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Authored by John Clemons, MESA Marketing Committee Chair, based on an interview with Khris Kammer, MESA Knowledge Committee Chair.
The world of manufacturing is undergoing a significant step change. Terms like Smart Manufacturing, Digital Transformation, and Industrie 4.0 are top of mind for many executives. There are many new technologies coming together to create AI solutions, digital twins, digital threads, the industrial internet of things, AR/VR solutions, and a whole lot more. This smart technology, along with a lot of smart people, are creating the fourth industrial revolution and driving economic growth through manufacturing.
With all this technology coming together, everyone seems
to be looking at it from their own points of view. This means there’s a good
bit of confusion out there with practitioners not sure about how all this
technology fits together or how all this technology really achieves the
benefits everyone claims.
MESA, the Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association,
is developing a new Smart Manufacturing Model that will cut through the hype
and the fluff, and provide simple, easy-to-use model for Smart Manufacturing.
MESA formed a new team of industry experts who are now meeting
on a regular basis to create the new MESA Smart Manufacturing model. The team
is extremely experienced and includes people who’ve developed previous versions
of MESA models as well as industry standards.
The team comes from a wide range of backgrounds, representing
manufacturing companies, solution providers, and industry analysts. It’s a very
strong mix of experienced individuals from a wide range of roles. Engineering,
automation, information technology, operations technology, operations management,
executive management, and research and development are just a few of the roles
The team also comes from a wide variety of industries
with the intent for the model to be completely industry agnostic, with the
ability to tailor it to specific industries and business models. Individuals
from process industries, batch industries, discrete industries, and hybrid
industries are all included.
Khris Kammer, the chairman of the MESA Knowledge
Committee, who is helping lead the team, says, “The group is very excited to
work on the new MESA Smart Manufacturing model. New technologies are converging
in the form of Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0. But, more than just the
technologies, tough market conditions are driving companies to think differently
about their manufacturing operations. Maybe for the first time ever, C-suite
executives are collectively understanding the importance of their manufacturing
operations and developing new and exciting visions for the future, all built on
the role Smart Manufacturing should play in their companies.”
There’s no doubt we’re in the midst of the fourth
industrial revolution, but the size and the impact are still up to us. That’s
why MESA is building this new model, to add even more power to the revolution and
ensure that its impact is global, substantial, and long-lasting.
A model, which is typically defined as an abstract
definition of something that exists in the real world, needs structures to make
it work. The MESA team has decided that the highest-level structure in the new
model will be the “lifecycle”.
This makes a lot of sense because everything has a
lifecycle. The team is working on finalizing the breadth and the depth of the
lifecycles that will be in the model, with leading candidates including the
product lifecycle, the asset lifecycle, the personnel lifecycle, and the supply
chain lifecycle, just to name a few. Each lifecycle will have multiple
functions defined within it, which combined, provide manufacturers with the
complete solutions they need for their businesses.
To make the new model applicable to real world situations,
and thus more valuable, the team is modeling the interactions between the
various lifecycles and detailing the technology threads which span across the
lifecycles. Example technology threads include cybersecurity, quality & regulatory
compliance, cloud computing, and AI / Machine Learning, with several more
threads being considered.
The team intends for the model to be used by virtually
everyone in the industrial space. Khris explains this idea: “The new Smart
Manufacturing model will break the landscape into manageable pieces so that
everyone can understand the components. It will serve both as a reference model
and as a prescriptive model. By detailing the individual pieces and their
interactions, it will provide everyone that uses the model with common points
of view necessary to understand and communicate about the entire Smart
Manufacturing landscape. This will help them evaluate solutions, technologies,
and offerings, to ultimately determine how well they fit their own businesses.”
Everyone that uses the model will speak a common
language. Whether it’s solution providers, manufacturing companies, end users,
analysts, engineering companies, or whomever, by using the model, they will
have a common language and a common understanding of the Smart Manufacturing
Khris goes on to explain why the team is so excited about
the new MESA Smart Manufacturing model. “The team is excited and inspired.
There are a lot of drivers in the industry, ranging from new technologies to new challenges,
and these drivers are resulting in new business models. We’re seeing the
opportunity for a step change in industry, and we have to take advantage of it.
We cannot drop back to business as usual. We must embrace these changes and
build on them, giving this revolution more momentum.”
This really is a great time to be in manufacturing.
There are new technologies. There are new business models. There’s
excitement about manufacturing from the C-suite on down like we’ve never seen
before, and there are more people talking about manufacturing than we’ve ever
The new MESA Smart Manufacturing model is looking to
build on that excitement. It will help point the way to the future and give
everyone a framework for truly understanding the value of Smart Manufacturing.
It’s a good day to be in manufacturing and the new MESA model will point the
way to an even brighter future.
Stay tuned for more on the new MESA Smart Manufacturing


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Women’s group adding value to cassava production
A group of women from Nambale and Butula regions in Busia County are making a fortune from cassava cakes, bread and crisps which they prepare for their own consumption as well as for sale.
The women have set up a processing plant to mill cassava flour and are making about Sh20,000 from this venture every week.
“We had for a long time known cassava as source of traditional diet for our families,” Julian Anyang’o of Nambale sub-County told Business Daily in an interview.
“This has changed after we learned how to add value to the product,” she says.
The group produces a special cassava flour called gari-emire to cook porridge, targeting learning institutions, local markets and Ugandan market. It sells at Sh200 per kilogramme.
Margaret Akinyi, a nutritionist, says changing eating habits have seen residents — even the younger generation— take to foods that are deemed healthier than processed varieties. She said the farmers are trained on how to prepare cassava for domestic consumption and to observe hygiene and quality standards for processed cassava available in leading supermarkets in western Kenya.
The Agricultural Extension Officer for Bukhayo East, Eric Magero, said demonstration centres have been established to teach farmers cassava production methods and conservation to attain food security and additional income.
“Farmers are encouraged to form groups to access credit facilities so that they can set up processing plants for value addition for drought-resistant crops such as cassava and ground nuts,” he said.
The government has put up processing machines for cassava and sweet potatoes in areas such as Teso South and Tanga Kona.
The National Council for Science and Technology in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and Egerton University are also training farmers on preproduction and marketing of the crop.
But the gains made by the farmers are threatened by an outbreak of Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) —a viral disease which is threatening this year’s harvest.
Scientists have warned that the continued spread of the disease could lead to reduced production of cassava by half, spelling doom to farmers.
The disease is also currently posing a risk to Nigerian farmers, the largest producer and consumer of the crop.
Source: Business Daily 12 June, 2017

domain: news


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New Delhi, September 18: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an ordinance to ban production, import, distribution and sale of electronic cigarettes, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Sitharaman, who had headed a Group of Ministers (GoM) on the issue, said the Cabinet decided to ban e-cigarettes and similar products as they pose health risk to people, especially the youth. Gujarat Government Bans Sale of E-Cigarette.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: Reports say that there are some who are probably getting into the habit of e-cigarettes as it seems cool. It is believed that there are more than 400 brands, none of which is manufactured yet in India. And they come in over 150 flavours. https://t.co/1eoC7s2gbo
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2019
The punishment may be upto 1 year and a fine of Rs 1 lakh which may extend upto 3 years and fine upto Rs 5 lakh for repeat offenders.


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Facebook Timeline doesn’t support Internet Explorer 7
Bad news IE7, no new Facebook profile for you.
Facebook Timeline, the new profile design of the popular social networking site, is now available for everyone. But here’s the catch, Internet Explorer 7 users are not supported.
According to multiple reports, the new social networking site presentation does not appear on the old Microsoft browser version and users visiting Timeline-enabled Facebook profile pages are reportedly getting the old Facebook profile layout, or the simpler and no “cover” profile page.
Facebook is currently the second most popular website in United States with 153.4 million MA visitors, so it is safe to say that many Facebook users are still using the five year-old Microsoft creation. Facebook’s decision to block the IE7 will surely push users to switch to a newer version of Internet Explorer or other modern web browsers like Google’s Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
Via The Sociable.


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Intra-Africa trade has continuously been touted as one of the ways in which the continent can build itself from within and fight poverty.
At the recent World Economic Forum Africa in Durban, newly appointed Finance minister, Malusi Gigaba also reiterated the need to have African countries increase trade among themselves.
“We need to increase intra-African trade, so we don’t rely on what happens in the environment outside but we are able to channel and redistribute resources amongst ourselves and ensure that we generate revenue out of trading with one another,” says Gigaba.
But figures for how much African countries trade between themselves has been quoted by many as being around 12%. This figure has not changed much over the past years.
Africa’s biggest economies, South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt do not have another African country as their top three trading partner.
China remains the number one trading partner for most African countries. Africa continues to absorb products from China, this despite a decline in number of exports from Africa to China.
Gigaba says the reason intra-Africa trade is not growing is because of a lack of political will. “There needs to be a political will in African countries to trade with one another, I always have a sense that it doesn’t exist,” says Gigaba.
But according to the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, African countries need more than political will to increase levels of political will. It is just one of the many obstacles that must be overcome if intra-Africa trade is to flourish.
Cross border trade regulations, slow and costly custom procedures, economic diversification, conflict, infrastructure, border issues and language barriers and currency differences are other issues that must be addressed.
Anabel Gonzalez from the World Bank says dealing with barriers like regional cross border regulations will help not only the big business but also small local business and therefore profound positive effects for the poor.
She says tackling the obstacles will also help Africa attain Agenda 2030 objectives set by the African Union to eradicate poverty.
“Greater intra-African trade of goods and services would support more employment-intensive activity than exports from extractive industries,” says Gonzalez.
– By SABC


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(Updates with closing shares in fifth paragraph.)
Oct. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Yahoo! Inc., the Web portal that is exploring strategic options, rose after demand for advertising helped third-quarter profit exceed analysts’ estimates.
Profit before some costs was 21 cents a share, the company said in a statement yesterday. That beat the 17-cent average projection of analysts, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Sales, excluding revenue passed on to partner sites, fell 4.6 percent to $1.07 billion, matching the average estimate.
Yahoo, which has been grappling with rising competition from Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. for users and advertisers, benefited in the recent period from growing demand for online ads, even as it fired Chief Executive Officer Carol Bartz and embarked on a review of its strategy. The board is exploring a “full range” of options for the company, interim CEO Tim Morse said on a call with analysts yesterday.
“The company didn’t fall apart,” said Jordan Rohan, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus & Co. in New York. “Almost by definition that was greater than expected.”
Yahoo rose 3 percent to $15.94 at the close in New York. The stock has dropped 4.1 percent this year.
Growth Outside U.S.
Net income attributable to the company fell 26 percent to $293.3 million, or 23 cents a share, from $396.1 million, or 29 cents, a year earlier, Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo said.
Growth outside the U.S. bolstered revenue. In Asia, revenue excluding sales passed to partners surged 20 percent to $221.6 million. Sales in the Americas region dropped 12 percent to $753.7 million.
Fourth-quarter revenue, excluding sales passed to partner sites, will be $1.13 billion to $1.24 billion. Analysts had estimated $1.21 billion, according to Bloomberg data.
U.S. online ad spending is expected to grow 20 percent this year to $31.3 billion, according to EMarketer Inc. Yahoo’s share of display ads, including banners, will be 13.1 percent this year in the U.S., down from 14.4 percent last year, estimates EMarketer. Facebook’s share will climb to 16.3 percent, up from 12.2 percent.
Display ad revenue, excluding sales passed to partners, was $449 million in the third quarter, little changed from $448 million a year earlier. Display sales rose 4.9 percent in the second quarter.
The company also said it recently agreed to extend a revenue per search agreement with Microsoft Corp. in the U.S. and Canada through 2013. The accord had been set to run out in the first quarter of next year.
Bartz, who had aimed to stem market-share losses, left the company amid mounting investor frustration over failed turnaround efforts. Morse, who had served as chief financial officer, said yesterday the company is making progress and is focused on moving forward.
“They hit a single here -- it’s great, but it’s a single,” said Brett Harriss, an analyst at Gabelli & Co. in Rye, New York. “We’re waiting for either a CEO to come in and give us a vision of what Yahoo could be, or we’re looking for the sale of the entire company.”
Yahoo has drawn an increasingly crowded field of potential bidders for the company. KKR & Co. and Blackstone Group LP are among the private-equity firms considering possible bids for Yahoo, according to people with knowledge of the matter last week.
In addition, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., a Chinese e- commerce company whose biggest shareholder is Yahoo, has discussed a plan with Silver Lake and Russia’s Digital Sky Technologies to make a joint bid, people familiar with the matter have said. Another group that is interested in a possible offer includes Providence Equity Partners Inc. and former News Corp. executive Peter Chernin, people said.
“The board is actively looking at the full range of options available to return the company to a path of robust growth and industry-leading innovation,” Morse said on the call yesterday. “The board also has said that when it has something to announce, it will do so. That will take time.”
--Editors: Stephen West, Jillian Ward
To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Womack in San Francisco at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at email@example.com.


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A second grader just might be the new face of the hobby in northern New England.
Seven-year-old Carter Torina is the host of CarterCollectsCards trade night shows, the latest of which last weekend drew about 200 people. He and his father, Chris, are cooking up another one before a minor league baseball game in Portland, Maine this August that they hope will draw an even bigger crowd.
“I like that all of my friends can be with me trading cards together,” he told a local newspaper.
View this post on Instagram
Many kids prefer to go to trade nights as a way to avoid the pressure and in some cases, the intimidation of card shows. Parents especially appreciate the low pressure atmosphere where kids can have fun swapping cards without having to worry about money changing hands. CarterCollectsCards Trade Nights are centered around community driven initiatives and are designed to be a fun way to introduce kids and young adults to the hobby.
“We wanted to create an opportunity for kids to come into the hobby without feeling like they have to spend money,” Chris Torina told The Forecaster.
Carter says he likes hosting the trade nights to see the cards that his fellow young collectors have accumulated.
The Torinas’ most recent trade night became the first trade-only event to partner with Mascot, the online platform that allows attendees of a show or event to upload their cards online and make it easier to connect with others. The platform also allowed those who couldn’t attend Carter’s trade night in person to trade cards.
“Our large trade show model has been a huge success, and we look forward to rolling out our software to trade night series, as well,” stated Ezra Levine, Mascot’s CEO. “Kids are the backbone of the industry, and many entrepreneurs recount gaining invaluable experience buying and selling trading cards. Carter is another perfect example of this. We’re proud to support him and his family on their journey.”
Chris Torina calls the trade night and introduction of an online tool “a great way to show other kids how they too can start learning about business, negotiation, and have success early in life through the hobby and the innovation of technology.”


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NEO Finance AB
Just a few weeks after announcing the expansion of Neopay in Latvia, NEO Finance is pleased to announce the launch of its third market, Estonia, which is already offering Neopay’s Payment Initiation Service (PIS).
Neopay’s new client Open24, an online shoe retailer, is using PIS services in three countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Justas Mačionis, CEO of Open24, commented on the following choice: “We trade online in all three Baltic countries. It is extremely important that customers in all countries receive the same services and choices.
We are delighted that NEO Finance is able to provide this to our clients and lets us to manage payments in all countries in a single system, regardless of the market or the client’s bank. ”
Comment by Evaldas Remeikis, Chairman of the Board of NEO Finance: “We are delighted to help companies organize their payment collection process in all Baltic countries by signing only one contract. From now on, Pan-Baltic e-businesses are able to serve their customers quickly and conveniently, with only one integration, using one pricing.”


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Retail workers are increasingly injury-prone
It might seem that retail jobs are relatively safe.
But the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports findings that bear watching.
Retail was the only industry with an uptick in employee injuries in 2018 compared to the previous year, the BLS reports. About 3.5 of every 100 retail workers that year suffered injuries typically resulting from falls from ladders, slips on floors and trips over boxes and equipment. That same year, the number of Texas retail workers who suffered job-related illnesses or injuries exceeded similar statistics for construction, transportation and manufacturing workers combined, the BLS reported.
Retail Services, Washington Retail’s subsidiary, keeps a growing archive of safety videos for a variety of issues retail employees may face. Find it here.


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- The Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E was listed on B&H Photo before it was ready.
- Pricing and color options were leaked ahead of the official launch.
- It will be available in two-packs and three-packs for $299.99 and $399.99, respectively.
Google’s Nest brand includes a number of smart home devices, and it looks like the company is preparing to add a new one, which will likely be called the Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E.
Google’s next Nest-branded device will be a 6E WiFi router, as the name suggests.
Product pricing and color options were disclosed ahead of the official launch. This was done through a listing on a retailer’s site.
The device was made public when it was listed on the B&H Photo online store website before it was ready.
The listing has since been taken down. It showed that the Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E will come in different colors and can be pre-ordered for $199.99.
The device will be sold in two- and three-packs for $299.99 and $399.99, respectively.
Listing does not contain photographs or other details besides cost and color selections. It is unclear if it will include a “Point” network extender.
The FCC has already approved the Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E, which shows that it works with Bluetooth LE and mesh networking.
Due to the additional 6-7 GHz bandwidth range, the WiFi 6E update will make routers less likely to cause interference than WiFi 6 models.
Apple users in Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia will have to pay more for software
Apple customers should pay more. Prices would start at…


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Bangladesh Jewellers Samity demands gold bank
*Commerce minister assures all-out support
*Gold has potential to surpass RMG in export earnings
*Jewellery sector to help achieve $80bn export target by 2024
Jewellery businessmen have proposed setting up a specialised gold bank in the country to flourish the industry through monetising physical gold lying with people.
Bashundhara Group Managing Director and Bangladesh Jewellers Samity (BAJUS) President Sayem Sobhan Anvir made the proposal on behalf of BAJUS while presiding over a function marking the opening of the new office of the trade body at Bashundhara City Shopping Complex in the capital on Tuesday.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi attended the function as the chief guest while Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan was a special guest.
If the bank is established, it will be the first of its kind in South Asia to monetise the gold items.
Currently, the USA, the UK, China and Indonesia have banks for trading of the yellow metal.
At the function, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi assured the gold businessmen of providing all-out support for establishing the gold bank to facilitate gold trade in Bangladesh.
He also expressed the hope that the bank along with a gold exchange will help contribute to achieving the USD$80 billion export target by 2024.
BAJUS General Secretary Dilip Kumar Agarwala gave the welcome address at the event.
A gold bank is a financial organisation which accepts the yellow metal as deposits and issues loans to help monetise physical gold lying with people.
“A proposal has been made for establishing a gold bank. That will be nice idea. We should move forward with an economic plan. Bangladeshi goldsmiths have earned fame across the world. We can strengthen our presence in the international market through exporting gold,” the commerce minister said.
He claimed that gold sector will be the major contributor to the export target as the value addition of the item is higher than any other product.
Tipu Munshi urged the businesses to utilise the potential of local goldsmiths who have been upholding the industry for centuries. “We have scope here. The trade body should come forward with concrete proposals for development of the sector. Then we may sit with the Prime Minister after the coronavirus situation improves,” he said.
Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan thanked the government for allowing establishment of local gold refinery for flourishing the sector which remained untapped for long.
“It’s a matter of pride for the nation as there’s a gold refinery in Bangladesh. The gold refinery is a significant chapter for us. Our Prime Minister is always promoting good initiatives. She never refuses anything that is good businessmen,” he said.
The Bashundhara Group Chairman also supported the proposal of the BAJUS President to establish a gold bank and a gold exchange in the country to bring transparency in the cross-border business, especially in export segment.
He expressed the hope that the gold industry will surpass the garment sector in terms of export earnings in near future with its increased value addition. “We can earn huge foreign currencies through exporting gold to China and Europe,” he said.
Ahmed Akbar Sobhan proposed making a prudent policy for supporting diamond business alongside the gold industry.
He said Bangladesh has maintained a smooth and sustainable journey even amid the coronavirus pandemic under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “Let’s pray for the Prime Minister. Bangladesh will go such a distance, which we can’t imagine right now,” he said.
Sayem Sobhan Anvir, also Managing Director of Bashundhara Gold Refinery Limited, proposed setting up a gold bank and a gold exchange in the country under the supervision of BAJUS. “Until 1980, there was a trend of lending money after taking gold items as collateral. The trend has now become informal. We need a policy to revive this. For this, I urge the honourable Prime Minister to set up a gold bank and an exchange through BAJUS,” he said.
The young business leader claimed that there is a misconception about the gold business in the country which should be addressed through a prudent policy for the exchange deal. “There should be gold bank and an exchange. We need support from finance ministry and Bangladesh Bank. And the sector will flourish when the Prime Minister will extend support finally,” he said.
The BAJUS President urged the businesses to come forward to set up gold refineries instead of being confined to trading only. “We should go for export from the import-dependent market. There’re many Bangladeshis working abroad. They want to return home to contribute to the country. We should employ them inside the country through setting up more industries.”
The Bashundhara Group Managing Director urged all to support the development journey of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “Let’s strengthen the hands of the Prime Minister through contributing to the economy,” he said.


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A new bill, the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act (BSAA), was introduced by Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday. The bill would no longer allow advertisers to target ads to consumers, with only a couple of exceptions.
Those exceptions: broad, location-based targeting and contextual ads.
Why the legislation was introduced. “Disinformation, discrimination, voter suppression, privacy abuses,” and other harms were cited by California Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, the lead sponsor of the bill, as the reasoning behind pushing this legislation forward.
Privacy search engine DuckDuckGo tweeted its support of the bill, saying that “The collection of your private data to target you w/ads violates your privacy & leads to discrimination, manipulation, & disinformation.”
In short, the lawmakers want to stop allowing advertisers to “exploit” and profit from the data collected from consumers.
Google’s response. Google’s take was both predictable and apparent from the title of the blog post it published: “The harmful consequences of Congress’s anti-tech bills.” This was in reference to this legislation, as well as other antitrust bills pending in the Senate this week (the American Innovation and Choice Online Act and the Open App Markets Act).
How might all of this impact Google search? The end result would be lower-quality search results, Google said. For example, the company warned that the proposed legislation would prevent it from:
- Showing directions from Google Maps in its search results.
- Providing answers to urgent questions.
- Highlighting business information when someone searches for a local business.
- Integrating its products (e.g., Gmail, Calendar, Docs).
Industry says the bill goes too far. The general consensus seems to be that the bill won’t (or at least shouldn’t) pass in its current state and won’t actually accomplish what lawmakers want — and would have serious consequences for the marketing industry.
“This bill, if passed in its current form, would set the entire advertising infrastructure back 5-10 years,” said Matt Van Wagner, president at Find Me Faster, “Essentially, it will make online advertising more akin to billboards, menu mats at Cracker Barrel and perfume inserts in magazines.”
Susan Wenograd, VP, performance marketing at Marpipe, said the bill is well-intentioned. However, the idea that the user would have no say in how their personal information is used swings the pendulum widely into the other direction, she noted.
“It removes personalization from advertising under the assumption users want no tracking,” Wenograd said. “As with many things, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.”
Wenograd added that the BSAA seems like it’s also perpetuating the issue of a powerless user: “They’re trying to combat users being powerless to stop data from being tracked…by making them powerless to decide.”
“I do think a large part of the problem is there’s no easy or good user experience for how people give that kind of permission,” Wenograd said. “In my mind, that’s really the larger problem — everything, including this, is a very black-and-white approach to something that is nuanced by human behavior and preferences.”
Melissa Mackey, associate director at MerkleB2B, agreed that losing the ability to intelligently target users based on browsing history or other ad identifiers will hurt the effectiveness of marketing.
“Claims in the legislation that ‘targeted ads only yield a 4% bump in efficacy for advertisers over contextual ads’ are probably based on advertisers who are doing targeting poorly,” Mackey said. “I have personally experienced yields far above 4% when targeting is done correctly.”
Mackey was also troubled that this legislation will curtail the use of custom audiences — lists made up of customer emails or other identifiers.
“This would indeed be a huge blow to advertisers who are currently using such lists with great success, tailoring their marketing message to specific audience needs,” she said. “Ultimately, this legislation is the result of lazy marketers. If we’d been more careful with our targeting, perhaps this all could have been avoided.”
Why we care.Legislation like this could be a game-changer for every digital marketer who advertises on Google, Facebook and other advertising platforms. While a bill is not a law, and this may never make it to that stage, it’s important to follow major proposals like this as it could radically change your strategies, the way you target ads and how you measure performance. Ad targeting has come a long way in recent years — so legislation like this could potentially take us back to a new Dark Age of marketing where we have less data and less insight into the audience we want to reach.
New on Search Engine Land


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General Motors Corp. doesn't mind when baseball, hot dogs and apple pie are used as part of a catchy phrase to market its Chevrolets.
But the auto giant has a problem subsidizing World Series tickets, cocktail parties and other perks passed along as freebies from the pharmaceutical industry to the nation's drug-prescribing physicians.
Detroit is outraged at pill pushers, drug marketing executives and pharmaceutical sales representatives GM says are wreaking financial havoc on its mammoth budget for health benefits.
GM says drug sales strategies--from direct-to-consumer advertising on television to the showering of free meals and vacations on doctors--are pushing the company's drug costs up 20 percent a year to more than $1 billion. That's about as much as Illinois spends on medications for the state's poor.
While such sales tactics have often raised concerns among medical ethicists and consumer groups, GM sees the issue from the bottom line.
Unlike Public Citizen, however, GM isn't a gadfly the drug industry can say they've heard from before and quickly dismiss.
As the largest private purchaser of health-care services in the U.S. for its 1.2 million employees and retirees, GM may be the most representative voice in America to begin publicly blaming dubious drug industry marketing practices for increased health-care costs.
GM is going so far as pleading its case directly to drug giants and opening up its benefits packages to reporters who don't regularly see such secretive documents.
Soon, GM may not be alone. The company believes large corporations and lawmakers may have something to gain by voicing concern about drug industry marketing practices.
"We have international competition, and they don't have drug costs going up 20 percent or more a year," James Cubbin, a GM lawyer put in charge of the company's effort to curb drug costs, said last week. "Some of these practices are leading to inappropriate prescribing from detailing and direct-to-consumer advertising."
The drug industry has defended its marketing and claims for top-selling drugs like Prilosec for heartburn and Viagra for impotency, saying the pills are popular because they are safe and effective.
Yet the Food and Drug Administration last month said it would review its 1997 policy that eased restrictions on drug advertising, which has led to explosive growth in direct-to-consumer television ads. Consumer groups and doctors have complained that such ads often lead patients to request the newest and typically most expensive brand-name drugs.
Furthermore, GM says it has done enough of its own studies on drug industry marketing practices to know that simply passing along costs to employees isn't enough to curb prescription costs.
GM spent $55 million last year on AstraZeneca's "purple pill," the heartburn medication Prilosec. GM says more than 90 percent of its workers and retirees' Prilosec prescriptions were given as a first treatment--before trying a less expensive generic or an over-the-counter gastrointestinal medication.
The GM disease
The public sector is beginning to see similar problems too, although its complaints aren't as loud yet.
To be sure, many state Medicaid health insurance programs for the poor like Illinois' are seeing drug costs rise more than 15 percent. In Illinois, the answer to skyrocketing drug costs has been to cut fees pharmacists are paid to dispense drugs to poor people.
Congress may delve into drug sales pitches before lawmakers consider the biggest drug program in U.S. history: a proposed expansion of drug coverage to 39 million elderly and disabled Americans covered under Medicare.
Although Congress has so far put tax relief and campaign finance reform ahead of a Medicare drug benefit, federal prosecutors are looking ahead.
"We are learning that we need to pay more attention to pharmaceutical issues because it's a growing portion of the total health-care bill," said Jim Sheehan, an assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia nationally known for his investigations into the health-care industry. "If the president's plan is approved, it will be even bigger."
For its part, the drug industry lobby, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, doesn't believe marketing will be an issue in the upcoming Medicare debate, citing consumer demand for more information from the health-care industry to work with their doctors to make choices.
Yet Pharma has recently been working with the American Medical Association to roll out an educational campaign advising physicians and drug sales representatives on acceptable sales pitches both sides can live with. Currently, AMA guidelines urge doctors to limit their contact with sales representatives to educational meetings and events that benefit patients.
As more new drugs come on the market, however, prosecutors say competition among drug companies has escalated from free dinners and baseball tickets to cash payments and kickback schemes.
"The magnitude of the problem has grown significantly," Sheehan said.
Lake Forest-based TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. is under investigation by federal prosecutors in Boston for conspiring with physicians to bill for free samples of the prostate cancer drug Lupron, one of the few drugs Medicare already pays for because it has to be administered in a physicians' office.
So far, the Lupron investigation has resulted in guilty pleas by three physicians and a fourth charged last week. Each faces up to 5 years in prison.
More recently, the investigation has spread to include marketing practices of two other industry giants: Schering-Plough and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Both companies admit to no wrongdoing and haven't disclosed specifics of the probe.
Elsewhere, attorneys general in several states are examining drug industry sales and marketing practices to physicians. Such legal coordination among states is in the mold of the landmark class-action lawsuits filed against the tobacco industry.
Shady price deals
The states are examining whether certain drug companies inflated drug prices to get higher reimbursements to physicians under government insurance programs. By inflating their prices, pharmaceutical companies that sold drugs to doctors at a steep discount could ensure a healthy profit for physicians who keep the "spread," the difference between their sticker price and what the government pays.
A similar investigation of marketing and pricing by the House Commerce Committee found evidence that companies did manipulate prices. Yet Congress has not acted and the commerce probe has stalled under a new chairman.
Meanwhile, GM continues to knock on the doors of drug company executive suites.
Giant applies pressure
Since last fall, GM has met with AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck in hopes the company will rein in questionable sales practices and television ads that may lead to inappropriate prescriptions. GM also plans to meet with Pfizer Inc.
For now, GM executives hope the drug industry will police itself by practicing more responsible and accountable marketing.
But does GM really think the automaker's meetings with drug industry giants will change their ways?
"Frankly, I don't think a lot will change," GM's Cubbin said. "It will probably take pressure from the federal government and other purchasers of health care like GM."


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Suffolk logistics firm benefits from the rush of Brexit stockpiling
- Credit: Archant
A major logistics company is seeing demand for warehousing space soar in the countdown to Brexit.
Century Logistics is a third party logistics provider for companies ranging from multinational giants to e commerce start ups, which is based in Bury Saint Edmunds.
Its managing director, Stephen Basey-Fisher, explains that his business is “dramatically expanding” at the moment by providing extra warehousing storage space- due in part to Brexit stockpiling.
“We are already seeing both large and small companies increasing their stock by 5% to 10% because of Brexit, which across the UK is an awful lot of extra space, and ultimately, we will benefit from it,” he says.
“In the last month, we have taken on 150,000 square foot of additional space - and 50,000 of that is in Suffolk. I have worked out that 75,000sq ft of that space is directly as a result of Brexit stockpiling.
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“One of our clients has 100 extra shipping containers coming into the country containing white goods, in preparation for Brexit.
“I can only guess that our clients’ customers will be stockpiling, and that they are stockpiling now.”
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Google has seen a sharp rise in the number of people searching for the word ‘stockpiling’ in the UK, indicating that the issue is starting to play on people’s minds.
Mr Basey-Fisher explains that Brexit is causing more stock to be warehoused in the UK in the short term, “because of concern about hold ups in port”.
Brexit could prove to be good for his industry - and for Suffolk, in this respect - in the long term, as the warehousing capacity along the A14 rapidly expands.
Planning consent is now in place for more than six million square feet of warehousing on ten sites in Suffolk and Norfolk within 40 miles of Felixstowe, and 350,000 sq ft has already been completed.
The logistics industry currently employs one in every 11 people in the UK, and that’s likely to go up - not just because of Brexit, but also because of the UK’s booming online shopping industry.
“We will need more stock in the UK after Brexit, because the supply line will be extended,” explains Mr Basey-Fisher.
“Whatever happens with Brexit - whether it’s hard, soft, or no deal, we will need more stock in the UK.
“You only need a few more minutes delay at the ports to get backlogs.”
Century Logistics operates over seven sites, six of which are in East Anglia, and employs 150 people in all.
One of Suffolk’s companies currently stockpiling is the drain product maker Challs, based in Hadleigh. Its boss, Graham Burchell, said his business was stockpiling raw materials and looking at stockpiling its products in Ireland ahead of the March 29 EU exit date, in order to prevent chaos ensuing at the border. “A lot of businesses are stockpiling now which is also pushing prices up,” he said. “It’s not the storage area, it’s the value of the stock - we are probably holding another £0.25m worth of stock which we wouldn’t otherwise.”


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Many UK businesses are unequipped to respond to potential data breaches, according to two new independent reports published this week.
The reports by BlueCoat and Experian were both released on Tuesday, finding that UK firms in particular are unprepared for the growing possibility of cyberattacks.
Despite a number of large-scale data breaches hitting the news in recent months, Experian found that a third of businesses in the UK have no data breach response plan at all. Furthermore, according to SC Magazine, the number of businesses with specific budgets set aside to deal with data breaches also accounted for a third, despite 81 per cent saying that they are concerned about the financial impact of recovering from such an attack.
Amir Goshtai, managing director of affinity at Experian Consumer Services, said “The prevalence and severity of data breach incidents will continue to accelerate, as will the volume of reported cases. When coupled with the potential for greater regulation, increased consumer awareness and widespread media coverage, it has never been more important for organisations to be well prepared.”
Meanwhile, the findings of the BlueCoat report were no more positive. The study of 1,580 infosec professionals found that for 61 per cent of UK businesses it took high profile breaches in the news for them to consider the importance of cybersecurity. The BlueCoat report also found that UK firms are more likely to deploy new technology without thinking of the associated security risks.
As noted by Info Security Magazine, the report findings are particularly worrying after Experian found that almost a fifth of UK businesses had suffered at least one data breach in the last two years. The sample study also recorded that 40% of British consumers have been affected by breaches, and 64% are worried that they might fall victim in the future.
Author Kyle Ellison, ESET


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To say that 3-D printing is a hot field would clearly be an understatement. In recent memory, stories have surfaced about the use of the technology to create everything from functioning gun parts, partial prosthetic faces, to an FDA-approved cranial device that was used to replace 75% of one patient's skull. Recently, Oxford University researchers have made strides in using 3-D printing to create synthetic human tissue that could ultimately be used for drug-delivery applications as well as for tissue replacement.
|Measuring 285 nanometers in length, a 3-D printed racecar model was created in roughly four minutes.|
Also known as additive manufacturing, 3-D technology has existed for decades but is only now beginning to gain steam. The technology convinced Chris Anderson, former editor-in-chief of Wired magazine, to resign from a coveted publishing post to become a 3-D printing entrepreneur--a technology he predicts will be "bigger than the Internet."
That is certainly a bold proclamation--one that may be hard to quantify and live up to in the near term. But the technology is already shaking things up. Consider how the technology has enabled a 25-year-old law student named Cody Wilson to disrupt the U.S. gun-control debate. Wilson has already demonstrated the feasibility of printing working parts (a functional 3-D printed rifle is in the works) and a searchable online database to distribute the relevant associated files for guns and any other product deemed worthy of uploading by a user.
In a video clip, Wilson asks, hypothetically: "Can 3-D printing be subversive?" He continues: "If it can, it will be because it allows us to make the important things. Not trinkets, not lawn gnomes, but the things that institutions and industries have an interest in keeping from us. Things like [...] medical devices, drugs, goods, guns."
Wilson controversially questions regulation--"in all of its forms." "If 3-D is going to be developed as a technology, we need specific tools to help get around industry, government, and the collusive members of the Maker community," he says in a video attempting to promote DEFCAD, an open-source search engine for 3-D printing.
Consider the anarchy that could be unleashed as 3-D printing could be one day used to self-manufacture everything from firearms to medicines to prosthetic limbs to devices drugs embedded inside of them.
Obviously, the feasibility of self-manufacturing medical devices will likely remain far-fetched for some time. And if it ever were possible, serious questions would remain. For one, who would be to blame when a 3-D printed medical device malfunctions? The maker of the 3-D printer? The creator of the associated CAD file? The user who printed the device?
More certain is that 3-D printing is poised to make good on its promise to be the next big thing. And even it if is overhyped, it will likely have a significant impact on manufacturing, which, incidentally, 3-D printing is helping make seem cool again in the eyes of the public. If the technology makes good on half of its promises, it's worth some serious consideration.


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Smart is entering a new chapter this year with the launch of its first model developed under the shared ownership of Mercedes-Benz Group and Geely.
Now named Smart Automobile Co Ltd, the joint-venture company has announced the name of its first new generation model, the #1 electric crossover. The combination of the “#” symbol and a number will be adopted by future models as well. Smart suggests that the hashtag symbol, evocative of trendsetting in the digital era, is fitting for a company that defines itself as a premium all-electric automotive technology brand.
Previewed by the Concept #1 last year at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, the all-new Smart #1 recently completed a series of aerodynamic and winter tests in the run-up to is its debut later this year in China and Europe.
“As the first product set to launch following the brand’s renewal, the smart #1 perfectly combines electric-drive technology and premium quality. I am convinced that the smart #1 will enthuse future customers in both China and Europe, setting new trends of urban mobility and co-creating powerful brand experiences wherever it will make an appearance.”
Daniel Lescow, Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing and After-Sales of smart Automobile Co., Ltd.
Designed by Mercedes-Benz and engineered by Geely, the new model underwent a series of tests at the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute in Chongqing, with one of them revealing a drag coefficient of 0.29, a good value for subcompact SUVs.
Gallery: Smart #1
A low drag coefficient is essential as it influences a vehicle’s energy consumption, range, wind noise, and stability at high speed. Elements that enhance the Smart #1’s aerodynamics include the concealed door handles, the aerodynamics package, as well as the standard AGS (Active Grille Shutter).
Smart says that wind resistance and noise have been significantly optimized, contributing to greater energy efficiency, comfort and driving range.
The carmaker has also tested the new EV in the far north of China, at one of the world’s coldest testing grounds. In temperatures around -40 degrees Celsius (-40 Fahrenheit), the Smart #1 showed “excellent resistance to extreme cold,” with the advanced battery temperature control system maintaining “the optimum working condition for the battery.”
Owners will be able to pre-set their driving schedule via the smart APP or vehicle control panel of the Smart #1, allowing them to automatically pre-heat the battery to ensure optimized charging and output efficiency.
As for the retractable door handles, they are equipped with ice breaking functions, which means they should work normally even when the car is covered with a thin layer of ice.
The electric crossover also simulated daily winter urban driving scenarios at the site on snow and ice. The tests revealed “outstanding driving comfort, handling stability, acceleration and braking performance,” according to Smart.
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KOCHI: The high court has asked the food safety
commissioner to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging laxity in implementing food safety measures. A PIL filed by M S Ajithkumar
of Kareepra near Kundara in Kollam is being considered by the court.
Citing the responsibility of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI
) under Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption, the petitioner argues that the measures adopted now are grossly inadequate.
“The number of food safety officers, food analysts and accredited laboratories are alarmingly insufficient …,” the PIL filed through advocate Manu Ramachandran stated.
Even after implementation of the Act, most of the food operations lay outside the licensing or registration regime. As per the Act, all food business operators are required to obtain registration from FSSAI. Health minister’s statement in the assembly that there are only two lakh outlets in Kerala
is far from actual truth, the petitioner said.
When the government made vigorous efforts to make Kollam a ‘Safe Food District’, 50,000 food business operators came forward to take registration, the petitioner points out.
Businesses like roadside eateries, those with a turnover of more than Rs 50,000 per day and event management groups that serves food do not have licences. Kollam district has only 11 food safety officers and they can inspect only 6,912 outlets a year. Thus, mor e than 90% of the operators are not inspected, it is alleged.


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Rival carmakers PSA Group and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles agreed to combine, pooling resources to confront an expensive new era of trade tariffs, emissions rules and electrification.
The boards of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot and Citroen-maker PSA agreed to work toward a binding agreement in the coming weeks, they said in a joint statement. The accord would create one of the world's largest carmakers with a combined market value of about $50 billion, based on current prices.
Shareholders of each company will own 50 per cent of the combined entity. Investors in Fiat will receive a dividend of €5.5 billion, while France's PSA plans to distribute its 46 per cent stake in auto-parts maker Faurecia. Cost savings from the deal without plant closures might be as much as €3.7 billion.
A merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA, the number two for car sales in Europe, would create a regional powerhouse to challenge Volkswagen. The tie-up would bring together the billionaire Agnelli clan in Italy and the Peugeot family of France as consolidation sweeps through an industry trying to finance major transformation.
The 11-member board of the new group will include five from PSA and five from Fiat Chrysler. PSA chief executive Carlos Tavares will be CEO and on the board, while Fiat chairman John Elkann stays in that role.
The announcement comes several months after Fiat Chrysler and PSA explored a partnership on pooling investment to build cars in Europe, and following the collapse in June of negotiations between Fiat and French competitor Renault SA.
“It’s not as good a partner as Renault, but any partnership is good,” said Felipe Munoz-Vieira, an analyst with Jato Dynamics in Turin. Fiat Chrysler “is not facing very good times, and it seems it’s getting worse as the time passes”.
Both PSA and Fiat Chrysler lag on investments in electrification and neither has a strong presence in China, but a combination could help them grow in the lucrative commercial vehicle market in Europe, Mr Munoz said. Fiat Chrysler, which reports third-quarter earnings on Thursday, is suffering in Europe with an aging Jeep lineup and lack of SUVs under the Fiat brand, he said.
Carmakers face tremendous pressure to combine to help pay for platform development, manufacturing and purchasing as they battle through trade wars, a global slowdown and an expensive shift toward electrification and autonomous driving. Producers face the additional burden in Europe of new rules on emissions.
Against this backdrop, the pace of dealmaking has picked up. Volkswagen in July said it will work with Ford on electric and self-driving car technology, while Toyota is strengthening ties with partners such as Subaru and China's BYD. The Indian conglomerate that owns Jaguar Land Rover has said it's open to finding partners for the British carmaker but isn't planning on selling the embattled unit.
Dismal car sales have also added to the mix. Volkswagen on Wednesday lowered its outlook for vehicle deliveries this year due to a faster-than-expected decline in car markets.
The French government is likely to play a key role because France is one of the biggest shareholders of PSA, whose brands also include Opel and Vauxhall. The French finance ministry has signalled support for a deal, while warning it would scrutinise the jobs impact and governance structure of the new company, as well as its commitment to build a European battery-maker.
PSA had been floated as a logical merger partner with Fiat, because of their complementary product and geographic fit, and the two sides discussed partnership possibilities this year. However, the Italian-American carmaker instead pursued a deal with Renault.
Those talks collapsed in June when Elkann, who also heads Fiat Chrysler's largest shareholder, Exor, walked away amid opposition from the French government and a lack of support from Renault's Japanese alliance partner Nissan.
Mr Tavares has sought to re-establish Peugeot’s foothold in the US, a market it exited in 1991. He set plans earlier this year for a return, with shipments starting from Europe or China in 2026.
The company has sought to secure its future with a larger partner for several years, dating back to late CEO Sergio Marchionne's failed courtship of General Motors. After being rebuffed by GM in 2015, rumours of talks with other automakers have swirled with varying intensity. – Bloomberg


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Mechel, a mining and metals company in Russia, has announced that the issues with the scrap shipping and severe weather circumstances made the smelting production to stop temporarily at Ductil Steel Otelu Rosu and Mechel Targoviste plants.
These smelting workshops at the two plants have stopped the production from February 18, because of the problems in delivering the scrap and other raw materials, which are used in the production, to the plants.
Andrey Deineko, Mechel-Steel’s Chief Executive Officer stated that there was a block in Romania over the previous few days, because of the unusual freezing temperatures and severe snowstorms. Currently depleted winter scrap stores have been used by those two smelting plants. The company may resume the supply as soon as possible, based on the forecasts.
The business of Mechel, a leading Russian firm, contains four sections namely ferroalloy, mining, power, and steel. The company has combined the producers of iron ore concentrate, coal, ferrosilicon, ferrochrome, nickel, steel, hardware, rolled products, heat and electric power. The products are being supplied domestically and worldwide.


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Chinese vice commerce minister said Monday that Beijing would like the U.S. to cancel "inappropriate" actions against Chinese companies.China Economyread more
Sixteen Asia Pacific countries have been negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership since 2013, with India's reluctance to open up its markets a major...Asia Economyread more
The secretary of State said he was traveling to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to make sure that the U.S. is "strategically aligned" with its allies.Politicsread more
Experts say Facebook's cryptocurrency project Libra has been a catalyst for the price of bitcoin going higher.Technologyread more
Goldman Sachs helped state firm 1MDB to raise $6.5 billion in 2012 and 2013, and collected higher-than-typical fees of $600 million for the deals.Financeread more
Value investing has become increasingly irrelevant thanks to central banks and technology, according to AB Bernstein.Investingread more
Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said all 16 countries negotiating a mega Asia-Pacific trade agreement should remain in the framework.World Economyread more
Stocks in Asia Pacific traded mixed on Monday afternoon, while oil prices continued to rise as tensions between the U.S. and Iran lingered after the latter shot down an...Asia Marketsread more
His comments come after a series of rapid escalations between Washington and Tehran.World Politicsread more
The U.S. is provoking Iran and growing risks of miscalculation could lead to a "world war," according to Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.World Politicsread more
Trump's comments come after he called off strikes against the Islamic Republic this week over concerns that a military response would kill scores of people.Politicsread more
CNBC's Jim Cramer continues to suggest that investors should own Apple's stock and not trade it, even as the company weathers the storm of the prolonged trade war.
"You need to strap yourself to the mast if you're gonna hold onto this one, as we've done for my charitable trust," the "Mad Money" host said Wednesday.
Earlier that day, a Goldman Sachs analyst said that Apple's earnings could tank almost 30% if China bans its products in retaliation to trade tensions. The iPhone maker's share price plunged more than 2% during the trading day.
"Worse, Apple's supply chain is deeply embedded in China, and Goldman says they can't move their production any time soon," Cramer said. "So if the Communist Party does anything to limit iPhone production ... the consequences could be serious, especially with the next iteration set to come out this fall."
There was no secret that Apple had high exposure to China, but Goldman Sachs' analysis was unexpected, Cramer said.
Apple has yet to reveal how tariffs have impacted business, he continued. The company's ecosystem employs millions in China, so it would make more sense for the country to go after firms that make products in America, he said.
"But if President Trump keeps blacklisting Chinese technology companies ... they might feel compelled to go after Apple," Cramer said. "I still believe you should own Apple. I'm not trading it."
Cramer said that market volatility could get worse before it gets better as U.S.-China trade tensions drag on.
"I'm not saying you should skedaddle from every stock with meaningful Chinese exposure," the he said. "I just want you to know what you own so you're not surprised when this pattern continues. That way, you'll be able to buy stocks that get marked down for the wrong reasons the next time the whole market gets hammered."
Go deeper here
Idexx Laboratories has room to grow in providing preventative care for pets, CEO Jonathan Ayers told CNBC Wednesday.
The veterinary services company expects its diagnostics business will be bringing in $24 billion annually by 2042. That segment brought in $3.5 billion in 2017. Idexx has expansion plans for its clinical testing operations mapped out over the next 10 years, Ayers said.
"These are long runways to growth," Ayers said in a sit-down interview with Cramer. "The nice thing about demographics is you can predict them out for decades."
Read about the interview here
Target's nascent delivery service and small-format stores have produced results "nothing short of astounding," Cramer said.
He applauded CEO Brian Cornell and Target leadership after the company's fiscal first-quarter report, released Wednesday morning.
Get more on Cramer's thoughts here
Edgewell Personal Care, the company behind Schick razors and WetOnes, announced earlier this month that it would acquire private skin care-products maker Harry's.
Cramer brought on Edgewell CEO Rod Little and Harry's co-founders (pictured) Jeff Raider and Andy Katz-Mayfield to hear how the company plans to build the next generation platform for consumer products.
Watch the interview here
The company's most recognizable partner, however, is the Golden State Warriors and the Chase Center arena, the San Francisco home of the defending NBA Finals champions.
"All business communications of [the] Warriors front office and Warriors back office as well as anything to take place within the Chase Center facility itself will now be powered by RingCentral," CEO Vlad Shmunis said in a one-on-one with Cramer.
Catch the full interview here
In Cramer's lightning round, the "Mad Money' host zips through his thoughts about callers' stock picks.
Honda Motor: "You are the second person this week that has told me to look at Honda. I said the same to the other guy, which is that I don't like any of the auto stocks, except for Ford. But the story you told is actually a good one 'cause I researched this after the last guy told me. By the way, Toyota's not bad either."
Vipshop Holdings: "It's come and gone. The time for Vipshop has come and gone."
Disclosure: Cramer's charitable trust owns shares of Apple and Amazon.com.


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After all these “new images”, “on-feet” and “another look” write-ups of the Air Jordan 11 “72-10” we should all be more than ready for this highly anticipated release, right? Well, we now have some news regarding something else that seems to go perfectly with that upcoming release.
Mitchell & Ness is going to capitalize and the upcoming release of the Air Jordan 11 “72-10” by coming releasing the Michael Jordan “Home” jersey that was worn by the Chicago Bulls during that historic 1996-1996 NBA season. Mitchell & Ness recently sent out a tweet with a video showing the upcoming Michael Jordan “Home” jersey with a caption reading “72-10”. Unlike the Jordan 11, you won’t have to wait much longer to pick up a pair as they are set to be available next Thursday, Oct. 15 at mitchellandness.com. Although the price has not been set, expect to pay somewhere around $275-$300, which is around the price range you par for new basetball jerseys today.
via: Mitchell & Ness
The jersey is dope. The price isn’t. It’s been a while since I’ve bought an authentic NBA Mitchel & Ness jersey. I had no idea that sold for that kind of money nowadays. Wow, can we just go back to the prices of the early 2000’s? Thanks.


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On the net grocery profits have exploded given that the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the most significant grocer in Wisconsin states it is trying to get to seek the services of 300 men and women to tackle the advancement.
Roundy’s, the Milwaukee-based mostly division of Kroger, which operates 106 Choose ‘n Save and Metro Market outlets across Wisconsin, explained Wednesday it is searching for to employ 300 persons just for its e-commerce section.
“It really is turn into a big small business for us,” mentioned James Hyland, Roundy’s vice president of communications and community affairs. “It just continues to expand.”
The grocer’s on the net segment in Wisconsin has developed 400% from in which it was prior to the pandemic, Hyland claimed.
The corporation operates retailers in metro Milwaukee, Appleton, Environmentally friendly Bay, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Sturgeon Bay, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Wausau, Marshfield, Racine, Waupaca and Madison between other regions of the point out.
The company employs about 13,000 persons in Wisconsin. It also operates two distribution warehouses and a food stuff output facility in the condition.
Kroger, based in Cincinnati, operates 2,750 grocery shops underneath a range of banners throughout 35 states and the District of Columbia. The business is 1 of the world’s major vendors, with $132.5 billion in sales. Kroger employs about 500,000 individuals across the U.S.
We’re acquiring much more groceries on the internet
Nationally, on the internet grocery income achieved nearly $98 billion for 2021, with more than 70% of U.S. households (93 million) positioning one particular or extra orders through the calendar year, according to the Brick Meets Simply click/Mercatus Grocery Buying Study, which tracks the expansion of ecommerce grocery gross sales.
In August of 2019, full on the internet grocery profits have been about $2 billion, according to the survey. By December 2021, that selection experienced grown to $8.9 billion, an increase of 345%.
Virtually all of the recent growth has been in the click on-and-pick segment where by prospects do their buying online, shop staff assemble the buy and the shoppers then go and pick up their groceries.
“Even nevertheless most grocery shops utilised third-get together supply platforms when they started selling on the web, the U.S. is a pickup-dominant market,” Brick Fulfills Click/Mercatus, explained in a report issued Jan. 11.
The rate of progress for grocery supply has remained flat, according to the survey.
“Full-yr outcomes for 2021 showed that the pickup section grew its share of online gross sales to 45%, up 5 percentage factors as opposed to 2020, although delivery’s share remained somewhat unchanged,” in accordance to the Brick Satisfies Simply click/Mercatus study final results.
‘A generational shift’
Hyland explained that younger prospects are accustomed to performing just about everything on their electronic gadgets, precisely their smartphones, and grocery browsing is no distinct.
“We have experienced a generational change in this article,” Hyland claimed. “We have gone to the millennials right here as our range a person buyers.
“These are men and women who purchase a lot of things on the net,” Hyland additional. “It can be just develop into a substantial company for us.”
“We have to have support, especially on the ecommerce facet,” Hyland said.
The firm is choosing for all the things from purchase-pickers to administrators to oversee online operations, Hyland reported.
The company will host a hiring party at all 106 outlets on Saturday from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Applicants can implement on the net and stroll-ins are welcome.
Selecting is tricky
Hyland claimed the organization is familiar with it has to do the job to differentiate alone in a labor marketplace in which, statistically, there is complete work.
“It really is a problem, not just for us but for all retail,” Hyland said. “Labor has been a problem since the beginning of the pandemic.”
The work opportunities are element of a shifting landscape in retail, Hyland mentioned.
The e-commerce aspect of matters “is a business enterprise in just a organization,” he mentioned.
“We have to give clients what they want,” he included. “They want the advantage of online searching.”
That means the firm will request to hire far more people today, no make any difference what the labor current market situations are.


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Esports, daily fantasy sports, and the online gambling industry continue to grow at a fast pace as technology matches forward. The innovative products that this digital renaissance has generated allows gaming to consistently improve their offerings. But, this doesn’t mean that they’re done yet. Virtual reality, or VR, is expected to be the largest game changer in the online gaming industry yet – mostly because leading gaming and software providers like Microgaming and Playtech continue to invest huge sums of money into developing virtual reality games, especially when it comes to online slots.
These reputable online casino gaming software providers are responsible for powering some of our favorite online casinos like Euro Palace. This innovative site allows gamers to partake in their favorite casino games (as well as their variations) from the comfort of their own homes. Furthermore, with Euro Palace mobile, it’s possible to play these games while on the go, even while lounging by the public pool.
And,what’s more? You don’t have to forgo any bonuses or promotions that you would be privy to on your desktop. That’s right! Playing on Euro Palace mobile not only lets you play from virtually anywhere you wish, grants you access to a large majority of the games available on the regular site, you can also gain instant access to many of the same promotions and bonuses.
Markets and Markets has estimated that the PC virtual reality market in 2016 will be worth approximately 3 billion dollars and this number is expected to grow significantly and increase to 16 billion by 2020. Online virtual reality gaming has also grown at a quick pace over the past 5 years but, physical casinos continue to do well because the online experience isn’t as good as the overall gaming experience.
As a result, a variety of providers like Oculus Rift, Game Account Network, and Casino-VR are in the midst or have already created, virtual reality services and products that will help online gamers get the full casino gaming experience while they are playing from home. Some of the innovative virtual reality products include VR headsets, 3D gaming technology, VR online casinos, VR gaming consoles, VR mobile apps, and VR glasses.
Dermot Smurfit, the chief executive of Game Account Network said recently in a statement that the ability to play genuine casino games using virtual reality for real money will close the gap between the gaming experience that one can have at a brick and mortar casino and the two-dimensional experience that one can have at home on their mobile devices or traditional personal computers.
Virtual reality technology is easily used in online slots. In this way, it’s possible to provide a similar experience to the live dealer games but with an even more realistic element. There are also a number of casinos that have begun experimenting with virtual reality in their online games but, they have not yet become mainstream in the worldwide gaming industry. In addition, large corporations like Samsung Gear VR, HTC Vive, and Sony Playstation VR are all in the process of creating and releasing a variety of virtual reality products for the game industry. Wouldn’t that be great?
The largest concern for virtual reality products at the moment, in terms of the gaming possibilities, may be the price of the devices. In short, the majority of virtual reality products cost a pretty penny, somewhere around $300, dependent on the brand of the product. Because of this, a large number of gamers can not try out virtual reality technology for themselves because they don’t have the funds available to invest in these type of products.
In a recent report by Goldman Sachs, it was stated that the coming years will change (technology-wise) as virtual reality becomes more affordable and is able to attract a larger Global Market. This same report estimates that the global virtual reality Market will be around a hundred and ten million within the next 10 years, and personal computer virtual reality will amount for approximately 62 billion of this. Virtual reality gaming consoles will be responsible for another 14 billion dollars. Gaming providers that are interested investing in virtual reality are expected to Target Gamers ages 20 to 35 in the next couple of years.
What do you think about the future of virtual reality gaming – especially in terms of online casinos? Are you looking forward to the transition. Share your thoughts in the comment section below, we would love to hear your thoughts.


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Three of the UK’s leading trade associations for the hospitality industry have come together to support individuals taking their first steps into consultancy work.
The FCSI UK&I, the Institute of Hospitality and the Craft Guild of Chefs have worked together to create a toolkit of free online resources and inspiring events to help new consultants or those considering consultancy.
With the challenges that hospitality has faced over the last year, the FCSI UK&I said it has noticed an increase in new consultants starting their own business and wanted to offer them support and advice as they begin their journey.
Yesterday, it organised a webinar titled ‘Lessons from the experts – the information every consultant wished they knew when they started’, which was hosted by Mark Taylor who recently launched Bloom Foodservice.
Attendees heard from experienced consultants about what it is like to run a consultancy, including FCSI chair Julian Edwards, Giovanna Grossi at Sauce Intelligence, Louise Wagstaffe from Delicious by Design and Ken Winch from Ken Winch Design.
Tomorrow, consultants will also be able to visit the FCSI website to listen to a webinar on ‘How to find new work opportunities and get the most out of networking’.
The session will be chaired by Alistair Sandall, head of professional development at the Institute of Hospitality, with advice from Ann Elliott, MaryJane Flanagan and Vic Laws.
The consultants will share ideas of where to get new work, meet new contacts and how to sell yourself at networking events.
The panel will also share their experience of managing workloads and getting that all important work-life balance.
The new consultant’s toolkit includes an accounting guide from David Howard Accountants, a seven-point website checklist for small businesses from 637pixels.com, cyber security tips, marketing and social media advice from Karen Fewell at Digital Blonde Marketing, and an inspiring range of videos from FCSI UK&I consultants.
All the resources are free to view or download at the FCSI’s UK website.
Mr Edwards said: “I understand that taking the leap of faith to become a hospitality consultant can be a daunting and stressful time. However, it can also bring many rewards and exciting opportunities. Over the last year, many more people have considered or set up a new consultancy business due to the pandemic.
“We believe associations can achieve a great deal by working together and are proud to work alongside the Institute of Hospitality and Craft Guild of Chefs to bring new hospitality consultants this online toolkit. It’s packed full of content designed to equip people with all the knowledge they need to develop their own consultancy.
“The resources and events are aimed at anyone who already runs a consultancy, has just started one during the pandemic or those considering it and wanting to understand more about taking those next steps, either now or in the future.”


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MoneyGram, one of the world’s largest money transfer companies, announced in June 2019 that it has formed a strategic partnership with Ripple.
Ripple is a global payment solutions provider that utilises blockchain technology. With this partnership, MoneyGram will be able to use Ripple’s xRapid products and leverage XRP in its cross-border payment processes.
The partnership will support the shared goal of both companies: improving the settlement of cross-border payments. This will be done by reducing payment costs through RippleNet and increasing efficiency. The partnership has been stated to last for an initial term of two years, with Ripple making an initial investment of $30 million.
MoneyGram is a global payment provider for money transfers and services based in Texas. Its goal is to connect family and friends throughout the world in a convenient way by providing reliable financial connections for essential and daily needs. With more than two billion people in the world not having access to a bank account, MoneyGram is aiming to provide the financial inclusion they need.
The global payment provider is built on a foundation of trust, reliability, and innovation. Millions of consumers rely on MoneyGram to get their money from point A to point B in a safe and fast manner. Because of this, the company has invested millions of dollars into world-class compliance, and it claims it will always make security a top priority.
Ripple was released in 2012 and is a real-time gross settlement system (RTGS). It uses a common ledger for transactions maintained by a network of validating nodes. These nodes can belong to anyone from banks to individuals. Ripple provides a faster, more transparent payment service to customers with greater reach and ease. It is used by banks in order to process cross-border payments with end-to-end tracking and certainty. With this, Ripple provides low transaction costs and easy integration.
Ripple’s xRapid product will enable MoneyGram to settle money transfers in a matter of seconds rather than minutes. Currently, MoneyGram relies on traditional exchange markets to meet settlement obligations. However, this requires advance purchases of most currencies, which causes MoneyGram to lose profit. Through this strategic partnership with Ripple, the payment provider will be able to settle large payments and match funding times while at the same time reducing costs, improving earnings, and freeing up cash flow and capital.
Partnerships like this are showing the world how blockchain can be integrated into real-world applications. This is a huge milestone for blockchain and could potentially transform cross-border payments. MoneyGram is a huge company, and the partnership will help to further the reach of Ripple’s network.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author should not be considered as financial advice. We do not give advice on financial products.


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Eighty-eight dairy farmers in western Vermont and New York have taken a major economic hit from a Sept. 29 fire at the Saputo Cheese USA plant in Hinesburg, Vt. (about 12 miles southeast of Burlington).
Ten to 12 percent of the state’s entire milk production was purchased by the Saputo plant. The dairy farmers supplying the cheese plant’s need for the 1 million pounds of milk per day must either find alternative buyers for their milk or lose the income from the, on average, 11,300 pounds of milk delivered by each farmer every day.
One of two available endorsements could have been attached to the dairy farmer’s business income policy (if written) to reimburse them for the lost income resulting from the damage to and closure of a third party cheese factory. Click here for more detail.
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Dell founder Michael Dell has quietly invested over $80 million in various local TV stations since 2011 — and it could soon end up returning as much as $4 billion to the PC mogul.
According to a WSJ report on Wednesday, Dell currently controls a group of broadcasters that collectively own spectrum licenses that’s worth $4.2 billion, based on prices set by the FCC.
Dell’s investments were made through his investment arm MSD Capital, which created a company called OTA Broadcasting to control all the TV stations.
Some of the stations under Dell’s control include the Spanish-language channel Azteca America and a New York-based Korean TV channel. He also owns 11 local stations in the Pittsburgh area, which collectively cost him roughly $7.3 million to invest, but is now estimated to be worth $1.47 billion.
Dell’s investment in TV stations is part of a broader activity called spectrum speculation. The investments were likely made in anticipation of the upcoming FCC auction, in which spectrum licenses will be sold to wireless broadband carriers like AT&T and Verizon, who need additional airwave frequencies to meet the soaring demand for its services.
Other notable spectrum speculators include Fortress Investment Group and Blackstone Group, the WSJ report said. The FCC auction is set to take place later this year.
But the report also noted that it’s unlikely Dell will get the full $4.2 billion from the auction. The FCC sets the opening bid at the highest possible price to get as much participation as possible, and runs the auction in the style of a Dutch auction in which the price is dropped until the buyer is found.


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Leading companies can expect to be called 'major players', as can their executives. It's all a long way from the origins of the word in the Old Dutch verb pleyen, meaning to 'jump for joy'. The new idiom, first recorded in the Economist in 1986, stems from 'playing' the market as one plays the casino: from the 1930s, speculators were known as 'players'. Some, however, prefer to derive it from American black speech of the 1950s, in which a 'player' was any kind of cunning operator. But 'player' is a term with many other meanings. To British soldiers in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, 'players' were terrorists. To male New Zealanders in the 1950s, a 'player' was an available woman. At other times, it has meant a male prostitute, pimp or promiscuous person. Not always something to boast about, then.
The new dragon on finding a niche and his plans to expand the family supplements business into America.
Healthy fast food chain Leon ditches plastic as founder John Vincent slams government for 'outdated' views on sustainable business
Employers can benefit from being clear and fair over wages, sick pay and holidays, says the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.
The Legal & General CEO was recently voted Britain's most admired leader. His next big idea? Flat pack homes.
With GDPR looming, businesses need to improve their relationships with data-sceptic consumers, says Kantar TNS's Phil Sutcliffe.
Nothing beats the creative rush of a good stroll. Let's walk and talk, says Faisal Butt.


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“In recent years, China has become the world’s fastest growing automotive producer,” according to a new report (pdf) from the Congressional Research Service.
“[China’s] annual vehicle output has increased from less than 2 million vehicles in the late 1990s to 9.5 million in 2008. In terms of production volume in 2008, China has surpassed Korea, France, Germany, and the United States, trailing only Japan.”
“China’s automobile industry has continued to expand despite the global economic downturn. From January to October 2009, more than 10 million vehicles were sold in China. If such growth continues, China is on its way to becoming world’s largest auto market,” the CRS said.
See “The Rise of China’s Auto Industry and Its Impact on the U.S. Motor Vehicle Industry,” November 16, 2009.


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The Rising Startup Ecosystem of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India.
The Indian startup ecosystem is witnessing a transformation with more and more companies now opting for tier-2 or tier-3 cities as their preferred location. Entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to smaller cities for their operations which is leading to new opportunities being opened up in the local market.
Around half of the startups registered on the startup India Portal, had their business centers in small cities. With the rapid technological advancements and the boom of e-commerce in the country, it has now become easier to set up centers even in small towns while tapping the unused local resources of the local market. Startups in such cities are looking to solve local problems largely rather than focusing on the bigger problems.
What makes Tier 2 Indian cities a great place to startup:
Most of these cities are host to institutes of higher academic education in both business and technology, providing startup founders with access to a ready talent pool. A relatively lower cost of living also means that nascent startups that are bootstrapped or have yet to raise any significant funding, can get a much greater bang for their buck.
Rapidly increasing internet penetration and improvement in the reliability of connections reduced the digital infrastructure gap between tier 1 and 2 Indian cities, high population densities along with a greater acceptance of the internet as a medium of commerce over physical stores in non-metro cities has also helped turn them into ready markets for the kind of services and products many startups offer.
The redistribution of both skilled and unskilled labor driven by the pandemic, along with increased VC willingness to invest over Zoom calls rather than insisting upon in-person meetings, is also expected to help give fresh impetus to the startup ecosystems mushrooming in these tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
Digital India, Startup India, and Smart Cities Mission have accelerated the urban transformation of Tier 2 and 3 cities in India. The state governments have also undertaken various initiatives to attract IT firms and provide a conducive ecosystem by establishing industrial clusters, SEZs, and various skill development initiatives to stay ahead in the digitization process. Industry bodies such as NASSCOM, ASSOCHAM, and TIE have also created access to financial assistance, mentorship, incubation, and network opportunities to support path-breaking ideas from the hinterlands
Be it healthcare, ed-tech, agriculture, or deep tech, there are now startups invested in every sector that is trying to support the local economy. Cities like Indore, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar Bhopal and Ahmedabad are coming up as the go-to options for many business enthusiasts.
Moreover, the high rents in metropolitan cities act as one of the biggest deterrents for many businesses and people are reluctant to invest that kind of money. But when setting up a company in a small city, this operational cost can be drastically brought down and directed towards other resources.
Better infrastructure support, faster internet, favorable working conditions, better transport communication, and accessibility to a large pool of talent have progressively promoted the growth of entrepreneurship in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. At a time when small cities like Surat, Jaipur, Indore, and Patna have shown a growth of more than 40 percent, the new paradigm shift has given a boost to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in these cities.
The government is also now pushing hard to set up a positive working startup ecosystem in India while addressing startup concerns by providing innovative and sustainable solutions. For example, the state government of Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Bihar has launched programs in their respective states to boost the startup facility in these countries. Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh are some of the other states that are following the course and trying to augment the growth of startups.


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Since the news came out that Google closed it’s Glass Explorer program – that’s the name for those users who paid $1.500 to become trialists of the device – many have leapt to the conclusion that the entire project has been canned. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It’s not that Google wishes to sunset the project by any means, the reality is that have graduated to another division, out of Google X under the guidance of Tony Fadell, otherwise known as “the father” of the iPod, and, Ivy Ross, of prior retail fame and success. Fadell aims to position Google Glass as an everday device.
He is counting on the support of the Italian Luxottica giant, the manufacturer of the famous Ray-Ban, Oakley and Arnette sunglasses, to design new frames and materials for a beautiful and desirable end product.
Not all efforts will be focused on the exterior appearance though. Fadell also wants to change the guts of the system, by partnering with the chip giant: Intel. So, where can we expect to notice the change?: in the performance (4 hours more battery life) and a reduced working temperature.
Google’s objective is a Glass that weighs the same as a regular pair of glasses, so for it to be truly wearable it needs to feel part of your outfit.
But alas, this does not rule out developers continuing to develop on the platform. The modification of the hardware aspect of the device will not affect the programming of Glass.
As of now, Glass Explorer Edition is no longer available in United States or UK, the only territories where Explorers could obtain Glass untill now, But those with Glass freely continue to use them and develop on the platform.
In fact, at Droiders we’re developing glassware, and our goal is to keep investigating and working on various projects, just as we have been doing since 2012, speaking at different public events and working on public and undisclosed Glass for work projects.
For example, this week, Julián Beltrán, CEO of Droiders, gave a talk at the second Clinical Simulation Conference held in Dubai, talking about Glass and other wearable technologies in the mhealth sector with Dr. Homero Rivas of Stanford Universtiy Medical Center.
Finally we’re also proud to exhibit at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, March 2-5th in the Congress square Hall, stand CS121 where we will be unveiling even more Glassware. We hope to see you there!


text: TWO shop assistants who took their aggressive sales techniques too far when trying to sell a washing machine, were given suspended jail terms yesterday. Cheng Chun-keung, 25, and Chung Cheuk-kau, 32, even threatened to kill a customer, the District Court heard. The defendants were convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and each was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years. They had earlier been acquitted of blackmail and false imprisonment. Prosecutor Walter Lau alleged that on September 8, 1992, Cheng and Chung - of the Glorious Electrical Company in Queen's Road West - had threatened to kill customer Guo Donglin, 30, if he did not buy a more expensive washing machine than the one he had already handed over $1,280 for. Mr Guo was told that the cheaper machine was not available. Chung became hostile after Mr Guo asked for either a refund or the washing machine displayed in the shop. His colleague Cheng removed his shirt to reveal a tattoo of a dragon. Cheng later tried to drag Mr Guo upstairs, grabbing his neck, but Mr Guo put up a fierce struggle, biting Cheng on the arm. Out of fear, Mr Guo agreed to buy a washing machine for $3,500 and paid the balance of $2,200. Passing sentence, Judge Jackson said this was an unprovoked assault by two men in a shop where extremely dubious sales tactics were employed in the course of the transaction. While saying that the assault was ''not the most serious of its kind'', Judge Jackson said innocent customers must be protected from such outrageous behaviour.


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That’s true. LG Electronics has confirmed that it refuses to continue production of smartphones. The reason is huge losses, which amounted to $ 4.5 billion over the past six years.
Will this be called a smartphone property tax? Government spokesman: There is a green light
The government spokesman suggested that there may be changes to the reprographic fee, ie the smartphone tax. – There is a green light, and it …
The mobile department must be closed by July 31. However, the Koreans guarantee that service support and update support will not disappear overnight, but will depend on the region.
Some models will also have the latest version of the latest Android 12 operating system.
The Korean manufacturer has not withstood the rapid pace of development in the mobile telephony market. For a long time, LG Electronics was third among consumers after Samsung and Apple. LG, however, has been hit by Chinese companies, including Huawei or OPPO.
The company wants to spend the money saved on the smartphone market on the development of its other divisions. LG Electronics is a valuable manufacturer of components for electric vehicles and smart home solutions.


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Anti Piracy the new company going to build up by Surya. It is known news that the entertainment industry is suffering largely from the menace of piracy and each year, hundreds of crores are lost due to the pirated movies.
As such, the film fraternity is doing its best to ensure piracy is checked but here is one bold move from a big hero. He is none other than the Tamil star Suriya and his company 2D Entertainments has started a venture.
They have joined hands with a startup company and now they would be streaming Tamil movies online legally. This is being done to put a check on piracy. It has to be seen how this will be received.
This decision really an advantage to the film industry in the point of piracy. The piracy movies will be stopped up in the other sites and people starts to watch it legally in online. This also makes a note that how much people want to look over the movie in a piracy way.
Even though it is a legal view there will be a chance to grab how many online users are encouraging the privacy and tries to stops them very soon with legal values. This company should help out the income of film industry.


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Express Web Desk | New Delhi |
Updated: June 7, 2018 11:12:39 am
In an environment-friendly initiative, Indian Railways has installed bottle crushers at the Vadodara Railway Station to minimise plastic waste at its premises. To encourage people to adopt this habit, Railways has also announced that passengers who will enter their mobile number on the machine after dropping a bottle into it, will get a cashback of Rs 5 on their Paytm wallet.
On World Environment Day, Indian Railways took another step as part of its go-green drive and to beat plastic pollution, announcing that passengers travelling on some premium trains will be served meals on eco-friendly, disposable plates made of bagasse, instead of those made of polymer. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on June 5 launched its trial run of environment-friendly, bagasse-based food packaging on eight select Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains originating from New Delhi.
“A Small Step to Beat Plastic Pollution: On #WorldEnvironmentDay, Indian Railways has started using fully biodegradable packages in 4 Shatabdi and 4 Rajdhani trains from Delhi, contributing towards a greener planet (sic),” Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had tweeted.
A Small Step to Beat Plastic Pollution: On #WorldEnvironmentDay, Indian Railways has started using fully biodegradable packages in 4 Shatabadi and 4 Rajadhani trains from Delhi, contributing towards a greener planet. pic.twitter.com/ILcwHN1wgK
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) June 5, 2018
The IRCTC will now use bagasse – the fibrous remains after extracting sugarcane juice – to make disposable cutlery and containers, in which meals will be served. “Provision will be made to collect the used packaging, which will then be processed for disposal through composting to ensure environmental sustainability,” it said in a statement.
In the coming months, Indian Railways aims to introduce the bagasse-based packaging on all the Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duranto trains.
Earlier on Tuesday, Railways announced that like airlines, it will now charge a penalty of up to six-times the stipulated fee for carrying extra luggage in trains without booking them in advance. Luggage, which has to be carried with the owner in the same train, should be presented at the booking station at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train. The passengers booking their accommodation in advance are permitted to book their luggage at the same time.
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