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LOS ANGELES — Ford Motor Co. is taking a chance in lending the Mustang brand to a completely new vehicle that bears little resemblance to the iconic sports car.
The Mustang Mach-E, unveiled tonight at a media event just before the official Los Angeles auto show media days, is a battery-operated electric vehicle.
“Ford purists may say it’s blasphemy to associate the Mustang name with an EV, but it’s smart to use a name that people are already familiar with,” says Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds executive director of Insights. “One of the biggest barriers to EV adoption is consumer education, and the Mustang name grabs attention and has a built-in buyer base who will be curious to learn more.”
Bill Ford, Ford’s executive chairman, says the vehicle is “for a new generation of Mustang owners.”
“At the first-ever Detroit auto show, Henry Ford said he was working on something that would strike like forked lightning,” said Ford, referring to his great grandfather, who was the automaker’s founder. “That was the Model T. Today, the Ford Motor Company is proud to unveil a car that strikes like forked lightning all over again.”
Ford used influencers to tease the vehicle's unveiling via an Instagram campaign. A 60-second video features actor Idris Elba. The integrated campaign was created and developed by BBDO and represents the agency’s first vehicle launch campaign since being named Ford’s global creative agency partner. It will run through the end of the year.
The acceleration and horsepower of the Mach-E will rival that of a Porsche 911, according to the automaker.
Because of the enormous costs of establishing new model names, Ford is leveraging the footprint of its best-known names. This is the first expansion of the Mustang brand in its 55-year history
Ford believes that by lending the Mustang brand to the Mach-E, it will break down some of the barriers of entry for customers interested in, but wary of electric vehicles, providing instant brand recognition, Ford insiders tell Marketing Daily.
It's risky to try and leverage a popular brand name on a separate vehicle, particularly if the new vehicle isn’t similar to the original, says Karl Brauer, executive publisher at Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader.
“However, as with any new vehicle launch, a well-executed model can succeed regardless of name,” Brauer says. “But the opposite is also true — a poorly-executed car will fail no matter what it’s called. In the case of the Mustang Mach-E, Ford is promising compelling performance and attractive styling that pay proper homage to the Mustang brand. If that holds true, borrowing Ford’s most iconic name for its new electric SUV won’t cause any damage, and might actually contribute to awareness and sales.”
The automaker is also prepping three versions of the Ford Bronco SUV, the first of which will be unveiled in spring. Despite the fact that Ford folded the Bronco name in the mid-1990s, it has enormous brand awareness, according to Ford.
For the Mach-E, Ford is also launching a new approach to the charging infrastructure. The automaker has connected multiple charging networks through its FordPass app, a boon to owners, who would otherwise have to pay for multiple charging network subscriptions. Owners will have access to some 14K charging stations at launch, a number that will grow over time.
The automaker is also making the installation of home charging stations easier with a partnership with Amazon, sources say. Details will be forthcoming.
To help placate “range anxiety,” the Mach-E goes from 230-plus miles for some trim levels, to 300-plus for others. The vast majority of charging will take place at home, but for road-tripping, the FordPass app will guide the Mach-E driver from point to point, advising on which route provides the most efficient trip that would include fast charging along the way.


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Hugo Boss entrusts second-hand offering to French start-up Faume
This fall, the German Hugo Boss Group unveiled its second-hand line. Dubbed 'Pre-Loved', the collection is currently only available in Hugo and Boss' French online stores. The German group with a turnover of 2.79 billion euros has entrusted the French start-up Faume to help launch this new sustainable product offering.
Hugo Boss is not the first big name to have worked with the young Paris-based start-up. The company, based in the 2nd arrondissement of the French capital, is already behind the second-hand solutions of brands such as Isabel Marant, Sandro and Heimstone. However, Hugo Boss is undoubtedly its client with the highest sales volumes.
The task at hand will therefore be important for the start-up founded in 2019 by Aymeric Déchin. A young entrepreneur who previously worked at Doctolib, launched his own dating app and created another start-up in the wellness and sports sector. Four years ago, he recognized the impending shift in the fashion industry and launched a new project: an online retail platform for environmentally conscious brands.
"The multi-brand platform has allowed us to really understand the challenges of the industry, as well as the processing stages of the products and the logistical difficulties" detailed the executive. "By launching this start-up company, we took a first step, but we wanted to find an innovative way of doing business. And for us, this had to be built around eco-circularity. We were largely inspired by Patagonia's Worn Wear initiative, which allows the brand's second-hand activity to be managed by the group," he continued.
With Faume's three other co-founders, Nicolas Viant, Lucas Patricot and Jocelyn Kerbourc'h, the team devised a white-label solution for fashion brands to take charge of reselling their products themselves. During the first lockdown caused by the global pandemic in 2020, they felt the boost they needed as both online retail and the second-hand market grew in popularity, bringing in companies such as Balzac and Aigle as customers.
Since then, brands have become increasingly interested in the second-hand market and there has been stiff competition between service providers offering appropriate solutions to labels.
What does the Faume business model rely on? The start-up is not a logistics expert. It offers a solution that optimizes the links between customers/resellers, brands and logistics providers. For example, the second-hand section on the brand's website opens access to a space where second-hand pieces of verified quality can be purchased, but also to a resale interface. Each label sets the amount of purchase rewards that customers can receive and redeem in the form of a voucher, which are then credited within two weeks.
The sale of already used garments and accessories then takes place via the websites or in boutiques and corners of department stores.
"Each brand sets its rate," said Déchin. "Generally, they play with more or less attractive rewards depending on whether they want to have the second-hand piece on sale. The Kooples, for example, focuses on leather jackets. Currently we have about 85% of the second-hand products collected that are destined for resale, 10% that are repaired and 5% that, depending on the brand's strategy, can be given to upcycling projects or to fashion schools. On average, the goal is to find a balance with the second-hand offer, integrate the process and put together the products within six to nine months," he added.
Faume receives a commission for each product sold. Today, the company works with a service provider in Châteauroux, France, to process the products sent in by customers. The latter was already involved in the collaboration with Aigle and helped improve the company's software. Faume, which has 30 employees, is now looking to expand with a new warehouse in the Benelux region.
A second round of financing in the coming months could allow Faume to beef up its team and add impetus to these projects.
"We are developing a software for logistics players but also for brands that can integrate it into their program from 2023. But we think that we can go further with this. For a brand, this serves as a tool for building customer loyalty. It can also differentiate itself from fast fashion. But in the future, the voucher could be targeted, for example, specifically to products that meet ethical or eco-responsible criteria. What we want is to promote a more sustainable business model", explained the executive.
Faume's team is planning to roll out this model in other European markets with Hugo Boss and other brands in the coming months.
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After the HQ2 cancellation in Queens, Amazon’s connections to federal immigration enforcement are drawing scrutiny and criticism in other cities, too.
The arrival of the tech company’s new headquarters was set to shake up the borough’s real estate market, driving up rents and spurring displacement. Now what?
The mega-company has bucked dealing reasonably with New York City, Seattle, and any community that asks them to pay for its freight.
NYC lawmakers who led a resistance campaign against HQ2 are declaring victory. And already, they have plans to escalate their opposition to tax incentives.
After 14 months, Amazon’s HQ2 hunt ended with a split decision in Washington, D.C. and New York City. What did we learn?
Amazon chose Long Island City and Crystal City based on talent. But talent isn’t generic: The search for HQ2 was about particular types of it.
A pair of experts from the Brookings Institution talk about how to bridge the growing economic gulf between America’s coastal boomtowns and the rest.
Amazon awarded HQ2 to Northern Virginia’s “National Landing.” Locals know it as Crystal City. For neighborhood boosters, it’s a shot at a much-needed rebrand.
In the end, New York’s MTA and D.C.’s Metro were the only transportation networks capable of handling such an influx of new residents. But both cities will have some work to do.
There’s a silver lining for the 235 places that did not win.
Each year, local governments spend nearly $100 billion to move headquarters and factories between states. It’s a wasteful exercise that requires a national solution.
Places like the new, affluent Washington, D.C., region were always going to be the only realistic options for HQ2.
The city’s ambitious plan to fund affordable housing by taxing corporations had a very short life. What happened?
After the city passed a tax on businesses to tackle its housing crisis, corporations mounted a counter-attack. And other cities are watching.
Activists are on a quest to find out.
The compromise bill to fund affordable housing and homelessness programs is a thermometer for how cities regulate rapid economic growth.
Amazon set up its HQ2 bidding war for maximum manipulation of North America’s cities—and the company doesn’t seem to be following its own selection criteria closely.
Seattle wants big businesses to fund affordable housing and reduce homelessness. Amazon isn’t happy.
As cities offer massive incentives to win business, economists at UC Riverside offer up a cautionary tale—and examples of how to negotiate benefits for workers and the community.
Petitions and protests urge cities to stop offering tax incentives to Amazon HQ2. But who’s listening?


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Sony is one of world's best known brands when it comes to home electronics, gadgetry, and entertainment.
However, the landscape has changed in recent years. You can have the best media player around, but if you don't offer users a place where they can easily get content for it, it won't be competitive. And it's been proven twice (first with the iPod, then with the iPhone) by Apple's iTunes. Although a bit late to the game, Sony has now revealed its plans to launch its own iTunes-like online store, imaginatively called Sony Online Service. The folks at Sony hasn't given details about the store's look or features, but they've said it will sell music, movies, books, and apps for mobile gadgets. Furthermore, it'll also let users upload content (such as photos and videos) to their online accounts, making the store a cross between YouTube and iTunes.
The company also expects the new service to improve their faltering revenues. "We know we have to restore profit in our game and TV business. We must deliver sustainable financial results," said Sony CEO Howard Stringer, speaking at a news conference at Sony's headquarters in Tokyo.
Sony has been quite successful with its PlayStation Network, a digital content delivery service that lets users (33 million of them) download games and other content on their PS3. But Sony is a company with many blunders on the software side - for example one needs only remember the rootkit incident or SonicStage, the awful software that comes with the company's MP3 players. After all those ups and downs, it'll be interesting to see if Sony can transfer PSN's formula to other areas.


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There has been a flurry of leaks concerning the unconfirmed iPhone 6. Many of these reports suggest that there will be models with two different screen sizes. The most recent leak was posted by Sonny Dickson and shows two models of the smartphone with varied screen sizes; 4.7 and 5.5 inch, respectively.
This leak backs up a previous report that suggested Apple's display supplier, Japan Displays Inc. would be manufacturing a 5.5 inch WQHD (1440x2560) screen that could be used in the unannounced smartphone. It also shows features that were leaked in earlier images, such as the placement of the power button on the right side which is similar to the Samsung Galaxy S5. Even though the back of the devie does not have the Apple logo, it will be engraved like all previous models. As for why these devices don't have the Apple logo, it's likely because they are early production runs to test the assembly process.
All of the leaks that have been coming out have been incredibly similar to each other. Even though these images have yet to be confirmed by Apple, it seems very likely that this could be how the final product will look. We also wouldn't hold our breath that Apple would provide a comment about the leaks seeing that they are trying to crack down on them.
Source and images: Sonny Dickson (Twitter)


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By Claire West
Labelux GmbH the privately held luxury goods group, today announces the acquisition of Jimmy Choo from TowerBrook Capital Partners LP (“TowerBrook”) and the minority shareholders.
The transaction has the full support of Jimmy Choo senior management led by Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Tamara Mellon OBE and Chief Executive Officer, Joshua Schulman, who will remain with Jimmy Choo in their existing capacity.
Tamara Mellon and senior management are making an investment in the Labelux subsidiary established to own Jimmy Choo.
Tamara Mellon said:
"My ambition for Jimmy Choo to inspire women around the world has never had any limits. I am immensely proud of all we have achieved over the last fifteen years and delighted we are to be part of Labelux, a partner who I know shares our values and passion and who seeks ambitious growth in the luxury industry. This is wonderful news for the women who are, or who aspire to become, part of the Jimmy Choo lifestyle."
Labelux, which was established in 2007 with the aim of creating a significant new global player in the expanding luxury goods sector, has built a strong portfolio of brands in luxury fashion, leather, accessories and jewellery. Labelux’s existing portfolio comprises Swiss luxury brand Bally, acquired in 2008, New York-based apparel label Derek Lam, London-based jeweller Solange Azagury-Partridge and Italian accessories brand Zagliani.
The size of the global luxury market was estimated to be worth €168 billion in 2010 and is expected to record compound annual growth of 6.2% to reach €201 billion by 2013. The women’s shoes and leather goods segment of the market, in which Jimmy Choo predominantly operates, is expected to grow at a faster rate than the overall luxury market.
Jimmy Choo is a world-class luxury brand. Since its inception 15 years ago, Jimmy Choo has grown to become the definitive global women’s luxury footwear brand, and has expanded successfully to include a range of complementary product categories including handbags, small leather goods, eyewear, scarves, belts, fragrance and most recently, men’s shoes. Sales have grown in every year of Jimmy Choo’s existence and over the past four years have outperformed the overall luxury goods market by an average of five times. In 2010, the company reported Net Sales of £150m and is currently experiencing double digit growth across all categories and geographies.


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Fayetteville, N.C- The Fayetteville Marksmen have announced a limited amount of apparel is on sale now.
Fans looking to purchase the first run of Marksmen gear can follow the link (below), which offers four different options for Marksmen shirts. More inventory is expected to be added in the coming months.
Season tickets for the inaugural season of Marksmen hockey are on sale now! Call a Marksmen representative to reserve your seats for the 2017-18 season!


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Crispy fries may be linked to cancer
A chemical called acrylamide has been found to be commonly contained in crispy french fries, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In a recent consumer update posted on its website, the FDA encouragee consumers to cut back on consumption of arylamide, which may be linked to increased risk of cancer.
Some studies conducted on animals have shown that high levels of arylamide are linked to increased risk of cancer. However, more research is needed—particularly long-term studies on humans—in order to better understand the link between arylamide and cancer development.
The FDA offers strategies on its website to help food manufacturers and operators to lower the amount of acrylamide in their foods. Since these strategies are not enforced, however, the FDA encourages consumers to do their part to cut back on eating foods with arylamide.
Besides crispy fries, the chemical acrylamide is commonly found in cereals, coffee, crackers, breads and dried fruits.


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“We’re so incredibly proud to be able to officially support this prestigious event” said Jo Boughton-White, managing director. “We have a long standing friendship with Crufts and 2017 will be our 44th year of exhibiting.
“Crufts has played a huge role in our heritage and will continue to do so in our future, we strongly believe in supporting the showing community and all that’s associated with it, so this is the perfect way to embrace and celebrate the dog world”.
Successes in 2016
In 2016, has been an exciting year for Dorwest. The company was invited to meet H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, won Trade Stand of the Year award at The Pawscars and moved to a brand new purpose built premises in Poundbury, Dorchester. Dorwest also launched the highly successful Omega Star®.
The company is now predicing a great 2017, starting with support for Crufts.


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With the recent unveiling of a Sony patent application indicating the company was thinking of killing off used games in the PlayStation 4, speculation has run rampant over how such a tool would affect the games industry. There seems to be a general sense that the implementation of such a product would potentially ruin GameStop, and would benefit game makers. Used games, some say, are bad news.
The reality is, used games aren’t really all that bad. In fact, there’s a good chance that the continued growth of used games is helping the industry in an immense way.
Unfortunately, being a gamer is an expensive proposition. In order to even start having the chance to play games, consumers must purchase a console that will set them back several hundred dollars, and then buy games that cost $60. If they want to play handheld titles, buying a device like the PlayStation Vita or Nintendo 3DS XL will once again cost them hundreds.
In a world where economies are slow to turn around and the future is decidedly in doubt, spending that kind of money on video games isn’t always a top priority. And as much as folks might want to enjoy the entertainment value provided by games, dropping $60 for a new title just doesn’t fit into budgets every month.
With used games, though, that changes. Used titles are notably cheaper than their new counterparts, making it more possible for gamers to get titles. And as those folks get titles, they become more invested in certain hardware, developers, and franchises. The result? A more engaged and entertained gaming community.
[aquote]A more engaged and entertained gaming community means more online customers[/aquote]
A more engaged and entertained gaming community means more customers that will sign up for online services, like Xbox Live. It also means that there will be a broader base of customers to whom developers can sell add-on packs and other goodies.
Now, I understand that the main issue with used games is that developers, who spend years of their lives creating games, aren’t actually getting anything in secondary sales. And I would fully agree that that’s wrong. But that’s not enough of a reason for me to believe that used games should be stricken from the industry.
Like it or not, I do believe that retailers have a responsibility to developers and publishers to share some of the revenue generated from used games. Yes, I know that such a move bucks a longstanding trend and GameStop and Amazon hate the thought of it, but there’s something to be said for being fair. And fairness would dictate paying developers for used sales.
How will such an agreement be made? I don’t know. How will the revenue split work? No idea. But it’s about time both sides – developers and retailers – come together and come to an agreement. The fact is, both parties benefit from used games. And it’s about time we all acknowledge that.


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The following items were reported by correspondent Roger Rowand from the National Design Engineering Show and Conference, held March 13-16 in Chicago.
Hettinga Technologies Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa, has developed a way to incorporate textiles, film and metal reinforcement inside a part as it is being molded.
Vinyl trim, for example, might be molded with a polypropylene door panel instead of being added later through bonding or with fasteners.
During the design show in Chicago, Hettinga showed samples of products made possible with the new technology, which incorporates the company's precise control of its low-pressure casting.
With molded-in textiles, the company showed how automobile sun visors can be made more efficiently and with far fewer costly secondary operations than are necessary now. Officials said they expect a 1996 GMC truck to be among the first to use such sun visors.
Using the Hettinga process, manufacturers can - in one shot - mold a textile hinge between the upper and lower parts of a molded visor. The same molded-in textile serves as a decorative cover for the part.
Instead of molding the visor, then wrapping it in the decorative cover and sewing it, as often is done now, a user of the Hettinga system simply can mold, fold and bond.
IBM shows metal-encased computers
Molders seldom are accused of being complacent, but lest any feel comfortable, take note of an IBM Corp. exhibit.
IBM showed off two new industrial computers to point out plastics' competition. IBM Model 7585, the company said, has a metal cabinet and frame. Of the 7590 version, IBM said, ``The entire system structure is rugged. It has a die-cast front panel with extruded aluminum sides.''
Protection in tough industrial environments is a design goal and the chief reason for the metal housings, an IBM spokesman said.
Compression Engineering plans growth
Compression Engineering aims at compressing the amount of time required for its customers to bring new products to market. And, with shorter new-product cycle times high on corporate America's shopping list, the Indianapolis-based company is growing fast.
The company announced at the show that it has opened offices in Southern California and is expanding its operation in Atlanta. The company plans at least three more of its new-product development centers this year - in northern California, New England and the Southwest, Chairman Will Verity said.
Compression Engineering's one-stop-shopping format includes capabilities many companies cannot afford or don't acquire because rapidly advancing technologies mean quick obsolescence. Such services include mechanical design, computer-aided engineering, rapid prototyping, tooling and low-volume production.
``We offer a range of integrated services designed to dramatically shorten product development cycles while, at the same time, helping to optimize part or product design,'' he said.
In Southern California, staff is expected to reach 50-70.
Expansion plans in Atlanta call for adding tooling and low-volume production to the product menu this year. Staff there eventually may grow to 100 or 125.


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November 20, 2009
/ by Katrina M Mendolera
Surviving the e-reader
As the e-reader revolution makes its way into the digital present, the existence of magazines as we know them becomes hazy. As we look toward the future, will the glossy, perfect-bound magazine still occupy an aisle at the grocery store and continue to grace doctors’ offices everywhere?
“So long as printosaurs are around, we’ll want magazines to thumb through in doctors’ and dentists’ offices,” said Carol Schwalbe in an e-mail interview. A self-proclaimed “printosaur,” the Arizona State University professor of magazine journalism said she is hopeful that magazines will always be around. “I like the tactile experience of holding a magazine and not having to look at it on a computer screen because I spend so much of my day tied to electronic devices.”
Over the past several months, a slew of e-readers and other print-based technologies have popped up. Most people know the Kindle, but recently, Barnes & Noble debuted the Nook, which unlike its rival, features a color multi-touch screen. According to Wired, Nook consumers can access an online bookstore featuring books, newspapers and magazines. Then there is magazine publisher Condé Nast, which announced recently that it was partnering up with Adobe Systems to launch a digital edition of Wired magazine for e-reading devices. According to the Wall Street Journal, it will be available by mid-2010, and the publisher will eventually create editions for all of its magazine titles including Vogue, Vanity Fair, and the New Yorker. Other e-readers already in the market or launching include the Plastic Logic Que, the Sony Reader and California-based Spring Design’s Alex, which reportedly features a dual screen.
According to an article at EContent, John Horrigan, associate director for research at the PEW Internet & American Life Project, said the potential market for e-readers is only about 8 percent, and those are people who are digitally inclined. “These are folks who are willing to put the Kindle in their bag along with the iPhone, or iPod and cell phone, and maybe another device. They are passionate enough about it to be willing to add another electronic device to their growing pile of devices,” he told EContent. An article in Editor & Publisher reported that Forrester Research estimated that at the end of 2008, Amazon and Sony together had only sold 1 million e-readers. Eventually, Horrigan said that the market will gravitate to an all-in-one digital device.
“Online publishing and digital magazines are certainly changing the landscape of our industry, but I don’t think they will destroy the traditional print product,” Jennifer Rowe, associate professor at the Missouri School of Journalism, said in an e-mail interview. “Digital magazines provide a more similar reading experience for consumers as you can see layout and designs as you would with print. The e-readers don’t begin to replicate that experience with their limited formats.” Rowe also noted that while e-readers will most certainly find a place in the market, she believes that the magazines being e-read will be the ones lacking in design and presentation. While e-readers may not have the design components now, the WSJ reported Condé Nast executives believe that by the time the e-reader edition of Wired is ready, a new generation of hardware will be available providing readers with all that missing color and design.
Meanwhile, other magazine-based technologies have been popping up like Esquire’s experimental December issue featuring augmented reality. By downloading the application on the Esquire Web site and holding an issue Esquire in front of your video-cam, people featured in the magazine come to life on the screen. Also on the radar is Maggwire’s new launch, which is being marketed as the “iTunes of magazines.” It works by pulling in online articles from hundreds of magazines. Magazines enthusiasts can then go to the site and hand-pick articles by subject matter, paying for individual articles instead of buying entire issues. “Maggwire is trying to succeed where others have failed: getting people to pay for news content online. Yet, even in its beta form, Maggwire seems to be a quick and easy way to find some pretty interesting stories,” wrote Indianapolis Star reporter Daniel Lee in his blog, Insider Action.
Whatever the result of new technology and publishing gimmicks, Rowe said she believes that magazines will always exist in stores, newsstands and waiting rooms. “It’s difficult to replicate the convenience and ease of flipping through a magazine,” she said.
— Katrina M. Mendolera
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Building the pickups without the module is expected to be a temporary fix, only affecting the remaining 2021 models, but GM said the modules cannot be added to those vehicles later. Instead, GM plans to credit affected customers $50.
The decision could signal that GM sees an end to the shortage, said Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at IHS Markit. GM is unlikely to build the pickups without the fuel management modules for the 2022 or 2023 model years, she said.
"They might be at the point where … if they do this, they can get through" the rest of the model year, she said.
GM spokeswoman Michelle Malcho told Reuters that GM's move would not have a major effect on the automaker's U.S. corporate average fuel economy numbers.
According to the EPA, the lack of modules does not affect the pickups' emissions of nitrogen oxides or hydrocarbons. GM has promised to account for the difference in greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy in compliance reporting, the agency said. The EPA also plans to conduct follow-up testing.
Ford last week said it would build some F-150 pickups and Edge crossovers without certain electronic modules because of the semiconductor shortage and February's severe winter weather. But instead of selling them to consumers that way, the automaker will hold the vehicles until the missing modules are available and can be installed.
The needed parts support basic functions such as windshield wiper motors and infotainment features, Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said.
Ford's move matches the pattern of other automakers in the wake of previous supply disruptions, said Kristin Dziczek, vice president of industry, labor and economics at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich. In the past, automakers have made vehicles with missing parts, parked them, put the parts on later and then shipped them to dealerships, as GM plans to do with some other models.
Its strategy of modifying the vehicle to permanently go without a part and altering the fuel economy, she said, is "really unusual."
"It points out how semiconductors are a strategic supply" and highlights the need for automakers to have more strategic relationships with chip suppliers, Dziczek said.
Automakers in similar situations also will make decisions to preserve profitability and meet vehicle demand, but GM's move was an extreme solution, Brinley said.
"It strikes me as a difficult decision to keep the pickup trucks moving," she said. "I don't feel like this is a harbinger of what everyone will do going forward."


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The Call of Duty: Strike Team game for iOS is now on sale and has been updated with a new global conflict, domination mode, combat zone and more weapons. Fully customize your squad’s loadouts and abilities before leading them into combat in diverse gameplay environments. Call of Duty: Strike Team delivers an all-new, first-person and third-person Call of Duty experience built from the ground up for mobile and tablet devices.
Apple has just posted its ‘Best of 2013‘ list featuring the top music, movies, TV shows, apps, books, and podcasts of the year. Apple has just announced its list of the best and most-downloaded music, movies, TV shows, iOS apps, books, and podcasts for 2013, and on the app side Duolingo and Disney Animated took the first-place positions for the coveted iPhone and iPad Apps of the Year, respectively.
Rovio has released an update to Angry Birds Star Wars offering 30 new levels for the final battle against the Pig Empire. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… a group of desperate rebel birds faced off against a galactic menace: the Empire’s evil Pigtroopers! Rebel birds, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Imperial Pigs.
Apple has released OS X 10.9.1 for Mac via the Mac App Store today. The update includes a number of Mail related fixes including improved support for Gmail as well as numerous bug fixes. The update also fixes a VoiceOver issue that prevented sentences with emoji characters from being read.
Rockstar Games has launched Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the App Store. It’s begun rolling out starting with New Zealand and should be available in the U.S. soon. Five years ago, Carl Johnson escaped from the pressures of life in Los Santos, San Andreas, a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs and corruption. Where filmstars and millionaires do their best to avoid the dealers and gangbangers.
Rovio has just unleashed its previously teased Angry Birds Go! game on Google Play, App Store and BlackBerry World. The new title in the Angry Birds franchise is available as a free download, but it has been heavily stuffed with micro transactions. The game includes several modes meant to offer more variety, such as Race, Time Boom, Fruit Splat, Champion Chase and Mega Match.
Mountain Sheep is going to be your next Fruit Ninja. Remember how devoted you were to Fruit Ninja when it came out? Well, KingHunt is going to be your brand new addiction. Mountain Sheep is definitely one of the best game developers on iOS. These are the same guys who brought us Minigore and its much anticipated sequel, Minigore 2: Zombies.
Following the app’s soft launch in the Canadian App Store a couple of months ago, Glu Games has made Gun Zombie 2 available in the United States. Offering fans of the original application, Gun Zombie, a “bigger, badder, and better” experience, Gun Zombie 2 can be downloaded free of charge and is optimized for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Angry Birds Friends has been updated updated with a new holiday tournament featuring six new levels each week from December 9-29th. Get the all-new update with a fun and festive Holiday tournament starting December 9th! Plus we’ve added the new Jingle Sling to fling birds and shiny tree ornaments at the pigs!
There are a ton of apps on the App Store which are due for an update for iOS 7, and one of those apps is WhatsApp for iPhone. After a long wait, which almost felt like an eternity, or maybe light-years for some, the famous cross-platform messaging app WhatsApp has been updated with a brand new face for iOS 7.
The holiday season deals kicked off this weekend and for large parts of today due to Thanksgiving, and with more festivities coming up during the next couple of weeks, it’s a great month to be a tech fan. In the spirit of things, Apple has announced that it will ship items for free up until and including December 22nd, without any minimum spending requirement.
Hi everyone in this post am going Tell you what are the apps gone free in Appstore. Beautiful and surprising, the millions of Goo Balls who live in the World of Goo are curious to explore – but they don’t know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious. This is the FULL award winning game, now on iPad.


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The 2021 budget announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday contains more news items for businesses than you’d immediately spot or was expected.
Despite several announcements, there was no change to Capital Gains Tax or Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR), meaning that there is still time to close a solvent business using a Members Voluntary Liquidation (MVL) and take advantage of the tax benefits before the end of this financial year at the end of March.
The other main headlines that will affect companies include:
The first rise in Corporation Tax since 1974 was confirmed although it has been delayed until April 2023. The rate will rise to 25% for businesses making profits over £250,000 although any company earning less than £50,000 will continue to pay the current rate of 19%. The rate will taper upwards for businesses as they get closer to the £250,000 level.
The CJRS of job furloughs will be formally extended until the end of September 2021. Employees will continue to receive 80% of their wages until then although businesses will be asked to contribute 10% in July and 20% in August and September.
Extended for a fourth time to cover the period from February to April. Will be based on 80% of average trading profits up to a maximum of £7,500. Applicable this time to those who have filed their 2019/2020 tax returns with HMRC.
Hospitality and Leisure businesses will pay no business rates between March and May 2021, then rates will be discounted by two thirds for the remaining nine months of the fiscal year. The 5% reduced rate of VAT will be extended until the end of September. It will then be gradually increased to 12.5% for six months before returning to the standard rate by April 2022.
There will be £5 billion of restart grants available for businesses to apply for once the lockdowns are gradually lifted later in the year. Additionally a new loan scheme will be launched to replace the Bounce Back Loans (BBLs) and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILs). It will run until the end of 2020 and lend amounts from £25,000 to £10 million.
Colin Haig, President of R3, the insolvency and restructuring trade body, said: “The Chancellor’s decision to extend the furlough scheme, to provide further business grants and a new loans scheme, and to continue the business rates holiday will give welcome certainty for many business owners concerned at their prospects over the coming months.
“However, what was missing from the Chancellor’s Budget was detail about the Government’s role once these measures start to be withdrawn.
“As a key creditor in most corporate insolvencies, the Government has a direct role to play in supporting viable restructuring and business rescue proposals. HMRC in particular has not always taken a constructive approach to these proposals, and we would like to see this change sooner rather than later.
“By taking a more active and engaged stance as a creditor, the Government could help to save more potentially viable businesses, thereby safeguarding thousands of jobs, securing future tax income, and giving companies a chance to deal with liabilities resulting from the pandemic.
“There’s no denying the Government’s COVID measures have helped business in the short term, but as the Chancellor pointed out, these can’t last forever.
“Directors of struggling companies now have a few months in which to start making plans and taking decisions to secure the future of their businesses.”
There’s no time like the present to start planning for a better future.
While there is some degree of certainty about pandemic support measures being extended, they will end at some point meaning a cliff edge is waiting for some businesses that don’t take the necessary steps to secure their future now.
We can help explore the support and options available to you and your business and put steps in place so that when circumstances change, which they will, you’ll be in a position to take advantage and literally profit.
For most people, guessing what the Chancellor will announce in his budget and how it will affect them is a diverting parlour game.
Making a couple of pounds here and being offset by losing a couple there is how it usually goes. Online calculators and tools let people try their own hand at opening the red box and making some of the intricate calculations and seeing what the consequences could be.
It can be fun to be a sim Chancellor but if you’re a business owner or director, however, the consequences can be a lot more drastic and expensive in real life.
For instance, one area that will be getting a lot of attention and close scrutiny will be any plans for changes to Capital Gains Tax.
The government already commissioned a report that was published last year recommending a significant increase in rates - doubling them in all circumstances - and also further limiting the scope of Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) - the new name for Entrepreneurs Relief.
The report’s tightening recommendations included:-
If any or all of these recommendations are accepted and become law they’ll have a significant effect on any shareholder hoping to benefit from the Members Voluntary Liquidation (MVL) process.
Changes could come into force in a little as a month’s time so if you were considering an MVL to take advantage of BADR then there’s really no time to lose.
One thing we need to point out is that the tax point relates to the time you receive a distribution from the MVL, not when the company enters the arrangements.
So if you want to make the biggest tax saving in an MVL then you need to act before it’s too late.
If there are any changes announced in the Budget on Wednesday and you instruct us and provide the necessary required information no later than Friday 12th March 2021 then we guarantee* to facilitate the liquidation within this tax year, allowing any distributions to be made before Monday 5th April 2021 - when any new rules and changes would take effect.
We’ll show you how easy it can be to proceed swiftly and take advantage of an important benefit before it’s cut back or removed altogether.
*subject to demand and correct information being supplied in time
The government announced their roadmap to recovery this week with lots of excitement and anticipation from businesses - especially in the restaurant, pub and nightlife sectors.
Many will have been scouring the pre-announcement reports looking for hints that they might be able to throw open their doors to clamouring customers within weeks and might have already been making inquiries with their suppliers about when they could resume their regular orders and in what quantities.
The news that the Covid roadmap would allow for more gradual opening than anticipated will have come as a disappointment for some who would have been banking on an earlier lifting of restrictions.
Under the current plans, pubs and restaurants will be allowed to open indoors no earlier than May 17th.
This follows some “outdoor only” venues that could be allowed to open five weeks earlier from April 12th.
There are no planned reintroductions of 10pm or 11pm curfews but the Rule of Six will still apply to any indoor dining that takes place.
The news that they can eventually reopen is welcoming but again, hospitality will be among the last sectors allowed to trade as the country reopens.
This is scant consolation to businesses, many of whom spent hundreds of pounds last year making their businesses Covid compliant and haven’t been allowed to put any of these improvements to the test in any meaningful way yet.
Kate Nicholls, the CEO of UKHospitality, the industry representative body who have been amongst the most vocal in speaking up for their members interests during the pandemic is still combative on their behalf.
She said: “The sector is obviously devastated that its reopening will be so far away.
“From the start of November, the sector will have been closed for nearly 200 days, with just a couple of weeks of heavily restricted trading in December. A major package of financial support is imperative if hospitality is to survive.
“The Prime Minister says that the reopening schedule is driven by data, yet all the data points to hospitality being relatively safe and linked to only a tiny number of cases.
“Vaccinations and the fall in infection rates has de-risked our reopening even further. Over the past year, the Government has repeatedly miscalculated the risks posed by hospitality.
The Hospitality sector is not just made up of customer-facing venues like pubs, bistros, coffee shops or restaurants.
It employs thousands more in supply chain businesses that make sure these businesses can be quickly stocked and restocked with fresh ingredients, whenever they need them and quickly.
UKHospitality have identified this relationship as one that will be under the severest pressure before and during any phased reopening and is calling for additional support for suppliers now to ensure that no gaps open up in the system as suppliers fail through no fault of their own.
Katie Nicholls said: “The totality of hospitality is dependent on its supply chain.
“If supplier businesses fail, then the entire sector grinds to a halt and we’re at risk of the whole thing collapsing. We’re hopeful that hospitality businesses can lead the recovery of the UK’s economy this year.
“This cannot happen if businesses are not supplied to do the job. The supply chain is everything and it must be supported. Otherwise, our sector will rapidly become a house built upon sand and the terrible damage that has been felt over the past twelve months will only be compounded.”
A lot of companies will be keeping everything crossed for some relief and help in the forthcoming Budget on March 3rd.
Hoping for some certainty that support measures will be extended until they can reopen and begin trading again, but if the year of lockdown has collectively taught us one thing it’s that nothing is certain either with the pandemic nor the response.
Regardless of what is announced by the Chancellor next week, many restaurants, pubs and bars will still have some big questions marks over their future in the coming weeks and months if they are determined to try and reopen.
That’s a big if.
Unfortunately, for many businesses owners and directors, once emotion and wishful thinking are removed, their future direction will be clear.
Closing the business may not only be the right option for them and the company’s immediate future but also for the longer term too.
Once the country is further along the roadmap and the lockdown lifting becomes permanent, the conditions to relaunch a new business with no debt burdens holding it back will be far more advantageous.
But before any new venture can be launched, the existing business has to be closed properly with a minimum of fuss and any creditors have to be dealt with properly and professionally.
Whether the right solution would be closing a company or some other options such as using an insolvency moratorium to provide previous breathing space while you work out what your next step should be, we’ll be able to talk you through your options and what you need to do next.
We can also advise you on any changes you can make if you’re planning to roll the dice and reopen when you’re allowed to.
This could still be the year when everything changes for the better - but only if you act now while you’ve got time.
The UK-wide scheme launches on November 1st and aims to provide support to eligible businesses by paying two-thirds of an employees salary - 67% - up to a maximum of £2,100 per month. Companies will still be required to pay their employees pension and National Insurance contributions if they receive this support.
The scheme will initially run for six months with a review period in January built in to monitor its effectiveness.
In order to be eligible for the new assistance, a business will be legally required to close for some period over the winter specifically as part of local or national coronavirus restrictions as ordered by the government or their relative local authority.
This also includes businesses that are forced to close their premises but that continue to provide delivery-only or collection services or are offering food and drinks in an outdoor setting. Employees must be off work for a minimum of seven consecutive days to be eligible.
Businesses that choose to close - that aren’t forced by law but see no compelling reason to remain open - will not be eligible at the moment. Therefore, it will only currently benefit those under tier 3 restrictions, which has been confirmed to include wet bars, but not those who serve substantial meals.
It’s important to point out that this is a new scheme, not an extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which is closing on October 31st.
The CJRS allowed companies to furlough their workers from July and had 80% of their wages covered although this later reduced to 60% and they were required to pay pension and National Insurance contributions from July onwards.
The new JSS expansion does not require any additional wage contributions from employers as they will be paying 55% of wages under the already announced JSS which will pay a further 22% of wages for workers in “viable” jobs on reduced hours.
Payment will arrive after two weeks of closure rather than three and companies can also apply for cash grants based on the rateable value of their properties.
A company with a property rateable value of £15,000 or under can claim £1,334 per month (£667 every two weeks); properties between £15,001 and £51,000 can get up to £2,000 (£1,000 every two weeks) while properties over £51,000 can get £3,000 every month (£1,500 every two weeks).
Companies will also remain eligible to claim the £1,000 job retention bonus paid per worker and designed to encourage firms to keep workers on their payroll.
It would be easy to roll your eyes and exhale thinking “another new announcement” but each one might be the difference between your company surviving the winter and New Year period.
Another great choice to give your company a real fighting chance of seeing the end of this awful contagion is to get in touch with us.
During a free initial consultation we can tell you about all the temporary support measures you’re entitled to and the many existing options there are to help protect and strengthen all the fundamental areas of your business.
The best thing to do would be to contact us quickly because in these fast moving times, the sooner we can work with you, the more options you’ll generally have to choose from.
The businesses that recognise and act at the start of a tightening situation are usually the ones that emerge from it stronger and ready to go when the circumstances let them.
He said that Britain was entering the second phase of the government’s economic response but the job of responding to the Covid-19 crisis had only just begun.
VAT is being reduced from 20% to 5% for the hospitality and tourism sectors for six months so businesses offering food and accommodation as well as attractions he hopes are already more attractive to customers.
To further encourage eating out an inventive new scheme was also announced offering a 50% discount per person up to a maximum of £10 to a meal if enjoyed at an establishment from Monday to Wednesday from August 1st 2020.
He also confirmed that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) would definitely be closing on October 31st but sought to alleviate any potential job losses by offering a £1,000 bonus to companies for every staff member they brought back into regular employment.
He hailed the scheme as a success noting that 1.1 million companies had made use of it and 9.4 million positions had been furloughed as a result which could otherwise have been lost outright.
He said: “Leaving the furlough scheme open forever gives people false hope that it will always be possible to return to the jobs they had before.”
There was some action on creating new jobs by promising to double the number of Jobcentre work coaches and the announcement of the Kickstart job creation scheme which would see 350,000 fully-funded six-month job placements for 18 to 24 year olds.
This is part of his announced three point strategy to support, protect and retain jobs.
Additionally, apprenticeship would be supported with bonuses for companies. Firms would receive a £2,000 payment for every apprentice they took on (£1,500 for apprentices aged over 25).
As usual with any attractive financial offer, it pays to read the small print as there are one or two speed bumps along the road to recovery.
It emerged that a brief 15-day consultation on draft legislation to introduce rules on the taxation of coronavirus business support grants closed in June and is being carried forward.
What this means is that it grants HMRC powers to tax the Retail and Hospitality Grant Scheme, the Small Business Grant Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme along with the Coronavirus self-employment Income Support Scheme (CSISS).
It would also empower HMRC to recover payments from recipients of CSISS or CJRS if it deems them ineligible to have received them or if CJRS payments hadn’t been used to pay employees, make pension contributions, pay PAYE or NICs. This will be extremely easy to check on their side. If you have claimed the furlough grant, but then not made the scheduled PAYE/NIC payment on time, they may look to open an investigation.
They also threaten further penalties for deliberate non-compliance and state that further provisions may be included in the final legislation when tabled.
The first examples of this were announced yesterday with the first arrests made in alleged Furlough fraud investigations in the West Midlands.
Richard Las, acting director of the HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service said: “The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is part of the collective national effort to protect jobs. The vast majority of employers will have used the CJRS responsibly, but we will not hesitate to act on reports of abuse of the scheme.
“This is taxpayer’s money and any claim that proves to be fraudulent limits our ability to support people and deprives public services of essential funding.
“As usual, we have built steps in to prevent mistakes and fraud happening in the first place, but anyone who is concerned that their employer might be abusing the scheme should report it to HMRC online.”
If the last few months have been rough then the rest of 2020 and into 2021 look just as stormy even with temporary support measures.
There is always an opportunity within a crisis and this might be the chance to reconfigure your business’s financial situation to withstand an even bigger storm than the one that’s currently blowing down every high street and shopping centre in the UK.
Get in touch with us today and one of our experienced team of expert advisors will arrange a FREE, convenient initial consultation whenever you want one.
They will quickly get appraised of your situation, your circumstances and the issues you’re facing and can work with you on the best way to deal with them.
We don’t know what the future holds or what’s going to happen economically but we do know that the earlier you look for advice, the more options and maneuverability you’ll have.
Initially, the government announced that there would be a Business Rates Retail Discount of 100% to apply in the remainder of the 2019/20 financial year and the whole of the 2020/21 financial year.
When further measures were announced to limit the spread of the virus, some businesses were excluded and closed as a result of this and other factors.
In the time since, the government has now published further revised guidance which acknowledged that some of these exclusions had been removed and the affected properties would now be eligible for the relief.
The mechanism for the operation of the scheme is that it will be administered and run by local authorities who will forgo collecting the rateable value due and will then be reimbursed this value by the government so they can continue to provide other services at a local level.
The guidance outlines several categories of venue (or hereditament as described in the publication) which it considers qualified:
While quite extensive in scope, a line has to be drawn somewhere so there will be some companies that just miss out and just make it.
Among the venues used for a provision of services to visiting members of the public that are not eligible for relief include:
The discount will be calculated and applied on a day-to-day basis so an accountant that opened a guest house would then become eligible whereas a guest house that decided to offer accountancy services would lose their previous relief.
The appendices go into significant detail and examples on specifically what different properties worth different amounts will gain under the various rates relief being applied so you should read these if you want to see precise examples.
The Coronavirus COVID-19 epidemic is an existential crisis for many otherwise profitable and well-run small businesses.
Through no fault of their own, many companies could be facing insolvency in a matter of weeks.
There is some help and advice available for them however.
You can contact us right now to arrange a free initial consultation with one of our experienced, expert advisors.
They will work with you as you outline your main concerns for your company and look at your available options and plot a path back to stability and strength.
We’ve also produced a new infographic, written in plain English, that outlines the latest help and support provided by the government to help tackle the economic damage the virus has spread.
The new helpline number is 08000 159559 and is open from 8am to 8pm Mon to Fri and 8am to 4pm on Saturdays. It will be closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “HMRC will scale up the time to pay service to allow businesses and the self-employed to defer tax payments”.
Up to 2,000 experienced HMRC call handlers have been seconded to the service to help support businesses and individuals in the forthcoming days and weeks virus infection is expected to escalate.
The existing HMRC helplines will remain in operation as this one is specifically for COVID-19 related enquiries. Time to Pay was also used in response to previous extraordinary circumstances including the financial crisis and flooding of various communities and offers a guaranteed time-limited deferral period on HMRC liabilities owed and a pre-agreed time period to pay these back.
Callers to the helpline will be able to agree an instalment payment arrangement; suspend pending HMRC debt collection proceedings and cancel any due penalties and interest where they have experienced administrative difficulties by contacting or paying HMRC immediately.
The NHS maintains an up-to-date website where you can find out the latest information on the virus including what to do if you think you have symptoms or if you think you have been exposed to the virus while travelling.
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a unique set of challenges for government and business to overcome.
If you’re worried about your business in the short and medium term then you should get in touch with us.
We have a team of expert advisors available to arrange a convenient free initial consultation with you to discuss where you are now, what areas of your business you need to protect first and where you can strengthen elsewhere too.
We can then look at working on the most efficient and effective plan going forward to both protect your business and let you build on your foundations no matter what the future may hold.
If you’re new to this hip scene, let us clue you in on one of our recurring topics - the general health of the UK high street and in-town retail spaces that often act as a wider barometer for local economic activity and affluence.
The final figures are in for the first half of 2019 and despite recent positive monthly economic growth figures, they show a picture of overall decline.
Research from the Local Data Company concentrated on chain stores or brands with more than five or more branches and demonstrated that if nine new stores opened every day from January to June this year then 16 would close. This is a net decline of 1,234 which is greater than the 1,123 closures recorded in the same period last year and the highest since their research began in 2010.
Fashion chains have been the hardest hit so far this year with a net decline of 118 units as the likes of New Look, LK Bennett and Greenwoods either restructured or were liquidated. Restaurants and estate agents also saw three figure reductions in capacity.
The retail store crisis saw household retail names such as Karen Millen, Jack Wills, Bathstore and Debenhams entering administration this year with analysts predicting more to follow before 2020.
Shopworkers Union USDAW have launched a Save our Shops petition and they’ve joined a consortium of UK retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Greggs to ask chancellor Sajid Javid to review high-street business rates as a matter of urgency.
The signatories point out that while retailers only account for 5% of the British economy, they pay 10% of all business taxes and 25% of business rates.
Dr Liliana Danila, economist with the British Retail Consortium outlines the stakes: “high streets are undergoing a fundamental change in response to changing shopping habits, new technologies and rising costs of doing business, so it is vital that the government supports the industry to make the necessary investment to adapt.
“The business rate system holds back investment, reduces productivity and increases regional disparities. The government must address the much-needed reforms to this broken tax system before more jobs are lost and stores are closed.”
Inflexible business rates may be an annoyance for many chain retailers but they can potentially be the final straw for many other small and medium enterprises all over the UK.
Every business has peaks and troughs but if you’re struggling with fundamental payments like this then it could be a sign of bigger difficulties.
Contact one of our expert advisors to arrange a free initial consultation where we can look at what immediate short-term options you have and hopefully what you can do in the medium and longer term to get your business back on a firmer footing for the rest of 2019 and beyond.
We got an interesting email from the government the other day.
Specifically the HMRC which should make anyone sit up and take notice - once you’ve checked it’s genuine.
It reiterates that the UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October “whatever the circumstances” - their words, not ours - and sets out some of the things that a business should do to prepare itself for the changes to the current customs situation.
The stand-out news is that HMRC are automatically issuing VAT-registered businesses with a UK EORI (Economic Operator Registration and Identification) number.
This will allow companies to move goods in and out of the UK after October 31 and theoretically it will be impossible to do so without one although interestingly it states specifically that an EORI number is not required to move good between Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland.
In order to apply a company will need:
So far, some 72,000 companies have already registered for an EORI number while HMRC have written to the remaining 88,000 to inform them and encourage them to apply.
Chancellor Sajid Javid said: “The move will help ease the flow of goods at border points and support businesses to trade and grow.”
Dr Adam Marshall, Director General at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) welcomed the auto-enrollment but stressed it was only a first step.
He said: “For many firms, it will trigger more questions. Businesses still need clarity on many other cross-border trade issues, such as customs procedures at borders following a no-deal exit and when the Government will launch an official database to provide ease of access to information on tariffs and quotas.”
There are also other recommendations to get a business Brexit ready including:
While there will be more updates to follow as the Brexit situation clarifies (or not), this is the first official communication received directing businesses to act in a specific way.
It’s probably not going to be the last.


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Seattle, WA-based drinkware maker MiiR, a Product to Project company, has named Dan Dahl as president of global sales.
“As the former director of international sales at Arc’teryx, VP of heritage at Red Wing and more recently VP of specialty wholesale at Levi’s, Dan brings an incredible amount of global sales experience to MiiR,” said MiiR Founder and CEO Bryan Papé. “Dan’s talent and energy will no doubt help catapult MiiR to the next level.”
Said Dahl: “I love the team and am really impressed with the people … I love the mission of MiiR and the energy and passion everyone at MiiR has toward giving back and using the business to better the lives of as many people as possible.”
As part of the recovery project team at Levi’s, Dahl helped re-establish the specialty wholesale business, including scaling the Levi’s Premium business with prominent customers like Nordstrom and the Urban Group (Urban Outfitters, Free People, Anthropologie). Achievements with Red Wing Heritage include a global rebranding and relaunch of the brand, including setting up distribution and retail throughout Asia and Europe while expanding the US DTC and wholesale business exponentially.


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Quicken Loans executives speak at mortgage industry conference in Detroit.
Gilbert says Quicken Loans is more of a “data acquisition business” than mortgage company.
Emerson: Young consumers won’t change how they make purchases with smartphones.
Quicken Loans Inc. founder Dan Gilbert is a mortgage mogul.
Except he doesn’t view his business that way.
“We’re not really in the mortgage business. We’re in the data acquisition business,” Gilbert said Tuesday at a Mortgage Bankers Association conference at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. “We acquire data, we curate it and we move it. That’s all we do.”
Gilbert and Quicken Loans’ vice chairman, Bill Emerson, shared the stage Tuesday morning at an opening session of their industry group’s conference, talking about how they see their business differently than its traditionally viewed by outside observers.
They talked about Quicken Loans’ transformation from a paper-intensive residential mortgage business in the 1980s and 1990s — then known as Rock Financial — to a tech-driven company based in downtown Detroit that has leveraged the internet to sell and service home loans faster and at rapidly increasing volume.
Quicken Loans has climbed to the top echelon of the mortgage business, claiming to top, for the first time, industry stalwart Wells Fargo & Co. in volume of mortgage originations in the fourth quarter of 2017. First-quarter 2018 mortgage origination data is not yet available, but Emerson suggested Tuesday that Quicken Loans would retain the top spot in the direct retail mortgage sector.
Without naming competitors, Gilbert said the ability to use a smartphone to make a major purchase like a home threatens the business model of legacy companies and industries.
“If they don’t get on the train, it’s going to be over,” he said. “The writing’s on the wall, right?”
In the future, Gilbert said, the only businesses that will survive are those that “keep up with the speed of the game,” invest time and capital in new ideas and “let people fail.”
“We’re seeing it already,” Gilbert said.
Emerson, who joined Gilbert’s company in 1993, took out his iPhone and noted the smartphone has all of the functions of multiple machines “that Radio Shack would sell — clocks and phones and computers and calculators” to customers just a decade ago.
Radio Shack, which went through bankruptcy 2015 and shuttered nearly all of its stores a year ago, is an obsolete way to shop for the average first-time homebuyer who is 32 years old, Emerson said.
“They’re not going to change the way that they purchase things, they’re not going to change what they do with this little device,” said Emerson, who spent 15 years as CEO of Quicken Loans until becoming vice chairman in February 2017. “If we don’t, as an industry, embrace this, get our brains around it … we’re out of the game.”


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The world's largest memory chipmaker, Samsung Electronics Co. has agreed to pay $90 to settle price-fixing lawsuits brought on by 41 states.
The South Korean firm also agreed to assist other US states litigating against other computer chip manufacturers who may be involved.
A federal investigation into the conspiracy began with the U.S. Justice Department in 2002. It uncovered one of the largest price-fixing schemes in history. A class action suit by the states against the firms was filed in July of 2006.
Consumers, states and localities were victims of an international conspiracy that artificially raised the price of memory chips, and thus illegally boosted the price of computers and popular hi-tech products, said Andrew Cuomo, New Yorkâ€™s Attorney-general.
The suit had charged that Samsung, and other memory makers including Infineon, Hynix, Elpida, reached secret agreements to inflate the prices of memory chips commonly installed in consumer desktop and notebook PCs.
Thus far, the investigation has resulted in over $730 million in criminal fines and guilty pleas from the companies involved.


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The historic Bewley's cafe on Grafton Street is to close permanently with the loss of 110 jobs. Staff were informed of the decision by the operator of the cafe, Bewley's Ltd, which is owned by artist Paddy Campbell.
The closure has been blamed on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy, which has been in lockdown since March, and the €1.5 million annual rental cost on the protected structure.
In a note to staff, the cafe's managing director Cól Campbell, a son of Paddy Campbell, outlined the impact of the lockdown on the business and highlighted the added costs of social distancing measures, once cafes and restaurants are allowed to reopen on June 29th.
He also cited its €1.5 million annual rent as a reason behind the decision, saying that a request for a rent reduction had not been granted. The building is leased from RGRE Grafton Limited, which is controlled by property developer Johnny Ronan. The rent amounts to about 30 per cent of the cafe's sales.
“Taking into consideration all of the information currently available to us, there is a real likelihood that the cafe will generate substantial and unsustainable losses into the future, and we need to take urgent steps to address that situation,” Mr Campbell’s note to staff, seen by The Irish Times, states.
“It is with profound regret that . . . in this situation it is likely to be necessary to permanently close the cafe in the coming weeks.”
It is understood that Bewley’s withheld its rent for the second quarter of this year, which resulted in it receiving a 21-day statutory demand from the landlord threatening to wind up the company for non-payment.
Bewley’s has told staff that it will enter into a statutory consultation process with employee representatives about the proposed redundancies. Its last day of trading before the lockdown was March 16th.
In a statement issued Wednesday night, the Ronan Group said: “We are saddened and surprised by the news that the iconic Bewley's Café on Grafton Street is to close, especially as we had attempted to engage with the Campbell family over the past few weeks to reach a mutually acceptable outcome after the company had declared that it was taking a “rent holiday”. Our preferred solution has always been for Bewley's, as a Dublin institution which belongs on Grafton Street, to re-open its doors as soon as it can.
“However, Ronan Group has made it clear to Bewley's on numerous occasions that we were not in a position to subsidise its business when its shareholders are perfectly capable of doing so. Bewley's is a successful and profitable company and has generated significant earnings for its shareholders over a period of many years.
“We call on the Campbell family to enter into meaningful dialogue with Ronan Group to see if this unfortunate outcome can be avoided.”
Blow to sector
Bewley's Oriental Cafes Ltd opened on Grafton Street in 1927 and is probably the best-known coffee shop in Dublin, even though it has struggled to be profitable in recent times due to its annual rent.
Its closure is a major blow to Dublin’s hospitality sector and throws into question the future use of the building.
The cafe has served tens of millions of Dubliners and visitors to the city over the decades, and the building includes a Harry Clarke stained glass window, distinctive banquettes, 10 open fireplaces and an art deco mosaic tiled facade.
In November 2019, Bewley's chief executive John Cahill told The Irish Times that the losses at the Grafton Street cafe were due to its near €1.5 million rent, which he described as "excessive" and a legacy from the Celtic Tiger boom.
Following the 2008 financial crash, Bewley’s fought an unsuccessful campaign with its landlord to have its annual rent reduced to €728,000, a figure suggested by a third-party arbitrator in January 2012. Its lease is due for renewal in 2022.
The cafe has been subsidised in recent years by the wider Bewley's group, which manufactures tea and coffee and has operations in Ireland, the UK and the United States.
However, the wider group has been hit by the Covid-19 lockdown, with many of its customers in the hospitality trade either closing during the lockdown or having to restrict their service levels.
The cafe has had a chequered history this century. It closed in 2004, reopening the following year after Bewley's teamed up with entrepreneur Jay Bourke, who opened two restaurants, Café Bar Deli and Mackerel.
Those businesses closed post the crash, with the cafe reverting to the Bewley’s brand. It shut again in early 2016, reopening in November of the following year following a €12 million head-to-toe refurbishment.
More than 600,000 customers pass through the cafe on Grafton Street each year.


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Zhongsou.com, a former search engine service provider in China, has now entered into a partnership with Guangdong Telecom in the hope of expanding its Individual Gateway service through the telecom's influence and strength.
Zhongsou.com has bound its IG products with Guangdong Telecom's Vnet software, a free software provided by China Telecom to its broadband service users. However, the cooperation between the parties will go far beyond this simple marketing cooperation. In the coming two years, the companies will carry out deeper cooperation on technology services and market promotion, and Zhongsou.com will provide technical support to Guangdong Telecom's Vnet.
Chen Pei, CEO of Zhongsou.com, says that through the cooperation with Guangdong Telecom, they will enable more users know about the advantages of their IG product, which features value-added services and provide users a one-stop Internet information service.
The parties estimate that their cooperation will bring them millions of new users in Guangzhou area alone.


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Kenyan GrowAgric and Aquarech are among nine startups from across the continent that have been selected for the Katapult Africa Accelerator Programme.
The Norway-based startup accelerator has played a key role in advancing African startups and has invested in several companies. Katapul also runs its spin-off subsidiaries, Katapult Ocean and the climate-focused organization, Katapult Climate.
“At Katapult we are highly ambitious and we set our vision to nothing short of building a thriving world for all. For this reason, today’s launch represents an important step forward for both Katapult and the impact community,” said Katapult founder Tharald Nustad.
Winners of the Katapult Africa Accelerator programme will have access to US$150,000 in funding and other support. The cohort will take part in a three-month program, with sessions focused on growth, impact and investment readiness. They will be taken through rigorous workshops, online meetups, mentor sessions, pitch training and investor presentations, with the aim of making the impact startups ready for scaling in African markets.
Nigeria is represented by two startups, Gricd and Vetsark. Ghana has Legendary Foods and social finance app Spark. Madagascar is represented by Elucid, Senegal has Afrikamart and Morocco has Sand to Green.
“Our decision to launch Katapult in Africa is driven by both a clear recognition of the need for change and an unprecedented opportunity for innovation. With a climate in crisis, it is all too clear that we must accelerate technologies to both overcome climate challenges and ensure food security. We simultaneously believe that it is Africa with its fast-growing business communities and young, tech-savvy population who are best placed to deliver highly scalable, highly impactful solutions,” Tharald said.
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(Adds Peugeot comments, background) MILAN, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Fiat is close to parting from U.S. partner General Motors Corp and is looking at the possibility of new alliances with other carmakers including PSA Peugeot Citroen , a newspaper said on Friday. Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne would start discussing a "divorce" with GM at a meeting on Dec. 14, Italian daily la Repubblica said. Fiat officials were not immediately available for a comment, but a Peugeot spokesman said ...
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Netherlands / UK: Amsterdam-based travel accommodation distribution and fintech platform, Katanox, has partnered with TrustedStays, an industry booking platform for professional short-term rentals, to give business travellers access to an extensive network of accredited short-term rental properties and property managers.
TrustedStays, which launched on the Global Distribution System [GDS] in May, will open up a substantial new supply market for corporate bookers through the partnership, while leveraging Katanox’ fintech software for flexible payment solutions.
According to the 2023 edition of the Global Serviced Apartment Industry Report [GSAIR], 53 per cent of corporate bookers surveyed said that they were using serviced apartments for business travel more than they were 12 months ago, and 39 per cent reported using them for project or assignment work.
At the same time, the report added that 89 per cent of corporate bookers expect length of stay to rise or stay level this year and 87 per cent of agents observed a rise among their own clients, up from 45 per cent a year ago.
The report was released by Ariosi Group, part of the Habicus Group and sister company to serviced apartment agent SilverDoor.
TrustedStays CEO Merilee Karr said: “Katanox is at the forefront of hospitality technology, connecting supply to travel management companies in an efficient way. Their single point of entry [API] into the market on both the supply and demand side enables us to scale as efficiently as possible.
“By working with Katanox, we are able to bring a new and rapidly growing form of accommodation to corporate travel bookers, opening up a host of new opportunities for ourselves and travel management companies,” she added.
All TrustedStays property partners are independently accredited by its accreditation partners, including Quality in Tourism, ensuring safe, clean and secure accommodation for employees during work trips and relocations.
Richard Moseley, VP, hotel partnerships, Katanox, said: “What’s unique about our partnership with TrustedStays is it not only brings additional supply for our travel management company partners, but an entirely new kind of supply, which is becoming more popular among business travellers.
“As the hospitality space expands and evolves, our platform will evolve with it, ensuring we provide the very best opportunities for accommodation sellers and buyers,” he added.
TrustedStays works in partnership with Quality in Tourism, the UK Short-Term Accommodation Association [STAA] and the UK Apartment Association [UKAA] to provide professionally managed, accredited home accommodation for business travellers. As well as corporates, it also provides a trusted route for government to offer apartments and homes as an option to their employees when they travel.


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#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
The TCEBs sponsorship includes supporting the journeys of MICE business persons from three countries on the R3A route, promoting awareness of new products and services on the R3A route through familiarisation trips to present and expand creative ideas.
Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is advancing its collaborations with related parties to turn Thailand into a hub for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS)ใ TCEB, along with the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), the Mekong Economic Development Cooperation Institute, the Greater Mekong Sub-region Transport Association (GMS-FRETA) Thailand and Naresuan University have come together again to forge the agenda ahead. They met in full force at the GMS Logistic, Tourism, MICE & Trade Forum 2021 symposium held on 27-28 December 2021 at the Pullman Hotel King Power in Bangkok for the mission.
Being staged for the 4th consecutive year, this year’s symposium focussed on driving cooperation on the R3A road linkage among Thailand, Laos PDR and China to spur multilateral trade and investment. Business matching sessions were also held, emphasising on accommodating MICE travellers emerging following the inauguration of China-Lao PDR rapid train service on 2 December 2021, said Supawan Teerarat, Senior Vice President – MICE Capability and Innovation, at TCEB.
The R3A linkage is also known as the North South Economic Corridor under the Greater Mekong Sub-region cooperation framework. It seeks to connect land transport between Kunming in Yunnan Province of China and Bangkok across China, Laos PDR and Thailand, to support the strategic development of the logistics system of the Mekong Sub-region. The connection constitutes a macro-economic integration in economic, tourism and cultural exchange including MICE activities. It offers a great opportunity for Thailand to draw travellers from southern China by train, car and boat to the North and Northeast of Thailand.
“This is a pathway of opportunity and a future route to serve travellers and MICE traffic from local and international markets under the 1-Marketing 3-Destination concept,” said Ms Supawan. She added that TCEB’s promotion of MICE activities on the R3A route in 2022 will zero in on working with partners to prepare a framework for tourism and MICE cooperation along the R3A route for use as a guideline and action plan. This framework will lead to further extensions and creating added value for trade and investment for industries and services in the area through the mechanism of the sponsored exhibitions of the industry and outstanding services in the area.
The TCEB’s sponsorship includes supporting the journeys of MICE business persons from three countries on the R3A route, promoting awareness of new products and services on the R3A route through familiarisation trips to present and expand creative ideas. This will be carried out based on the elements of ‘Thailand 7-MICE Magnificent Theme’ to promote community development and various tourist attractions along the road linking the three countries. It will also include promoting and opening opportunities to create business matching and connecting MICE entrepreneurs of the three countries even more with MICE Business Road Show R3A activities. In addition, TCEB will encourage the private sector and groups to come together to bid for the rights to host the international meetings and conferences related to prominent industries in the area as well.
ATTA President Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn noted it remains to be seen that a big market like China will re-open its door in 2022. In his conversations with relevant agencies in China, he said it is quite clear that the country will continue to pursue the ‘Zero Covid’ policy in order to minimise the risks of coronavirus spread. However, it is believed that the overall picture of Thai tourism industry in 2022 would be better than 2021, thanks to the easing of travel restrictions in the kingdom. He said this is a high time for entrepreneurs to gear up for welcoming travellers on the R3A route because once China opens up they will be ready to receive a wave of Chinese travellers. “Of course, there will be a great number of tourists using this route to come Thailand,” he added.
The R3A route is an international highway linking Thailand, Lao PDR and China covering a distance of 1,240 kilometres from Chiang Rai to Kunming.
It is an important pathway for the exports especially agricultural products and tourism sector for the three countries. It is a connection point to the north-eastern region of Thailand, from Vientiane to Nong Khai Province, via the train between the two cities. This road is vital for the imports and exports between Thailand and China with the major shipments being vegetables, fresh fruits, chilled-frozen fruits, processed fruits, spices, herbs and consumer products.
Another role of the R3A is that it acts as a cultural and tourism connection path, providing Thailand with an opportunity to receive tourists from southern China.
Furthermore, the route serves an avenue for investment in various businesses especially around the Golden Triangle and providing added opportunities to extend tourist flows from Nong Khai Province to Bangkok and Pattaya and onwards to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development zone. Clearly, this will increase opportunities for trading, investing, doing business, including attending business meetings and conferences which mean a huge amount of money from the travellers’ spending.
Published : January 05, 2022


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The 8th edition of Global Entrepreneurship Summit will see 1,500 participants and 300 investors in areas of energy & infrastructure, digital economy & financial technology, health & life sciences and media & entertainment.
The 8th edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) is being co-hosted by the United States and India in Hyderabad from November 28-30, 2017. The Summit will be inaugurated by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Advisor to the President of USA, Ivanka Trump will lead the U.S. contingent to the summit, which will highlight the theme of “Women First, Prosperity for All” and focus on supporting women entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth globally.
Women will represent 52.5 percent of entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem supporters at GES 2017. This is the first time that women have been the majority of participants at a GES. Women from 127 countries are participating and 10+ countries will be represented by an all-female delegation, including Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog said, “We have been encouraging the spirit of entrepreneurship through various programs be that Start-Up India, Make in India or the Atal Innovation Mission. This Summit will help us showcase our incredible potential to the world.”
Anousheh Ansari, the Iranian-American space traveler will share her experience of what it was like to revolutionize the space industry by opening it to private sector participation. Equally fascinating would be to hear Sibongile Sambo’s journey from a rejected flight attendant to founding her own aviation company.
MIT professors Carlo Ratti and Danielle Wood will share their insights on imminent technology disruptions and related trends in global entrepreneurship. Prominent Indian entrepreneurs such as Anu Acharya and Radhika Agarwal will discuss scaling tech-enabled startups, while leading investors Vani Kola and Shanti Mohan will share their experience with entrepreneurs looking to take the next leap.
In the session on entrepreneurship in sports, Chatri Sityodtong who gave up his career as an investment banker to pursue his passion in sports, will share the stage with Sania Mirza who has brought India laurels in tennis and Pullela Gopichand who has taken badminton to great heights. Renowned chef, Vikas Khanna, will share his journey of founding and running Michelin-starred restaurants in New York.
Other pioneering Indian entrepreneurs who will speak at the GES include Ritesh Agarwal, the 24-year-old founder of unicorn startup OYO Rooms; Sonam Wangchuk, a renowned engineer and education reformer from Ladakh and inspiration for the character Phunsukh Wangdu in Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots, and Piyush Pandey, the most illustrious name in advertising and a Padma Shree Awardee.
International industry leaders such as John Chambers, Prem Watsa, Marcus Wallenberg will be sharing their perspective on varied topics.
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If being green is about trading in old mobile phones, Emersons Green is the ‘greenest town in England’.
The South Gloucestershire town has lived up to its name, according to a survey which looked at how conscious people are about not just chucking away their old phones, laptops, computers, cameras and smartwatches.
Electronic devices like those are full of very polluting heavy metals, and if they are not disposed off properly or recycled here, they often end up being shipped abroad and dumped in landfill.
Mobile phone comparison site compareandrecycle.co.uk analysed data from all the most recent 40,000 transactions where people have exchanged their phones and other devices for either cash or new upgrades.
And they found that, per head of population, the new town on the north-eastern edge of Bristol is streets ahead of every other place in England.
Emersons Green trades in the most devices in England, per head of population.
“Most of these devices contain rare precious metal components which can be reused so devices don’t have to end up in landfill, causing pollution,” said Compare and Recycle’s managing director, Matthew Moreton.
“Globally, around 40 million tonnes of e-waste is improperly disposed of every year, and much of it is sent to developing countries where it ends up in landfill, is illegally traded or burned for raw materials.
“Containing metals including lead, cadmium and mercury, when not properly recycled, our smartphones and digital devices can contaminate the environment. Polluting the air and water, these toxins can be lethal for people, plant life and animals living nearby,” he added.
“As consumers, we are increasingly aware of the strain we are putting on the natural world through buying new things rather than recycling and reusing.
"While the majority of mobile phone manufacturers continue to avoid finding innovative ways to safely recover materials and re-use them for the production of new devices, it is great to see so many people from across the UK recycling their devices and taking steps to be more mindful with their tech," he said.
"Not only will trading in older devices protect the environment by keeping valuable materials in circulation but it can also earn consumers money. And, by purchasing a refurbished phone instead of a brand-new one, consumers can expect to pay less for a high-quality handset and extend the lifetime of a device, reducing its environmental impact.
“We're inspired by people from Emersons Green initiating the change and using Compare and Recycle to keep their phones away from landfills. Over the past five years, we managed to prevent almost a million mobile phones from being wasted away.
"If everyone recycled their unwanted devices there would be a huge positive impact on the environment, reducing the amount of e-waste generated. Well done Emersons Green, keep up the good work."


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Updated: December 27, 2017 7:44:05 pm
Samsung is widely believed to be launching the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in the beginning of next year, and now a new report claims the company will be mass producing the devices in January. A report from ET News, citing industry sources, claims the company has already begun ordering parts for the Galaxy S9 series.
Apparently, Samsung will adopt the new SLB (Substrate like PCB) circuit boards, a rumor we first heard way back in August. This will allow Samsung to fit in larger batteries, as we saw in case of the Apple iPhone X. That actually helped Apple to pack in larger batteries and more components in the small area.
The report also states that Samsung has also begun mass production of camera modules. According to sources close to ET News, Partron is working on the front camera module for the Galaxy S9, whereas Power Logics is developing the front camera for the Galaxy S9+. It’s also been claimed that the Galaxy S9+ will feature a dual-camera setup on the front. The company’s previous smartphones in the Galaxy S series featured a single camera on the front. The Galaxy S9, which will feature a smaller display, has an integrated iris scanner into the front camera. The Galaxy S9+ meanwhile, has an iris and a regular front camera separately.
The upcoming Galaxy S9 and S9+ will retain a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. Slashleaks shared an image of what it claims are circuit boards for the Galaxy S9, which reveals a 3.5mm headphone jack and USB Type-C placements. If true, it is likely both the variants of the Galaxy S9 will sport the standard headphone jack. Apple, Google and a number of manufacturers have already replaced the headphone jack in favor of a USB Type-C port. Samsung, on the other hand, wishes to keep the headphone jack from its flagship phone despite some in the market decides to remove it.
As with the Galaxy S8 and S8+, we’d expect to see both the Galaxy S9 and S9+ to come with an 18:9 aspect ratio display. Following the launch of a Snapdragon 845, it’s safe to assume that the Galaxy S9 series will be powered by Qualcomm’s top-end processor. However, the two phones may not look too different from the Galaxy S8 series in terms of design. Also, it is been speculated that the two devices will feature a single camera lens on the back and not the dual-camera setup.
The South Korean major is rumoured to launch the Galaxy S9 range at the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, which kicks off in February next year. However, if Samsung decides to launch the Galaxy S9 and S9+ at a separate event, expect to see in “early March” or April 2018.
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