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SENNA SPEEDS OFF THE GRID
ENGLISH ON TO FACEBOOK
INBETWEENERS DATE CONFIRMED
CHATTER IN A BOX
WE "HART" MIRANDA
ARROW GETS THE HEINEKEN IN…
BVA SHOWS MINISTER THE WAY…
PARTNERS READY CAMPAIGN
NEW GROUP AT THE BVA
HMV LAUNCHES NEW AD…
AND RELAUNCHES CARDS
SOME PURE ACTIVITY
SAVAGING THE GIFTING MARKET
PARK OPEN FOR BUSINESS
NEW TRAILER FOR FLIPSIDE
CENTIPEDE BOOTS UP FOR RELEASE
EVENT OF THE WEEK
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
RELEASE OF THE WEEK – RR3D CLOSER TO THE EDGE
AT THE MOVIES
SITE OF THE WEEK
TWEET OF THE WEEK
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
It Was A Good Week For… The Tarantino titles have started well for Miramax and Lionsgate, and Senna still roars along…
It Was A Bad Week For… Online film operators in the UK, under fire for lack of choice, according to a report out this week…
In last week's newsletter we were talking about how well Universal's Senna was performing and we weren't wrong… The title ended up shifting some 135,000 units in its first week of release, making it the fastest selling non-music documentary ever. That plaudit will sit alongside the accolades and records the documentary has already picked up this year; it is already the UK's highest grossing documentary. It also bodes well for eOne's forthcoming racing documentary, TT3D (see below).
It's been a busy week for Universal, as the studio made a momentous announcement this week, with the news that it is offering films to rent via Facebook in the UK. The first title available through Universal's Social Cinema app is Johnny English, a timely initiative given the spy spoof's sequel Johnny English Reborn is currently one of the biggest box office earners in the UK. It's the first time that Universal's Social Cinema is available outside of the US, with Australia getting the Rowan Atkinson starrer at the same time. Facebook users who visit the official Johnny English page will be able to rent and watch the original over a two day window, for 30 Favebook credits. They;ll also be able to comment on and share elements with other fans, as well as offering pals a discount so they too can rent the film. The Social Cinema app is already up and running in the US, with titles such as The Big Lebowski and Scarface already available.
There's been a flurry of announcements this week, as a number of the summer's later blockbuster theatrical releases have all had their release dates officially announced and pre-sales started online. The likes of The Smurfs and Conan The Barbarian have all confirmed their dates (December 5 and 12 respectively – those first two weeks in December are looking particularly busy), but the biggest announcement of the week was that of the imminent arrival of The Inbetweeners Movie. Arguably the film phenomenon of the summer, certainly one of its bigger hits, will be released by 4DVD on December 12. The enormous box office has seen the film overtake The King's Speech to be the second biggest theatrical title of the year, bested only by Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part II (due 10 days ahead of the Inbetweeners Movie). Head of 4DVD David Root said: "The Inbetweeners has been a phenomenal success to date, with the large fan base showing a real commitment to each DVD release. The theatrical release of The Inbetweeners has already given a real boost to the whole Inbetweeners back catalogue and we expect the huge popularity of the film will reflect positively in some great sales figures for the DVD and Triple Play releases. With all the special features we’re including in the releases – from additional scenes, to behind-the-scenes interviews and bloopers – we’re really giving fans of the film something extra to enjoy this Christmas.” It's all started off well too, with pre-orders well above forecasts. 4DVD's Jessica Scott said: "“The news of the DVD and Triple play release has been greeted with massive excitement and pre-orders are already rolling it in vast numbers across retail, exceeding even our very ambitious expectations.”
Before that 4DVD has got a fair few other titles to work on, including its clutch of stand-up titles and more comedy goodies. One of its debutants, appearing on DVD for the first time, is Sarah Millican Chatterbox Live, out on November 21. 4DVD's Jessica Scott said: "We could not be more excited about releasing Sarah Millican’s debut Stand-Up DVD Chatterbox Live. Sarah’s star is on the ascent, with sell out national tours, an amazing stint at the Edinburgh Festival, 2011 Comedy Award nominations, high-profile appearances and now she has her very own chat show commissioned for early 2012 too… Sarah is already a force to be reckoned with in the comedy world and this is an incredibly strong stand-up DVD – as The Telegraph said: ‘She makes it look so easy you wonder why many other comics bother getting out of bed.’ And with a massive media campaign, plus Sarah’s involvement with appearances on many shows, including Graham Norton, we have very high hopes for this DVD."
One of last year's big success stories for 4DVD was Miranda and the second season of the sitcom starring the eponymous heroine, comic Miranda Hart, is due on November 7. Jessica Scott, again, said: "The wait is finally over. 4DVD is really excited about the forthcoming release of Miranda Series 2 on DVD. The pre-orders are excellent and the Series 1 DVD is still selling consistently, even a year after release. We have an strong marketing campaign planned, with a mix of TV, press and outdoor and all this is being helped by a really committed effort by Miranda herself, who’s doing lots with us – including an upcoming appearance on Jonathan Ross, among other high-profile appearances and pieces.”
More dates now, and Arrow has confirmed that the second series of Scandinoir cop drama The Killing will be arriving on DVD and Blu-ray before Christmas. The first series of the programme was a bona fide phenomenon on 2011 and it has gone on to be a big seller for the independent. The second season will begin its run on BBC4 – the station has become as synonymous with this genre as Arrow has – in November, ahead of Arrow's release (the exact date has still to be set). Expect a welter of publicity throughout its transmission in the run up to Arrow's release. The company has recently added to its roster of Scandinavian programming, as well as furthering its recent busy activity by acquiring another film, The Heineken Kidnapping, a tough Euro thriller based on a true story and marking the first time Rutger Hauer has made a film in his native country for years… It is set to be one the Netherlands' biggest theatrical releases ever, although some of the real characters involved have called on the film to be banned (see here). For more on Arrow, see the feature that's just going up on our website…
Also on our website: the new HMV ad, the new BFI Flipside trailer (see elsewhere on this newsletter), a feature looking back on the first ever release of Henry Portrait Of A Serial Killer ahead of its first ever Blu-ray and loads more… Go to www.theraygun.co.uk for more
Also having a busy week this week was the BVA. The organisation invited culture minister Ed Vaizey MP and Lord Chris Smith, chair of the Film Policy Review panel, to see the latest technological developments in our sector. Held at Decipher in Chiswick, BVA director general Lavinia Carey, BVA chairman and Paramount md Charlie McAuley showed off the array of different devices and services that consumers can use to watch video programming, paying particular attention to the digital sector. Vaizey said: "It was fascinating to see how quickly technology is moving and how, by this time next year, consumers will be having a completely different viewing experience. It also re-enforced to me the need to get super-fast broadband established and how important it will be for everyone to have it.” Carey added: "We are in a process of convergence within the audiovisual industry, as more and more exciting ways of viewing video entertainment on digital platforms blurs the traditional definitions of content and how it’s being delivered to the screen. It was a tremendous opportunity to show how our members are working with new service providers and consumer technologies so that the significance of issues such as licensing content, interoperability and the challenge of online copyright protection could be discussed face to face with Mr. Vaizey and Lord Smith and they could see for themselves the extent to which industry is dealing with these hot topics to constantly improve the viewers’ choice and ease of access.”
Also from the BVA, and The Blu-ray partners generic marketing campaign for Q4 is currently being finalised, with the members putting the finishing touches to its activity planned for December under the auspices of the BVA and its marketing consultant Simon Heller. The campaign will include radio activity via Heart FM, with an on-air reach of 3.5 million listeners and online elements that will reach Heart's 12 million or so unique users. Meanwhile, the Blu-ray Partners Facebook site, http://www.facebook.com/filmathome, continues to grow too. Simon Heller said: ""The best form of marketing is personal recommendation and film@home offers people the opportunity to share their positive experiences of Blu-ray. The site is becoming increasingly well used and in fact our posts were viewed nearly 100,000 times last month."
Also from the BVA, the organisation is forming a new marketing and communications group. The move comes as the UltraViolet format is readied for a launch in the UK (it went live in the US last week), and on 8th November 8 the BVA will host a UV introduction for non-DECE members to encourage more companies to join the UK launch. The BVA and its members will develop an updated industry glossary to standardise terminology, and generic UV packaging guidelines, as well as working with the DECE itself to streamline consumer marketing plans. It is set for its first meeting next month. Lavinia Carey said: "The consumer is faced with a wide and increasing array of choices to view video entertainment, so the BVA is keen to work with all interested parties to ensure that the consumer messaging is clear and simple and communicates precisely what the options are to suit people's individual tastes and budgets."
Equally busy this week was retailer HMV. The company has launched its new technology friendly TV ad, which is aimed at letting the pUblic know about its expanded range of personal technology items, taking in headphones, tablets, boomboxes and the likes. It begins airing tonight across terrestrial and digital channels, including ITV, Channel 4 and Five. It has promised that the campaign, which also takes in radio, national newspaper and magazine, online, in-store, window displays and mobile and social media, will not come at the expense of its advertising for DVD, Blu-ray and other formats.
The HMV TV spots see its iconic Nipper logo being updated to a new CGI-friendly, three dimensional form, and that same new breed of Nipper is also seen on the newly relaunched HMV gift vouchers. Now available in denominations of £5, £10 and £20, it follows an earlier redesign of its electronic gift cards. Those will now be available in other stores as well as HMV, takuing in the likes of WHSmith, Clintons, Boots, Debenhams, Tesco, Morrisons, the Co-op, Homebase, Esso garages and even websites such as Funky Pigeon. HMV corporate sales manager Sam Playford said: "HMV gift vouchers give access to an unparalleled selection of music, film and games and loads of other cool stuff as well as the growing range of personal technology products, such as iPads and Beats headphones, that HMV now stocks. They've long proved popular with third party companies, particularly employees who appreciate their motivational and incentivising qualities. However, we felt they were due a bit of a design makeover, and I have to say that I am delighted with the outcome, which reflects the HMV brand in an engaging and contemporary way. It's also wonderful news that our electronic gift cards, which have already proved a big hit with our own customers, will shortly become much more widely available on the high street and online thanks to other retailers deciding to stock them."
To London's Courthouse Kempinski hotel for a special screening of Paramount's forthcoming Paranormal Activity 3. The Raygun was there as a guest of purehmv, which was hosting the event for its rewards club members. The scheme, of course, rewards its members for buying product from HMV and collecting points, which can then converted into money can't buy experiences and offers. The screening follows one recently for Universal's Scarface. The lavish screening room was packed full of purehmv members who were quite literally screaming in fear during the screening of the film, which opened yesterday at cinemas.
And lastly from HMV, the retailer's Sheffield Meadowhall store has beaten off competition from the likes of Apple, Game and others to win the best specialist retailer award at the shopping centre. It was popped to the post in the overall awards by House Of Fraser, which had benefited from a £10 million refit.
You may have noticed the current series of Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC, with all the surrounding hoopla about the programme. One of its stars is former footballer Robbie Savage, also a radio and TV presenter, and he is set to enjoy one the biggest sports DVDs of the year with Revolver's November 21 release of Robbie Savage: Football Howlers. Revolver's Tim Westbey said: "A pillar of the BBC's football coverage on TV and radio, and with over 485,000 Twitter followers, Robbie is now wooing millions of new fans each week in Strictly Come Dancing. The marketing campaign will comprise of TV advertising aimed at both football fans and the gift market, extensive national broadcast and press interviews, and comprehensive social media coverage – marking it out to be one of the special interest titles to watch out for this Q4."
While we're on Revolver, have a look at the latest edition of its Take Down online magazine, previewing, among other things, its forthcoming theatrical biggie Sket. See it here.
Next week sees Jurassic Park arriving on Blu-ray for the very first time, as part of Universal's Ultimate Trilogy box set, after its recent theatrical re-release. So expect to see plenty of press coverage this weekend, not least in the form of a double page spread in The Sun featuring a press trip to Montana. More from this will appear in the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday and online. Palaeontologist Jack Horner, the inspiration for Sam Neill's character in the series, and an advisor on the films. Horner will also be in publications such as the FT Weekend, The Times' Young Times page and Sci-di Now. Expect too to see Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello, characters in the films, in the likes of the Daily Mail, Sunday Mirror's Celebs On Sunday magazine and more. It has already benefited from a whopping four page feature in Empire and eight pages in DVD & Blu-ray Review.
We've long been raving about the BFI's Flipside label, the imprint that delves into the darker recesses of British cinema history. As noted on The Raygun recently, it is in the process of putting out dual format editions of all its releases, a move hastened by the summer's Sony DADC fire. So it seemed as good a time as any to make a cracking trailer showing off the best the label has to offer. It's part of a raft of activity, that includes work with MyMovies that sees the online company distributing trailers for the Flipside and its latest release, Little Malcolm, through sites such as the Independent and Total Film. There's also a competition to win the entire range, see here www.bfi.org.uk/theflipside for more. And to see the trailer, visit our website…
And we'll end nearly as we started, with more release date announcements, and Bounty Films and its UK distributor Eureka has this week announced a release date for the controversial sequel, The Human Centipede 2. The film will be released on November 21 and is being supported with what Bounty and Eureka promise will be a full PR and press campaign.
EVENTS OF THE WEEK
As well as the aforementioned Paranormal Activity, we've been off to a few London Film Festival screenings this week. Highlights included Artificial Eye's We Need To Talk About Kevin – it really is everything it's cracked up to be – silent film homage The Artist, which again lived up to the blaze of hype, and one of two Clooney films on offer, The Ides Of March… We'll be having a full report on festival highlights at the end of the LFF…
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"This is an intensive campaign to bring our message to the entertainment community, its workers, vendors and others,” Nugent said. “It will be grass-roots organizing in the old-fashioned way as well as online. We’re approaching this as a political campaign, a kind of get-out-the-vote campaign, to make our voices heard in Washington. The message that Creative America is imparting to members of the entertainment community and all who value American creativity and innovation is that content theft is not a victimless crime. And with Creative America, you do not have to stand by and be a victim. You can make your voice heard. You can fight back." Mike Nugent, chief of new anti-piracy organisation Creative America www.creativeamerica.org
RELEASE OF THE WEEK
With Senna performing so well (see above), it's good to see another racing documentary following in its slipstream. eOne's forthcoming TT3D: Closer To The Edge follows motorbikes rather than cars, and is set around the Isle Of Man's annual time trials event. It too has performed well at cinemas. As eOne's Jeff Suter said: "TT3D gained exceptional box office success, amassing an impressive £1.25 million throughout the course of its theatrical release and becoming the eighth highest grossing documentary in the UK of all time. Now on DVD and Blu-ray 3D, the adventure will still keep viewers on the edge of their seat and there is an enormous amount of desire for this product as it appeals to a really wide audience." He added: "The campaign for TT3D: Closer to the Edge is already under way with social media (Facebook and Twitter) helping to drive early awareness. The online campaign has kicked off too and will be followed by TV, press and online closer to the release date."
AT THE MOVIES
Universal's Johnny English continues to dominate, with its tota box office now moving well past the £9.6 million mark. New entries included The Three Musketeers, with £1.46 million, just ahead of Real Steel, which had receipts totalling more than £1.3 million. Footloose and Dolphin Tale took £460,271 and £429,140 respectively.
This week's big screen game to film adaptation news surrounds Assassin's Creed/ Sony is said to be in the final negotiations with game publisher Ubisoft to develop a franchise based on the series. The game has already sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, with a fourth instalment due out in stores in November. Sony is also developing some of its PlayStation franchises for release.
And this week's anime to film news surrounds Akira. Warner has this week confirmed that it has given the greenlight to a live action take on Akira, the film that effectively launched the Manga label. It will be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, the Spaniard behind Unknown. It will have a budget of around $90 million. It has been rumoured for some time.
SITE OF THE WEEK
In the run-up to Halloween, Universal has relaunched its Home Of Horror website. It's offering a year's worth of horror DVDs as prizes in a competition, and is also flagging up its extensive catalogue, which goes from early horror masterworks to more recent, gorier outings. There's also new release fare, such as next week's The Caller on there too… See it here
TWEET OF THE WEEK
We've been looking at what other people have been saying about #lff as well as putting our comments up too… Follow us on www.twitter.com/theraygun
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
Impossibly long trailer for new Mark Wahlberg actioner…
New George Clooney which, like The Ides Of March, aired at the London Film Festival this week…
As reported on last week's newsletter, Momentum's next biggie…
Second trailer for the new Sherlock Holmes…
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Small Business Owners Contribute to the Blueprint to Grow the Economy
Yesterday evening I held a session with owners and representatives of small and medium-sized businesses across South Africa. This forms part of a weeklong series of policy engagements on growing our economy and creating jobs.
The discussion revealed what I knew to be true; that small businesses are massively under-supported in South Africa and contribute less than they should to our economy and job creation as a result of restrictive policies that hinder rather than help.
Small business owners spoke of difficulties they experience in registration, cost of banking, access to finance, meeting the requirements for tendering and the level of red-tape that hinders their operations.
Of great interest was the discussion around South Africa’s labour law regime. Owners of these small businesses confirmed that despite it being advantageous and profitable to expand their operations and employ more people, they opt not to do so to avoid the rigours of South African labour law.
This is the real tragedy in South Africa. We have a country with 40% unemployment before Covid-19, and many more are expected to join the ranks of the unemployed, but our labour regime disincentivises employment.
A number of proposals arose from the discussion, that we will be taking on board in developing our blueprint for small businesses and their role in growing our economy:
- Streamline tax, UIF, SDL and HR-related reporting to reduce the administrative cost of doing business for small enterprises.
- Review the thresholds for tax and other statutory requirements to reduce the burden on small and medium-sized businesses.
- Incentivise the township economy by establishing the equivalent of Special Economic Zones in townships with tax support breaks businesses as part of the offering.
- Establish SMME support hubs where they can access business advisory services as well as financial advice, similar to the Opportunity Centres I introduced in Johannesburg during my time as the Mayor.
- Make entrepreneurial skills mandatory as part of the education system. This should include skills related to labour law, tax, basic finance etc. We must teach young people to become employers and not just employees.
- Relax draconian labour laws, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses, to reduce the contractual risks and exposure of making permanent employments.
- Effectively police illegal immigration and border control to protect local businesses and crackdown on the sale of counterfeit goods in our economy.
- Achieve a socially stable environment for businesses to grow.
It is clear that by engaging small business owners, our blueprint to be presented following our lunching in August this year will address the practical and necessary solutions that are needed.
My background in starting my business in the dark days of our country’s history makes this a subject of huge importance to me. What we should have seen in 1994, is an explosion of potential. Instead, small businesses have been oppressed by red-tape, bureaucracy and legislation.
The greatest potential in our economy lies in small businesses. Around the world, in developed economies, small and medium-sized businesses contribute more than half of all economic activity. In South Africa, it is around 20%.
We must become a nation of employers, and not just employees. Our plans will work to ensure that small business training starts in school and that the system is designed to make it easy to initiate and grow a small business.
The engagement last night has produced the starting point of our plans to rescue and grow the small business sector in South Africa, and we are humbled by their support of our initiative.

domain: news


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Play any audio and video files.
One of the biggest video sites on the Net will use Google's next-generation video compression technology after it's fully defined on June 17.
Nokia says Google is trying to force VP8 down the computing industry's throat, but Google is backing up its free video technology with patent deals and help with HTC's legal defense against Nokia.
Agreement with patent-licensing group clears the way for wider adoption of the Web giant's streaming-video platform WebM.
A Windows user and photographer? You can now grab an update to Microsoft's camera codec pack that adds RAW file format support for 34 new cameras.
The technology, also called H.265 and the successor to H.264, promises to double video quality for better streaming and higher-res TV. But it'll come with a patent burden, too.
If you're having troubles playing a media file in Windows, the odds are good that you need a codec file. CodecInstaller searches them out and downloads them for you, if possible.
Google's interest in the royalty-free Vorbis audio codec raises new possibilities for successors CELT and, in the longer run, Ghost.
An e-mail from Apple CEO Steve Jobs, if authentic, could be the start of a patent offensive against open-source video codecs such as Ogg Theora.
While most videos use common and open standards such as H.264 that are readily viewable, others may be more obscure and will require you to install a special codec to view them.
MacFixIt reader "Julian S." writes to tell us that his recently purchased 17-inch MacBook Pro has had iTunes crashing due to the 3ivx VideoCodec.


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With its enormous audience and prestige, the Super Bowl is the gold standard advertising platform for new movies, and huge blockbusters will often use it to debut trailers and to get millions of people interested who might otherwise have missed news about the releases. In 2022, the likes of Doctor Strange 2, the fantasy series Rings of Power, and the Jordan Peele movie Nope that made use of the Super Bowl, and each went on to be major commercial successes.
So, eyes are squarely trained on the advertisement slots for the 2023 Super Bowl, then. And now, Deadline reports that two Marvel movies will have their trailers in the spotlight at the sporting event.
According to the outlet, Marvel Studios will use the Super Bowl to promote both Ant-Man 3, and James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Both superhero movies will get their time to shine, and their trailers will be put right in front of the approximately 100 million Americans who tune in to watch the NFL game. Deadline also suggests that The Marvels might gets its first trailer, but is more tentative about the chances of that happening.
With both the Ant-Man 3 release date and Guardians of the Galaxy 3 release date coming down the tracks it’s a no-brainer as to why Marvel Studios wants to put them alongside other ads for blockbusters at the Super Bowl, especially when the two movies will be what kicks of Phase 5 of the MCU.
Alongside trailers for the two MCU movies will be the first full trailer for the upcoming DC movie The Flash, and Fast and Furious 10’s trailer will also be making its long-awaited debut. That’s a lot of trailers, which means that our understanding of 2023’s blockbusters will dramatically change after the Super Bowl.


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Bill Peach Journeys has added its first ever Brisbane pick-up for its Great Australian Aircruise on June 18 using its new Embraer jet. The 12-day adventure, which departs Sydney before heading to Brisbane, is priced from $14,495 with a $750 discount available for bookings paid by March 15.
Home working group Travel Counsellors reported a 32% rise in sales in 2012 as the network held its annual conference in Hamilton Island.
China Southern will add three weekly flights between Guangzhou and Delhi from March 31, taking frequencies to double daily.
Sea Cloud Cruises is offering special fares on its 16-night Danube cruise aboard the 88-guest River Cloud II. Departing August 8 from Bucharest, the voyage is priced from $4282 per person.
Insight Vacations is offering deals on selected departures to the US and Canada for bookings made before March 15.
Adelaide's Mercure Grosvenor Hotel has completed a multi-million dollar upgrade which has included the refurbishment of all 181 rooms.
Singapore Airlines and Virgin America will expand their codeshare agreement to include a frequent flyer partnership. The deal will enable members of both airlines' programs to earn and redeem miles on either carrier.


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Nestlé India’s relatively higher exposure to urban consumers has kept sentiments upbeat for the stock
The stock’s meaningful outperformance vis-à-vis the broader markets also mean valuations capture a good share of the optimism
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) major Nestlé India Ltd’s investors are a happy lot. So far in 2019, the company’s shares have appreciated as much as 32%. In comparison, the Nifty 100 index has increased at 11%. Nestlé India’s relatively higher exposure to urban consumers has kept sentiments upbeat for the stock.
“The company has been able to sustain the growth momentum because inflationary factors have aided growth in baby foods, steady new launches under Maggi continue to aid growth and margin has expanded steadily led by better growth in premium offerings and cost operating leverage," pointed out a report from SBICAP Securities Ltd on 19 December.
But the stock’s meaningful outperformance vis-à-vis the broader markets also mean valuations capture a good share of the optimism. Currently, the stock trades at 61 times estimated earnings for 2020, based on Bloomberg data.
The company follows a January to December financial year. Though Nestlé India has been growing faster than some of its peers, growth rates are slower than what valuations suggest. For the nine months to September (9MCY19), revenue has increased by about 10% year-on-year (y-o-y) to ₹9,164 crore. Within this, domestic revenue, which accounts for almost 95% of overall revenue, increased by 11%, while revenue from exports has declined. During the period, the company’s net profit increased 18% on the back of faster growth in other income and lower depreciation costs.
Going ahead, new launches should support revenue growth. Under the Maggi brand, the company has also introduced ready-to-eat poha and upma. “We don’t know yet how this will play out, but it is understandable that Nestlé would look at Indian cuisine for incremental growth," said Nitin Gupta, analyst, SBICAP. “While this is a difficult category, it helps here that Nestlé has a strong brand recall."
In 9MCY19, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) margins declined y-o-y, primarily owing to higher raw material costs. Analysts said, to boost volumes, the company has taken limited price hikes. “Focus on volume growth and new launches will limit scope for margin expansion, which will keep the earnings growth trajectory muted versus consensus expectation, in our view," wrote Varun Lohchab, equity analyst, Jefferies India Pvt. Ltd, in the September quarter results review report.


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Everybody’s buzzing about how quickly the keto diet works — and yet many of us try the famous plan only to be disappointed. Now, University of Iowa researchers have uncovered a surprise reason: estrogen.
Turns out, even postmenopausal women typically have enough of the hormone in their system to block keto’s otherwise speedy fat burn. The solution? “Getting more dietary fiber allows your body to naturally optimize estrogen levels and triggers a host of other benefits,” reveals California-based women’s health expert Felice Gersh, M.D., a fan of the new high fiber keto plan by health pioneer Naomi Whittel.
The impact of fiber is so powerful, experts have been stunned to find that keto dieters can double their intake of fiber-rich carbs and still get far more impressive results than those on traditional low-fiber keto plans. In fact, women once struggling to lose a single ounce report melting a pound or more a day!
For those who don’t know, going keto means you swap most of the carbs you’d normally eat (like sugar and bread) for dietary fat (like olive oil, cheese, even bacon). Why? Because your system adapts and starts converting fat — from both food and your fat cells — into compounds called ketones that become your main fuel. Basically, you draw on your trouble spots to make energy.
As a bonus, ketones are also proven to soothe inflammation that drives many of our worst health issues, helping us heal and feel better. It’s the reason Whittel was already on a keto diet when she came across research on the amazing benefits of fiber, including studies that show the sinewy plant matter helps improve everything from digestion and blood sugar to hormone balance, depression, heart health and more.
“I knew I was among the 90 percent of women who don’t get enough fiber, so I started building to 25 grams a day to see if it made a difference,” Whittel recalls. To hit that goal, she pushed her carb intake to 30, 40, 50 grams — double what most keto dieters get. Did she gain? Nope! “I actually lost stubborn pounds I thought were never coming off. And all aspects of my health improved. It was like replacing a rusty old engine with a high-powered new one!”
Inspired, she recruited Jacksonville University scientists to see if the approach would help others too. “We did a clinical study and found that not only did women end up losing a lot of weight, they saw dramatic improvements in blood sugar, blood pressure, anxiety and sleep.” Fiber for the win!
Fiber and Fat Burn
Of the many ways fiber takes keto to the next level, Whittel insists the most crucial is that it feeds good bacteria in our GI tracts. Scientists at Harvard and elsewhere say there’s now compelling evidence these trillions of bacteria play a bigger role in our health than our own genes.
Prime example: Studies show good bacteria actually neutralize excess estrogen, a hormone programmed to lock a “protective” layer of fat on our bodies. Dr. Gersh explains that as the estrogen lock is released, keto can work its full slimming magic!What’s more, breakthrough studies show that fiber-powered good bacteria produce floods of butyrate, a type of fatty acid that switches off fat storage, fires up metabolism and improves blood sugar and insulin.
And according to Canadian scientists, when we have more butyrate in our system, we produce up to five times more ketones. That’s great news for our waistline since the more ketones we make, the more stored fat we incinerate. Says Dr. Gersh: “Women see weight loss very quickly— even within just the first week!”
Carbs You Can Eat on Keto
When using a high-fiber keto approach, allow yourself 50 grams of carbs and aim for 20 to 25 grams of fiber a day. (The free app at CarbManager.com makes tracking easy.) Leafy greens, avocado, and nuts are all good fiber-rich keto choices, as are the carb-lovers’ options at right. Round out each meal with a serving of protein and 2 to 3 servings of fat. As always, get a doctor’s okay to try any new plan.
Mix 2 cups nut flour, 6 Tbs. butter, 1⁄3 cup Swerve, 2 tsp. vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Chill. Spoon 30 mounds on cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until golden, about 12 to14 minutes. Let cool before serving.
Grill keto-friendly fillings like cheese, meat, and veggies between two buttered slices of low-carb bread.
Brush a low-carb tortilla with oil, cut in triangles, salt to taste and bake at 350°F until crisp, about 12 minutes.
Prepare shirataki noodles per package directions, then stir-fry in oil with meat, veggies, and low-carb teriyaki sauce.
This story originally appeared on our sister site, Woman’s World.


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Just as the Space Race was fueled by the Cold War, the US-China trade conflict is driving a new tech race. This tech race sounds like it would be good for innovation, but it is isolating both globalized economies. This lack of collaboration and use of each of these global powers’ core competencies will likely inhibit the full potential of future innovation and limit firms’ addressable markets.
This US-China trade dispute is having rippling long-term effects on the tech world. Technology companies became a focus in the conflict when the US decided to blacklist China’s tech giant Huawei, the largest telecom equipment maker in the world. The US ban on Huawei equipment was for national security issues, but the impact has disseminated across the entire tech industry.
My biggest concern about this technological friction is its effect on US chipmakers who have all seen an uptick in share price due to strong demand expectations over the next few of years. The market is largely overlooking the renewed sense of nationalism that has been instilled in the Chinese economy.
China is the largest chip market in the world, making up almost half the global demand and is nearly 4 times the volume of North America, according to recent WSJ article. Not only is it the biggest chip market, but it is also the fastest-growing. This wave of nationalism has caused an explosion of Chinese semiconductor firms that are attempting to replace US chipmakers.
Have US Chip Producers Run Up Without Regard?
Semiconductor stocks have been on a tear since the beginning of June as demand concerns eased. The most-traded semiconductor ETF, SOXX SOXX, has run up almost 50% in that time frame. These demand expectations may be overstated with the largest chip market in the world looking internally to meet its demand.
Earnings season for chip companies is around the corner, and this could spell trouble for this space across the board. Qualcomm QCOM, Broadcom AVGO, and Micron MU are the most exposed to China, with more than 50% of their revenue being driven by this country. All chipmakers have some level of exposure to this economic giant, and its latest nationalist movement in tech will likely have lasting impacts on the long term potentials of these US companies.
Look for management guidance in the upcoming earnings reports, for how they expect the US-China landscape to effect long-term revenues. There could be a short-term pullback in semi stocks, considering how much has been priced in the past 7 months.
As a long-term chip investor, I am looking for companies with a product that has substantial barriers to entry and a definite competitive advantage. Nvidia NVDA fits this profile with its state of the art GPUs having no close competitor in data centers and the development of AI.
I would stay away from US chip stocks with products that are easily replicated because China will have no issue commoditizing these types of chips. China’s supply chain shift to domestic chips will take years, but it will undoubtedly have a negative impact on US semiconductor stocks with low barriers to entry and those that are unable to keep up with the curve.
As a short to medium-term investor, I may be wary of putting too much weight in semi’s as they have already had quite a bit of growth priced in. The real implications of Chinese companies’ locally sourcing chips will show their true colors in 2020. Chinese firms are racing to become the world tech suppliers, and the government has no issues subsidizing this growth for accelerated results.
Keep your ears and eyes peeled in this upcoming earnings season for clues for who will be the winners and losers of the US-China Tech Race.
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Career February sales hit 2-year low
Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES, Taipei
Flexible PCB (FPCB) supplier Career Technology's revenues fell 3.5% from a year earlier in February 2016, which marked the seventh consecutive month of on-year revenue decreases.
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Damage caused by Hurricane Sandy could cost Cablevision (NYSE: CVC) $25 to $40 million, Canaccord Genuity analyst Tom Eagan said in a research note Wednesday.
In addition to spending money to repair damage to its network in New Jersey, Long Island and other areas impacted by the storm, Sandy recovery efforts are making it difficult for Cablevision to perform new installations for its Optimum TV, Internet and phone service in the New York area. The MSO, which was scheduled to report its third-quarter earnings today, has delayed the release of its financial results until Monday.
Eagan said he came up with the estimated costs of $25 to $40 million by looking at the impact that Hurricane Irene had on Cablevision last year. The MSO said that Irene cost it about $20 million.
"Due to Hurricane Sandy, Cablevision will likely incur significant storm-related costs in Q4 2012," Eagan said. "Should costs related to Hurricane Sandy amount to $25 million or $40 million, we estimate (adjusted operating cash flow) would decline by 17 percent or 19 percent."
Eagan said he also expects that Sandy could see Cablevision delay a rate hike for its Optimum customers. CEO Jim Dolan told analysts in February that Cablevision would freeze rates this year, but executives have said recently that they were still open to the possibility of a price increase this year. Now, the company may wait until later in 2013 to hit Optimum customers with a rate hike, Eagan said.
Special Coverage: Hurricane Sandy's aftermath
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A new evolution in cutting tools from TaeguTec
IMC Group president Jacob Harpaz
On St Patrick’s Day, Tuesday 17th March, TaeguTec will be bringing its emerald branding to the ICC in Birmingham to mark the UK launch of the new SFeedTec brand of cutting tools. With speed and feed technology that marks a quantum leap in innovation, the launch of the new SFeedTec brand of drilling, milling, turning and part-groove lines is something not to be missed.
The International Convention Centre (ICC) at the heart of Birmingham will be the focal point for the event that will be hosted by IMC Group president, Jacob Harpaz. This UK launch is guaranteed to be an eventful day with Mr Harpaz highlighting the technical features and application benefits of no fewer than 30 new product lines that complete the all new SFeedTec line.
The next generation of cutting tools from the leading Korean cutting tool manufacturer have been strenuously developed by the experts at TaeguTec to create a new brand that is in-line with industry trends and demands for higher feed and higher speed cutting. With ever increasing productivity levels expected by industry, the new SFeedTec breaks the realms of convention with radical new tool designs, insert geometries and never before seen insert grades that will undoubtedly excite UK manufacturers. At the heart of the new SFeedTec brand is a focus on increasing the speed and feed rates of cutting tools to maximise productivity, reduce cycle-times and extend tool life.
At the 17th March event, Jacob Harpaz will be informing UK manufacturers about how their businesses can reduce costs and cycle times whilst enhancing component quality, machining consistency and stability through the new product introductions.
To book a place at the SFeedTec launch event and witness what the world of TaeguTec can bring to your business, register your interest by emailing email@example.com


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Ripple could find itself in deeper waters as a judge in the state of California dismisses its motion to end the XRP securities lawsuit. The $10 billion blockchain giant insists that XRP digital token cannot be considered as a security.
Ripple was taken to court over operating what the lead plaintiff describes as a “never-ending ICO” from 2013 to 2015 and selling unregistered securities to its investors.
The blockchain company denies that it ran an ICO. It asserts that it was funded by venture capitalists and angel investors.
According to SEC chairman Jay Claton,
“We don’t comment on specific enforcement matters or whether matters are under review. It would be inappropriate to do so. What I will say is on enforcement matters generally, there are a number of factors that go into the assessment of any remedial action.”
Earlier in 2019, Clayton confirmed the SEC’s engagement in the approval of Bitcoin ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds).
When asked about the possibility of a cryptocurrency ETF he said,
“We’re engaging on this, but there are a couple of things about that we need to feel comfortable with….we have sophisticated rules and surveillance to make sure that people are not manipulated in the stock market.”
Regulators have zoomed in their lenses on major blockchain organization’s in recent times. At the same time, more tax laws are being created to extrapolate revenue from a booming industry. The decentralised nature of Bitcoin as well as its privacy features has allowed it to remain (to a great extent) undisturbed by regulatory powers.
Digital token issuer and payment facilitator, Ripple finds itself one spot behind Stripe as the second biggest Fintech startup in America. In its climb to the top, the $10 billion organization has invested $500 million in crypto startups. It has also invested in established forces like MoneyGram.


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Budget 202105 March 2021
Chancellor Rishi Sunak made his Spring budget announcement earlier this week and we’ve captured the key points that motorists should take note of.
For the eleventh year running, fuel duty will be frozen meaning it stays at 57.95p per litre. This is great news for drivers as it will help keep overall cost of living down which is much needed.
In less good news, Vehicle Excise Duty – more commonly known as car tax - will increase from 1 April 2021. For cars registered on or after 1 April 2017, VED will rise to £155 a year, with a £10 discount for hybrids. Cars that are valued at more than £40,000 will see VED increase to £335 per year for years two to six of ownership.
For electric cars, VED remains at zero for another year. It’s important to note that drivers with an EV company car will have to start paying ‘Benefit in Kind’ tax from April 2021. From April, the rate will increase to one per cent and then rise to two per cent in 2022.
VED rates are also increasing for older cars. For cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 they will rise by £5, £10 or £20 depending on the vehicle’s emissions. For cars registered before March 2001, they will increase by £5 for vehicles with an engine size of 1549cc or less and £10 for anything with an engine above 1549cc.
To help support the recovery for the haulage sector, VED has been frozen for HGVs for 2021-22 and the Chancellor has also suspended the HGV Levy for another 12 months from August 2021.
The Chancellor also confirmed that fuel benefit charges for company cars, as well as the van benefit charge, will increase in line with the consumer prices Index (CPI) from 6 April 2021.
Finally, it was announced that £4.8m would be available to support the development of a hydrogen hub in Holyhead, Anglesey. Hydrogen as a fuel source is something we have been watching for a while so check out our blog on why we think Hydrogen might be the future for the motoring industry.


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Yes, yes, we all know that Facebook profiles are a regular part of the job-screening process these days. But some new research suggests that people aren’t judging your profile the way you might expect.
As the The Wall Street Journal reports, a new study from Northern Illinois University, the University of Evansville and Auburn University suggests that your Facebook profile is a good indicator of your personality and, therefore, your job performance.
The study involved three “raters,” a university professor and two students, who were presented 56 Facebook profiles of students with jobs. The raters were given about 10 minutes to go through each profile, inspecting photos, wall posts and so on. After the 10 minutes, the raters were asked a series of personality-related questions about the person whose Facebook they had just examined, including questions about the person’s emotional stability and dependability.
Raters favored those with more Facebook friends, showed a variety of interests and hobbies and had traveled. Surprisingly, partying photos didn’t necessarily count against a person. Instead, according to researchers, raters considered partying pictures as an indication of someone who is outgoing and amiable.
The researchers later compared the raters’ evaluations of the working students with the evaluations of the students’ employers. According to the researchers, there was a strong correlation between job performance and the Facebook raters’ scores for traits like conscientiousness, agreeability and intellectual curiosity.
While the researchers, according to the WSJ, suggest that the findings — along with the notion that “candidates would have a hard time ‘faking’ their personalities in front of their friends” — demonstrate that Facebook can be used as an accurate job-screening tool.
Not so fast. Since when do people have a hard time faking on Facebook? Yes, you can definitely get a sense of someone’s personality on Facebook, but that is the personality they are choosing to present. These days people start cleaning up their Facebook profiles and posturing and fluffing themselves up as early as high school in preparation for the college-admissions process. And it’s not just for college-admissions officers or future employers that people fake it for; it’s for their friends, too.
Everyone has an image of themselves that they wish to be perceived as. For some, that is further from reality than others, and some go to greater lengths to tailor their image on Facebook than others; but overall, it’s safe to say that everyone is a little fake on Facebook, or on any publicly viewable platform or medium. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
We all need to filter ourselves before we put ourselves online. So saying that Facebook makes it harder to fake your personality is not at all true. If anything, an employer can get a sense of the kind of person you present yourself as, and whether or not you make smart decisions as far as personal-content sharing goes.
And whether or not employers should even be able to use social-media screening is a whole other issue.
WTF is cookie stuffing?
Fraud is a well-documented pox on digital advertising, but it’s also an issue for publishers and marketers working together on affiliate marketing deals, too. One of the more tried-and-true techniques is cookie stuffing.
Publishers report Q1 ad revenue is pacing 10-25% behind forecasts
Publishers are facing a slow start to Q1 and sales teams have a lot of work to do to regain lost time.
Bloomberg, Axios, Politico, other business publishers rethink subscriber retention during the economic downturn
Premium publishers, like POLITICO, Axios and Bloomberg, have to make sure their fees are still considered a necessity as readers recalculate their spending and companies recalculate their expense budgets.
SponsoredHow ad tech is tackling waste by optimizing supply chains
Sponsored by Bidtellect The programmatic and digital advertising industry is well aware of the inefficiencies in buying and selling — from auction duplication and volume bias to multi-integrations and reselling — but how did it get this out of control? How can we fix it? A redundant, multiple-step process to ad delivery has become the norm, […]
Why Vice, BBC, WaPo, others see new TikTok teams as the next wave of specialist publishing talent
As news publishers craft their TikTok strategies, Digiday spoke with the BBC, Vice, The Washington Post and LADbible to see who’s really behind the posts.
Digiday+ Research deep dive: Publishers anticipate a big drop in ad revenue this year
Digiday's survey found that publishers are not feeling great about advertising revenue as 2023 kicks off, with attitudes toward subscriptions and e-commerce shifting as well.


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Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Tuesday urged the Centre to take immediate action against e-commerce company Amazon for allegedly insulting the Indian national flag.
As per CAIT, Amazon allegedly sold various products having the national flag imprinted on them on its platform.
In a communication, CAIT urged the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take immediate action against the e-commerce company.
The traders' body further requested the Centre to ban the company besides taking strict actions as per law.
"In its letter to Amit Shah, the CAIT said has drawn his attention towards blatant violation of Flag Code of India, 2002, by foreign funded e-commerce company Amazon by using the National Flag on T-Shirts, Mugs, Key-Chains and Chocolate Wrappers which are being sold on its e-commerce website, which stands in utter violation of Section 2 (1) (iv) (v) of the Flag Code of India,2002," the body said in a statement.
As the country gears up to celebrate its 73rd Republic Day, e-commerce giant Amazon is facing backlash on micro-blogging site Twitter for selling products having the Indian National Flag imprinted on them.
With the Tricolour imprint products, including clothing, face masks, keychains, etc., available on the platform, several users took to Twitter to share their outrage for disrespecting Indian sentiments.
According to CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal, Amazon is an "habitual offender known for violating the law, misrepresenting facts to the government and government agencies, involved in mischievous dealings and frauds".
"Amazon was also caught facilitating the sale of 'marijuana' (ganja) by Madhya Pradesh Police a couple of months through scrupulous business dealings. It is a known fact that Amazon treats India as a banana republic and the laws & rules of the country as weak," Khandelwal said, adding this act by the e-commerce firm has tarnished the sanctity of the national flag.


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Stock markets may have reacted with glee to the news that COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, but most business leaders are a great deal less sanguine, according to new research from Kantar.
More than two-thirds (69%), expect their businesses to end Q2 2021 in decline, and just under half (45%) of those say they expect business to be down 20% or less, with one in five of these leaders saying they expect business to be down by more than 40% year-on-year.
Only 23% of the 4,500 business leaders from around the world who were surveyed by Kantar said they expected their business to recover within six months of a vaccine being widely available; a more optimistic 41% expect recovery within a year. But a further 27% expect recovery from the effects of the pandemic to take as long as two years.
Kantar found that almost two-thirds of companies had slashed marketing budgets by an average of almost 37% this year; this included half of companies cutting comms and media spend by an average of almost 40%.
With such a challenging economic environment, Kantar suggests three core approaches for marketing teams looking towards rebound and recovery strategies.
One, Digital Transformation – 40% of consumer say they did more shopping online during lockdowns, with this figure rising to 48% in households with children. Most tellingly, some 45% of consumers say they will continue shopping at online stores they discovered during the pandemic. The change is not limited to simply more shopping migrating online, it is also about new buying habits and behaviour, says Kantar. Digital is part of the new normal and the most successful brands will be those that “elevate the human experience”.
A purposeful data strategy will be crucial, especially one that “discovers the power of owned data within the organisation and integrates it with trusted third-party data to understand the new buying signals and deliver that data to the decision makers within the marketing and media teams”.
Two, Purpose and Sustainability – these will really make a difference, says Kantar. People have re-evaluated the importance of these two considerations in their priorities, and 85% of consumers say it’s important to buy from brands that support causes in which those consumers also believe.
“Businesses are under pressure to play a more supporting role in giving meaning to people’s lives and position themselves on issues such as diversity, local culture vs. globalism, racial justice, sustainability and community,” says Kantar.
Three, Organisation, Performance and Innovation – Nearly two out of three business leaders say they don’t believe they have the right operating model to be competitive. During the pandemic, 20% of companies experienced growth, and these companies can offer valuable lessons, says Kantar. Well over half of these growth companies changed their business model, Kantar points out, and more than a quarter invested more in innovation. Recovery will mean drastic changes to old ways of working and significant reviews of and investment in organisational performance.
Rosie Hawkins, Chief Innovation Officer at Kantar, commented “Adapting to new conditions and being brave are key to fast recovery. Virtually every business we interviewed for this study agreed that consumer behaviour has changed for good. Whether it is how they shop, their product needs or their customer service needs, we need to reset what we know about customer behaviour in the future.”
Sourced from Kantar


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Who: Canadian Paralympic Committee, with BBDO for creative and strategy, and Flare BBDO Toronto for production.
What: The “ParaExpansion Pack,” 11 Lego mini-figure prototypes representing people with disabilities.
When & Where: The tiny toys have been introduced for the start of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, and are an extension of a larger advertising campaign that launched last month (see below).
Why: This year’s Paralympics are receiving prime time broadcast coverage for the first time, and CPC said it wanted to mark the occasion with a statement about the importance of inclusion and representation. The CPC and BBDO don’t mention Lego by name, instead saying that “one of the world’s most beloved building toys” has never reflected parasports before (although the company did introduce a young wheelchair user in 2016).
“For us, inclusion has always been fundamental,” said the CPC’s executive director of communication and brand, Martin Richard, in a release. “The Expansion Pack helps broaden the awareness of that inclusivity and celebrate Paralympic athletes.”
How: The little Legos aren’t actually available, but nine different special pieces—such as a prosthetic leg or race wheelchair—can be 3D printed for use with other standard Lego sets. There’s also a promotional video, and social media is being used to spread the idea of more inclusive Lego figures. The video and downloadable 3D printing instructions can be found at a special Expansion Pack landing page on the CPC website.
“It’s about giving these competitors their due, not just as athletes but as icons of popular culture,” said BBDO’s chief creative officer, Max Geraldo. “In its own small way, the Para Expansion Pack helps them take their place as stars.”
The advertising campaign: Launched in late July, the “We’re Here” advertising (also by BBDO) shows three Canadian Paralympians—wheelchair basketball star Patrick Anderson, gold medal-winning Para swimmer Katarina Roxon, and Para ice hockey team captain Tyler McGregor—receiving the kind of attention and spotlight that many other athletes receive. The three are swarmed by media, adored by fans, have streets named after them, books written about them, appear on magazine covers—and have Lego figurines created for them.
“We have moved from needing to educate and spread awareness about the Paralympic Games themselves, to amplifying the profiles of individual athletes,” said Martin Richard, the CPC’s executive director, communications and brand, when the campaign was launched. “Canada’s Paralympians are some of the best athletes in the country and incredible role models who can make a real cultural impact, and should receive attention, accolades, endorsement deals, and success both within the sport world and beyond.”


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BMW’s new GT3 racer will take to the track next year, before a full-season assault in 2022
The new BMW M4 GT3 racer has been partially revealed alongside its disguised road-going sibling ahead of a full launch in September. The model will replace the current M6 GT3 that first hit the track in 2016, and has since achieved a number of impressive results.
This new racer has been developed in parallel with the road-going M4 Coupe, a car of which not only donates its basic chassis and platform, but also the S58 turbocharged straight-six engine. Although final outputs have yet to be confirmed, they will need to adhere to the appropriate GT3 engine regulations, likely matching the road car’s 503bhp power figure.
Though still hidden under a thin layer of disguise, the latest images reveal the use of the same controversial grille as its road-going counterpart, only sporting a more free-flowing design for optimised cooling.
While the underlying construction of the M4 GT3 will share plenty with the road car, the competition car is significantly wider and lower, with a full FIA-approved crash structure built within the sleek new coupe body, not to mention the usual mix of race-specific components around the drivetrain, transmission and differential.
BMW won’t race the new M4 GT3 in a full year’s competition in 2021 either, instead using selected races in that season as a rolling test bed before factory and customer teams launch with a full assault on GT3 classes around the world in 2022.
While it’s important for manufacturers to be seen to be investing in new-tech-style racing series such as Formula E or the new hybrid-entry WRC, the continued participation in traditional racing classes – especially for cars such as these with such a close connection to their road-going stablemates – is as crucial as ever for performance brands such as BMW M GmbH as they continue to diversify in the constant hunt for lucrative market share.
This article originally appeared at evo.co.uk
Copyright © evo UK, Dennis Publishing


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Back in late 2016, Apple finally unveiled a long-awaited redesign to the company’s MacBook Pro lineup. Of course, the most significant addition to Apple’s flagship notebook was the Touch Bar, an OLED display with controls that dynamically adjust depending upon whatever app happens to be open.
Beyond that, Apple’s new MacBook Pro also introduced support for Touch ID and a much larger trackpad, all housed within a much more compact form factor. Additionally, Apple graced its updated MacBook Pro with the same butterfly keyboard design it originally introduced on the 12-inch MacBook back in 2015.
Apple not only likes to boast that its butterfly keyboard is 40% thinner than a traditional keyboard, it also claims that its much more stable, reliable, all while providing users with “greater precision” no matter where a user happens to strike a particular key.
Actual MacBook Pro owners, however, haven’t taken to the new keyboard design with much enthusiasm. On the contrary, many are of the position that the keyboard design itself is a huge mistake that Apple would be well-advised to fix it immediately.
The crux of the complaints surrounding the MacBook Pro’s keyboard is that it’s simply too prone to failure and is, in a word, unreliable. Indeed, there are no shortage of reports surrounding MacBook Pro owners who were dismayed to find that their keyboards started acting up for the most bizarre reasons.
As a prime example, Casey Johnston a few months ago detailed how a malfunctioning spacebar prompted him to have his MacBook Pro evaluated three times at Apple’s Genius Bar.
“Maybe it’s a piece of dust,” the Genius had offered. The previous times I’d been to the Apple Store for the same computer with the same problem — a misbehaving keyboard — Geniuses had said to me these exact same nonchalant words, and I had been stunned into silence, the first time because it seemed so improbable to blame such a core problem on such a small thing, and the second time because I couldn’t believe the first time I was hearing this line that it was not a fluke. But this time, the third time, I was ready. “Hold on,” I said. “If a single piece of dust lays the whole computer out, don’t you think that’s kind of a problem?”
Unfortunately, tales similar to the one Johnston articulated above aren’t hard to find. In fact, Apple even has a support document on its website which advises MacBook Pro users with wonky keyboards to clean it with compressed air.
In light of that, AppleInsider is reporting that the keyboards on Apple’s revamped MacBook Pro models are twice as likely to fail as keyboards which incorporate a more traditional scissor switch design.
Following anecdotal reports of a keyboard more prone to failure than in previous years, AppleInsider has collected service data for the first year of release of the 2014, 2015, and 2016 MacBook Pros, with an additional slightly shorter data set for the 2017 model year given that it hasn’t been available for a year yet.
Not including any Touch Bar failures, the 2016 MacBook Pro keyboard is failing twice as often in the first year of use as the 2014 or 2015 MacBook Pro models, and the 2017 is better, but not by a lot.
Compounding matters is that MacBook Pro models with the new keyboard design are more likely to experience recurring problems after being repaired. For something as integral to the computing experience as the keyboard, this is certainly not a good look for Apple. Indeed, many are of the mind that Apple’s misstep with the MacBook Pro keyboard stems from the company’s seeming obsession with valuing thinness above all else. Moreover, if you’re spending around $2,500 for a new laptop, at the very least, you should have the confidence in knowing that the keyboard will not malfunction every few months.


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2019 Ford Figo Aspire has long presented the position of one of the better vehicles in the market, and their change provides a sharp and also modern look to ensure it is significantly better. Unfortunately the visualize is old time, and these days it is time to change the others. Hopefully 2019 Ford Figo Aspire promises a new look, powertrain, even more.
Visually, there is absolutely no finish info offered, but there are impressive spy images. We hope to view the corporation upgrade the old fascia thicker feel and offer a covered 2019 Ford Figo Aspire fascia that also includes modified headlights and a shorter hood. Spying photos also indicate extra screen right behind the A-pillar, created to help improve visibility going forward, will continue. We also calculate the taillights to take a horizontal arrangement, cutting out the used vertical taillights.
Despite the fact there is not much authentic from the Company regarding 2019 Ford Figo Aspire powertrain, we hope to feel biggest changes. The big adjust will remove the old engine that supports a 1 liter turbocharged system. In its current kind, this powerplant creates considerable power, still this can adjust before the 2019 Ford Figo Aspire come out.
While this vehicle in a similar type sometimes competes in crash tests. Today, this car has done well in most checking IIHS has finished four collision tests and front crash avoidance tests, and this automobile is already accepting the top rank for all. We never anticipate 2019 Ford Figo Aspire to require a step back in safety equipment or even scores.
The company has not publicized data about 2019 Ford Figo Aspire, so there is absolutely no the facts about when it is going to launch. With the next year’s version available instantly, we do not wait long for official reports about this.
Even though hopefully that everything is going to be new for next season, we do not anticipate a significant fee change from the used cost range which include destination costs.


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Sidewalk sale to benefit Under One Roof
Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, May 20, 1998
Donated samples from the Gourmet Products Show and San Francisco International Gift Show held recently at Moscone Center will be sold at a Memorial Day sidewalk sale to benefit Under One Roof, the nonprofit retail store that raises funds for AIDS services.
From Andy Warhol / Campbell's Soup mugs and "Cookie Time" cookie jar to a personal coffee maker and set of canisters, the pottery, appliances, dinnerware, glassware, cookbooks and gourmet food products will be marked at a fraction of suggested retail prices, some $1 or less.
George Little Management and Western Exhibitors encourage vendors to donate items at the conclusion of these trade shows, where retailers buy new stock; merchandise includes designs and products brand-new to the marketplace.
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The sale will be held 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday to Monday at Under One Roof, 2362 Market St. (between Noe and Castro). <


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Solar powered devices have now become a reality and can be installed in houses to power everyday devices as well complicated systems such as lighting and heating inside the house. It has now become possible to buy online solar shopping in India with a variety of products
Tracking inbound call through web analytics and cookies has driven the world to a much advanced purchase process. Most of us have heard about inbound call support centres but a few business personnel know how to significantly route businesses to compendium growth of success. With the help
There are lots of different electrical pieces of equipment that need to be monitored carefully. You might own a factory that has a lot of electrical machinery. Careful monitoring of your electronic equipment can be done when you have the right kinds of meters to assist you.
Korean giant announced a share, in which you can bring your outdated smartphone or Samsung phone to the keep and get the Galaxy S9 price cut. Even though stating that the proposal would work in South Korea’s Samsung brand name retailers and partners. Info about the campaign
Malaysian companies are not so much different from businesses developing in other parts of the world. Like any other enterprise, they are aimed at automation of their daily workflows and thus gaining higher revenue with minimal expenses. According to research conducted by the specialists of Bpm’online, CRM-oriented
Printing has long been practiced since the early nineteenth century and even today it is an integral part of business. Since then till now printing technology has seen immense development and advancements and today images can be printed on objects within seconds. Today, hot stamping is the
Lenovo launched the new Zuk Z2 as the successor of the Zuk Z1 in the Chinese market earlier this year. The Lenovo Zuk Z2 is now all braced up to enter the Indian mobile market in this current month of September as per the reports. Reports also
Google has continually evolved over the years, marketers have looked to adapt their practices and stay one step ahead of the game. At times, it has felt like SEO managers vs Google. If you’re an SEO marketer, you have to face the facts – while you might
Advanced technical gadgets are being made use of in executing works properly. This is valuable in doing works at a greater speed and also according to the worldwide requirement. This is why most of the firms are using the innovative devices in executing complicated jobs in everyday
After the massive success of Note 3, Xiaomi plans on bringing an upgrade for its prolific Redmi 3 smartphone. The Chinese conglomerate has already unleashed Redmi 3 Pro in its home-market, and we suspect, it’ll soon make a move against the Indian players with the high-end variant.


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- Golden Corral coming to Cape; may hire 100 workers (7/21/16)8
- Arrest warrants filed for six drug suspects in Cape (7/19/16)6
- Area groups working together to reintroduce elk in Missouri (7/18/16)1
- Pincksten's newest renovation project: 328 S. Spanish St. (7/17/16)6
- Suspect in downtown Cape shooting ID'd in court (7/20/16)2
- Trooper-involved homicide case rests in prosecutor's hands (7/17/16)15
- Jackson's former police dog euthanized Monday (7/21/16)1
- Hastings in Cape closing (7/22/16)4
- Governor signs Rep. Swan bill that equalizes child-custody criteria (7/6/16)5
- Jackson roundabout on schedule, on budget (7/19/16)7
Mattel admits it could have done better job on Chinese products
WASHINGTON -- Acknowledging that "we are by no means perfect," Mattel Inc. CEO Robert Eckert said Wednesday the company could have done a better job overseeing subcontractors in China that produced more than 21 million recalled toys.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission embraced Democrats' calls for more money after years of cutbacks to the agency. "This situation cannot continue," said Nancy Nord, the CPSC's acting chief.
Testimony to Congress on Wednesday by both federal regulators and toy manufacturers detailed loose Chinese standards and spotty U.S. enforcement that have contributed to a spate of recalls of Chinese-made toys, food and other products as health threats.
Seeking to tamp down public outrage, Eckert told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the company would now test the safety of Chinese-made products with its own laboratories or with laboratories certified by the company.
He disputed reports that public warnings about the dangerous products were delayed because of disagreements with federal regulators or that Mattel might be motivated by saving money at the expense of safety when it chose to do business in China.


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Cellular Goods, the UK-based provider of CBD products, says it has raised £13 million before expenses through a “significantly oversubscribed” flotation.
The first provider of premium consumer products based on lab-made cannabinoids to join the London Stock Exchange, Cellular Goods secured David Beckham’s DB Ventures as an equity investor with a 5% shareholding. At the time, hype around the Cellular Goods shares listed at 5p saw them shoot up to approximately 20p. They have now fallen to just over 6p.
Its loss before tax increased to £2.12m (H1 2020: £0.14m) reflecting business set-up costs and a one-off non-cash charge for share-based incentives for the team in the form of warrants. Its net cash (as at 28 February) came to £1.433m (H1 2020: £40,000). Net cash as at 25 May 2021 was £11.28m inclusive of IPO proceeds.
The company has used the cash to hire five new staff to strengthen product development, marketing, and sales functions. It says it is on track for roll-out of the first consumer product range in autumn 2021, starting with the launch of three skincare products followed by a ‘movement’ product range for the after-sport recovery market in spring 2022.
Alexis Abraham, chief executive of Cellular Goods, points to, “potentially huge demand for cannabinoid-based products over the long term.”


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Shanghai Disneyland is preparing for the spring season with all-new offerings, including the opening of the park’s seventh land, Disney/Pixar Toy Story Land. [Read more…]
Hello Kitty is joining Universal Studios Hollywood, taking up residence at the park’s all-new Animation Studio Store, now open. [Read more…]
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Earth Day, April 22, with more adventures than ever to set the stage for a summer filled with new events and experiences at Walt Disney World. [Read more…]
SeaWorld Orlando will officially start guest pin trading for the first time this Saturday, Feb. 24. [Read more…]
Tickets are now on sale for Star Wars: Galactic Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 27, making this the third time the event has been hosted at the park.
Celebrate love and friendship this Valentine’s Day at Alex and Ani at Disney Springs with their special, free “Galentine’s Day” event. [Read more…]


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Join TV, media, marketing and tech leaders for Adweek Convergent TV, Mar. 21–22. Virtual and in-person passes available. 50% off through Feb. 6.
Perhaps the sky isn't falling after all when it comes to television advertising. Robust TV ad sales in October, as the new television season kicked off, drove the U.S. ad market to its best month this year, according to new data from Standard Media Index (SMI).
In the findings from SMI, which tracks 80 percent of national ad spending from global agencies, broadcast ad revenue was up 12 percent over last October, while cable revenues jumped 9 percent, thanks to upfront price increases, a healthy scatter market (ad time bought during the season as opposed to upfronts) and the football season.


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Clothing retailer A&S Labels – trading online as Tiger Mist – has paid $26,640 in penalties for allegedly misleading consumers about their right to return faulty items.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued two notices of infringement in relation to statements made on the brand’s feedback page on February 21.
The ACCC said the company said consumers can only return faulty items by contacting the retailer within 30 days of receiving the order.
The brand said clothes should be sent in their original packaging, with tags intact, unworn, unwashed and unstained.
ACCC Commissioner Liza Carver said the regulator is concerned that representations of Tiger Mist may have misled some consumers into believing they had no right to return a faulty product when This was not the case.
“Under Australian consumer law, a consumer’s right to a remedy for a faulty product is not limited to a specific period of time. Consumers do not need to return the defective product in its original packaging for a refund, replacement or repair,” she said.
Consumers have the same rights whether they make a purchase online or in-store. The brand has now changed statements on its website after concerns from the ACCC.
Tiger Mist sells clothing through social media, primarily targeting young consumers.


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Anthem of the Seas is forced to run around again after suffering a norovirus outbreak just weeks after being battered by 30-foot waves.
Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Anthem of the Seas, is cutting another trip short and heading back to Bayonne early, according to reports.
Royal Caribbean tweeted that the ship is turning around to, "provide guests with a comfortable journey back home." The reason given for the return is a norovirus outbreak and possible severe storm, according to the Associated Press.
The Associated Press staffer aboard the ship said Sunday that the ship's captain and its cruise director have made announcements about the norovirus issues but it's not clear how many people have been affected by the illness.
One of the world's newest and biggest cruise ships, the 168,666-ton Anthem was damaged a day after it set sail on Feb. 6 when it encountered 30-foot waves and hurricane force winds. Its 4,500 passengers hunkered down for hours.
The Daily Mail reports that the Royal Caribbean seems to be taking precautions to ensure another major debacle like the destruction of the ship earlier this month when the captain sailed the ship into hurricane force winds which left the ship in shambles.
With the storm encounter fresh on their minds, Anthem of the Seas is turning back for Cape Liberty “immediately.”


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A chemical maker in Searsport is celebrating employee ownership.
The transition took place for folks working at GAC Chemical Corporation on June 23rd.
We’re told the sale was a collaboration between the company, the Small Business Association, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, and others.
GAC makes products for water and waste water treatment, as well as chemicals for the food, pharmaceutical, and energy sectors.
“We wanted to keep GAC in Searsport and it was a great way to transition from ownership by our founder to the employees here at GAC,” said President & CEO of GAC Chemical Corporation.
The employees have a real opportunity now to make the company grow and to stay in Maine. I think if it had been sold on the outside it might not have stayed in Maine. It’s just great to have it stay here because it’s a big part of the community,” said District Director of the Small Business Administration Marily Geroux.
The CEO of GAC told us company employs less than 100 people.
By Caitlin Burchill for WABI-TV


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Sales of rosé wine shot up 53% in the United States last year. The reasons for this record growth can be found in the booming wine culture in North America and the aggressive marketing strategies employed by winegrowers from Southern France.
It has to be said that rosé wine has not always had the best reputation. The go-to rosé in the United States was long White Zinfandel by Sutter Home, a grenadine-colored, sweet, syrupy tipple from California. This cheap wine was made popular by the rom-com Pretty in Pink and is hardly the last word in chic. “Many Americans see rosé as a substandard wine,” says Franco-American oenologist Paul Chevalier. After working for Veuve-Clicquot, he is now head of promotion in the United States for the Provençal wine estate Château d’Esclans. “I am trying to educate consumers,” he says. “I draw their attention to the pale pink color followed by the taste, which should be dry and fruity.”
Rosé only counts for 5% of the wine market in the U.S.A. but is currently enjoying the highest growth rate. Sales went up 53% between 2016 and 2017, and the 2018 forecasts are already encouraging. Rosé is a summer drink par excellence, and the second Saturday in June was even named National Rosé Day by American marketers. In the New York region, and particularly among younger consumers, this “pink wine” is even starting to compete with champagnes and sparkling wines.
Converting Americans to Provençal Rosé
One in every five bottles of rosé in the United States bears the label of Château d’Esclans, whose winery is located some 20 miles north of Saint-Tropez. The Whispering Angel vintage — the vineyard’s most popular product and the best-selling French wine in America in 2016 — was the catalyst for American consumers’ first love of rosé. No other French wine has been as successful in North America since George Dubœuf’s Beaujolais Nouveau in the 1980s. Château d’Esclans sold 6,000 bottles in the United States in 2007 and is hoping the figure will be closer to five million this year.
A bottle of rosé by Château d’Esclans at the Pinknic festival in New York City in 2017. © Pinknic
In an effort to convert Americans to Provençal rosé, the Château d’Esclans sales representative spends his time on the road. The brand exports 60% of its production to the United States and sponsored 458 events in 2017, including the U.S. Tennis Open, the Coachella music festival, a regatta in Nantucket, a boating trade show in Palm Beach, and nights at the winter sports resorts of Colorado. Château d’Esclans even has its own official DJ, a certain Nicole Rosé.
The boom in rosé is also driven by derivative products such as “Eau de Rosé” candles, baseball caps proclaiming “Make America Rosé Again,” inflatable pool rafts shaped like bottles, and rosé-flavored popsicles. These (often quite tasteless) marketing techniques have contributed to the rise in the popularity of rosé among younger consumers, particularly women between the ages of 28 and 33. According to Frenchman Pierrick Bouquet, who organizes two annual rosé-themed events in New York — the La Nuit en Rosé river cruise and the Pinknic festival — rosé has become the “champagne of the millennials.”
Rosé Wines Born in the U.S.A.
Half of all bottles of rosé sold in the United States are imported from France, but another third of them are produced on American soil. And while just 1% of the rosé wines served for the first La Nuit en Rosé cruise in 2014 were American, this year the percentage has jumped to 10%. “Wines from the regions of Provence- Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Occitanie are still the market leaders,” says Pierrick Bouquet. “But some U.S. rosés now offer the same quality as French wines.”
American producers are currently trying to remedy the negative image of White Zinfandel and are drawing inspiration from French winemaking techniques. Vermont-born Michael Croteau produces rosé in Southold on the north shore of Long Island. Provençal winegrowers taught him to select grape varieties — he had vine stocks of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Sauvignon Blanc brought from California — and to minimize the use of sulfites, as rosé should be consumed within the year and so requires fewer preservatives than red wine. The cellar master at Croteaux Vineyards also attended a three-week training course at the Center for Rosé Research in Vidauban in the Var département. “Our rosé wines are getting better with every year,” says Michael Croteau. “We produce a Provençal-style rosé but the marine environment of Long Island lends the wine its singular mineral notes.”
Provençal Know-How in California
Another initiative led by U.S. producers is the recruitment of French oenologists and winemakers. Julien Fayard, a former employee of Château Lafite-Rothschild in the Bordeaux region, now works as a consultant in Napa Valley where he offers his services to 8 wineries. “Northern California and Provence are similar regions,” says the French wine expert, who grew up in Toulon where his family owns the nearby Château Sainte-Marguerite, a wine estate renowned for its rosés. “The schist and granite soils are comparable to those found in Provence. The days are also just as hot, although the nights are colder in the U.S.A.”
Covert Estate is one of 8 California winemakers who produce rosé with the help of French consultant Julien Fayard. © Jimmy Hayes
Contrary to popular belief, rosé is not in fact a mix of red and white wines! It actually gets its color from the skins of red grapes, and the juice obtained is pale green after extraction. Some grape varieties macerate for two hours, while others take up to 24 hours. The longer the process, the darker and sweeter the wine will be. “There is no time to waste between the harvest and the pressing, and each movement has to be very precise,” says Julien Fayard. “It took quite a long time to teach the Californian producers this method.”
Despite the time invested, the Frenchman is pleased with the result. He has been producing and selling a “Provençal-inspired American rosé,” made using Syrah and Grenache grapes, two varieties from Southern France, since 2007. Some 42,000 bottles of Azur Rosé will be sold this year in California, Oregon, Florida, Missouri, and Texas. “The Azur Rosé terroir is Californian, but our know-how is French,” he says.
Is American Rosé a Threat to French Wines?
While rosés from California and New York State are growing in quality, they are far from being able to compete with French wines. The grape varieties planted in the United States, including Mataro, Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, are too young to produce premium rosés. As a result, U.S. producers have begun using a technique known as assemblage or “blending.” This is now common practice on the West Coast. For example, Josh Cellars makes their rosé by combining the harvest from several vineyards from Central and Northern California. Pierrick Bouquet admits “it is a good American wine,” but “its vague origins mean it would be relegated to the status of table wine in France.”
If there is one category in which American wines stand out, it is their price. In France, a good bottle of rosé is sold for between 10 and 15 euros, while high-quality rosé would cost twice that in New York! But the U.S. wines sold between 15 and 20 dollars a bottle offer good value for money according to the organizer of La Nuit en Rosé. “American rosés are comparable to the wines from the center of France. A Pinot Noir rosé from Oregon such as Elouan is similar to a Sancerre rosé from the Loire Valley.”
Article published in the June 2018 issue of France-Amérique


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- The People Report
- 1 min read
Udacity appoints Kenny Kim as its chief marketing officer
Kim joins the company from Google, where he served as the global head of growth marketing for Google Shopping...
Kim will oversee the company’s efforts to raise awareness of the skilling capabilities that Udacity offers to workers around the globe.
Gabriel Dalporto, chief executive officer, Udacity, said, “Kenny is a strategic leader with a diverse marketing background. His experience helping build disruptive, category-defining companies into lasting brands comes at a perfect time for us. With Udacity’s business accelerating globally and expanding rapidly into the enterprise and government markets, we look forward to Kenny helping us become the market leader in upskilling the world’s workers in the careers of the future."
“Udacity’s commitment to providing business leaders, their employees, and also individuals with the skills they’ll need for the future is a powerful mission,” said Kim.
While at Google, Kim oversaw performance marketing and advertising for Google Shopping. Previously, he led the marketing teams for both NatureBox and SquareTrade. Kim also held leadership roles at other high-growth startups, such as Trulia and Hotwire, as well as more established brands like American Express and Ticketmaster.


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'Your logo on my wedding dress for $30,000!' Bride asks companies to sponsor her dream day
One couple has come up with a way to fund their dream wedding - by selling corporate sponsorships.
Former Miss Jamaica International, turned entrepreneur Courtney McKenzie, 27, and her fiance Jamil Newell, 34, are getting married in Thailand this December, and are hoping to raise roughly $30,000 from various companies in exchange for having their logos sewn onto the bride's dress and the groom's tuxedo, and featured on the couple's various social media platforms.
The Orlando, Florida, couple, who have 30,000 combined social media followers, will have a Thai garden wedding featuring an elephant - and yes, even the elephant will bear advertising space: A company can pay to have its logo printed on a 'Just Married' canvas carried by the animal.
Product placement: Courtney McKenzie, 27, and her fiance Jamil have come up with a way to fund their dream wedding - by selling corporate sponsorships
They plan to spend 11 days in Bangkok and Phuket, where they will enjoy activities such as scuba diving, elephant trekking and bamboo river rafting.
They also plan to use the money they raise to donate to their favorite charities, such as the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brother, Big Sister.
Miss McKenzie, who is the founder and CEO of Crown Public Relations, and the creator of the popular podcast Entrepreneur 2.0., initially thought that they'd have a big wedding, but ultimately decided that eloping to Thailand better suited the couple's shared love of adventure.
'He has a big family and I have an even bigger family,' she told Cosmopolitan.com. 'We sat down to make the guest list and it was 250 people. But then we thought, "What's true to us?" and we decided we just wanted it to be a lot of fun.'
Aisle style: To raise roughly $30,000 for the trip, the couple have asked companies to pay for their names and logos to be sewn onto the bride's dress and the groom's tuxedo
Miss McKenzie, a digital media consultant, realized that she could draw on her marketing background and large social media following to fund the ambitious idea.
'We will be hashtagging, tweeting and instagramming our way through Thailand to our over 30,000 combined social media followers and we want to include some of our favorite brands on our adventure,' she wrote on their website, SponsorOurWedding.com.
Miss McKenzie's wedding announcement on Facebook garnered more than 41,000 likes.
Sponsorships that include mentions on the couple's wedding website and various ceremony signage cost between $500 and $5,000, while larger packages - such as one that offers placement on the bride's wedding dress and honeymoon bikini - say 'Contact for pricing.'
Though they have a long way to go in terms of fundraising, Miss McKenzie told Buzzfeed that companies have begun contacting them.
'We have a few Fortune 500 companies who have reached out to us which is exactly what we wanted, as well as smaller companies like GlamHotlist, who are sponsoring my entire wedding and honeymoon wardrobe,' she said, adding that they've also secured a wedding ring sponsor.
The couple have also received their share of criticism, but not enough to deter them from their goal.
'We are being innovative,' Miss McKenzie tells MailOnline.
'We've received lots of emails from brides and grooms who would love to do the same thing. It may not be for you and we understand people can be resistant to change, but it's our wedding and we are doing it our way which is how every wedding should be.'
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Around for more than a decade, Bitcoin amongst many other cryptocurrencies is believed to be the next big leap in digital assets and online trade. Features like privacy, hack-proof, and many other digital currency markets are said to boom a thousand times over in the coming future.
According to fintech-insight.com, a leading website on cryptocurrency trading via robot, people today are using Bitcoins for almost 67% of their online transactions and this number is said to increase exponentially in the coming days. The Stats on Bitcoin transactions carried out in the past five years fully support this argument and the projections made.
Currently, crypto is a hot topic, and interest has skyrocketed. As cryptocurrency reaches all-time highs and suffers severe drops, the crypto space is becoming increasingly intriguing. Increasingly, people are interested in determining what 2022’s crypto trends will be.
Bitcoins statistics: Future trends you need to know
The readily changing growth rate of cryptocurrencies over the years has made it important to watch out for the future trends of Bitcoin. Since cryptocurrency is the thing of the future, people all over the world are encouraged to invest more and more into it.
This section of the article highlights the future trends of Bitcoins that will, no doubt, look appealing to the users. These trends are drastically changing the Bitcoin market. Let’s dive straight into the trends to help you know more in detail-
1. Cryptocurrency regulation: As per the financial investment experts, it is expected that the crypto industry will continue to work on precise regulation of cryptocurrencies globally. As a matter of fact, lawmakers in Washington, D.C., as well as around the world, are establishing laws and guidelines to make cryptocurrency investments safer.
In order to deter cyber criminals, stricter regulations are necessary. It is possible, however, that some regulations might meet obstacles, since different agencies may not have the authority to oversee all of them.
2. Crypto ETF approval: A significant development occurred in 2021 with the launch of the first Bitcoin ETF on the New York Stock Exchange. The innovation is a new, more traditional way to invest in cryptocurrencies. Investors can immediately purchase cryptocurrency through conventional investing brokerages with the BITO Bitcoin ETF.
The investors can do this using their existing accounts at Fidelity or Vanguard, for example. The fund has contracts for Bitcoin futures.
3. Pressure on Bitcoin: Even after reaching a peak of about $70,000 in 2021, bitcoin may continue to be under pressure. When the year began, Bitcoin had reached $29,000. Investors anticipate a gloomy trend in the established cryptocurrency in 2022 due to the significant gains. Some experts predict that Bitcoin will almost completely erase all of its gains from the last 18 months. Some experts, though, believe that bitcoin will pick up again and eventually surpass $100,000.
4. Growth of the NFT market: Artists and other creators who profit from access are embracing NFTs more and more. Finally, experts point out that the value of the NFT market may rise in the crypto market.
5. Web 3: The main advantage of Web 3.0 is the ability to customize the internet. Additionally, it prevents single-point failure from happening accidentally. Also, as Web 3.0 gains popularity, it will benefit a number of other cryptocurrencies connected to the third generation of the internet, including Helium, Livepeer, Ethereum, etc.
6. The crypto wars: A remarkable turn of events has engulfed the bitcoin sector with the wars happening around the world. According to experts, the cryptocurrency market would trend upward after 2020. However, the most recent global invasions were made possible by digital money. Crypto appears to have played a crucial role for both Russia and Ukraine in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In relation to cryptocurrencies, there will be a lot of speculation. The fact that it’s still a new investment, though, makes it imperative to keep an eye out for trends. Large-scale IT companies should decide to help investors by providing a powerful cryptocurrency app. Although there will be ups and downs in the value of cryptocurrencies, the trends appear to be positive, and now is a good moment to start looking into the market.