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wars are shifting to the smaller sizes
June 18, 2008
Sneaker makers are
seeing big dollars in little feet.
New Balance Athletic Show Inc., which has shied away
from paying star athletes to shill its shoes, is rolling
out a lineup of celebrity endorsers: Elmo, Cookie
Monster, and Oscar the Grouch. The Sesame Street
collection of infant and preschool sneakers debuts next
month, the first of four lines New Balance is planning
as part of its largest children's initiative. The
undertaking is projected to bring in $10 million over
the next two years.
Rival Reebok International recently launched a line of
toddler and children's shoes featuring the Incredible
Hulk and Iron Man. Payless ShoeSource, meanwhile,
unveiled an infant-only collection this spring from
designer Lela Rose known as Teeny Toes, and a new deal
will soon expand the line to toddlers.
Once an afterthought, toddler sneakers are now a major
focus for brands. Sneakers for infants and toddlers are
the fastest growing segment in athletic footwear, with
sales over the past three years soaring 34 percent to
$1.35 billion in 2007, according to market research firm
NPD Group. Sales for adults grew just 3.5 percent over
the same period.
The shift has accelerated as teen demand for basketball
shoes - once the cash cows of the industry - has waned
and discounters have taken a growing share of the adult
sneaker market. The toddler segment is more profitable
because more sneakers can be sold at full price, unlike
those sold in more competitive markets aimed at adults
The race to lace up toddlers makes sense because they
need new shoes more often for their growing feet and
parents are willing to spend more on children than on
themselves, retail analysts say. Moreover, brand loyalty
can begin at the earliest of ages.
Meredith Armbrust, of Waltham, buys sneakers every three
to four months for her toddler, the latest a $40 pair
purchased last month at Stride Rite. Over the past year,
she has spent twice as much on sneakers for 2-year-old
Luke as on herself.
"Toddlers can spontaneously decide they don't like shoes
and aren't going to wear them," Armbrust said. "And I
would rather pay a little more and get a shoe that I
know fits him well."
But some critics raise questions about the brands'
marketing tactics to lure very young consumers.
"Pulling young children into the 'must have' shoe market
is one more way to turn tykes into hyperconsumers,
creating an entirely new generation of overspenders,"
said Lisa Wise, executive director of the nonprofit
Center for a New American Dream.
New Balance said its campaign is geared toward mothers.
The Sesame sneakers - designed on New Balance's heritage
running shoe the 574 - feature a furry tongue lining,
peeking eyeballs, and vibrant colors. The 30-second
commercials hawking the shoes, developed with Kids
Footlocker, will air on Nickelodeon during Nick Jr.
programming which skews younger viewers like the
demographic of the Sesame collection.
New Balance, which struck a multimillion dollar
sponsorship deal with Sesame Street in 2006, already has
a spot during the Sesame Street episodes promoting its
sponsorship, but it cannot display products because of
program restrictions. The Nickelodeon ads will feature
shots of Sesame Street characters' feet with a
voice-over singing about the different feet and ending
three times in a shot of a child's foot in the New
Balance shoes. Ads will also run in two parenting
The co-branding of kids sneakers - a first both for New
Balance and Sesame Street - is aimed at jumpstarting New
Balance's US kids business, which had been growing at a
rate of about 2 percent for several years until staying
flat last year. At the same time, the licensing deal
will help the private business make inroads into
lucrative emerging markets in Asia, Latin America, and
the Middle East.
"You're seeing a lot of brands coming into this space
more aggressively because it is a profitable business.
Because people are having fewer kids and they're
spending more on each child, the average selling price
is going up," said John Shanley, an analyst with
Susquehanna Financial Group.
New Balance's Sesame Street line will start at $43 for
infants and $53 for preschool, some of the highest price
points in the segment, said Brad Miller, New Balance's
strategic business unit for kids manager. New Balance's
infant shoes have typically sold for about $30, while
New Balance's 574 shoe for adults retails for $60. The
average infant/toddler shoe retailed for about $16.89 at
the end of December, according to NPD.
"We felt this was a unique opportunity to bring two of
the most trusted brands by moms together and position
this as more of a premium product in the kids business,"
Miller said of the Sesame Street partnership.
Reebok, meanwhile, recently launched its exclusive line
of children's footwear at Kid's Footlocker as part of a
licensing deal with Marvel Entertainment that features
two of the most renowned superheroes in the Marvel
Universe. The shoes retail for $45 to $65.
"For the most part, the mother is still making the
buying decision, but she's more influenced by her
children than ever before," said Neil Hernberg, head of
Reebok's kids division.
Even designers like Guess are getting into the toddler
game, unveiling a tiny sneaker last fall that featured
soft leopard print lining, cushioned collar, and heart
and gem-like accenting that cost about $60.
"People tend to throw out the frugal button when they
buy products for their adorable little toddlers. They
tend to communicate their taste level, their status
level and their image even more so by how they dress
their toddlers," said Marshal Cohen, NPD's chief retail
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The Supreme Court has recently confirmed that an asymptomatic physiological change caused by an employer’s negligence can constitute an actionable personal injury, thus overturning previous decisions of the High Court and Court of Appeal.
A range of stakeholders presented on the Goods Package.
Consultation launched to help develop standards for smart appliances.
The review includes a draft Code of Practice, which includes proposed steps to improve the cyber security of consumer IoT products.
EU notice considers potential impact on economic operators, authorised representatives, and Notified Bodies as a result of Brexit.

domain: news


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Tom Nassif, president & CEO of Western Growers, will be presenting the keynote address during the Ag Innovation Showcase on May 8 – 9, 2017, at UC Davis. The showcase inspires discussions about trends in the ag industry and presents innovations from around the world—everything from the farmer to the consumer, from climate-smart technologies to advanced food safety solutions.
During this event, rising entrepreneurs from start-up companies will join with agtech investors from this booming sector and researchers at the forefront of innovation. The showcase will highlight world-class research in crop, animal and food science, as well as high-impact programs that energize ideas and accelerate the path of innovation to the marketplace.
The event kicks off on May 8 with a company showcase and roundtable discussions on food safety, drones/robotics, and food and beverage processing. Former WG Chairman Vic Smith [JV Smith Companies] will be one of the industry leaders speaking about agtech advancements during the drones and robotics roundtable.
The second day of the conference begins with Nassif delivering a keynote address about innovation and technology as it relates to food and agriculture. The event will conclude with panel sessions, discussing “The Digital Farm” and nutrition and food quality. Robert Morris of TerrAvion, a resident of Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, will be a key panelist during “The Digital Farm” discussion.
Don’t miss this groundbreaking innovation showcase. Register today!
Ag Innovation Showcase (presented by Larta Institute & UC Davis World Food Center)
Date: Mon, May 8, 2017, 11:30 AM – Tue, May 9, 2017, 5:30 PM PDT
Location: UC Davis Conference Center
550 Alumni Lane
Davis, CA 95616
Cost: April discount: $746; Regular: $995
Register: BUY TICKETS HERE
For more information, visit the Ag Innovation Showcase website or contact Hank Giclas at (949) 885-2205.


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Colleague Software, a leading provider of recruitment solutions, continues to expand its product offering and customer services with the acquisition and integration of sales lead generator, Recruiter Tools, and the hiring of a client account manager.
Recruiter Tools – a dynamic sales lead generator and vacancy finder appliance – is to be fully integrated with Colleague Recruitment Software, helping users find and win new customers by crawling the web in real time.
Adrian Woolley, a Director of Recruiter Tools with a background in recruitment, has also moved to Colleague, joining the support team to fulfil an account management role – ensuring client’s needs and requirements are met. Adrian’s arrival means that Colleague has now grown by five since April – reflecting continual investment and on-going success in the industry.
Speaking of his new role, Adrian said, “I am looking forward to working with Colleague’s growing number of customers. It is fantastic to be part of a successful company that has such positive relationships with its clients.”
Will Minns, Managing Director of Colleague Software, said: “I am very pleased to be welcoming Adrian. With his background in recruitment and technology Adrian is perfectly placed to listen to and understand our customer’s needs.”
On Recruiter Tools, Will said, “Recruiter Tools is an excellent new addition to our product offering – Colleague is always on the lookout for innovative technology that will help make our customers even more successful.
Read Colleague Recruitment Software expands again and acquires dynamic technology, Recruiter Tools now »
By Tim Spagnola
Weekly news and industry insights delivered straight to your inbox.


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A strategic partnership is more than just an intention. It is more than just a telephone call, an email or a handshake.
Earlier this week, we launched the Acceso Peanut Enterprise Corporation, a Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership venture in conjunction with Fundación Carlos Slim, which aims to improve the supply chain of peanut farms in …
Sourcing local ingredients among area farmers and producers is very important to me. Even as a young child, I spent my time shopping at the farmer’s market with my grandmother and fishing and lobstering with my family near the New Jersey shore.
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In a stunning turn of events, Yahoo has just announced a major round of layoffs that is shaking up the company and sending shockwaves through the tech industry. According to sources close to the matter, the internet giant is cutting a significant number of jobs as part of its ongoing effort to streamline operations and become more efficient.
Reports indicate that the layoffs are impacting a wide range of departments and are part of a larger restructuring plan that has been in the works for some time. While the exact number of layoffs has not been officially confirmed, sources say that it could be in the hundreds or even thousands.
This move is a significant shift for Yahoo, which has long been a major player in the tech industry and has been a staple of the internet for over two decades. The company has faced a number of challenges in recent years, including increased competition and changing consumer habits, and this round of layoffs is seen as a way to stay ahead of the curve and continue to thrive in a rapidly evolving market.
Despite the magnitude of the layoffs, Yahoo executives are confident that this is the right move for the company and that it will lead to a brighter future. In a statement, a spokesperson for the company said, “While this was a difficult decision, we believe that it is necessary for the long-term success of our business and will help us continue to deliver value to our shareholders, customers, and employees.”
The tech industry is no stranger to layoffs, but the scale of this round of job cuts is making headlines and sparking intense discussion among experts and industry insiders. Some are questioning the wisdom of such a major move, while others believe that it is a bold and necessary step that will put Yahoo back on the path to growth.
In the coming days and weeks, it will become clearer what the impact of these layoffs will be on Yahoo and the tech industry more broadly. Regardless of the outcome, one thing is certain: this is a major turning point for one of the internet’s most iconic companies, and the next chapter in its story is sure to be full of surprises.


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After a flurry of Apple releases that saw a new Apple TV 4K, M2 iPad Pros, 10th-gen iPad, iOS 16.1, and macOS Ventura in the span of a week, we were expecting new Macs to arrive any day now. Now it looks like we might need to wait a lot longer.
According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple’s next round of M2-based Macs now won’t launch until 2023, likely at a March event. He reports that Apple is “aiming to introduce the upgraded models—including M2-based versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros—in the first quarter of calendar 2023.”
Apple has used its spring event to launch new Macs in recent years—last March saw the introduction of the Mac Studio, and the previous April brought the 24-inch iMac. However, if no new Macs arrive in November, it would be the first Mac-less fall since 2017:
- 2021: 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro (M1 Pro/Max)
- 2020: MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac mini (M1)
- 2019: 16-inch MacBook Pro (Intel)
- 2018: MacBook Air, Mac mini (Intel)
Gurman says the new Macs will be released alongside the launch of macOS Ventura 13.3. Apple only just released the first beta of macOS Ventura 13.1 last week, which we assumed would debut on the new Macs. But while that release will likely arrive in November with Apple’s new Freeform app, Gurman doesn’t think new Macs will accompany it.
Apple reported a record $11.5 billion in Mac sales during its fiscal fourth quarter, but it warned that year-over-year growth likely wouldn’t be as high for the Mac in the all-important holiday quarter.
During its fourth-quarter conference call, Tim Cook said Apple was “approach[ing] the holiday season with our product lineup set,” which could mean that it’s done releasing new products. However, since the rumored products are little more than M2 updates to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro and the Mac mini, Cook could also be referring to the actual lineup.
At any rate, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled over the next few Tuesdays just in case.


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Conservative MPs to release own-brand British ginBy Lauren Eads
The UK Conservative party’s 1922 Committee has revealed that it plans to release its own gin called ‘1922 Gin’ as part of its support of the British gin industry.
Graham Brady MP, chairman of the 1922 Committee, outlined the group’s plans following the Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s (WSTA) ‘Gin and Tories’ Fringe event, hosted in association with the City of London Distillery and Berry Bros & Rudd.
Backbench Tory MPs will visit the City of London Distillery to choose their own blend from a wide variety of botanicals to make the gin in advance of the 1922 Committee’s 100 year anniversary, with the gin’s release set to mark the milestone.
The event was hosted by the WSTA to garner support for the drinks trade and its Budget submission, which was delivered to the Treasury last week and highlights the excessive duty payable on wine and spirits in the UK.
On an average-priced bottle of 40% abv gin, £8.05 is made up of duty alone, which means that, when bulked out by VAT, £10.35 on every bottle goes directly to the Treasury, according to the WSTA.
A 3.9% increase on alcohol duty rates was announced in March of this year, with the WSTA fighting against further increased this autumn and calling for a freeze in duty, arguing that after a freeze in 2016 on spirits duty, revenues to the Treasury rose by 7%.
The WSTA’s chief executive Miles Beale also used the event to call for Government support of Free Trade Agreements that prioritise deals with the EU, the Far East and the USA, and called on Boris Johnson to “put his money where his mouth is” and ask British Embassies overseas to support British drinks exporters too by serving British gin and English sparkling wines at official functions.
“Gin sales continue to grow and grow,” said Beale. “We are delighted that Graham Brady and 1922 Committee will be making a gin with City of London Distillery; and we look forward to tasting the product of their efforts.
“As we set out in our Budget submission, and as we made clear to MPs last night, our rapidly growing British gin industry, which includes thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises – including those using one of the 89 new distilleries established in the last two years – needs the active support of Government to continue to grow.
“And it’s not just gin, many entrepreneurial spirit makers are held back by the UK’s excessively high duty rates, making it harder to invest in their business and take advantage of new opportunities overseas.”
“This is why we’re calling on the Chancellor to freeze duty rates in November. A 3.9% blow has already been dealt this year. It would be deeply unfair to inflict further misery on producers.”
Latest statistics from the WSTA show that 36.3 million bottles of gin have sold in the last 12 months in the off-trade – an increase of £200 million since 2012 – breaking the £500 million barrier for the first time. In pubs bars and restaurants, the WSTA figures show a similar upwards trend, with 8.3 million bottles of gin sold worth £687m in the same 12 months.
In its Budget submission, the WSTA argues that a freeze in spirits duty would save the industry around £85m in new tax liabilities, so a start-up distiller producing 100,000 bottles would save £27,440 per year. In comparison, a freeze in wine duty would save the industry around £136m, so a small British wine importer selling 1,000,000 bottles would save £80,000 per year.


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August 30, 2017
Look, I won’t bore you with an introduction: We all know why you’re here. You need a reason to justify your insane coffee drinking habit. Congrats! A new report confirms a correlation between drinking more coffee and lowering your risk of death. So here’s that news, followed by an explanation of why this report isn’t quite the smoking gun coffee lovers want it to be.
More Coffee = Less Death?
The report is an observational study from the annual ESC (European Society of Cardiology) Congress in Barcelona this week: Nearly 20,000 participants noted their “lifestyle and sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and previous health conditions,” the report explains, and coffee consumption habits were included. When the survey followed up ten years later, 337 participants had died.
After checking up on the data, the study concluded that those who drank more coffee lived longer:
“The researchers found that participants who consumed at least four cups of coffee per day had a 64 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who never or almost never consumed coffee. There was a 22 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality for each two additional cups of coffee per day.”
With me so far? The data looks solid. And it might be. But here’s why it might not.
Correlation Isn’t Exactly Causation
Any survey that tracks a massive amount of personal information can pick and choose which correlation to highlight. There could easily be another factor that both means you’re likely to live longer and to also drink more coffee as you do so. Perhaps being relatively wealthy means you have the free time to drink coffee while also having the means to live the healthier life that will keep you alive longer?
I certainly won’t accuse those who ran this study of intentionally cherry-picking data! I don’t know them. And I am drinking a cup of Joe as I type this, so I’m definitely a fan of the headline that resulted. Coffee shops are great. But if you’re interested in learning more about how the junk science industry can churn out sensational headlines so smoothly, you should definitely check out this long-read written by a guy who successfully produced a bogus report on how eating chocolate can help you lose weight. How? By surveying a massive amount of data and picking the one correlation that looked weird.
Read more on how to stay healthy here at TechCo.
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Get ready for Open Runway -- fashion’s answer to open mic night
Local fashion scene booster Los Angeles Fashion Council has joined forces with fashion-themed Hollywood nightclub Couture Los Angeles to create a showcase and competition for emerging designers in a format loosely based on the open mic nights found on the comedy club circuit.
According to the fashion council’s Kelsi Smith (whose tireless efforts on behalf of the city’s style scene continue to amaze us), the program is intended for “brand-new and barely emerging designers.” To that end, the only requirements are that designers must not have been in the business for longer than a year and must be located in the Los Angeles area.
Once a month (currently slated for June 22, July 27 and Aug. 31) a group of up to five “pre-emerging” designers will participate in a single and open-to-the-public runway show at the Couture venue. After each show, a single look from each participating designer’s six- to 12-look collection will be posted to the fashion council’s Facebook page, where it can be voted on.
Winners from each of the three monthly showcase votes will participate in a final show on Sept. 28, when a panel of judges will pick a single winner who will receive a complimentary spot in the fashion council’s run of shows for the spring 2014 collections.
Additional details about the program, as well as designer application forms, can be found at bit.ly/openrunway.
To us it seems like a clever idea and a no-nonsense approach that should probably work.
Our only suggestion?
Make sure there’s enough hassle-free parking.


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Recent snow and cold weather are providing an early start to the Heartlands ski season, which is a nice departure from last year when ski areas mostly remained closed over Thanksgiving weekend and had a rough start even in December making enough snow to be fully open over the Christmas holidays.
An early arrival of winter and temperatures cold enough for snowmaking across the upper Midwest are going to allow some ski areas to be open for the Thanksgiving holidays. Minnesota will be offering the most openings with a few in northern Wisconsin and a couple in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Lower Peninsula ski areas at this point have not announced opening dates, but some have already fired up the snowmaking and hopefully that will come soon.
A couple of ski areas, Wild Mountain in Minnesota and nearby Trollhaugen across the border in Wisconsin have already opened for the season. Afton Alps, Powder Ridge, Andes Towers Hills and Lutsen Mountains are planning on being open this weekend Nov. 18 and 19. Buck Hill is opening on Nov. 22, with Spirit Mountain and Giants Ridge scheduled Nov. 25.
Huff Hills Ski Area, located near Bismarck in North Dakota, is opening for the season on Nov. 20, which will mark their earliest opening ever in the 30 years it has been a ski area. Illinois' Chestnut Mountain plans to open Nov. 26, also one of their earliest openings.
In early season it's always a good idea to check the ski area for conditions before making a long drive. Weather can change in just a few days. You can also log onto Snoountry Snow Reports for an up to date review of what's open and conditions.
Snowstar Winter Sports Park, located within 10 minutes of the Quad Cities, has been purchased by Jennifer and Doug Harper from nearby Illinois City. They managed the ski area last season and bought it this past summer. Without their assistance, the resort would not have opened last year, according to the assistant manager at the time of the sale Valerie O'Rouke in a press statement.
Here are five Midwest cities with day trip worthy ski areas, all within three hours or less. Arriving mid-week you avoid large weekend crowds. Get an early start and enjoy some uncrowded slope time.
Family-friendly terrain, ski and snowboard teaching programs, and a good variety of advanced and expert terrain. Here are five top ski resorts in the Midwest that can keep families of differing abilities happy.
Family-friendly terrain, teaching programs, and a good variety of advanced and expert terrain. Here's a half-dozen of the top family resorts in the Heartland that will keep a family of differing abilities happy for a spring break getaway.
Three old-time Midwest ski areas that have aged well join the “baby boomer” generation. Turning 55 this season are Big Powderhorn, Michigan’s UP, and Welch Village, located in the deep river valleys southeast of the Twin Cities. Chestnut Mountain, the senior member of the group, turns 60 this season.
From a stroll in a haunted forest to great pumpkin races, and a zipline of terror a trio of Heartland ski resorts have some haunting good fun planned leading up to this Halloween. It’s also prime fall color for chairlift rides to the top of the ski hills for some brilliant vistas.
Friday January 11, 2019 was the snow sports industry’s first National Learn to Ski or Snowboard Day at resorts throughout the U.S. Many resorts offered special deals for newcomers to take beginner lessons from professional instructors as a way to celebrate the sports.
Heartland big-city skiers and riders sometimes have to drive a little further to find a ski hill worthy for playing midweek hooky. But, hooky-worthy ski areas are around, and arriving mid-week you avoid the large weekend crowds.
Family friendly terrain, ski and snowboard teaching programs, and a good variety of advanced and expert terrain. Here are my top five recommendations for ski resorts in the Midwest to keep a family of differing abilities happy.
Mountain top dining is popular at ski resorts in the west. But, there are a handful of resorts scattered around the Heartland that offer distinctive mountain top dining experiences as well.
From a stroll in the haunted forest to great pumpkin races, shred ‘til you’re dead jam and a Halloween party in a wilderness cabin, a handful of Heartland ski resorts have some haunting good fun planned this Halloween. Some of it even starts earlier. Get your ghoul on.
Working towards the goal of making Cannonsburg Ski Area a year-round recreation area. the resort has opened a multi station zipline tour, and Chestnut Mountain opened a Soaring Eagle Zip Line adding to their summer activities.
The holiday period across the upper Midwest looks good for a snowy holiday at least according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac The good news for skiers and snowboarders is some destination ski resorts are offering attractive lift and lodging packages through the holidays. Check them out.
Midwest snowboarders -- get your shred on. The ninth annual So-Gnar Snowboard Camp Tour hits seven Heartland ski areas over the next few weeks.


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Department confirms Creed trade missions for 2020
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed a number of trade missions that Minister Michael Creed will undertake in the coming 12 months.
Taking to Twitter to confirm the minister’s travel plans for 2020, the department outlined that trade missions would take place in Algeria, Egypt, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Trade visits will also continue to the UK and EU, with those two looking set for a period of tense negotiations on a free-trade agreement, assuming the UK parliament passes the withdrawal agreement, thereby taking the UK out of the union by January 31.
Min @creedcnw announces Trade Missions agenda in 2020 to Algeria, Egypt, China, Vietnam and the Philippines as well as ongoing trade visits to the UK and the EU
— Dept of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (@agriculture_ie) January 8, 2020
The department tweet said: “Minister Creed announces trade missions agenda in 2020 to Algeria, Egypt, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as ongoing trade visits to the UK and EU.”
In other ministerial news today, Minister Creed launched Bord Bia’s report on Export Performance and Prospects today, Wednesday, January 8.
The report saw a record value or Irish exports in 2019, reaching €13 billion, a 7% increase on the figure for 2018.
“It is important to acknowledge too the contribution that Ireland’s farm families have made to this export performance, and to recognise the need for the supply chain to deliver a reasonable commercial return for those upon whom the production of high-quality consumer products and raw materials depends,” Minister Creed highlighted.


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talabat Jordan, the region’s leading food and grocery delivery app and tech platform, has spent the first quarter of the year demonstrating its ongoing commitment to the local community, further building upon its corporate responsibility endeavors through numerous activities and initiatives.
As part of the company’s year-round efforts to facilitate charitable giving and use its tech for good, talabat Jordan onboarded a new organization to its list of virtual charities. Its newest charity partner, We Are For You, was established by a group of university students in 2011, and works to provide wide-reaching financial, psychosocial, and in-kind support to people in need across all segments of society, all while encouraging volunteerism among local youth. talabat Jordan customers can now make donations to We Are For You directly through the application.
Meanwhile, talabat Jordan also continued to strengthen its existing strategic partnerships with various charities and non-profit organizations, through a series of seasonal campaigns and initiatives. At the start of the year, talabat Jordan partnered with Tkiyet Um Ali to carry out its Winter Campaign. During the campaign, talabat made it possible for customers to donate toward the purchase of blankets, kerosene heaters, and kerosene vouchers on its Virtual Charity platform, with the donated items then distributed to people in need across the Kingdom.
talabat Jordan was also an active participant in World Cancer Day, commemorated on February 4: on that day, talabat made a donation to the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center for every order placed on the platform during lunch hours. Meanwhile, the company’s management team participated in KHCF’s viral World Cancer Day campaign, which saw participants post ‘talabatXcancer’ photos on their social media accounts, as part of a nationwide effort to put an ‘X’ through cancer.
Speaking about these various initiatives and efforts, Hala Siraj, the Managing Director of talabat Jordan, said, “As always, we at talabat believe in being driven by our deep sense of purpose, particularly when it comes to making a positive impact in the communities where we operate. Our commitment to serving communities across the Kingdom is steadfast, and we look forward to building on these initiatives throughout the year.”
The company’s corporate responsibility efforts continue to forge ahead: during the month of Ramadan, talabat Jordan will be further building upon its partnership with SOS Children’s Village, as the two partners launch their Make a Wish Come True campaign. Through this initiative, talabat Jordan’s employees will bring joy to local orphans by fulfilling their wishes for Eid al-Fitr. At the same time, throughout Ramadan, customers will be able to purchase iftar meals for people in need via the Jordanian Food Bank, one of talabat’s Virtual Charities. And on April 8, talabat will also be donating meals to the Jordanian Food Bank for orders placed on the app.
As always, talabat Jordan customers can build on the company’s charitable efforts by making donations directly through the talabat app.


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Automotive industry company news
The rearview mirror has been transformed over the last decade into a high-tech electronic module, writes Matthew Beecham. Tomorrow’s mirrors...
As those - all three of you - who honour me with your occasional presence on my self-curated 'just-auto' Facebook page may have guessed, whe...
| 8 May 2015
A short week for us due to the first (of two) bank holidays has ended in a surprise majority win for the Conservatives overnight (along with the virtual elimination of Labour from parliamentary seats in Scotland) and we look forward to one party rather than (compromised) coalition rule for the UK. I doubt the autobiz has any problem with that.
| 7 May 2015
Ford is secure as market leader in Britain but there was a major upset in the April passenger car market with Vauxhall losing its traditional second place to Volkswagen.
| 24 Apr 2015
We put Tata Motors' Land Rover's Range Rover Evoque under the microscope this past week, asking how long the model, just mid-life facelifted, can continue to be the automaker's golden goose.
| 17 Apr 2015
Dunno 'bout you but 2015 seems to be flying by waaaay too fast - where did yet another week go?
| 13 Jan 2015
BWI Group’s MagneRide suspension systems are being increasingly featured in top end cars. In the EU they work on high end integration of chassis components with advanced control and sensory systems to produce vehicles that take safety, ride dynamics and sophistication to a new level. Conversely, BWI also work within the advancing Chinese market that sits in a very different end of the spectrum, where basic safety and control devices like ABS and ESC are just starting to take hold, and where AEB and autonomous driving are concepts reserved for the very top layer of the social elite who can afford to import EU and NA models. Matthew Beecham spoke to Craig Diem, BWI Group, Director – Strategic Planning about how the Group deals with the different challenges that these markets bring.
| 28 May 2014
Alan Mulally's tenure as Ford's CEO has seen the company evolve in line with his vision of 'One Ford'. He also successfully guided Ford through recession and has generally been lauded by investors. He passes the reins over to Mark Fields in July. Dave Leggett caught up with him on the London leg of his Ford circuit farewell tour of Europe.
| 6 Jul 2015
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is reportedly in talks that could result in a new manufacturing plant in Eastern Europe.
| 3 Jul 2015
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has agreed a manufacturing partnership with Magna Steyr, an operating unit of Magna International Inc, to build some future vehicles in Graz, Austria.
| 2 Jul 2015
June was another good month for the auto industry as US light vehicle sales continued to grow.
| 30 Jun 2015
The UK auto industry continues to deliver on growth to turnover, exports and employment, according to SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.
| 16 Jun 2015
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has revealed some of its prototype technologies at the Future Tech showcase in Gaydon, UK where they are developing driver-focused autonomous capabilities which work in all weathers and environments.
| 10 Jun 2015
The rise of the sensor and camera-equipped car has enabled Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover to develop an Evoque research vehicle that can identify the location and severity of potholes and broken manhole covers – and adjust suspension settings in milliseconds.
| 2 Jun 2015
Tata Motors' luxury vehicle unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has appointed a new head of sales in China where the company has seen a slow down in sales in recent months. Mark Bishop succeeds Yi Lu, who resigned in mid-April citing personal reasons.
| 28 May 2015
London is to return to the motor show circuit next year with an open air event in Battersea Park, next to the River Thames, run by a privately owned events organisation.
| 28 May 2015
UK automakers passed the 500,000 milestone for car production in April with 530,505 new cars built to date.
| 8 May 2015
Jaguar Land Rover’s local subsidiary has always been rather vague about what it will produce at its under-construction, BRL740m/$240m factory in Itatiaia, state of Rio de Janeiro, scheduled to start assembly of 24,000 units yearly of up to three models from the second quarter of 2016.
| 6 May 2015
Bosch has developed a stereo video camera with which an emergency braking system can function based solely on camera data. Normally, this would require a radar sensor or a combination of radar and video sensors.
| 27 Apr 2015
Jaguar Land Rover's new two-litre, four-cylinder, Ingenium diesel engine, built in a new, 450,000 unit capacity factory in Wolverhampton, is to become available in the Discovery Sport line which recently replaced the Freelander.
| 21 Apr 2015
Plastic Omnium announced its latest developments in China at the Shanghai motor show including four new plants.
| 21 Apr 2015
Porsche has recalled Panamera S Hybrid and Cayenne S Hybrid models in Australia because their fuel rails could leak.
| 20 Apr 2015
BorgWarner has announced a deal to supply variable cam timing (VCT) and engine timing systems for Jaguar Land Rover's new Ingenium I4 engine line.
| 16 Apr 2015
Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has fully automated its global priority warranty parts returns service by awarding a contract to SEKO Logistics.
| 14 Apr 2015
Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) 70 year old plant at Solihull in the British Midlands has been given a new lease of life with the addition of the Jaguar XE to the factory that began with, and, until now, had only produced Land Rovers.
| 10 Apr 2015
Digital Radio UK said on Friday 450,000 new cars were registered in Q1 2015 with digital radio (DAB) as standard, an increase of 100,000 over Q1 2104 and 130,000 over Q4 2014.
| 7 Apr 2015
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) North America has chosen Sirius XM Connected Vehicle Services to provide call centre support for safety and security services to vehicle occupants using its Jaguar InControl and Land Rover InControl infotainment systems.
| 2 Apr 2015
Automakers trying to beat their year ago numbers faced a larger than usual challenge in March. Not only was March 2014 a strong sales month, it had one more selling day and, even more important, it had one more sales weekend.
| 2 Apr 2015
After introducing InControl Touch Pro, its next generation infotainment and connected car technology in the redesigned XF, Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover has announced a new initiative to support the development of future infotainment technologies in the US.
| 1 Apr 2015
Owners of carship, Hoegh Osaka say the last of around 1,200 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles are being removed from parking areas in Southampton docks at the end of this week as mystery continues to surround their future fate.
| 21 Apr 2015
Jiangling brand Landwind is causing waves at Shanghai with its X7 SUV that bears a very strong resemblance to Land Rover's hugely successful Range Rover Evoque.
| 6 Jan 2015
While various parties figure out What To Do with the Hoegh Osaka and its valuable cargo of Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, Rolls-Royce and JCB products, here's how things turned out the last time we covered such an event.
Land Rover Dealers (UK) - Industry Report
Plimsoll’s UK Land Rover Dealers (UK) analysis is the most definitive and accurate study of the UK Land Rover Dealers (UK) sector in 2013. The report is split into two sections and uses both a writte...
Global electric light vehicles market- forecasts to 2018
This QUBE report from just-auto provides a comprehensive overview of the global electrified vehicles sector, major OEM developments, top 14 markets, technology trends and market projections. Use this...
Global light vehicle OE connectivity market- forecasts to 20
This QUBE report from just-auto provides a comprehensive overview of the global automotive connectivity sector, major applications, top 14 markets, technology trends and market size forecasts. Use thi...
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- COMMENT: The diminution of Fiat
- RESEARCH SNAPSHOT: Review of front-end modules
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- Global light vehicle safety systems market- forecasts to 2029
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GraceKennedy Limited paid $1 billion to fully acquire Consumer Brands Limited, a large player in the Jamaican distribution market.
The disclosure comes six months after the deal was struck last August.
“Consumer Brands has now been successfully integrated into the GraceKennedy group, and is proving to be a natural fit,” said GK Group CEO Don Wehby in a statement accompanying the conglomerate’s 2017 year-end results.
Consumer Brands distributes products such as Procter & Gamble line, which the company has represented in Jamaica since 1992, handling brands such as Charmin, Bounty, Ariel, Downy, Tide, Always, Tampax, Pampers, Febreze, Crest, and Olay. It also distributes products for 10 other international and local partners through chain and independent supermarkets, wholesalers, pharmacies, beauty supply outlets and convenience stores.
In the four months after the acquisition, September to December, the business contributed revenue of $877.5 million and profit after tax of $82.5 million to the group.
Published in the Jamaica Gleaner
Read full Article →


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Volkswagen explores using 3D printers to produce ventilators
The world needs all the help it can get to curb the current coronavirus epidemic. German Automaker Volkswagen is doing its own part by pledging to contribute to global efforts to use 3D printing for the production of hospital ventilators.
The transportation facilitator made the announced on Friday that it would contribute to global efforts to use 3D printing for the production of hospital ventilators, in the fight to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
3D printing is fast becoming a viable option for replenishing depleted supplies for essential medical equipment needed to treat infected persons. To this effect, Governments around the world have sought to enlist automakers, including Ford, General Motors, Ferrari and Nissan, to ramp up production of ventilators and other medical equipment that face shortages and are critical to saving lives.
VW said in a statement that a task force was exploring how to use 3D printing to help manufacture ventilators.
The automaker has since integrated 3D printing into the manufacture of its cars. The firm currently has more than 125 industrial 3D printers and is in close cooperation with governments and other authorities to assess needs, a spokesman said.
“Medical equipment is a new field for us. But as soon as we understand the requirements, and receive a blueprint, we can get started,” Volkswagen said.
The company also pledged to donate protective face masks to clinics, health authorities and municipal authorities, in an agreement made with German Health Minister Jens Spahn.
The protective masks would come from VW’s own stock, which auto employees use for protection against harmful vapors.
Volkswagen and other German auto manufacturers are already reeling from the effects of the coronavirus, idling their European plants for the next few weeks.
VW announced on Friday that it would temporarily close its factories in Mexico in a bid to preserve public health, amid growing worries over the spread of the coronavirus in that country.
Individuals and companies with 3D printers have been printing valves needed for treatments. Patients are now being assisted in breathing by a machine that uses a 3D printed valve. As the virus inevitably continues to spread worldwide and breaks supply chains, 3D printers – through people’s ingenuity and design abilities – can definitely lend a helping hand. Or valve, or protective gear, or masks, or anything you will need and can’t get from your usual supplier.


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If you think the price of bacon is getting outrageous, just consider what you have to pay for food and beverages in Nunavut.
This picture of cases of Nestle water on sale in a Northmart in Iqaluit on Baffin Island was posted to imgur earlier this week:
At first blush, these prices look like they might be in Mexican pesos. But no, these are Canadian dollars.
The people of the Canadian Arctic suffer “the highest rate of food insecurity in the world for an Aboriginal people living in a developed country,” Free The Children co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger wrote in a HuffPost blog last year.
There don’t seem to be any easy solutions to the enormous mark-ups. The volume of food shipments to the north is very low, transportation costs very high, and infrastructure barely existent. That makes for very high costs.
There are efforts afoot to have northern communities rely more on “country food,” the food sources available locally. But there are prohibitive costs there too — hunting rifles, fishing boats and the fuel needed to cover large distances aren’t cheap and getting food this way will run you an estimated $150 a day.
The Harper government in 2011 reformed a subsidy program meant to lower food costs in the north. The system shifted from one that subsidized shipping costs to one that subsidizes retailers directly.
The retailers were supposed to pass the savings on to consumers, but locals say they’re not sure if that is actually happening.
Check out these pictures of some of the outrageous price stickers you’ll find in northern food stores:
Also on HuffPost


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JOIN US. The Institute will launch our program on Manufacturing and Society in the 21st Century on October 28 with a lunchtime discussion about the influence of US trade policy on manufacturing, available live on our site at www.aspeninstitute.org/live.
Believe it or not, manufacturing jobs are not just something we subcontract to China. In fact, during the current economic crisis, manufacturing is helping to jumpstart the recovery—and it is likely to continue to do so as growth in finance, construction, and government services remains weak. Meanwhile, US exports are also on the rise. And, despite the conventional wisdom—that manufacturing has gone the way of agriculture in this country—the truth is: Manufacturing is now growing at twice the pace of the overall economy. In other words, it’s time to take a fresh look at an American institution.
We’re happy to join the Aspen Institute as its newest program, Manufacturing and Society in the 21st Century. US manufacturing has long been a source of jobs, innovation, and global competitiveness—and a hallmark of community stability and national security. So what can be done to preserve and strengthen this critical sector of the economy? The Manufacturing and Society in the 21st Century program will bring business, government, and opinion leaders together to look for solutions to the important problems and opportunities affecting the future of manufacturing in a global economy.
Our October 28th launch will include a lunchtime discussion on whether US trade policy is helping or hurting manufacturing, with guests Ambassador Susan Schwab, former US trade representative, and Dr. Jared Bernstein, former chief economic advisor to Vice President Joe Biden. The dialogue will be moderated by the director of the Manufacturing and Society in the 21st Century program, Tom Duesterberg.
Many see US manufacturing declining in importance as a part of a vibrant, growing, and sustainable economy. This perception, however, masks a more encouraging and complex reality. To be sure, in recent decades manufacturing has—like early 20th-century agriculture—declined as a proportion of the US economy, from around 38 percent just after World War II to about 12 percent today, and employment in the sector has dropped by more than one-third since 1980. Yet, total output in manufacturing has continued to grow at about the same pace as the overall economy, and the US share of global production has declined only slightly—even in the wake of intense competition from emerging industrial giants like China, India, and Brazil. If manufacturing must be compared to agriculture, then it should be as a vibrant industry that has survived by relentlessly creating improvements in productivity (hence fewer jobs) and constant innovation (nearly two-thirds of research and development in the United States is done by manufacturers).
Global competition has also played a major role in this recent high-performance trajectory. Firms have seriously increased productivity: Output per American worker is higher than in Germany or Japan and nearly ten times the level of China. Why? Because US firms simply have to in order to remain competitive. Additionally (and less well-understood), the prices of manufactured goods have been in a deflationary cycle since the 1990s due to global competition. Deflation contributed to manufacturing becoming a smaller proportion of the US economy—as the price of industrial growth went down 3 percent at the same time that the overall price level rose 33 percent between 1995 and 2008. That might sound like bad news, but think about the prices of computers or automobiles today. Deflation benefits consumers, affording them a higher standard of living.
Productivity, innovation, and global competition have all allowed manufacturing to thrive in a cutthroat international marketplace, making the industry a crucial component to the continued health of the US economy. Still, US-goods producers have lost market share both at home and abroad as sophisticated nations like China, South Korea, and Germany ramp up their own new technologies and manufacturing processes. That’s why it is more important than ever to examine the issues around US manufacturing—and protect it. Some think that global competition is unfairly skewed against the United States through subsidized industries, currency manipulation, or a lack of global-trade rules enforcement. Others think that the United States is failing to keep up with the Europeans, the Chinese, and others in establishing new free-trade agreements.
On October 28, we will explore these questions as well as ways to improve chances for US manufacturing growth through a more balanced world-trade environment.


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Football Australia and Nike announced a ten-year contract extension that will push their long-standing partnership into an impressive third decade, the longest of Nike’s federation and club partnerships in Australia.
The partnership will extend to a historic third decade and signals significant investment into the future of Australia’s national teams, Football Australia, and football at every level.
The extended partnership reinforces Nike’s unwavering commitment to Australian football, and signals both organisations’ continued commitment to both female and male teams equally, at all levels of the game.
It not only supports Australia’s elite national teams but also sees a committed investment in Football Australia’s thriving grassroots participation, inclusivity programs, and its Legacy ’23 strategy.
Football Australia’s Legacy ’23 initiative harnesses the growth of women’s football to deliver enduring benefits for Australia’s largest community sport beyond 2023, including becoming the first community sport to reach gender parity in participation. Nike is proud that a portion of its partnership investment will be specifically allocated to this initiative to ensure the momentum surrounding the game during this year’s major tournament extends into an everlasting legacy.
“This is a pivotal moment for Australian football. This extended partnership with Nike not only solidifies their commitment to our national teams, but it also provides significant resources for the growth of grassroots football, our ambitious Legacy ’23 plan and the strategic building of our national iconic brands,” said James Johnson, CEO of Football Australia.
Nike will continue to be the official apparel partner for all Australian national teams, including the Subway Socceroos, CommBank Matildas, Junior, and Youth men’s and women’s squads, as well as the CommBank Pararoos, and CommBank ParaMatildas.
“Our partnership with Nike has been transformative, and this extension represents a strong endorsement for Football Australia and the growth of football at all levels across the nation,” Johnson continued. “We are proud to be part of Nike’s Global Football strategy, and this partnership extension signifies the strength and continued elevation of Australian football on the international stage.”
Nike Pacific Vice President and General Manager, Ashley Reade, said: “In the past two decades we’ve seen football in Australia grow to incredible heights and this year achieve sold-out stadiums and record-breaking jersey sales. Nike is incredibly proud of the partnership with Football Australia to drive these outcomes.
This year’s major tournament was a generational tipping point and, on every level, Nike continues to find ways to innovate, inspire and enable the future of athletes through football. This announcement represents our local commitment to the world game, to foster even stronger opportunities for gender equity from grassroots to the elite game. We believe in the vision of Football Australia and look forward to playing our part in the sport’s continued growth.”
Steph Catley, Nike athlete and vice-captain of the CommBank Matildas, added: “Not only does Nike’s innovative high-performance gear allow us to perform our best on the field, but their unwavering commitment to build the game, invest in us as athletes and broaden access for the next generation of players and fans plays a pivotal role in driving the sport forward. We are thrilled to continue working with them and look forward to the exciting journey ahead.”


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The proportion of properties that sell has been falling for some time and the low sale rate reflects the fact that sellers are not being realistic and are setting their reserve prices too high, says Julian Thompson of EIG.
It is also a reflection of the credit crunch, with banks less keen to lend to builders and developers. Properties sold at auction are often in need of renovation or repair, and with lenders tightening up their criteria, finance is harder to come by and more expensive.
'Some properties were down to about 50 per cent of their original purchase price'
The credit crunch and higher interest rates are taking their toll on both families and buy-to-let investors. At an auction last week held by London auctioneer, Allsop, of the 551 properties offered only 367 were sold but an astonishing 60 per cent of these were repossessions, or put up for sale on behalf of receivers.
“This is the largest concentration of repossessions and receivership lots we’ve ever sold — it’s very much the credit crunch in action,” commented Gary Murphy, a partner at Allsop.
Allsop has been monitoring the average price reduction on new- build properties being offered for resale at auction and has discovered that it is about 25 per cent. “That’s just the average — some properties were down to about 50 per cent of their original purchase price.
“New-build flats would be up there as one of most attractively priced lots in this auction,” Murphy said.
Another reason for low figures could be potential buyers holding back, to make an even lower offer after the sale, Murphy believes. Reuse content


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Angry Birds maker may take off with $2-billion IPO
LONDON—Angry Birds maker Rovio Entertainment Oy plans to sell shares in a Helsinki initial public offering, seeking funds to support its resurgence seven years after releasing its bestselling mobile-game title.
Main owner Kaj Hed, 62, and some other holders will sell shares, and Rovio will offer about 30 million euros ($36 million U.S.) of new stock, the company said Tuesday, without providing a total value for the sale. The IPO could value the maker of the Angry Birds mobile games and movie at about $2 billion, people familiar with the matter said last month.
Rovio has emerged from a slump after changing the way it charges for game playing, and an IPO gives CEO Kati Levoranta ammunition to develop new titles. The listing is set to test investors’ appetite for entertainment software, a group whose shares have barely budged from their offer prices following IPOs this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.


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By Pat Pape
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—When any of the 14 employees at Lou Perrine’s Gas & Groceries in Kenosha, Wisconsin, come to work, they know someone will take their temperature before their shift begins.
“We have a thermometer for the forehead, and we clean it every time we use it,” said Anthony Perrine, store owner. The thermometer is one more tool—along with plexiglass shields, hand sanitizer, an hourly cleaning schedule and gloves in dispensers at the gas island—that the store uses to keep everyone safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
“If an employee records over 99.5 degrees, they know to call management right away if we’re not there,” Perrine said. “We’ll send them home. So far, no one has, but we just want to be cautious and keep them safe. We’re looking out for their health, as well as the health of customers who come in the door.”
Irving, Texas-based 7-Eleven is providing all stores with infrared thermometers as well, and where local governments have mandated it, employees are being screened before they start their shift. In all other areas, 7-Eleven requires corporate store employees to take their own temperature within one hour before their scheduled work start time.
Along with other efforts, such as plexiglass shields, clerk-served foods and beverages and an enhanced cleaning schedule, “we’ve requested that customers practice social distancing in stores through posters, and we are reinforcing that they stand six feet away from each other in line with visual floor markers at the front sales counter,” said a company spokesperson.
Kwik Trip of La Crosse, Wisconsin, sends home any coworker who appears sick, said John McHugh, spokesperson. “But that was our policy long before the current crisis.”
In addition, any Kwik Trip employee who returns from traveling to a coronavirus “hot spot” must self-quarantine for up to 14 days.
Meijer, the Michigan supermarket chain, announced last week that it is implementing daily health screenings for team members reporting to work. When employees arrive, they will have their temperature taken and must complete a health assessment questionnaire. If the employee passes all screening questions and does not have an elevated temperature, they can begin work.
Last week, Walmart began checking the temperatures of associates as they arrived at work in stores, clubs and facilities. Any associate with a temperature of 100.0 degrees will be paid for reporting to work and asked to return home and seek medical treatment, if necessary. The associate is not permitted to return to work until they are fever-free for at least three days.
Pat Pape worked in the convenience store industry for more than 20 years before becoming a full-time writer. She writes for NACS Daily and NACS Magazine.
NACS has compiled resources to help the convenience retail community navigate the COVID-19 crisis. For news updates and guidance, visit our coronavirus resources page.


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Amid Crypto Market Slowdown, Alphabet’s Google is actually seeking full-time talent for its direct global marketing efforts Web3. One of the main objectives of the role is to raise awareness among different segments of the public Web3.
A new manager to lead your marketing efforts Web3
Following the creation of the team Web3 within Google Cloud in early May, the Google Cloud division announced the position of ” Product Marketing Manager “. I posted vice versa increase awareness of projects Web3 Google Cloud and products driving consumer demand for associates.
In fact, the primary role of the newbie is to oversee marketing activities. In addition, some of the main responsibilities of this role also include the development of the annual plan Web3 and outreach to various groups within the public Web3. For abseiling, employees are not available in New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Sunnyvale.
Bonus: Bitcoin Market in partnership with Stellar, for a significant contribution to the development of a CBDC in Brazil.
Services background app developers Web3
Google intends to fservice visit background Help interested developers build apps Web3. This to take advantage of awsMicrosoft Azure and even Alibaba Cloud in the ongoing cloud war. One of its main competitors, awsto follow the same path by offering the blockchain managed by Amazon to customers.
In an interview with CNBC, Mountain Zaveryhead of Google Cloud PlatformI have stated that the object of the company is not to directly participate in the wave of cryptocurrency. Rather, it is to provide technology for businesses to benefit from the distributed nature of blockchain. The objective is to google cloud lounge Platform the first choice of blockchain and cryptocurrency developers.
See more: The Central African Republic plans to create a “crypto hub” for the use of crypto in the country.


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One of the top contemporary Chinese artists working in Web3 is set to drop an Ordinals NFT collection. In April, the Beijing-based artist Yue Minjun is launching his first Ordinals collection with LiveArt, a global Web3 platform for art and culture.
‘Human’ consists of 1,200 unique works inspired by human history. The NFTs were created by combining pixelated backgrounds of iconic scenes from the past, including the Bitcoin logo, Wall Street’s charging bull, the Pyramids, and Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” with Minjun’s characteristic laughing man motif in the foreground. For the work, Minjun drew heavily from “A Study of History,” a book by historian and philosopher Arnold J. Toynbee.
Minjun’s oil paintings displaying himself frozen in laughter across a myriad of settings are widely recognized, and he’s exhibited at Christie’s and galleries and museums across the world. He’s often categorized as part of the Chinese Cycle Realist art movement, but he’s also a major artist working in Web3.
His NFT collection ‘Boundless’ was launched with LiveArt in October 2023 and consisted of 999 digital NFTs bound to unique signed physical prints. The drop sold out in less than two hours. According to reports, his previous NFT works have traded over $150 million in global sales.
In regard to the upcoming release, Minjun said he became interested in Ordinals inscriptions about six months ago, and that he’s excited people in Web3 are “building a new world.”
Boris Pevzner, the CEO and co-founder of LiveArt, believes that Bitcoin is the best place to showcase Minjun’s work. In a statement, he said that LiveArt was releasing Minjun’ Ordinals collection because the world’s top artists belong on the “world’s most ‘blue-chip’ blockchain.”
Human is expected to drop sometime in April — though the exact date has not yet been announced. There will be a pre-sale for LiveArt members and partners, and the drop will have a tiered sale format.
The Advantages of Bitcoin Ordinals
When Ordinals inscriptions first burst on the scene in January 2023, many people wondered if NFTs on Bitcoin would last. Fast forward a little over a year, and it’s clear Ordinals are here to stay. At Rarity Sniper, we’ve been here to watch the rise of Ordinals, from dozens of top artists minting work to new marketplaces and even memecoins springing up on the OG blockchain.
Ordinals is gaining traction in the space, and it’s no surprise, since minting NFTs on Bitcoin has several benefits. Here are some of the top reasons people choose to mint NFTs on Bitcoin:
- Security. Bitcoin Ordinals are secured directly on the Bitcoin blockchain, while most NFTs store data off-chain.
- Liquidity. Bitcoin is the largest crypto in terms of market cap and transaction volume, making Bitcoin inscriptions easier to sell.
- Exclusivity. Because Bitcoin’s max supply is capped at 21M, the NFTs minted on individual satoshis are limited and more exclusive.
- Immutability. Once inscribed, Bitcoin Ordinals cannot be altered.
These four benefits make Bitcoin NFTs appealing to creators, especially those interested in creating scarce, immutable “digital artifacts” on the world’s most trusted blockchain. As time goes on, we’ll likely see the use-cases of Bitcoin NFTs expand to other sectors.
But for now, LiveArt and Yue Minjun are innovating with rare art on Bitcoin, and considering the reputation of the artist and the growing popularity of Ordinals, we expect the project will be a success.
In case you missed it:


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“MoCA” may not be a household term, but just wait. More than 25 million U.S. households will use it by 2014, says Vinay Gokhale, an executive with chipmaker Entropic Communications.
MoCA stands for Multimedia Over Coaxial Alliance. It’s a standard for networking several televisions and digital video recorders together in the home.
Both Entropic and Qualcomm Atheros want to make that network into something more: Something that can send data to wireless tablets, notebooks and smartphones.
Entropic and Qualcomm Atheros said recently that by the end of the first quarter, they will complete a reference design that will let wireless devices tap into a home’s MoCA backbone. The reference design will incorporate chips from both companies.
The two companies put forth their vision at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
All this comes as electrical engineers work on a way to let devices communicate successfully with each other using four technologies: MoCA, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and home plug power line.
Entropic trades on the Nasdaq as ENTR. Qualcomm’s Nasdaq symbol is QCOM.
— Brad Graves


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And now for something refreshingly different. JC Jeans Company announced Erika Linder would star in its latest campaign for its Crocker line, and that her male counterpart in the campaign would be… Erika Linder. That's right: The model plays the male and female role in the gender-bending Spring 2014 spread for the Swedish-based company, according to Bust.
Linder broods in Crocker men’s and women’s clothing, accompanied by the tagline, “Come as you are/Whatever you are.” The images — and the accompanying video — of Linder are remarkable, and a welcome sight in an industry trending more and more towards androgyny, and more and more away from pigeonholing its models into gender stereotypes. And it seems JC Jeans Company recognizes that. Said the brand about the new campaign on its website:
The Erika Linder for Crocker SS14 campaign introduces a new era for the JC Jeans Company and Crocker Jeans. By starring Erika as the model for both male and female styles, we want this collection to inspire creativity and confidence as we set out to break new boundaries within the fashion industry.
The statement-making photo spread is the first of its kind for JC Jeans Company, but does not mark the first time Linder has crossed gender lines for fashion. She is one of a handful of female models making a living modeling men’s clothing.
Though Linder has rocked many a menswear campaign and even shared the spotlight with androgynous model king Andrej Pejic, her recent outing, as her own partner, is on another level. Said the model in an interview on JC Jeans Company's website:
But for me to model as both man and woman in the same campaign is completely new to me, so I can understand why it gets a lot of attention, and I think it is really good. I’ve received letters from 10-year-old guys who’ve seen the campaign and wishing me good luck. It is very touching that a fashion campaign can affect someone that much.
Here's hoping JC Jeans Company's campaign inspires more like it, especially considering the prevalence of androgynous models (like Pejic, pictured below, left) and the popularity of the unisex look as a whole has only grown in the last five seasons – plenty of time for a trend to fall out of favor.
Indeed, it seems androgyny is hardly a fad in the fashion industry. Instead, its popularity could be attributed to the growing acknowledgement and appreciation for alternative forms. After all, the issues of race, ethnicity, and dress size are no longer a determining factor in fashion — maybe now gender is taking a back seat as well. Let's hope it stays there for good.


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Electronic Arts Shares Surge 9 Percent on Strong Earnings
The maker of video games lost 40 cents per share in its first fiscal quarter while analysts expected it to lose 60 cents.
Electronic Arts beat earnings expectations in the most recent quarter -- the first since Larry Probst took over as CEO in March -- an accomplishment that sent its stock 9 percent higher in after-hours trading on Tuesday.
The maker of video games said digital sales soared as revenue from packaged goods dropped during its fiscal first quarter.
Still, the company reported a net loss of $121 million in the latest quarter on adjusted revenue that rose 1 percent to $495 million. On a per-share basis, Electronic Arts lost 40 cents while analysts predicted it would lose 60 cents.
During the regular trading session on Tuesday, the stock fell 1 percent to $23.83. The stock surged more than $2 a share, though, after the closing bell.
Among the highlights was a record quarter for sales of The Simpsons: Tapped Out. Also, FIFA 13 digital net revenue surged 92 percent to top $70 million in the quarter.
"EA had a solid quarter, driven by continued digital growth and disciplined cost management,” said Probst. “We are also executing on a clear set of goals for leadership on mobile, PC, current and next-generation consoles.”
Probst was a former CEO who took back the position in March after John Riccitiello stepped down, blaming himself when the company fell short of certain financial goals.


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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a recall for about 62,112 pounds of raw beef that may contain E. Coli.
The department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said the beef products recalled were packaged on April 19. The list includes 46 different beef cuts, including rib, steak and brisket cuts.
USDA classified the recall as a class I risk, the highest, where “there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
Products with establishment number “EST. 788” available nationwide are subject to the recall, according to the release. People who find them should either return them to the store they were purchased from or throw them away.
The agency discovered the problem when doing random sample testing, the release stated. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of injury or death.
Those who have meat in freezers, including institutional facility freezers, are urged to check the meat as well.
Anyone who is worried about injury or illness should contact a doctor, agency officials said. E. Coli can be deadly, and symptoms include dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps days after exposure. In some cases, it could lead to kidney failure, which is most common in children under 5 and older adults.
For more information on recalls, check the Food Safety and Inspection Service at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
Those with questions can call David Stewart, director of Sales and Marketing for Aurora Packing Company, Inc., at 630-897-0551.


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Now that the application process for the Ford GT is open again, somebody has gone to great lengths to get the company’s attention by flying an aerial banner over Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan at lunch time.
It’s time again for a new BMW 3 Series. We do know the manual gearbox is pretty much dead this time, and we also know a lot of the engineering behind its new chassis. What we don’t yet know is what it’s like to drive. I’m about to find out, and I’m curious what you would like to know.
Earlier this month, Jalopnik received an anonymous tip with two photos of what looked to be the key of a future mid-engine sports car from General Motors, the only snag is the car is supposed to be a Corvette and the key had a Cadillac badge. Now another key has cropped up, which is virtually identical except for one…
The 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S is all-new, and it’s bigger, faster and a little more awkward-looking. Here are the major differences between the new 992 generation and the outgoing 991.2.
The 2020 Audi E-Tron GT Concept electric sedan is finally completely uncovered, showing off a stunning design and boasting 590 horsepower, an electric range of 248 miles, and a recharge time to 80 percent capacity in just 20 minutes with the same 800-volt system from the upcoming Porsche Taycan.
I know we’re all busy studying the minute differences of the new 2019 Porsche 911 and enjoying the very early accidental reveal of the 2019 Jeep Gladiator pickup, but if you want to cleanse your palette with something British and beautiful, this Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake in cool gray’s got you.
Hyundai will win the hearts and minds of Americans with the upcoming 2020 Hyundai Palisade, and also K-Pop sensation group BTS.
Porsche has yet to officially reveal the new 2020 Porsche 911, saving it for this week’s LA Auto Show, but they’ve gone ahead and uploaded a video of Mark Webber driving it without camouflage on its website, so here’s that.
Instead of just waiting for the official reveal tomorrow, we now have official photos of the camouflaged 2020 Audi E-Tron GT electric sportback sedan from the automaker. If you wanted an electric Audi A7, it looks like we’re getting it.
By lunchtime today, General Motors had announced that it was closing down five of its North American assembly and propulsion plants next year, including the Oshawa Assembly in Ontario, Canada. Following the announcement, unionized workers at the Oshawa plant walked out in protest, and the union president claims GM’s…
Rimac wiped the slate clean when it approached the engineering of its second-generation electric supercar, the Rimac C Two, focusing on efficiency and aerodynamics to achieve its incredible claimed zero to 60 mph time of just 1.85 seconds and top speed of 258 mph.
The long-range 2019 Nissan Leaf has been delayed over the brewing accusations of financial misconduct of Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, with Nissan basically saying they’re waiting for the whole thing to blow over until there’s some room for its marketing machine to ramp up. The delay follows a bewildering sluggishness…
There’s a few new teaser images of the upcoming 2020 Audi E-Tron GT due to be fully revealed at the LA Auto Show this week, which is based on the Porsche Taycan and previews a slightly different German challenger to the Tesla Model S.
The 2020 Kia Soul is due to be revealed later this week at the LA Auto Show, but Kia’s been teasing the heck out of it and now an anonymous tipster has sent us photos of what looks to be the real deal, and let me tell you something—it ain’t bad.
The other day, I was sitting in the back of a new Audi A8, lounging in my heated, reclined seat and playing with the silly tablet controls as me and my friends swept through the Holland Tunnel from Manhattan to New Jersey enjoying some bops on the radio. Then I realized how weird it was to have the radio still playing…
Here in America, we’re not allowed to have nice cars from overseas until they pass their 25th birthday, supposedly all in the name of safety. But we do have Local Motors, who built the awesome Rally Fighter. The problem is that it was almost six figures, but now there’s a budget version.
Genesis has been getting a lot right lately, mostly with the manual-optioned Genesis G70 sedan we’re kind of obsessed about. But this year, the company will focus on its bigger car at the LA Auto Show, the facelifted Genesis G90—photos of which seem to have leaked early.
Following a meeting of the board of directors earlier today, Renault’s board has decided to keep Carlos Ghosn on as Chairman and CEO of the company until further notice, following Ghosn’s arrest for alleged financial misconduct at Nissan earlier this week.
Imagine a Ford Focus RS and its EcoBoost turbo 2.3-liter inline-four, and then tear away the rest of the car and pop the motor in a super lightweight racing convertible that’s barely street legal in Europe.
One of the biggest complaints about the Subaru Crosstrek and most of Subaru’s cars is how lacking in power they are when driving. You would think the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Plug-In Hybrid would remedy this by combining gas and electric power, but no—somehow it has even less power than the standard Crosstrek.


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Panasonic brings some very appealing smartphones to the market in India and today we have news of another arrival. The new Panasonic P66 Mega is a mid-range smartphone in the company’s P-series, and you can check out the specifications, price and more as they’re coming right up. The P66 Mega will not be your choice […]
Smartphone buyers in India are spoilt for choice with the amount of handsets on offer. Two recent introductions are the LeEco (Letv) Le 1s and the Panasonic Eluga Turbo. These are Android handsets with 4G LTE connectivity that both launched with exactly the same price. With that in mind we’re looking at the Panasonic Eluga […]
Smartphone buyers in India have a vast choice of new devices, and there’s always interest in phones in Panasonic’s Eluga line. Now another has just launched and we have information on the 4G Panasonic Eluga Turbo price and availability in India, as well as specifications of course. One of the first things that people think […]
Panasonic isn’t the most prolific manufacturer in the smartphone world, but they have produced plenty of handsets over the years. We’ve covered their Lumix phone/camera mashup before, and a new version has just reared its head with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM10.
A new Panasonic smartphone has launched in India, and the Panasonic Eluga Mark could be a competitor for the Lenovo K3 Note and Moto G (3rd gen). It’s a 4G LTE handset with some interesting features such as Android for Work support. Coming right up we have information about the Eluga Mark price in India […]
Panasonic may not be the biggest name in the mobile world, but their Toughpad line is second to none. The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-Y1 is the latest device to make its way to India, and has touched down with a hefty price tag of Rs. 2,40,000.
Panasonic Eluga smartphones are pretty popular in India, and the company has just launched a new one in the lineup. The Panasonic Eluga Switch has an unusual feature to distinguish it from the pack, as it’s reversible and can adjust orientation so it can be used when upside down. Coming right up we have news […]
Panasonic is no stranger to the smartphone world, even if their handsets aren’t the most well-known. The company has unleashed three new devices bound for India from their Eluga line today with the Panasonic Eluga L2, Eluga I2 and the Eluga T45.
The Panasonic Eluga Icon price has just been confirmed at its India launch. The company produces smartphones for various sectors of the market and recently announced the budget Panasonic Love T10 at less than Rs. 4,000. The Eluga Icon steps up the specs and is a good-looking 4G LTE handset, and hence it has a […]
Panasonic doesn’t gear nearly the coverage of bigger brands like Sammy or Apple in the smartphone world, but they continually release a steady stream of devices. The Panasonic Love T10 has been announced for India as the latest device in their mobile lineup and it carries an affordable price tag for the region.


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Tourism spend in the north edges closer to £1 billion mark
ANNUAL visitor spend in the north is edging closer to the £1 billion mark, the latest figures show.
New data published by NISRA (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) shows a five per cent increase in overnight trips
from the 4.62m recorded between April 2016 and March 2017 to the 4.84m recorded in the 12 months to April. The overall nights has also increased by eight per cent in the same period from 15.5m to 16.7m. Overall expenditure meanwhile has jumped by 9 per cent to just shy of £940m.
The figures, which also cover the first quarter of the year show an uplift in tourism spend of 8 per cent (£13m) in comparison to the same period in 2017, with almost £180m spent by tourism in the first three months of the year. The overall number of overnight trips has fallen marginally however from 999,675 to 988,572.
The release of the figures coincided with the launch of Tourism NI's Annual review, which highlights a record 2017, boosted by
local tourist attractions the Giant's Causeway and Titanic Belfast. Between January and December last year the former welcomed over a million people, while the latter enjoyed its busiest year to date, with 771,000 visitors through the doors.
Tourism NI chief executive, John McGrillen described it as a "really strong year for tourism".
“Tourism contributed some £2.5 million per day to the local economy, making tourism a key driver of our economic growth. Tourism creates jobs right across Northern Ireland and helps our economy prosper all year round. While we are enjoying the success of a record year, we are ambitious to grow and develop tourism even more. In order to compete on a global scale we must continue to develop new and unique visitor attractions.”
Reflecting on the latest NISRA figures Mr McGrillen said the early signs for 2018 are positive.
“These early signs bode well for what will be another significant year for tourism and next July the eyes of the world will be on Northern Ireland when The 148th Open, Royal Portrush which is already almost sold out, takes place," he added.
Hospitality Ulster chief executive, Colin Neill said the latest tourism figures are to be welcomed.
"Tourists spent almost £940 million in the 12 months to April 2018. That is a remarkable figure and shows that we are edging close to £1bn in tourist spending per year. That money helps support businesses across Northern Ireland and is a massive boost to the overall economy," Mr Neill said.


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Both within and beyond the Route 128 loop, older retail space is being refreshed, rehabilitated and in some cases completely repurposed. As is the case across the country, this repositioning effort is occurring quite visibly among Class B malls in suburban locations. Many of these projects call for smaller retail footprints in lieu of flexible spaces that imbue the property with a sense of being a lifestyle destination.
PREP Property Group recently unveiled plans for the redevelopment of the Hanover Mall, a shopping and dining hub located south of the city that was built in the early 1970s, into an open-air development. Project costs are valued at $250 million. An 80,000-square-foot Market Basket grocery store will anchor the development, which will also include approximately 300 multifamily units.
In a true testament of the metro Boston market’s push for quality over quantity, the retail component of the redeveloped property (dubbed Hanover Crossing) will be about 150,000 square feet smaller than that of the original mall. Preliminary plans instead call for 30,000 square feet of open green space for communal gathering, socializing and event-going.


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ATLANTA — The future of food and beverage retail is…sports? To hear from “The Future of Restaurants & Entertainment” panel at the ICSC Southeast Conference & Deal Making event, sports-centric concepts are a solid bet for retail real estate owners to pursue going forward. Produced by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the event was held Nov. 13-15 at the newly renovated Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta.
Justin Amick, president of Painted Hospitality, spoke during the panel about his two venues in Atlanta, The Painted Pin and The Painted Duck. Both locations have an industrial motif and offer an expanded dinner menu, craft beer and cocktails and classic parlor games such as shuffleboard and horseshoes. The differentiator, though, is the boutique bowling alley.
Amick said the idea is to attract patrons with the games and provide an experience while making money via food and beverage.
“Painted wasn’t the first to invent the high-end bowling concept — the first to do so was probably Lucky Strike — but with our model of gaming, food and beverage, dancing and sports all under one roof, we do it well,” said Amick. His company recently announced a second location of The Painted Pin at the upcoming $900 million Revel mixed-use project that North American Properties is building in Gwinnett County.
Blending sports entertainment with food and beverage is nothing new, but it’s gaining steam. In addition to bowling concepts like Painted, Pinstripes and Punch Bowl Social, golf concepts such as Topgolf and Drive Shack are actively expanding across the country.
S.J. Collins Enterprises recently inked a lease with Puttshack at the developer’s upcoming $450 million mixed-use development in Atlanta’s West Midtown district called The Interlock. The golf concept comes from Steve Jolliffe and Dave Jolliffe, founders of Topgolf and World Golf Systems, and Adam Breeden, founder of Flight Club, Ace Bounce and All Star Lanes.
Additionally, Delaware North and Braves Development Corp. recently announced a concept called “Good Game” coming to The Battery Atlanta, the mixed-use village surrounding SunTrust Park. The venue will house seven Topgolf Swing Suite simulator bays, as well as a restaurant and bar.
Amick said it’s important for real estate owners to look at an operator’s track record and also keep in mind to provide complementary uses to avoid saturation. Another thing for owners to keep in mind is that some sports uses take up a good bit of real estate, which can hurt the bottom line in the long run.
“Bowling and shuffleboard have traditionally taken up a lot of space, and ping-pong or darts used to be in a small space in the back of the bar, but now you need 10,000 square feet dedicated only to ping-pong or pickleball or darts,” said Adam Williamowsky, director of Streetsense’s restaurant division. “From a real estate perspective just be careful when trying to do something that’s never been done before in that much space.”
Esports, sports betting
Retail concepts aren’t the only way in which real estate owners can leverage sports to its advantage, according to the panelists. A growing industry globally is esports, or organized multiplayer video game competitions.
“There’s a concept out of the Midwest called Gameworks that is doing esports venues, tournaments, sold sponsorships, online viewing and 2,000 people can be there onsite,” said Williamowsky. “We worked on a project in Oakland with CIM Group. They built a 7,000-seat esports arena. It’s not a fad; it brings mass amounts of people.”
The panelists said that there is an international appeal and a groundswell in the younger generation for esports competition. Adam Schwegman, partner and senior vice president of leasing at North American Properties, pointed out that the finals for the League of Legends gaming tournament attracted three times the viewership of the 2019 NBA Finals, thanks in part to online streaming via Twitch and YouTube.
“It’s real and it’s growing,” said Schwegman. “The average age of the NFL viewer is 50 years old. For esports, it’s 28.”
And it’s not just retail landlords that are feeling the positive momentum of esports. Envy Gaming Inc., a gaming company that owns several esports teams, recently leased 20,872 square feet of Class A office space at Victory Park in downtown Dallas as a training facility for its gamer clients.
Another trend that the panelists are keeping their eyes on is legalized sports gambling. Following the Supreme Court ruling last year in the State of New Jersey’s favor of legalized betting on college and professional sports, many states are moving to legalize sports betting. These include Illinois, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Tennessee, which all have bills on the docket to legalize sports betting within their borders.
“These sports books are going to be huge. Companies are going to make their money on the food and beverage, mainly beverage,” said Williamowsky. “The gambling itself is the entertainment. The bet is no different than throwing a bowling ball down an alley. There’s going to be a huge opportunity, depending on how the major sports leagues handle it. Apparently, the next NBA season you’ll be able to sit in your seat and bet on whether Steph Curry makes a foul shot.”
As host city of the ICSC Southeast event, Atlanta spent plenty of time in the spotlight during the various panel discussions. The show featured a panel entitled “Atlanta, the Metropolis of the South” where executives from three prominent local developers (Carter USA, Selig Enterprises and Jamestown LP) highlighted their firms’ projects and discussed the metro area’s unique drivers that have helped propel new development.
Additionally, the developer’s panel highlighted CIM Group’s upcoming Centennial Yards project that will revive downtown’s Gulch area, and Halcyon, a $370 million mixed-use development by RocaPoint Partners that opened in October in nearby Forsyth County.
Centennial Yards was a fixture at the ICSC event as CIM Group used it as a backdrop for a display outside the exhibition hall. The installation featured pamphlets about the project, coffee and a specialty “donut wall.”
Shannon Crowell, vice president of development of CIM Group, said that in addition to the project’s expected 9 million square feet of office space, Centennial Yards will also include 1 million square feet of retail space centered around the underserved patrons of downtown events such as concertgoers and fans of local professional teams including the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United.
“Most people arrive shortly before a game and leave immediately after. There’s not much to do in the current environment before and after games,” said Crowell.
Phil Mays, principal at RocaPoint Partners, said that his firm’s Halcyon project is a direct result of the growing trade area of Atlanta’s northern arch. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of Atlanta’s population has grown nearly 17 percent between April 2010 and July 2018. The Atlanta Journal-Constitutionreports that the metro area’s population growth ranks No. 4 among major metropolitan areas nationally between 2017 and 2018.
“Forsyth County is consistently ranked as one of the fastest growing counties in Georgia,” said Mays. “The community needed a mix of experiential offerings and amenities that it previously had to travel to neighboring counties to enjoy. Halcyon is the answer to the community’s need for relevant offerings that fit the local lifestyle, allowing the project to thrive long-term and serve as a model for suburban mixed-use.”
— John Nelson


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A bleak picture of crime in a technology-dominated future is painted in a new report for the Association of British Insurers.
Internet fraud, email abuse, hacking and viruses are among the crimes that look set to increase over the next decade, the report claims.
Unfortunately, old-fashioned crimes such as burglary will still carry on as technology within the home increases, making householders potentially more lucrative targets for thieves.
New multimedia services will be in as much demand from criminals as from other consumers, and the technology itself will become a target.
Not surprisingly, internet crimes will grow in number and cost, says the report, Future Crime Trends in the United Kingdom.
Credit card fraud will increase, by means of attacks during the transaction process itself, rather than when credit card details are travelling over the internet.
Bogus goods and services will increasingly be sold via illegal “virtual firms”, while organisations will be hit by more email abuse, viruses and hacking.
Specially tailored software will make these crimes easier to commit, but specialist “hackers for hire” will also have an impact.
Piracy and counterfeiting of such things as currency and phone cards will expand as copying technology improves.
And an increasingly borderless world could make it easier for international criminals to collaborate.
On the internet, illegal copying will become a significant problem, with music, films and games especially vulnerable, the report adds.
ABI director-general Mary Francis said: “I hope this research will help organisations identify some of their vulnerable points and encourage them to build as much protection as possible into their information systems.”
She added: “Insurance products are continually developing to meet the demands of new technology but, as ever, prevention is better than cure.”


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Thimble tossed! Game piece voted out of Monopoly board game
ATLANTIC CITY - You can still pass "Go" and collect $200 on the Monopoly board, but you soon won't be able to do it with the thimble game piece.
Voters have rejected the thimble, an integral part of the game since being added to Monopoly in 1935. The move is part of a campaign to select the next generation of game pieces.
Hashtags, emojis and even a rubber duck may replace dogs, cats and hats in an upcoming version.
Hasbro Inc. is holding a worldwide contest to let people choose the eight tokens to be included in the next generation of the property acquisition game, based on the real streets of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Winners will be announced March 19, and will be included in games hitting shelves this August.
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