow us to move on.
The news was published on the Mojang website a few minutes ago. Minecraft has grown from being a curious experiment to become a mastodon of enormous proportions, with versions for all types of platforms. Its authors wanted to start other projects, something that was not possible without ceasing to pay attention to Minecraft, and now they have found a way to get out of the way in exchange for a significant economic pinch.
Apparently it has been about 2 years since the first contact between the two parties took place, and it was now that the final agreement has been reached. Microsoft is taking over Minecraft and, according to its creators, it should not affect the existing versions for the different platforms, although no one can help thinking that, in the future, Xbox could be greatly favored.
As for virtual reality, the Minecrift mod has enormous quality and there should be no impediments to it continuing to work and develop in the future, but again nothing can be taken for granted 100%. And speaking of virtual reality, it certainly seems ironic to us that Notch has ended up doing something similar to what he so vehemently criticized at the time: the sale of Oculus to Facebook. We wish you all the luck in the world in your future projects, and we ask you not to close the doors to virtual reality in them.
Notch explains his progress on his blog, but at the moment we have not been able to access it, it is evident that it is saturated.


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Bizzabo, the world's leading end-to-end event success platform, recently released an analytical study that explores the impact of event app adoption. It analyzed more than 70 events across various industries, including publishing, computer software and insurance, and Bizzabo found that fully-branded, white-labeled event apps experience a 50 percent increase in adoption and event marketers see a 45 percent increase in attendee engagement when using branded event apps.
Since people are using mobile apps constantly, Bizzabo knew that apps for events had to keep up the level of customization that people have become accustomed to with everything else on their phones. “At the end of the day, mobile and events go hand-in-hand,” says Alon Waks, vice president of marketing at Bizzabo. “Event apps allow attendees to more effectively network, keeps everyone aware of the latest event updates, and most importantly, provides a rich dataset from which event organizers can draw insights.”
With Bizzabo’s own Ultra Branded App, “event planners can provide a way for attendees to fully integrate themselves in the event experience,” says Waks. “It’s a solution that allows for brands to customize the design with their own imagery, brand name, and increased networking opportunities.”
After months of work on this study, Bizzabo has proven that event planners will see new successes if they choose to go mobile, in addition to receiving access to Bizzabo’s full suite of actionable analytics, powerful marketing tools, ticketing, registration tools and attendee experience tools.


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Activision Blizzard isn’t having the greatest start to the week,
dealing as it is with the effects of a protracted sales slump as
well as a refund program that’s been announced for Activision’s
ill-fated Guitar Hero Live.
The refund is for US consumers who bought the game between
December 1, 2017 and January 1, 2019, and while the publisher
didn’t say, it’s assumed the refund is a result of the shutdown of
the Guitar Hero TV streaming music service in the game. Engadget
in a piece today that with the shutdown of the game’s streamer,
that also culled its library of songs from 484 to just 42 — no
doubt frustrating gamers who paid for more songs.
BGR Top Deals:
These wireless noise cancelling headphones are way too good to cost
$73… and they’re down to $50
This top-rated air fryer costs half as much as comparable
Trending Right Now:
The Pixel 4 is several months away, but one new feature has already
New ‘Avengers: Endgame’ theory says the real villain will help
Samuel L. Jackson just leaked a big spoiler for ‘Captain
Marvel’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’
Woes mount for Activision Blizzard, which is planning layoffs after
a sales slump originally appeared on BGR.com on Mon, 11 Feb 2019 at 16:14:04 EDT.
Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source: FS – Phones – News
Woes mount for Activision Blizzard, which is planning layoffs after a sales slump


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Rdio, a streaming music subscription service launched by the founders of Skype, has signed a deal with Cumulus. Cumulus Media runs around 525 radio stations. Cumulus will get significant equity stake in Rdio parent company Pulser Media.
Subscriptions for Rdio costs $5 to $10 per month and can be used in 31 markets around the world. Millions of songs are available to stream through Rdio. However, the company faces intense competition with other services like Pandora, Spotify, and Songza.
No cash is being exchanged in this transaction.


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Thursday, April 26, 2012
11:59 PM electro No comments
It is reported yesterday that the Acer Iconia Tab A100 tablets are getting Ice Cream Sandwich updates a bit early, and now, it seems like the 10-inch version of the tablet will also be updated early. Users of the Acer Iconia Tab A500 are already confirming that their devices received Ice Cream Sandwich update ahead of time.Basically, Android 4.0.3 wasn’t planned to start rolling out for the tablet before the 27th, but it seems like Acer has made the decision to proceed and release the update for most (not all) users. If you want to check if the update is already available on your device, just go to Settings > About.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
11:22 PM electro No comments
Saturday, April 14, 2012
11:50 PM electro No comments
I really like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 because it is not too small and not too big; it’s just the right size. While the tablet is a superb piece of technology in its Wi-Fi only version, AT&T went an extra mile by adding LTE capability. If it’s okay for you to have a refurbished Galaxy Tab 8.9, then you can visit theAT&T website right now and buy the tablet for only $199.99 on a 2-year contract or $399.99 without contract.
Friday, April 13, 2012
3:24 PM electro No comments
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
11:18 PM electro No comments
In the past, you have possibly spotted a number of cheap tablet PC deals on the internet. Do you still recall the $99 TouchPad firesale? Well, let me introduce you to an Android tablet that is surprisingly cheap. For only $44 (yes you heard it right!), you can now own a tablet!
Let me take you to India, a nation where hi-tech gizmos are becoming ever so popular, despite the fact that many of them have no or little experience of using them. That is precisely the challenge that the Indian Ministry of Education is hoping to deal with. The plan is to present the Android tablets to rural schools that have minimal access to advanced technologies.
The Indian government will be buying 100,000 Aakash Android tablets at a price of $44 each. It will then be sold to schools at a lower price tag of $22.
Aakash Ubislate 7+ specifications:
- Processor: Conexant A8, 700MHz
- RAM: 256MB
- Storage: 2GB, but expandable to 32GB
- Display: 7-inch resistive touch screen with 800×400 resolution
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, GPRS modem
- Battery: Up to 180 minutes (3200 mAh)
- Operating system: Android 2.3 Gingerbread
- Other features: 2 USB ports, 3.5mm jack for audio, HD video playback and streaming
Aakash tablet video:
Monday, April 2, 2012
4:15 PM electro No comments
We already seen a lot of cheap Android tablets being sold in the market but this tablet has pretty good hardware. The A7 is actually not related to the car company Hyundai. For only $110, you get a 7-inch 480 x 800 Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) tablet. The touch screen is a 5-point capacitive multitouch.
The Hyundai A7 tablet should run most apps and games because it features a Cortex 1.5 GHz A8 processor and a 512 MB of RAM. It also features an 8 GB of internal storage, micro-SD extra storage, and a micro-HDMI port for watching High Definition movies on a larger screen.
Even though the tablet’s design is not the prettiest around, the Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) OS is enough for you not to judge its looks. The tablet has been around for more than a month now and has lately in-stock again.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
12:40 AM electro No comments
Google is partnering with hardware makers based in Asia on a budget friendly 7-inch tablet to challenge what Apple and Amazon.com is offering, according to a report.
According to Wall Street Journal and Digitimes, the hardware will be built by Asustek and Samsung, while the software side will run Android supported by the California Internet Giant. It is set to go against Kindle and iPad devices.
The Asustek tablet is expected to be released on May 2012 with a competitive price of $199. It should be an option for consumers considering the Amazon.com made tablet called Kindle Fire, according to Digitimes.This action by Google will surely pressure other tablet manufacturers to lower the price of their tablet PC’s.


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Xiaomi has already debuted the vanilla Redmi K30 (rebranded to Poco X2) and Redmi K30 Pro (rebranded as Poco F2 Pro) in the China market. Now, a fresh report from the folks at XDA Developers suggests that the company is working on another Redmi K30 variant that will most likely be called the Redmi K30 Ultra.
The reference to the Redmi K30 Ultra were first spotted in a recent MIUI 12 build by reliable Xiaomi tipster kacskrz. The device carries the codename ‘cezanne’ and we have learned some key specs for the same as well.
The report suggests that Redmi K30 Ultra will most likely be powered by a MediaTek chipset. It will include a quad-camera setup helmed by a 64MP sensor – could be the Samsung or Sony one. The source code also hints at a full-screen display with a pop-up camera in tow. It sounds like Redmi K30 Pro could soon have an elder sibling with a similar design but different internals.
Redmi is long rumored to be working on a MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ smartphone. If the aforementioned findings are true, then it will be the Redmi K30 Ultra and now the Redmi K40 series that will arrive with this 5G chipset in tow. Other rumored specs of this device are a 144HZ LCD display, 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor, and a pop-up camera – the same as pointed out by the source code.
Redmi K30 Ultra could arrive with a 4,500mAh battery pack and 33W fast-charging – the same as Redmi Note 9 Pro Max in tow. The only Redmi smartphone to be backed by a MediaTek Dimensity 5G chipset to date is the Redmi 10X 5G. It’s powered by the Dimensity 820 chipset.
There is currently no official word about the launch of the Redmi K30 Ultra but it is rumored to arrive as early as this month. We, however, suggest you take the rumors with a pinch of salt.


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By Daniel Sabiiti
The report- Building the Future “A look at the economic potential of East Africa” shows that EAC trade with the US remains limited and despite deepening relationship between the blocs wielded significant results.
Since 2000, the United States signed several trade agreements with East African countries and regional organizations. However, U.S. trade with the region has been marginal and represents only 5% of total East African trade. In contrast, China and India have become the region’s largest trading partners.
It indicates that there is a possible shift of focus to dealing with the Asian markets according a 2016 report by the US Chamber of Commerce.
Trade between the United States and the EAC increased by 103% from 2010 to 2015, and in 2014, U.S. exports to East Africa rose to more than $2 billion (Exports totaled $2.0 billion; Imports totaled $743 million), while in 2015 the US had $2.0 billion in total (two way) goods trade with the region.
“But there are still significant obstacles limiting U.S. trade with East Africa. While most tariffs have been removed, NTBs, bottlenecks, and infrastructure constraints have limited U.S. businesses’ ability to trade with the region,” the report said in part.
EAC game changers
The report says that East Africa has been the fastest-growing region on the continent over the past decade and all regional countries had higher growth rates than the United States by 2014, and U.S. exports to East Africa rose to more than $2 billion
However, the report indicates that despite a growth in trade in the regional countries and the US in 2014, the region’s trade with USA has been marginal and represents only 5% of total East African trade.
This has partly been caused by the region seeking trade ties with China, India, and the European Union (EU), regional integration efforts, several large-scale infrastructure projects that are underway stand to vastly improve trade in the region, and improvement in removal of non-Tariff barriers.
China and India have become two of the region’s largest trading partners and for example Kenya, the US’s leading trading partner in the region, imported 14 times as many goods from China than it did from the United States in 2014
The report also fears that in the next few years, the EU could see its share of East African trade increase as its new reciprocal trade agreement comes into force.
The EAC is currently negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EU, which will increase bilateral trade between the two regional organizations. The deal was finalized in October 2014; however, ratification has been delayed until January 2017
This report highlights the projects that have the potential to transform the future of EAC trade both regionally and globally and the ways in which U.S. firms can engage as investors and service providers and how U.S. firms can engage in them.
The report indicates that the only way the US can increase its trade with the region is to tap into the existing development projects since the region is one of the most promising trading partners for the United States on the African continent.
For example, the 16 Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) estimated at $14.8 billion, tourism and the energy resource needs in the region which has population of over 145.5 million as per the 2010 census.
For example Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda are expected to add between 40,000 MW and 50,000 MW of generation capacity by 2030, and the private sector is expected to play a role in financing and services. Rwanda, Kenya, and Burundi are seeking investments to develop power generation projects, especially in hydropower and natural gas.
U.S. trade with East Africa still makes up a small fraction of East Africa’s trade with the rest of the world.
In 2015, the United States’ share of imports among EAC countries ranged from 1.8% to 4.0% with Rwanda having the least of imports and Burundi having the highest import dependence.
Even with this Rwanda beats Burundi six times in its trade dealings with the rest of the world according to the report, but Rwanda remains a fertile ground due to its investment and political policies compared to the rest.
Having signed the only Bilateral Investment Treaty with the US in the region, the report refers to Rwanda as widely considered one of ‘Africa’s 21st century success stories’ contrary to , Burundi’s which has been marred by economic and political instability, and continues to lag behind its EAC neighbors.
Rwanda has been listed as a priority countries enlisted as a beneficiary for Tax-Free exports to the USA under the US Annual Product Review of June 2016- which added 27 travel and luggage goods from developing countries on the list of products that receive duty-free treatment in US
In August this year Rwandan trade officials and USA diplomats started discussing the President Obama’s Tax-Free initiative on more Rwanda’s travel goods and luggage targeting the US Market…
Analysis of the report shows that East Africa’s economic development largely mirrors the growth of Asia’s new emerging economies- Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
For example Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Tanzania all had higher GDP growth rates than any of these four countries in 2014 and Kenya’s GDP per capita alone exceeded that of Bangladesh and Pakistan.
In addition, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Tanzania all had higher GDP growth rates than any of the four Asian countries in 2014 with Rwanda and Tanzania having the highest GDP growth of 7.0 percent in the same period while Uganda had lowest at 4.8 percent.


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Google Appeals Record EU Antitrust Fine
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Alphabet's Google filed an appeal of the European Union's record $2.9 billion antitrust fine against the company for allegedly abusing the power of its dominant search engine.
Apple's iPhone Event: What You Need to Know
Apple on Tuesday will unveil the latest iPhones, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Here's what you need to know about the company's most important product event in years.
ComScore Plans Strategic Review Amid Sweeping Board Changes
ComScore Inc. said Monday that most of its board members will resign and it would complete a strategic review of the business amid pressure from shareholders over the media-analytics company's management and lack of transparency on finances.
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Teva Appoints New Chief Executive After Months of Speculation
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries named Kare Schultz as its new chief executive, ending months of speculation over who will lead the Israeli drug company.
Former Annie's Homegrown CEO Heads to Baby-Food Startup
The former chief executive of organic food brand Annie's Homegrown is heading into the crowded baby food business. John Foraker is taking the top role at startup Once Upon a Farm, which is partnering with actress Jennifer Garner to help market the brand.
Ferrari Bets Racetracks Wins Equal Showroom Sales
It is an article of faith among some sports car makers that racetrack victories translates into showroom sales. This week, Ferrari will again test its costly participation in Formula One racing by launching a model aimed at ordinary, though well-heeled, drivers.
BP Files for New York IPO of Pipeline Assets
BP PLC is moving forward with plans to float some of its vast network of U.S. pipelines in a move that would spin out cash from the company's infrastructure assets across America.
Home-Improvement Retailers Scramble to Restock in Florida
Home Depot, Lowe's and other home-improvement retailers are rushing supplies into Florida in Irma's wake in an effort critical to rebuilding efforts as well as their quarterly sales.
Equifax Hack Could Slow Down Fast Loans
The goal of digital lending in recent years has been to make credit decisions quickly, and cheaply. The Equifax data breach could force some lenders to hit the brakes.
U.K. Regulator Summons Standard Chartered Over Indonesian Bribery Allegations
The U.K. financial regulator has summoned Standard Chartered PLC officials to a meeting this week over a whistleblower's claims of misconduct at an Indonesian power plant builder owned by the bank, people familiar with the matter said.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 11, 2017 17:15 ET (21:15 GMT)


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PXT Payments, which operates the mobile payments and rewards app "looped in," is partnering with Boston College-based startup Jebbit for a student-focused marketing program that combines mobile payments and gaming.
To use Jebbit, students go online and play a survey game. These games are sponsored by businesses that create questions highlighting their products, and reward consumers for correct answers.
By combining the survey game with looped in, users get funds they can access on smartphones via the looped in app. The students can then spend that money immediately at a participating merchant, in this case in the neighborhood around Boston College.
"One of Jebbit's core missions is to allow students to discover and learn about the newest, most innovative products and services that will improve the lives of our members; looped in could not be a better fit," said Tom Coburn, CEO of Jebbit, in a release.
PXT Payments operates looped in using a cloud-based operating platform hosted by Sungard Availability Services. To complete settlement, PXT uses the Federal ACH payment system. The looped in app is available for iPhone or Android via the App Store or Google Play. The company refers to the app as an "ATM on an iPhone."
Consumers can use looped in to pool money for restaurant bills and other group purchases. Consumers can also transfer money between looped in and a bank account.
The looped in and Jebbit campaign follows a deal between PXT and Fenway Sports Management. That partnership will commence at Boston College's Alumni Stadium, where students will be able to pay for food and merchandise using looped in.
Jebbit was founded in 2011 and won the Boston College Venture Competition in 2011.


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Hormel Foods has enrolled a bunch of marketing students from Chicago’s DePaul University to help find answers in how to market to Hispanic consumers.
According to –who else?– Pork News, 12 DePaul students were enlisted to analyze a dozen of Hormel brands that are not currently active in the Hispanic market and identify “growth opportunities.” This, of course, to give the kids a chance to prove their marketing skills. “We easily could have assigned this project to an established research company, but we wanted to see what these promising students could discover,” a Hormel executive said in a statement.
I have no idea what these kids came up with, but I can only hope they could talk the company into reconsidering the name of one of its most popular “ethnic” salsas: Chi-chi’s. Or, at the very least, recommend a more spicy –and suitable– pitch to make the most out of such a kinky brand. How about a celebrity spokesperson? (think Lorena Herrera, Verónica Castro or La Tetanic) And don’t worry if they are not real; the salsas are also pretty fake.
(And in case you don’t know what Chichis are, you can always click here).
2 thoughts on “Hispanic marketing 101: what do to with “Chi-chis””
i heard about your blog ina radio station here in mexico city, and i agree with them, it`s fabulous! this gringos are one of a kind, aren`t they? greetings.
perhaps this product may be promoted by Sabrina, to make it more “global”
As usual, the lack of understanding about the Hispanic Market is present in this example, the ignorance of this marketing team is… de dar pena ajena !!
If only the marketing “experts” read more…


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The spread of the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in cafes and retail, with the latest closures striking Retail Food Group brands Donut King, Gloria Jean’s and Michel’s Patisserie.
About 90 Australian-based franchisees in these three chains have opted to temporarily close their doors as “existing trading conditions simple become untenable”, said RFG executive chairman Peter George.
“The situation is most acute within shopping centres and is demonstrated by a c.50 per cent reduction in customer count amongst the company’s Donut King, Gloria Jean’s and Michel’s Patisserie brands,” he said.
It’s a similar tale internationally for RFG.
Government restrictions around the world have resulted in temporary closures of 481 outlets. Forty one stores are operating as takeaway only, and 51 in the global market are continuing to operate normally, subject to increasingly difficult trading conditions.
RFG support for franchisees
George said the business has taken steps to preserve the long term sustainability of its franchise network by directly supporting franchisees most in need, with measures adopted differing according to each brand.
- waiving or reducing certain fixed and percentage based fees
- waiver of fixed royalty or marketing levy floors so these fees will be calculated as a percentage of sales only
- derferment of outstanding debt and RFG provided finance with no interest charged
George said the recent cost-cutting measures implemented to deal with the coronavirus crisis and the company’s recapitalisation have provided “increased scope” to deliver the extra support franchisees require.
RFG calls for tougher rent measures
However George revealed frustration with the lack of progress in persuading landlords to provide relief to tenants.
He said the National Cabinet’s guiding principles on which landlords and tenants could negotiate crisis-friendly commercial arrangements have failed to take seed.
“Whilst the key elements of this guidance are conceptually sound, they fail in terms of practical application due to the significant power imbalance which exists in favour of landlords.
“In reality it is our experience that tenants have very limited bargaining power to drive meaningful and timely outcomes in these circumstances.
“This is particularly the case within franchise systems such as RFG’s, where the company or its subsidiaries are in many cases the tenant under the lease, but neither own nor operate the business conducted from the premises.”
Careful to acknowledge the financial and strategic difficulties put on landlords by the coronavirus crisis, George nonetheless called for stricter government measures to ease the pressures on all retail parties.
“Where the government’s objective is to hibernate business so that it is able to contribute to restarting the economy and preserve jobs, RFG considers that robust and urgent government intervention is necessary to address fixed cost bases such as occupancy costs, and limit the uncertainty that is necessarily influencing current decision making,” he said.
Edit: This article originally stated 90 per cent of stores had closed. RFG has clarified 90 stores have closed. The story has been updated to reflect this.
This story originally appeared on sister site Inside Franchise Business.


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HUBBALLI: Janaushadhi Kendras
, working under the Union ministry of chemicals and fertilisers, have started accepting orders for medicines on WhatsApp and smartphones on the basis of uploaded prescriptions
and also delivering them at the patients’ doorstep.
With this, the technology is helping patients get medicines at a time when the virus scare is at peak and the lockdown has restricted their movement.
To compete with private pharmacies, the generic medicine centres have also started home delivery. The move has got a good response in north Karnataka
region as people are wary of catching the virus if they step out to buy essentials, including medicines.
Raju Baddi, owner of a cenre at Vijaynagar near Tirupati Bazar, said of late, many people are asking for door delivery of medicines.
“We are obliging at no extra cost,” he said, adding: “Earlier, we used to find it difficult to convince the public about generic medicines. But now, about 70% of buyers rely on them.
They now have the knowledge about generic medicines, thanks to internet search, and come to us to by them at lower price,” he explained.
“Among the drugs ordered largely — supported with prescriptions — are cardio-diabetic drugs, immunity boosters, antibiotic tablets and the like,” said Basavaraj
, who owns a centre in Haveri. Supply intact Sources claimed that the supply of drugs has not been affected during lockdown too.
The cetnres are receiving stocks from Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Mysuru
and other cities. In the beginning of the second wave, the supply of generic medicine was affected for some days, but got streamlined later.


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You may run into the “vitamins are a waste of money” meme just about everywhere on the internet and on cheesy television news programs (you still watch television news?). Here is a blurb from CNN:
A newly-published editorial about vitamins is getting a lot of attention.
The controversial piece, published in this week’s Annals of Internal Medicine, claims that dietary supplements and vitamins are a waste of money.
The editorial, which is based on three studies, says taking supplements offers no benefit when it comes to preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer or a second heart attack.
The report also says those studies also show that multivitamins don’t prevent mortality or improve cognitive function in men older than 65.
Depending on the agenda of the reporting site, the report might not suggest that the vitamin study would inevitably have reached a different conclusion if it had been conducted with a population that was in need of nutritional assistance. Let’s face it: study healthy individuals, especially those who enjoy a healthy diet, and vitamin supplements might well be a waste of money; but study those that do not have the means to provide for healthy meals, those that might be forced to choose between paying the rent and feeding the kids, then the addition of vitamins to their diet might show great benefit.
Of course another problem is that the vitamin industry is yet-another huge, greedy corporate interest and when a family is choosing between food and shelter, there might not be any money available to bolster the profits of the vitamin plutocrats. Ironically, this industry has created the myth that vitamin supplements are necessary to sustain a healthy life (making vitamins psychologically addicting?). So the report questioning the efficacy of vitamins does have value, even if it is possibly skewed.
Don’t just accept this report or any other report or study without engaging your critical thinking genes. Today’s news reporting is too often selected for its entertainment or shock value. Think for yourself. Question everything. You might not be the expert on vitamins or anti-bacterial soap or spinach, for that matter, but you can still question the parameters of a study and definitely the language used in the reporting of the results. Unless, of course, when Popeye says it.
Vitamins might or might not matter but words do matter.


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FedEx drives into the online wholesale business
December 22, 2014 03:21 PM
FedEx Corp., a major shipping carrier for wholesalers, retailers and other businesses, is about to appear a lot more like a lot of its customers.
FedEx announced this week that it had agreed to acquire Genco, a shipping services provider specializing in handling the “reverse logistics” of receiving from retailers excess merchandise returned from customers or goods the merchants couldn’t sell in the first place.
For FedEx, getting a boost of expertise and technology in reverse logistics will help it better serve a growing market for handling excess goods that retailers and other companies need to quickly unload to make room for new merchandise, experts say. “It’s a growth opportunity,” says Kevin Sterling, a financial analyst who follows FedEx and other transportation companies at BB&T Capital Markets.
FedEx did not say what it is paying for Genco, though Sterling estimates the purchase price at about $2 billion or more. Bloomberg News also reported earlier this week that FedEx was expected to pay about $2 billion, based on an estimate from SJ Consulting Group Inc.
But the logistics of transporting and receiving that merchandise is only half of Genco’s business model. The crucial other half, Genco’s executives and industry analysts say, is the company’s ability to sell those overstock goods online. Genco does that through Genco Marketplace, which sells wholesale online at GencoMarketplace.com, and through the consumer-oriented retail site NoBetterDeal.com.
“That’s what makes the supply chain more efficient—to have the liquidation integrated into the reverse logistics,” says Ryan Kelly, Genco’s senior vice president of strategy and marketing. “It’s one of the ways we stay ahead of the game.”
With those operations under the wing of FedEx—the acquisition is expected to close sometime next year—FedEx will emerge as a wholesaler and retailer of overstock general merchandise as well as a shipping carrier and provider of logistics management services for other wholesalers and retailers of excess goods. FedEx would then own an operation that competes with a company like Overstock.com Inc., which, like Genco Marketplace, specializes in selling excess merchandise to businesses as well as consumers. Overstock is No. 31 in the Internet Retailer 2014 Top 500 Guide, which ranks companies by their annual web sales. Overstock declined to comment.
“The acquisition of Genco will transform our global portfolio through the addition of new best-in-class supply chain management services,” says Frederick W. Smith, chairman and CEO of FedEx. “As e-commerce continues to grow, customers of both companies will reap the benefits from the broadened capabilities and powerful new services.”
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