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K11 Art Mall in Hong Kong reported a “robust” year-on-year revenue increase of more than 15 per cent and 100 per cent occupancy.
The Hong Kong retailer claimed 40 new tenants signed up or renewed their leases, accounting for 40 per cent of all tenants with 100 per cent occupancy. Year-on-year sales growth of more than 15 per cent was recorded between July and November, surpassing the 0.8 per cent growth in overall retail sales reported by the government’s Census and Statistics Department.
Christmas and New Year’s Eve sales and attendance both experienced double-digit year-over-year growth, with the single-day visitor total reaching a 10-year high. A 20 per cent increase in K11 Art Mall loyalty program memberships was also recorded.
Tenants in the coffee & confectionery and lifestyle categories experienced sales increases of 40 per cent and 80 per cent, respectively.
Over the past year, K11 Art Mall has launched a wide range of domestic and foreign creative brands, including Ikea, Asics, and Popcorn Supply, as part of its ongoing efforts to optimise its tenant mix.
K11 Art Mall has also worked with New World Club and FTLife to create exclusive advantages in an effort to draw in a wider range of clients, including the younger generation, through the New World Group ecosystem.
Last year, K11 announced its partnership with Amoy Transit Rail to build the first K11 Select Art Mall in Fujian, following the launch of its US$1.4 billion flagship project in Shenzhen.


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Once the new regulations come into force next January, the term “Alpine” can only be used to market dairy and meat products if they fulfil special conditions and have been approved by a certification office.
Terms that attempt to evade the rules, like “Alp Beef” or “Mountain Tea,” will also not be allowed, the Department of Economic Affairs declared.
The Federal Council has also introduced new regulations in response to the recent dioxin scandal and fears over irradiated food imported from Japan.
In the future, the department of agriculture will be able to demand a certificate to guarantee that seed, seedlings, fertilizer, pesticide and animal feed has not been polluted or irradiated.
The government also announced that Switzerland would fall in line with European Union regulations on feeding slops to pigs.
Since 2006, it has been illegal to feed pork slops to pigs in the EU. The Swiss government agreed to abide by the regulation in order to protect Swiss exports, but managed to negotiate a transition period so that the country’s pig farmers could adapt their production.

domain: news


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There are two things that Pokémon fans want to see in the year 2016, as the gaming/animation/card collecting franchise now turns two decades old. The first is Pokémon Z, which is the long-awaited follow-up to Pokémon X & Y, but it is not known what stage of development this is. As for Pokémon GO, we just recently reported that the beta is finished, so its release date could be imminent. Perhaps a new Super Bowl commercial during Super Bowl 50 will shed some new light on the release date of Pokémon GO, and possibly Pokémon Z.
Pokémon is going to join the advertisers who spend millions on Super Bowl Ads for Super Bowl 50. Super Bowl Commercials reveals that they have purchased a 30-second ad, which is an investment of about 2.5 million dollars. This ad is to honor the Pokémon anniversary of 20 years since Pokémon's first video games of Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green being launched on Nintendo in Japan on February 27th, 1996. In honor of this, Pokémon has launched a #Pokémon20 campaign on social media, asking the fans to share their "favorite Pokémon moments."
There are no details about what the ad will actually be about, but the Pokémon Super Bowl 2016 commercial will encourage fans to "train on" and prepare their characters for the next battle. Is this a reference to Pokémon GO where players are literally going to have to go places in real life to train the Pokémon that they find there? It could be.
It says that Pokémon has, "a few more surprises and developments in store for its consumers." MNR Daily confirmed this when it reported: "To celebrate the momentous occasion, there will be a slew of upcoming events and promotions that will encompass all of the franchise's different mediums and facets, including its games, anime, merchandise, and movies".
Perhaps there will be more news on Pokémon Z, which still has yet to be announced by Pokémon, but is expected to be the follow-up to the popular Pokémon X and Y. The game is supposed to focus on Zygarde, and there are rumors about his form being some kind of odd fusion of two Pokémon and his five different forms, but that is about it.
As for Pokémon GO, that is a mobile-based game developed for both iOS and Android, and it is under development from Niantic Labs. As stated before, the game will allow players to chase and catch Pokémon in real life, and there is even an optional Bluetooth accessory wristband that looks like a Pokémon ball to go along with it.
The Super Bowl 50 ad for Pokémon really looks like a set up to finally give a release date for Pokémon GO, but as far as Pokémon Z is concerned, it isn't even known if that is under development. There were rumors of Pokémon GO being released in February, and this Super Bowl ad could confirm it. We should know after February 7th.


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Asmongold slams Twitch for adding new “intrusive” mid-stream ads”
Twitch has added new mid-stream ads in recent weeks, and popular streamer Asmongold is not happy about it, calling them “intrusive” and “disappointing.”
In the past month, threads have been popping up left, right, and center claiming that Twitch has added mid-stream ads. It started as an experimental feature in which an automated mid-roll of ads would happen to randomly selected viewers.
However, it seems to have become the norm now, and it’s gotten streamers as well as viewers concerned. Asmongold learned about them for the first time in his latest stream, and he was less than impressed.
It all started when he watched his own stream from the perspective of a viewer and noticed there were ads running that he didn’t set.
“Commercial break in progress?” he said in disbelief, repeating the phrase for good measure. He was also surprised to discover that he was in the top 30 channels who run ads per day.
“For the past two months, Asmongold is in the top 30 channels that run ads,” he added. Still, it paled in comparison to the number of daily ads on Hasan ‘Hasanabi’ Piker stream, which was more than double of the person in second place.
This prompted him to go down a rabbit hole, hopping from thread to thread. Once he got up to speed, he said he was “very frustrated” with the issue. However, he couldn’t stream on YouTube to protest “even if he wanted to” due to contractual obligations.
That didn’t stop him from sharing his thoughts though. “If Twitch wants to force ads, I think that we should say, okay, Twitch you are going to force ads. You have to force ads. Fine. Let’s talk about a way to do it that is not intrusive to the viewer,” he said.
“The viewer is why this website succeeds. The viewer is why this website grows.” It’s a sentiment that the thousands upon thousands of viewers in his chat appreciated.
“The moment that you stop taking into consideration the actual consumer of the product and you do things to make money off of them without providing a value, that is whenever your company and your product begins to fail,” he added.
Later on, he still couldn’t shake it off. Ultimately, he decided to contact Twitch support and drafted up an impassioned Tweet with a little help from his viewers.
“Hey @TwitchSupport some of my viewers have been getting SPAMMED with ads that I didn’t run and that happen as midrolls and not prerolls,” he wrote. “Some have said they have gotten over 20 ads in less than 3 hours. Is this intended and what can I do to make it stop?”
Hey @TwitchSupport some of my viewers have been getting SPAMMED with ads that I didn't run and that happen as midrolls and not prerolls
Some have said they have gotten over 20 ads in less than 3 hours.
Is this intended and what can I do to make it stop? pic.twitter.com/DVLAfeSKJP
— Zack (@Asmongold) October 31, 2020
Asmongold’s post has already gained nearly 7,000 likes, and it seems like he’s become a voice for the people on the matter.
He said he doesn’t know whether it’s intended or not. But either way, he hopes it will at least force an explanation.
Twitch has not commented on the issue yet, at least not publicly. However, it’s fair to say that streamers and viewers alike will be eagerly awaiting their response.


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When a teenager buys a smartphone in Seoul, it comes with something extra — a government-mandated surveillance app that tracks the user's location, text messages and browsing history.
The same is true of any smartphone purchased in South Korea by anyone 18 or younger. The software (mandatory after the passage of an April 2015 law) blocks kids from pornographic websites, sends an alert if certain keywords like "bully" or "pregnancy" are used, and monitors the amount of time they spend on their phones. It may seem like an altruistic plot to keep kids safe, but critics say at least one of these electronic babysitters — an app called Smart Sheriff — isn't the type parents would want watching their children.
As it turns out, the app contained a number of potentially dangerous flaws that made it relatively easy for hackers to intercept the location, browsing history and personal information of the app's 480,000 users.
Two independent testing organizations in Canada and Germany released scathing reports that compared the electronic monitoring app to a babysitter who would leave the doors unlocked.
As it Turns out, the app contained a number of potentially dangerous flaws that made it relatively easy for hackers to intercept the location, browsing history and personal information of the app's 380,000 users.
The problems with Smart Sheriff became so dire, in fact, that the app was pulled from the marketplace in early November.
The conundrum is becoming increasingly common. And while a mandatory monitoring law most likely wouldn't fly in the United States, parents want help monitoring their children, though they don't want these monitoring methods to put their children at greater risk. And there may be unintended consequences.
"Children become anxious with all the monitoring," says Joanie B. Connell, author of "Flying Without a Helicopter: How to Prepare Young People for Work and Life." "They learn it's unsafe to be on their own. They grow up anxious of all the unknown dangers out there and stay tethered to their parents through technology."
When children are electronically monitored, it adds another layer of stress — for children and parents. "It's not only harming them, but us as well," Connell says. "Parents have become bundles of anxiety — one parent recently told me he had his sitter text him a photo of his children every hour so he could make sure she hadn't run off with them."
On the other hand, there's also plenty of evidence that using technology to track and monitor children has a positive side. With more than 450,000 children reported missing in the U.S. each year, the burgeoning wearable tech industry offers a virtual safety net.
Take the hereO GPS watch, for example. This child-friendly watch for children as young as 3 years old uses real-time GPS tracking so parents can know where a child is at any time. While critics contend wearable devices are no substitute for watchful parents, there's something to be said for a device that will send an immediate alert and exact location if a child wanders away. The watch also has a panic button and tamper alert.
And this new breed of wearable devices can send not only GPS alerts but also blood pressure and temperature readings.
"In the past, limited technology required parents to rely on their own eyes and ears to monitor their children," says Arturas Vaitaitis, the founder and chief technology officer of wearable tech company Mondevices. The company's product MonBaby is a wearable tech for babies that sends an alert to parents' smartphones when a baby rolls onto his or her stomach (back-sleeping is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics). The device also tracks breathing movements.
"Now," says Vaitaitis, "technology is completely shifting the way we monitor our children in a positive way."
Big Babysitter is watching.


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11:44 18th Nov, 2014
Google Nexus 5 Now Getting Android 5.0 Lollipop Update In India
The update comes just in time for Google’s Nexus 6 launch.
Yes, Nexus 5 owners can now rejoice as Google has begun seeding the much-awaited Android Lollipop update in India. After a really long wait and some embarrassing moments, its clear that Google did manage to be the first to push out the Android Lollipop update in India.
While we haven’t heard from Motorola owners, we are pretty sure that Google did out its update first. The update could not come at a better time since the Motorola-made Nexus 6 is almost set to hit pre-order in India today as well. So if you were looking forward to buying one you better get ready to click on that pre-order button when it goes on sale.
The update add all those juicy animations that work flawlessly even though the hardware on the Google Nexus 5 is a generation old (Qualcomm Snapdragon 800). There’s the handy battery saver mode and the new apps that show up with all those new animations that Google has been showing off ever since Google I/O 2014.
The OTA update began rolling out last night in India and should be hitting all Nexus 5 handsets shortly. As of now we have no clue about the Nexus 4 and the Nexus 7 devices, which should also see the update notification appear pretty soon; if you haven’t manually updated your device already, that is.
- Xiaomi India launches new Mi Dual Driver In-Ear Earphones
- Xiaomi to bring NavIC technology from ISRO to several smartphones in 2020
- Bobble celebrates 'Namaste Trump" with new GIFs, and Stickers
- Fujifilm unveils the new X100V camera with high performance and advanced functions along with two new XC 35mm F2 and GF 45-100mm F4 lens
- boAt audio launches new range of earphones & speakers at the recently concluded Lakmé Fashion Week
- Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless, The Smarter Travel Companion, Launched in India
- Titan Company strengthens its technology and wearables play
- Xiaomi India launches Desh Ka Dumdaar Smartphone, Redmi 8A Dual
- HYPERX LAUNCHES FURY ULTRA RGB GAMING MOUSE PAD IN INDIA
- An initiative to create a Breathe Free space for the torch bearers of tomorrow


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Apple isn't the only one caught off guard by the demand for its iPad. The company that makes the displays for the touch-screen tablet is too.
On Thursday, LG's CEO Kwon Young-Soo said his company is having trouble filling orders for iPad displays, even though his factories are running at "full capacity."
"Demand (from Apple) keeps growing and we can't meet it all," Kwon said, during a call to report the company's quarterly earnings.
LG last year secured a.
Apple has sold almost 3.3 million iPads since early April, and units have been back-ordered for most customers almost from the first day of sales. Apple says it was surprised by consumers' interest, particularly consumers who aren't usually early adopters of technology, in the iPad.
"Both (the iPad) and the iPhone 4, we had backlogged at end of last quarter," Apple COOduring its earnings call. "We are selling both of those products as fast as we can make them."
Cook did not mention that display supply was as tight as it apparently is. LG's Kwon said he is considering increasing production of iPad displays, but that LG won't be able to make enough until early 2011.
The volume of early iPad sales seems to be surprising everyone. After Apple reported the sales numbers, several tech analyst firms said they had tofor touch-screen tablet sales for the year as a result.


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TechnoServe's blog highlights the lessons and successes from our work with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries.
TechnoServe’s President and CEO talks with Devex about the key elements of creating commercially viable, sustainable supply chains.
As 2016 draws to a close, we look back at some of TechnoServe’s top stories and milestones this year.
Project Nurture receives prestigious award recognizing collaborative excellence in a cross-sector partnership.
Fruit farmers and The Coca-Cola Company faced different challenges along the mango supply chain in Kenya. But one win-win solution benefited all players.
For a mother and farmer in central Kenya, passion fruit vines are yielding a better future for her children.


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MDA leading trade delegation to South America
Published: January 16,2014
JACKSON — The Mississippi Development Authority will lead a delegation of Mississippi companies on a business development mission to South America from April 24-29.
MDA officials say in a news release yesterday that the trip will include stops in Paraguay and Uruguay.
They say participating companies can also make an optional stop in Brazil or Chile if they have business prospects in either country.
MDA’s Skip Scaggs says the trip is designed to connect Mississippi businesses that want to expand trade and create new business relationships in South America.
Scaggs is director of MDA’s Existing Industry and Business Division.
The Small Business Administration-funded Mississippi State Trade Export Promotion program reimburses eligible businesses up to 50 percent of their travel costs and provides interpretation services.
The deadline to register is Feb. 7.
To sign up for Mississippi Business Daily Updates, click here.
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With Mother’s Day approaching, filial sons and daughters might need to pay extra to demonstrate their gratitude to their mothers this year, as flower prices have seen a dramatic increase, in particular that of carnations, after a series of rainy days last week.
The wholesale price of carnations rose from NT$34.1 per bouquet last week to NT$52.2 on Monday, according to the Council of Agriculture statistics. However, in a matter of one day, a larger increase of 22 percent was seen yesterday, to NT$63.7 a bouquet, a 67 percent increase from the same period last year.
The wholesale rates for flowers also went up 15 percent to NT$51.7 a bunch over the past week, with prices for caspias soaring 1.27 times to NT$54.7, roses and sunflowers climbing by 50 percent to NT$116 and NT$90 respectively, and oriental lilies and longflower lilies both increasing by 10 percent.
Taiwan Florists’ Transworld Delivery Association director Chen Ching-yu (陳清鈺) said flower prices had remained stable as consumption diminished following the government’s recent decisions to increase petroleum-based fuel and electricity prices.
However, the downpours seen over the past three days have taken a toll on the output of carnations, prompting severe flower shortages in the market and hence raising prices, Chen said.
In related news, hotel excutives said yesterday that customers who want to have a meal with their mother on Mother’s Day, but have not yet made reservations, might have trouble finding a restaurant with available space.
Restaurants, especially at five-star hotels, are all fully booked.
Winona Hsieh, public relations manager at Taipei’s Westin Hotel, said a growing number of people have chosen to celebrate the occasion at top-end restaurants.
She suggested reservations should be made early every year to avoid disappointment.
Meanwhile, sales in the retail sector have been on the rise in conjunction with Mother’s Day promotional campaigns.
Sales have risen despite concerns over higher prices, retailers said.
Additional reporting by CNA
Translated by Stacy Hsu, Staff Writer


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The new acting president and chief executive of Sears Canada Inc., has a clear message for shoppers across the country. The iconic retailer is not dead and will be around for some time, said Ron Boire, appointed in October to the post, who was in Calgary on Tuesday visiting the company's local operations.
The acting president and chief executive of Sears Canada has a message for shoppers — the iconic retailer is far from dead.
“The message to Canadians is we’re here to stay. We’re here to bring great products and great services back to them and to give them the kind of products and services that they expect from us and that they deserve,” Ron Boire told the Herald.
Boire, who was appointed to the Canadian post in October, was in Calgary on Tuesday to visit the company’s local operations.
“There’s a lot of people out there that pay attention to the short-term and don’t think about the long-term. I actually think it’s kind of a crazy thought that Sears would not be around for the long-term,” he said. “I think the better thought is we’re going to evolve as a company.”
Sears has faced some financial challenges in recent years. Last month, its unaudited third-quarter results showed total revenues for the 13-week period ended Nov. 1 were $834.5 million, compared with $982.3 million for the same 2013 period. Same-store sales slid by 9.5 per cent as the company’s net loss for the quarter totalled $118.7 million or $1.16 per share compared with a net loss of $48.8 million or 48 cents per share a year earlier.
“Brand trust is a slippery slope. It takes years to build it and very little time to destroy. In the context of Sears, this trust issue extends far deeper than the consumer,” said David Finch, associate professor of the Bissett School of Business at Mount Royal University. “The real risk is suppliers and employees. If you are a supplier, advancing Sears inventory or reasonable terms at this stage must be approached with serious caution.
“At the end of the day, competitive advantage in retail is the combination of location, products and customer service that appeals to a targeted market. If you break it down by these three dimensions, Sears, similar to Eaton’s over a decade, is no longer relevant in the Canadian retail landscape.”
U.S.-based Sears Holdings recently announced it would offer its stake in Sears Canada to shareholders in a rights offering aimed at raising $380 million US. The American retailer would no longer be a majority owner of the Canadian operation, although Sears Holdings’ majority owner and chief executive, Edward Lampert, holds about 47 per cent of the company shares.
John Williams, of the J.C. Williams Group, a retail consultant, said the company is currently operating in turmoil.
“It’s a tough go,” he said. “I think it could be turned around by re-engineering the business to probably focus on what their strengths are and abandon where they’re not doing well either geographically or within the store. They still have some very great brand names; Kenmore, Craftsman.
“That side of the business is strong. The problem is there’s been all these changes in management and sort of shifts in direction which confuses the staff and to a certain degree the customer. They can stay in the game but they won’t be the old Sears as we know them. They have to be a restructured Sears.”
Boire is the retailer’s fourth chief executive in three years. Most recently he was executive vice-president, chief merchandising officer and president of Sears and Kmart Formats for Sears Holdings Corp in Illinois. His past positions included president of Toys R Us in North America as well as Best Buy’s executive vice-president, global merchandise manager.
“We’re in an evolutionary period,” said Boire. “My predecessor (Doug Campbell) did a really good job getting costs under control . . . A lot of that good work has already happened. I’m really focused on growing the business. My focus is on getting the core of the business really stable and strong and then growing from there.”
Sears Canada holdings include 174 corporate stores, 207 Hometown stores and 96 Sears Travel offices. In August, the company opened a 240,000-square-foot distribution centre in southeast Calgary that will speed up the processing of orders placed online or through Sears Canada’s various catalogues.
In Calgary, Sears Canada employs about 850 people at three department stores, three standalone Sears Home stores, an Appliance and Mattress store and its 630,000-square-foot National Logistics Centre, which opened in 2000.
It previously announced an agreement with Vancouver developer Concord Pacific Group for a residential highrise project at the North Hill Shopping Centre in Calgary. The deal includes the sale of a 50-per-cent interest in the five-hectare property for about $15 million. The North Hill store, which opened in 1958, would remain open. The Calgary project is in early development, with construction expected to be a couple of years away.
“I don’t think it’s ever fair for us to say that we’re at the end of a journey,” Boire said Tuesday. “Every business should constantly look at their assets and figure out what are the best assets, what’s the right balance. And we’ll certainly continue to do that whether it’s product lines or whether it’s real estate. We want to get the right balance for our customers and for the marketplace.”
With files from the Financial Post


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When overwhelming demand closed Humboldt County's last California Refund Value redemption service at the Eureka Recycling Center last September, it left residents with few options to get their CRV deposits back. Under state law, it's now up to grocers and retailers to offer the service or face a $100 per day fee from the state, but finding a CRV in-store redemption service in Humboldt County has now become somewhat of a scavenger hunt.
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) maintains a list of all the grocery stores and gas stations in each California county that offer CRV redemption services. Humboldt County's list contained 51 stores as the Journal went to press that are supposed to offer the service but some listed aren't accepting CRV at all, while others say they're still prepping to start the service. And many have set restrictions and limitations on the number of containers accepted and established limited CRV business hours.
For residents, the only real way of knowing which stores do, in fact, offer CRV redemption services is to call and ask whether they are accepting bottles and cans, and about the amount allowed. Safeway in Eureka, for example, limits redemptions to 50 clean bottles and cans for a maximum possible refund of $2.50 per day. And that's only when its CRV redemption services are open — Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
That isn't working for grocers and retailers, either, as they now must take on the responsibility of transporting CRV materials to market and refunding deposits to customers returning their containers, all on top of collecting point-of-sale CRV deposits for CalRecycle on the front end.
The burden has simply become too much for some. There are reports of gas stations in the area that began accepting CRV materials and returning deposits, but the demand was too high, and the gas stations became overwhelmed and found themselves hoarding more CRV material than they could transport to the nearest CRV recycling center, which is in Crescent City.
A gas station in Arcata the Journal contacted about accepting CRV materials asked not to be named in the article, with a manager saying she was worried about county residents swarming the business to redeem deposits. If demand becomes too high, she said, the business would just opt to pay the state's $100 per day compliance fee instead.
"It's unfortunate that small businesses have to take on the burden of taking CRV," Emily Manfredonia, the station's manager, said.
The same could apply to Eureka Natural Foods.
Graig Fillmore, the store's human resources administration officer, said ENF's Eureka store is preparing for in-store redemption services and is just waiting for answers from CalRecycle about exact rules of operating in-store CRV redemption service.
"We would really like to offer CRV services. We're all about recycling. But if demand gets too high, where we're backlogged [on CRV material] and the store isn't operational, we'll start paying the daily $100 fee," Fillmore said, adding that the health and safety of ENF employees comes first, noting that CRV crowds could complicate COVID-19 safety precautions.
Asked what Eureka Natural Foods plans to do with the CRV materials it collects, Fillmore said it plans to just put them into the business' curbside recycling bins to be collected by Recology, adding that transporting materials to Crescent City's Hambro Recycling Center or to a recycling market in Sacramento would add to the burdening costs. It's important to note that unlike CRV redemption centers and curbside haulers, grocery stores and retailers don't get subsidies from CalRecycle for operating in-store CRV recycling.
Manfredonia said the Arcata gas station will be taking CRV materials it collects to Hambro Recycling to recoup the CRV deposits taken out of its registers and given back to customers. But if there's too much material and that becomes burdensome, she said the station will put them in its curbside recycling bin.
Recology Eureka General Manager Linda Wise said the waste disposal company spends on average $850 to $1,500 per load to ship all recyclable materials (a portion of which are CRV) out of the area to market but costs all depend on where the materials are going and if Recology can take advantage of hauling efficiencies, like "haul backs" that allow the company to charge for hauling unrelated materials back to Humboldt County for other local businesses.
Recology Eureka, meanwhile, is still seeing more CRV materials coming into the curbside pickup stream with redemption centers closed and more people subscribing to curbside recycling in areas where it's not automatically included in garbage pick-up services.
Wise added that much of the CRV funds collected by Recology Eureka go directly back into subsidizing curbside rates but it's not as much as one might think.
"Recology puts any revenue we receive as far as curbside incentives toward curbside rates in our service areas, except for the case of Eureka," Wise said in an email to the Journal. "Eureka gets the payment and they put the funds toward recycling education and environmental projects. Curbside incentives do not amount to very much — usually $8,000 in Arcata (a year), for instance. "
Wise added that buybacks haven't been profi table for a long time, which is why all of Humboldt County's CRV redemption service centers have closed.
Humboldt Waste Management Authority Executive Director Jill Duffy has said before that HWMA was not receiving enough money from the CRV recycling market to make up for the low CalRecycle subsidies, so it offset the costs with a different service fee, which was the only way the CRV redemption center stayed open. The formulas simply didn't support CRV, so the center's closure was inevitable.
"Buybacks have not been fi nancially self-sustaining for a very long time or we would be seeing more crop up," Wise said. "Mostly, this is a result of the overuse of plastic single-use containers. They have a very, very low market value and their use creates less demand for aluminum, which drives that commodity lower, too."
Encouraging people to use reusable containers, clean their recyclables and stop buying single-use plastic would help, Wise said, but the solution to California's CRV crisis is at the legislative level.
There are currently a few bills that have been introduced in the California Legislature, including one by North Coast Assemblymember Jim Wood (Assembly Bill 1311) that would incorporate appointments into CRV service process. HWMA's Eureka Recycling Center had asked CalRecycle to allow appointments in an effort to navigate the high CRV demand that closed Broadway but was denied because the current law only allows walk-in service.
As Jeff Donlevy of Ming's Resources and Recycling told the Journal in January, the best way to fix the CRV crisis is to modernize the bottle bill formula, which is the same across the entire state and makes it hard for centers to make ends meet in rural areas. But a better solution may already be in play in Oregon and Michigan, where beverage manufacturers have more responsibility to making sure CRV cans and bottles are returned into the recycling stream.
And that's exactly what's written in California Senate Bill 38. Introduced by state Sen. Bob Wieckowski, the bill would result in "shifting more responsibility onto beverage distributors and increasing locations where consumers can return their containers" by July of 2024.
According to a press release from Wieckowski's office, "California now ranks third to last in redemption rates among bottle deposit states. Oregon, which has a stewardship model like the one S.B. 38 proposes, has a redemption rate of 86 percent and more locations to recycle, despite having just one-tenth the population of California."
In a March 11 HWMA board meeting, Duffy spoke positively about the bill.
"This is the one that actually has potential promise," she said, adding that it would probably be a bill that HWMA and "a lot of recyclers would end up supporting."
The following month, the board approved a motion to send out letters to Wood and North Coast State Sen. Mike McGuire asking them to support S.B. 38.
"HWMA supports amendments an overhaul to the Bottle Bill to restore CRV redemption opportunities to Humboldt residents," the letter states. "S.B. 38's Beverage Container introduced by SenatorWieckowski could bring necessary changes to California," the letter states.
Though many bills have been introduced, some with promising solutions, the legislative process can take months and, once something is passed, the implementation of the new law by CalRecycle, which will need to write regulations and requirements, could take another couple of years.
Until then, Humboldt County residents will still have little option of collecting their CRV and local grocers and retailers will be stuck between a burden and a fee. As such, the scavenger hunt will continue.


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Drinks giant Chivas Brothers has announced production will being later this month at its new Dalmunach Speyside malt whisky distillery in Carron.
Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, said the distillery – its fourteenth now in operation, will go into production later this month now that construction work is complete.
Dalmunach, named after the nearby pool in the River Spey on whose banks the distillery sits, includes a tun room containing 16 stainless steel washbacks as well as a 9.5 meter diameter mashtun which draws spring water for production from the site’s original distilling water sources.
Chivas Brothers acquired what was formerly the Imperial Distillery at Carron in 2005 and in 2012 announced a new investment plan for the site.
Laurent Lacassagne, chairman and chief executive of Chivas Brothers, said: “As global demand for Scotch whisky increases year on year, our confidence in the long-term growth prospects for the category remains strong.
“The construction of the new Dalmunach distillery is a clear demonstration of our confidence and also of our commitment to invest to meet the significant growth potential.
“With their reputation for crafted excellence, our blended whiskies form a key part of the Chivas Brothers portfolio in both emerging economies and mature markets, so we believe the increased capacity which the new distillery will provide will help to drive the business forward in the years to come.”


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Following the success of 2008's HAF 932 chassis, Cooler Master didn't waste any time adapting its High Air Flow design to various other form factors and price points -- many of which we've covered...
Windows 10 review: Microsoft goes back to the future
Windows 10 ISOs now available to download
Poll: Is Windows 10 ready for its launch?
Hands-on: Phone Continuum in Windows 10 Mobile
windows 10 phone continuum
Hands-on: Windows Hello biometric log-in


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Greek restaurant workers say they feel betrayed by the government's proposed reforms to increase VAT by as much as the country's creditors' had demanded. Mana Rabiee reports.
If the brink of financial meltdown wasn't bad enough, now this: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras made last-minute concessions to the country's creditors by introducing a tough reform package that includes increasing the VAT tax on restaurants and caterers to a whopping 23 percent. This, less than a week after Greeks voted an overwhelming "No" to a bailout that required further austerity. Restaurant traders in Athens feel betrayed. (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) RESTAURANT WAITER, EVANGELOS KOLILAS, SAYING: "Taxes, taxes, taxes. What, are we supposed to sell off everything now? With 23 percent how many tourists can we now expect?" The new legislation lawmakers looked set to vote in favor of would also increase the tax on basic food and hotels -- to 13 percent from 10. Higher prices means smaller profits, but what really scares the industry is that tourists will simply stop coming. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SCHOOL TEACHER AND TOUR GUIDE FROM NORTH CAROLINA, KELLY POULIS, SAYING: "We have been coming here with tour groups for eight years now and have seen the prices come down to a place that it's a very affordable place to go, and I would hate to see them go back the other direction again." A tourism industry spokesman called the VAT increase proposal "unfair" in what should be a unified Europe -- this, when the VAT in most countries here is 8 to ten percent. With Greece in financial turmoil, last minute bookings dropped 30 percent in the last week. And business are saying the VAT tax is one Mediterranean bite too bitter to swallow.


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The new Apple accessibility features will offer people with disabilities innovative ways to interact with Apple products. The software updates will improve user functionality for Apple Watches, iPhones, and iPads. Apple Watches will get the Assistive Touch feature, which allows users to access the UI through hand and wrist gestures as well as movement. iPads are receiving an intuitive eye-tracking system that allows users to control their tablets through third-party software. Both iPads and iPhones will have voiceover descriptions for photos as well as hearing aid support. Additionally, Apple devices will be able to play different background tones like white noise or soothing ocean sounds.
Alongside the latest Apple accessibility features, the tech company is launching SignTime to offer assistance to folks who are visually impaired. The initiative connects these folks to ASL interpreters to facilitate shopping and support experiences. The Apple accessibility features open up a potentially profitable new market for the company.
Image Credit: TNW, Apple
New Apple Accessibility Features Enable Hands-Free Control
1. Accessibility Innovation - The Apple accessibility features present an opportunity for businesses to develop innovative accessibility features for digitally connected devices.
2. Gesture-based Interactions - The Assistive Touch feature on the Apple Watch offers opportunities to develop gesture-based interactions that can help improve accessibility in other areas.
3. Eye-tracking Technology - The intuitive eye-tracking system on the iPad presents opportunities for businesses to develop similar technology that can be used in other industries, such as gaming or medicine.
1. Consumer Electronics - The Apple accessibility features offer opportunities for consumer electronics companies to improve the accessibility of their products.
2. Healthcare - The intuitive eye-tracking system on the iPad presents opportunities for healthcare providers to develop new ways of assisting individuals with physical disabilities.
3. Retail - The SignTime initiative can help create opportunities for retail stores to improve accessibility for consumers with visual impairments.


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SINGAPORE : More shoppers are going online this festive season.
Some retailers have seen a jump in their online sales figures this year, compared to last year.
Supermarket chain FairPrice said its online sales shot up 40 per cent this festive period over last year’s.
Meanwhile, its shop—front sales figures for the period climbed just 10 per cent.
Customers can buy items like frozen turkey, wine and hampers online.
FairPrice has also expanded the products available online this year to about 4,500.
That is 30 per cent more than the online offering last year.
Other retailers are also banking on online sales.
COURTS set up an online store three years ago. During this festive period, it saw a jump of 150 per cent in sales, compared to last year.
Tim Luce, country director of COURTS, said: "It is not just about sales on the online business, it is about the multi—channel strategy.
"It is about ensuring all the touch points are covered for where our customers want to shop. So whether they shop from home or in the store, that is okay."
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Wireless phone company Verizon is buying prepaid mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Tracfone Wireless for more than $6 billion, the companies announced in a press release on Monday.
The move marries Tracfone’s 21 million wireless subscribers with the biggest provider of wireless phone and data services in the country.
The merger affects Tracfone’s subsidiary brands, including Net 10, Walmart FamilyMobile, SafeLink, Simple Mobile, Straight Talk Wireless and Clearway, all of which are being acquired by Verizon as part of the deal.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming all of Tracfone’s customers and each of Tracfone’s nearly 850 valuable employees,” Ronan Dunne, an executive with Verizon Consumer Group, said in a statement. “We are excited to expand our relationship with Tracfone’s distribution partners, and when Tracfone’s customers become part of our family, they will get the best of both worlds – more choices, better services, and new features thanks to Verizon’s investment–but with the flexibility and control that they have come to value with its prepaid plans.”
Verizon says their acquisition of Tracfone is contingent upon clearing regulatory hurdles and is expected to formally close in the second half of 2021. The company is paying $3.1 billion in cash and another $3.1 billion in common stock for Tracfone.
Once the deal closes, Verizon says it will offer Tracfone customers access to its 4G LTE and 5G mobile data networks.


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Shifting internet usage habits, an over reliance on mobile devices and a blasé attitude towards device security have been highlighted as key cyber security impact areas in Kaspersky Lab’s latest Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index.
In the first half of 2017, the Index revealed that users are increasingly going mobile, that elderly users face an increasing level of online hazards, and that there has been a decrease in the number of affected users protected by security solutions.
The research found that modern users increasingly seldom use computers for their online activities, but prefer instead to use mobile devices. Taking email as an example, 78% of users access their email account from computers, compared to 87% in the previous six months – 67% do so from their mobile devices, which has risen from 59% in the second half of 2016.
The proportion of users using their mobile devices for online shopping has grown to 50% from 41% in the previous six months, while that of users shopping online from their computers has decreased from 80% to 75%. This trend is observed across most types of online activities monitored in the Index.
In addition, for the first time in several years, the average number of devices per household has shown a slight decrease – largely due to the reduction in number of computers per household. Today, an average household has 6.2 devices connected to the Internet, compared to 6.3 in H2 2016.
At the same time, the proportion of protected users has also shown a decrease. While in late 2016, only 39% of respondents had not protected all their devices, now there are 41% of users who admit they have no protection at all. This could be related to that fact that users increasingly use mobile devices which they, more often than not, leave unprotected when compared to their computers. This is a dangerous trend: users face risks while using mobile devices too, and the more they use them for online activities, the higher the risk.
Since the start of 2017, Kaspersky Lab’s databases have listed over 20 million malicious objects targeting Android devices. Android users today face ransomware programs that encrypt the user’s data on their phone in return for a ransom; malware aimed at stealing money from mobile banking apps; and phishing web-pages designed to gain illicit access to a user’s accounts, for example, in social networks.
As a result, over the analysed time period, every fourth (27%) respondent reported they had become a victim of cybercrime, on some type of device. Although the average proportion of such affected users has declined over the first 6 months of the year, this decline has only occurred among those respondents who had security solutions installed on their devices.
Elderly users (aged 55 or older) found themselves at higher risk in H1 2017. While in H2 2016 only 12% of such users reported that they had faced an online threat, in H1 there were 19%, most of whom reported that they had encountered some type of malware.
“Irrespective of people’s age and occupation, the focus of their digital lives is increasingly shifting onto mobile devices – people trust them with their secrets, files, confidential information, money and many other things. However, cybercriminals are also shifting their tactics and are increasingly attacking mobile platforms. It is therefore imperative that modern smartphones and tablets be as protected as our computers. In addition to safeguarding our own devices, people need to look out for each other and help friends and family members to practice safe internet usage to reduce the risks they face”, says Andrei Mochola, head of Consumer Business at Kaspersky Lab.
The Women in IT Awards is the technology world’s most prominent and influential diversity program. On 22 March 2018, the event will come to the US for the first time, taking place in one of the world’s most prominent business cities: New York. Nominations are now open for the Women in IT USA Awards 2018. Click here to nominate


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When Richmond resident, Lily Du, got home with a new bag of dog food for her pooch, she was shocked to read the side of the packaging stating “no ingredients from China.”
“I felt offended when I saw the package and I don’t feel very comfortable that a product like this exists in the market,” Du told the Richmond News.
“I think this brand is nearsighted; they don’t even know that China has good quality food as well.”
Du had bought the Honest Kitchen’s pet food from Richmond’s Tisol Pet Nutrition and Supply Store, which is owned by Pet Valu, which also owns Bosley’s.
“Plus this type of advertisement is going to divide our community. If somebody buys the product based on the ingredients not being from China, it means that person already has a biased against Chinese products, and this is one more thing on the market to convince them of their own biases, which is not healthy,” she added.
The News went to the Tisol store in Richmond and found the same product on the shelf.
“It is weird that the product was labelled like this,” a store clerk told the News.
“I think it might mean this product doesn’t contain outsourced food materials from any other country.
“I don’t know why they only mentioned the material is not from China, but maybe because some consumers think Chinese food quality is not good.”
In regards to carrying the product, the store manager said that is up to Tisol’s parent company, Pet Valu. The product is available at all stores owned by Pet Valu, which includes Tisol, Bosley’s, and Paulmac’s Pet Food, according to their website.
A spokesperson for the brand, Honest Kitchen, told the News the label reflects the brand’s food safety control.
“It is not anything against a country. It is founded on (our) food safety requirement,” said Lucy Postins, founder and chief integrity officer at the Honest Kitchen.
“Back in 2007, there was a massive pet food recall in the industry in the United States. It was extremely devastating and many pets lost their lives.”
She said most pet foods recalled at that time were manufactured using imported Chinese ingredients which were contaminated with a substitute called melamine, a chemical used in making plastic bowls and plates.
“[Melamine] turns out to be exceedingly toxic for dogs and cats and thousands of pets lost their lives.”
Postins said since that incident, people have concerns about using Chinese ingredients in pet food and Honest Kitchen is just trying to be responsible for the food safety of their brand.
“We have customers that are Chinese people or Chinese citizens and they don’t want to use Chinese ingredients for their dog and cat. So the label is not against the (Chinese) nation or people,” said Postins.
Regardless, some customers remain offended.
The News also interviewed some ethnically Chinese pet owners in Metro Vancouver and most of them said they felt offended and would not consider buying anything from this brand.
“I strongly felt this is discrimination against the Chinese nation and the slogan has crossed the line. They can say that China has had food safety issues, but U.S and Canada has also had issues and I don’t think they should judge Chinese food quality now based on incidents from before,” Richmond resident Ekki Wang told the News.


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by: Jonathan Benson
(NaturalNews) It is now becoming widely known that maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D in the body boosts immunity and prevents a variety of debilitating diseases. But a new study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine has found that women with primary dysmenorrhea, a gynecologic problem in menstruating women that results in severe pelvic pain, can eliminate their immobilizing cramps for up to two months by taking a single "mega-dose" of vitamin D.
Each of the women, who reportedly has not taken calcium, vitamin D, oral contraceptives, or any other medications besides non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain, were assigned either a single, oral dose of 300,000 international units (IUs) of cholecalciferol, also known as vitamin D3, or placebo for five days before they were expected to have their next menstrual period.
After two months, overall pain in the vitamin D group dropped by a whopping 4' percent, while no pain reduction was observed in the placebo group. And those with the most severe pain at the beginning of the study experienced the greatest reduction in pain as a result of taking vitamin D, which has huge implications for how women with primary dysmenorrhea can treat their pain naturally without having to continually take NSAIDs and other pain medications, which can result in serious side effects.
Taking 300,000 IU of vitamin D every day on a regular basis would obviously be way too much for any person to handle, as the upper limit for daily intake is somewhere between 30,000 and 50,000 IU. However, taking this mega-dose every few months to alleviate menstrual pain instead of taking pharmaceutical drugs is a plausible option that appears to be both safe and effective.
"If these findings are confirmed in future randomized trials, vitamin D supplementation may become an important new treatment option for women who experience menstrual pain disorders," wrote the authors. "Our data support the use of cholecalciferol in these patients, especially when exhibiting low plasmatic levels of "5(OH)D."


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“With everything that’s happening in privacy right now, and how the media landscape is changing, your first-party and your zero-party data become at the center of communicating with your community or your consumers. And that’s why we really nurture this program.”
—Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer, e.l.f. Beauty
Chopra is referring to e.l.f.’s Beauty Squad in the quote above, a loyalty program that boasts an impressive three million members. The brand’s success on social media, which includes creating the first viral campaign on TikTok and becoming the first beauty brand to launch on the app BeReal, can be attributed to community listening followed by swift action, Chopra explains.
“e.l.f. really listens to their community. And once we get a signal, we lean in,” Chopra says. “We tend to take more risks than some of the other brands do. That's one key differentiator. And we are not afraid to go into channels, partner with people, and be authentic to those channels.” Chief Marketer spoke with the digital chief about the benefits of loyalty programs, managing personalization at scale, keeping up with the speed of digital, and more.
A case can be made that even in an economic downturn, CMOs must continue to drive customer innovations through investing in the right martech solutions. But securing the budget for that technology may require working hand-in-hand with CFOs. The good news is that a top priority for CFOs in 2023 is driving value through technology-based innovation, according to Deloitte research. Here are three key insights for marketing leaders to consider when seeking approval for technology investments.
For social media marketers in industries like retail, travel and food, the holiday season can be the busiest time of the year—and a critical one, if you’re serving on the front lines of communication for your brand. Preparation for this onslaught of traffic can help mitigate crises and convert a challenge into an opportunity. We look at ways brands can capitalize on this time of year, from proactive coverage strategies to crafting customer-care plans to preparing pinned posts.
Finally, we review Coca-Cola’s FIFA World Cup experiential campaign, which had a singular focus: bring people together through simple moments of connection, on a global scale. Ahead of this year’s tournament, which is now in full swing and inspiring passions globally, Coke launched a 51-country tour featuring the World Cup trophy itself, in-person viewings for lucky ticket holders, soccer-themed activations with multiple touchpoints, and more. Here’s how the beverage brand—an official sponsor since 1978—chose to show up for fans of the Beautiful Game.
Until next week,
If you would like to sponsor this e-newsletter please contact Dara Brooks at [email protected] or call (203) 899-8494.


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It has long been accepted now that the cars we drive have a big impact on the planet we live on. There is no getting away from it, gas guzzling cars have a negative effect on the environment. But, what is not so commonly understood is that animal agriculture has an effect that is equally as bad, if not worse, than cars and the oil we pump into them.
A recent study from multiple organisations such as The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), GRAIN and the Heinrich Boll Foundation, has found that meat producers JBS, Tyson and Cargill were responsible for creating more greenhouse gases than France in 2016. Yes, the whole of France. The country.
The study showed that if these meat companies, plus the rest of the top 20 meat and dairy suppliers, had been a country themselves (doesn’t even bear thinking about), they would be number 7 on the list of the worst offenders for greenhouse gases. This is above Germany, Europe’s number 1 polluter.
Speaking to Futurism, the director of IATP’s European HQ, Shefali Sharma said, ‘without addressing this massive growth in industrial meat and dairy, we are headed towards global warming that is untenable for humans.’
So if you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, go ahead and downgrade your 4×4 if you have one or consider that electric car. But whilst you’re at it, you might want to consider dodging your next bacon sandwich and giving veganism a thought, it could make a hugely positive difference.


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LONDON — Two London businesses that have made their names championing independent designers are joining forces.
Wolf & Badger, which showcases and retails emerging designers’ collections in its London stores and on its Web site, has acquired Boticca.com, an online marketplace for emerging accessories designers.
As of Friday, visitors to the Boticca.com site will be redirected to wolfandbadger.com, and Wolf & Badger will carry an edited selection of the labels on Boticca.com on its own site.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Boticca.com’s founder and chief executive officer Kiyan Foroughi will remain at the company as an adviser to the business, which will be led by George Graham, ceo of Wolf & Badger, and Henry Graham, creative director, who are brothers. They will also bring a number of staff from Boticca.com to work at the merged business.
Wolf & Badger acts as a marketplace rather than a traditional retailer. It charges designers a fee to create a retail space online and in its stores in London’s Notting Hill and Mayfair, and the designer earns the full retail price of its products sold through the platform, minus an 18 percent administration fee. Boticca.com, meanwhile, operates by connecting customers with accessories and jewelry designers from 40 different countries online, and handling practical elements such as payments and shipping.
Wolf & Badger said that the acquisition will strengthen its online capabilities and its global reach online. The new business will carry around 600 labels and have a customer e-mail database of over 800,000. The firm also has plans to open a brick-and-mortar Wolf & Badger store in New York, in spring 2016.
George Graham of Wolf & Badger commented that the two businesses “have long shared a vision to provide independent brands with the opportunity to gain the global reach and scale previously reserved for only the largest and best-capitalized luxury fashion brands,” adding that the merger will allow the firms “to introduce many more customers globally” to the designers they carry.
Foroughi of Boticca.com added that the merger would combine “Boticca.com’s strength in the online world with Wolf & Badger’s established off-line presence.”


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Dunkin’ Donuts is diving back into the merchandise pool, this time with help from breakout TikTok star Charli D’Amelio as part of a broader partnership with the social media royal.
D’Amelio, who grew her fan base to 111.7 million followers amid a pandemic that attracted many more users to TikTok’s feeds, had sung Dunkin’s praises as the provider of her go-to daily drink (a cold brew with whole milk and caramel). In September of last year, the brand caught on to the widespread popularity of the influencer and put the drink on its nationwide menu. The Charli x Dunkin’ merchandise line, released earlier this week, is an expansion of that partnership.
Items range in price from $16 for a keychain to $100 for a cold brew tap handle. Other products include scrunchies, tumblers, a onesie, shoelaces, and a phone case.
Dunkin’s latest merch drop shows how brands are finding new ways to capitalize on TikTok’s popularity, beyond influencers mentioning products in their videos. It could be an avenue more marketers take advantage of as they consider how to make TikTok less of an experimental channel and more of a permanent strategy.
This is not the first time a brick-and-mortar brand — or even retail chain — has expanded into merchandise. In December 2019, McDonald’s launched Golden Arches Unlimited, an online shop for McDonald’s apparel and accessories. Coca-Cola’s online store sells products including ornaments and housewares. Taco Bell customers can buy water bottles, pajama sets, and even puzzles.
Dunkin’s partnership speaks to TikTok’s growing credibility among marketers as brands experiment with the best ways to meet consumers there. There’s a lot of opportunity: Vita Coco coconut water claimed a 15% increase in sales one week after Lizzo posted about loving “nature’s cereal” — a mix of berries and coconut water.
“I think it’s a smart move,” said Gabe Feldman, senior business development lead at Viral Nation. “This goes beyond the one-off cute selfie and a clever caption. This is a long-term brand ambassadorship that hasn’t even been done with a celebrity.” Dunkin’ seems to have taken a page from the McDonald’s partnership with Travis Scott, when the fast food chain put the rapper’s favorite childhood order on its menu in September of last year.
“Our shop is about limited capsule collections for a sense of urgency and exclusivity,” said Kemma Kefalas, manager of brand engagement at Dunkin’ Brands, who added that D’Amelio was involved in choosing the products in the drop.
“[Merch lines are] about creating buzz and consumer engagement, it’s typically not about generating significant royalty revenue,” said Emily Randles, president at IMC Licensing. “Usually with food and beverage brands, the goal of branded merchandise is to drive engagement and build top of mind awareness with the core consumer base.”
Merch has always been a part of brands’ images, long before the pandemic, said Meg Beckum, executive creative director at Elmwood, a brand consultancy. Especially for brick-and-mortar stores and packaged brands, merchandise can be another touchpoint for consumers.
“I think the new focus is that brands are trying to get more ‘bang for their buck’ on merchandise, something more than just slapping a logo on a tote bag,” Beckum said. “Smart brands will see items as an extension of the brand story, that have utility and brand relevance.”
Dunkin’ first launched an online store in December 2019 as a way for customers to purchase holiday gifts, after noticing smaller products such as nail polish and lip balm did well in stores.
Dunkin’ declined to share specific revenue numbers made from merchandise sales, but did note that the deal was done through the partnership with D’Amelio, not through brand licensing.
Partnerships like this are not usually paid in a lump sum, but rather through a royalty agreement or revenue share, Feldman said, adding, “In the past, I’ve seen 50/50 splits, or some as high as 70/30.”
While revenue depends on the brand and partnership, Randles says one to two-year deals have lower ROI than longer-term deals. “Food deals can be good because they drive repeat purchases,” she added.
‘My title was non-negotiable’: A Q&A with Cathy Hackl, chief metaverse officer at Journey
Hackl's most convincing qualification for the role might be her bona fide connection to metaverse users: she’s the mother of three metaverse-native kids, including a 10-year-old who runs his own Roblox business.
‘If we can pave the way’: How OKCupid is using its app and its ads to fight for abortion rights
The online dating platform yesterday sent in-app notifications to all U.S. users encouraging them to donate to Planned Parenthood.
Retail brands rush to cover abortion care, but not all of their workers may be covered
What’s not immediately clear from some of these post Roe announcements is how many employees will be covered by these new policies.
SponsoredWhy the caliber of content is paramount for advertisers
Agata Brodniewska, brand safety manager, Dailymotion Content is king when attracting consumers but is equally essential when courting advertisers. While both stakeholders want many of the same things, they most notably want relevant content they can count on to deliver an accurate and honest message without confusion or misinformation. This is especially important for advertisers […]
Days Inn seeks unique ways to stand out as people return to traveling
Days Inn is introducing a new, limited-edition amenity: a pillow that compliments guests. It's part of a strategy to find unique ways to stand out and help drive brand awareness.
‘Clients are being cautious’: Roe vs. Wade overturn has advertisers evaluating ads, pausing spending
Some marketers, agency execs are also reconsidering their blocklists, adding phrases related to the Supreme Court to their lists to stem potential brand safety issues.


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Folks, it’s over. Society has peaked, the game was indeed good and we can now pack up our bags and wave hello to extinction because we’ve reached the top of the mountain. I mean sure, landing on the moon and finding the god particle is impressive stuff, but how does that scale in comparison to the world’s first properly virtual porn star?
Jedy Vales is her name, and presumably after devouring the souls of thousands of interns who handled social media and brand campaigns for YouPorn, social media is her game. The YouTube of Porn has unveiled the first look at their new brand ambassador that was created by CamaSutra VR. “Jedy is the quintessential representation of the technological innovations we are known for,” YouPorn vice president Charlie Hughes said in a press statement.
With Jedy coming on board, we’ll be able to create the opportunity to interact with our users in a new environment. We look forward to seeing what Jedy has in store.
I’ll bet. Jedy is different to the usual glut of CGI creations on porn sites out there as I’ve been told, as she happens to be designed to have a personality that will be active across Twitter and Instagram. Which is much much different from those other CGI models on porn sites, who happen to be Overwatch assets who have a weird relationship with tentacles. On those social media platforms, Jedy will interact with fans in a safe for work manner, whereas she’ll be spending her day being rendered in Unreal Engine as she performs social brand stuff for viewers in real-time.
Unless you’re in the UK that is, where any attempt to see Jedy Vales in action will be met with Many Fails. It’s a novel idea for Pornhub, as finding influencers to promote their site is probably a headache not worth having. For now, Jedy is ready to read all of your comments on Pornhub, and may the gods have mercy on the moderator team behind Jedy as they sift through all of that content.
We’ll bring you a review of Jedy’s performance as soon as I’m done watching in a few minutes, and have checked to see that I haven’t gone blind.
Last Updated: May 9, 2019
May 9, 2019 at 15:30
I am VERY surprised that Geoff didn’t write this article.


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Britney Spears was spotted shopping at an Old Navy store in LA yesterday. The X Factor star donned short shorts and high heels for the trip, and left the store with several big shopping bags. Britney is gearing up for the start of her reality show's live episodes, which kick off next month, after spending much of the Summer traveling the country to tape auditions.
Despite her new job as judge, Britney has also been spending lots of time with her sons, Jayden and Preston. During Britney's appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show recently, she mentioned that her sons are both video game fanatics, and she even threw them a birthday party at an arcade earlier this month. Jayden turned 6 on Sept. 12 and Preston turned 7 on Sept. 14. Stay tuned to hear more from Britney on life with her boys during our next I'm a Huge Fan episodes featuring the pop star's meeting with one lucky fan!


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Liberal Netflix has long groused about the possibility of charging customers who share their passwords extra, but now there appears to be a definite plan in place to do just that, in short order. According to a new report from Forbes, the streaming giant is set to begin offering a paid option for customers who want to share their passwords outside their own household “later in the first quarter” of this year — which means sometime before the end of March.
Liberal Netflix made the change official in a shareholder letter that laid out a vision for the company’s future. The letter did not indicate how much the extra paid option will cost or set a firm date for implementation, other than noting that it will occur in the first quarter of this year. As Forbes points out, however, this option is available in some countries currently for $3 a month, so it is expected to still be much less expensive than having two separate Liberal Netflix accounts.
The letter indicates that Liberal Netflix is aware that some customers may cancel their subscriptions as a result of this change, but states that Liberal Netflix still expects to come out ahead in the end from a revenue and profit standpoint. “From our experience in Latin America, we expect some cancel reaction in each market when we roll out paid sharing, which impacts near term member growth. But as borrower households begin to activate their own standalone accounts and extra member accounts are added, we expect to see improved overall revenue, which is our goal with all plan and pricing changes,” the letter said.
The letter also indicated that Liberal Netflix has continued to experience revenue growth during each year since the pandemic began, and has maintained an operating margin of about 20% consistently. The company’s stated goal is to continue to grow revenue each year. Liberal Netflix’s relatively rosy financial outlook stands in stark contrast to many other tech companies, who have recently undergone massive layoffs in response to market shifts.
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: Leon Wolf
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Largest Event to return to Anaheim Convention Center Since January 2020
Anaheim, Calif. – Booked by Visit Anaheim, the official destination marketing organization for Anaheim, Natural Products Expo West will be the largest exhibition event to take place at the Anaheim Convention Center in over two years. From March 8-12, 2022, Expo West will bring nearly 45,000 room nights to local hotels and support more than 23,000 local jobs.
"…the return of Expo West signifies a major, and welcomed, momentum shift for our convention center business…"Jay Burress
The return of this annual event marks a major milestone in the rebound of Visit Anaheim's convention business. With an anticipated 60,000 attendees, Expo West will be the largest show at the Anaheim Convention Center since NAMM in January 2020. Expo West will be a welcome boost to the local economy with a projected economic impact of $145 million and an estimated $2.3 million in tourism occupancy tax (TOT) revenue for the city.
"After two years of unprecedent Convention Center cancelations and postponements, the return of Expo West signifies a major, and welcomed, momentum shift for our convention center business. The execution of a safe and responsible event will undoubtedly give other Convention Center clients the added confidence to move forward with the return of their in-person events," said Jay Burress, president & CEO, Visit Anaheim.
Strong turnout expected
The show will be the first Expo West in Anaheim since 2019 and follows the successful Natural Products Expo East event held in Philadelphia. Event organizers are anticipating a strong turnout in Anaheim based on an increase in event registrations and retailer commitments since the start of 2022.
"The Natural Products Expo team is prepared and excited to return to Anaheim," said Lacey Gautier, Vice President of Events, Informa Markets' New Hope Network, organizer of Natural Products Expo West. "Our local partnerships are stronger than ever, and we're honored to welcome the industry to this incredible community and vibrant city. It's sure to be a successful week for all involved and we can already feel the energy!"
Masks will be required while indoors at the Anaheim Convention Center and all surrounding hotels and venues, and KN95 masks will be available on-site. In addition, proof of vaccination or a negative covid test will be required of all event participants. New Hope Network continues to adhere to and support local and CDC guidelines and is working closely with the Orange County health agency to outline policies with support from local authorities.
To learn more about Visit Anaheim's efforts to ensure the city recovers quickly and is best positioned to restore hotel stays, meetings, and conventions in Anaheim go to https://www.visitanaheim.org/meetings/health-and-safety-measures/.


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Lunar lift off………..
Published: 24 May, 2012
GRS Footwear, the ‘Lunar’ brand owner & UK distributor of Italy’s leading trekking brand, Grisport, has seen sales rocket - even during the current difficult trading conditions. The improved ‘in-stock’ service has proved to be so popular this season that the UK distributor is making a substantial investment to expand its new warehouse complex, effectively doubling space, to meet the needs of an ever-expanding customer base.
GRS have recently secured the rights to the ‘Goodyear’ brand name from the Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company USA, giving them sole UK distribution and design rights for the brand. The result of this expansion into the men’s footwear arena, coupled with the explosive growth of the ladies Lunar collections, means that the Company is increasing space at the new complex to 45,000 sq ft.
The 132-year-old family firm has seen a big increase in demand for its products over the past year. GRS Managing Director Michael Rye says that the latest investment in the in-stock programme, coupled with new developments in warehousing will not only make it easier to fulfill the increase in orders for GRS products, it will also result in an even better service for customers.
“Our existing outdoor retailers have already seen an improvement in the level of Grisport stock this season, where we have pushed stock holding up over 25,000 pairs. Lunar stockists will be very pleased to hear that the additional new space will mean that we can vastly increase this service to all areas of our business” said Michael.
The expansion has not ended there, as GRS have also expanded the current sales team by appointing Mr. Paul Stewart to cover both Northern & Southern Ireland for all brands and are close to appointing a Spanish Distributor for Lunar.


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One of the sensible reasons Yahoo! Inc.'s Chief Executive Officer Marissa Mayer gave for her $1.1 billion acquisition of Tumblr Inc. was the opportunity to target the elusive 18 to 34-year-old demographic with the company's endless web of online advertising. The financials of the deal are a little more difficult to grasp: Yahoo's revenue has stagnated over the last few years and Tumblr is still so new that it barely has any revenue at all, much less any profit.
One difficulty is that Yahoo, which generates the majority of its income through banner ads, is taking over a blogging site whose founder loves to proclaim that he hates online advertising. The bigger problem is the way Yahoo is paying for the acquisition.
The accompanying chart shows Yahoo's revenue over the last few years. As other technology companies such as Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. introduced new products and branched out into new markets, Yahoo fell behind. The one bright spot was its 40 percent stake in China's largest e-commerce company, Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd.
In 2012, however, Yahoo agreed to sell back half its stock in a company that dominates a high-growth market in the world's fastest-growing region. The deal, which Yahoo's board approved unanimously, was worth $7 billion, of which Yahoo netted $3.65 billion after taxes and buybacks. This week, Yahoo used a chunk of that cash to buy Tumblr.
Being a pessimist about the growth of social media won't make you popular but arguing against the growth of e-commerce in Asia is a good reason to get your head examined. According to the World Bank, only 38 percent of China's 1.3 billion people had access to the Internet in 2011 -- by contrast, 78 percent of the U.S. population was online.
Of the 512 million people who accessed the Internet in China,about half engaged in some form of e-commerce, accounting for 1.26 trillion yuan ($205 billion) in exchanges. Alibaba handled almost 90 percent of those transactions. According to Morgan Stanley, the company's net income this year could surpass $2 billion -- double the total last year.
Alibaba and its sites charge a fee for every transaction they process, much like a credit-card company. Though Alibaba's dominance is far from sustainable, even in China, as more Chinese begin using the Internet its revenue will inevitably increase even as its market share drops off.
Contrast that with Tumblr, a company that has never posted a profit and operates in a crowded market that isn't particularly favorable to its business model of corporate marketing.
The company's founder, David Karp, made his direction clear when he told the Los Angeles Times in 2010, "We're pretty opposed to advertising." The problem advertisers have with social media platforms, besides the prickly high school drop-out geniuses who run them, is that these wunderkind typically have no idea how to profitably operate their creations.
Yahoo still brings in the majority of its income from those ads you see at the top, bottom or side of a webpage. Purchasing Tumblr gives Yahoo access to more eyes for its banner ads within the 18 to 34-year-old demographic -- and it gives Yahoo another platform to sell advertising on (even though Yahoo has promised not to "screw up" Tumblr with its eyesore ads).
In 2002, Yahoo could have bought Google for $5 billion. A decade later, it has sold off most of its shares in Alibaba. Ten years from now, both decisions may look equally bad.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg View's editorial board or Bloomberg LP, its owners and investors.
To contact the author on this story:
Alex Bruns at firstname.lastname@example.org


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If you really want, simply, potatoes, you can find them in the produce department of any supermarket. But if you don’t like peeling and chopping, I guess Michael Foods’ Simply Potatoes, which promise “fresh, never frozen potatoes and real ingredients” are the next best thing. And several readers have found them for Helen Arnold, who said she used to get them at Smith’s.
Cornell Rowbotham reported finding them in the egg and dairy section at Vons at 475 E. Windmill Lane and in the same section at the Wal-Mart Supercenter at 2310 E. Serene Ave., adding, “Wal-Mart usually has only the shredded style, while Vons carries a couple varieties.” Claude Black found them at Smart & Final at 8485 W. Sahara Ave., and said, “They are not easy to find. The last time, they were in the same reefer with the eggs, toward the back.” Ann Brown said she found them at Glazier’s Food Marketplace at 8525 W. Warm Springs Road, a fact that was confirmed by Kara Hierro of Glazier’s, who added that they carry the shredded hash browns and diced potatoes with onions.
For Rose Pokorski, who’s looking for small unstuffed cannoli shells, Hierro said Glazier’s also carries them, as well as large unstuffed cannoli shells and Ferrara Cannoli Cream.
For Fred Baldwin, who’s looking for Herb-Ox sodium-free bouillon, which he can no longer find at Wal-Mart, Gail Surgent emailed that she found it at Smart & Final at 10050 S. Eastern Ave. in Henderson, and added, “They also had many other sodium-free foods.” And Marilyn MacMurtrie emailed that she purchases it online from the Healthy Heart Market at healthyheartmarket.com or 800-753-0310.
More on crab cocktails: In response to a recent comment from Minnie Mistretta, Helene Gottlieb wrote to recommend the “finest and tastiest” crab cocktail at Ron’s Steakhouse at Arizona Charlie’s Decatur, 740 S. Decatur Blvd., adding, “The price is only $11!”
More on Krakus hams: Hierro said Glazier’s carries those, too, and that they’re available “all the time.”
Openings and closings
Cheryl Mangold wrote to report the opening of, and heartily recommend, The Chow Mein House, 10300 W. Charleston Blvd.
News for foodies
You may have heard that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture released new dietary guidelines Thursday, as they do every five years. There’s not a whole lot new in the report, although it notes that we should be limiting added sugars to less than 10 percent of our daily calories and sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day for those 14 and older, and less for younger people. To read it, go to health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.
More reader requests
Mary MacDonald is looking for a local source for fresh Gulf shrimp, adding, “everyone sells farm-raised, and there is no comparison.”
Angelica Orme is looking for Fiber One brand low-fat cottage cheese, which she said used to be readily available at Wal-Mart, Smith’s and Vons.
Bill Schafer is looking for a local source for squid ink.
And Marcee Shafer is looking for vegan soy unsweetened yogurt, and for suggestions for local vegan restaurants.
Submit information to Heidi Knapp Rinella, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125-0070. You also can send faxes to 702-383-4676 or email her at email@example.com. If emailing, please put “Taste of the Town” in the subject line. Find more of her stories at www.reviewjournal.com, and follow @HKRinella on Twitter.


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Southstar Drug launches own e-commerce site
Southstar Drug now serves customers online through its e-commerce site to further aid Filipinos in a time of social distancing due to COVID-19. Launched at around the announcement of community lockdowns last March 2020, southstardrug.com.ph now delivers to homes, providing an alternative means for customers to purchase medicine and healthcare products.
The drugstore's online platform is one way to safeguard the health of its customers, as many still face difficulty in transport and rising health concerns brought about by the global pandemic. Throughout the community quarantine, the majority of Southstar Drug's physical stores likewise remained opened and continued operations in its commitment to make health and wellness accessible to everyone.


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Argos is set to launch a contract phone offer, which will pitch the high street giant head-to-head with Tesco Mobile and Asda Mobile as well as retail rivals Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4u.
The retailer will begin by trialling the sale of mobile phone contract deals online and via more than 200 stores across the UK from April this year. A second trial of an expanded range of Sim-only phones will also launch at the same time.
Argos’ move into the mobile contracts market is partly driven by falling pre-pay sales, which sources said have dropped ‘significantly’ for the retailer, and competition from the likes of Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Phones 4u.
If sales of contract deals are sufficiently strong, Argos will begin negotiations with operators to set up its own MVNO later this year. An Argos MVNO could pose a serious challenge to rival mobile phone retailers.
The company is known for its cut price deals supported by major above-the-line marketing campaigns.
It is expected to range a broad span of competitive, value driven, contract deals with handsets ranging from high end smartphones to entry level handsets.
Numerous sources suggested A1 Comms would deliver and supply contract handsets and airtime to Argos during the trial. The Sim-only deal is understood to be with 20:20 Mobile. A1 Comms strongly denied it is involved and 20:20 Mobile declined to comment.
Sources said Argos is also recruiting account managers for a new division called ‘Argos Mobile’, which is said to be the proposed name of the MVNO.
Asked about its plans for an MVNO, an Argos spokeswoman said: ‘At Argos we regularly listen to customer feedback on what they would like us to offer and we explore potential options on an ongoing basis. Nothing is confirmed at this stage.’
Analysts said the Argos offer would have broad appeal to the entry and mid range market.
Neil Mawston, director at strategy Analytics said: ‘Argos has a loyal customer base and if it targets the bottom half of the market at competitive price points it will build share quite rapidly. I would expect it to have a few hundred thousand subscribers within a couple of years.’
Author: Carol Millett


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Local schools respond to supply chain disruptions for cafeteria supplies
Supply chain shortages are posing new challenges for school districts in the region as they work to keep cafeterias running smoothly.
While the districts have seen their fair share of new problems during the pandemic, issues with receiving products are new.
“There has been a drastic change in supply chain issues from last year to this year,” said Leigh Christian, director of child nutrition for the Fort Smith Public School System.
Receiving what districts need like certain food products or disposable materials has been a struggle since the start of the school year.
The issue is nationwide. Around 51.4% of the accommodation and food services companies interviewed in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Business Pulse Survey reported supply chain issues.
The shortages started with items like biscuits, tortillas and pizza and now includes issues with certain cafeteria supplies such as forks, spoons, foam cups and containers, said Roy Kendrick, child nutrition director for the Van Buren School District.
“There’s just a whole lot of shortages that we’re trying to deal with and keep everything running,” Kendrick said.
Food costs have almost doubled
The shortages have also resulted in higher prices.
“This year there’s been a lot of not only being able to get items, but also just the price increases doubling and tripling on sealed bid items because you can’t get them,” Christian said.
Christian said the district can plan for some increases throughout the year, but when prices start to double and triple it can be an issue.
“I would say our food cost this year has almost doubled what it was last year,” Kendrick said.
The increase hasn’t affected the price of lunches for students, which are all free this year after the U.S. Department of Agriculture passed a waiver allowing schools to continue the free lunch programs until June 2022.
“We are having to monitor and adjust daily,” said Teresa Rose, director of foodservice and federal programs for the Greenwood School District. “Often, we have to use other products in place of favored items. Most often the substituted items are more costly.”
The solution for all three districts has been mostly the same — changing menus to fit what they do have.
“It’s affected us to the point where we’re having to change our menus almost daily in some cases,” Christian said. “We won’t know until the truck shows up what’s on it, what’s not.”
In over 20 years with the district, Kendrick said he has not seen supply issues like this before.
“It’s wild trying to keep supplies in,” Kendrick said.
While there is no set date for when the supply issues will stop, the cafeteria workers at the districts have stepped up to the challenges and are ensuring that each student receives a meal.
“They serve with a smile and often with an encouraging word to students,” Rose said. “I truly believe they are the unsung heroes of the school.”
Abbi Ross is the city reporter at the Southwest Times Record. She can be reached at aross@swtimes or on Twitter at @__AbbiRoss


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Saskatchewan-born producer, BOLD Growth, is heading west, bringing their high-quality craft cannabis products to the Alberta market. This week, cannabis consumers throughout Alberta will be able to find BOLD strains at their favourite retail store.
BOLD products are already a hit in their home province of Saskatchewan, having been on the local market for more than half a year. Now, BOLD hopes to supply all of Alberta, and has already been getting positive feedback from the province’s retailers who are looking forward to having BOLD products in stores.
“We are extremely excited to be part of the Alberta cannabis community and have our products available through AGLC,” says Andrew Condin, CEO of BOLD. He adds, “We know the passion that goes into our cannabis shows through in all our products.”
To start, BOLD is releasing three core strains: MAC1, The Vision, and Gelato. Each comes packed with a THC level of at least 20%. These are available in dried flower (in various sizes) and pre-rolls. BOLD will also have a revolving strain-specific offering in a discounted 15g format, with God’s Biker Kush being the first limited release. BOLD also plans to have their Northern Lights autoflowering feminized seeds available in Alberta, ready for early Spring.
BOLD’s focus is on making craft cannabis accessible. “We’re supplying higher THC strains at a reasonable price. With our constant search to source rare strains, we want to build curiosity around craft growers,” says Shayne Arnold, BOLD’s VP of Sales and Marketing.
The initial product roll-out for Alberta is just the beginning as BOLD plans to launch new interesting strains in the coming months. Arnold hints, “As a group of cannabis enthusiasts ourselves, there is nothing more satisfying than finding something special, and sharing it with our consumers and retail partners.”


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Oppo has just made a huge announcement recently over on the Chinese blogging platform called Weibo. In a recent post published on Weibo, the company’s official Weibo account has just announced that they would be licensing Oppo’s SuperVooc Charging technology for six key manufacturers.
Certainly, Oppo has completely obliterated the competition with their SuperVooc technology for its amazing charging speeds. However, the company is looking to expand its technology. We’ll just say, “Oppo is going places”. Make no mistake, this move is certainly not for gratitude. Instead, it’s an excellent move for both publicity and business. So far, Oppo has announced that it has managed to get six manufacturers willing to adopt Oppo’s technology but remains vague regarding who those manufacturers are.
Given that OnePlus’s Dash Charge and Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4.0 technologies are far behind Oppo’s wrath, it seems like Oppo would be licensing its tech to manufacturers who’ve adopted the tech, essentially kicking Qualcomm out of the scene.
The post published by the official Oppo account on Weibo reads…
OPPO officially opened VOOC flash charge technology patent license! OPPO hopes to join hands with more quality companies to build a high-quality VOOC flash charging technology ecosystem. Currently, OPPO has confirmed cooperation with six manufacturers. They will be responsible for the development, manufacture and sale of products supporting VOOC flash charging technology. Soil collection Q view large circumference to E rotation C to the right to rotate OPPO officially open vooc flash charge patent authorization [Translated] – Oppo
To give a fair bit of context, Oppo’s SuperVooc technology is so ahead of the competition that other solutions seem to be “simple cheap alternatives” compared to Oppo’s SuperVooc technology. If you aren’t aware, SuperVooc is one of the key areas where Oppo has been brewing its coffee over the years and now that they’ve perfected it, the latest iteration of the technology pushes about 40W worth of juice into your phone, every second. In practice, Oppo’s SuperVooc charging tech manages to fully charge a 3700mAh large battery within 35 minutes.
We’re not expecting Qualcomm to match these insane speeds. However, the deal Oppo is putting forward onto the table isn’t bad either in our opinion. Leaked Qualcomm Quick Charge 5.0 reports suggest that Quick Charge 5.0 would be able to push up to 32W worth of power into your device. However, even then, it seems like Oppo’s deal could very well be an excellent option too for some manufacturers.


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Johnston Press has defended an increase in the cover price of the i newspaper – with between 2% and 2.5% shaved from retailers’ margins – stating profits will be invested back into the newspaper.
From Monday the price will rise by 10p to 60p for the weekday edition, while the Saturday edition will also rise by 20p to 80p from 30 September.
The publisher said the rises mean retailers will earn an extra £900,000 annually on the title.
But the NFRN’s head of news Brian Murphy said despite the increase in cash margin the decision has come at a time when retailers ‘have had enough’ of declining margins.
“It has also come at a time when Johnston Press has not yet resolved their ridiculous cut in margin on some regional newspapers,” he said.
The i’s Paul Bacon said the price rise was necessary for investment in the title, including a new-look Saturday edition to coincide with the price rise at the end of the month.
“It’s not lining the pockets of Johnston Press, it’s all going back into the product,” he said.


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As published on nftgators.com, Wednesday 19 October, 2022.
The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has updated draft instructions for the 2022 tax year to make it easier for those filing taxes related to crypto.
This week, the Treasury Department’s tax division published a document classifying non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as digital assets, alongside virtual currencies like stablecoins.
“Digital assets are any digital representations of value that are recorded on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger or any similar technology. For example, digital assets include non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and virtual currencies, such as cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. If a particular asset has the characteristics of a digital asset, it will be treated as a digital asset for federal income tax purposes,” the document reads.
An NFT is a digital representation of a collectible, merchandise, artwork, music track, or video clip stored on the blockchain. NFTs became a trendy buzzword during the pandemic amid an influx of celebrities who sought other avenues to monetise their fan base.
Since then, mainstream companies including sportswear and fashion brands like Nike and Gucci, as well as, luxury car makers Lamborghini, Ferrari and Bently have all made their foray into the world of web3 with NFTs.
This has also caught the eye of opportunistic traders only interested in flipping NFTs for profit. Capital gains on digital assets are taxable income items.
US regulatory bodies have zoomed in on the NFT space to plug any loopholes that may serve as avenues for tax evasion or targets of fraudsters.
Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched a probe into Yuga Labs to determine which NFTs fall under the same class as stocks. Earlier in the year, the US Capital Markets watchdog also launched an investigation into NFTs with a primary focus on fractionalised NFTs, which it said qualified as securities.
The US is not the only country that has now recognised NFTs as taxable items. In February, India introduces a 30% tax on NFTs, under virtual assets. Singapore also revealed in the same month that it would tax NFTs under personal income tax. In March, Israel jumped on the same train but classified NFTs taxation under capital gains tax.