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If the negotiations are successful, Samara Capital, CX Partners and a West Asia-based investment firm will together buy out the franchise rights from the US fast-food chain, the Dodsal Group which runs 84 Pizza Hut outlets in west and south India as a franchisee, and several other smaller franchise partners, three people familiar with the development said, requesting anonymity. Mint could not ascertain the name of the West Asian firm.
Incidentally, Yum has been in talks with prospective investors for over a year now.
“The firm is looking at selling around 250-300 stores, which includes the 84 Pizza Hut outlets of the Dodsal Group. Also, Yum is selling several of its directly-owned stores across the country and several other smaller franchisees are also selling their stores. The final number of stores that will be sold has not been frozen yet, which could lead to an increase in the deal value," said the first person mentioned above.
Yum Brands, which in 2013 announced plans to invest $100 million in India over three-four years, is trying to develop a strong franchise network by replacing a clutch of smaller companies that run the company’s restaurants now. The financial muscle of the private equity companies will be critical as Yum Brands expands to smaller cities and takes on established rivals in Asia’s third largest economy.
The success of Domino’s Pizza, run by Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd in India, has been attributed to the company’s strong franchise network and its popular 30-minute doorstep delivery assurance. India became Domino’s largest market outside the US in December with more than 800 outlets.
“Smaller franchisees clearly cannot do justice to the company’s growth ambitions," said Gaurav Marya, head of Franchise India, an organization that helps foreign retailers appoint franchisees in the country. Yum Brands wants someone who can park money in the business for the long haul, “so they could be looking at large funds as well as family businesses", he said.
Yum Brands plans to more than double the number of restaurants in India to 2,000 over the next 5-7 years. “Yum is one of the largest and fastest growing restaurant companies in India. We are extremely bullish and committed to the huge opportunity that the country offers for each of our brands. Our ambition is to more than double the number of restaurants. We continue to explore opportunities to partner with big franchise players to help us achieve the same and, in the process, create significant value for all stakeholders, for the long term," said Ankush Tuli, chief financial officer at Yum India, which currently runs close to 800 restaurants, less than 30% of which are company-owned.
Sumeet Narang, founder and managing director at Samara Capital, and Ajay Relan, founder and managing partner at CX Partners, declined to comment.
This would be the first time that home-grown private equity funds have come together to acquire an asset.
In April 2014, The Economic Times had reported that the Dubai-based Dodsal Group had hired boutique investment bank Euromax Capital to sell the franchise rights of its Pizza Hut outlets in south and west India.
“The deal is a highly structured one and Yum is looking at simplifying its organizational structure, as currently it has mix of several franchisees and own stores. The new third entity created will have its own organizational structure with a designated head leading the business. The move will then spread Yum’s business in India across three larger entities—RJ Corp., Yum and the new franchisee," the second person cited above said.
The Delhi-based RJ Corp., owned by Ravi Jaipuria, is Yum’s largest partner in India. Yum runs some of the KFC restaurants in south India. Four other smaller franchisees run Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants in parts of west and south India. All its Pizza Hut outlets in India are run by partners.
In the north, RJ Corp. owns about 85 KFC restaurants apart from running Pizza Hut Delivery operations across India. Yum Brands recently mandated the Delhi-based Burman family (promoters of consumer goods company Dabur India Ltd) as the franchisee for Taco Bell in north and east India.
“Yum has a separate franchisee in Punjab, a separate one for KFC in Delhi as well as owned KFC stores in Delhi. So the deal will help simplify this structure to some extent. They want to bring on board investors with deep pockets who can help expand the presence of these brands," said the second person mentioned above.
“Yum will continue to have equity invested in the country," said the third person while adding, “It will hold ownership of part of the KFC outlets in India, but is also relying on a large partner who can do justice to the tremendous growth plans laid out for the three brands."
The move comes as competition in India’s ₹ 6000-crore fast-food restaurant industry has intensified after some of the world’s largest chains made public their plans to open more restaurants in India.
Last year, American chain Burger King launched in India, reaping benefits of a market largely cultivated by rivals McDonald’s and KFC, which have spent decades trying to customize Western menus to suit Indian consumers.
“PE funds are keen to invest in established restaurant businesses which have a long operating history, brand name and significant growth potential. Funds are looking to scale these businesses and later either exit through a strategic sale or a public market listing," said Vineet Toshniwal, managing director at Equirus Capital Pvt Ltd.
Yum’s sales in India have softened in recent quarters over weak consumer demand and competition from Jubilant FoodWorks.
Yum India restaurants’ same-store sales for the three months ended 31 March fell 11% from a year earlier, according to a 22 April report by brokerage firm Edelweiss Securities.
The promoters of HT Media Ltd, which publishes Hindustan Times and Mint, and Jubilant FoodWorks are closely related. There are no promoter crossholdings.


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Sadly, it doesn’t look like this will change anytime soon, as both companies wait for the other to make the first move.
Indeed, according to a Microsoft spokesperson on Twitter, the Xbox Series X platform holder will announce the price when ready.
One fan tweeted: “I do find it a bit crazy that nether Xbox or Playstation have revealed prices yet when the consoles are about 2 months away.
“People gotta know what they gonna be paying. I know this decision isn’t down to you but I still think its being left very very late.”
Xbox marketing executive Samuel Bateman replied: “I understand everyone is excited to know and people want to plan purchases etc. We’ll let you all know when we’re ready.”
The delay in revealing next-gen console prices likely dates back to the release of the PS4 and Xbox One.
Microsoft controversially announced a $499 price tag for the Xbox One during its E3 conference back in 2013.
Sony would subsequently announce a $399 price tag for the PS4 just days later.
While many factors played a part in the downfall of the Xbox One, the lower price of the PS4 would help Sony gain an advantage.
Microsoft clearly doesn’t want to hand Sony another advantage in the next-gen console war, and vice-versa.
Previous rumours have suggested both consoles will cost around $499 when they launch in November.
Other rumours suggest Microsoft and Sony will release multiple versions of their next-gen consoles, all with varying price points.
While price and release date details remain under wraps, Sony and Microsoft have been forthcoming about next-gen console features.
The PS5, for example, will support ray-tracing technology and have much faster loading times.
The speedy (or non-existent) loading times are possible thanks to the custom solid-state drive, which will make a huge difference to processing speeds.
In Spider-Man on a PS4 Pro, for example, it can take upwards of 15 seconds to fast travel from one location to another. The PS5, on the other hand, will be able to handle the same task in less than a second.
Worlds can also be rendered at far greater speeds, which should inject more pace into games.
Published at Wed, 02 Sep 2020 15:54:18 +0000

domain: news


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A brand new edition of the Club Penguin Times has been published, containing details on the Halloween igloo contest and the Anniversary Party this month, as well as much more!
For the best experience and to see all the igloo contest rules, I reccommend reading the paper online, but I will try and summarise all the information which was revealed in this new edition!
The information revealed in this paper was that:
- The Halloween igloo contest is on until the 25th of October
- To enter, click the yellow igloo button in your igloo, but you cannot change your igloo after this. 10 people will win an exclusive igloo as well as 25,000 coins. 20 runner-ups will receive 25,000 coins!
- Winners will be announced on October 31st
- The Anniversary Party starts at the Coffee Shop from October 22nd to October 24th
- There will be a new rare party hat, but the colours have not been revealed yet
- Halloween hits the island on October 25th, along with a new pin!
A new Stage play and the storm has already hit the island, so be sure to check those out! I am so excited for Halloween! Good luck in the igloo contest everyone, thank you very much for reading!


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Products for every budget: from 10 rubles to 218 000 rubles per unit. The most expensive and the cheapest products in Internet shops Moscow
Any modern online store is a gallery in which you can go on a tour (or even in the online tour). The range of large stores today –is products for every taste and financial possibilities of the consumer. Analysts АГРО24 researched the Internet shelves "Crossroads", "Coswell", "Platypus", "Globus GURME", "Azbuka Vkusa" and found there products cost from 10 rubles to 218 000.
Adherents of proper nutrition (PP) every year increasing, and this trend is certainly positive, because this approach to your diet will ensure not only improvements, but also improvement of overall health.
Trading network "the Crossroads" (enters in X5 Retail Group) has opened in Moscow the first supermarket with the elements of the new concept, the company expects to finalize the concept before the end of the year, told reporters operating officer of the Perekrestok Alla Bondarenko.
The construction of the industrial complex on acceptance, processing, storage of seeds of premium quality quinoa will begin in may 2019
Retailer Lenta opened its first own shop for production of sausages and meat products, which is located in Novosibirsk, the press service of the company.
In response it is proposed to degrade the quality
Organic revenue retailer's Okay in Russia, adjusted for the effect of the sale of business supermarkets (32 stores), decreased by 1.1% in annual terms. Total Group revenue under IFRS fell by 8.4% yoy with 176 076 million rubles to 161 303 million rubles
According to the Ministry, the harvest of grain and leguminous crops in 2012, up 60%
The head of the Ministry Dmitry Patrushev at the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin said that in 2019, the Ministry expects that the grain harvest in the country will be 108-110 million tons.
Executive Director of the Association "Rusprodsoyuz" Dmitry Vostrikov said that in the first quarter of 2019, the growth of prices for bakery products may be 6-7 %.
The Ministry of agriculture called the minimum risks in the matter of export from Russia to Venezuela
The share of Venezuela in the export of Russian agricultural products is about 0.3%, therefore the potential risks for the Russian Federation because of the political crisis in Venezuela is minimal. This was reported in the Ministry of agriculture of the Russian Federation.
Production technology by combining the "explosive autohydrolysis" and hot pressing
The Federal Antimonopoly service (FAS) of Russia proposes to allow exporters of agricultural products to use exchange contract as a customs Declaration. This was announced by Deputy head of FAS Andrey Tsyganov.
Exports of Russian agricultural industry in 2018, according to preliminary data, amounted to 25.8 billion to $ 20.7 billion in 2017. this was reported to journalists by the Minister of agriculture Dmitry Patrushev, chief of the world agro-industrial exhibition "Green week", which ended in Berlin.
Grain harvest in Russia in 2019 will amount to 114.3 million tons - the national project for export of agricultural products
Gross yield of grain and leguminous crops in Russia in 2019 will amount to 114.3 million tons. It is envisaged by the action plan for the implementation of the project "the Export of agricultural products".
The financing of the project "the Export of agricultural products" until 2024 will be 406,8 billion rubles, including 38.8 billion rubles in 2019 and RUB 33.8 billion in 2020, according to the document published on the website of the Ministry of agriculture. So, in 2019, should be developed not less than 50 corporate programs and international competitiveness (KPMK): 16 — for grain products, 14 — food processing industry, 10 — oil products and 10 for fish.
Agricultural enterprises and peasant farms of the Pskov region has sown winter crops on an area of 21 thousand hectares.
The Ministry of agriculture of the Russian Federation called for grain exporters to restrain the rate of supply
Volumes of export of grain, which exceeded the June—December 2018 to 28 million tons, alerted officials. The Ministry of agriculture expect that before the end of the season the shipment will not be more than 42 million tons, and — so far informal — recommended exporters to restrain the rate of supply. The export figures in January are already below expectations, but analysts predict that the volume of exported grain during the season will be at 43 million tonnes and above.
In 2018 area harvested 2,328 million tons of grain. This amount is sufficient to fully ensure the domestic demand for agricultural 2018/2019 year, which is 1, 753 million tonnes.
APH Miratorg, the largest producer of grain in the Russian Federation, said that the gross harvest of grain and leguminous crops in the fields of agricultural holding in 2018 amounted to 1.6 million tonnes, 29% more than in the previous year.


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PBA is excited to announce its first installment of the Latino Fashion Group (LAFA) Trend Report. The Trend Report includes the latest in hairstyle and makeup trends, as well as easy steps to replicate these fashion forward looks. This edition is sponsored by Wella Color Charm and was creatively directed by industry celebrity, Mary Brunetti.
LAFA took fashion to the high seas, mixing old world shapes with a fresh, new twist. “This amazing nautical setting, shot aboard the Queen Mary, couldn’t have been a better backdrop for our collection. We have taken pony-tails, pigtails and a classic set to a whole new level. Hair is the ultimate fashion accessory,” says Brunetti.
Keep an eye out for these trends on runways across the world and in salons near you. Remember, it’s all about utilizing hair’s natural texture and emphasizing silhouettes and shape!
View the LAFA Trend Report and share it with your colleagues on Facebook and Twitter.


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Sprint has added more cities to its fledgling Direct 2 You smartphone and tablet delivery service area, expanding the availability of the free delivery and phone training services for its customers across a larger swath of the United States.
Sprint Direct 2 You services, which send out trained Sprint employees to deliver new smartphones and tablets to customers along with personal lessons on how to set them up and use them, are now being added in Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati; Las Vegas; Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Salt Lake City, according to an Oct. 13 announcement by the company. The delivery and training are provided at no extra charge, according to Sprint.
“We’re excited to see such positive customer reaction to Direct 2 You, and we plan to expand its reach into new communities,” Rod Millar, a vice president at Sprint, said in a statement. “Our experts will meet you where you request—and people appreciate that, especially with the upcoming shopping season. You can specify at home, in the office or even at your child’s soccer game. We make sure that the experience of getting a new Sprint phone is easy, convenient and stress-free.”
To use Direct 2 You, customers can schedule an appointment by calling 844-347-2968 or online through https://sprintdirect2you.com. The Direct 2 You worker also will transfer all content on a customer’s old device, including contacts, pictures, games and apps, to the new device to make the equipment swap easier.
Sprint says it plans to expand the Direct 2 You program in even more customers in 2016 “from coast to coast virtually wherever and whenever they choose.”
Sprint launched the initial Direct 2 You program in April in Kansas City and soon expanded to Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Los Angeles; Miami and Tampa, Fla.; New York; San Francisco; and Washington, D.C., according to an earlier eWEEK story.
In August, the service was expanded to Atlanta, Boston, Houston and Philadelphia. The Boston services are available in Boston and nearby Cambridge, Quincy and Lynn, while in Philadelphia, the service is also available in surrounding communities, including Camden, Newark and Trenton, N.J., and Dover, Del. In Atlanta, the services are also available in nearby Marietta, Conyers, Decatur, Roswell, Stockbridge and Lawrenceville, Ga., while in Houston, the services will also be provided to customers in Pasadena and Pearland, Texas.
Sprint originally launched the service due to customer requests, according to an earlier eWEEK report. Existing and new customers can use the service for phone upgrades, new tablets and more as part of a plan to take the buying experience to the customer, according to the company.
Sprint is planning to use some 5,000 Sprint Direct 2 You vehicles in major metropolitan areas of the United States by the end of 2015 as it continues to expand the program.
Customer feedback that the company received showed that customers are often short of the time it takes to obtain new smartphones and tablets in a brick-and-mortar store, according to Sprint. Others told the company that they don’t want to order such devices online and have them delivered because they will likely need help with set-up and use once they receive them, and they’ll have no one to help them.


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TAMPA, FL (01.30.2015) – DOW Electronics and Rockford Fosgate are partnering for a retailer appreciation event on February 7. “The Rock Party” will be held at DOW Electronics’ Tampa location from 6pm to 10pm.
“The Rock Party” will feature a car and truck show that will include demo vehicles from some of the regional car audio retailers in attendance. The event provides an opportunity for the retailers to show off their workmanship to their peers. The famed Rockford Fosgate SoundLab will be on display to showcase the company’s world-class car audio products, as well.
In addition to the car show, retailers can experience the Wall of Bass, a wall of Rockford Fosgate subwoofers providing incredible low end. Retailers will also be able to test their system with free SPL meter readings. DJ Santana will spin music for the party and there will be food and beverage trucks.
“This is a great opportunity for DOW and Rockford to bring car audio retailers together to experience Rockford’s amazing products in a causal atmosphere,” stated Mike Barcia, DOW 12 Volt strategic sales manager. “We believe this is a chance for retailers to interact with their peers and see the quality of work other shops are putting into their installations. We recognize Rockford’s impact on the industry and want to bring Rockford’s spirit and passion to our retailers.”
Retailers that attend can take advantage of one day product specials from Rockford Fosgate and other select vendors that DOW Electronics offers.


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An Oregon woman was awarded $18.6 million by a federal jury after spending two years unsuccessfully trying to get Equifax Information Services to fix mistakes on her credit report.
The jury was told that Julie Miller contacted Equifax eight times between 2009 and 2011 in an effort to correct inaccuracies, including erroneous accounts and collection attempts, as well as a wrong Social Security number and birthday. Her lawsuit alleged the Atlanta-based company failed to correct the mistakes.
Friday's award includes $18.4 million in punitive damages and $180,000 in compensatory damages. It is likely to be appealed. Equifax declined comment on the case until further details about the ruling were available.
Miller found the problem after being denied credit by a bank in early December 2009. She alerted Equifax and filled out multiple forms faxed by the credit agency seeking updated information.
A Federal Trade Commission study earlier this year of 1,001 consumers who reviewed 2,968 of their credit reports found 21% contained errors. The survey found that 5 percent of the errors represented issues that would lead consumers to be denied credit.


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Every week, more than a dozen startup secure funding and many get acquired. In this weekly series, we bring the latest deals from the Indian startup ecosystem consolidated at a single page.
We bring to you the latest edition of Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week!
In one of the biggest funding rounds, Bengaluru-based edtech unicorn Byju’s has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from General Atlantic. Though the company didn’t share the amount of funding, it has said that this is the same round which was announced in January where Tiger Global invested around $200 Mn.
The round had reportedly valued Byju’s at $8 Bn. The company said it is working on launching programs in vernacular languages to help students across the country. In addition to this, the company will also be launching the ‘Byju’s Online Tutoring Program’ in the coming months.
Overall, 15 startups raised around $105 Mn funding and three startup acquisitions took place in the Indian startup ecosystem this week. (This funding report is based on startups that disclosed funding amount.)
Indian Startup Funding Of The Week
- WayCool: $35 Mn
- Leap India: $30 Mn
- Embibe: $12.6 Mn
- Dot: $8 Mn
- Kuku FM: $5.5 Mn
- Rebel Foods: $4.9 Mn
- Qyuki: $3.5 Mn
- Fleetx.io: $2.8 Mn
- SuperMoney: $1 Mn
- Entri: $1.4 Mn
- Picxy: $250K
- Krimanshi: $20K
- Byju’s: Undisclosed
- NEETprep: Undisclosed
- AlphaVector: Undisclosed
Chennai-based WayCool Foods and Products has raised $35 Mn (INR 250 Cr) Series C equity and debt funding round led by Mumbai-based venture capital firm Lightbox. With the recently raised funds, the company will improve existing technologies and ramp up operations in South India.
- Leap India
Coimbatore-based agricultural warehousing and logistics platform Leap India has raised $30 Mn (INR 164 Cr) in Series B funding from Danish SDG Investment Fund and Neev Fund. The startup will utilise the funding towards tangible future growth and transform itself into a robust company that connects the grain supply chain from farm to business.
Mumbai-based edtech startup Embibe has raised $12.6 Mn (INR 90 Cr) funding from Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), according to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) filings accessed by Inc42. Reliance, which is already an existing shareholder of the company, has received 8,99,198 preference shares as part of this transaction.
PayU India’s cofounder Shailaz Nag’s new venture Dot has raised $8 Mn in seed funding. The seed round has been led by PayU, the payments and fintech business of Prosus (earlier Naspers), and Fosun RZ Capital with participation from Info Edge Ventures and other angel investors. Dot is a technology startup, providing novel digital transformation and commerce solutions to brick and mortar outlets.
- Kuku FM
Mumbai-based vernacular audio platform Kuku FM has raised $5.5 Mn Series A funding led by Vertex Ventures. The round saw participation from existing investors Shunwei Capital, India Quotient and 3one4 Capital. the funds will be used to expand its offerings by adding more languages on the platform including Telugu, Bengali, Marathi and Gujarati. The plan is to release Marathi content in March. The team also plans to hire talent for its production and marketing support.
- Rebel Foods
Mumbai-based cloud kitchen startup Rebel Foods has raised $4.9 Mn (INR 35 Cr) in debt-funding from Alteria Capital. Rebel Foods runs food brands such as Faasos, Mandarin Oak, The Good Bowl and others. The fund will go into cloud kitchens. Rebel Foods has also announced plans to expand business overseas, preferably in South Asia and parts of Europe.
Mumbai-based media company, Qyuki has raised $3.5 Mn from Noida-based Info Edge (India) Ltd via its newly launched venture fund. The investment will help Info Edge Venture fund to support and grow Qyuki’s business in India.
Gurugram-headquartered artificial intelligence (AI)-driven logistics platform, fleetx.io, has raised $2.8 Mn its Series A round of funding with participation from VCs and angel investors. The investment has been led by Beenext with participation from existing investor India Quotient. Further, Snapdeal founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, Rajesh Ranavat (MD, LiFung Capital) and Rohan Ranavat (Investor, Temasek Holdings) also participated in the round. The fresh funds will be used for expansion in India and other markets as well as towards bulking up its product, technology and sales teams.
Mumbai-based fintech startup SuperMoney has raised $1 Mn in pre-Series A funding from early-stage investor Unitus Ventures. The fresh funds will be used to strengthen its team across technology, business development and back-end operations besides expanding beyond the 12 cities it is currently operating in.
Kochi-based edtech startup Entri has closed a seed round of $1.4 Mn led by Good Capital. Entri is a local language learning app for India that provides different types of learning content in vernacular or regional Indian languages for job aspirants. The funding will be used to launch and grow new languages, especially in the Hindi belt which has more than 150 Mn people looking for government and private jobs.
Hyderabad-based stock photo startup Picxy has raised $250K from FirstCheque, Angellist India, and angel investors — Aakrit Vaish, CEO of Jio Haptik; Byju’s CPO Ranjith Radhakrishnan, among others. These funds will be utilised to expand the team and build a much more diverse and larger repository of images. The startup has also been selected for the second cohort of Techstars.
Jodhpur based agritech startup Krimanshi has raised $20K (INR 15 Lakhs) at the Arunachal Pradesh Social Entrepreneurship Meet. The startup will also sign an MoU with Arunachal Pradesh Government.
Delhi-based edtech startup NEETprep has raised an undisclosed investment from early-stage venture capital firm IndiaQuotient. According to ET, the funding is a part of INR 40 Cr funding round. The startup will use the funds to add more users and tapping newer markets. It will also build its technology and add more content across vernacular languages available on the platform.
Mumbai-based bicycle brand Frog’s parent company AlphaVector has raised an undisclosed amount from Avaana Capital and Titan Capital, which is an investment arm of Snapdeal’s cofounders Rohit Bansal and Kunal Bahl. With the new funding round, Frog plans to expand its product offerings and also launch an electric cycle.
Indian Startup Acquisitions Of The Week
- Hospitality giant OYO has acquired Germany-based TUI’s vacation homes tour operator business for an undisclosed amount in a bid to increase its presence in the European market.
- Gurugram-headquartered proptech startup Square Yards has acquired Mumbai-based rentals and property management platform Azuro.
- Bengaluru-based fintech company Instamojo has taken the next step towards its plan of being a full-stack service provider for MSMEs with the acquisition of GetMeAShop.
Other Developments Of The Week
- Amazon’s Indian entity Amazon Seller Services Private Limited has raised INR 2208 Cr ($310 Mn) from Singapore-based Amazon Corporate Holdings Private Limited Company and Mauritius-based Amazon.com Incs Limited.
- In its second Demo Day in Bengaluru, Xoogler hosted 11 startups to pitch to over 50 investors of the Xoogler community. Xoogler will continue helping the selected startups to connect with investors across Asia and the USA.
- Information Technology and Biotechnology department of the government of Karnataka has reportedly proposed to earmark INR 150 Cr ($21 Mn) for a debt fund to help companies secure Series-A funding.
- Global travel ecommerce company Booking.com has now taken its yearly accelerator programme forward with an additional fund for grants for select startups. Through the 2020 programme, participants with innovative products and services, including accommodations, will have the opportunity to secure grants from the company’s $3.4 Mn fund.
- Stage and sector-agnostic investment firm SAIF Partners has said it would be signing close to 15 deals in 2020. Moreover, the firm has also decided to look into new sectors such as agritech and software-as-a-service (SaaS), besides fintech, edtech and ecommerce.
- Insurance company Max Life Insurance has shortlisted seven startups as part of its InsurTech accelerator programme. The selected startups will engage with Max Life Innovation Labs to develop their capabilities.
- Anthill Ventures has shortlisted seven startups for its consumer brand accelerator Urban-i. The selected startups are focused on building solutions ranging across personal care, fashion, food and beverages, nutrition, and more. These are the selected startups – Herringbone & Sui, Smitch, Living Food Co., RE/MIND Wellness, PULP Cosmetics, Tasty Tales, and SoulFuel.
- Telangana-government backed We Hub has invited applications from women entrepreneurs for the second cohort of its tailor-made incubation program.
Stay tuned for the next week edition of Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week!


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Tue, 05 Mar 2013 9:47a.m.
A survey of New Zealand managers has found that four out of five report a shortage of talent.
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13/03/2013 6:10:03 p.m.
many large companies have a problem where the corporates and workers are divided heavily,like rich and poor, many elite corporates have a business mentality that only allows for there own personal and economic growth where excessive salaries and unrealistic business models are used to maximize profit and minimize overheads, like contracting out at unfair rates, there dictating the other company to do the work as a client this causes a ripple effect that reduces wages to employees and quality of product to the end user, this business model has a flaw and that's sustainability long term. maybe nz should become self sufficient too many people are exploiting loop holes, buying the law and selling other peoples things under false pretenses, the real value lies in our children and leaving a legacy that can allow sustainability for future generations, thats just my take on things how we go about doing this is another story.
7/03/2013 10:25:22 a.m.
Rubbish - this is just an excuse to bring in more overseas staff from third world countries to keep wages low. There are thousands of unemployed skilled people around. Sad.
5/03/2013 6:04:54 p.m.
The answer is to hire mums. They have all of the above requirements in spades. Critical thinking, problem solving, management, leadership, initiative and drive. Perhaps employers are not looking in the right place for skilled managers. A piece of paper does not make a manager. Years of living, breathing and doing do.Employers may need to think outside the square and be innovative themselves. And yes, push for more apprenticeships.
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You don’t have to be a Certified Cicerone to know that beer and food pairing can be a wonderful, multi-sensory experience. Beer dinners, with multiple courses each paired with a brew, are becoming more and more common. Pairing with food both enhances and brings out new flavors in a beer. Duvig Brewing Company of Branford, CT will be hosting monthly beer dinners the first Thursday of each month. The next one will take place on Thursday, December 8 at 6:30 and will feature a menu from La Cucina of North Branford.
Rather than taking place at a restaurant or similar venue, Duvig transforms the brewhouse into a dining room. Call it “fermenter-to-table”. Each dinner will be a partnership with a different chef. Last month’s featured Foe Foods of Branford, and there are rumors of a Caseus dinner in January!
A great perk of these monthly dinners is the price point. $55 for a four course dinner and 4 different beers is very reasonable, especially with the quality that is brought to the table.
Source: Now Beer This!
Read the full article here.


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Lamborghini’s next edition of its Huracan will be a plug-in hybrid, according to Autocar.
the automobile will be scheduled for Discharge in 2022. the item will be the second hybrid vehicle Lamborghini plans to make. The Italian carmaker plans to debut its hybrid Urus SUV in December.
The vehicle will offer an electric-only mode, Autocar said.
Lamborghini was not immediately available for comment to CNBC.
Some of Lamborghini’s fellow high-end automakers, such as Ferrari, have moved toward developing hybrid designs. However, executives by both Lamborghini in addition to Ferrari have said neither company has plans to develop fully electric designs yet.
however if governments push carmakers toward ever lower emissions targets, these automakers may be shut out of entire markets if they don’t meet standards, said Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas in a recent note.
Moreover, Tesla has garnered praise for its quick, fast electric cars, such as the design S P100DL. Competition could also push legacy performance manufacturers toward creating all-electric vehicles. However, Jonas said some fans of high-end performance cars liken driving an electric Ferrari to eating a 3-D printed soy doughnut — just not the same.
Read the full story at Autocar.


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The future of cold chain logistics is almost always in transition: from growth to slow-downs, modified trends to shifted needs from customers. After two considerably slow years for the industry in 2014 and 2015, shipping providers are eager to see a new era for logistics.
That new era might be closer than we think: the Council of Supply Chain Logistics released its 27th Annual State of Logistics Report and suggested a shift to a more sound logistics industry. The report documented the positive changes in the logistics market from last year. This?showed?providers it?may be?time to accommodate accordingly.
In this year’s report, what began as lulls in traffic and a rise in costs for businesses has accelerated into a cost efficient system. This includes having services available in plenty, with agreeable pricing and rationalized demand. The report mentioned an increase in supply chain transparency as it continues to grow. Another highlight was technological changes for 3PLs, helping enable more efficient production of data to drivers and coordinators alike.
What does this mean for providers? An air of excitement looking forward into a stronger industry. This also infers more?promising results?as the next few months finish out the quarter.


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Anything to avoid driving. That’s what many Americans now favor, seeking living communities where walking, biking or jogging is encouraged… especially if it means errands may be run sans car.
According to a report by the National Association of Realtors, “Americans favor walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, with 56 percent of respondents preferring smart growth neighborhoods over neighborhoods that require more driving between home, work and recreation.”
Interestingly, they’re willing to sacrifice larger footprints in order to live in such environments, further supporting the trend of smaller space living. As America “right sizes,” home owners and apartment dwellers prefer quality over quantity and purchase home products to follow suit, making the most of their small spaces.


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Yep, this is the last episode of Nintendo Podcast System. It’s been a great four years, filled with fun moments, wonderful guests, and cracking discussions about our favourite video games and the company that makes them.
We’re not gonna leave
Published on 15 Feb 2019
With a crazy Nintendo Direct comes a crazy good discussion about it on Nintendo Podcast System! That’s right: Matt and Jack chat about each and every title that popped up throughout the presentation, as well as their
Recorded on 25th January 2018 - On this episode of Nintendo Podcast system, Jack is Joined by Patrick Day-Childs of the Hampshire gaming hub & Video game journalist from VGChartz.com
We talk all about running local community events and look
Jack Solo's the podcast again as Matt is too busy eating mince pies! :O
Jokes! It's actually Brussel sprouts!
We talk briefly in this short episode:
-Thank you audience!
-What have I been playing?
-Couple of news articles
-I nearly accidenta
Published on 3 Dec 2018
We’re back with a new episode of Nintendo Podcast System, with a shorter-than-usual length and a slightly sick Matt (seriously, the sniffling wouldn’t end).
As we prepare for the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,
Published on 14 Nov 2018
Been craving a long episode of a Nintendo-centric podcast with a massive portion dedicated to the latest news? Well, you’re in luck, as this episode of Nintendo Podcast contains a news section over 1.5 hours in length!
Published on 20 Oct 2018
Good friend of the show and video game OST expert Rich Stokesy joins us to chat all sorts of Nintendo goodness on this episode of Nintendo Podcast System! We go over some recent Pokémon-related news, and also discuss
Ollie Jameson hops onto the show to join in on another packed episode! We’re all excited for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s roster, but what about the other aspects of the game? Well if you’re curious you’re in for a treat, as we have a big secti
Published on 1 Sep 2018
Matt and Jack return to the mic to bring another bumper sized episode of Nintendo Podcast System! It’s been a while since we last talked about the games we’ve been playing, so thankfully you lovely lot it’s a pretty ch
Nantenjex from Source Gaming comes aboard on this latest episode of Nintendo Podcast System! With the recent Nintendo Direct focusing on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, there is a lot to discuss, and we did just that! Maybe too much. Okay fine, a p
Matt and Jack present another episode of Nintendo podcasting goodness.
We talk about some recent news like the big amount of 'Nindie’s due to be released on the eShop weekly, Kirby music now being available on music platforms, as well as some
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has finally been unveiled, and the whole NPS crew is together to chat about their thoughts over the game, as well as our other highlights from E3 2018!
Of course, we also go through the games we’ve been playing, which
On this episode of Nintendo Podcast System, Matt and Jack discuss their hopes and predictions for this year’s E3, as well as the games they’ve been playing and recent news topics. That, of course, includes the recently revealed Pokémon Let’s Go
Gary Gray from Topic Nintendo and Nintendo Village joins as a special guest to chat about the big N with the usual lot! Whilst nothing too major in the world of Nintendo has occurred fairly recently, we have no shortage of topics to talk about
It’s been a long time coming….
Nintendo Podcast System has been around for three years and the show’s 50th episode is finally here for your listening pleasure! To celebrate, Matt, Jack, and Sam talk about the recent Nintendo Direct, the games
This Week's episode is sponsored by MontCast!
Check out their Podcast in the link here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/montcast/id1330520357?mt=2
In this particularly big episode, Jack and Sam talk about Nintendo Labo and the Nintendo Di
For the first episode in 2018, Jack and Sam share their thoughts on the games they’ve been playing, as well as Nintendo’s performance in 2017! It’s nothing too special, but it’s more of the good Nintendo Podcast System you know and (hopefully)
Firstly, MASSIVE apologies for our long absence! Things between us three have been quite hectic this past couple of months. But anyways, here is a new episode, and we hope you enjoy!
Sadly, Sam couldn't make the recording, but Matt and Jack ma
Good friend of the show Micky Orchard joins the show this time to talk Nintendo with the regular group. This was recorded on the 8th of Sept. 2018, so unfortunately, that means we didn't talk about our predicitons/thoughts for the new Nintendo
The usual crew deliver the usual Nintendo chat in this episode! The two games on highlight are Sonic Mania and Splatoon 2, the latter of which is this episode’s ‘Big Game!’ In addition, we go over recent news and games we’ve been playing, and o
Published on 21 Jul 2017
And about time too! Yes, Matt, Jack, and Sam are back to talk a lot of Nintendo goodness! From some of our E3 2017 impressions to the latest games we’ve been playing (now it’s open to all games, not just Nintendo!), thi
We are Packed full of games this episode!
-Sam Makes a return to the podcast this week to explain why he couldn't play any games last week
-We go through the latest thoughts on the Nintendo online subscription announcements
-We talk about t
Gawny's Solo effort at a podcast! Due to other commitments and illness it's been very difficult for us all to organise a podcast recently. So to keep you all fresh I decided to try a solo podcast off the fly!
This episode is all about last mon
This Episode was recorded live at the Southampton Super Pod 2017, a weekend of podcasting all for charity Comic Relief/Red Nose Day.
It was a great honour to be part of the event and Don't forget you can still donate here: http://www.superpod.
Do you host or manage this podcast? Claim and edit this page to your liking.
Are we missing an episode or update? Use this to check the RSS feed immediately.


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THE closing of roads leading to the SingTel Singapore Grand Prix circuit has upset some shop and restaurant tenants at Suntec City and Marina Square.
Many of the them told The Straits Times that business has nose-dived owing to the inconvenience following the road closure. Others blamed the slower economy.
Several roads, such as Beach Road and Bras Basah Road, had sections closed since yesterday in preparation for the weekend’s F1 race.
Said Adelina Kamarulzaman, 25, and a store manager at the Build-A-Bear-Workshop at Suntec City: ‘On a normal weekday, we carry out about 20 transactions.
‘On Monday, we had only eight. And we have not had a single sale today.
‘Usually, by this time (2pm), we would already have five transactions.’
To add to their woes, four birthday parties scheduled at the store during the weekend, plus another one on Friday, were all cancelled.
She said that customers cited road closure as the reason for the change in plans.
Francis Lee, 25, a sales executive at a handphone shop in Suntec City, also noted a downturn in business.
He said: ‘Since Monday, business has slowed down. The crowd has gone down by about half.’
Its patrons usually consist of churchgoers. But the store will have to do without them this Sunday as the New Creation Church will be moving its services to the Singapore Indoor Stadium at Kallang.
Lee said: ‘Every weekend, there are about 20,000 churchgoers. Although we can’t say that everyone will come to our shop, they form a large part of the crowd.’
Deacon Matthew Kang confirmed that the decision to switch its services elsewhere was due to the inconvenience caused by road closure.
Student teacher Jasline Ang, 24, is one churchgoer who will divert from her normal routine of eating, shopping and catching the occasional movie at Suntec City. Instead, she will be going to Kallang’s Leisure Park this weekend.
Another shopper, Lim Siew Kiang, 20, will also be avoiding the Marina area and turning to malls like VivoCity.
Still, some tenants in the area can count on office workers for support.
When The Straits Times went to Suntec City and Marina Square over the past two days, many office workers were seen there during lunchtime.
Bank employee Eugene Tian, 31, whose office at the Centennial Tower is a short walk away from Suntec City, is one such patron.
He said: ‘The road closure does not bother me. I come here for lunch every day.’
A check at Suntec City’s Food Republic indicated brisk business, with some patrons resorting to using tissue paper to reserve seats.
However, most of the restaurant tenants at Suntec City expressed concern.
Said Jinger Ban Dan, 36, a supervisor at Kenny Rogers: ‘It’s been really quiet today. We had fewer than 80 customers during lunchtime.
‘Usually, we have about 120 customers on a weekday.’
Over at Ichiban, senior assistant manager Moon Hung, 30, said: ‘Our takings during lunch today were about $500 less than a normal weekday.’
While some tenants are not expecting business to pick up, others are hopeful that the 40,000 tourists expected to be in Singapore for the F1 race will have the cash registers ringing soon.
Hung said: ‘We have strengthened our manpower because we heard that the hotels around this area are fully booked.
‘We hope business will improve during the coming days.’
Assistant manager at Marina Square’s Gain City Ho Eng Keng, 52, added: ‘We have to be optimistic. Hopefully, more tourists will come to Singapore during race days, and shop for electronics such as cameras and handycams.’
‘There was no business on Monday. The tourists never came. Today’s takings – only $18 so far.’ – SUSAN NEO, sales assistant, on business at her jewellery and accessories store, in the early afternoon
‘This is the first time F1 is in Singapore so we don’t know what to expect. This month’s takings have been the lowest of the year so far. I just hope that this weekend will be better, especially when people have gotten their pay.’ – ALMA GABRIEL, restaurant supervisor, on the effect on the food business
‘I’m not sure. It’s either going to be very good or very bad. F1 ticket holders will either be going to just watch the race or may shop and eat before and after the race.’ – KEITH LEE, owner of a push-cart shop, on whether there will be an upturn in business during race days
‘Staff members have been standing around doing nothing.’ – JASMINE WONG, manager of a restaurant, on the poor business
‘This month, business has dipped by 20 per cent. It may not be because of F1, but rather, purchasing power has been affected.’ – EDMUND PEK, who works in a push-cart shop selling personalised items
‘We usually have some reservations, but there’s been nothing so far today.’ – SEBASTIN CHACKO, restaurant captain
‘Since Monday, business has started to slow down. The crowd has gone down by about half.’ – FRANCIS LEE, sales executive, on business at his mobile phone store
‘We have to be optimistic. Hopefully, more tourists will come to Singapore during race days.’ – HO ENG KENG, assistant manager at Marina Square’s Gain City
‘We have strengthened our manpower because we heard the hotels around this area are fully booked. We hope business will improve during the coming days.’ – MOON HUNG, senior assistant manager at a restaurant
Source : Straits Times – 24 Sep 2008


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The coronavirus has created a shortage of many cleaning products, including rubbing alcohol. Here’s how you can effectively clean your bongs and pipes without it.
The pandemic has affected the production of a variety of disinfectants, from hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes, to the latest product in short supply: rubbing alcohol. These items, intended to clean surfaces, heal cuts and disinfect all sorts of areas of your home, are in high demand during the pandemic for obvious reasons. But sometimes you need rubbing alcohol for more mundane and non-related COVID-19 activities, like making sure your bong is clean and your hits don’t taste strange.
Luckily for you, there’s lots of ways to clean your marijuana gear. As always, the best way to prevent the build up of gunk on your expensive smoke pieces is to clean them regularly and to never use products that may harm the materials in them or your health. Here are three cheap and easy ways to do it.
– Read the entire article at The Fresh Toast.
Credit: Source link


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Popular online greetings card and gift business Funky Pigeon has suspended new orders and cancelled and refunded others after suffering a “cyber security incident” ahead of the Easter weekend.
Many Funky Pigeon customers had taken to social media to query why their orders had been cancelled and refunded or why they couldn’t place new orders.
At the time of writing, the Funky Pigeon website was still carrying a banner reading: “Oops! We’re experiencing some issues and we can’t accept new orders at the moment. Please try again later!”.
Funky Pigeon has said it is investigating the incident with external IT security specialists. The cyber attack has affected some of Funky Pigeon’s IT systems, possibly suggesting a ransomware attack has taken place.
Unclear whether any customer data has been leaked
The company has said that customer payment data hasn’t been compromised, as payment card details are processed via third-party platforms that encrypt this data. Funky Pigeon has also said it doesn’t believe that customers’ account passwords have been compromised.
However, the business has been unable to confirm if any other personal data is at risk, including customer names and email addresses, addresses for the customer and people they’ve sent cards to, and personalised card and gift card designs, the latter of which may include photographs.
Funky Pigeon is writing to all customers to have made a purchase in the last year to inform them of the incident and the action it is taking.
A Funky Pigeon statement read: “We take the security of customer data extremely seriously and we have temporarily suspended any new orders via the website.
“We have also informed the relevant regulators and law enforcement authorities, and we will continue to review and update our protocols based on what we learn from this incident.
“We would like to sincerely apologise to our customers for any concern or disruption this may cause, and reassure them that our teams are working around the clock to investigate and resolve this incident. As our investigation progresses, we will provide further updates to customers and other affected parties as necessary.”


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Bubbakoo’s Burritos, a build-your-own-burrito concept, has been expanding throughout the United States, spreading their brand to new platforms, and introducing their Mexican-fusion style cuisine to new places.
The popular chain was founded in 2008 by industry veterans Bill Hart and Paul Altero. Both Hart and Altero had worked together previously and decided to combine their ideas to build a united dream. Their shared vision focused on the complete customization of entrees with fresh ingredients and a strong concentration on customer service. Bubbakoo’s Burritos has innovated a menu where customers can pick and choose what they want and create something different every time they visit.
Aside from their food escapades, Bubbakoo’s is dedicated to getting involved in the communities surrounding their store locations. Their team has launched a program for the schools called the “Read It To Eat It Program” where students can read five books and in exchange, they receive a free student meal. Since the dawn of this program, hundreds of teachers have signed up to participate and together with Bubbakoo’s, they continue to incentivize education.
Since their first store opened in Point Pleasant, NJ in 2008, many Bubbakoo’s restaurants have been popping up throughout the country. With 50 locations across nine states and more than 100 locations signed, the expansion of this fast-casual chain will not be slowing down anytime soon.
The next location to open will be Poughkeepsie, NY on May 25, 2021 at 2265 South Rd and a traditional grand opening will follow in the future.
“Our team is really looking forward to getting to know the Poughkeepsie area,” says Hamin Patel, franchise owner of the Poughkeepsie Bubbakoo’s.


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This Thanksgiving Kellogg’s decided to give back to those in need with help from The American Red Cross in the Greater New York area. The American Red Cross humanitarian mission is to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. For thanksgiving The American Red Cross in the Greater New York area is helping to feed those families who have been recently made homeless before thanksgiving holiday by setting up a thanksgiving dinner for them.
Hearing about this event representatives for Kellogg’s thought it would be a great idea to join in on this cause by donating bottles of their new Fruit Smoothies “To Go” product to this dinner. Kellogg’s new Fruit Smoothies “To Go” are due to be distributed nationwide next week but with help from the Greater New York Red Cross those in need will be the first to taste the new product. Tasty and nutritious the American Red Cross thought Kellogg’s Fruit Smoothies “To Go” was the perfect desert beverage for those families left homeless this Thanksgiving holiday. Available in an assortment of thirteen flavors to chose from and even available with soy for those who are lactose intolerant or are allergic to milk the product received rave reviews from the families as well as the volunteers and staff members of the Greater New York Red Cross that also got a chance to taste Kellogg’s new product.
Going along with their theme of giving back to the community, this holiday weekend Kellogg’s discovered a clever way to promote their new Fruit Smoothies “To Go” to the public. For the popular shopping holiday Black Friday, Kellogg’s decided to hand out their new Fruit Smoothies “To Go” bottles to hungry shoppers in need of a healthy dose of natural energy as they made their holiday purchases. The drinks were handed out by Kellogg’s employees at booths set up in malls throughout the tri-state area from 4am till 2pm. Each customer received a bottle of the Fruit Smoothies “To Go” product in any flavor they desired along with a powder packet of Kellogg’s new revolutionary “to go” mix to take home. This promotional event was a great success for Kellogg’s since most food establishments within the malls were not open early for these early-bird holiday shoppers.
For more up to date news on Kellogg’s and their new Fruit Smoothies “To Go” products continue to check out my weekly blogs.


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The new coronavirus spreading throughout China, and the world, has resulted in quarantined cities, travel restrictions and delayed returns to work and school from Chinese New Year holidays. Not surprisingly, this has also been bad for the wine trade.
"I think it will heavily impact us and many other restaurants and bars. I think in general people will be afraid to go out," says Isabella Ko, owner of wine bar The Merchants in Beijing. A wealth of online photos of empty streets and shops underscores her point. But Ko does see one bright silver lining: the potential for boosting retail sales of unique wines.
"A lot of people these days feel 'life is short, we need to enjoy it now’," says Ko.
Most people contacted for this story say they will shift more focus to online retail, too.
"The key change is we will put more effort into home delivery services," says Campbell Thompson, co-owner of importer The Wine Republic. He says the hard part is actually getting the wine to consumers from the company’s warehouses in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu.
Case in point, Claudia Masueger, who says virtually all recent sales from her 60-shop CHEERS wine chain have been O2O (online to offline) via her app on social media platform WeChat or third-party platforms like Erleme.
"But how many guys will be in Beijing to deliver that wine?" she asks of the migrants who make up the vast majority of the drivers but, due to the holidays, are spread across a nation that is increasingly locked down.
"I don't know how to run a business without people," says Masueger. She says that even when her employees do return to Beijing, they will be self-quarantined at home for seven days to ensure they are not infected.
Travel issues aren't limited to those in China. They are also set to upset events such as tastings and dinners, led by visiting wine KOLs, that already seemed a dubious draw given the current climate.
"All events such as wine dinners are cancelled. All supplier visits in February are also cancelled," says Alberto Fernandez, the managing partner of Torres China,
Some even wonder if the virus crisis might have a major impact on Tang Jiu Hui, the China Food & Drinks Fair that is only eight weeks away. It’s the country’s biggest fair and considered a must-go for many.
"We are already considering to cancel our presence at Tang Jiu Hui,” says Fernandez.
He’ll have lots of time to think about it. Torres’ office is in a complex run by a state-owned company that, due to concerns about coronavirus, informed him today that it won’t reopen until February 10. Like many others in the trade, he'll have to make other plans.


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Why Africa’s free-trade area offers so much promise
African leaders have just signed a framework establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the largest free-trade agreement since the creation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The free-trade area aims to create a single market for goods and services in Africa. By 2030 the market size is expected to include 1.7-billion people with more than $6.7-trillion of cumulative consumer and business spending — that is if all African countries have joined the free-trade area by then. Ten countries, including SA and Nigeria, have yet to sign up. The goal is to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments. The agreement has the potential to deliver a great deal for countries on the continent. The hope is that the trade deal will trigger a virtuous cycle of more intra-African trade, which will drive the structural transformation of economies — the transition from low productivity and labour-intensive activi...
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Cheers! Pay less for imported liquor
At present, imported liquor faces a high additional duty of customs apart from basic customs duty. This additional duty would be scrapped and individual states would impose a special levy, equivalent to the cumulative burden of excise and other taxes they impose on domestically manufactured liquor. In several states, this new levy would be smaller than the additional customs duty levied at present on imported spirits and wines. In all such states, the result would be lower prices.
The root of the problem is the Constitutional arrangement under which states, and not the Centre, decide the rate of excise duty on liquor. Some states levy very steep duties. While the Centre levies a countervailing duty, in addition to the basic customs duty, on all manufactured items on which it levies an excise duty, this option was not open on liquor as the Centre levied no excise duty on liquor.
So a high level of additional customs duty was imposed on liquor imports, to give a level playing field to domestic liquor manufacturers, who faced high excise duties in the states. At present, over and above the customs duty of 100% on wines and 150% on spirits, India applies an additional duty ranging from 20% to 75% on wines and 25% to 150% on spirits.
The EU, in its complaint filed before the WTO late last year, had pointed out that the aggregate duty level resulting from the application of basic customs duty and the additional and extra additional duties ranged from 177.33% to 264% for imported wines and from 252.22% to 550% for imported spirits.
These aggregate duty levels exceed the bound level of duty of 150% set forth in the WTO tariff schedule of India.
By scrapping the additional duty of customs, India would now be in compliance with its WTO obligation. And if states impose additional levies equivalent to what they levy on domestically-manufactured liquor, nobody can complain. "This will ensure that the national treatment condition of the WTO for foreign players is met," a senior commerce ministry official told ET. Later on, when India moves on to adopt a unified goods and services tax that would apply to imports as well, the states would be able to roll the new levy into a VAT framework applicable to all goods sold in their territory.
The customs duty reduction could happen in the next three months, said the official. It would, while stiffening competition for the robust domestic industry, increase options for Indian consumers and give a boost to liquor exports from the EU, the US and Australia which are major players in the Indian market.
The official told ET that the finance ministry had convened a recent meeting of state secretaries where it was agreed that states would impose a levy on foreign liquor equivalent to the levels of excise charged by them on domestic liquor.
The move comes days after Indian liquor industry's biggest name, the Vijay Mallya-led United Spirits, closed a $1.18-billion acquisition of Scotch giant Whyte & Mackay. The transaction will give the Indian company control over a significant Scotch source with a bulk inventory of 115 million litres.
Government officials explained that, on an average, prices of foreign liquor will go down across the country. As per calculations made by the EU, the elimination of the additional and extra additional duty for wines and spirits would entail a reduction in retail prices of imported wines by 22% to 35% and of imported spirits by 23% to 48%. The decrease in prices, would, however, be lower as the EU did not account for the state levies to be imposed.
In states like Delhi and Punjab, where the excise duty is low, prices will decline. However, in a state like Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh, where state excise and levies are high, the change in prices might be small. Currently, the cheapest end consumer price on imported liquor is reportedly in Chandigarh where Johnnie Walker Black label or Chivas Regal 12 year-old falls between Rs 1800-2000 per quart.
It is believed that the MNC lobby could push for a reduction in basic import duty as they believe that the basic rate should come down to 100% to convert at least 40% of the current illegal sales to official channels. But the domestic lobby, especially the single largest giant UB, is expected to resist any further reduction as it would require at least 18-24 months to consolidate its just acquired scotch asset before being prepared to face a significant price play from the global peers.
(This article was originally published in The Times of India)


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Sprint As You Go could quickly lose speed, analyst says
Sprint Nextel Corp.’s latest interest in the no-contract mobile arena comes at a less-than-promising time for the market, given subscriber results that prepaid industry veteran MetroPCS Communications Inc. released Monday.
Later this month, Overland Park-based Sprint (NYSE: S) plans to launch “Sprint As You Go,” a pay-as-you-go mobile service for wireless customers wishing to avoid a long-term contract.
“This is essentially a retail initiative for Sprint-branded stores only, created for customers who have an affinity for the Sprint brand and have indicated they wanted a no-contract option,” Sprint spokeswoman Melinda Tiemeyer said Monday. “As for our prepaid brands, this actually allows us to strengthen the focus on our primary prepaid sales channels.”
But 2012 wasn’t a strong year for no-contract carrier MetroPCS.
“Today’s results from MetroPCS ... suggest that pre-paid may be rapidly deteriorating,” Amelia Chan of Bernstein Research wrote in an analyst note Monday.
In the fourth quarter, MetroPCS reported 866,000 new subscribers, down 29 percent compared with the same period a year prior.
MetroPCS also reported having a total of 8.9 million subscribers at the end of 2012, down 5 percent compared with the end of 2011.
Overall, MetroPCS stomached a loss of nearly 460,000 subscribers in 2012. This came after nearly 1.2 million subscriber additions in 2011.
Its fourth-quarter loss of 93,000 subscribers proved the first customer loss for the company in a fourth quarter, which usually is the strongest period for prepaid operators, Bernstein Research’s Chan wrote.
Alyson reports about technology/telecommunications, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
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Ever wondered if you can "overdose" on CBD oil? by way of respiratory arrest and cardiac failure, while 300 mg per kg of body weight resulted in “rapid death. 6 Sep 2019 Safety of Vaping Cannabis Oil Challenged as Hospital Cases Continue plant's flower, with THC and CBD oil vape cartridges rising in popularity thanks to adding that they're still figuring out what, exactly, led to the person's death. "We don't yet know the exact cause of these illnesses — whether they're 10 Sep 2019 Makers of vitamin E acetate-based THC oil cutting agents have been the two products as the death toll climbed to five in the nationwide outbreak. that Vitamin E acetate is the cause of the lung injury in these cases, the agency wrote a defense of her vitamin E-based CBD product on LinkedIn, to which 6 Jun 2019 “I'm thinking this lady must have vaped this THC oil and got a high level event leading to death, and so conclude that the drug was the cause, 6 Sep 2019 State and federal health officials updated reporters Friday but death toll with the majority of the 58 cases most closely examined involving THC oil. said Devin Alvarez, CEO and founder of Straight Hemp CBD products. The factory worker's cause of death was recorded as an open verdict in 2010, but investigations suggest he had oil in his lungs from vaping fluid which triggered 12 Jun 2019 A WOMAN who died after vaping cannabis oil is the first person ever to have her death history that cannabis has been recorded as a cause of death. The survey, undertaken on behalf of CBDoil.co.uk, found that Brits feel it
CBD semena konopí - odrůdy Medical. Odrůdy s vyrovnaným nebo převažujícím poměrem CBD vhodné pro medikální užití bez psychoaktivního efektu. Tento druh konopí je vhodný pro lékařské využití a účely.
První 100% české indoor CBD konopí Shaolin Bullet - S5 (Trump T1 x The Wife x One to One). Bez semen a 100% přírodní.
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Zajímá vás CBD konopí? Pak se určitě neváhejte podívat na nabídku v našem e-shopu, kde prodáváme jen ty nejlepší a nejkvalitnější květy CBD konopí. cbd účinky, Happy seeds CBDex Vapor unikátní náplně s obsahem CBD do inhalačních přístrojů Vapor Produktová řada 100% přírodních koncentrátů k rozpuštění ve fyziologickém
Ostatní - Cbd bazar. Vybírejte z 26 inzerátů. Prodejte snadno a rychle na Bazoši. Přes půl milionů uživatelů za den. Najděte co potřebujete ve Vaší kategorii. CBD is known for its highly medical potential which has in the last few years been confirmed by several clinical studies. CBD is the second most abundant cannabinoid to be found in hemp and on the contrary to THC, it is legal and not


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The 17th Michelangelo marked another highlight on the 2013 wine calendar with the results being announced at a glittering gala luncheon on Friday, 6 September.
A panel of 16 wine and brandy specialists from 15 countries judged the entries from the 12th to the 17th of August at Romond Vineyards in Somerset West. Since the competition’s inception in 1997 more than 160 international wine experts from 37 countries have served on the judging panels, which is why this competition is unique in South Africa – judges are unbiased, professional experts with international experience in wine adjudication.
This year the newly found Wellington District did exceptionally well.
Welbedacht Wine Estatesecured the Golden Oldie Trophy for their Chenin Blanc 2005, whilst the Linton Park Chardonnay 2013, the Welbedacht Cricket Pitch 2008, the 2010 LaCave Shiraz from Wellington Wines, the Klein Doolhof Chenin Blanc 2012, the Lazanou Viognier 2013 and the Val du Charron Chardonnay 2012 were awarded the prestigious Gran D’or medal.
Eight wines from the Wellington District secured Gold medals whilst another ten brought home silver.


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Chrysler is advertising its cars as “Imported from Detroit,” but soon you could be riding around in a vehicle that’s imported from Brooklyn.
Turkish automaker Karsan is competing against Ford and Nissan to win a contract with New York City to design and build the "Taxi of Tomorrow,” which will replace the soon-to-be-discontinued Ford Crown Victoria as the go-to car for the city’s yellow cab fleet. In an effort to win favor with local officials, the company is now pledging to build a factory to assembly the V1 in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn, and hire union employees to do it.
According to Karsan, the new plant would be located at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal -- a port facility with access to rail lines -- and have a capacity of 10,000 units annually, more than enough to supply taxi operators with the 3,000 new vehicles required each year. The company hopes to sell additional V1s to other municipalities and on the retail market.
The Karsan proposal features a futuristic minivan-like design with a fuel efficient, rear-mounted four-cylinder engine, wheelchair accessibility and an all-glass roof tailor-made for sightseeing in a vertical city like New York. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has voiced his support, citing the popularity of the V1 in a recent online poll and adding that “bringing Karsan to Brooklyn would create up to 800 new jobs, right here, right now. The jobs of today can be provided by the Taxi of Tomorrow.”
Nevertheless, the decision is in the hands of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, which is expected to announce a winner sometime this year. For his part, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he is more interested in getting the right taxi for the job, rather than whether or not it creates jobs for his constituents, telling WOR radio “You’ve got to look at how much experience the companies have in building cars. What do you do if after two years the wheels start falling off?”
In an odd coincidence, the vehicle that Ford’s proposal is based on – the popular Transit Connect – is built at a factory in Koaceli, Turkey, but the automaker has announced plans to begin manufacturing it in the United States starting in 2012. The small commercial van is already in service as a taxi in Chicago, Boston and several smaller cities throughout New England. A full-size van known as the NV is the basis of Nissan’s entry in the competition, and it will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Canton, Mississippi later this year.
Although it has been decades since auto manufacturing has taken place within city limits, the Big Apple was home to several car companies early in the age of the automobile, including Brewster & Company. The luxury coachbuilder operated in the Long Island City section of Queens until 1935 when The Great Depression drove it into bankruptcy. Until it was unofficially replaced by the Crown Victoria and Chevrolet Caprice in 1982, the iconic Checker Taxi was imported from Kalamazoo, Michigan.


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Apple is said to be at the stage of testing out the rumoured iPhone SE 3, at least in one region.
According to 91Mobiles, three new iPhone models – A2595, A2783, and A2784 if you’re curious – have been imported into India for testing. These model numbers apparently cover the company’s next budget smartphone, the iPhone SE 3.
We’ve also learned that the new iPhone will be priced at around Rs 23,000, which works out to roughly £227 or $307.
We’re not expecting much of a shake-up for the iPhone SE 3, with the same iPhone 8-like design. That would mean Apple sticking with the old fashioned home button and chunky bezels, and not adopting the Face ID notch of more recent premium models.
While it’ll likely be externally familiar to look at, the SE 3 could receive a hefty power bump courtesy of the iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chip, as well as the benefits of 5G connectivity.
We called the iPhone SE 2 “a downright excellent buy if you want a phone that’ll perform fast and take excellent pictures for years to come” in our 8 out of 10 review. Will we find the formula similarly compelling two years on?
Away from the matter of Apple’s next budget smartphone, the original report also claims that Apple has imported two iPads for testing in India. One is thought to be a new iPad Air, and one is thought to be a new budget iPad.


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Digital TV News: Garmin
Garmin unveils Unified Cabin Experience at CES 2023
Jan 4, 2023 – Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) will demonstrate its in-cabin solutions for automotive at CES 2023. A camera identifies each passenger, enabling occupants to enjoy personalized entertainment options including games and streaming video platforms.
News categories: Garmin, Matt Munn, CES2024, Digital TV, In-Car, Streaming, USA, Worldwide
Garmin receives 2022 BMW Group Supplier Innovation Award
Nov 22, 2022 – Garmin was lauded for its contribution to the Theatre Screen, a back-seat movie lounge experience for the BMW 7 Series. Garmin's computing module manages all the software and customer interfaces to enable the experience.
News categories: Garmin, BMW, Matt Munn, Joachim Post, Digital TV, In-Car, UX
Amazon expands features and solutions for Fire TV Edition partners
Jan 6, 2020 – Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has expanded its Fire TV Edition program, delivering opportunities for developers, operators, device makers and manufacturers across multiple categories including automotive, smart TVs, soundbars and streaming media players.
News categories: Amazon, Marc Whitten, Luke Motschenbacher, Fathi El-Dwaik, Tony Wang, Ed Mas, CES2024, Digital TV, In-Car, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smart TV, Streaming, Worldwide
AR/VR headsets shipments expected to grow at a 5 year CAGR of 108.3%
Dec 15, 2016 – According to IDC, worldwide AR and VR headset shipments are expected to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 108.3% over 2015-2020, reaching 76.0 million units by 2020. The more affordable VR devices will continue to lead the market in terms of volume.
News categories: International Data Corp, Ryan Reith, Jitesh Ubrani, Tom Mainelli, Market Research, Metaverse, Worldwide
Orange unveils its new Livebox
Mar 16, 2016 – Orange has announced the launch of its new Livebox. The New Livebox from Orange features optimized speed for both ADSL and Fibre. Orange also announced Livebox Storage with a 1TB hard disk and a new Ultra HD Decoder set-top box.
News categories: Orange, Stéphane Richard, Digital TV, France, IPTV, Set Top Box, Smart Home
Siano Launches MBBMS Software Stack for China Mobile TD-SCDMA
Jun 24, 2010 – Siano Mobile Silicon has launched a software protocol stack for the Mobile Broadcasting Business Management System (MBBMS). MBBMS handles billing, user management and conditional access for the CMMB mobile TV service through China Mobile.
News categories: Siano Mobile, China Mobile, China, Middleware, Mobile, Semiconductor
Garmin introduces UK personal navigation device with DVB-T
Jan 21, 2010 – Garmin has announced the nüvi® 1490TV a personal navigation device (PND) that combines cutting edge Pan-European navigation features with DVB-T digital terrestrial TV and radio.
News categories: Garmin, Digital TV, In-Car, Portable, Terrestrial, UK
Siano Mobile Silicon Raises $24M in Round D Funding
Jan 11, 2010 – Siano Mobile Silicon has announced the completion of a $23.5M fourth round of funding. The round consists exclusively of all of Siano's existing investors: JVP, DFJ-Tamir-Fishman, Star Ventures, Walden Israel, and Bessemer Venture Partners.
News categories: Siano Mobile, Mobile, Semiconductor, Venture Capital
Siano Teams with World's Largest PND Makers
Dec 22, 2009 – Siano Mobile Silicon has announced that the world's largest Personal Navigation Device (PND) makers, Garmin, Mio, Navigon and others - have integrated its leading MDTV receiver chips into their latest consumer GPS products.
News categories: Siano Mobile, CES2024, Mobile, Portable, Semiconductor
- Telecom and pay-TV revenue in Hong Kong to grow at 1.1% CAGR
- Proximus optimises delivery of Pickx with Velocix Analytics
- Traditional US pay-TV services face continued decline
- Edgio adds player-independent video performance reports
- Flat panel display oversupply to continue into 2024
- Japan SVOD service revenue to reach $6 billion in 2027
- Ateme powers NT's sports video contribution in Asia and beyond
- Global TV shipments to fall below 197 million units in 2023
- WSTS revises semiconductor growth projections slightly upward
- Go Addressable becomes industry trade body
- NorDig releases IRD 3.2.1 and Test Plan 3.2.1 specs
- Improved tool helps ensure interoperability of DASH delivery
- Growth in global SVOD subscriptions to continue
- LG announces organizational restructuring
- HbbTV updates Operator Application specification
- Bouygues Telecom streams video in Multicast ABR with Broadpeak
- iWedia releases test solution for HbbTV device compliance
- Utomik to bring cloud gaming to VIDAA Smart TVs
- Avid provides Iceland's RÚV with ingest and playout solution
- Global pay TV penetration to fall for the first time in 2024


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Israeli police said a man in his 30s was killed near the Gaza border when he was delivering food to soldiers. Gaza militants have fired more Nike Roshe Flyknit White And Gold than 1,100 rockets toward Israel in the fighting. Mostly thanks to its "Iron Dome" defense system, no Israelis were killed till Tuesday. Nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in strikes in Gaza since Israel launched the campaign over a week ago to stop rocket fire at its citizens.
Tuesday's fire also resulted in the first Israeli casualty of the fighting. Nike Flyknit Air Max Price
Gaza militants launched scores of rockets at Israel, which after halting fire for hours finally responded with what Hamas security said were more than two dozen air strikes. The speedy resumption of violence, less than a day after Egypt presented its cease fire plan, illustrated that it will be harder than in the past to negotiate an end to Israel Hamas fighting. A key difference to a previous truce in 2012 is that Hamas does not trust the current rulers of Egypt who deposed a Hamas friendly government in Cairo a year ago. Gaza militants fired about 125 rockets since the morning, when the truce was to have begun, the Israeli military said. Nike Flyknit Racer Black White With Jeans
An Egyptian truce proposal for the conflict in Gaza unraveled Tuesday after the Islamic militant Hamas rejected the plan.
In the evening, a quick barrage of 40 rockets fell over the course of a few minutes, one of which landed inside an empty school.
In an evening address aired live on.
ack comes with the added bonus of premium server monitoring, which gives customers helpful email or text alerts and graphical reporting. By combining real time alerts and server monitoring with auto scaling, weve arrived at a solution that enables customers to deploy and forget, said Tony Reeve. Power Pack will deliver extra resources on demand and server monitoring will alert customers to changes in server load. So there is no longer a need for customers to constantly check server performance. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. JERUSALEM (AP) Nike Roshe Flyknit Wolf Grey & Obsidian
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Bumble Inc beat first-quarter revenue estimates on Thursday as user spending on its dating app has remained strong despite a looming recession, sending its shares up 4.6% in aftermarket trading.
The company reported revenue of $242.9 million in the quarter ended March 31, compared with analysts’ estimates of $241.0 million, according to Refinitiv data.
New features such as “Compliments”, which allows users to engage by sending a note before they decide to connect, have helped the company cope with high inflation and rising interest rates.
Total paying users increased to 3.5 million in the reported quarter, from 3 million a year earlier, as users continued to seek love and companionship.
The Austin, Texas-based company forecast current-quarter revenue between $254 million and $258 million, the mid-point of which is $256 million, while analysts were expecting $256.63 million, according to Refinitiv data.


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2008 October 14
Beach Bunny Swimwear - Los Angeles Spring 2009
(LOS ANGELES) Angela Chittenden’s Beach Bunny Swimwear is already a favorite of celebs like Heidi Klum and Jessica Alba. Citing “Malibu Barbie meets Hollywood” as her theme, Chittenden sent out a parade of sexy bikinis, some sweetly accessorized with bows, while others sported more scandalous cutouts. Separates, like tees and jumpers, made cameos, but it’s these suits that keep on charming the California girls.
Forget any superstitions about the number 13 being unlucky: Swarovski is celebrating its many years (a baker's dozen, to be exact) of working with the CFDA Awards. To toast the occasion...
Opening Ceremony is planning to expand thanks to a minority investment from Boston-based Berkshire Partners. The investment company recently teamed up with former David Yurman CEO ...
Vogue is in the midst of a digital revamp, but you’ll have to wait until September to see the result. The fashion glossy’s online counterpart has been undergoing a total makeover...


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Toxins Make Halloween Face Paints Scary
Report finds all products tested contained lead and some had known skin allergens
TUESDAY, Oct. 27, 2009 (HealthDay News) -- If your little goblins or vampires are set to paint their faces this Halloween to look all the more believable, you may want to think twice, according to a new report released just in time for the holiday.
The report, issued by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, is titled: Pretty Scary: Could Halloween Face Paint Cause Lifelong Health Problems? Researchers tested 10 face paint products, the types widely available via the Internet or in craft or Halloween stores.
"All 10 face paint products tested contained lead, and six out of 10 had known skin allergens, including nickel, cobalt or chromium, at levels above recommendations of industry studies," said Stacy Malkan, the campaign's co-founder and a co-author of the report. Malkan is also the author of Not Just a Pretty Face, a 2007 book detailing what she sees as the potentially hazardous ingredients in cosmetics.
For the new report, she said, "We looked for a range of heavy metals, and we didn't find mercury or arsenic. Other countries have found those in face paints. We did unfortunately find lead in all the products." Exposure to lead can cause developmental and behavioral problems, experts agree.
Then there were the labeling problems, with some products claiming to be hypoallergenic when they were not. One product "was advertised on the package as nontoxic and hypoallergenic, [and] had some of the highest levels of nickel, cobalt and lead," Malkan said.
The lead found ranged from 0.054 parts per million to 0.65 parts per million. Four of 10 products had nickel, ranging from 2.1 to 5.9 parts per million; two of 10 had cobalt, with levels from 4.8 to 5.5 parts per million. Five of 10 had chromium, ranging from 1.6 to 120 parts per million. According to the report, levels of each should not exceed 1 part per million for consumer products.
Earlier this year, a face paint from China was recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when some children had rashes and itching; the FDA later found microbial contamination in the product.
Malkan says more oversight is needed by the FDA to regulate products, including face paints. Cosmetic products and ingredients are not subject to premarket approval by the FDA, except color additives. Recalls of cosmetics are done voluntarily by manufacturers or distributors if products are found hazardous or deceptive; the FDA can take regulatory action through the federal court system. But this level of oversight is not strong enough, Malkan and others believe.
Representatives of the cosmetics industry took issue with the report.
"Although the report does not identify the specific color ingredients in the products tested, the trace levels of naturally occurring heavy metals reportedly found in the products are well below the allowable levels set by FDA for approved colors as not presenting a safety concern," John Bailey, chief scientist at the Personal Care Products Council, said in a news release. He believes that if parents follow label directions and check for allergic reactions in advance, face paints can be used "without unnecessary worry about the safety of these novelty products."
Using the face paint just once a year "is probably not going to do anything at all [healthwise]," contended Dr. Dennis Woo, former chair of pediatrics at Santa Monica-UCLA and Orthopaedic Hospital, Santa Monica, Calif., who reviewed the report. But he said he is surprised by the amounts of heavy metals found in the face paints. "We should start looking at this stuff. There's no reason these heavy metals need to be in cosmetics."
His colleague, Dr. Wally Ghurabi, chief of emergency services, Santa Monica-UCLA and Orthopaedic Hospital, believes that even once-a-year use of the face paints may not be worth it. "Concerned parents should skip it," he said. If those who apply the paints aren't careful, he said, and get the paint too close to the eyes or nose, that could be potentially harmful.
Malkan, too, votes that parents avoid face-paint use in children. But if you are using them, the FDA advises that parents:
- Follow directions carefully, including instructions not to use the products around the eyes.
- If the face paint smells bad, don't use it as it could be contaminated.
- Consider a test of the face paint a few days before Halloween to be sure your child doesn't get an allergic reaction to it.
Another option is to "go natural," said Jessa Blades, a natural makeup artist and green living expert based in New York City. First, look up "safe" or green cosmetics on the campaign's Web site. Then, consider black eye pencil for whiskers. Or mix a quarter teaspoon of the spice turmeric with unscented lotion to make "war paint."
For fake blood, mix corn syrup, Castile liquid soap and a dash of red food coloring, Blades said.
There's more on the hazards of lead for children at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.


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The prospects for the hotel industry remain good despite economic and political uncertainty, according to the boss of InterContinental Hotels Group.
Chief executive Richard Solomans was speaking as the group reported an 11% rise in underlying annual profits to $650 million in 2015.
Global revenue per available room was up by 4.4% as room rates rose by 3.1% over 2014. Capacity increased by 4.4% before the acquisition of Kimpton Hotels.
Plans to introduce the industry’s first cloud-based booking system is on track to start in 2017, the company said.
This came as the company reported that 40% of its digital traffic is coming from mobile devices, delivering gross revenue of $1.2 billion against less than $50 million five years ago.
Total digital revenue was up by more than $0.4 billion year-on-year to $4.2 billion.
Solomans said: “Through effective online distribution management we grew our direct digital revenue more than any other channel, and building on our track record of innovation we are on course to begin the roll out of a next generation cloud based guest reservation system in 2017.
“Looking into the medium term, despite economic and political uncertainty in some markets, the prospects for the hotel industry remain good and the strength of our business model gives us the confidence to propose a 10% increase in total dividend for the year.”
He added: “Our strong momentum in 2015 was driven by a clear strategy and disciplined execution. We delivered our highest room openings since 2009, our best signings since 2008, 11% underlying profit growth and 19% underlying EPS growth.
“Our high quality, fee based, business continues to generate significant operating cash flows following the completion of our major asset disposal programme.
“Reflecting this and our on-going focus on delivering shareholder value, we today announce a $1.5 billion special dividend, which will take total funds returned since 2003 to $12 billion.
“We have strengthened our brand portfolio, adding Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants into the IHG family and accelerating signings across our mainstream and extended stay brands.”
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Our screen grabs say a lot about ourselves—a mish-mash of images we simply like, places we want to go, and food we want to eat. Model Edie Campbell and designer Christabel MacGreevy, the duo behind the label Itchy Scratchy Patchy, based their latest collection off the thousands of grabs lurking in their camera rolls. The results turned out to be a slightly philosophical view of the digital age and consumerism. “Everything is put through a leveled playing field; the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is next to a picture of breakfast,” says Campbell, who worked with the South London graphic design studio “Studio Calm and Collected” on the collection. “Everything all of a sudden becomes decontextualized, it is about collaging things that we like—high culture, low culture; the Renaissance mixed with food packaging.”
Launched in 2015, Itchy Scratchy Patchy is a cult favorite among models currently stocked at Dover Street Market. Their new series includes an embroidered pea patch ($24), among other items like newly reworked Levi’s jeans ($244), socks with broken columns and starfish ($19), as well as a collaboration with Dickies to produce limited-edition patched and printed boiler suits ($514). An “Itchy Scratchy” black mesh shirt ($103) is a particular standout. “We did think that when we were making it, ‘who wants to walk around with ‘Itchy Scratchy’ on their chest?’ ” MacGreevy says, “but I was like, ‘we should make them, so let’s make them!’ ” To capture the clothing, Campbell and MacGreevy tapped photographer Camille Summers-Valli to shoot their dirt bike–riding intern Edie Ashley and her boyfriend Joel Kerr at a race track. “She looks great and dresses amazingly,” says Campbell of Ashley, who is also known to sport a pair of earrings made from tin can lids. “She’s teaching her boyfriend how to ride the bike. I like that as a role reversal.”
This isn’t the first time the brand has gone beyond their patched-based beginnings; they’ve been creating jeans, shirts, and berets for a while now. As for their future plans? “The development is really organic. We don’t really have a long term trajectory of what we want it to become,” says Campbell. “It is just sort of what do we want to make next, what do we wear, what do we want to make for ourselves.” Either way, Itchy Scratchy Patchy seems to be, well, just scratching the surface. Let’s see where their funky patches take them next.


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Consumer Reports respectfully opposes S.B. 262, Florida consumer privacy legislation. The bill seeks to provide to Florida consumers the right to know the information companies have collected about them, the right to access, correct, and delete that information, as well as the right to stop the disclosure of certain information to third parties. However, due to its applicability to only the very largest tech companies and other significant loopholes, it would leave Florida consumers’ personal information unprotected in a wide variety of contexts. As such, the bill’s scope should be substantially widened before it is enacted.
For the full letter, please see the attached PDF.


text: Many employers have opted to use technology to their advantage by adopting biometric timekeeping systems or similar systems for workplace access. But adopting such technology is not without risk. Indeed, with data breaches on the rise, employees and consumers have become more vigilant about protecting their personal data and using state privacy laws and the like to do so. The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Law is one such law that places restrictions on businesses that collect biometric information of individuals. That law defines biometric information as “any information, regardless of how it is captured, converted, stored, or shared, based on an individual’s biometric identifier [i.e. ‘a retina, iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or scan of hand or face geometry’] used to identify an individual.” 740 ILCS 14/10.


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NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- David Pecker, Chairman-CEO of American Media, is about to add on a new job title: Bodybuilding Impresario.
|Weider's Mr. Olympia contest is the Super Bowl of bodybuilding.|
American Media is entering into a coventure with the International Federation of Bodybuilders for the bodybuilding world's Super Bowl event: Mr. Olympia. Mr. Pecker also said that beginning next year, American Media would have a hand in creating and putting on two new pro bodybuilding events, the Joe Weider World Cup and the Joe Weider International Cup.
The IFBB was founded in 1946 by Joe and Ben Weider. The bodybuilding empire they built grew to include a vitamin and supplements unit and the Weider Publications portfolio of muscle and fitness magazines such as Flex and Shape. American Media bought Weider Publications in 2002 for $350 million.
"They wanted to get comfortable with me first," Mr. Pecker said, "before we would take the next step." He painted the partnerships for the bodybuilding events -- which often take place over a weekend, with "expos" featuring booths displaying sponsors' wares -- as a means to sell broader partnerships with advertisers, as well as an opportunity to win them greater exposure through broadcast deals.
"I see this as a big opportunity," Mr. Pecker said, to bring "the lifestyle of this industry to non-endemic advertisers."
Whether many mainstream advertisers will want their products to be associated with the world of modern bodybuilding remains to be seen. Even fans concede the comic-book-esque physiques it promotes cannot be achieved without use of performance-enhancement agents such as steroids, which are illegal. Major League Baseball is currently struggling with steroid allegations against many of its top stars, though the league has yet to suffer from any significant sponsor or fan backlash from an ongoing federal investigation. Prosecutors are looking into athletes' relationships with Victor Conte and his Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, or Balco. (The investigation has affected athletes not only from baseball but also the National Football League and track and field who have been clients of Balco.)
Meanwhile, the winner of this year's Arnold Classic, another top bodybuilding event named after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was presented with a Hummer and a Rolex, although neither marketer was listed as a sponsor on the event's Web site. (Not surprisingly, the most prominent sponsors of Mr. Olympia and the Arnold Classic Weekend, which now encompasses a broad range of strength and fitness events, are supplements and exercise-related companies such as GNC, Met-RX and TwinLab.)
Jim Manion, president of the National Physique Committee -- the amateur relative of the pro IFBB -- dismissed the suggestion that the tight-knit bodybuilding world would look askance at the Weiders having lost some control over their bodybuilding contests. "It's a natural progression" from American Media's magazine deal. "I don't think there will be any problem with people accepting" Mr. Pecker's entrance onto the scene.
Earlier this year Mr. Pecker named Gov. Schwarzenegger executive editor of former Weider titles Flex and Muscle & Fitness, a largely honorary position that an aide told the Los Angeles Times would only take up a "nominal amount" of the governor's time.


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Maytag, KitchenAid and other appliances maker $WHR reported a drop in 1Q16 earnings due to unfavorable currency and weak emerging market demand as well as lower sales. Net income slid to $150MM or $1.92 per share from $191MM or $2.38 per share last year. Net sales fell to $4.62Bil from $4.85Bil. Ongoing business EPS rose to $2.63 from $2.14.
$AAL is giving pay hikes to its employees but investors are sulking.
$APC stock tumbled more than 5.6% after last week's fatal home explosion in Firestone, Colorado prompted the company to close more than 3,000 wells for weeks.
Unicorn Frappuccino. The latest hit from $SBUX. Can't wait to see how this will affect its results.
At what point should $AMZN consider a stock split? $1000 per share seems pretty high.