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BlackBerry EZ Pass is now available. The service is touted as a simple way for companies running BES 5, or any mobile device management solution that competes with BlackBerry, to transition to BES10—and with it have a single console for managing BlackBerry, iOS and Android devices.
There’s no cost to switch, and companies that trade in their licenses for BES10 licenses (the trade-in is one-for-one, and users will receive Silver-level licenses) will receive BlackBerry’s Technical Support Services—the “best technical support in the world,” BlackBerry said in a March 31 statement—for free until Jan. 31, 2015.
Additionally, those in the EZ Pass program will be guaranteed a free upgrade to BES12 when it’s released later this year.
BlackBerry introduced EZ Pass and BES12 at the Mobile World Congress tradeshow in February.
With BES12, BlackBerry will offer five core capabilities: backward compatibility to BES10 and BES 5, as well as “future proofing”; support for multiplatform solutions, which will soon include Windows Phone, as well as iOS and Android; advanced service management with automated problem resolution; support for hybrid- and all-cloud solutions (both public and private); and tools that make it easy to develop and deploy applications to the various mobile platforms a company supports.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen told analysts during the company’s March 28 earnings call that global response to the February announcement has been strong.
“We actually had over a hundred thousand hits to our landing site … from the interested parties … and nearly 1,900 registrations for more information,” said Chen.
“We’ve seen customers around the world affirming commitments to our BES,” Chen added. “We had wins in the U.S., Germany, the U.K., India, Australia and Latin America in the last quarter.” Among them were Daimler, Airbus Group, the Australia National Audit Office and Itau Unibanco.
Chen said he is focused on making BlackBerry’s handset business profitable, growing the company, expanding into nontraditional channels and leveraging BlackBerry’s “full portfolio of end-to-end mobile solutions and connected cloud solutions.” BlackBerry also intends to take a vertical-focused approach.
In March, BlackBerry made two announcements aimed at businesses in regulated industries—industries, says Chen, that “value the BlackBerry strength.” Its Secure Work Space for iOS and Android received Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 certification, and BlackBerry 10 became the first mobility solution to receive Full Operational Capability to run on Department of Defense networks.
During the earnings call, Chen said according to one analysis firm that BlackBerry has a 60 percent share of the MDM market.
“Furthermore, we found out that in our competitors’ install base, in over half of those, their needs are not being addressed—this is from their own survey,” Chen continued. “So, this represents a great opportunity for BlackBerry to strengthen our position and market share with [BES12].”


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''We can do an e-mail based on the fact that Greenspan had this to say about the economy, and the bond markets reacted this way,'' Mr. Kennedy said. ''And that has higher value than a much more generic thing we put together with a 10-day lag time.''
Mr. Kennedy and other executives said another downside to physical mailing was the expense of designing, printing and putting postage on a piece of mail, the combined costs of which, executives said, frequently exceed 25 cents for a postcard-size advertisement. E-mail ads, by contrast, can cost less than a penny for each one sent.
But some companies, like CarsDirect.com, have found ways to reduce the costs of direct mail. Chuck Hoover, the company's vice president for marketing, said CarsDirect had recently tested direct mail advertising by including inserts in American Express bills.
From April to June, American Express mailed 4.1 million inserts promoting an offer of 10,000 frequent-flier miles for customers who bought cars on CarsDirect. Mr. Hoover did not disclose how much it cost to do the mailing, but he indicated that it was much less than conventional mailings because American Express essentially paid the postage.
''We paid to produce the inserts, and we're paying Amex for the miles when someone buys a car,'' Mr. Hoover said. ''It's not a big fee.''
And because CarsDirect tracks the response rate with American Express, Mr. Hoover said, his company gathers useful demographic and geographic information about the types of customers who respond to such offers through the mail.
In the past, Mr. Hoover said, CarsDirect had experimented with other direct mailing efforts. ''But the challenge is that there's a lot of production expense and the operational expense in terms of finding the right mailing list, and so forth,'' he said. With the American Express mailing, Mr. Hoover said, that hurdle was cleared. ''They helped target the mailing a little, but their customer base skews a little high in terms of income,'' he said. ''And the number of Amex users was high on our site anyway, so their mailing list alone was, in some ways, targeting for us.''
Mr. Hoover said the company was extending its agreement with American Express through the end of the year. (It had been scheduled to expire in September.) ''We have targets for what it costs us to sell each car,'' he said. ''We don't reveal that, but the results of mailing were right in line with that.''
Others, like Bluefly, an online retailer of discount apparel, have also found ways to skirt some mailing costs and still get the benefits of direct mail advertising. Jonathan Morris, Bluefly's executive vice president, said the company had put promotional material from FragranceNet.com and others inside Bluefly packages, in exchange for similar treatment from their e-tail partners.
''That way, we can piggyback on someone else's shipping costs,'' he said. ''And it's been extremely effective in acquiring new customers.''
The company has also gone the conventional route, paying about $60,000 in postage and production costs to send Bluefly postcards to 200,000 households late last month, and $200,000 more to send a 12-page mailer to about 400,000 customers this spring.
Whereas ''a fraction of a percent, to a couple percent'' of those who receive Bluefly e-mail solicitations turn into paying customers, 3 or 4 percent of those who are sent Bluefly postcards make purchases, Mr. Morris said.
Of course, that does not justify repeated mass mailings. ''If I send postcards that cost 30 cents each versus e-mails that cost a penny, is the postcard going to be 30 times more effective?'' Mr. Morris said. ''The answer is, it depends.'' The factors include the quality of the offer and the extent to which the mailing includes people who would be predisposed to shop with Bluefly.
The company is still trying to determine if those who respond to paper mailings tend to spend more on each purchase, or spend more over a longer period, than those reached online. ''This is going to take us some time to figure out,'' he said. ''That's why direct mail isn't perfectly suited for dot-coms that don't necessarily have the luxury of time.''

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Gazeley appoints Sally Lin as Country Director to lead new wave of China growth
Shanghai – January 31, 2012. Gazeley, a leading global developer of logistics warehouses, is pleased to announce the promotion of Sally Lin to Country Director and the appointment of Max Zhai to Senior Development Manager in the developer’s China team.
Sally Lin has over 5 years of experience with Gazeley China, responsible for business development, strategic investment and land acquisition. In her new role Sally will be responsible for the general management of Gazeley’s China business, helping to develop its reputation as a leading developer of cost effective, high quality logistics warehouses.
Max Zhai joins from December 2011 to focus on developing new and existing business opportunities across China. These two key appointments are in line with Gazeley’s on-going talent localization strategy and continuous commitment to expanding its business in China.
Along with its growing team, Gazeley also has an increasing land bank and the necessary finance to achieve significant expansion. Already in the pipeline for the next 18 months are plans to develop over 325,000 sqm of property for a range of international blue chip customers in Guangzhou, Beijing and Chengdu, with a resulting value in excess of RMB 1.5 billion.
“We are extremely proud of our success in China so far and are committed to growing Gazeley’s development activities in this exciting market,” said Nick Cook, Senior Vice President, Development & Commercial. “The on-going investment in new projects and people will ensure that we are well placed to deliver exceptional service to the rapidly expanding number of customers in the market.”
2012年2月6日， 上海。全球领先的物流仓储开发商盖世理宣布晋升林磊为中国区总监， 同时任命翟超 为高级开发经理。
林磊 在盖世理中国已任职近五年， 负责业务开发，战略性投资及项目收购。晋升后,她将负责盖世理中国区业务的总体运营管理, 进一步打造盖世理作为一家领先的经济型高品质物流仓储开发商的声誉。
除了不断壮大中的团队， 盖世理的土地储备也日益见增，加上必要的资金后盾，这些都促成其达成实质性的业务扩张。未来一年半， 盖世理计划为一批国际蓝筹客户在广州,北京和成都等地开发超过32.5万平米的仓储物业, 届时将价值逾15亿人民币。


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Guinness Nigeria, a subsidiary of Diageo plc, has remained an iconic African company, renowned internationally for its brands of unmatched quality. It has popular brands such as Guinness Stout, Guinness Extra Stout and Extra Smooth, Harp, Malta Guinness and Smirnoff, among others.
Findings show the firm has gained about 27 percent market share in the highly fragmented and competitive Nigerian beer market.
But it still faces a fierce battle, with the market leader, Nigeria Breweries (NB) plc, having about 61 percent share, analysts say. Apart from NB, Consolidated Breweries still boasts of 10 percent share, implying that, by extension, Heineken, the parent company of both NB and Consolidated Breweries, has 71 percent total market share in the Nigerian beer market.
Further research shows South African Breweries Miller, popularly called SABMiller, is emerging as a serious market bully with its premium brand called “Hero.” The 21 percent profit of its subsidiary, International Breweries, the highest in the industry by September 2013, as well as recent acquisition of Pabod Breweries located in Port Harcourt, makes it an emerging serious competitor.
Recent financial statement released by Guinness of six months ending December 31, 2013, showed there was a 13.3 percent decline of revenue when compared with what was obtained in the corresponding period of 2012, as revenue fell to N52.8 billion, from N60.9 billion.
The situation was also palpable in the three months ending December 31, 2013, as revenue/sales fell 18.4 percent to N30.3 billion, from N37.2 billion reported in 2012.
Pre-tax fell 32 percent to N6.41 billion, from N9.44 billion in 2012. Three months ending December 31, 2013, recorded a 33 percent decline to N4.54 billion, from N 6.8 billion recorded in the same period in 2012.
Six months to December 31, 2013, taxation fell by 53 percent to N1.42 billion, from N3 billion reported in the same period of 2012. For three months ending December 31, 2013, taxation decreased by 40.4 percent to N1.3 billion, from N2.2 billion reported in the same period in 2012.
Eventually, profit for the six months period ending December 31, 2013, fell by 22.2 percent to approximately N5 billion, from N6.4 billion recorded in the same period in 2012. Profit from the three months period ending December 31, 2013, in the same vein, fell 29.4 percent to N3.3 billion, from
N4.6 billion reported in the same period of 2012.
There was also 22 percent decline in earnings per share in the six months ending December 31, 2013, falling to N332, from N426 in the corresponding period of 2012. Three months ending December 31, 2013, recorded a 29.4 percent decline to N216, from N306 reported in the same period of 2012.
Guinness has developed strategies in recent times to deal with the dwindling revenue and share in the country’s beer market. A new CEO, Seni Adetu, was appointed in the last 18 months to drive the company.
So far, Guinness Stout, Harp and Guinness Malt are being strengthened market-wise, with a view to establishing them as strong brands, analysts say. The reach is being widened, through re-engineering of the distribution network, especially third-party distribution network, to deal with availability challenges of brands in some parts of the country, they add.
Some market watchers say the trend is promising but the firm must be resolute on establishing a premium brand that can be likened to NB’s Heineken. Others add that creating variety will improve the fortunes of the firm.
“Variety across the beer market is a necessity,’’ said Mark Akachukwu, market analyst in Abuja, in a chat.
Market watchers are insistent that the firm has struggled to play in the premium and mainstream market in recent years, and has failed to build scale in the value segment where competitors have found advantage.
“This is inevitably one of the reasons for its unimpressive performance. There is still a visibility problem,” said Nonso Iheoma, an economist.
The price challenges are still there, say analysts, as there have been agitations by consumers for low-price brands at this point when consumer purchasing power is dwindling.
There has been a response on this. New brands “Dubic, Snapp, and Alvaro’’ have been introduced, with a view to ensuring affordability by the class of consumers that cannot pay as high as N200 or more for popular brands. But acceptability challenge is still there, thereby beckoning on strong marketing drive to push them. But market watchers are waiting to see the results of these strategies.
By: ODINAKA ANUDU


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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Many people have felt the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Folks across varying industries have lost their jobs as businesses were mandated to close.
One business who remains open, and is hiring, is Wegmans.
“During these uncertain times, our stores continue to hire for positions throughout all of our markets,” says Wegmans’ COVID-19 response page.
To check out the openings closest to you, click here.


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Three Grand Prix
The Cyber contest awarded three Grand Prix -- for online advertising, viral and websites. The Nike Plus and "Evolution" campaigns have been winning award shows around the world for months. The third Cyber Grand Prix, for best website, went to "Heidies," Diesel's spoof takeover of its site by two girls who supposedly hold a Diesel exec hostage, done by Aegis Group's Farfar, Stockholm.
"They all had a strong emotional connection to the audience," said Cyber jury President Tom Eslinger, Saatchi & Saatchi's worldwide creative director, interactive and emerging media. "One of the 'Evolution' knockoffs even made it onto the shortlist. 'Evolution' traveled around the world without being on TV."
'Changed the way people run'
"Nike Plus pretty much changed the way people run around the world," said Cyber judge Aaron Turk, managing partner-creative director, Tribal DDB, Sydney.
The U.S. was the biggest winner overall in the cyber contest. Besides the Grand Prix, U.S. agencies picked up three of 10 Gold Lions, for Volkswagen work by Crispin Porter & Bogusky, Miami; Smirnoff's "Tea Partay" for Bartle Bogle Hegarty, New York; and the gettheglass.com website for the California Fluid Milk Processors Advisory Board by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco. The U.S. also won six of 21 Silver Cyber Lions and four of 32 Bronzes.
Crispin Porter was named Interactive Agency of the Year. The most-awarded cyber agency, Crispin added a Silver for Slim Jim and two Bronzes, both for Volkswagen, to its VW gold to outscore all the other agencies.
The second most-awarded agency, little known outside Brazil, is Sao Paulo shop Africa Propaganda, owned and run by Brazilian adman Nizan Guanaes and his advertising holding company Grupo Ypy. Mr. Guanaes decided when he opened Africa Propaganda several years ago not to enter the agency in award shows. He made an exception this year for the Cannes Cyber category, and the agency picked up a Silver for Mitsubishi and four Bronzes.


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According to recent reports, Amazon India is currently worth $16 billion and has the same 30% market share as local competitor Flipkart. India has a $2.6 trillion GDP growing at 6-7% annually.
Recently accepting a $16 billion investment from Walmart for a 77% share of the company, Flipkart wasn’t able to outnumber Amazon India as both the companies have a market share of 30%. Reportedly, after disappointing results in China, Amazon has been determined to win in India. Reports also claim that India is poised to be one of the largest and fastest e-commerce growth markets for the next decade.
Amazon India is valued at $16 billion while Flipkart is much higher at $20-$22 billion after the mega Walmart acquisition. A Citi research note added that India’s e-commerce market will grow at 21% CAGR over the next 10 years to $202 billion with Amazon possibly capturing 35% of this market. It claims that the company could generate more than $10 billion in revenue and nearly $1.5 billion in FCF (free cash flow) by 2027.
Jeff Bezos’ Amazon India is aggressively catching up with the top e-commerce giants, Flipkart and Myntra. Jeff plans on not repeating the s
ame mistakes they made with China, and sets strong strategies to grow with extreme positive steps in India. He also stated that Amazon.in is the fastest growing marketplace in India and the most visited site on both electronics. He also mentioned that Prime added more members in India in its first year than any previous geography in Amazon’s history. Incidentally, 13 years post-launch, Prime members globally now exceed 100 million.
Among the hustle and bustle of e-commerce platforms, PayTM has silently entered the market with great growth models, competing head to head.


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The Galaxy S10 Will Bring Back Flat Displays To Samsung Flagships
There is no doubt about the fact that Samsung phones feature some of the best displays, whether they are flagship devices or even mid-range and budget phones. The bit about the mid-range and budget phones might change soon. But the flagships will continue to receive the best-in-class displays. Samsung had introduced the curved, Infinity display with its edge series way back with the Galaxy S6. Soon, the S8 and S9 were only available with curved displays and the flat display option was removed. According to the latest report, this option might be making a comeback with the latest Samsung Galaxy S10.
It is well known by now that the Samsung Galaxy S10 will launch in three different variants. While the only difference between these variants up till now was the size difference and some other unconfirmed specifications, the new report also details the type of displays that they may use. The cheapest variant of the Galaxy S10, which will also be the smallest, is said to have a 5.8 inch flat display. The second model will have a 5.8 inch screen as well, but this one will be curved. The third, tipped to be the Galaxy S10+ will have a 6.2 inch curved display.
The details surface from, a report about the changes in chemical suppliers for the displays. The new suppliers now use organic chemicals for the Red, Green and Blue sub pixels. These will replace the M8 chemicals used in the S9 and Note 9 with M9 chemicals. The report also details that the phones will ‘appear’ in the first half of 2019 and the production for the panels is already underway.
While most of us are familiar with the numerous leaks surrounding the Galaxy S10, here is a quick recap for those who aren’t. The Galaxy S10 is Samsung’s next flagship smartphone. The launch of the S10 will also mark the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy S devices, making the smartphone all the more special. Some reports also suggest that it is for this very reason that the company had held back on some of the innovations during the production of the galaxy S9, saving it for the S10.
The Galaxy S10 is as mentioned before, expected to launch in three variants. This includes a cheaper version, dubbed as the Galaxy S10 Lite, the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+. Other interesting details about the phone include an in-display fingerprint sensor, a notch-less display (with a camera cut-out or an in-display front camera) and 5G connectivity on the Galaxy S10+. Additionally, this will also be the first phone from Samsung to run on the brand new One UI, out of the box. This will allow for a lot more customisations and a better user experience.
For those with an extra bit of inquisitiveness, and a fair idea of Korean (or just access to Google Translate), you can read the full report here.


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Crook caught on camera after stealing credit card from car
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Investigators say a crook used a credit card from a car burglarized at EverBank Field.
The break-in happened on Sunday. Police say the victim's card was used for several unauthorized transactions, including one at a Family Dollar on East State Street.
The thief was seen wearing an NFL jersey and shades in the security camera images.
Information that leads to an arrest could result in a $3,000 reward. Contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS or the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at (904) 630-0500.
Copyright 2013 Cox Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Food assistance distribution set for Nov. 15
Commodities distribution through the United States Department of Agriculture will be from noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 15 at the 4-H Building in Kenwood Park.
Items to be distributed include: canned corn, canned green beans, canned mixed fruit, peanut butter, cranberry juice concentrate, canned spaghetti sauce, long-grain rice and spaghetti.
Recipients must meet established income guidelines and provide proof of Saline County residence, proof of all monthly household income and valid identification for all people living in the home. People who are picking up commodities for someone else must bring a signed note from the individual. Recipients are also asked to bring sacks or boxes to carry the commodities.


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The Middle East's startup scene: a new world full of promise
With a huge potential common market of millions in the Arabic world, and a host of wealthy local...
Nearly a quarter of Pakistani youth want to set up their own business, according to UN figures. But how is the country – and its most successful firms – aiding this entrepreneurial revolution?
Pakistan is likely not the first country you would associate with a thriving startup scene. A volatile political and security climate and major regulatory hurdles have historically made outsiders think twice about investing in the nation. Yet in 2016, the Pakistan Stock Exchange was declared Asia’s best-performing equity market – helping to nurture a new breed of ambitious startups.
Technological, demographic and other factors have also become increasingly favourable. Mobile broadband coverage reached 75 per cent of citizens by mid-2016 and will be accessed by a third of the population by 2020, according to the GSMA. A 2016 report by i2i also claimed that 70 per cent of Pakistan’s 180 million-strong population is under the age of 30.
“This means that Pakistan is a country with a very young demographic that is increasingly connected, and there is a great opportunity to strengthen their own capacity to solve local issues, particularly through the use of technology,” it argued.
These aren’t the only factors helping the Pakistani startup revolution. The i2i report also points to:
– Increased migration, exposing citizens to innovations and developments in other countries and promoting exchanges between markets.
– An increase in local entrepreneur leaders – many of whom have had exposure abroad – mentoring and co-investing in startups.
– More formalised angel investor activity.
– An increasingly engaged Pakistani diaspora, contributing $19.3 billion in remittances sent back home in 2015.
– Business associations like the Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs (OPEN) launching local chapters.
– An increase in local support organisations and activity from incubators and accelerators like i2i and Plan9/PlanX.
Entrepreneurship has become even more “localised and indigenised” in recent times, according to i2i, with new projects launched by Pakistanis on the ground. Some have even found success on a wider scale. Pakistan’s largest music streaming platform, Patari, placed second at the World Startup Cup 2016. Also last year, six startups nurtured by PlanX travelled to the US to take part in the ATX+PAK Exchange Program.
Here are some other success stories to come out of the country recently:
Zameen: An online property portal valued at a whopping $83 million – making it potentially Pakistan’s most valuable startup.
Slide: An Android app that rewards users for clicking on ads or reading content. It claims it saw five million downloads in a year and has bagged over $4 million in funding. This will help its expansion into the fast-growing Middle East market, which is experiencing its own startup boom as local firms embrace cloud technologies in a big way.
MangoBaaz: Described as the “Mashable of Pakistan” – an online news and entertainment channel for the country’s young netizens.
Home Foodies: A platform enabling housewives to set up their own homegrown food businesses.
Beauty Hooked: Allows users to find and book local beauty salons, where they can benefit from exclusive offers and discounts.
In many ways, the key to launching a successful startup is no different wherever you are in the world – you need to spot that all-important gap in the market and pursue it with determination and persistence.
Lorraine Warren, professor of innovation and entrepreneurship at Massey University, has five top tips for getting ahead:
1. Keep your business model fluid for as long as possible to keep strategic options open.
2. Develop and promote a strong vision.
3. Be flexible – the digital economy moves fast.
4. Encourage experimentation within the company.
5. Hone foresight and ‘horizon sensing’ so you know when to incorporate new ideas.
That’s not all. Mudassir Sheikha, co-founder of ride-hailing app Careem, urges entrepreneurs to think big from day one. And he certainly understands the meaning of success – Careem was recently valued at $1 billion.
“Sure you can open a retail store, but it’s going to be difficult to make it into a large business – a billion-dollar business,” Sheikha said in a keynote at Momentum in February. “The first thing you have to target is a big problem and a big opportunity.”
Also important is getting the organisational culture right from day one, and ensuring it is communicated to every member of staff. Sheikha added that a successful startup is impossible to develop without the right team.
“You can have an amazing idea, but if you don’t have the right talent to execute then your plans are utterly useless,” he said.
Pakistan’s next generation of go-getting entrepreneurs certainly face several challenges. Longstanding regulatory roadblocks, as well as infrastructure issues, security concerns and an apparent lack of government leadership are all hurdles to overcome. But a growing number of successful homegrown startups are already blazing the trail for the next generation.


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The memorability for the classic Barça kit and colours is massive worldwide. But this coming season, Barcelona have, for the first time, shunned their red and blue stripes in favour of a Croatia-esque kit with checkers in those famous colours. With Frankie de Jong and possibly even Antoine Griezmann and Neymar Jr. joining in the summer, the Blaugrana will surely sell millions of shirts and keep their incredible amount of followers and fans engaged on social media or in their own online shop. Nevertheless, opportunities for even more growth will always be there – and Barcelona are taking one of them as they cooperate with online game creation system company Roblox. This specific cooperation will see Roblox users, who can create their very own online and mobile games, being able to equip their digital avatars with the brand new Barça kit. And that means, what once was just kind of a uniform for people playing football and those liking the respective team or club is turning into an unmissable opportunity to create new meanings around it in totally new ecosystems. Gaming and kits do have a great connectivity.
For more brand awareness: Barcelona avatars take over on Roblox
As the FC Barcelona is trying to connect with audiences growing up to online and mobile gaming, they have partnered with Roblox, a digital platform where users – they have over 90 million already – can create their own games. As those players can experience different worlds in a 3D-environment, they can now do so with their avatars sporting the new and somewhat unfamiliar looking Barça shirt. The shirt itself was launched with the slogan ‘Talent takes different shapes’ and shall be reminiscent of Barcelona’s Eixample district where a number of Antoni Gaudí’s famous buildings are located. Dídac Lee, FC Barcelona board member and head of Digital Area, said on the official club website:
We are proud to promote this innovative project that will blaze a trail in the world of football. It will enable us to bring FC Barcelona closer to millions of children and teenagers around the world in a way that is authentic to them, all the while helping to foster their creativity through a unique gaming experience. In the FC Barcelona Digital Area, we firmly believe that the best way to connect and generate engagement with our audience is by creating new communication channels to enable interaction across the digital realm, entertainment and sport. This is the first of many initiatives that we will be presenting shortly.
Roblox, with a mission to unite the (digital) world through gaming, will offer the FC Barcelona avatar bundle from July 9th.
Roblox refer to the uniting character of football and gaming and are thereby looking to turn the admittedly strange sight of gaming avatars in a full football kit into something quite logical:
Together with Barça, we want to inspire players to live like true champions, to achieve greatness as one united community. No matter how far apart we are, football and Roblox bring us together through play. So, get out there and make your dreams a reality.
Gaming and football are closely tied – and branding profits
The FC Barcelona have announced their partnership with Roblox the same month they have extended their a partnership with gaming giants Konami. As part of their collaboration, Lionel Messi will be the cover star of eFootball PES 2020.
Additionally, Pro Evolution Soccer will be releasing a special Barça version. This one is being made available to fans in order to get both parties more revenue; and in order to get those fans buying the game, they will be given the chance to decide on the cover of this particular game.
Konami, for their part, will have advertisement shown inside the Nou Camp and in several FC Barcelona contexts as well as having access to the players for further marketing ideas. Josep Pont, FC Barcelona Board Member responsible for the Commercial Area, stated the importance of an approach towards eSports:
We are delighted to be able to renew our partnership with KONAMI. Our relationship began three years ago and this new agreement as Global Partners is testament to our shared journey, with clear commitment to the quest for excellence and to such common values as effort, teamwork and respect. It also reinforces our commitment to connecting with fans all around through the e-sports universe.
The growing importance of eSports and gaming is considered for marketing and revenue-driving efforts at many clubs, as Reza Abdolali from blackbird eSports told us in an interview:
We are dealing with a highly networked, young target group, which is also very consumer-friendly and open to new products and services. The fact that games and thus also eSports from the pop and youth culture have become indispensable, makes presence in the eSports sector more and more a ‘mandatory event’ for clubs and advertising companies. A long-term commitment to this area is therefore increasingly being examined by a growing number of companies.
However, clubs should not only tap into eSports for the sake of it, because that might just deter gamers or eSports fans. As Media Chain found out for the UK, the gaming community is very diverse and therefore you have to appraise the audience. The introduction to this study says: “Many brands find it challenging to navigate these audiences due to the cognitive and emotional distance between gaming culture and their marketing teams. Many marketers are guilty of lazily clustering gamers under one banner, creating unsuccessful campaigns built on basic and ineffective insights”. That’s why clubs need to create the right cooperations in a gaming context. The simple idea of selling kits that had been a success on FUT and were actually only a digital asset, was an interesting experiment that had the clubs’ respective brands in the media – and several shirts sold for additional revenue.
Media Chain’s director of gaming, Tom Sweeney, has emphasised in the study that:
Brands, if they haven’t already, will need to start shifting their spend away from programmatic, away from traditional media, and into social content – either creating it themselves, or supporting a creator or channel that the audience is already connected with.
Some have done that by creating marketing opportunities via their eSports connection under their brands. The FC Barcelona has reacted to that by supporting a “channel that the audience is already connected with”, Roblox, and getting their own brand as well as their main shirt sponsor valuable visibility in effect. Eventually, we might have to judge this cooperation later, but the idea of a marketing approach like that is definitely contemporary and leaning towards the demands of modern day digital users. Even the effects of such partnerships that possibly are rather unwanted could help clubs like Barça grow and optimise their own gaming marketing strategy, which will only stand them in good stead for the super football brands’ marketing war that is going on in a digitised world – and increasingly in a gaming context, too.


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America, Japan, UK and Europe all badly want inflation and central bank interest rates to rise — Oh, so badly! — instead of remaining at the present absurd levels of 0% or 0.5% p.a.. The Institute of Directors want to see them rise also.
Central banks (in other words, governments, despite their supposed independence) want them to increase because they want to resume playing the game of reducing national debts by means of the margin between hoped-for inflation — and thus consequential taxation — and interest rates, enabling them to start paying off national debts, which they’re not able to do at present.
The Institute of Directors want perceptible inflation and interest rates to help them to move prices upwards unobstrusively, but also to bankrupt millions of small businesses and incorporate them as franchises.
But interest rates are not moving! Nor are they ever likely to move while the consumers in the advanced world remain largely a replacement market only for the time being — there not yet being any uniquely new consumer products that could be clamoured for, nor better quality educational and medical services that they can afford.
This morning, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, like many others in the West, is once again disparaging China’s clunky ways of doing things with regard to its financial sector. Three days ago, when the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges dropped precipitously, the Chinese government almost immediately made many share-selling operations illegal — on pain of a year or two prison — quite unlike our own “dear free market” (as Queen Victoria would have called it). But it did the trick. If the panic had gone on for a few days longer then China might have experienced the Wall Street Crash of 1929 all over again and, by now. all of us heading into another Great Depression.
The world economy is in a very delicate state at present, but it will have to remain so for a long time to come while we gradually ease ourselves away from the growth in consumer goods of the last 250 years and towards a much more sophistcated world of advanced services. Only those countries which can more nearly maximise the genetic potentialities of all its children, including those of the poor, will be those which keep their heads above water during these coming decades, At present, when politicians and central bank governors are still trying to imagine that the heady days of 2% to 4% annual economic growth can return, the waste of our intellectual resources must be colossal


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Biggest Threats To Email Marketing? Social Media & Kids Texting [Survey]
Social media and kids abandoning email are two of the biggest threats to future success in email marketing, according to the new 2012: Email in Action study from eConsultancy and the Direct Marketing Association.
Conducted in the fourth quarter of 2011, the survey involved more than 450 email marketers in North America.
When asked about the challenges to future success in email marketing, 75 percent of respondents said competition with social media was either “very challenging” or “somewhat challenging.” Sixty-nine percent said “young people abandoning email” was either very or somewhat challening.
Budget concerns, integrating with other marketing channels, and proving ROI were seen as challenging by 65 percent, 61 percent and 59 percent, respectively.
There have been a number of studies and stories over the last few years about how young people are relying more on text messages as their primary communication tool, and not using email. (Here’s a New York Times story from 2010, and a CNET story from 2007.) Email marketing service Aweber surveyed teens last year on this subject, and found that only 44 percent of teens “believe email will live on.” There’s a strong contrarian viewpoint in our previous story/infographic, Infographic: Email Isn’t Dead.
The full eConsultancy/DMA report costs $400, but there’s a free sample with this chart and others that can be downloaded, no contact information required.
(tip via MarketingCharts.com)


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It should be from 2020 that photoresist has become a hot word that can often be heard in the news.
The frequency of its appearance may be comparable to the lithography machine. The reason is that although the photoresist is used in conjunction with the lithography machine in chip manufacturing, different chip processes require different photoresists. American manufacturers accounted for about 87% of the share, and the import ratio of domestic photoresist was as high as 90%.
In fact, not only is the ratio of our imported photoresist as high as 90%, chip powers like South Korea rely on Japanese photoresist as well, and the import ratio is also as high as 80% or 90%.
Therefore, in 2019, Japan initiated sanctions on South Korea’s semiconductor industry to control the export of three major raw materials (fluoropolyimide, photoresist, and high-purity hydrogen fluoride) required for semiconductor and Panel manufacturing.
Suddenly, South Korea’s chip industry was greatly affected, and the South Korean chip companies were full of turmoil.
So later, South Korea put forward a strategy of “de-dailyization” and used a large amount of money for self-research. It wanted to promote the localization of materials and semiconductor equipment that are highly dependent on Japan. The first thing is to start with self-research of photoresist. Samsung, LG, etc. want to develop their own photoresist to reduce imports.
So now more than two years have passed, how is the situation going? According to BusinessKorea, South Korea’s dependence on photoresist imported from Japan has dropped from 100% to 50%. As for whether this value is true or not, it is not known whether it is accurate or not.
But regardless of whether it is true or not, behind this number, I think it is worth learning. South Korea can reduce its dependence to 50% in just two years, which is definitely a big improvement.
You know, according to SEMI statistics, the size of China’s photoresist market in 2020 is about 350 million U.S. dollars (approximately 2.267 billion yuan), of which 90% of the photoresist used in advanced chip manufacturing still depends on imports.
Once Japanese manufacturers limit the supply, Chinese chip manufacturers will inevitably fall into the predicament of “no glue available”, and domestic photoresists are mostly low-end, and the output is small, which cannot solve the problem. Therefore, the global lithography system is At the moment when foreign companies have the right to speak, photoresist is a must in China, so we really have to learn from South Korea.


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The Year of Culture and Tourism has come at a time when the southern African country is strengthening its cooperation with China for mutual benefit.
On Thursday, a senior government official said Zambia will intensify awareness of the China-Zambia bilateral agreement to designate 2024 as the Year of Culture and Tourism so that local people can participate in promoting the tourism industry with the Chinese side.
According to Evans Muhanga, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, the government through the ministry will line up cultural activities in tourism provinces across the country.
"We are exploring the participation of Zambians to strengthen the cultural exchange program with our counterpart in China," he said, adding that the preparations are being made in anticipation of Zambia attracting many visitors from the Asian state.
Muhanga also stated that the Year of Culture and Tourism has come at a time when the southern African country is strengthening its cooperation with China for mutual benefit.
#BREAKING: Zambia and China have taken steps to dedollarize their trade and investment relations. This strategic decision emerged following a meeting in Beijing between Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia.— Ebenezer Mensah (@MEbenezerBNN) September 16, 2023
The essence of this agreement lies in… pic.twitter.com/Pc1mFrvUW8
He also said that Chinese tourists moved in groups, hence the need for the hospitality industry to ready itself to accommodate large numbers of visitors from the Asian country.
In promotion of Zambia's tourism industry in China, Muhanga said Zambia has always marketed its tourism sites in China.
Meanwhile, Joseph Phiri, who is Ndola district commissioner, said in a separate interview that the government's focus on developing the tourism industry will have a positive impact on Zambians.
#Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema is on an official visit to China from September 10 to 16. Economic and trade cooperation between China and Zambia have continuously strengthened over the years. Check out the infographic below for more! @HHichilema @ZambiaMFAIC pic.twitter.com/M1FiFM6Njl— CGTN Global Business (@CGTNGlobalBiz) September 12, 2023
Phiri, a senior government official in the provincial business hub of Ndola in the Copperbelt province in northern Zambia, is optimistic that the agreement between China and Zambia will bear the much-needed fruits in the near future.
"The sector is poised to create jobs for the local people if it's marketed to the large international markets like China," he said.
China and Zambia earlier this month reached an agreement that 2024 will be a bilateral Year of Culture and Tourism activities.


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For the past 10 years in the Le Mans endurance race, you’ll notice that almost every year you’ll see the same name over and over again. Audi made sure that they will be on top on the world’s most prestigious endurance race. Just to give an exact figure, Audi won nine championships with its three brilliant creations; the R15 TDI, the R10 TDI and the R8.
They now have a new creation to optimistically continue its winning streak. Audi unveiled their new beast and it’s the R18 LMP1 Sports Car 2011. Unlike their previous models this has a closed top design to further improve its aerodynamic capability.
The R18’s chassis also received a different treatment judging against its previous models. They used a monocoque, single component design instead of using two halves. This is aimed for their effort in improving weight reduction and the same time without sacrificing its rigidity.
The Le Mans new regulations are focused in reducing substantial amount in engine power and Audi complied with this requirement by using a 3.7 liter V6 TDI engine. This will be paired to a six speed transmission.
The R18’s numbers and its performance on what it can do on the tracks are still not given out but surely this is a car to look out for in Le Mans endurance race.


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30 July 2018 – Eje Prime
Makro is lightening its property load. The food distribution group has sold four assets in Spain to Lasalle and Corpfin for almost €100 million. Specifically, the fund has acquired three of Makro’s centres in Madrid for €90 million, whilst Corpfin has purchased one asset in Madrid for €8 million, according to Expansión.
The company has sold to Lasalle the buildings in Barajas, Alcobendas and Paseo Imperial, all located in the Community of Madrid, in a sale and leaseback operation brokered by CBRE. Other distribution groups such as Inditex and El Corte Inglés have carried out similar operations over the last year.
On the other hand, Makro has sold 8,000 m2 of retail space, also in Madrid, to Corpfin for €8 million. That operation has been brokered by the consultancy firm Knight Frank.
Makro has 37 centres in Spain, which span a total commercial surface area of 241,744 m2. The chain belongs to the German group Metro, which operates in 35 countries around the world.
Original story: Eje Prime
Translation: Carmel Drake


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Arqiva has announced it is seeking an investment partner for its online TV portal SeeSaw. It follows a strategic review held by the company with a view to accelerating the development of the service launched in February 2010.
“We’ve been looking at SeeSaw as part of a wider strategic review and, following the success in launching a pioneering new service to both consumers and advertisers, we now believe the service needs further investment to reach its full potential,” said Nick Thompson, managing director of Arqiva’s Broadcast & Media business unit.
SeeSaw is backed by unique technology and will be a major part of the connected TV revolution, but we need to enable a step-change in the development of the service in what is a very fast moving environment”
SeeSaw paid an estimated £8 million (€9.56 million) for the technology developed by Project Kangaroo that was broken up after the intervention of the Competition Commission broke up the BBC-ITV-Channel 4 venture.
Having refined the software, Arqiva used the IBC congress in Amsterdam in an attempt to sell the technology and knowhow internationally, but to date no contracts have been announced.
With Arqiva a partner in YouView, SeeSaw will be looking to take-up a place on the hybrid TV platform, slated for a mid-year launch though with increasing doubts about whether the venture will meet its given timetable.
SeeSaw itself has tried a number of innovations, such as introducing a monthly £2.99 fee in return for dropping advertisements, but to date it has failed to make its presence felt in the way that has been achieved by the BBC iPlayer.
Arqiva says it plans to look at all investment options for the business in order to support SeeSaw’s long-term success.


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Sep 29, 2017
Apple has received four times as many national security related requests than last year: ReportAlphabet Inc's Google said it had received between 0 and 499 National Security Letters requesting information on between 1,000 and 1,499 user accounts in the first half of 2017.


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Before ordering a shiny new pair of Dr. Dre Beats headphones from China you had better check they are the real deal as knock-off versions are showing up online from as little as $3!
Gizchina News of the week
Fake Dr Dre Headphones have been on sale in China since the real headphones launched, but we didn’t realise just how cheap they are selling for! A quick search on Taobao resulted in Beats headphones priced from as little as 19 Yuan ($3) with Beats earbuds starting at 33 Yuan ($6).
The chances are pretty high that these fakes aren’t as good as the real thing, but as they look identical and come in pretty convincing packaging we imagine some less than honest resellers could try passing them off as the real deal.


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A mini-poll commissioned for National Quiet Day, has found that, even with the latest noise reduction technology available in modern washing machines, 15 per cent of those surveyed are putting up with a washing machine that sounds like an aeroplane taking off in their kitchen*.
Conducted via Trend-Monitor, the mini-poll also revealed that more than one in four people compared the sound of their washing machine to that of noisy road traffic*. Eight per cent of respondents likened the noise of their appliance to the peaceful sound of rustling leaves*.
Home appliance manufacturer, Whirlpool commissioned the mini-poll of over 1,300 adults to highlight the vast differences in washing machine noise output levels. Thanks to modern technological innovations, Whirlpool holds the Quiet Mark accreditation for three of its Supreme Care washing machines. The Quiet Mark is awarded to manufacturers who incorporate ‘quiet’ into their designs, meaning consumers can get on with life, undisturbed by the sound of their washing machine.
Wednesday 11th September 2019 marks the fourth annual National Quiet Day, which aims to highlight the importance for people to find time for more peace and quiet in their lives.
A spokesperson from Whirlpool said: “Loud, persistent noises can have a significant effect on mental health and a person’s well-being. In honour of National Quiet Day, we encourage everyone to take a moment away from the commotion of daily life and seek some sanctuary in silence.
“Through innovation and product design, we have manufactured a range of washing machines that, even during the spin cycle, operate at a whisper quiet noise level. Consumers therefore no longer have to suffer the aeroplane or traffic like sounds interrupting their home life.”
For more information on National Quiet Day, and to enter a competition to win a Whirlpool washing machine that has a super quiet spin cycle (the competition closes at 11:59pm on 11th September 2019) visit www.quietday.co.uk and follow #NationalQuietDay for updates on social media.
For information on the Supreme Care range of washing machines, visit the website at www.whirlpool.co.uk.
Notes for editors:
* Mini-poll conducted via Trend-Monitor
1. Mini-poll results
2. National Quiet Day logo
National Quiet Day is celebrated on the second Wednesday of September, and was first established by Whirlpool in 2016, in association with renowned academics in the field of noise and psychology: Judy Edworthy, Professor of Applied Psychology, Plymouth University; Stephen Stansfeld, Professor of Psychiatry, Queen Mary University of London; Brian C. J. Moore, Emeritus Professor of Auditory Perception, University of Cambridge.
The Whirlpool brand is part of Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited. Superior performance, intuitive technology, and cutting-edge design are the key pillars of the Whirlpool brand, achieving industry and consumer recognition for its collection of intelligent 6TH SENSE® appliance technology.
About Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited:
Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited is managed by Whirlpool EMEA, part of Whirlpool Corporation, the global leader in manufacturing and marketing of home appliances.
Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited fully supports the AMDEA safety initiative, Register My Appliance, and is committed to encouraging householders to register their appliances: www.registermyappliance.org.uk
About Whirlpool Corporation:
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the leading major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 92,000 employees and 65 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2018. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit, Hotpoint and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world.
In Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) it has approximately 21,000 employees, a sales presence in more than 30 countries and manufacturing sites in seven countries. Whirlpool EMEA is an operating segment of Whirlpool Corporation. Whirlpool Corp.’s EMEA Headquarters are located in Pero (MI), Italy. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com or find us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
For further press information and images please contact:
Hannah at jmm PR
Tel: 01536 414555
11th September 2019
This press release was distributed by ResponseSource Press Release Wire on behalf of Jmm PR in the following categories: Home & Garden, Women's Interest & Beauty, Consumer Technology, for more information visit https://pressreleasewire.responsesource.com/about.


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Algarve’s carob producers are being driven to despair by the growing number of thefts in the region which are costing them thousands of euros. It’s a chronic problem which has only been getting worse, particularly in the Eastern Algarve near the border with Spain, they say.
Horácio Piedade, president of the Algarve’s association of carob and almond producers (AGRUPA), told TVI24 this week that all 400 members have been victims of theft this year.
Producers believe the higher selling price of carobs (€12 as opposed to €5 per kilo) is leading more people to steal them to then sell them illegally.
But carobs aren’t the only products being stolen. Avocado producers are also reaching their wit’s end due to the increasing number of thefts.
João Inácio from the JBI Group suspects “well-organised groups” have formed that prepare the “logistics very well and are able to steal hundreds of kilos in just two hours”, he told TVI24.
Some producers are tackling the issue by having employees patrol their fields at night, while others say an official ‘producer card’ would solve the problem. In other words, businesses would be able to check if the person selling them the products is a legitimate producer or had obtained them illegally.
GNR police in Faro have confirmed that the number of complaints received this year has increased.
Spokesperson Humberto Galego urges producers and civilians who own carob trees to report any thefts they detect, as it is “the only way” authorities can act.
So far this year, 25 people have been arrested or identified for these kinds of thefts, the police force revealed.


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The traditional 'big four' supermarkets --Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons - now seem to be shifting to the 'big six' in the wake of the soaring success of the ambitious expansion programmes launched by the discounters, according to an industry expert.
As the UK's biggest store chain Tesco revealed it had closed more selling space than it opened this year, new data from trade magazine The Grocer highlights the extent to which its supermarket construction projects have ground to a halt.
The report says that Tesco's property slowdown is particularly dramatic compared with the discounters.
Research by Barbour ABI shows that 2015-16 saw Aldi and Lidl ramp up their property development across the UK, with more than 100 supermarkets constructed between them in the year. Tesco, meanwhile, built just four.
In its full-year results Tesco said it had seen a net reduction of 1.2 million square feet of supermarket space -- of which over half (800,000 square feet) was in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The Grocer said that last year Tesco closed 43 non-profitable UK supermarkets.
It either constructed or started 63 supermarkets between 2010 and 2016 but just 6% of those were started or finished in 2015-16.
In contrast, 50% of the 70 supermarkets built by Lidl were started or finished in the same year.
Rival discounter Aldi has expanded even more aggressively.
Since 2010 it has built or started 180 supermarkets, almost as many as Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco combined. And 76 were built in the past year alone.
Among the traditional supermarkets, Sainsbury's showed the biggest recent growth in stores, starting or finishing 10 in 2015-16 whereas Asda built just three in the year, out of the 31 it has opened in 2010-16.
Barbour ABI lead economist Michael Dall said: “With Tesco closing more stores than opening in 2015 for the first time in many years, alongside the rapid opening of stores from Aldi and Lidl, the power struggle and market share within the industry looks to continue as the 'big four' now seems to be shifting to the 'big six'.”


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Vape Clinic launches in Inverurie to help smokers quit
VPZ, the UK’s largest vaping retailer, has launched a new Vape Clinic service in Inverurie this Stoptober to help the nation quit smoking.
VPZ, has launched its new Vape Clinic service in its Inverurie store which offers local smokers a dedicated, one-to-one consultation with VPZ’s vaping specialists.
The Vape Clinic has been introduced this Stoptober to meet the growing demand for stop smoking services as access to local stop smoking services and vaping retailers massively reduced during Lockdown leaving thousands of smokers left without any services to help them quit.
With around 78,000 people in the UK dying from smoking year on year, and with many more living with debilitating smoking-related illnesses, the vape clinic has been designed to support the nation’s smokers quit for good.
Doug Mutter, Director of VPZ said: “As the UK’s leading vaping specialist, we are spearheading the fight against the nation’s number one killer –smoking.
“We are proud to roll out our Vape Clinic service in Inverurie and beyond this Stoptober to give the nation’s smokers the support they need to quit and help the country regain its momentum toward becoming a smoke free nation by 2030.”
VPZ Vape Clinic is open 7 days a week, 10am to 5pm to all customers who book a free, 30 minute Vape Clinic Appointment.
You can find your nearest Vape Clinic by visiting: vpz.co.uk/pages/vape-clinic-booking .


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A new report released by Morgan Stanley Research has found out that Bharti Airtel, DLF, Adani, Lanco Infratech, Aditya Birla Nuvo, Indiabulls Power, Jaiprakash Associates are at high risk of deterioration
Arecent research report by Morgan Stanley Research (Asia), titled, “Where Is The Balance Sheet Stress?” used the Altman Z-score methodology for measuring the strength of company balance sheet and found out that telecom (2.13), utilities (1.53) and real estate (2.21) have high balance sheet ‘stress’ while information technology (8.87), consumer staples (7.70) and consumer discretionary (5.12) have the strongest balance sheets. However, it found out that, on an overall basis, the Altman Z-score for the entire universe was 3.21, which largely remained the same from last year. Balance sheet is crucial for stock picking, whether you’re a growth or value investor. The report said, “Balance sheet stress is a cyclical factor in stock picking—it comes to the fore in a rising rate and slowing growth environment. The market’s preference for quality will shift if rates soften further and growth bottoms out.”
Altman Z-score is a quantitative methodology used to measure risk of bankruptcy by quantifying various parameters of the balance sheet. According to the report, a company is considered “safe” when the score exceeds 3.0, while anything below 1.8 would imply increased probability of financial stress. The formula for arriving at Z-score for services companies was tweaked and anything above 1.6 was considered “safe”, while south of 1.1 was considered risky. Methodology tweaked as balance sheets of services and banking are inherently different from manufacturing and industrials.
According to the report, it found out that 17 companies have Altman Z-scores of less than 1.8 and had serious balance sheet issues. Some of these were Adani Enterprises (1.53), Adani Power (0.52), Jaiprakash Associates (1.48), Indiabulls Power (0.64), IL&FS Transportation Networks (1.39), Lanco Infratech (0.88), IRB (1.36) and Bharti Airtel (1.53). These companies had both balance sheet and cash flow problems. The companies which were “border-line” (i.e. having Altman Z-score between 1.8 and 2.2) were Tata Power (1.87), DLF (1.93), Reliance Infrastructure (2.17) and NTPC (2.20), to name a few.
Not surprisingly, companies which had fantastic balance sheets (i.e. high Altman Z-score) were usually the fast moving consumer goods companies as well as information technology. Colgate Palmolive was the highest (a whopping 28.29 Z-score), followed by Hindustan Unilever (27.86), Jubilant FoodWorks (19.56), Nestle India (15.92), Titan Industries (12.16), Infosys (11.56), ITC (11.00) and Infotech Enterprises (10.28), to name a few. Likewise, these companies had no problems with refinancing whatsoever.
Inside story of the National Stock Exchange’s amazing success, leading to hubris, regulatory capture and algo scam


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EVs sure have been getting a bad rap: this weekend’s New York Times hit piece on the Tesla Model S’s inability to sustain an adequate charge and last year’s scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after a Chevy Volt fire at the test facility have sparked doubt and criticism about cars powered by lithium-ion batteries.
The Li-ion batteries in these cars were heralded as the beacon mobility’s future–green, safe, reliable.
But these technologies are constantly evolving, and the deficiencies at this current development stage aren’t that surprising (you remember nickel-metal hydride batteries and the EV1?).
The Li-ion battery, of course, has long been hailed as the best EV battery around, but its flaws at enduring heat and providing range have spurred innovators to seek alternatives.
Sure, a Li-ion battery with a range of 40 odd miles is going to get you around town on any given day, but what about your Griswold-esque family vacation or your D.C.-to-New York go-for-the-jugular odyssey? Can we conceive of the 500 mile road trip powered by a battery?
Electric cars are only just arriving in any main stream capacity, but already auto makers are having to look at what’s next.
Li-ion vs. NiMH: Refresher
The conventional logic has it that Li-ion offers greater storage in a more compact space compared to the less expensive NiMH. Battery capacity is measured by energy density in Watthours/kg, and the energy density in Li-ion is twice that of NiMH. By that same token, Li-ion can cost almost twice as much as NiMH ($800-$1,000 per kilowatt hour compared to $500 to $550 per kilowatt hour, respectively). As a result, plenty of hybrids use NiMH, for financial savings; the Prius, for example, uses a battery pack with 168 NiMH batteries that produce 1.2 volts each. Plus, according to Andy Chu, vice president of marketing and communications at battery-maker A123, because hybrids do not rely solely on electric, they can afford to sacrifice some energy density and stick with the NiMH without fear of running out of juice.
As of 2010, 98% of EVs used Li-ion batteries, and come 2017, 100% will use Lithium-ion, according to Strategic Analytics. Only 11% of mild hybrid EVs in 2010 used Li-ion but predictions double that percentage come 2017. As a continued indication of a trend away from NiMH, full hybrid EVs will bump from 0% Li-ion-powered to 17% over the same interval. In other words, Li-ion is slowly taking over the hybrid market as NiMH goes the way of the dodo. But to anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock, this could create some major anxiety for you on your future road trips.
As battery range (i.e. the distance your battery fully charged will get you) becomes more of a consumer focus, increasingly compact power will become tantamount to battery choice for hybrids and electric cars. The Volt has a 16 kWh capacity, and the all-electric Nissan Leaf provides 24 kWh. The Tesla Roadster, which indeed uses Li-ion batteries, stores 56 kWh of electric energy and delivers up to 215 kW of electric power (a NiMH battery pack with the same electric energy would weigh over twice as much). Tesla technology hinges on assembling thousands of top-notch lithium-ion cells into a liquid-cooled battery pack.
To be sure, increasingly capacious chemistry and materials are used to improve the capabilities of batteries such as switching from carbon-based anodes to silicon-based ones. But even as these improvements appear, Li-ion is not immune to competition.
A Throne Usurped: Will Li-ion’s Reign End?
Li-ion batteries are generally low-maintenance, as they lack memory issues and do not need planned cycling to prolong the battery life. As with all batteries, Li-ion doesn’t hold up so well in extreme heat or cold, no matter what Tesla CEO Elon Musk insists. To monitor thermal changes, lithium becomes more expensive to design.
But though Li-Ion is king at least for now, it is ultimately not infallible. Can there be more stable chemistries developed that do not have as many degenerative side reactions when batteries are cycled?
Innovators say yes, but it is unclear how long it will take for these energy alternatives to be implemented and commercialized. The Great White Hope in the Holy Grail of battery range seems to be lithium air technology.
Lithium Air Apparent
The energy density of lithium air is 5,210 wh/kg compared with the more modest 160 wh/kg and 90 to 120 wh/kg in lithium-magnese oxide and lithium iron phosphate, respectively according to research firm Frost & Sullivan. The 300 liter volume at which cars cap their battery size does not prevent those hoping for the 500 mile dream. But it sure ups the ante for research and development.
Your typical battery consists of anode, cathode, and electrolyte parts. Using air as the anode–as is the case with lithium-air technology–can be more efficient in the long run with decreased weight of the battery and much better energy density, power, speed, range, and battery life cycle. IBM in Silicon Valley is a leader in developing this technology, which Taison Tan, a lithium-ion technology expert, estimates is still 10 years away.
Yet a major road block stands in the way of this technology, if air is your anode.
“You have to expose some of the cell to open air,” Tan said. “People have to develop membranes that allow that interaction but also maintain the integrity of the cell inside. It’s a big mechanical issue.”
For Battery Predictions, Follow The Cell Phones
Deciding which technology will dominate the car batteries of the future is purely speculative at this point. But it’s a pretty good bet to look at some smaller technology.
Twenty years ago when the first cell phones came out, they had NiMH batteries. As battery energy got better, engineers had Li-ion developments.
“Keep an eye on cell phones and laptops,” Tan said. “When people achieve higher energy densities, they first implement it into the small consumer electronics. If you look at laptops, they’re still using that same cylindrical cell. They keep developing better materials, but still using the concept of Lithium-ion.”
Lithium air is slow in terms of charging and discharging. The research firm Strategic Analytics says that “peak energy flows” of about 30 kW would require a smaller Lithium-ion battery and perhaps an ultra-capacitor to allow for acceleration and regenerative braking in a car. Asking for repeated charges after long trips is no easy demand. Part is having the infrastructure in homes. For a home 4kW supply, rejuicing your battery could take upwards of 30 hours. All of a sudden, five minutes at the gas tank seems well worth your while. If you have 1 kilowatt coming out of the wall and a battery with an energy density of 20 kilowatt/hours, you’re charging 110 volt outlet that would be a little less that 20 hours.
Assault & Battery: The Geopolitical Issue
Beyond the mere he said/he said of this Tesla spat and the futuristic glance to the battery technology of tomorrow, there’s the political angle.For lithium-ion batteries, companies rely on foreign lithium. Sure, U.S. reliance may not be on heavy oil exporters like Saudi Arabia but still comes with the stigma. Lithium exists in South America, China, and Afghanistan, but most car companies are tapping into the Argentine and Chilean markets–with troves that are far from infinite.
“The main worry now seems to be for rare earth elements,” said Mike Omotoso, senior manager for global power train at LCM Automotive. “China has a high percentage of these materials and they have been rationing their use and export. That’s why companies like Honda and Toyota have been feverishly researching electric motors and other parts used in hybrid vehicles that don’t need rare earth elements or use less than the amount currently needed.”
Beyond more efficient materials, companies are wising up to zinc–with Zinc-bromine by ZBV Energy and zinc air technology–as an efficient and sustainable solution to the cutting edge of battery technology in EVs.


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A self-proclaimed 'Aldi Mum' has shared some of her methods that let her feed her family of five for around a fiver a meal.
Sam Jockel says she only uses the discount supermarket for her food shopping, and although she cuts costs, always ensures her budget meals include protein, plenty of veg, and fill her kids up.
Sam, from Queensland in Australia, told Nine News that she can cook a tuna bake in ten minutes. And it costs her just $5.63 – which is £3.34.
The mum, who runs a blog and has just relased an e-book with similar low-cost recipes, explains that the key is buying in bulk, and making sure you shop intelligently.
“Block cheese is a lot cheaper than grated cheese," Sam said. "So if you just grate your own cheese you’ll save a lot of money."
Obviously, Sam has struck up a working relationship with Aldi. Although she started the blog as a labour of love, she soon caught the company's eye, and now runs giveaways on her site.
But Sam's recipes and tips to cutting costs are pertinent. Food costs in the UK are climbing in the turmoil surrounding Brexit uncertainty. Aldi's prices largely correlate between Australia and here.
“Absolutely so important to know what I am cooking, that it’s cheap, that it’s fast and that my kids are going to eat it,” the mum added.


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Quote of the Day
"I don't understand this odd dress debate and I feel like it's a trick somehow. I'm confused and scared. PS it's OBVIOUSLY BLUE AND BLACK"
- Taylor Swift, weighing in on the biggest news story of Thursday: Whether a photo of a dress posted on the web was blue/black or gold/whiteMore Quotes


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TYSONS, Va. — The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) announced that it has found its new senior vice president of dealership operations: Peter L. Fong.
Fong expressed that one of his key areas of interest will be to accelerate the process of moving dealerships toward the "online to in-store" car-buying experience for consumers.
“I'm absolutely thrilled to be returning to the automotive industry, particularly now given the ongoing digital transformation of both the automotive manufacturing and retail sectors,” Fong said. “My primary goal will be driving value-added changes in all areas of dealership operations, so that the next generation of products and services provided by the NADA to dealers and their employees is second-to-none.”
Before joining the NADA, Fong was the executive vice president and CMO at The Judge Group, a firm specializing in technology consulting, staffing solutions, and corporate training. He has also held multiple executive-level sales, marketing, and brand management positions at Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC. He brings a cumulative 20 years of industry experience.
“Peter brings tremendous understanding and a wealth of hands-on experience to the NADA,” said NADA President Peter Welch. “With Peter at the helm of Dealership Operations, the NADA will be able to continue providing our member dealers and their employees with innovative educational and training programs designed to meet the challenges of automotive retailing both now and well into the future.”
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The Texas Longhorns want fans in the stands.
Well, kind of.
Texas Athletics has announced the release of limited edition “My Texas Fan Cutouts,” which, as you might imagine, you can purchase to place in the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium’s stands in 2020. “Upload your favorite photo of yourself, a family member, or pet showing their Longhorns pride, and be a part of the pageantry at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in a new and unique way,” officials write in a release for the product.
It’s also for a good cause, officials note.
“By purchasing a Fan Cutout, you help supply health and safety resources to over 600 Texas student-athletes, including weekly COVID-19 testing, special health monitoring related to COVID-19, clean masks, and face shields. In addition, proceeds from Fan Cutouts provide newly necessary initiatives to support student-athlete success at Texas, such as virtual tutoring, grab n’ go meals, on-campus hand sanitization stations, and assistance with digital course books and learning resources,” the officials said on Texas Athletics’ website.
For more information on how it works, click here.


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Comments /5592 Views / Tuesday, 5 June 2012 01:50
As an effective measure to ease the long berthing delays experienced by Roll on-Roll off vessels at the Port of Colombo, SLPA, with the consultation of shipping lines and importers, recently decided to route all such vessels to the Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMR Port) and the first Ro-Ro vessel operation at the port is scheduled to be carried out on 6 June 2012.
Accordingly, the vessel N4K Fricia from Japan will call at the MRMR Port with 15 vehicles for transhipment on 5 June 2012. She will be followed by Asian Sun calling from Chennai in India on 6 June 2012 and carrying more than 1,000 vehicles for transhipment.
The vehicles brought by the vessel Asian Sun will be transhipped from MRMR Port to Algeria by the car carrier Asian Legend on 15 June 2012.
Commencement of these operations at MRMR Port has expressed itself as a dedicated and reliable facility for international maritime transportation in the region.
These new developments will also extend a practically positive reply to a number of adverse reports made by certain parties against the new port during recent past.
As an initiative to the operations at the premises, President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently made a special inspection tour at the new port. During the visit, further discussions were also made on the already completed stage one as well as the ongoing developments of stage two of the project.
On completion of all dredging works, The National Hydrographic Department printed the navigation chart for the MRMR Port, which is available for purchase from their office in Colombo. The British Admiralty has also issued a notice to mariners regarding the establishment of the port.
At present due to non-availability of dedicated automobile terminal in the Port of Colombo and lack of yard storage areas, Roll on-Roll off vessels have suffered long delays in berthing. This has in turn resulted in operators increasing freight rates to Colombo, and this increased freight cost has to be borne by Sri Lankan importers.
Furthermore, major Ro-Ro operators could not promote automobile transhipment business over the Port of Colombo. In 2009 the Port handled 4,973 vehicles as transhipment and in 2010- 2,455 vehicles and in 2011 only 993 vehicles. This clearly indicates the drop in transhipment of automobile volumes over Colombo due to the congestion and non-availability of dedicated automobile terminals.
This new move will enable to reduce congestion over Colombo, introduce quicker clearance system with SL Customs where the document processing can be done in either Hambantota or Colombo without any delay and promote transhipment business with a dedicated automobile handling terminal facility in MRMR Port.
In addition to already announced concessions granted to any type of vessel calling at the MRMR Port by the SLPA, importers of vehicles are being afforded special concessions. The prompt berthing of vessels, ample secure parking facilities would assure speedy turnaround of vessels.
With such attractive concessions being afforded, it is expected that vehicle importers will avail themselves of this facility at Hambantota. The SLPA is vigorously campaigning to establish the MRMR Port as a preferred transhipment hub for vehicles and attractive incentives are being afforded to shipping lines to avail themselves of this facility too.
The vast areas available for parking of vehicles will be an added boost for the transhipment trade. The additional safety and security precautions there will also result in towards the maximum standards of reducing damages and pilferage.
6 October 2015
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It is not pure knowledge economies, but innovation economies Modern economies are called ‘knowledge economies’ because they rely on human knowledge for economic prosperity. However, this designation describes a modern econom...
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It was indeed memorable to organise an inauguration of a brand new MBA batch at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was encouraging to see the spirit of Sri Lankans in Dubai who actively su...
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Gamini Fonseka Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka, known generally as Gamini Fonseka – the uncrowned monarch of Sinhala cinema – passed away at the age of 68 on 30 September 2004. Gamini was one of my ...
Problems facing the construction industry
Asia Pacific leaders support ESCAP-ADB-UNDP partnership to achieve 2030 Agenda for sustainable development in the region
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UAE (United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, …) Digital TV News
MENA pay TV revenues continue to fall
Jan 18, 2021 – According to Digital TV Research, pay TV revenues in the MENA region fell by 14% between 2016 and 2020 to $2.74 billion. Revenues will continue to fall slowly - to $2.52 billion in 2026.
News categories: Digital TV Research, Simon Murray, Digital TV, Egypt, Israel, Market Research, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE
GCC video industry revenue to reach US$2 billion by 2025
Dec 7, 2020 – Media Partners Asia has published its first report on the Middle East region. The report provides analysis of the current state and future outlook for telecoms, online video and pay-TV industries across the GCC countries.
News categories: Media Partners Asia, Aravind Venugopal, Bahrain, COVID-19, Digital TV, Kuwait, Market Research, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE
Etisalat launches SwitchTV OTT service with Synamedia
Jul 21, 2020 – Synamedia has announced that Etisalat has launched SwitchTV, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) service based on Synamedia's Infinite cloud TV platform and its end-to-end video network portfolio.
News categories: Synamedia, Evergent, Etisalat, Yves Padrines, Vijay Sajja, Content Distribution, Digital TV, OTT, UAE
Nielsen launches global measurement for YouTube mobile app
Jun 3, 2019 – Nielsen has announced that it has expanded advertising measurement on YouTube’s mobile app to 26 additional markets. Now available in 34 markets, the service provides cross-device measurement of advertising audiences across computer and mobile devices.
News categories: Nielsen, Amanda Tarpey, Advertising, Belgium, Big Data, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, OTT, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE
Gracenote's Global Video Data powers Etisalat’s E-Vision UX
Mar 10, 2019 – Gracenote (NYSE: NLSN) has announced that Etisalat's E-Vision is using Gracenote's Global Video Data to deliver viewer experiences for IPTV, OTT and VOD, across TV and mobile applications, for close to one million viewers.
News categories: Gracenote, Etisalat, Geet Lulla, Humaid Sahoo Alsuwaidi, Big Data, Digital TV, IPTV, UAE, UX
Brightcove releases research on consumer video streaming preferences
Dec 18, 2018 – Brightcove (NASDAQ: BCOV) has announced the results of its 2018 Global Consumer Streaming Habits Survey, analyzing global consumer consumption preferences across generations when it comes to live and on-demand streaming video content.
News categories: Brightcove, Sara Larsen, Australia, Canada, Digital TV, France, Germany, Market Research, Mobile, OTT, Spain, UAE, USA
du teams up with Amazon Prime Video
Oct 18, 2018 – du has signed a distribution agreement with Amazon Prime Video to offer du customers even greater choice in video content. The announcement was made during GITEX Technology Week 2018, where the telco is showcasing its advanced technologies.
News categories: 'du', Prime Video, Fahad Al Hassawi, Digital TV, IPTV, OTT, UAE
E-Vision enters exclusive 5-year deal with STARZ PLAY
Jan 28, 2018 – E-Vision, a subsidiary of Etisalat, and STARZ PLAY have announced a five-year content deal with Etisalat. The partnership will enable Etisalat UAE customers to enjoy STARZ PLAY exclusively across its IPTV and mobile services.
News categories: E-Vision, STARZ PLAY, Etisalat, Humaid Sahoo, Maaz Sheikh, Digital TV, IPTV, Mobile, UAE
SVOD subscribers in MENA region hit 1.6 million in Q3 2017
Nov 10, 2017 – According to Dataxis, 1.6 million people in the Middle-East and North Africa (MENA) region had subscribed to an SVOD platform in the third quarter of 2017. This represents a growth of +19% compared to the previous quarter.
News categories: Dataxis, Digital TV, Egypt, Kuwait, Market Research, Middle-East, OTT, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Subscribers, Tunisia, UAE
- RTL AdConnect and smartclip team up on addressable advertising
- TV markets growing in Central Asia driven by OTT and mobile
- Competition driving OTT TV & video subscription growth
- WarnerMedia taps Alpha Networks to power UX for Toonami Max
- Wyplay becomes Alexa Solution Provider
- Sky Media appoints TVbeat as TV data verification partner
- Amazon wins as British viewers are desperate for more sport
- Netflix releases 4Q 2020 results
- Pearl TV broadcasters welcome FCC easing of SFN regulations
- Paramount+ from ViacomCBS to launch on March 4th
- Firstlight Media builds OTT platform on Google Cloud
- Cogeco EPICO IPTV service launched
- Enghouse and Access Communications offer hosted TV services in Canada
- MENA pay TV revenues continue to fall
- FCA first automotive OEM with Alexa Custom Assistant
- Firstlight Media and NPAW optimise CDN switching for OTT providers
- ViacomCBS, DISH Media, Adcuratio enable broadcast inventory on MVPD STBs
- DoubleVerify earns MRC accreditation for CTV measurement
- Philco launches Roku TV lineup in Brazil
- Chips&Media introduces WAVE6 series of video codec IPs


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Doghouse Digital has launched a new series with the evocatively-titled How's That Big Cock Gonna Fit in My Ass?
The movie, which hits stores on January 31, features some of the prettiest Euro-girls currently working and pairs them up with some of the largest, scariest-looking black penises known to humankind.
The DVD, which is being distributed by American Hardcore, was directed by veteran shooter KK and stars Suzie Diamond, Jennifer Stone, Sharka Blue and others.
T.J. DiReda of American Hardcore said of the release, "These cocks are so big, I can't believe we found assholes to fit them in." DiReda went on to say, "We saw the growing demand in the big cock market, and we wanted to capitalize on it."
Over at Doghouse Digital, Jonathan Blitt had this to say of the new release, "We saw the big cock market getting bigger, so we really jumped on the niche. It's all anal and all interracial."
The DVD is the first in what will be a new series from Doghouse Digital. A second volume will street in July.
"The next volume will be How's That Big Cock Gonna Fit in My Mom's Ass?" Blitt said. "We'll be doing this as an ongoing series with different sub-niches."


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Ocado and Morrisons announcing a renewed agreement, tweaked from the original signed back in 2013, gave the paper plenty to chew over this morning. Click here for the full story on thegrocer.co.uk and click here to read yesterday’s Daily Bread blog on the subject.
The Financial Times writes that Ocado has agreed a more flexible deal with Morrisons after executives at the supermarket complained its initial deal was too costly and restrictive. The new deal means Morrisons will use its own stores to serve parts of the UK Ocado cannot reach after renegotiating a “one-sided” agreement (The Times). Morrisons will now expand home deliveries nationwide for the first time after striking the new deal (The Independent). The Guardian notes that under the new arrangement Morrisons will halve the amount it pays towards Ocado’s research and development to £4m a year from 2018 and will no longer pay a 25% cut of any future profits from its online business for the next 15 years. Shares in both companies rose on the back of the news with Ocado up by 3.15%, or 8.6p, to 284.9p and Morrisons climbing 2.2%, or 4.13p, to 192.2p at midday, The Telegraph notes.
The Telegraph reports that a late summer heatwave could deliver a £290m boost for food retailers as Brits rush out to stock up on barbecues, burgers and cold beers. “Many high street retailers have complained of a wet June and mixed July dampening sales, but food retailers are holding out hopes that the mercury will start to rise again in August,” the paper says.
Almost four in 10 retailers in England have broken the law by selling e-cigarettes and vaping liquids to children and teenagers, according to new figures published by Trading Standards (The Guardian).


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Walmarts in Honolulu and Maui are closing due to high water levels, a high number of complaints from customers and an ongoing drought, and other factors.
Walmamps in the Pacific Northwest are also closing due the same concerns.
“Walmart is a huge company,” said Greg McQuillan, vice president of marketing for Walmart.
“I mean it is a big business.
But there is a certain level of pressure on it, especially for the last year.
And that’s why it’s a big deal.”
Walmart has not provided an exact number of stores that will be closing.
McQuiller says that while the company has about 1,500 stores in Hawaii and about 700 in the Washington area, that number is far from final.
Walmart will be working with the state and local governments to figure out how it will manage those stores, McQuilling said.
McQuilling also said that there are some stores that are already closed that have a different set of issues.
“They are not being sold, but they’re not being serviced.
They’re being maintained,” McQuillian said.
“We’re working on it.”
McGuillan said that the company is also making progress in the Maui area, which is home to about 40 percent of Walmart’s global retail sales.
Maui stores are slated to open in 2018, while Honolulu stores are set to open by 2021.
In addition to the MauIan stores, Walmart is closing some stores in the Oregon and Washington states as well, including in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
A Walmart spokesperson said that about a dozen locations in Washington are also in the process of closing.
According to McQuills company, Walmills goal is to remain open throughout the year.
Walmills annual profit for 2017 was $3.9 billion.
The company said that its first-quarter earnings fell $3 million, or $0.02 per share, compared with a year ago.
That was due to a lower-than-expected profit from its U.S. stores, and a $1.1 billion decrease in total revenue.


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Metro board on road to sales tax
Revenues would go to repairing, improving roads
Pueblo West voters will be able to weigh in on the metro district’s first sales tax question May 6 that is designed to generate funds to repair aging roadways.
The Pueblo West Metropolitan District Board on Tuesday directed attorney Thomas Mullans to finalize a resolution for consideration at the Jan. 28 meeting. All five board members agreed they want a sales tax question on the ballot.
The proposal will call for a 1 percent sales tax that will generate an estimated $900,000 annually Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2020. Funds would be dedicated to street improvements and maintenance and could not be used to replace general fund dollars.
Pueblo West resident Richard Clark is pushing for the ballot issue and gave detailed statistics to the board Tuesday. He said the district has 245 miles of roads, 161 of which are paved, 57 are chip sealed and 128 miles are gravel.
“You paid for an independent study in 2012 and the Matrix study recommended $40 million in needed roadway improvements. That’s a big target, a big number,” Clark said.
Board President Christine McCarthy said the magnitude of needed repairs is “mind boggling.”
Director of Public Works Dan Centa told the board it is far cheaper to chip seal a road at $20,000 a mile than it is to rebuild one at $120,000 per mile.
“A 1 percent sales tax is aggressive but a good compromise. It can be sold (to the voters),” Clark said.
Exempt from the tax would be groceries, prescriptions and gasoline. “However, marijuana is taxable,” Clark said.
Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor told the board that he does not agree: “With the direction this county has gone with (marijuana) shops,” but said there has not been a whole lot of outcry from citizens or other agencies opposing the recreational marijuana sale regulations.
The sales tax also would be paid by boater traffic coming through to access Lake Pueblo. One local liquor store is 10th in the state in beer sales, so such sales would help bolster the sales tax revenue for roads, Clark said.
- Pueblo West tames Mustangs, readies for showdown with South
- Private developments bring public improvements
- GIRLS BASKETBALL: Refocused Cyclones move to 2-0 in SCL following Centennial win
- Metro Board to possibly study feasibility, costs of Pueblo West incorporating into an independent city
- Moonlit barn


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Redmi MI 5 smartphone launch in India on March 14. The company has begun teasing the upcoming handset. The next smartphone to be launch by Xiaomi in India will be a ‘Compact Powerhouse’, which appears to be referring to both size and battery capacity. While the company has not revealed the name of the unannounced smartphone in India, speculations are rife that it will be the Xiaomi Redmi 5.
Redmi 5 was launched in China last month. It comes with a metal unibody design and is equipped with a soft-toned selfie light. The device features a thin-bezel design and sports a 5.7-inch HD+ screen with a 1440x720p resolution and is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset.
The smartphone is equipped with a 12MP rear camera sporting a 1.25-micron pixel sensor and on the front is a 5MP sensor coupled with Beautify 3.0 feature for “enhanced” portrait shots. In terms of connectivity, the device supports Bluetooth 4.2, A-GPS, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Wi-Fi, and a micro-USB port for charging. The device is backed by a 3300mAh battery, comes with a fingerprint scanner at tehback. It runs on MIUI 9n which is based on Android 7.1 Nougat.


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According to the Forbes 2018 trend report consumers are increasingly searching for personalization of products, services, and experiences. From wallets, phone cases, apparel, pet accessories, plates, bedding, and even number plates, if it can be purchased, it can be monogrammed, personalized, and used as a display of our individualism.
People are now increasingly projecting themselves as a brand and curating their own identity via social media. “The creation and possession of highly individualized products and experiences are becoming a new status symbol and gives consumers the feeling of living uniquely,” the Forbes report found.
There are more and more customizable options out there for products, at affordable price points that mean more and more consumers are getting involved with the customizable trend.
After years of monogrammed towels and mall kiosks dedicated to screen printing various logos on to cheap goods, customization merged the two to become aspirational as well as more easily accessible. Buyers can now take the latest product and make it their own, much like curating a social media feed or even styling an outfit, these consumers can now edit these products to both suit their own personal style while making it one of a kind.
The Daily Edited has been part of this growing trend and has solidified itself in the global market by offering personalised quality leather products. The entire line is able to be personalised with a customer’s initials, name or even handwritten bespoke special message.
Director of The Daily Edited, Alyce Tran, says customers look for customizable experience wherever they go, yet this personalization doesn’t stop at the product.
“I believe customers are looking for a more personalised service wherever they shop and for us that personalised service extends to the additional services we offer that allow customers to personalise our products with their name, their own artwork, their favourite symbols or emojis. However, personalisation for us does not just relate to our physical product, it is the personalised service we give our customers online and in our physical stores, from learning their name from the moment they enter our stores to our loyalty program that can be accessed across all of our sales channels.”
Simply put, customization makes customers feel special. It makes them feel as if they can relate to a product and that it has a more personal connection than a generic item. We can expect more stores to offer personalization in both product and experience as more retailers jump on the growing trend.


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Santa will be exempt from any Travel Restrictions
Leo Varadkar confirmed that Santa will be exempt from any travel restrictions and there will be no disruption to the delivery of toys this Christmas.
The Tánaiste told his Parliamentary Party this that the country is doing substantially better than the most optimistic scenario put forward by NPHET.
He said the figures he was sceptical about the need to impose new restrictions on people’s freedoms, family life and businesses at the moment.
He warned however that daily case rates remain high and the situation could deteriorate quickly.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin told his Parliamentary colleagues that the latest virus wave has stabilised – but figures are still high and could go the wrong way very quickly.
Credit to : Newstalk


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TicketGuardian partners with International Speedway Corporation Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, TicketGuardian will start providing an option for fans to insure their tickets to major motorsports events when they buy them in advance. ISC owns and/or operates 13 of the nation's premier motorsports entertainment facilities, which include historic Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and ISM Raceway, of which TicketGuardian is the title sponsor of the TicketGuardian 500, held in Arizona this March.
Creekstone Farms sponsors International Speedway Corporation Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, a well-recognized brand supplying premium USDA-certified beef and pork products, today announced its national partnership with International Speedway Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: ISCA; OTC Bulletin Board: ISCB) ("ISC"), a Company that owns and/or operates 13 of the nation’s premier motorsports entertainment facilities. ISC’s subsidiary that provides catering services, and food and beverage concessions, Americrown Service CorporationSM, will feature Creekstone Farms Premium Beef products at 11 race tracks in 2016, including onsite catered activities and suite services.
TruGreen partners with International Speedway Corporation TruGreen, the nation’s leading lawn care provider, has entered into a partnership with the International Speedway Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: ISCA; OTC Bulletin Board: ISCB) ("ISC"), a Company that owns and/or operates 13 of the nation’s premier motorsports entertainment facilities. Through the sponsorship, TruGreen becomes the official turf care provider of the Daytona International Speedway®, Chicagoland Speedway®, and Kansas Speedway®.
Toyota partners with International Speedway Corporation CHICAGO and DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- International Speedway Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: ISCA; OTC Bulletin Board: ISCB) ("ISC") today announced a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership with Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A., Inc. that will make Toyota the first Founding Partner at Daytona International Speedway as part of its unprecedented $400 million DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project.
Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine sponsors International Speedway Corporation âThe stories of drivers running moonshine has always been a part of NASCAR lore,â Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. âWeâre excited to develop this unique partnership that reunites the legend of moonshine and racing, and we look forward to having Ole Smoky Moonshine available for purchase at our events.ââI have heard stories for years about the good olâ days when running moonshine in and around Talladega was occurring, so having this new relationship with Ole Smoky Moonshine brings those tales back to life,â said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. âFans will have many opportunities throughout the property to purchase the incredible Ole Smoky Moonshine product during our Oct. 18-20 Camping World RV Sales 500 weekend.ââWe are proud to become the âOfficial Moonshineâ of these iconic tracks, both so much a part of our rich history and heritage,â said Ole SmokyÂ® founder Joe Baker. âThe Ole Smoky brand has been in the making for nearly 200 years and weâre proud to celebrate the strong ties our craft has to racing. As a boy growing up in East Tennessee, our trips to Daytona and Talladega were counted down like the days before Christmas. "Racing was born from moonshine, and now weâre bringing moonshine back to the races.âRace fans will be able to purchase four different featured Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine Â® cocktails at Talladega. There will be ten concession bars around the concourses, including the Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler, Talladega Bar in the Tri-Oval Tower and the Ole Smoky Bar at the intersection of Talladega and Eastaboga Blvd. in the trackâs infamous infield.Ole Smoky Tennessee is the first legal distillery in the state of Tennessee.PaddockTalk Perspective