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Select Comfort Corporation (NASDAQ:SCSS) Releases FY17 Earnings Guidance
Select Comfort Corporation (NASDAQ:SCSS) updated its FY17 earnings guidance on Monday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $1.25-1.50 for the period, compared to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $1.41.
Several research firms recently issued reports on SCSS. Piper Jaffray Companies set a $37.00 target price on shares of Select Comfort Corporation and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Saturday, June 10th. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Select Comfort Corporation from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, July 11th. BidaskClub raised shares of Select Comfort Corporation from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, June 13th. Raymond James Financial, Inc. lowered shares of Select Comfort Corporation from a strong-buy rating to a market perform rating in a report on Tuesday, April 11th. Finally, Wedbush reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $25.00 price objective on shares of Select Comfort Corporation in a report on Thursday, June 1st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $28.75.
Shares of Select Comfort Corporation (NASDAQ:SCSS) traded up 3.41% during midday trading on Monday, reaching $31.81. 2,471,899 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged. The stock has a market cap of $1.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.08 and a beta of 0.69. Select Comfort Corporation has a one year low of $17.95 and a one year high of $36.74. The company’s 50-day moving average is $30.81 and its 200-day moving average is $25.81.
Select Comfort Corporation (NASDAQ:SCSS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 17th. The company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.05 by $0.07. Select Comfort Corporation had a return on equity of 39.03% and a net margin of 4.65%. The firm had revenue of $284.70 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $300.21 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.03 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Select Comfort Corporation will post $1.40 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
In related news, EVP Andrew P. Carlin sold 14,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.63, for a total transaction of $458,635.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 43,546 shares in the company, valued at $1,377,359.98. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Shelly Radue Ibach sold 79,844 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.13, for a total value of $2,485,543.72. Following the sale, the insider now owns 14,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $435,820. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 181,076 shares of company stock valued at $5,690,607 over the last quarter. 4.00% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
About Select Comfort Corporation
Select Comfort Corporation is a designer, manufacturer, marketer, retailer and servicer of a line of Sleep Number beds. The Company offers consumers individualized sleep solutions and services, which include a complete line of Sleep Number beds, bases and bedding accessories. Its Sleep Number bed offers SleepIQ technology sensors that work directly with the bed’s DualAir technology to track each individual’s sleep.
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Lucy Sparrow Is Opening a New York Bodega Where Everything Is Made of Felt
The classic corner store reimagined in plushie form.
The corner bodega, an iconic New York institution, is getting an art twist: British artist Lucy Sparrow’s next project, a store stocked with convenience store and deli staples crafted from felt, will open next month at a space in the Standard, High Line, in New York’s Meatpacking District. It will be on view for four weeks beginning June 5.
Titled 8 Till Late, the installation will transform a 1200-square-foot space adjacent to the hotel’s Biergarten on Little West 12th Street. Everything from the freezer to the sandwich fillings will be hand-stitched by the artist, who will have fluffy versions of bodega staples, from band aids to frozen pizzas, available for sale.
At the deli counter, Sparrow will serve up fabric sandwiches with all the fixings—like individually sewn pickles—or customers can head to the self-serve hot dog stand outside the shop, applying glitter glue “ketchup” and “mustard” to his or her liking.
Sparrow is making her US debut with the show—although she did show work at SCOPE Miami Beach and, on a smaller scale, at the Affordable Art Fair New York, both in 2016. In 2014, a similar piece, titled Cornershop, was a hit in London, with crowds lining up around the block to visit her soft and squishy take on the convenience store.
For the upcoming New York iteration, Sparrow has immersed herself in American brands, making sure to keep any stray Britishisms from popping up in her bodega. The piece has been six months in the making, and was funded thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised just over £40,000 ($53,000).
“It’s massively exciting to be able to bring the felt to the US,” said Sparrow in a statement. “Creating all of these iconic American brands has been brilliant and I can’t wait to see the reaction from local people on seeing a felt world full of their favorite treats and hangover cures!”
But while Sparrow’s plushie work evokes a sense of childlike wonder, it also serves as a comment on the endangered nature of the mom and pop neighborhood store, increasingly replaced by chains and franchises, and how once unique, local spaces are becoming homogenized thanks to globalization.
“I want the work to make people think about the loss of community spaces when these small corner shops disappear; to remind them how valuable these corner shops really are and the color they bring to our lives,” Sparrow explained.
8 Till Late follows in the Standard’s growing tradition of public art exhibitions, which has previously presented work by KAWS, José Parlá, FriendsWithYou, André Saraiva, and Kenny Scharf. Sparrow will hold special programming throughout the exhibition, such as a weekly felt lottery draw and a singles night, called “8 Till Date.”
“Lucy Sparrow: 8 Till Late” will be on view at the Standard, High Line, 69 Little West 12th Street, New York, June 5–30, 2017.
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Viacom’s (NASDAQ:VIAB) second-quarter earnings slid 18% on lower revenue, as the media company saw weak performance in its filmed entertainment segment.
Profit fell to $478 million, or 96 cents a share, from $585 million, or $1.07 a share. Adjusted per-share earnings, which exclude one-time items, dipped slightly to 96 cents from 98 cents, although analysts only expected 91 cents.
Revenue narrowed 5.9% to $3.14 billion, missing Wall Street’s forecast for $3.19 billion.
Operating margin fell to 27% from 28%, while total expenses fell 4.6%.
Filmed entertainment revenue dropped 20%, as worldwide theatrical revenue fell 15%. The year-ago period included contributions from Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.
Viacom did record improved advertising revenue that boosted performance at its media networks, which posted 2% revenue growth. Domestic affiliate revenue increased about 3%, and worldwide affiliate revenue improved 2%.
The company said its mix of titles and the timing of their release impacted worldwide home entertainment revenue, which tumbled 38%.
Last year, Viacom saw its ratings decline at networks like MTV and Nickelodeon, driving advertising revenue lower. On Wednesday, Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman said the recent improvement in advertising revenue came amid better ratings.
“Viacom’s media networks are continuing to develop innovative new original programming for all of our audiences, and building unique experiences for our established brands that move beyond the television screen,” Dauman said in a statement.
Dauman added that Paramount “successfully positioned G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and Pain & Gain for global success,” while the year ahead “remains strong” with the upcoming releases of Star Trek Into Darkness and World War Z.
Class B shares of Viacom rose 3.8% to $66.45 Wednesday morning.


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From 18 to 20 June, Russia by Locals took part in the Beijing International Tourism Exhibition (BITE 2019), which opened great professional opportunities for our company.
Despite the fact that Chinese tourists discovered Russia as an interesting travel destination long ago, the demand for tours to Russia is not only high, but grows every year.
Therefore, we believe that we are sure to welcome many new guests from China and other Asian countries very soon.
The exhibition is a large scale industry event with more than 1,000 exhibitors from all over the world: airlines, cruise ships, arts and crafts centers, cultural centers, hotels and restaurants, national tourism organizations, resorts, theaters, travel agents, reservation systems — we met not only representatives of Chinese companies, but also made many other new contacts.
BITE 2019 became a very important professional experience for us.


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China's magnesium sector has started witnessing a surge in domestic demand amid limited stocks as most industry participants cleared their inventories in November and following a state-backed conglomerate's move to secure reserve supplies, industry sources said Nov. 30
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Domestic smelters are lining up production to meet a sudden rush in orders, commodity information services agency Zhejiang Netsun said.
As buyers steadily turn to replenish their ingot stocks, the domestic sector's production cycle for meeting demand has extended lately, Netsun said.
In recent weeks, China's downstream sector has mainly purchased with an eye on price levels, with most volumes bought when prices were lower, while thin trading was observed at higher prices, according to Netsun.
The downstream sector slowed down buying in northwest China after prices rebounded in the week ended Nov. 27. As a result, prices are now steady after climbing to Yuan 36,000/mt ($5,648), producer Shaanxi Magnesium Industry Group said.
In the same week, some cash-strapped Chinese magnesium suppliers trimmed their offers to Yuan 33,000/mt or below to hike sales as they seek funds to run operations, according to the group.
State-backed conglomerate Shaanxi Yulin Magnesium, which consists of Shaanxi Yulin Energy Group, the Fugu county government, Shaanxi Nonferrous Metals Trading Center, and 20 other magnesium smelters in Yulin, signed magnesium ingot purchase deals with six-seven smelters, with other deals set to follow, local media reported earlier.
The deals are seen part of plans to build up Yulin's strategic reserves, sources said.
Some smelters are left without ingot stocks to meet orders amid the scant spot ingot supply and reserve purchases in Yulin, so a price dip in the near term is unlikely to happen, Shaanxi Magnesium said.
As of Nov. 29, tax-inclusive 99.9% magnesium ingot prices in both Shaanxi's Fugu and Ningxia were at Yuan 36,000-36,500/mt, while ingot of the similar specification in Shanxi's Taiyuan and Wenxi were at Yuan 36,500-37,000/mt, showed data by Shaanxi Magnesium.
A few finalized deals were slightly below the Yuan 36,000/mt level, according to Shaanxi Magnesium's data.
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association has recently urged government-backed agencies to tighten monitoring of the magnesium sector's feedstocks -- coal and ferrosilicon -- which could help in stabilizing magnesium prices within a reasonable range, as it said high ingot prices could heavily impact the magnesium sector.
CNIA urged industry participants to utilize capacity more as long as safety measures were followed and to avoid excessive stockpiling and speculative activities unrelated to their production for orders.
China exported 36,900 mt magnesium products in October, up 28.6% from September and 9.5% higher on the year, hitting a 19-month peak, customs data showed Nov. 30. Back in March 2020, China's magnesium product exports reached 38,319 mt.
In October, China exported 24,329 mt of magnesium ingot, up 44% from September and 58% on the year, with January-October exports up 31% on the year, customs data showed.
Chinese magnesium alloy exports were 5,604 mt in October, up 7.5% from September, but still down 52% on the year, with January-October exports rising 2.8% on the year.
China's key magnesium markets the Netherlands and Japan received 8,652 mt and 2,892 mt of magnesium alloy, respectively, in October, customs data showed.


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Canadians released after Huawei CFO's release; Apple, Tesla suppliers halt production in China
China in Focus
⭕ Sign up for our NEWSLETTER and stay in touch👉https://www.ntd.com/newsletter.html 💎Support our work: https://donorbox.org/china-in-focus Canada and China exchange detainees. Canada releases Chinese telecom giant Huawei's CFO, while Beijing lets two detained Canadian citizens go home. Chinese state-owned media outlets are calling the incident a win for China, even daring to tell Canada to learn from the incident. Some Apple and Tesla suppliers halt production in China amid widespread power outages. And in some parts of the country, the blackouts are now impacting residents. In another Chinese clampdown on a major company, the company's leaders have already been hauled off by police over debt estimated at $100 billion. Police-like law enforcement staff are caught red-handed on camera, sparking concerns online. A video shows them harassing street merchants, including an old woman.


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Volvo will display a crashed C30 Electric in its stand at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, taking a unique and very visual approach to future safety.
The company said it is the first car manufacturer to display a crashed electric car at an international motor show.
“We are the first carmaker in the world to show what a truly safe electric car looks like after a crash,” said Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volvo Cars. “This is of the utmost importance not only to the people riding in an electric car, but also to, for example, first responders. We note that not everyone that now launches or is in the process of launching electric cars are approaching the safety challenges as we are. But Volvo will never compromise on our stringent safety demands.”
Volvo said it is displaying the crashed car to show that the high-voltage batteries and cables are entirely intact after a collision. Even though the car has been subjected to a very demanding 40 mph (64 km/h) offset frontal test, the key electric components of the car are undamaged.[wzslider height=”400″ lightbox=”true”]


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As part of the Unlock 1.0, malls reopened on June 8, after over two months of being totally shut due to the novel coronavirus-led lockdown.
While restarting business is a relief for malls, the question remained whether people will visit a mall in times of COVID-19.
Moneycontrol visited one of the biggest malls of Bengaluru, Forum Mall, to check if customers have returned to shop, and take a look at the standard operating procedures (SOPs) being followed to ensure hygiene and social distancing.
Forum Mall, which is located on Hosur Road in Kormangala, is one of the oldest malls of Bengaluru and it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that it was one of the busiest malls of the city. However, things changed after the outbreak when malls had to shut shop for over 70 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.
There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.
Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.
The scene outside the mall was so unlike the days before the coronavirus struck the world. The seating area outside Forum Mall used to be fully occupied even during the day. However, during our visit, we saw just one person sitting and relaxing.Safety measures: Sanitisation, social distancing and more
“We have doubled the frequency of cleaning. Hygiene materials have been upgraded. Those materials are expensive but we have to absorb that cost. Our entire safety and housekeeping budget has shot up by 50 percent. The equipment that we have installed has cost us Rs 50 lakh per mall,” Muhammad Ali, COO, Forum Malls, told Moneycontrol.
“We have restricted entry of visitors to one third. We can't have the pre-COVID footfall because then all efforts will go for a toss. Also, Kormangala’s Forum has elevators with a capacity of 20 passengers, which now has been restricted to five people and people have to stand on the markings,” he added.
Along with elevators, to maintain physical distancing on escalators every alternate step is blocked and there are also foot markings to help people understand where to stand so that there is enough distance between two people.
Also, the cleaning staff in the mall constantly cleans every area of the mall from floors, seats to doors.
"When it comes to toilets, alternate urinals have been blocked for men. There are placards outside toilets indicating which toilet can be used. Also, alternate washbasins have also been blocked," Ali said.
Now coming to state of affairs inside the mall. First stop was McDonalds where there were around eight to 10 people dining. McDonalds like other food joints was only accepting take-away orders before the ease in lockdown restrictions.Footfalls are low but shops and shoppers are more
“Across all our malls (Prestige Group has nine malls in India), we have seen 20 percent footfall in the last three days. Another interesting aspect is that from this 20 percent footfall, we have earned 40 percent revenue across all malls. Hence, we are looking at serious shoppers currently. Before COVID-19, only 10 percent visitors would end up shopping in malls across the country,” he said.
Ali added, “This weekend is critical as it is the first after reopening, but I am sure business will build and grow.”
While the footfalls were low, we saw a lot of shops that had resumed business.
According to Ali, 80 percent shops have restarted operations and the reason for this was suspension of rent during the lockdown period that Forum Mall had offered.Stores are also taking extra care of their customers
“First, we are asking all retailers to sign up on the SOPs that they have to adhere to. Retailers also have to limit the number of people they can let in. Smaller stores can only allow three customers at a time,” he said.
“There are further precautions. For instance, a watch store provides plastic gloves to customers before they touch any product. As for apparel stores, some allow customers to try clothes in the store, but if you do not buy that apparel goes into the sanitisation bucket and the clothes are left there for 48 hours. Some stores are not allowing trials and letting customers take the clothes home. If they return the garments, then the same sanitisation process is followed,” Ali explained.Still no theatres, no food courts
“Pre-COVID, with good occupancy, cinema contributed around 10 percent of overall footfalls,” he pointed out.
Also, the food court at Forum Mall remained shut.
Ali said that F&B (food and beverage) is still struggling because of timing as they have to shut by 8 pm. However, when it comes to food court Forum Mall has a few plans to safely bring back customers.
It has installed automated food court ordering. So, customers can scan the QR code on the table and the entire food court menu will be on their phones. The only time a customer has to get up is to collect the food and only person can do so.
“This is in the final stages of implementation, because when it comes to the menu it has to be updated real-time as some food items can go out of stock and those have to be removed from the menu,” he said.Contact-less diningIndividual restaurants like Salt Restaurants have already started offering menu on QR code. In conversation with Moneycontrol, Rabin Mukherjee, Operational manager, Salt Restaurants, said, “We opened our restaurant for dining from June 8. While the opening was not very loud, we hope weekends will be better. Currently, we are doing 10 covers during the day. Before coronavirus, we did 150 covers during the weekend.”
One cover means one diner.
Along with contactless dining, Salt Restaurants is maintaining social distancing by leaving alternate tables empty.
Although, the visitor count remains at the lower end so far, things could change over the weekend. And Forum Mall has plans for crowd control as well.“In case we run full, people can book appointments to come into the mall. So, once we reach one-third capacity we block space and allow people who have booked. We will also ask people how much time they will spend because cinemas are shut, so it will be mostly serious shopping," Ali said.


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Amazon (AMZN 1.67%) may have automated some of its backend warehouse functionality and created a checkout-free retail store, but it still needs people to run its business. And to that end, the company has plans to add 30,000 employees.
The online retail giant has planned what it calls an "Amazon Career Day" for Tuesday, Sept. 17. Comprising a series of hiring events across the United States, the Career Day will offer information "about the 30,000 full and part-time jobs available at Amazon in locations across the country, from the company's headquarters and tech hubs to datacenters and fulfillment centers," according to a press release.
These events won't just be about hiring warehouse workers -- though a lot of the positions will be entry-level fulfillment center jobs, there will be positions across the company's entire spectrum. The challenge for the company, of course, isn't filling higher-paying office jobs, it's getting people to take its $15 an hour entry-level warehouse, fulfillment, and customer service jobs.
Do entry-level workers need Amazon?
Amazon needs people, but, at least in some markets, people may not need Amazon all that much. Job openings continue to climb, and unemployment sits near all-time lows. Perhaps most importantly for Amazon, wage growth has been strong for some of the positions it hopes to fill.
The latest data from Glassdoor showed that the median salary for warehouse workers had climbed 4% to $44,112, while customers service representatives saw their pay jump by 3.7% to $38,243. That's well above the $31,200 a $15 an hour Amazon employee makes.
Of course, $15 an hour is only the low point for Amazon hourly wages, and many workers do earn more -- but in a competitive market, the online giant's reputation may hurt it. Only 66% of Amazon warehouse workers would recommend the job to a friend, according to information from Glassdoor, and only 70% of customer service reps would do the same.
That's better than Walmart (WMT 0.44%) (63% for warehouse workers and 59% for customer service representatives), but well below Costco (COST 0.01%) (91% for warehouse workers and 93% for customer service representatives). Target (TGT -0.30%), which like Walmart does not pay a $15 minimum wage, has only 70% of its warehouse workers and only 54% of its customer service representatives willing to recommend the job to a friend.
What does this mean?
Amazon may have an edge when it comes to filling entry-level jobs over Walmart and Target because it pays a higher minimum wage. At $11 and $13 an hour, respectively, those two retailers pay well less than their online rival -- probably enough less for Amazon to overcome any worker reticence.
But when Amazon competes with a well-regarded employer that pays at least $15 an hour, as Costco does, it's going to struggle to hire employees. Wages, of course, are not everything -- benefits matter, and Amazon points out in its press release that "All candidates will have access to on-the-job training and upskilling opportunities as part of the company's $700 million Upskilling 2025 initiative to help employees gain new skills to build their career."
Where Amazon is hurt is that there have been numerous stories about challenging worker conditions in its warehouses. The company has refuted those allegations, but the media reports and the availability of other options may be a drag on hiring for the online leader.
Walmart, Target, Costco, and others have varying training opportunities and benefits packages for workers to weigh. Amazon is being aggressive and getting into hiring mode before the holiday season hits (the retailer will have a separate set of openings for seasonal positions). That's a smart play, but the company may come up short in markets where workers have the option to make the same money for companies that have built better reputations for treating workers well.


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Shares in Facebook have slumped to new record low, down 6.2% to just $19.87 (£12.64) per share.
The fall has occurred as investors were given the opportunity to sell ‘locked up’ shares for the first time since the initial floatation.
Locked up shares belonged to pre-float investors who were prevented selling their holding when the company went public, but these shares have now flooded into the market, bringing the share price further down.
Prices had reached a high of $45 (£28.66) in the days and weeks after the IPO but since concerns have been raised due to the consistent fall. Now, market analysts are waiting to see what major shareholders, such as Goldman Sachs and Microsoft will do now that the resolve of long term investment is put to the test.
Reports have also emerged which suggest the possibility of more direct advertising strategies to be introduced to the social network which would allow companies to place adverts directly onto users’ newsfeeds. This would broaden the reach of advertisements beyond the companies own ‘fans’, the users who have already ‘liked’ their page.
The new test phase follows concerns from advertisers about the success or lack thereof in Facebook advertising. Users however will have their own concerns about a greater intrusion of advertising materials, and it remains to be seen which side of this issue will come out the happier.


text: After the devastation from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Macy’s closed its two New Orleans area stores indefinitely. In September of 2007, the retail giant announced its return to the New Orleans market through the renovation of its Kenner location at the Esplanade Mall and the construction of a brand new store at Lakeside Mall in Metairie. The groundbreaking for the 228,000-square-foot, three level department store began on November 1, 2007. Macy opened its doors to the public on October 25th, 2008 preceded by a star-studded gala the evening before. The $2.1 million contract included complete electrical installation and ninety-five percent of the labor was performed by All Star Electric, Inc.


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Kmart employee suspected of stealing $6,000 from store
Ocala police on Wednesday arrested a Kmart employee suspected of stealing thousands of dollars from the store.
Amber Martin, 39, of Ocala, told a police officer she took the cash because she is a single mother trying to take care of her daughter, according to an Ocala Police Department arrest report.
After the interview, she was arrested on grand theft and taken to the Marion County Jail. She was released at 2:27 a.m. Thursday on $5,000 bond.
Martin was an associate working in the money room at the Kmart at 3711 E. Silver Springs Blvd, according to the report.
A Kmart loss prevention officer had told the police officer that Martin took $6,000 from the store and that the theft had been going on since July. The Kmart official said he recovered $70 from Martin.
Recent Kmart news
• Stores in Ocala and Kmart are closing in April: http://www.ocala.com/news/20180104/kmarts-closing-in-ocala-belleview
• Jim Ross column: When the blue lights fade to black: http://www.ocala.com/news/20180107/jim-ross-column-when-blue-lights-fade-to-black


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Many feared trapped as Ghana department store collapses
A multi-storey department store has collapsed in Ghana's capital, Accra, with many people believed to be trapped inside.
Rescue efforts are under way, with reports that at least three people have been killed.
Video footage taken by local journalist Pascal Kelvin Kudiabor, shows the extent of the damage.
The BBC's Sammy Darko reports from Accra.
07 Nov 2012
- From the section Africa


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Photoshop on the iPad is now available
Over a year after it was officially announced, you can finally use it.
Photoshop's latest AI-powered tool makes quick work of selections
Adobe previews the upcoming Object Selection feature.
Adobe adds new AI tools in Photoshop and Premiere Elements 2020
The Sensei-powered tasks make editing and organizing fast and easy.
MIT made an AI that can detect and create fake images
It offers valuable insight into how neural networks learn context.
Hasselblad’s X1D II mirrorless camera is faster and more affordable
The company announced a new lens and mobile editing, too.
EyeEm now lets you see how other users tweak their photos
Mobile photo editing apps are hardly in short supply these days, but EyeEm has attempted to stand...
Add beauty and personality to your photos with InstaTxtr
Everyone loves Instagram, but its features are limited. InstaTxtr gives your photos a boost with i...
Image-editing technique lets 2D objects get flipped, turned upside-down
Sure, Photoshop and other image editors are becoming increasingly good at transforming elements of...
Instagram for iOS adds extensive new editing tools
Whether you use it to tirelessly document your meals or make your friends jealous of your vacation...


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YouTube membership channels officially launch in SA
DURBAN - Google has started rolling out channel memberships for YouTube in South Africa that will allows users to support channel creators by signing up to donate R39.99 per month to their favourite channels according to My Broadband.
This feature started rolling out in 2018 for $4.99 per month after it was tested on YouTube's Gaming platform.
Neal Mohan, the YouTube chief product officer, said that with channel memberships viewers pay a monthly recurring fee to get unique badges, new emojis, member's only posts and access to unique custom perks offered by creators.
YouTube channel memberships use the existing payment information saved in your Google account.
YouTube launches music streaming service in SA called YouTube Music
YouTube has announced the launch of YouTube Music in South Africa.
YouTube Music is a new music streaming service that offers music videos, official albums, singles, remixes, live performances, covers and hard-to-find music you can only get on YouTube.
While fans can enjoy the new ad-supported version of YouTube Music for free, YouTube has also announced YouTube Music Premium, a paid membership that gives you background listening, downloads and an ad-free experience for R59.99 a month.
For a limited time, music fans can get three months of YouTube Music Premium free here - you’ll pay R59.99 per month after, or R89.99 per month for a Family Plan.
BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE


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Apple has delayed the shut-down of popular weather service Dark Sky, though both the iPhone app and the API used by third-party developers are still on borrowed time. The Cupertino firm acquired Dark Sky back in March 2020, and the bad news came thick and fast after that.
Dark Sky had gained popularity for its hyper-local forecasts, capable of warning people of upcoming rain showers and other weather changes with exacting detail. That functionality was shared with other apps and services, too, thanks to Dark Sky’s API.
Apple, though, decided to change all that. The Android version of Dark Sky was unceremoniously yanked from the Google Play store, and users were warned that if they had it installed it would cease working from July 1, 2020. The Dark Sky API, meanwhile, was to be shut down at the end of 2021. No end date for the Dark Sky iOS app was given.
This week, Dark Sky shifted the timelines. “Support for the Dark Sky API service for existing customers will continue until the end of 2022,” company co-founder Adam Grossman confirmed, 9to5Mac reports. “The iOS app and Dark Sky website will also be available until the end of 2022.”
Apple didn’t say exactly why it wanted Dark Sky, though the company’s Weather app for iPhone and iPad was an obvious reason. That will be getting a number of improvements in iOS 15, it was revealed at WWDC 2021 earlier this week. Apple plans to revamp the design, with new animations that expand upon the current interface.
More usefully, there’ll be features like notifications of any precipitation coming within the next hour. Apple has also changed the interface for things like wind direction, pressure, and other information, making them easier to understand at a glance.
Those wanting to get an early look at that can install the iOS 15 developer beta – assuming they’re a registered Apple developer – though a public beta is expected to launch next month. The full release of iOS 15 is expected later this year, likely around the time of the new iPhone 13 launch.


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There are few, if any, corners of the tech world that Steve Jobs' vision and breakthroughs have not touched. He has inspired generations with his innovative ideas and approach to the world of technology, computing and music.
So it should come as no surprise that tributes poured in after his death. Below is a compilation of what people are saying after Jobs' passing.Special section: Steven Paul Jobs
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dead at 56
Commentary: Steve Jobs thought different
Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, was reached at dinner by the Los Angeles Times, and he said he was so overwhelmed by calls from the media he was having trouble getting in touch with his emotions. He went on to add:
"People sometimes have goals in life. Steve Jobs exceeded every goal he ever set for himself."
President Barack Obama said in a statement:
"Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was among the greatest of American innovators - brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.
By building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun. And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.
The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve's wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him."
On his personal website, Bill Gates wrote:
"I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.
Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.
The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. "
For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely."
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said in a statement:
"I want to express my deepest condolences at the passing of Steve Jobs, one of the founders of our industry and a true visionary. My heart goes out to his family, everyone at Apple and everyone who has been touched by his work."
On his Facebook page, Mark Zuckerberg wrote:
"Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you."
Google co-founder Larry Page wrote:
"I am very, very sad to hear the news about Steve. He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance. He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it. His focus on the user experience above all else has always been an inspiration to me. He was very kind to reach out to me as I became CEO of Google and spend time offering his advice and knowledge even though he was not at all well. My thoughts and Google's are with his family and the whole Apple family."
Google's other co-founder Sergey Brin wrote:
"From the earliest days of Google, whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership, we needed to look no farther than Cupertino. Steve, your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product (including the macbook I am writing this on right now). And I have witnessed it in person the few times we have met. On behalf of all of us at Google and more broadly in technology, you will be missed very much. My condolences to family, friends, and colleagues at Apple.."
Dell Computers founder Michael Dell said in a statement:
"Today the world lost a visionary leader, the technology industry lost an iconic legend and I lost a friend and fellow founder. The legacy of Steve Jobs will be remembered for generations to come. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to the Apple team."
California Governor Jerry Brown said in a statement:
"Steve Jobs was a great California innovator who demonstrated what a totally independent and creative mind can accomplish. Few people have made such a powerful and elegant imprint on our lives. Anne and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to Steve's wife, Laurene, and their entire family."
New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg said in a statement:
"Tonight, America lost a genius who will be remembered with Edison and Einstein, and whose ideas will shape the world for generations to come. Again and again over the last four decades, Steve Jobs saw the future and brought it to life long before most people could even see the horizon. And Steve's passionate belief in the power of technology to transform the way we live brought us more than smart phones and iPads: it brought knowledge and power that is reshaping the face of civilization. In New York City's government, everyone from street construction inspectors to NYPD detectives have harnessed Apple's products to do their jobs more efficiently and intuitively. Tonight our City - a city that has always had such respect and admiration for creative genius - joins with people around the planet in remembering a great man and keeping Laurene and the rest of the Jobs family in our thoughts and prayers."
The chairman and CEO of salesforce.com, Marc Benioff, said in a statement:
"I am deeply sorry to hear of Steve Jobs passing today. Steve was the greatest leader our industry has ever know. He led our industry relentlessly for over three decades. I was fortunate to be given my first job by Apple in May 1984, I was 19. Steve has since given me incredible personal support, always cared for my problems, and salesforce has directly benefited by a myriad of his ideas. There would not be a salesforce.com without Steve Jobs. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time."
Author Salman Rushdie tweeted:
"I have been in love with the world Steve Jobs made ever since my first Apple Mac. He was one of the great architects of the real. RIP."
Lance Armstrong tweeted:
"Devastated 2 hear about the passing of Steve Jobs. Was blessed 2 have the opportunity to spend time w/ him on several occasions. May he RIP."


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MOYNAT opened a new store on Madison Avenue
Clément Mougel, the French artist-painter created an exclusive piece for Hublot
RIVES offers a collection with a touch of masculinity and femininity assumed in the world of traditional bespoke.
Devon Windsor blew out birthday candles at Plaza Athénée during Paris Fashion Week.
CITROËN teamed up with COURRÈGES for an exclusive design.
Natalia Moscou meets Philippe Katerine for her first album debut.
Thierry Lasry celebrated his new collaboration with Dr. Woo, the famous L.A-based tattoo artist.
Mugler has unveiled Angel Muse during paris fashion week.
Once again, Olivier Rousteing threw a glamorous party at Lapérouse.
Missoni Beauties took the control of Milan Fashion Week.
PAUL SMITH’s show was amazing once again.
RIHANNA & PUMA first collection was showcased during NYFW


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NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS) affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch
(SJM) will ask the government to withdraw the clause that enables Indian-owned and Indian-controlled online marketplaces to hold inventory fearing circumvention of FDI
in multi-brand retail norms. It also plans to seek laws to prevent exploitation of vendors who are not paid timely by ecommerce firms.
“Allowing limited inventory-based B2C model will open the floodgates to circumvention of existing foreign direct investment norms by ecommerce companies,” SJM national co-convener Ashwani Mahajan told ET.
The draft national policy on ecommerce suggests Indian-owned and Indiancontrolled online marketplaces be allowed to hold inventory as long as products are 100% domestically produced.
This relaxation on marketplace ecommerce firms is not available for entities controlled by foreign investment.
Though the policy has provisions to prevent ecommerce firms offering deep discounts and distort prices, SJM has sought clarity on the sunset clause and its duration. “We want protection for vendors from big companies. Vendors should not be exploited in a situation of monopsony,” he said.
The body also intends to raise with commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu
its concerns on flooding of imports into India as the draft ecommerce policy proposes to enhance the existing limit of Rs 25,000, under the courier imports and exports route.
“Overall, we welcome the policy as it would benefit small domestic players and keep India’s interests at the World Trade Organization
intact,” Mahajan said.
He added that the data localisation norms are “balanced” as they have clearly separated the exceptions.
The draft says only personal data or community data collected by ‘internet of things’ devices in ‘public space’ will need to be stored in India. Other data, which have no personal or community implications, can be stored anywhere. Further, it suggests a two-year sunset period before making data localisation mandatory.
Traders’ body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is also drawing up a list of its concerns on prohibition of cash on delivery and dumping of goods by e-tailers in offline market which it will soon submit to Prabhu.
On the advocacy of adoption of Ru-Pay Cards as payment technology in the draft policy
, CAIT said RuPay Cards have an extremely high online failure rate which leads to a bad consumer experience.


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An Amazon customer has criticised the online retailer for delivering a tiny button battery in packaging the size of a shoe box.
The item sent to Matt Harris uses up approximately a quarter of one per cent of the volume of the box and would have fitted 400 times over.
The 38-year-old from Hook, Hampshire, recorded a video of himself unboxing the package and posted it online with the caption: ‘Someone’s taking the packaging of items to the extreme.’
The foreman, who works for a bedding and packaging company, thought the wrong package had been delivered as he was expecting the battery to arrive in an envelope.
The button-type battery sent to Matt Harris uses up approximately a quarter of one per cent of the volume of the box and would have fitted 400 times over
The foreman, who works for a bedding and packaging company, thought the wrong package had been delivered as he was expecting the battery to arrive in an envelope
Online giant Amazon had vowed to stop using huge cardboard boxes to send small items last year, and were said to be using new technology and a new algorithm to combat the problem.
However, Mr Harris’ package seems to have slipped through the net.
He took to the company’s Facebook page to vent his frustration, by recording a 25-second video to make his point.
As Mr Harris opens the box, a wealth of brown paper packaging can be seen inside the box, covering a tiny three-volt button battery tucked into the corner.
Mr Harris added the clip with the caption: ‘Seriously Amazon. I think someone’s taking the packaging of items to the extreme.’
Using his measurements of the box, the package had a volume of 2,500 cubic centimetres, far more than necessary for a tiny battery.
In comparison, the battery took up about six cubic centimetres, or 0.25 per cent of the box, meaning you could fit 400 of the batteries before the box was full.
Speaking today, Mr Harris said: ‘I thought they had delivered to the wrong house as I was expecting an envelope through the door.
‘It’s not the first time they’ve been overzealous with the packaging, but this was a bit extreme.’
In November this year, Amazon came under fire for delivering a wall calendar complete with 45 feet of paper packaging.
Annie Gelly, from Herne Hill, London, ordered the A2-sized Collins calendar and said she expected it to arrive in a jiffy bag or an envelope.
On another occasion, wheelchair user Catrina Farnell had to struggle across the road in Steeton, West Yorkshire, to pick up a tiny rosette which could easily have been pushed through the door, but which had arrived in a far larger package.
One customer received 45 feet of packaging last month after ordering a wall calendar from Amazon (posed by model)
And Amazon customers have also shared some of the more remarkable examples on Twitter, after receiving oversized boxes for such trivial items as a screwdriver, a lipstick and a feather duster.
A spokesman for the online giant pointed to the company’s packaging statement on its website.
It reads: ‘We are always driving improvements in the sustainability of packaging across Amazon’s supply chain, starting with our own packaging and our own operations.
‘Customer feedback informs our worldwide packaging team and allows us and our vendors to make improvements.
‘We pursue multi-year waste reduction initiatives – e-commerce ready packaging and Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging – to promote easy-to-open, 100% recyclable packaging and to ship products in their own packages without additional shipping boxes.’
Amazon customers have also shared some of the more remarkable examples on Twitter, after receiving oversized boxes for trivial items


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Filed under: Concept Cars , Lexus , Scion , Toyota , Design/Style “In the future, out of 100 customers, we want to excite ten of them instead of not offending all 100.” Almost all of the details about the Toyota New Group Architecture (TNGA) strategy have come out since the initiative was first reported on in March of this year, but Autoblog did learn a few new things about it on a recent trip to Japan. Probably the second-most important detail is that each new segment platform will be based around a common hip point to create an “optimal driving position architecture.” Previously, each car was conceived on its own, so Toyota couldn’t extract savings from cars that were close in size. The Etios , sold in Latin America and India, is not much smaller than the Corolla , but the two compacts had two different lead engineers, so they have different hip points and require different manufacturing processes and different kinds of commodity parts like seat belt equipment. A common hip point and driving position, as well as other moves like the an R&D reorganization and the switch to parts engineered for global approval and pooled buying, will allow Toyota to harmonize parts like airbags, pedal boxes and seat belts to save money. The company expects to save 15 to 20 percent on manufacturing using TNGA, and 20 to 30 percent overall once development is included. Toyota also says it will use the efficiencies gained and money saved to make those commodity parts better, and they will have longer life cycles; while the lifespan of a Corolla won’t change, a pedal box might carry over from one generation into a brand new generation. Three new front-wheel-drive cars are expected to ride on the platform in 2015, the Prius being one of them, and its advance estimate of 55 miles per gallon is said to be aided by the TNGA. Another important objective of the streamlined development programs and common parts is allowing the designers to actually, you know, design a car instead of wrapping a platform in meek metal. Said company CEO Akio Toyoda earlier this year, “Instead of developing what customers would want next, we were making cars that would rake in sales” – cars that were just as popular as they were boring. That brings us to what we think might be the most important advance provided by the TNGA, revealed in a presentation by company design chief Tokuo Fukuichi: “Before, we made cars so as not to be disliked by anyone.
Filed under: Concept Cars , Detroit Auto Show , Hybrid , Sedan , Toyota , Electric Toyota can justifiably be proud of its position not only as one of the largest automakers in the world, but also the world leader in hybrid vehicles. In fact, the Japanese automaker claims that half of all hybrids sold are Toyotas. But it didn’t get there by resting on its proverbial laurels, and it isn’t going to maintain (let alone increase) its market share by doing so, either. That’s where the concept car you see here comes in. Taking position as something of a Prius of the future, the NS4 concept cuts a striking profile – certainly more striking than the current kamm-tailed Prius. But even though the technologies it encompasses are targeted to reach the market by around 2015, the show-car details – like that eminently dentable front beak -probably won’t. While Toyota works on all manner of electric and fuel cell powertrains, the NS4 packs a similar plug-in hybrid system as the current Prius PHEV. But the show car encompasses a slew of other technologies, like a smartphone-like interface to monitor and control everything from the air conditioning to the battery charge. Toyota has also packed the NS4 with its latest pre-collision and blind-spot monitoring systems, adaptive headlights and four new types of glass – the one part of the car we probably take most for granted. Of course, this being a concept car, Toyota has also replaced the side mirrors with an around-view camera system, but laws being what they are for now, don’t expect to see that in showrooms just yet.
Filed under: Concept Cars , Detroit Auto Show , Hybrid , Toyota , Electric Toyota is bringing a new concept to the 2012 Detroit Auto Show . The company calls its NS4 showcar an “advanced” plug-in hybrid , though it hasn’t shared any more information beyond the vehicle’s name. While we can’t say for certain, odds are the concept will give us a glimpse of what the company has planned for future hybrid design instead of boasting any tangible next-generation technology. As you may recall, Toyota and BMW recently partnered up to create a new lithium-ion battery pack, so it may be some time before we see the tech debut, even in a concept vehicle. Toyota has also made it clear the company will bring along the Prius C , which will make its North American debut at the Detroit show (see gallery below). The Prius C rides on a platform about the same size as the Yaris , but comes packing a hybrid drivetrain. Word has it the vehicle will come with Prius-besting EPA fuel economy figures, too. Hit the jump for the brief press release, and stay tuned for more information as we get closer to the Detroit show. Continue reading Toyota confirms NS4 plug-in hybrid concept and production Prius C for Detroit Toyota confirms NS4 plug-in hybrid concept and production Prius C for Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .


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AG Moody’s Statewide Prosecutors Secure Seven-Year Sentence and $300,000 Restitution Order for Leader of an Organized Retail Theft Ring Dealing in Stolen TVs from Walmart
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution today secured a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence and a $300,000 restitution order for the ringleader of an organized retail theft ring. Chanthan Scott Khouleanghak, along with five other group members, enacted a scheme purchasing new televisions from Walmart stores in Polk County, then several days later made returns claiming the items were damaged for cash. However, Khouleanghak brought older, broken televisions to pass off as the new merchandise and sold the newer items to a secondhand electronics dealer in Georgia. The ring represented 500 televisions as authentic in more than 1,000 separate transactions.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This organized retail theft ring stole hundreds of televisions from Walmart by purchasing new TVs and then making returns with older, broken televisions—not only profiting from cash returns, but also selling the new items to a secondhand dealer. Thanks to our law enforcement partners and my Statewide Prosecutors, the ringleader of this massive scheme will spend time behind bars and is ordered to pay $300,000 in restitution.”
According to an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Walmart loss prevention specialists noticed suspects attempting to return televisions at two separate Polk County Walmart locations. The investigation revealed the group purchased new televisions and returned televisions as damaged with the receipts for cash. However, detectives compared serial numbers and found numbers removed or inconsistent with the numbers on the televisions originally purchased.
The investigation also uncovered Khouleanghak’s bank records that showed checks worth thousands of dollars deposited from a secondhand electronics dealer, who purchased the new televisions from Khouleanghak. Authorities in Georgia assisted PCSO with a controlled buy of televisions from the secondhand dealer and confirmed that the televisions are part of the criminal fraud.
The criminal group members include Jorge Ortiz, Jacorri Holland, Michelle Maki Walker, Eric Grigsby and Khristian Edwards. Ortiz is currently serving time in prison. Arrest warrants are currently out for Holland and Walker. Grigsby is deceased. Edwards is under the supervision of the Florida Department of Corrections.
The judge sentenced Khouleanghak to seven-and-a-half years in prison, followed by five years' probation on charges of organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, trafficking in stolen property and cheating. Khouleanghak is also ordered to pay $300,000 in restitution.
Attorney General Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecutors handled the case.
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Attendees have a look at Faraday Future’s FF 91 prototype electrical crossover automobile after it was unveiled at CES 2017 on January 3, 2017, in Las Vegas.
Faraday Future was anticipated to be the “subsequent Tesla.” It was going to be a frontrunner in electrical autos with its groundbreaking FF 91 crossover that may usher in an “entirely new species” of car.
Those have been a number of the claims surrounding the California EV start-up throughout an elaborate unveiling of the FF 91 on the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2017. If all had gone to plan, the automobile would have been on the market now for a number of years, forward of an inflow of EVs from rising start-ups and conventional automakers.
Instead, the other occurred. The executives that made these proclamations left Faraday Future; it deserted a plan for a $1 billion manufacturing unit in Nevada; and it has but to construct one automobile. Its founder and CEO, Chinese billionaire Jia “YT” Yueting, additionally filed for chapter in 2019.
But Faraday Future now has new life – and capital – due to a SPAC take care of Property Solutions Acquisition Corp. that’s offering the embattled automaker with $1 billion. The firm’s shares shot up by greater than 15% minutes into its debut Thursday on the Nasdaq below the ticker FFIE.
It’s a brand new starting for Faraday Future but additionally a countdown to proving its value to traders, together with beginning manufacturing and gross sales of the FF 91 inside a 12 months from now.
“We have been able to convince the capital market that this is a different company now, a company which can deliver a serious business plan,” Faraday Future CEO Carsten Breitfeld mentioned in an interview. “But now we have to deliver, and this is absolutely key.”
Delivering on plans is one thing newly public EV start-ups haven’t been in a position to do. Starting with Nikola final 12 months, SPAC offers for the automotive business exploded, but reality has set in for many companies. Bold claims by executives have led to federal investigations into EV start-ups reminiscent of Nikola, Canoo and Lordstown Motors, which final month warned traders of potential chapter issues.
Other EV start-ups reminiscent of privately held Rivian and Lucid, which is quickly anticipated to go public via a SPAC merger, have delayed manufacturing and supply of their first autos.
“Building a vehicle is not that easy to do,” mentioned Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at IHS Markit. “It’s a very complex process and it’s very capital intensive. Even experienced automakers run into situations from time to time where programs are delayed.”
Breitfeld, a former BMW government, says the plan he offered to traders is achievable. It consists of starting manufacturing of limited-edition FF 91 for $180,000 within the subsequent 12 months, adopted by inexpensive fashions and different EVs within the months and years to come back.
“There’s one simple, single plan for the next 12 months and this is getting the car out to the customers,” he mentioned. “It’s what I promised and what I’m going to deliver.”
Breitfeld says he plans to “under promise and over deliver” to traders. The firm’s manufacturing ramp-up is quicker than fellow luxurious EV start-up Lucid, which is predicted to start deliveries of its first automobile, a $169,000 sedan known as the Air “Dream Edition,” later this 12 months.
Faraday Future’s FF91 electrical automobile on show on the 2017 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 7, 2017.
Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images
Faraday Future is predicted to construct 2,400 autos subsequent 12 months, adopted by 38,600 models in 2023 and greater than 300,000 autos in 2025. That compares to Lucid at 20,000 subsequent 12 months, and 135,000 autos by 2025.
Faraday has an almost accomplished plant in California that is able to producing as much as 30,000 autos a 12 months. It additionally has plans for manufacturing partnerships in South Korea and China.
Breitfeld mentioned the corporate has greater than 14,000 reservations for the FF 91 however a lot of them do not embody down funds. That’s down from a reported 64,000 reservations following the automobile’s debut in 2017, which have been free or by a $5,000 deposit for a “priority reservation.”
Aside from an inflow of money, Faraday Future’s SPAC deal helps erase as much as $150 million in debt it owed suppliers, which can be taking a stake within the post-merged firm, Breitfield mentioned. The firm declined to reveal what proportion of Faraday Future the suppliers will maintain and the way a lot debt can be erased.
The debt-to-equity swap is certainly one of a number of issues Breitfeld mentioned the corporate wanted to finish earlier than it might go public and launch the automobile. Others included altering the notion of the corporate with media and traders in addition to higher executing its plans and placing controversies with China and its founder, Jia, behind it.
“This is all behind us,” Breitfeld mentioned in a earlier interview in February. “This is the past and this is a different company now.”
Faraday Future’s newly created FF Futurist Experience studio, situated at 5 East 59th Street in New York City.
Jia stays with the corporate as chief product and person officer however doesn’t maintain an possession stake, in accordance with Breitfeld.
Despite the modifications and new funding, Sam Abuelsamid, principal analyst at Guidehouse Insights, believes Faraday Future nonetheless has vital hurdles to achieve success. That features a extra aggressive market than the corporate’s unique plans from CES 2017.
“They are launching with just one car, with others in following years and we’ll see if they can actually get it into production,” he mentioned. “If it does arrive, then they’re entering a much more crowded and tougher market to compete in for somebody like Faraday Future that has no track record or, to the extent they have a track record, it’s a very spotty one.”
Breitfeld argues that now could be a “better time” to launch anew as a result of there’s extra authorities assist for EVs in addition to extra demand from customers. But he is aware of challenges stay to get to market and separate itself from its previous and different speculative SPAC-backed firms.
“I don’t like this grouping approach too much because SPAC is basically a tool of going to market,” he mentioned. “Of course, time will show who really will survive and how this will work out, but we feel we’re in a very comfortable and strong position.”


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Moyer Joins Natco Home
February 9, 2015,
WEST WARWICK, R.I.-Industry veteran Patrick Moyer has joined Natco Home as its new executive vice president, reporting to Michael Litner, president. Moyer will be headquartered in Natco’s new Dalton, Ga., facility.
Moyer has spent his entire 27 year-long professional career in the floor covering industry, working primarily with area rugs, accent rugs and door mats, according to Natco. Most recently, he served for almost nine years as president of sales and marketing for Balta U.S. Inc., where he guided that company through its startup phase in the U.S. and directed efforts in sales, marketing and product development.
Prior to Balta, Moyer worked at Mohawk Home for 15 years in a variety of senior management positions, such as vice president of sales and marketing, vice president of product development and vice president of national accounts.
Moyer added, “I am thrilled about being a part of Natco Home. I have been an admirer of Natco for many years, and have watched Michael build this family business into one of the most diversified and well respected companies in the industry.”
Other Articles By Author
HFN Launches Interactive Idea Book
HFN's DIGITAL EDITION
COVER STORY: HFN Turns 90
We commemorate HFN's 90th anniversary by paying tribute to the iconic retailer and supplier brands--and the people--that have helped the industry flourish, then and now.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Up & Coming Leaders - The home industry is in capable and visionary hands as this year’s 40 Under 40 list attests. Today’s young leaders span all disciplines and varied levels of operation.
- Omnichannel Retailing - In the Mobile App World, Time is Money


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Advice claiming that hand sanitiser can cause car fires has been doing the rounds on social media but many are saying these posts are not likely to be true.
Full Fact, the UK's Independent Fact Checking Charity, has debunked the claims that alcohol-based hand sanitiser could ignite in a hot car.
It says: "At temperatures below several hundred degrees celsius, there would need to be a spark for alcoholic hand sanitisers to catch fire."
The charity says the photo at the top of the article claims to be a vehicle fire caused by hand sanitiser has been shared on social media more than 20,000 times.
It added that it does not know if the photo was actually from such a fire but that it is not likely.
One of the debunked posts shared on social media said: “Hand sanitizer has a fairly low temperature flash point (Ignition/Flame).
"Hand sanitizer with 70% alcohol has a flash point of 21 deg C.
"The photo below is from hand sanitizer igniting in a hot vehicle that reached 35 deg C. inside the vehicle.”
The charity dispels the post by explaining that although hand sanitiser can be flammable there would need to be a spark to ignite it at such low temperatures.
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To ignite on its own hand sanitiser would need to be at temperatures over 350C, according to Full Fact.
The charity explains flash point as: "the lowest temperature at which a substance can give off vapour into the air around it, which can be ignited by a spark or other source of ignition."
To be safe Full Fact advises people to still keep hand sanitiser out of extreme heat.
Full Fact adds: "It’s true that the flash point of antibacterial gels is around 21°C. In the UK, Dettol antibacterial hand gel has a flash point of 24°C, and Carex antibacterial hand gels have flash points of between 22°C and 23°C.
"At these temperatures hand gel can release vapour that is flammable. So it’s true that alcoholic hand sanitisers are potentially flammable at these temperatures, but they’ll need an external source of ignition to catch fire."
Auto-ignition is a different matter. This is the temperature needed to make a substance ignite spontaneously, or on its own without a spark.
Full Fact asked Dettol, who said the auto-ignition temperature for ethanol, the main ingredient in its alcohol hand sanitiser product, was 363°C.
This means that unless there is a spark to ignite hand sanitiser it is not likely to catch on fire because temperatures do not reach 363C in a vehicle.


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MELBOURNE, Australia -- Orica Ltd., the world's largest explosives maker, said Monday it welcomed a Federal Government decision that Australia doesn't have the capacity to dispose of the company's hexachlorobenzene stockpile.
"This announcement is the first step in approval to export the waste to Germany for destruction," the company said in a statement.
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Seoul – American plant venture Just Egg has teamed up with production company MediaMonks to elevate South Korea’s burgeoning plant-based market through a fine dining experience. The pop-up restaurant, located in Seoul’s Yongsan district, prepares a personalised menu for every guest, incorporating the company’s egg alternative into each dish.
Diners at the pop-up, known as Pioneers Club, are treated to vegan dishes tailored to their dietary requirements and taste preferences, served by celebrated Korean chefs such as Jason Oh, a former sous chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and Joon Woo Park, the first runner-up on MasterChef Korea. In keeping with the growing plant-based movement in Korea, the restaurant is decorated with lush greenery that creates a verdant atmosphere.
Growing global awareness about the health and environmental benefits of plant-based eating has led many meat-dominant cultures to consider wider forms of protein. Just Egg is aiming to enter Asia’s Alternative Protein Market by creating a memorable and bespoke dining experience that appeals to people’s culinary curiosity.
To introduce an ingredient to a new market, consider hosting an ephemeral culinary event to show locals the use and versatility of the product


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Now, enjoy ice cream made of camel milkMar 18, 5:07 pm
Dubai, Mar 18 (ANI): A dairy in UAE is coming out with camel milk ice cream in flavours hitherto unavailable in the market.It will be the first such product in a country where camel milk forms an integral part of the traditional diet."We have spent a lot of time creating flavours that we feel are different and most importantly not available in the market," Gulf News quoted Abdullah Saif Al Darmaki, the CEO of Al Ain Dairy , as saying. Camel's milk is slightly saltier than that of a cow and is believed to have numerous health benefits.Al Darmaki said his firm has spent a lot of time in creating flavours that are different. The technology for making this ice cream is exactly the same as for ice cream made from cow's milk."But, we wanted to do something completely different which is why we have invested in new technology to produce a range of camel milk ice creams in niche flavours," he said.The ice cream will be produced with pure camel milk and ingredients, with no additives of cow milk-based ingredients. The company has already started producing the ice cream on pilot bases. It unveiled preview samples of its new product last November at the Date Palm Festival in Abu Dhabi.Four flavours - dates, saffron, caramel and chocolate - have been created for the ice cream and Al Darmaki hopes they will attract people. "We know that there is a demand for this product that we can truly satisfy in an innovative way," he said. (ANI)
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post-purge repost (originally posted April 2018)…
Nowhere in this article does it mention the systematic policy attack on truckers. Extreme restrictions on truckers’ flexibility over when to drive has crushed productivity–rising wages or line-hauls won’t make up for having to spend more hours idle for every delivery. Demand for truckers is going up not only as demand for transportation has increased but also as each trucker is forced to be less productive, an effect that compounds the shortage of drivers by causing truckers who can’t make a living to exit the industry resulting in even fewer trucker-hours to meet rising demand.
I have seen the momentum toward autonomous trucking accelerating past that for passenger cars since the company Otto was created by some well-connected tech folks to retrofit existing trucks with self-driving technology–that’s a sign of a short timeline IMO.
This WSJ article is portraying the undersupply of truckers as an unfortunate market failure–watch out for future articles that build on this underlying false assumption to argue that we have no choice but to adapt infrastructure to self-driving trucks in a hurry.
Of course, those who pay the freight will love such a subsidy allowing them to switch to a government-subsidized technology rather than compensate for government-implemented productivity crushing policies with higher wages. My guess is they are all in this together. Similarly, the uber-lyft model does not work without self-driving technology. Billions upon billions of dollars have been pumped into these businesses for years by very smart people–surely they know driverless is coming despite the tremendous cost and disruption it will visit upon taxpayers and laborers alike.
Maybe I’m wrong, but the way this article deliberately ignores the real problem with declining trucker supply makes me wonder, Why even write the article? Obviously, there’s some agenda at work. We will see what it is. #WTWOF
Trucking Companies Are Struggling to Attract Drivers to the Big-Rig Life
The U.S. freight market is speeding ahead, but recruiting new truck drivers to meet demand is proving harder to rev up.


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As Hewlett-Packard considers its options for the PC business--the world's largest--it's a good time to take a look at one of the company's premier business laptops and compare it to the MacBook Air, Apple's premier notebook.
Hewlett-Packard has sold some remarkable PCs over the years. Lest we forget, it sold today's Ultrabook equivalent back in 2000.
Hewlett-Packard is updating its line of business ultraportable laptops with Intel's latest chips.
A quick peek at the lineups of new laptops from Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, and Dell make it clear that laptop prices are diving.
Solid-state drives are still a pricey alternative to hard disks, even as drive makers jockey for position with ever more capacious offerings.
Hot on the heels of a similar announcement by Samsung, Micron says that its drive will be available for consumer use in March.
At WinHEC 2008, the software maker will talk about better solid-state drive support and performance on Windows 7.
Apple's decision to use Nividia is turning some heads and portends more design wins. But will it end Intel's market share lead in graphics?
The HP EliteBook 2530p and 2730p feature new DuraCase exterior.
The EliteBook 2530p and 2730p feature upcoming Intel 45-nanometer ultra-low-voltage processors, and the option for an 80GB solid-state drive.


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Since the 1960s there has only ever been one federally licensed farm that grows cannabis for researchers, and it’s at the University of Mississippi. In 2016, the US Drug Enforcement Administration announced that it would license additional growers, and more than thirty entities rushed in from all over the world to apply. As Cannabis Wire first reported, this included major companies like Battelle, which is perhaps better known for its work with the US government on Homeland Security and National Security issues. Then, in August 2019, the DEA said, essentially, that it was starting over. Since then, for those dozens of applicants, it’s been a waiting game while the DEA’s proposed rules for applicants are under White House review.
One of those applicants, Cannabis Wire learned, met in November 2019 with the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) about the DEA’s proposed rules for applicants, which have been awaiting approval from the OMB since last August. So we caught up with the founder of that company, Biopharmaceutical Research Company, to learn more about this meeting, and this years-long process of preparing for an historic opportunity. We spoke with George Hodgin, the former Navy SEAL who launched the company in 2017.
(This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.)
Cannabis Wire: Tell me about your company. What are you working on, and what’s in the pipeline?
George Hodgin: I started Biopharmaceutical Research Company in 2017 after seeing several of my veteran teammates struggling with visible and invisible wounds. Many of them were turning to cannabis. And after watching their experience, I realized that the key to truly treating cannabis as a medicine—and potentially helping my own friends, veteran teammates, and other patient populations—is expanding research for cultivation. So I started the business, BRC, exclusively to do that, to produce cannabis for federally-approved research and drug development. We do not participate in the medical or recreational market. We don’t violate federal law. Everything we do is within the DEA and FDA framework.
Cannabis Wire: Is there a particular application for cannabis that you find the most intriguing? Or is it the possibilities that you’re interested in?
George Hodgin: We hold a DEA registration, and with that registration we conduct lots of compliant cannabis activity. Typically it’s with products that we source legally, obviously, through the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or products that we are importing into the United States.
As a veteran and somebody who fought for the country, it is really saddening that we can’t produce the products that we’d like to study, and that researchers and veterans are asking for, in the US. We have to import them. Particularly with the Trump administration’s focus on America First, it doesn’t feel right that we’re having to import. We want to be the one-stop shop for a federally approved researcher to access cannabis for whatever indication they choose. We are interested in studying both the adverse and therapeutic effects of cannabis. So we aren’t focused on a particular indication.
That said, with the amount of people suffering from pain and with no alternatives to opioids— particularly for veterans suffering from wartime wounds—those are the things that are most exciting to me, both as the leader of the company and selfishly because I see so many of my veteran friends who have no other option but to be treated with opioids, and we all know how that turns out. I think it’s incredibly irresponsible of the federal government to say, look, we won’t allow marijuana to be produced for research purposes because we’re concerned about the optics and long term health effects. But we’d love to prescribe you lots of opioids to treat your pain. That, to me, is very irresponsible.
Cannabis Wire: Are you able to share which countries or which entities you were able to import cannabis from?
George Hodgin: We have imported from the Netherlands. We believe that was the first federally legal import of marijuana. And when I say marijuana, I mean THC cannabis, not hemp cannabis. Assuming that the federal government continues to delay the production of cannabis for research in the United States, we’ll continue to import products legally from around the world. I’d prefer that the tax revenue and the intellectual property and the job creation stay here in America. But if the federal government just refuses, like they’ve done for over three years, to let people produce for research, then I suppose we’ll have to spend our dollars elsewhere.
Cannabis Wire: So why did you decide to meet with the White House Office of Management and Budget? What were you hoping to get out of that meeting?
George Hodgin: We were encouraged by the fact that the interagency community was receptive to taking a meeting with us and ensuring that our voice and concerns were heard. We made it abundantly clear that there are several ways to work within the Controlled Substances Act and within the framework of the international narcotics treaties. It is very possible to work within those frameworks and produce the types of cannabis that people need to research. And we also pointed out to them that there are dozens of countries that are signatories to the same treaty that the United States is a signatory to, and all of those countries seem to have found ways to have robust cannabis-research production programs without the roadblocks that the United States is currently self-imposing.
Cannabis Wire: How much communication has there been? How much insight do you have into what is actually coming down from regulators?
George Hodgin: None. All we have been told for over three years is effectively: Don’t call us, we’ll call you, we’re working on it. If we filed to be a Schedule One manufacturer of another drug besides cannabis, there is a very direct pathway for how to do that. And we could do it. Our team has done that professionally for years, decades. They’re all from Schedule One manufacturers, all of our team. None of them have ever waited more than a year for registration, communication, and even our compliance experts are bewildered about why the government intends to treat cannabis differently than any other Schedule One. Why is it taking DEA over three years to redefine the mechanisms for producing a Schedule One drug?
Cannabis Wire: So are you in conversations with any of the other applicants about your experiences? Or are people mostly keeping to themselves?
George Hodgin: The latter. I know I can speak for all of the applicants saying the uncertainty around the registration process is a real source of frustration that prevents smart business planning. We have no direction, so we don’t even know if it’s a competitive process. They haven’t said anything. Any other drug or chemical or molecule of any other schedule, there would be certainty and clarity around the production and registration process. The fact that the federal government is treating cannabis differently is bewildering and disappointing. The entire industry, we’re all sort of just looking at each other and, like, really?
Cannabis Wire: Once you’re licensed, what does it allow you to do? Where does your funding come from at that point? Is it through grants, research grants? What sort of doors does it open to get a license outside of just being able to supply researchers with cannabis?
George Hodgin: We’re focused on the first step. Right now, in the country, two hundred million consumers live in a place where they can legally access a variety of cannabis genetics and cannabis products—unless they’re a scientist or a doctor. That to me is a fundamental national health problem. Securing this license allows us to start supplying cannabis for researchers to answer the fundamental medical and health policy questions around cannabis. How do you create a breathalyzer for cannabis, or an impairment test? What’s a fair THC level for cannabis impairment? All of these questions.
Is cannabis good for PTSD? Some people say yes. Some people say no. Until you run robust clinical trials, all of these questions will remain unanswered. And consumers, doctors, law enforcement, policymakers will all be making critical decisions that are not based on sound data. So our immediate goal is to get the license and start producing the cannabis products that researchers need so that they can answer these questions. What if a researcher finds out a formulation that indeed does treat chronic pain? Can you imagine the health care savings that we would have in this country if people aren’t having to be treated for opioid dependency after they’ve been treated with opioids? I think the downstream effects are just incredible.
In my mind, nothing happens on a federal level in any way for meaningful cannabis reform until these research licenses are granted. We’re at a complete stalemate because of this catch-22 until the research happens, irrespective of where the research takes you. Like three years ago, a politician could afford to just not have an opinion on cannabis. That’s no longer the case. So now the fallback is “I’m interested in learning more. But I’ve got to hear the research.” Well, until these research permits are granted, there will be no meaningful research. And until that happens, we’re going to be stuck.


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The Ashland Chamber of Commerce turned to selling T-shirts in supermarkets this month to try to raise money for the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks show and parade, after corporate sponsorship dropped off because of the recession.
"Although it's been challenging sponsorship-wise, we got creative this year," said Katharine Flanagan, marketing director for the chamber.
The chamber plans to put on the same parade and 20-minute fireworks show as last year, when the pyrotechnics budget was halved, she said.
Keeping the fireworks show, which can be seen from most areas of the city, was paramount because the City Council voted to ban the personal use of fireworks for the first time this year, she said.
The chamber will continue to raise money for the festivities even on the Fourth, by setting up a booth in Lithia Park where people can donate.
Last year, the Fourth budget was roughly halved, from about $30,000 to $15,000, Flanagan said. Although the chamber's goal is to raise $30,000 every year, at this point, Flanagan said, it is just trying to match last year's halved budget.
Donations from businesses are down "a few thousand dollars," she said, declining to release specific numbers. The chamber raised slightly more than $1,000 by selling T-shirts and other Fourth paraphernalia. Volunteers will continue to sell shirts from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the latter two locations.
— Ashland Daily Tidings


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Banning Single Use Plastic - What A Difference Two Years Has Made
Today we stand on the cusp of a new era for Australia.
Yesterday it was publicly announced that a Senate inquiry into Australia’s recycling crisis has recommended that all single-use plastics – which could potentially include takeaway containers, disposable cutlery, chip packets and coffee cups with plastic linings – be banned by 2023.
The wide-ranging report also recommends the establishment of a national container deposit scheme as a response to an unfolding crisis in Australian recycling that forced some councils to tip their recycling into landfill.
The report sets out a blueprint to create a “circular economy” – where all materials used in Australia are then recovered and reused domestically.
Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, who chaired the inquiry, said it was “a rare display of political consensus” across Labor, Liberal and the Greens.
While the report did not define what single-use plastics could be banned, senator Whish-Wilson said it could include takeaway containers, chip packets, plastic bags and coffee cups with plastic linings.
Australian recycling is in crisis after China announced it would no longer buy the majority of our recyclable material, starting from this year.
Previously, up to 50% of all Australian recycling was being sold to China, because the lack of a domestic market for recyclables could not meet the volume of recycling we were creating.
But on 1 January, new conditions meant China would no longer buy 99% of the 1.27 million tonnes that Australia had previously exported there.
The unsold recycling began piling up in collection centres, or being dumped in landfill. States have stepped in with emergency funding to ensure collection companies continued to pick up recycling, but only on six or 12 month contracts.
This announcement is also the culmination of a few years campaigning by Eco Party Box. Earlier this year we created a change.org campaign to ban single-use disposable plastic tableware from parties in SA. See that campaign here.
And in late 2016 we wrote to the SA Minister for the Environment, Minister Hunter, with a letter to do the same.
Good morning Minister Hunter,
For the past 6 years South Australian business Eco Party Box has been helping Australians party sustainably by offering compostable tableware and eco party decorations and party bag fillers online.
We started the business because we were disappointed with the amount of party supplies which ended up in landfill and had discovered there were eco alternatives.
Run by Jonathan and Tina Hart, our mission is to help people celebrate their parties sustainably by using compostable tableware that would be composted either by home compost or a composting facility.
We recently learned that the French Government had passed a law to ban all plastic plates, cups and cutlery by 2020, forcing manufacturers to create only biodegradable products and consumers to purchase only these alternatives.
It is our goal to see the same laws passed in Australia.
It is estimated that by the year 2050 there will be more pieces of plastic in our ocean than there will be fish. Clearly something must be done.
While some Australian states have introduced a ban on plastic bags (and we would love to see a ban on plastic bags Australia wide) we feel the next step is plastic party products.
There exists a huge amount of disposable plastic party supplies that go only to landfill, when in fact party supplies are now made out of compostable material and could instead go to composting facilities (or at least break down eventually in landfill, unlike plastic products).
Unlike non-biodegradable food and beverage packaging, party supplies carry no perishable items and remain popularlargely because they are they are the easier option, that being they are easy to find in supermarkets and thrift shops.
Compostable party products, along with access to more composting facilities, will see an enormous shift in reduction of landfill waste.
We are hoping you may hear our concerns so that this issue may be introduced as a bill to the South Australian parliament and hopefully successfully passed into law.
Manufacturing of non-biodegradable plates, cups and cutlery is mainly done in China so it will not affect the manufacturing industry in Australia only those businesses who wholesale and distribute the products, many of which have already introduced a biodegradable alternative to their plastic products due to the market place switching to the eco alternatives.
We trust this email gives you a clear look into our suggestion of having plastic plates, cups and cutlery banned in South Australia in order to create a cleaner future for all South Australians.
Thank you for taking the time to read this email.
Jonathan and Tina Hart
Our response was heard and 10 days later we received this reply:
Dear Mr and Ms Hart
Thank you for your email of 2 December 2016, suggesting that plastic party supplies such as plates, cups and cutlery be banned in South Australia.
South Australia has a strong history of addressing single use items that are harmful to the environment or end up in landfill. South Australia was the first state to introduce container deposit legislation (the 10 cent deposit on drink containers), and ban single use plastic bags, with both of these measures now being implemented by other States and Territories around Australia.
Single use plastic party supplies are certainly wasteful. However, I am advised that banning such products is unlikely to lead to the level of reduction in waste disposed to landfill that you are suggesting.
While there is the possibility of legislating against single-use plastic party and takeaway supplies, the industry has already shown that it is capable of providing compostable alternatives such as the range of products supplied by your business. The challenges are ensuring that these products are more readily available in the market place to provide consumers with a wider range of 'green' purchase choices and the availability of organics disposal options where these products are used including workplaces, events, and public areas. Without an accessible organics disposal point for these products, many of them will still end up in landfill.
The Government of South Australia and Adelaide City Council (ACC) are working together to make Adelaide the world's first carbon neutral city. The Carbon Neutral Adelaide Action Plan 2016-2021 (the Plan) outlines the pathways that we will take to build on our achievements and reduce Adelaide's carbon emissions.
In particular, Pathway 4 - Reduce emissions from waste and water - of the Plan states that “...public events are a prominent showcase of the city's progress towards minimising waste and maximising recycling. Enhancements to waste and recycling services at large events (e.g. Womad, Fringe, Clipsal etc.) will be an important opportunity for leadership and community participation”.
In addition, implementing a precinct level trial of reusable and compostable takeaway food and beverage containers by businesses and catering companies is an action identified in the Plan at Action 4.1.6. There may be an opportunity for Eco Party Box to supply compostable products to large community events with ACC and I encourage you to explore this further.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me and I trust that this information is of assistance.
IAN HUNTER MLC Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation
The excuse by the Minister at that time largely being: "without an accessible organics disposal point for these products, many of them will still end up in landfill". But in fact South Australian commercial composters and the overwhelming majority of all councils allow these compostable tableware products in their green waste bins and have done since at least 2011.
So while it's not awesome that a potential national disaster has forced Government to act on this, instead of sticking their head in the sand, it proves to us that a stampede of environment lovers with a cause is far more powerful than a lone voice in the wilderness.
The flood of recent social media posts chastising single use straws, coffee cups with plastic lining, single-use plastic bags and even balloons has made the difference to potentially ban disposable single-use plastic in Australia. No doubt this has been championed by the ABC TV's War On Waste and Sir David Attenborough's documentary Blue Planet 2 but it could not have been done without the wave of public interest in it also.
Australia has finally caught up to speed with the environmental movement - and hopefully it is within the nick of time too! The theory that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by the year 2050 will hopefully be something we tell our grandchildren about as something we managed to avoid as a collective species.
Oh yeah, and great timing for the start of plastic-free July!


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InterContinental Hotels Group hires Hill&Knowlton Strategies
By Adnews Staff
InterContinental Hotels Group has retained Hill&Knowlton Strategies of Toronto as its agency of record for corporate and brand public relations in Canada. The company owns and operates the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotel chains. The assignment includes corporate reputation management and consumer-brand public relations nationally, along with supporting digital communications. "We chose H&K based on its strategic thinking, creative problem solving and thought-leadership," said Jo Allan, director of brand marketing for InterContinental Hotels Group Canada. "We have a great story to tell at IHG, and we're excited to work with the H&K team to tell it."


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The Disney Dream will resume sailing to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida starting on August 9, 2021.
Disney will offer up the features that make their cruises special – things like Broadway musicals, stops at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, and fireworks at sea – plus new processes for health and safety.
Here are some of the changes:
Disney will encourage, but not require, vaccination for sailings from Florida
Guests who choose not to show proof of vaccination must take a COVID test before leaving home and again on embarking day
Disney has reduced capacity to promote physical distancing
Disney has added hand sanitizer stations
Guests must wear face coverings in most indoor public areas
Disney has staffed the ship with doctors and medical personnel
Disney has implemented enhanced cleaning procedures