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A recent ASSOCHAM report suggested that the Luxury market in India would surpass $18.3 billion in 2016. Online Luxury sales are also picking up pace in small cities, which is a good sign for the market.
Online Marketplace, Amazon launched a Luxury range just 4 months back and now it is the turn of Alibaba backed Paytm. Reports suggests that Paytm plans to role out the ‘Anasa’ Luxury mobile platform, although sources insist it will not be so soon.
Paytm has tied up with International Luxury brands:
Apart from foreign brands, Paytm is also targeting local Indian designer brands that sell products with high ticket sizes. The idea is to create an online Luxury mall, where customers can purchase from the comfort of their mobiles.
Overcoming Luxury Fakes
Countless fakes being sold online is making foreign brands apprehensive when dealing with marketplaces. Flipkart had introduced mystery shoppers to target fake sellers, so this could be a possible solution. Deep discounts are also affecting the brand image of Luxury brands. This will prove a more interesting problem for online marketplaces to fix.
Are you a Luxury seller? Which are the best platforms to sell your goods?


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Mon, 24 Oct 2016 15:29:28 GMT
Sears Appliance and Hardware store in Austintown closing
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The Sears
Appliance and Hardware store on Mahoning Avenue is closing its doors. The closure comes amid several closures of Kmart stores by Sears
' parent company. A worker at the store said the store is scheduled to close ...
Mon, 24 Oct 2016 15:16:33 GMT
Sears to close at Penhorn Mall in Dartmouth
Canada will be closing their store at Penhorn Mall in Dartmouth next year. The lease expires next September and last week Sears
Canada told their 73 Penhorn associates that they had no plans to renew it. “Like many North American retailers, we ...
Mon, 24 Oct 2016 14:11:00 GMT
Sears hardware store in Austintown set to close
A worker at the store confirmed for 21 News that staff was informed last week, the store will be closing in the next few months, although an exact date of closing has not yet been determined. Employees may be offered work at other Sears
stores, but ...
Mon, 24 Oct 2016 13:57:32 GMT
Sears location at Dartmouth's Penhorn Mall to close
department store located at Penhorn Mall in Dartmouth, N.S., will be closing next September. In a statement, the company said it informed staffers last week that it wouldn't be renewing the lease when it comes up in September 2017. The ...
Mon, 24 Oct 2016 13:14:40 GMT
Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD) Deferred Tax Assets At $30
Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD) deferred tax assets were $30 millions for the fiscal concluded 2010-01-31. For the quarter ended 2010-01-31, it was $30 millions. A deferred tax asset is presented on balance sheet when an establishment ...
Mon, 24 Oct 2016 12:02:32 GMT
Mon, 24 Oct 2016 04:01:31 GMT
HomeLife partners with Sears for client discounts
- REM | Real Estate Magazine
HomeLife Realty Services and Sears
Canada have entered into a partnership that will allow HomeLife's agents to provide buyers and sellers with major discounts on appliance packages, as well as Sears
gift cards. “It's the first time we've done something ...
Mon, 24 Oct 2016 03:39:06 GMT
US Department Store Sales Are Declining
The strength of the US department store is tied closely to the health of the mall, which wavers between merely unwell to terminally ill, depending on the source and the metrics it uses. As shopping centers close around the country, traditional anchors ...
Sun, 23 Oct 2016 22:20:44 GMT
Sun, 23 Oct 2016 21:59:26 GMT
Sears Canada confirms longtime Dartmouth location will shut down
- CTV News
at Penhorn Mall has announced it will be shutting its doors in September 2017. Last month, Sears
Canada reported a $91.6 million loss in its latest quarter, which resulted in a warning from the chain and department store that cuts could be on ...

domain: news


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The girls dig Tom Brady. American Idol fans can't get enough of Kelly Clarkson. And baby boomers still adore the Beatles.
Yes, the world had all sorts of reasons to tune into the Super Bowl on Sunday; most of them had nothing to do with the football championship at all, including the lure of those costly commercials.
In fact, 28 percent of those planning to watch the event broadcast said they were more interested in seeing the advertisements than the Super Bowl, according to a survey conducted by comScore Networks.
Even more reason for slapping high-fives in corporate boardrooms: 77 percent of respondents had planned on using the Internet during the game, with Bud Light commercials the most hotly anticipated content online.
To the Internet click counters, pregame ad interest became apparent by kickoff.
Traffic at Budweiser.com surged almost 600 percent on Super Bowl Sunday compared with the average of the last four Sundays.
GoDaddy.com, riding the success of its bawdy commercial, saw clicks rise 378 percent, while the Olympus portable media player ad sparked a 363 percent rise on OlympusAmerica.com.
Traffic rose more than 170 percent at Apple's iTunes.com and Cadillac.com on game day while AmeriquestMortgage.com, Subway.com and PizzaHut.com saw their traffic nearly double.
Ask Jeeves snaps up Bloglines
The acquisition of Bloglines by Ask Jeeves became official Tuesday, much to the collective yawn of media and investors who had already learned about the buyout from chatty Web logs last week.
Bloglines is one of the most popular ways to keep up with over 280 million blog postings, RSS feeds and other online content.
The acquisition was met with mixed reviews in cyberspace. As one blogger put it: "If they try to Jeeves-ify it or remove functionality, I'm going to have a conniption fit."
Google stays busy
Top Internet dog Google
For instance, the Internet juggernaut launched its Google Maps service Tuesday. Searchers use the site to find driving directions and local businesses, as they do with MapQuest and Yahoo Maps, but with some major differences in terms of interface. Visit Google Maps.
Furthermore, Google reportedly said Tuesday that its wildly popular image-search function, which allows users to look for pictures of just about everything, innocent to tawdry, recently hit a new mark of more than 1 billion images in its extensive library.


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Network Appliance ( NTAP) shares took a beating Wednesday, losing 7% of their value after a sell-side note panned the stock on a day when most tech issues did poorly. But the storage vendor's selloff may be the right medicine for an equity that even its fans were calling expensive. "At $38, this stock was priced to perfection," said T. Rowe Price analyst Chirag Vasavada. "But as it pulls back, it looks more interesting," he said in an interview. Vasavada's company did not hold shares as of the latest filing period. Indeed, since hitting a 52-week intraday high of $38.50 on April 20, the stock has depreciated by nearly 26% to $28.60 as of Wednesday's close. This week's slide was apparently triggered by Kaufman Brothers analyst Shebly Seyrafi, who published a note replete with worries, including a rising finished-goods inventory, weak channel checks in Europe, concerns about sales to the federal government and a still historically high price-to-earnings ratio. Seyrafi noted that the company's latest 10-K filing disclosed that NetApp's finished-goods inventory increased from $34 million, or 53% of inventory, in the third fiscal quarter, to $46 million, or 72%, in the fourth quarter -- the highest level since at least 2000. A more typical level is 50% to 55%, he said. Kaufman Brothers does not have an investment-banking relationship with NetApp. The company's 10-K filing on Monday also revealed that NetApp received a comment letter from the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a "routine review" of company filings. The disclosure may also have contributed to Wednesday's selloff, said Baird analyst Daniel Renouard. However, he said the letter appears to be a standard inquiry regarding accounting practices typically received every few years by all companies and "unrelated to option-granting practices. Thus we view it as a non-issue," he said in a note to clients.
Renouard, whose company does not have an investment-banking relationship with NetApp, said the finished-goods inventory build appears related to new-product launches and not to softening demand. He said the current weakness in the stock is "related to mostly spurious issues" and added that the downturn "presents a more attractive entry point." Analysts have been concerned about the company's lofty valuation, particularly when the expense of employee stock options is factored in. On that basis, NetApp is trading at about 43 times 2007 earnings (before Wednesday's slide), compared with 15 times for rival EMC ( EMC), according to Seyrafi. Offsetting that concern for some has been the company's surging top-line growth. In the last two reported quarters, revenue grew by better than 30%, and the company's guidance for the current quarter calls for revenue to increase by 36% to 39% from a year earlier. This growth rate is all the more impressive when compared with the industry's rather anemic compound growth rate of 5.4% for the next five years, says IDC storage analyst Brad Nisbet. The market for external storage systems, the heart of the storage business, is expected to grow to $22.7 billion in 2010 from $17.4 billion in 2005, according to IDC. Although NetApp's forecast may sound aggressive, Loomis Sayles analyst Tony Ursillo said "they set a conservative level of guidance for sales and margins. In the past, though, management let expectations get ahead of reality, and that was a stumbling block." His company is one of NetApp's largest shareholders. Reining in its guidance is just one of the changes that has made NetApp an attractive buy. Once a provider of relatively low-end hardware for network-attached storage, the Sunnyvale, Calif., company has made a number of well-regarded acquisitions and a strategic alliance with IBM ( IBM), moves that have given it the chops to compete for business in the lucrative storage area network market.
The relationship with IBM, which is also a competitor, has given NetApp access to corporate data centers, where the largest deals can be found. Meanwhile, the company has moved into storage software, which enables it to sell even more products into its installed base, says Nisbet. The company has also broadened its hardware line, offering both high-capacity and high-performance drives in the same storage device, he says. And in May, NetApp launched a new line of high-end storage devices aimed at competing with EMC's ( EMC) flagship Symmetrix line and Hitachi Data Systems' ( HIT) TagmaStore platform. There's some disagreement about whether the new products are really in the same class as its rivals -- Enterprise Strategy Group storage analyst Tony Asaro says they are not -- but it is clear that NetApp is moving up the food chain in a manner that bears watching. IDC's Nisbet says it is too early to know if NetApp is winning high-end share from EMC with its new products, but the company's ability to offer a varied product line built on a single operating system is a big plus.


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Traveler, has fully acquired Shep, the Texas-based software company in
which it made a minority investment in January 2020.
in 2016, Shep provides browser-extension based communications and,
among other uses, can help corporates capture travel bookings made
through non-preferred partners and platforms as well as better
understand travelers’ booking behavior and preferences.
FCM said the acquisition comes at a ‘pivotal time’ as it prepares for the global rollout of its new omnichannel travel management platform.
strive to offer a best-in-class traveler experience at every
touch point of the customer journey,” said FCM global managing director,
Marcus Eklund. “The Shep software has allowed us to extend that
experience on third-party websites, further building on the flexibility
we offer customers [and] that we’ve become known for.”
“Our continued focus in game-changing technology provides our corporate
clients with superior tools and services to help them stay ahead of the
rapidly evolving corporate travel landscape. This will allow us to
emerge from the pandemic in an incredibly powerful way.”


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"Now that's different."
And with those few words, actor Bill Murray disrupts his morning "Groundhog Day" routine and hops into a blazing new, orange Jeep Gladiator.
TheStreet rates Jeep's ad as the best Super Bowl commercial this year, so if you don't want to be spoiled, don't watch the video below.
Clocking in at just about a minute, the ad shows Murray wake up at 6 a.m. to the tune of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" and then head off into the snowy day, before he rips off in the rugged vehicle -- with the famed groundhog.
The two live it up -- biking, blazing down the road, playing whack-a-mole at the arcade -- "it's not personal" -- and snowshoe trekking -- until Murray can't find the truck at the end.
"I don't know where we parked. I was following you!" shouts the actor, with the furry animal in tow.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles closed down nearly a quarter on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday to $13.02.
The automaker will report fourth-quarter and full-year 2019 earnings on Thursday,
Latest from Superbowl LIV


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Two waste firms have joined forces to create a new waste paper collection scheme, directly targeting waste coffee and tea cups.
Australian waste company Closed Loop Environmental Solutions and Simply Waste will launch Simply Cups from August 1, a collection service aimed at reducing paper cup waste in the Thames Valley area.
The partnership will initially offer the service to manufacturers and organisations operating in the supply chain, as well as beverage and hospitality outlets within the M25 but it hopes to expand the service nationwide.
Waste will be collected from companies across the supply chain, while there is expected to be no added costs for customers with Simply Waste.
Because of their composition – they are primarily made of high-strength paper with a 5% thin coating of polyethylene – paper cups are seen as being a waste stream that is difficult to recycle.
The partnership has highlighted that previous attempts to recycle the material at a successful rate had failed.
According to the two firms, technological advances have now made it easier to separate the polyethylene lining from the cardboard at an “economically viable rate”.
A new process – pioneered by Cumbria-based firm James Cropper plc – involves the cup waste submerged in a warmed solution, which separates the plastic coating from the fibre.
The polyethylene is skimmed off, leaving water and pulp. Once filtered, the companies claim that a high-grade pulp remains, which is suitable for luxury papermaking and packaging.
James Cropper, which operates the Reclaimed Fibre Plant in the Lake District, has confirmed it will receive material collected by Simply Cups once it has tested the quality of the product for its manufacturing arm.
The firm has found it difficult to secure suitable volumes of paper cups during the past 12 months since the plant opened and until now has relied solely on post-industrial sources for feedstock.
Commenting on the innovation, a spokesman for the Simply Cups partnership argued the waste industry had been “a bit lethargic” in addressing the problem of recycling paper cups, and said it takes only business ingenuity to see the potential benefits.
“For too long paper cup recycling has literally been in its cups,” said Peter Goodwin, director of Closed Loop, said: “Our new service will provide any business, operating within the hospitality and beverage supply chain, with a cup collection and recycling service that will in fact help reduce their overall waste disposal costs. This will be game-changing for cup manufacturers and beverage outlets that are have been caught in the media spotlight due to the absence of any recycling solutions.”
James Capel, managing director of Simply Waste Solutions, added: “The bulk collection of cups will be processed here in the UK, and once the materials are recovered they will be manufactured into new end-use products all within the UK, which is a perfect example of how recycling should work.”
It is currently estimated that a total of 2.5 billion paper cups are used in the UK each year, most of which are likely to be disposed of via landfill or energy from waste.


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When India banned smoking in public in 2008, electronic cigarettes were not on the horizon. In fact, the Indian market woke up late to the ecigarette trend, but it’s now making up for lost time with a vengeance. On this World No Tobacco Day (May 31), for example, the Indian market for cigarettes has changed a lot, compared to even a couple of years ago. Even though smoking is still prevalent, in the urban context, e-cigarettes and alternative electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) have been on the rise in that time.
The pros and cons of e-cigarettes, which contains a small cartridge with a solution of nicotine and other flavourings, have been subject to a global debate for years. While many have claimed it has helped them wean off cigarettes or gives them a healthier alternative to smoking, others are concerned that the e-cigarettes — with their lack of smell and pleasant taste — will make it easier for non-smokers to get hooked on nicotine.
Earlier this month, the health ministry issued a circular urging other departments to hold off on publishing any studies or reports on the e-cigarette market. The ministry has been at loggerheads with e-cigarette makers and vaping companies over the status of nicotine delivery devices and doesn’t want the government’s stance to be diluted by any research or reports.
World No Tobacco Day: Legal Challenges For Ecigarettes
In August 2018, in a public advisory, the ministry said such alternative devices pose a “great health risk to the public at large” and since then various global research reports have studied the effects of e-cigarettes, vapes and nicotine devices.
Also that August, India’s health ministry told states to ensure nicotine devices are banned from being sold online, manufactured or even marketed in the country. Since that notice, Indian law enforcement and customs department have been cracking down on ENDS crossing the border. In March the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation issued a similar notice to halt sales and marketing of nicotine devices.
While the customs, drugs and health administrations are against e-cigarettes, the trade ministry said in April this year that it cannot impose a ban on e-cigarette imports since local production of it has not been halted yet.
The lack of a clear official understanding of such devices seems to be one of the primary reasons for this indecision. The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) is scheduled to release a “white paper” about nicotine devices on ‘World No Tobacco Day’ today (May 31). ICMR officials and scientists have studied over 100 research papers on nicotine delivery devices to create an official stance for India.
According to the World Health Organisation, India had 266.8 Mn tobacco users and people exposed to secondhand smoke in 2018 in the $12 Bn cigarette market. Looking to tap the big market opportunity, ecigarette companies and startups have been hesitant in stepping thanks to the clear dangers posed by cigarettes and the assumption that alternatives may not be very safe.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there were 14 lakh cancer patients in 2016, with the highest number of cases being for lung and oral cancer, often caused by tobacco and smoking. In India, 13 states have already banned e-cigarettes and Odisha and Haryana are planning to follow suit.
Marketing To The Youth
Part of the confusion for e-cigarette makers and startups in India stems from the legal hurdles thrown at them by the government. Court cases around the legality of manufacturing and sale of e-cigarettes and other ENDS are currently ongoing. The health ministry’s official stance has been to oppose entry of nicotine devices into the Indian market, as nicotine is regulated as a drug in the country.
Secondly, while nicotine itself just makes one part of a regular cigarette, it is still just as addictive and toxic, as studies have proven. So the notion that e-cigarettes are somehow safer is wrong, though admittedly, they have fewer addictive chemicals than a regular cigarette and there’s no tar being inhaled.
Another huge problem among vaping products is their marketing strategy, as was revealed by the investigative report on Philip Morris last year, which was illegally targeting young consumers to sell cigarettes. But since they are not selling cigarettes, e-cigarette sellers can use many digital platforms to advertise and there’s no telling whether minors are seeing these ads and getting influenced. It’s a real problem when you consider that India has half a million minor smokers.
The Tobacco Atlas, run by the American Cancer Society and nonprofit Vital Strategies, measures addiction rates around the world, reported in 2018 that over 625K children in India aged between 10 and 14 years smoke cigarettes or bidis every day. The same report highlighted that India had an impressive return on investment for anti-smoking media campaigns, which could be undone by mass marketing for e-cigarettes.
World No Tobacco Day: Ecigarettes Boom In India
In India, brands such as Juul, Alt Vapors, Renova and ITC’s Eon are the popular e-cigarette makers, while there are plenty of non-brand China-made e-cigarettes and devices being offered on the market. Part of the confusion around these ecigarettes comes from the fact that they are not regulated like other cigarette makers.
Big tobacco companies such as Philip Morris International have been pushing for an easier ENDS regulatory environment. The company had purchased a 35% stake in Juul last year.
A Reuters report last month that spoke of Juul’s plans to enter India in late 2019, said the company had started hiring in India. It also said Indian company Jubilant Group, which owns the franchise rights for Domino’s Pizza and Dunkin’ Donuts in India, is considering importing Juul into the country.
Are Ecigarettes Really Safer?
Contrary to the government’s position, a letter from Jubilant showed it considered Juul to be a “highly safe” product which can benefit millions of consumers. A Jubilant spokesman told Reuters that company believes there is “demonstrable scientific evidence” that vapes and e-cigarettes are a viable alternative.
But not all experts agree that it’s safe and viable, especially since not all devices are tested by the sellers or those who make e-cigarettes. A PTI report on the World No Tobacco Day said 36 brands are selling e-cigarette devices illegally in India. The report added that studies around the world have shown that incidents of children using e-cigarettes before 10 years of age have increased from 26% to 45% in the last 15 years, which could again be attributed to marketing tactics used by e-cigarette companies and the message that these devices are safer than cigarettes.
That’s the real problem, according to MC Misra, former All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director, and he told the report, “Some smokers and doctors call it a cessation drug, but it is far from the truth as e-cigarettes contain nicotine which is addictive.”
The path is currently uncertain for vaping and e-cigarettes in India. The potential illegal status of such devices is a grave cause for concern for startups and companies. Whatever the outcome, given the huge health impact it can have in India, there’s bound to be an open debate about smoking that has not been seen since the mid-1960s, when public attitude and perception about the effects cigarette smoking began changing. The fate of ecigarettes hangs in the balance with a similar debate brewing.


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Here's a roundup of headlines from the 2012 Essence Music Festival at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Check back throughout the day as Keith Spera and Alison Fensterstock review Sunday's performances, including one by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. For now, check out our photo galleries of the headliners below.
Comedian Kevin Hart intense, combustible onstage
Food and fashion


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As boutique SA VA closes doors, entrepreneur looks to future
Back in 2011, I interviewed Sara Van Aken and remember leaving the interview excited about her future.
She was a local entrepreneur who established SA VA in 2009 to designed and create hand-made organic clothing. Her styles caught on and Van Aken’s boutique at 1700 Sansom St. was busy with buyers devoted to SA VA’s label. It wasn’t long after that interview that the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce named her Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Van Aken has decided to close her store on Dec. 22. Even though store sales are up 25 percent to 60 percent for the last eight months and the company’s uniform business has been strong, it was not as successful in the launch of a wholesale division, Van Aken said in an email. Even though she raised money nearly a year ago, it took longer than anticipated and she needed more capital. Another challenge was making the clothes locally rather than overseas where costs are cheaper.
“It was a tough choice and sad to see SA VA go but I am so excited about new opportunities,” she said. “So proud of what we have done, honored and amazed at the incredible support we have received. An amazing life experience.”
Natalie Kostelni covers real estate and economic development.
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Tesla will unveil its electric Cybertruck on November 21st
According to Elon Musk, Tesla has crafted the Cybertruck to "meet or exceed an F-150. If the F-150 can do it, then a Tesla truck should be able to do it." The pickup will supposedly look as if it came out of a sci-fi movie like Blade Runner. And the CEO has revealed we'll meet Tesla's first electric truck on November 21st.
AirPods Pro review: Apple's latest earbuds can hang with the best
We've spent over a week testing Apple's new headphones, and you know what? They're good. The company's AirPods have been the most popular true wireless earbuds for a while now, despite their polarizing design. The AirPods Pro are Apple's best true wireless earbuds to date, but they're also its most expensive. New features like active noise cancellation, transparency mode, on-board controls and silicone ear tips are all upgrades over the previous two models.
Despite Sony's WF-1000XM3 outperforming these in audio and noise cancellation, the AirPods Pro do a great job with both, and hands-free Siri is a key feature Sony doesn't offer. The AirPods Pro cost $249 and are available now.
Uber self-driving car involved in fatal crash couldn't detect jaywalkers
The self-driving car that struck and killed a pedestrian in March 2018 had a major software flaw, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Uber's software failed to recognize the victim and didn't calculate that it could collide with her until 1.2 seconds before impact, when it was too late to brake.
Uber's system design "did not include a consideration for jaywalking pedestrians," which is also particularly damning. While the NTSB will meet to determine the cause of the accident, prosecutors have already absolved Uber of criminal liability but are still weighing criminal charges against the driver.
Engadget's Guide to Fitness and Health: The best fitness wearables
There are loads of wearables out there, even if you drill down to the ones pitched for fitness and wellness. Dan Cooper has plucked out the devices best worth your time and cash, offering recommendations for those training for Tougher Mudders, getting in a quick yoga session or anyone wanting a smartwatch with fitness credentials. Check out the full guide here.
Next year, Airbnb will verify every listing in the name of safety
Following a Halloween shooting in California and a report of scammers operating nationwide, Airbnb is attempting to improve the safety of its listings. The company plans to review every listed property, checking basics like addresses and photos, authenticity of the hosts and safety standards.
To back up the review process, Airbnb will also implement a "guest guarantee" if your rental doesn't match the description. You'll either get an alternative worth at least as much as you paid or, if that isn't available, a full refund.
But wait, there's more...
The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't Subscribe.
Craving even more? Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.
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Hotel breakfasts aren’t what they used to be. The pandemic has changed them, sometimes making them better, sometimes making them more expensive and sometimes making them vanish. And as many travelers are about to discover this summer, the changes may be permanent.
I’ve seen hotel buffets where everything is wrapped in plastic, including the fruit. Others where you aren’t allowed to touch anything. (Only the servers will assist you.) In some hotels, they only serve a la carte breakfasts, and the staff is still getting used to it, so breakfast takes more than an hour.
“Before the pandemic, brands were going crazy and expanding breakfasts with more and more items in select-service hotels,” says Vimal Patel, president of Q Hotels, a hotel-management company. “There were more than 40 items on the menu, and it was becoming a financial burden to hotels.”
These days, many hotel breakfast menus have been downsized or replaced with grab-and-go items. In a time when many hotels are short-staffed and struggling to make their numbers, these options are more sustainable, Patel says.
About one-third of all U.S. hotels (35%) offer complimentary breakfast, according to hotel researcher Randy Greencorn, who maintains a website that tracks hotel fees. Slightly fewer (31%) charge for breakfast. The rest offer no on-site breakfast options.
The Historic Smithton Inn in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, doubled down on the first meal of the day after the pandemic started. Owner Rebecca Gallagher bought new serving pieces to deliver the hotel’s omelets and French toast to guests’ rooms on request, and at no additional charge.
Others took the opportunity revamp their offerings. The Conrad New York Downtown removed its breakfast buffet and switched to an a la carte menu that includes healthier options, according to Juan Gonzalez Izquierdo, the hotel manager. “We’ve placed a big focus on using local ingredients from area vendors,” he says.
Many chain hotels also revised their breakfast menus during the pandemic. At IHG Hotels & Resorts, several brands took a hard look at breakfast. Some things were nonnegotiable. The Holiday Inn Express brand kept its pancake and cinnamon roll station, for example.
“But given the changing nature of guest preferences, we added new options guests want,” says Stephanie Atiase, vice president of marketing and global brand management for Holiday Inn Express. Her hotels revamped their breakfast menus to include healthier items such as Greek yogurt, fresh fruit and oatmeal.
Similarly, Marriott unveiled a new hot breakfast program across its Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield and TownePlace Suites brands last fall. The refreshed breakfast features warm offerings such as spinach and cheese crustless quiche; sausage, egg and cheese on a whole-wheat bagel; or a jalapeño cheddar soufflé. Marriott also added fresh fruit and gluten-free options.
The changes vary by hotel. Jill Fischbarg, a travel consultant with Ovation Travel Group, says some eliminated breakfast buffets, while others modified them. At the Four Seasons Taormina in Italy, the breakfast buffet was “extensive,” but only servers could plate your food, she says. “I much preferred it to an open buffet.”
Hotel breakfasts are changing in other ways, too. Chris Michaels, who lives outside Chicago and edits the budgeting website Frugal Reality, says the Hilton properties he’s stayed in used to provide breakfast vouchers for his entire party. But that perk was discontinued during the pandemic. As a Hilton Honors member, he’s still entitled to a complimentary breakfast, but now the rest of his party must pay.
With that change, guests are better off booking the hotel’s breakfast package, which covers all the guests for an additional $10 per night per person, Michaels says.
Hilton recently changed its breakfast offerings, allowing loyalty program members plus one additional guest registered to the same room to receive a $10 to $25 credit per night, depending on the brand and location.
Michaels isn’t the only one noticing changes. I’ve seen them, too. In the United States, they include things such as a relatively minimalist breakfast (but surprisingly flavorful coffee) at the AmericInn by Wyndham Fairfield and the more decadent meals at the Fairmont Century Plaza, where you shouldn’t miss the avocado toast on sourdough with lime, pickled Fresno chilies and jammy egg. And abroad, they include simple buffets at the Holiday Inn Express Lisbon and over-the-top spreads at the Address Sky View in Dubai. The only thing these meals have in common — besides being breakfast — is the hand-sanitizer stations at the entrance.
Of course, it’s not only menus that have changed. Nicholas Massimilian, director of food and beverage at the Lake House on Canandaigua, recommends calling ahead to find out the hotel restaurant’s hours and menu offerings.
“One survival tactic of the food and beverage world has been adjusting hours of operation to manage the demand and our staffing structure,” he says. “It’s important for visitors to know our hours before showing up at 11 a.m. to find out breakfast is no longer being served.”
If you’re a frequent hotel guest and you want a sure thing for breakfast, there’s only one solution: Bring your own. Oatmeal and dried fruit have become a staple while I’m traveling (just add hot water). When I’m faced with an underwhelming hotel breakfast, I just ask for a bowl and enjoy the most important meal of the day in the privacy of my room.


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Give the Gift of Local is the Chamber of Commerce's annual initiative focused on encouraging the community to get out and shop local during the holiday season.
It's easy to participate and promote your business!
For more information about Give the Gift of Local, contact the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce at (904) 261-3248 or email@example.com.
Don't forget to celebrate Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 30, 2019!
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Nassau County Chamber of Commerce Blog
Chamber Member Updates, Events and News


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Sparkling success for young Bourne entrepreneur
An entrepreneur in Bourne looks set to be a glittering success after launching his own collection of jewellery.
With less than six months of trading under his belt, Matt Powell (25) of Wherrys Lane, has big plans for his new business venture Matt Powell Fine Jewellery.
Having already sold several pieces from his collection, Matt has been asked to create pieces for a jewellery gallery in Birmingham and hopes to enter the renown Craft and Design Awards next year.
He said: “My passion started when my mum opened her Crown Jewellers shop in 2009 and since then I’ve been interested in how jewellery is made.”
Launching his own label business has involved securing support from South Kesteven District Council’s business programme.
He said: “Thanks to SKDC4Business I was able to develop my business plan, successfully attract funding and launch Matt Powell Fine Jewellery.
“The next step was the most exciting – having the funds to purchase raw materials for Matt Powell Fine Jewellery. I researched and bought the finest cut gems stones available and shipped them into the country. Buying the finest quality gem stone, diamonds and other raw materials such as gold and platinum was the biggest investment I had to make.”


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Florida State University quarterback and 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston found himself in a little trouble earlier this week when he walked out of a Publix grocery story in Tallahassee, Fla. without paying for a $32.72 bag of crab legs.
Although he was not arrested, Winston was given a civil citation and will have to serve 20 hours of community service. He was also suspended from the FSU baseball team, for which he pitches and plays outfield.
Of course, the Internet went wild…
But when it comes to college football, you can always count on Alabama taking it to the next level.
Winston is from Hueytown, Ala., but chose to attend FSU over either of his home state’s SEC powerhouses. So when Eric Smith, the manager of Jack’s Foodland in Eva, Ala., saw an opportunity to add his two cents to the Winston conversation, he made the most of it.
On Thursday morning, Smith posted a picture of his store’s latest shipment of crab legs. On the sticker, it read “Jameis Winston King Crab Legs — $17.99 per pound.”
Within hours, the image had gone so viral online that even ESPN’s SportsCenter Twitter account posted it.
Jack's Foodland grocery store in Alabama is advertising "Jameis Winston King Crab Legs." (via Eric Smith) pic.twitter.com/zbBdBBw0gR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 1, 2014
Yellowhammer caught up with Smith by phone this afternoon. He was clearly surprised by all the attention.
“With all the jokes everyone was making about Winston, we decided to print out some stickers as our own little joke,” Smith laughed. “So we did it and I put it up on my Facebook page and it really just blew up from there. I can’t believe all the attention it’s gotten. I really can’t.”
But unfortunately for any folks in north Alabama who might want to make the trek to Eva to pick up a package of Jameis Winston King Crab Legs, the store didn’t actually put them up for sale.
“We didn’t sell any, not even the one I took a picture of,” Smith said. “I’m not even sure it would be legal to do that. We just so happened to have a new shipment of crab legs come in, the timing was right, and it was a joke we just couldn’t pass up.”
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims


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So, you’ve checked the box, and you qualify as a minority-owned business enterprise (MBE), woman-owned business enterprise (WBE), veteran-owned business enterprise (VOBE), service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprise (SDVOBE) and/or an individual-with-disabilities-owned business enterprise (IWDBE).
What’s the next step — and will certification actually impact your small business?
The Delaware Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) is pushing for every business that falls into the above five categories to voluntarily certify, whether or not they plan to bid on government contracts.
“It’s an additional mechanism for us to count how many diverse businesses we have,” said Shavonne White, the director of the OFD in Wilmington, of checking the box as a first step to being counted. “Before this, you either could be certified through my office, or, if you won a contract and filled out the forms, there was a question to identify your status there. Otherwise we would have to look at census data, which may not be all that accurate.”
To understand why knowing how many diverse businesses there are matters, you only have to look as far back as the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minority status data was collected when the OFD released the Delaware Relief Grant application, and in the first round, they saw that they didn’t get a lot of applications from minority and women owned businesses. After increasing outreach to those communities, they saw the number of minority and woman-owned applications increase dramatically. They were also able to see that the acceptance rate for these groups weren’t as high as non-minority/women owned businesses – an issue they would not have spotted if they hadn’t been collecting the data.
“That’s where this information is key,” White said. “That’s why we do it. We want to make sure that we can meet your needs, but if we don’t know what needs to be met, we can’t.”
The benefits of being listed in the OSD directory
Once your business is certified, it gets listed in the OSD’s directory. The directory is public and can be used as a networking tool, or can help established businesses find newer business owners to mentor.
As of this writing, the directory has just under 1,000 businesses. It’s been growing since the check boxes were added to businesses registration and renewals in September, but it’s still far from including most qualifying businesses. Most of the businesses in the directory so far are the types of businesses people think of when they think of government contracts, in industries like construction, infrastructure and technology. Those industries are needed for contracts to be sure, but they’re only part of the picture.
“You might think that you don’t have a product or service that the state provides, but you would be very surprised,” White said. “If you go and take a look at what the states spend their money on — it’s all transparent, everything is online — the state needs pizza. Pizza Fridays, that’s an actual contract. Ice cream is an actual contract.”
The state needs creatives, makers and services of all kinds. So do the private corporations that use the directory.
“[The database] is used by all 16 of our state agencies and also our private companies, like ChristianaCare, looking for diverse suppliers,” White said.
Benefits for OSD certified bidders
In order to ensure that state agencies seek out bids from certified companies, Delaware has a policy that says that in cases when an agency is going to spend between $10,000 to $49,999 on a project, one of the three required bids has to be from a vendor that is certified with the OSD. This could help your business get a foot in the door with state contracts, in a state with no set supplier diversity goals and extremely limited set asides.
You may not know that, as a Delaware-certified business, you can then get certified to do business with other states — which in the mid-Atlantic region have supplier diversity goals of up to 30%.
“Because we have neighboring states who are a little bit more friendlier, and have goals and set aside programs, we do have vendors who are seeking certification in those states,” White said. “You have to be certified in your home state first, before you can be certified in another state.”
Don’t fear the application
If a qualifying business owner doesn’t think that they will see direct impact from voluntarily certifying, the 24-page application — currently a PDF form, found here on OSD’s website — might discourage them from going forward. The length is necessary to make sure the applicant understands the certification process and what they will need to apply, including a notarized affidavit confirming that you are a member of one or more of the certification groups.
The process is on its way to being streamlined, with an online portal that will cut down on paper and make the process easier, especially on the OSD end. The user-friendly portal, which is in an early stage of development, will guide business owners through the application while including the same amount of information businesses need to know.
“There is a lot of important information that the vendors should read prior to applying,” White said. “And then you have the application form. We need to make sure you’re eligible for certification, and [the portal] will just simplify it. We’ll be able to make sure that we’re collecting all the information and have it available to better meet the needs of our businesses. That data collection is key, so we have to make sure that you know we’re on point.”
Once you’re certified, you can check out Delaware’s MyMarket Procurement Portal, where you can search available contracts and access resources; attend events hosted by Delaware’s Central Contracting Unit; and join the OSD ListServ. But the potential goes beyond Delaware.
In the next and final part of this series, we will look beyond state borders and deeper into the potential for contracting in other states, as well as on the national level, and other opportunities for certified businesses in the region.
Knowledge is power!
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TREND #5: Social Marketers are Becoming the Customer Service Heroes
2022 brings with it staffing shortages and a global supply chain meltdown. For many Brands that means unhappy customers are on the rise looking for customer service. Those not-so-happy customers are increasingly turning to social channels to provide immediate, convenient, and effective service. Now 64% of the people surveyed by Nielson would prefer messaging a business over making a phone call.
“A customer service apocalypse is upon us. And in 2022, social will be the front line.”
59% of marketers agree that social customer care has increased in value for their organization over the past 12 months (Source: Hootsuite Social Trends 2022 Survey)
“When you bundle social marketing and social care, you’re actually covering the core outcomes that have a huge impact on customers’ buying experience and your company’s bottom line. That’s the big picture many businesses still aren’t seeing.”
Christoph Neut, VP Sales, Sparkcentral by Hootsuite
Social Marketers are in the best position to help Brands provide the care customers are demanding. They know what channels their customers are using and better understand the issues the customers are facing.
If you’re thinking “oh my, even more hurdles I have to jump to get our message out”, have no fear. MediaOne has Social Commerce experts who can make sure your Digital Marketing is on the cutting edge in 2022.


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A frequent leaker of all Apple hardware, Sonny Dickson, has released a set of new high-resolution images of the rear of the rumoured low-cost iPhone – iPhone 5C.
The images don’t show off any internals of the device – except for a few mounts of the components within the phone. One major thing to be noticed is that the case doesn’t have any opening of volume rocker or the mute switch – a major deviation from what Apple has been building up until now.
Many believe that Apple will be releasing the low-cost plasticky version of the iPhone along with the successor of iPhone 5 this autumn. iPhone 5C is allegedly being developed for Asian countries like China and India where Apple’s high-priced gadgets are not garnering enough sales due to strong competition from local white-box vendors as well as other brands such as Samsung and Sony.
Up until now Apple has adopted a strategy of reducing prices of its older handsets. With the launch of iPhone 5, iPhone 4 prices were reduced and even iPhone 4S saw some minor price cuts. But, the iPhone 5C would probably undercut the iPhone 4S in pricing and probably be carrying a price tag similar to that of the iPhone 4.
The low-cost version of the iPhone, even though hasn’t been named directly, popped up in China Labor Watch reports involved one of Apple’s contract manufacturers.


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Ex BBNaija housemate, Ifu Ennada has jumped on social media to flaunt very s*xy photos. She recently shared the stunning pictures on Instagram, and Nigerians have been reacting.
According to Ifu, her weekend is about to be lit and she needs Nigerians to direct her to any bra vendor they know.
Ifu added that her man has also decided to go underwear shopping for her so she’ll stop showing off their property.
Her words, “Weekend About to Be. Meanwhile someone should tag a Bra Vendor in the comment section, my Man has decided to go underwe*r shopping for me…can’t have me out here showing “our property.”
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When the Kindle Fire by Amazon was launched a few weeks ago, almost everyone is wondering how this may affect the tablet industry. Amazon believes that Kindle Fire will be able to find a sizeable market segment which might as well put a bit of real pressure on leading brands of tablets including Apple. If the tide turns in right, Amazon may just secure a positive ranking in the tablet market. Finding Kindle Fire in Amazon’s website is easy for people visiting the site on a daily basis. This is a marketing strategy advantage that other tablet brands are not enjoying which adds more to the growing popularity of this tablet.
Aside from leading tablet brands, other vendors who are still trying to expand their market reach will certainly find themselves overshadowed. First of all, the pricing for Kindle Fire is nothing like the other premier tablet brands in the market. Coming in as low as $200, this provides consumers with limited budget the chance to have their own tablet even if it is not Apple which usually costs around $400 and below. Tom Mainelli, an analyst from IDC state that “At that price a tablet can just be a table: A device that’s quite good at consuming media, writing short emails, and Web browsing.” He also added that, “We have long maintained that media tablets are additive devices, not replacements for PCs, and that’s why media tablet vendors — aside from Apple — have had trouble selling units at $500 and higher.”
At the price alone, the competition is significantly outmaneuvered since Kindle Fire also offers competitive features that can be found from other more expensive tablet. Although this tablet is not 3G ready which other analysts think that it is a marketing strategy that may just be introduced in the next Kindle Fire upgrade, this has several noteworthy features. The LCD based seven inches tablet is fully equipped with a dual core processor with up to 8GB storage capacity and WiFi ready features. The Kindle Fire also operates an enhanced version of Android which is more than an attraction for interested tablet users with no $400 in their pockets. In addition to that, the Kindle Fire is also offered with a battery life of eight hours for reading and up to seven and a half for video playback. With no battery issues, tablets users will have more time to enjoy Kindle Fire without worrying about power decline after just two to three hours of use.
When it comes to application, Kindle Fire apps are similar to other Android apps and Amazon stated that all Android apps in the market will run also in this tablet. And with a new market segment opened for app developers, Kindle Fire apps are expected to draw some attention in the coming months once the full release of the tablet scheduled on the 16th of November happens. If the Kindle Fire will be a success after the end of this year, this will truly change the tablet industry.


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The Whitemarsh Township’s Board of Supervisors has announced it will consider adopting an ordinance in the spring of 2023 that would ban the use of single-use plastic bags at retail establishments within the township. Retail establishments are defined in the proposed ordinance as “supermarket, convenience store, service station, delicatessen, department store, dollar store, clothing store, restaurant, pharmacy, food truck, farmers’ market or delivery service, but not including drycleaners.”
As currently written, the proposed ordinance would not ban all plastic bags. For example, if you are at a supermarket it is permissible to put vegetables in the plastic bags available in the produce section. However, the store wouldn’t be able to provide the plastic bags used to package groceries together when checking out.
The ordinance, if adopted, would also ban the use of non-recycled paper bags.
Plymouth Township has studied a similar ordinance but has not moved to consider adopting it as of yet.
Whitemarsh Township’s Environmental Advisory Board studied the issue and made a presentation and drafted the proposed ordinance. You can view the presentation and draft ordinance here.


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Postscripts & Corrections
Only on Che.com :: Latest News
November 22, 2013
Chemical production in the U.S. edges lower in Oct., ACC says
The U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) was lower by 0.2% in October, following a revised 0.3% decline for September, according to the latest Weekly Chemistry and Economic Report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com
Measured on a three-month moving average basis, chemical production showed that gains in the output of fertilizers, organic chemicals, chlor-alkali and synthetic rubber were offset by lower production of inorganic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, manmade fibers, industrial gases, coatings, acids, consumer products and plastic resins. Chemical production overall remained ahead of where it was a year ago at this time in all regions.
Looking abroad at the autumn forecast of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD; Paris; www.oecd.org
), the ACC said the forecast “suggested that the uncertain future of U.S. fiscal and monetary policy poses growing risk to the global economic recovery.”
“This marks a shift from the OECD’s focus of the last few years on the Euro area,” ACC adds.
In ACC’s survey of economic forecasters, the expectations for economic growth in 2014 was downgraded by 0.1%, but the outlook is still for further gains, and the outlook for 2015 is positive, ACC said.
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Updated April 3rd, 2024 at 17:22 IST
Meet Renuka Jagtiani, CEO Who Enters Forbes' New Billionaires List With $4.8 Billion Net Worth
Twenty Five new billionaires from India have joined the ranks of world's richest, as per the latest report from Forbes.
New Delhi: Twenty Five new billionaires from India have joined the ranks of world's richest, as per the latest report from Forbes. The list includes Renuka Jagtiani, Chief Executive Officer of Landmark Group with $4.8 billion.
Who is Renuka Jagtiani?
-Renuka Jagtiani serves as CEO of Landmark Group, a multinational consumer conglomerate in Dubai. The conglomerate was founded by her late husband, Micky Jagtiani who passed away in May 2023. Landmark Group employs over 50,000 people under her guidance.
- Jagtiani earned a Bachelor's degree in Arts from University of Mumbai.
- In January 2007, she received Outstanding Asian Business Woman of the Year award at the Asian Business Awards Middle East. In January 2012, she was named Businesswoman of the year at the Gulf Business Industry Awards. She was honoured Entrepreneur of the World year by the World Entrepreneurship Forum in January 2014.
- She was recognized as Strategic Leader of the Year at the India CEO awards in January 15.
-She received the Captain of the Industry Awards from the Stars of Business Award in January 2016.
-Lastly, in January 2017, she was inducted into the 'Hall of Fame' at the World Retail Congress.
-Joined in the year 1993, she has been guiding the Landmark Group's corporate strategy making it the region's largest retailer channel of homegrown brands, across the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Published April 3rd, 2024 at 17:03 IST


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Tesla Inc. is expected to announce quarterly production and delivery figures this weekend that will likely be among the worst of the year — and break its multi-quarter streak of record-setting results — due largely to an extended shutdown of its factory in Shanghai.
The electric vehicle maker may have delivered almost 281,700 vehicles ...Read more
General Motors skirted a strike this week that could have affected production of some of its most profitable vehicles. Details of the agreement with about 700 subsystem workers, who deliver parts to the assembly line, aren’t yet public and still have to be ratified. But the close call and tough talks offer a glimpse of what could be coming ...Read more
General Motors Co. on Friday reported a 15% year-over-year decline in its second quarter sales when the automaker still remained supply constrained, but the automaker also still expects to deliver $9.6 billion to $11.2 billion in net income this year, according to a Friday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The automaker ...Read more
It’s hard to remember exactly when Cadillac last lived up to its old advertising tagline, “The Standard of the World.” It was once more than a slogan; it was true.
Certainly, Cadillac sells some excellent rides, such as their new high-performance Blackwing models. But the company has long struggled to regain its former luxury market ...Read more
The new 2023 Kia Sportage isn’t so much a car as it is a Universal Studios theme park attraction: an affordable look at the latest auto technology that you can do with the whole family: huge screens, semi-autonomous driving, red leather, hybrid-electric power.
My Matte Gray (yes, Matte Gray in a $38,000, non-luxe car) tester looks like it was...Read more
Dennis Wang lost money on his first try, but then he learned from his mistakes.
On his second effort as an electric vehicle flipper, Wang made $4,000. On his third, he hit what he considered the sweet spot, a $7,000 profit. All the deals involved Teslas that Wang bought and resold, flipping them like tickets to a hot concert.
"I have a Model S...Read more
Authorities arrested a man Wednesday whom federal prosecutors accuse of running a $45 million scam that netted him 39 Teslas and allegedly included false claims that a billionaire electric car company founder — likely Tesla CEO Elon Musk — was involved in the investment scheme.
In a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Wednesday, Neil ...Read more
The United Auto Workers union has reached a tentative agreement with GM Subsystems LLC, avoiding a strike at GM Michigan plants by the subsidiary employees, according to a letter sent out by UAW leadership Thursday morning.
UAW Vice President Terry Dittes wrote: "We will not be conducting a work stoppage at the four locations who we bargained ...Read more
Q: So, most new vehicles have a built-in programmable garage door opener. When the vehicle is locked and someone breaks into the vehicle, does the opener work?
A: Good question, but beyond my area of expertise. I turned to Liftmaster, a major maker of garage door openers.
“On some vehicles,” Liftmaster’ Kelly Shumaker ...Read more
Low inventory levels led Cox Automotive analysts to again revise their full-year U.S. 2022 new-vehicle sales forecast downward.
At a discussion Tuesday with media, analysts projected 14.4 million sales this year, below the 14.6 million sold in pandemic year 2020.
Cox initially forecast 16 million sales for the year before dropping that ...Read more
General Motors Co.'s Buick brand topped J.D. Power's 2022 Initial Quality Study in a year in which pandemic-related disruptions caused overall results to decline.
That's according to data released Tuesday by the consumer insights, advisory services and data analytics firm. Initial vehicle quality "notably declined" during the pandemic, with ...Read more
Ford Motor Co. is recalling nearly 2,900 all-electric F-150 Lightning trucks over an issue with a tire pressure monitoring system that the automaker says can be fixed via a software update.
The Dearborn automaker said Monday it is issuing a safety compliance recall for certain 2022 Lightnings with 20" or 22" all-season tires because the tire ...Read more
Jeep maker Stellantis NV is investing nearly $53 million (50 million euro) into its European lithium partner in an effort to create a reliable supply chain of the critical mineral for electric-vehicle batteries.
The equity investment in Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. makes the automaker Vulcan's second largest shareholder with 8% ownership. The ...Read more
JOHNSON VALLEY, California — Sixty miles north of Palm Springs, Johnson Valley is synonymous with Ultra4 racing — America's most demanding off-road competition. Every February, 75,000 people descend on this 96,000-acre desert pasture to watch insane, all-wheel-drive 1,000-horsepower dune buggies on 'roids vie for the King of the Hammers ...Read more
There's a new, tougher full-size pickup in town. It's built in San Antonio, Texas, and it's gunning for the class-leading American trucks. It's name is Toyota Tundra.
The third-generation TRD Off Road Tundra is armed with more power and an available hybrid, better road skills and smarter technology inside and off-road.
No one is saying the ...Read more
Would you guess that Honda offers the highest number of American-made cars offered in the U.S.? Probably not. But more than that, their models are designed specifically for the American market. Just consider today’s subject, the all-new, redesigned 2023 Honda HR-V.
Offered in base LX, mid-level Sport and top-of-the-line EX-L trim levels, the ...Read more
Opponents of the planned $5 billion Rivian electric vehicle factory asked a judge this week to overturn a Morgan County, Georgia, board's approval of a rental agreement with the company, alleging the deal violates the state constitution.
If the court agrees, it could threaten the project and invalidate some $700 million in future property tax ...Read more
Tommy Doran recalled driving to a charging station last winter and having to take off his gloves to pay in an app to charge up his Chevrolet Bolt EUV.
"It's frigid in Michigan," General Motors Co.'s manager of EV infrastructure and EV charging experience told The Detroit News. "That's not nice at all."
Now, GM customers have access to a ...Read more
Cruise LLC is officially open for business, offering driverless rides to paying customers on a small scale, CEO Kyle Vogt said Thursday on CNBC's "Squawk Box."
Cruise, which General Motors Co. has a majority stake in, earlier this month received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to charge fares for driverless rides in San...Read more
WASHINGTON— A controversial proposal that would have given consumers a $4,500 discount on domestic, union-made electric vehicles is officially off the table, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, confirmed Wednesday to The Detroit News.
Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist Democrat from West Virginia who wields vast influence over his party's legislative...Read more
- Auto review: Super-charged, Super Cruise, super-ute Cadillac Escalade-V is Hulk on wheels
- Auto Workers hold lots of cards even if US heads for recession
- EV demand is so hot that Tesla owners are flipping their cars like houses
- GM's sales drop in Q2, automaker still affirms yearly profit guidance
- Auto review: Kia Sportage Hybrid is a fancy family widget


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Victor Du sold a four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home at 86 Southwind Trail, in Amherst, to Mohammad Z. Rahimi for $225,000 on Dec. 6.
The 2,580-square-foot, two-story home last sold for $185,000 in July 2006.
According to BlockShopper, there have been 1,321 home sales in Amherst during the past 12 months with a median sale price of $172,500.
Address: 86 Southwind Trail
Buyer(s): Mohammad Z Rahimi
Seller(s): Victor Du
Sale date: Dec. 6, 2013


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Remember last year when we posted the video Infinity Miles per Gallon? In that video, Art Haines of Applied Robotics Company set out to build a solar powered electric car ... and succeeded. At the time, we lauded the independent thinking that Haines clearly showed in the project. The story was far from over, however, as Haines is now offering his unique solar NEV in kit form from his website, sunnev.com. So far, five of the kits have been ordered and Haines is working to get them shipped out now
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Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff is well-known for brash pronouncements and on Tuesday delivered his latest, calling for “the end” of traditional software maintenance fees.
In an internal e-mail to his management team Tuesday, Benioff described a conversation he had with an Oracle Siebel CRM (customer relationship management) user at a recent event.
“This customer currently uses Siebel software to run her call center. She pays more than $15 million a year for the privilege of having to implement the updates that Siebel sends her,” he wrote in the e-mail, which was seen by IDG News Service. “That does not include backup. Or disaster recovery. And of course, it does not guarantee that she will be using the latest technology. The maintenance agreement only assures her that her outdated software will continue to work.”
The unnamed Siebel customer, Benioff said, “is paying tolls on a road to nowhere.”
Salesforce.com’s on-demand CRM model can provide that customer and others “much more for a fraction of what they currently pay in maintenance,” Benioff added.
While at heart, Benioff’s remarks aren’t radically different from Salesforce.com’s long-time marketing mantra, “the end of software,” the e-mail comes at a time when enterprises around the world are looking to pare back wherever possible on IT spending, with reducing maintenance costs a top priority.
Meanwhile, rival vendor Oracle and its customers are currently in the throes of end-of-fiscal year contract renewals. And SAP, which announced a richer-featured but more expensive maintenance service last year to outcry from many customers, has been working with user groups on a set of KPIs (key performance indicators) meant to document the new service’s value.
In his e-mail, Benioff characterized traditional maintenance, paid as a percentage of total license costs, as far inferior to SaaS (software as a service) like Salesforce.com.
“Maintenance fees cover updates that are mostly patches and fixes, but they stop far short of the kind of innovation every that enterprise needs to survive,” he wrote. “We sell our customers a service and every customer is able to use the latest. Innovations are included. Upgrades are automatic and invisible. … The service gets better, not just less buggy.”
Benioff’s remarks may not contain many new talking points but they do signal Salesforce.com’s intentions to attack on-premise vendors’ enterprise installed bases, according to 451 Group analyst China Martens.
“How do they grow to the next billion [in revenue], that’s what everyone keeps asking. I don’t know if he thinks this kind of grandstanding is one way to do it,” Martens said.
And Benioff’s critiques should be taken in the proper context, said Forrester Research analyst Ray Wang.
First of all, Salesforce.com’s prices take the cost of customer support into account, he said. Second, while in some cases, SaaS may be cheaper for customers than on-premise software, it may not be in all, according to Wang. “It depends on how much you use it, how many people are using it.”
SaaS is “really a lifestyle decision” for companies that don’t want to deal with the hassle of maintaining infrastructure, he added.
Also, while SaaS vendors have been able to deliver on the promise of easier upgrades and faster innovation, there’s no guarantee that this will be the case uniformly or forever, according to Wang. “We could be in the same boat one day, where SaaS vendors’ margins are squeezed, and instead of doing four releases a year, they do one.”
Overall, however, companies like Salesforce.com ought to offer compelling savings over on-premise software because of their built-in cost advantage, said Frank Scavo, managing partner of the Irvine, California, consulting firm Strativa, via e-mail.
“A large part of the so-called investment that traditional on-premise software vendors, such as SAP and Oracle, make in product development does not go toward new products or new functionality,” he said. “Rather, it goes into porting and regression testing every product change against myriad combinations of databases, versions, server and desktop OS releases, middleware, and third-party products.”
SaaS vendors can avoid many of these costs because they only need to write to their own platforms, and “therefore, they ought to be able to deliver the same functionality for lower cost,” he said.


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Fintech startup DadeSystems closes $9M Series D funding to streamline accounts receivable process for businesses
DadeSystems, a fintech startup that offers accounts receivables automation solutions for organizations, today announced that it has raised a $9 million Series D growth funding to grow its suite of solutions, collectively referred to as DadePay. The round was led by Napier Park Financial Partners, with participation from returning investors Fifth Third Capital Holdings and Ocean Azul Partners.
Founded in 2011 by Dave Wilson, the Miami, Florida-based DadeSystems is a provider of Cash Application solutions to fully automate the complex payment processing landscape. Its flagship product, DadePay, is a SaaS based solution that helps medium-to-large corporations and financial institutions aggregate, analyze and reconcile remittances for any payment type, from any payment channel. DadePay helps to automate the invoice-to-cash application process for any payment through any channel.
DadePay Cash Application automatically captures all incoming payments, including cash, checks, ACH, EFT, and credit cards. Using patented algorithms, payments are automatically matched to open invoices which updates your ERP system and electronically deposits the checks at your bank(s). The DadePay suite also includes our DadePay Customer ePayment portal and DadePay Mobile.
“DadeSystems has built an award-winning SaaS solution that streamlines accounts receivable processes, helping our customers increase efficiency, lower processing costs and shorten their invoice-to-cash cycles,” said Bill Zayas, President and CEO of DadeSystems. “We’re thrilled to announce this growth funding and are excited to continue to invest in our products and grow our team, all while helping more customers achieve market-leading invoice matching and straight-through-processing rates.”
DadeSystems has significantly expanded its reach through successful partnerships with market leaders such as Fiserv, Deluxe, Fifth Third Bank and Transactis, all of which partnered with DadeSystems to deliver a best-in-class integrated receivables solution to their customers.
“The payments industry is rapidly changing as growth in electronic payments outstrips that of paper checks creating new pain-points for accounts receivables departments,” said Joe Proto, DadeSystems’ board member, CEO of Transactis, a Mastercard company and a serial payments entrepreneur. “DadePay’s AI and machine learning-powered solution automates payment-remittance reconciliation allowing customers to manage all receivables workflows and analytics seamlessly in one central system. With this funding, DadeSystems is well positioned for their next phase of growth.”
“Accounts receivable and invoice-to-cash processes are ripe for innovation,” said Ned May, Partner at Napier Park Financial Partners. “We are impressed with the quality of the solution that DadeSystems has built, the feedback we have heard from their long-standing, blue-chip clients and partners, and the recognition they’ve received from reputable research firms, Celent and Aite. DadeSystems is at an inflection point, and we are excited to be working with the team to continue to invest in product and technology, grow their team and capitalize on the opportunities in the very large integrated receivables market.”


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It often has been asserted -- not without reason -- that U.S. high speed access generally does not feature speeds as fast as those available in the world’s leading markets, such as South Korea. Rarely, if ever, has the United States actually ranked at the top of international metrics for Internet access speed or some other measures of telecommunications adoption.
Among the reasons, it has been argued, is that any particular service created in the United States must cover a continental-sized territory with a high percentage of remote, expensive locations to connect.
More germane, some have offered, are comparisons between the United States and Europe. And there the story gets more complicated. It often has been the case that U.S. consumers lagged European consumers on one or more measures of mobile adoption, for example.
But the landscape is shifting. In fact, on some measures, U.S. consumers have access to, and use, some advanced services more than consumers in Europe.
For example, a far greater percentage of U.S. households have access to the Internet at 25 Mbps or faster.
On a national basis, 82 percent of U.S. consumers can buy access at 25 Mbps or faster, compared to 54 percent of Europeans.
In rural areas, 48 percent of U.S. consumers have access to 25 Mbps or faster services, compared to 12 percent in Europe, according to a study by Christopher Yoo, University of Pennsylvania law school professor.
The study also found that the United States had 23 percent fiber-to-premises coverage, compared to 12 percent in Europe.
The United States also has 86 percent coverage of Long-Term Evolution (4G LTE), compared to 27 percent LTE coverage in Europe.
U.S. download speeds during peak times (weekday evenings) averaged 15 Mbps, below the European average of 19 Mbps, however.
During peak hours, actual U.S. download speeds were 96 percent of what was advertised, compared to Europe, where consumers received only 74 percent of advertised download speeds.
U.S. consumer experience in the areas of latency and packet loss also was better than in Europe.
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With GDPR on the horizon, Zuckerberg in Congress testifying and Facebook users questioning loyalty, change is coming. What that change will look like,…
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City To Buy Parcel
GRAND RAPIDS — City commissioners gave Parking Services the green light last week to buy a 23,230-square-foot parcel near the southeast corner of Commerce Avenue and Weston Street SW in the Heartside Business District for a 360-space parking ramp.
Parking Services will buy the property from 38 Commerce LLC for nearly $1.7 million. The ramp, which has been estimated to cost $9 million to build, will be part of the “Linear Buildings” project targeted for Commerce and Weston, a 68,000-square-foot development across two buildings with office, retail and residential spaces.
Parking Services will pay $1.2 million for the parcel, with the Downtown Development Authority picking up the remaining $470,000.
Locus Development LLC is the parent firm of 38 Commerce. Locus Development made its debut less than two weeks ago when John Green and Andy Winkel merged their businesses, Elevation Group and Kelwin Properties, respectively, into the new company.


text: Katy Perry has unveiled the first picture of her new Royal Revolution fragrance campaign. The singer has been transformed into a dark knight, wearing a short black and gold dress complete with a black feather headdress, in the first print advert for the perfume. Perry posted: "AYO! Today I'm unveiling my new #RoyalRevolution ad! Hope you likey BB's. Look for it in stores later this summer..." Royal Revolution is her fifth fragrance, and follows her Killer Queen 'Oh So Sheer' scent, which was released earlier this year. Last month, Perry was named the top selling digital artist of all time, after the Record Industry Association of America announced that Perry's singles have been downloaded 72 million times worldwide. The 'This Is How We Do' singer is currently on the North American leg of her 'Prismatic World Tour', which she launched in Belfast back in May.


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As part of its push to reinvigorate furniture sales Office Depot Inc. unveiled a new collection Wednesday created in collaboration with home fashion maven and television personality Christopher Lowell.
The four collections dubbed Town, Country, City and Shore aim to give a warmer look to an office, or office functionality to a home space.
Lowell, the host of the home-design show It's Christopher Lowell, said the idea of revamping the office furniture look has been a goal for years. And it's a hot topic among show audiences and those who e-mail the designer.
"One of the No. 1 issues in the last three years is `help me with the home office,'" said Lowell who helped unveil the collections at a Fort Lauderdale Office Depot store. He said the four themes, which he uses in other products as well, emerged some years ago to help people pinpoint their own sense of style, whether they prefer antiques or Art Deco.
Behind the Office Depot collection is, "the idea is that you should be able to have a workstation anywhere in your home," he said. Conversely, he added, "a lot of people who are starting a small business want a more personal look in their office."
The collections include desks, files, bookcases and computer consoles along with coordinating accessories. And design details borrowed from home furnishings let the pieces parade as both fashion and functionality.
For example, the Shore furniture's hutch has a frieze and moldings at its top as well as a place for a computer keyboard below. Frosted glass in the City collection's computer credenza is aimed at giving the piece a retro air.
All Office Depot markets now have at least one store that carries the furniture, and all stores are stocked with the accessories. The collections can also be bought by catalog or on the store's Web site.
Lowell said he teamed up with Office Depot about eight months ago while looking for a partner to develop his office furniture concepts. The biggest challenge was integrating the look with the pieces' purpose.
"It took a lot of time to make sure it didn't look like office furniture," the designer said. "We `Lowellized' it to make it look the way it looks."
Lowell, who will take an undisclosed percentage of sales, has several licensing agreements through Christopher Lowell Enterprises Inc. They include a line of bed-and-bath items designed for Burlington Coat Factory, and upholstered furniture made by Flexsteel Industries Inc.
Office Depot says the Christopher Lowell Collection is part of a four-tier strategy to boost furniture sales, which make up 10 percent of the company's overall sales. Office Depot's furniture and technology sales have slowed, which the Delray Beach company says reflects that small business owners have held off on spending in what has been an iffy economy.
The overall furniture strategy calls for dividing up the sector into four categories: low-cost "fusion" items, such as a student desk that can cost about $50; "home-office solutions," with desks for about $200; the Christopher Lowell Collection, with desks starting at $349; and customized items with desks starting at $499.
It made sense to collaborate with a designer, said Jocelyn Carter-Miller, Office Depot chief marketing officer, who worked closely with Lowell. Similar collaborations have been a hit, she said.
One example is Target, which teamed with Todd Oldham to sell the designer's bright signature housewares and bedding.
"We decided to develop a strategy and redefine how customers shop for furniture and differentiate ourselves," Carter-Miller said.
Research and focus groups liked the collections, she said. And it is a first for the office supply market, she said.
"It is the first time our industry has launched a line of furniture like this by partnering with a renowned designer," she said.
Karen-Janine Cohen can be reached at email@example.com or 954-356-4668


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- Daily Zen
The chip shortage has spread across industries, slowing down the manufacturing of automobiles, smart devices, to electronic including white goods such as washing machines and television.
Samsung Electronics, the South Korean technology group, said that it was “rebalancing” the production of smartphones, televisions, and home appliances due to the widespread chip crunch.
“Due to the global semiconductor shortage, we are also experiencing some effects especially around certain set products and display production,” Ben Suh, head of Samsung’s investor relations, told analysts on Thursday. “We are discussing with retailers and major channels about supply plans so that we are able to allocate the components to the products that have more urgency or higher priority in terms of supply.”
The pandemic has led to a higher demand for electronic gadgets such as toasters, refrigerators and washing machines. Samsung has been riding a boom in sales due to the rising demand.
Samsung did not specify the products from which it would divert manufacturing capacity.
Chip shortages have been exacerbated by the winter storm in Texas, and a fire in a Japanese plant owned by Renesas Electronics, one of the world’s biggest makers of chips for the automotive industry.
Samsung announced that it is looking for sites in the US to build an advanced $17bn foundry plant to manufacture chips. The group says that the second quarter will see improvement based on strong demand for chips, although smartphone sales were likely to fall because of the component shortages. “For the second half, market conditions are expected to improve for the component business,” the company said. “However, global macroeconomic risks, including uncertainties over demand related to Covid-19, are likely to persist.”
Analysts expect chip shortages to extend into next year. T”he global supply chain for semiconductors as well as for other components remains very unstable and the uncertainty . . . is high,” said Volvo Group chief executive Martin Lundstedt.
“It is hard to find any sector that is not affected by the shortages, including autos, domestic appliances and smartphones,” said CW Chung, head of research at Nomura in Seoul. The shortage may last for several years, and manufacturers are juggling the production of goods with limited chips supply.
Kim Young-woo, an analyst at SK Securities said that companies will have to pay higher prices for the chips or face further output reduction. Samsung reported a 46 percent year-on-year increase in its first-quarter net profits amounting to $6.4bn.
In addition to the chip shortage hitting production, the heirs of the Samsung patriarch, Lee Kun-hee, are facing a huge inheritance tax bill of nearly $20billion.
Following Lee’s death, the family was facing a 60 percent inheritance tax bill on his $20 billion fortune. The South Korean government had given the family six months to thrash out a plan to deal with the estate.
The family noted that the tax bill was “equivalent to three to four times the [South Korean] government’s total estate tax revenue last year”.


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CHERRY HILL, N.J., April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating the outdoor, active lives of its customers, Subaru of America, Inc. will debut the all-new Subaru Impreza at its New York International Auto Show news conference via 3-D video. In a show first, conference attendees will don 3-D glasses to experience the lives of Subaru owners – from mud running, to yoga, to car driving – as its new model is revealed to the world. The automaker will also share the global reveal live with the public in "2-D" on Subaru.com.
Marking its best sales in company history, Subaru's April 20 news conference will take place (time to be determined) on the floor of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. Media will watch the all-new Impreza come to life in 3-D, hear from Subaru leadership and be the first to see the 2012 Impreza 4-door and 5-door models.
Subaru fans not attending the auto show can watch the live news conference and unveiling at Subaru.com. Subaru will also address fans' questions during a live question-and-answer session the same day (time to be determined). The "Q&A" will be streamed on the 2012 Subaru Impreza Facebook page. Enthusiasts can submit their questions about the 2012 Impreza – the most fuel efficient all-wheel drive car in America* – on Facebook throughout the day.
"This distinctive idea helps us communicate that the 2012 Subaru Impreza is designed especially for people who enjoy an active lifestyle," said Thomas J. Doll, executive vice president and COO, Subaru of America, Inc. "The 3-D news conference and live streams will help us share an exciting day for our brand and our franchise with the media, our loyal customers and fans -- in a uniquely Subaru way."
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru boasts the most fuel efficient line-up of all-wheel drive products sold in the market today based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy standards. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.
Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc.
SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.


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Breweries are opening all across the city and the country, which is making it hard to stand out among the competition. However, one new Queen City spot is doing just that.
Brink Brewing Co. in College Hill came in at No. 4 in USA Today’s “10Best New Breweries in the Country” list. A panel of beer experts nominated their favorite places that opened within the last three years and readers spent four weeks voting for their top picks.
Brink likely made the cut because its unique selection of craft beers — from a sour to an ale made with maple syrup — and rotating cast of food trucks available on most days of the week.


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Due to continuous and significant growth of ColliCare in Holland are very excited about building their new warehouse facility in Groningen.
“We all look forward to moving in,” says a satisfied Frits Potze, Managing Director at ColliCare.
The intention is to build a warehouse and offices that fits within the regulatory plans for the area, but that also fits ColliCare's growth. This is good business for the Westpoort Groningen, as they include yet another international company to their business park.
The warehouse construction has started, and will be ready by November 1st, 2017
“Bouwgroep Noord B.V. situated in Drachten is specialist in the field and have been awarded the construction contract. The building is a modern, state-of-the-art warehouse of 2500 m2, with an office space of 600 m2, “said Potze.
The warehouse will be used as crossdock terminal for groupage traffics and as a strategic warehouse for national and international customers.
“For example E-commerce companies searching for VAL-services are welcome just as retailer needing hub outside of city center to be able to execute the last mile.
ColliCare Logistics has continued to evolve in recent years, and is experiencing strong growth in all business areas.


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Playboy Enterprises is currently suing a Canadian cryptocurrency company, Global Blockchain Technologies (GBT) on the allegation that the former fraudulently breached their contract with the adult entertainment company. On August 14, 2018, Playboy claimed that GBT failed to implement blockchain technology into Playboy’s online platform and media channels.
“Compensatory and Punitive Damages”
According to the LA Times, Playboy filed the lawsuit with the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The company mentioned that they agreed in March that GBT would be responsible for implementing the Vice Industry token (VIT) on the Playboy websites. Playboy noted that under the existing agreement, GBT was responsible for providing technical support “at no cost” and pay Playboy $4 million to license the brand in their promotional efforts.
The lawsuit stated that the payment was due on July 16, 2018. GBT was also responsible for removing any mention of pornography from VIT’s website, stating that hey had to “rebrand the VIT website as more generally video/entertainment oriented.”
The report filed by the Attorneys from Akin Gump Stauss Hauer & Feld noted that Playboy is looking for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages from the breach of the contract. GBT, however, dismissed the seriousness of the suit and saw it as a “normal dispute.” They also noted that the term fraud used here is not true and that the allegation is “frivolous.”
The Canadian company mentioned in a statement that, “Global believes it has a strong defense to the action and will be vigorously defending same.”
Playboy Looks to the Crypto
In March 2018, Playboy expressed great interest to develop an online payment wallet. Playboy, like other adult entertainment brands includingand Brazzers, was keen to explore cryptocurrencies as an innovative way to circumvent traditional online payment processes and their hefty transactions fees.
Furthermore, cryptocurrencies add a layer of privacy compared to credit cards or other existing payment methods.
The goal for Playboy is to implement a wallet that could support a variety of different cryptocurrency tokens across the Playboy platform which included their digital, online media, and casual gaming businesses. Playboy TV was to the first channel from the company’s extensive platform that would have the wallet.
The idea was to enable people to purchase media from the platform using VIT and reward audiences for watching content, interacting with the media by commenting or even voting on the content available.


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Local authorities plan to spend up to 180 million yuan ($24.9 million) a year over the next four years to aid the development of the comics and animation industries, officials said.
"There is a promising market for the comics and animation industry as the city has introduced a series of preferential policies to support and develop the industries," said Fan Xu, director of the Guangzhou press, publication, and radio and television (copyright) bureau.
Guangzhou is home to more than 120 comics and animation companies, which generate combined annual revenues of more than 10 billion yuan, about a fifth of the nation's total, Fan said.
"Of the planned investment, we will spend about 20 million yuan a year in nurturing new talent, and a further 30 million yuan on awards and recognition for original comics and animation products," he said.
Fan said the city has also approved four comics and animation development parks.
The city government will also expand international cooperation and attract more human resources to boost its industry.
"Guangzhou is expecting to expand its cooperation with neighboring Hong Kong in developing the cartoon industry in the future," Fan said.
For example, more comic buffs in Hong Kong will get the opportunity to savor original comics and animation works on the Chinese mainland, thanks to a growing number of deals signed between the city's publication companies and mainland artists recently.
"The signing of publication contracts with mainland artists is of great importance to strengthening collaboration between Hong Kong and the mainland in the sector of comics and animation," said Alan Wan, secretary of the Hong Kong Comics and Animation Federation Limited.
At last year's Golden Dragon Award of Original Animation and Comic Competition (OACC), a number of mainland winners struck deals with leading domestic and overseas animation publication companies.
Guangzhou is the host city for the annual Golden Dragon Award of Original Animation and Comic Competition (OACC), one of the leading nationwide events of the animation and comic industry.
"Artists from the mainland will find a promising market in Hong Kong as both sides are pushing forward cooperation in this sector," Wan said.
Close collaboration with Hong Kong, featuring mainly traditional Chinese culture of martial cartoons and animation products, will help mainland producers "go global", according to Jin Cheng, chief editor of the Guangzhou-based Comic Fans magazine.
Jin added that more mainland original products will be available in Hong Kong in the near future as "more Hong Kong publishers are expected to sign contracts with mainland animation and comic artists".
Eminent Guangzhou-based young cartoonist Ding Bing said: "We are also expecting more products to be exported to foreign countries and Hong Kong could serve as a good platform for Chinese products to 'go overseas'."
A number of leading cartoonists have said that as well as developing international cooperation, domestic animation and comics should focus on traditional Chinese culture, rather than just imitate foreign publications.
"Only by depicting traditional Chinese culture can domestic animators and comic artists find a way to compete with their foreign counterparts," said Cai Zhi-zhong, a popular cartoonist based in Taiwan.
"Cartoons speak in a language that not only expresses satire and humor, but also reflects love and spirit.
"I am particularly fond of ancient Chinese philosophies, so I create cartoons out of them," Cai said.
Meanwhile, Guangzhou will bid for the 2010 International Comic Artist Conference, according to Liang Zhengxiang, deputy director of the Guangzhou press, radio and television (copyright) bureau.
Source: China Daily


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Sharing photos have become an integral part of the vacation experience, but sometimes, too much is too much.
Mobile photography app Thirty Six limits you to 36 shots, but opens forgotten skills.
The MindRDR Google Glass app lets users take photos simply by thinking about it, and even posts them on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
In addition to privacy considerations, there are concerns about the ubiquitousness of individuals recording the minutiae of everyday life to share on social media platforms.
Remote access to any file, from any device, without planning ahead.
Instagram forewent the traditional press release for good old-fashioned public relations—via the postal service.
As Nokia today debuted its Lumia 1020, the flagship phone for the Windows 8 mobile operating system, several social networks simultaneously announced that they would launch Windows apps.
Instagram, an early mobile-only social platform, furthered its Web presence today by making it possible for users to embed Instagram photos or videos on other websites.
Yahoo has acquired the video-production app Qwiki, the company said today.
Some page administrators who share a link can now opt to upload their own photo instead of simply accepting the thumbnail options that Facebook provides.


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Next gen wool packs set for release
The next generation of wool packs will be introduced later this year in an effort to improve road transport compliance.
Following two years of extensive trials, the upgraded Australian wool pack standard is the answer to over-width loads of wool on trucks, according to AWEX.
The key changes are the introduction of a four-seamed base and a bale fastening guide on each flap.
AWEX chief executive Mark Grave said the new wool pack construction would provide greater structure to the wool bale, a square base and reduced bulge.
"The BFG will provide wool pressers with a mark to pull the bale fastener to when closing a bale," he said.
Mr Grave said this was a best practice mark.
"While over length bales appear to be a relatively simple matter to resolve, we were conscious that the solution needed to be pragmatic and recognise the investment woolgrowers have in infrastructure, and minimise any implications for the cost of wool logistics through the pipeline," he said.
It is expected woolgrowers will start to see the new designed wool packs by the end of 2013. A copy of the paper is available at the AWEX website.
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Clayton, Dubilier & Rice announced today that it completed the previously announced acquisition of Kalle GmbH, a leading international industrial manufacturer of artificial casings for the meat processing industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Kalle manufactures and supplies casings for the protein-processing industry, including pork, beef, poultry and vegetarian protein categories. The company has operations across 9 countries and generated 2015 revenues of more than €281 million from customers in 100 countries, producing more than 850 million meters of casings for a wide range of meat, poultry, and other protein products. Kalle is the global leader in the value-added and viscose sausage casings sectors and the second largest manufacturer of polymer casings.