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Trafficking: In Florida's tomato fields, a fight for ethical farm labor grows
For most of Immokalee’s field hands, blatant wage abuses and physical cruelty have largely vanished from the tomato rows. Workers hope to use 'fair food' labels to spread those reforms to rest of America's farmland. Part 4 of a series on human trafficking.
| Immokalee, Fla.
This story was written to be viewed on the Monitor's long-form platform.
Under a blazing sun bearing down on the Florida peninsula, Silvia, a Guatemalan immigrant, labored in the staked-down tomato fields that stretched into near-infinity, patrolled from above by ragged gangs of black vultures.
For female migrant workers, the rows could be dangerous places, with threats ranging from sexual harassment and groping to outright assault. As farm laborers, they have few options if they get fired, says Silvia, speaking through a translator.
“Bosses who would have more power to force you to go out with them and pay you more to do it ... that happened to me,” says Silvia.
Sexual harassment and assault has for decades been part of a massive, market-driven, exploitation of largely Mexican, Haitian, and Guatemalan migrant workers. A decade ago, US attorney Doug Molloy called Immokalee and its vast corporate tomato fields the “ground zero” of human slavery in the United States. According to reports and lawsuits, abuses against both legal and illegal migrants ranged from beatings and death threats to wage theft, from illegal trafficking to unhealthy exposure to farm chemicals, as well as outright slavery and rape.
Such conditions, added to the threat of deportation, underscore how the migrant laborer in the US today remains at once the most critical as well as vulnerable player in a US agricultural sector valued at $226 billion, according to the World Bank.
Farm worker exploitation, nationally, remains routine – despite strengthened congressional protections this year. Yet for most of Immokalee’s field hands, blatant wage abuses and physical cruelty have largely – and almost suddenly – vanished from the tomato rows.
A decade-long farm worker-led effort to push corporations such as Walmart and Yum! Foods to demand farmers submit to “clean labor” audits yielded, for the first time, the introduction of shade tents, mandated water and bathroom breaks, and a “penny per pound” bonus that has distributed $22 million so far directly back to tomato pickers over four years.
That can amount to $80 a week for many workers – basically, an extra day’s pay per week. Ninety percent of corporate farms that dot the Florida peninsula now submit to the audits, which are performed in the field under the supervision of a retired state judge.
“In the past three years, [the tomato fields in Immokalee] have gone from being the worst to the best,” according to Susan Marquis, dean of the Pardee RAND Graduate School in Santa Monica, Calif.
Ethics in the produce aisle
But if Immokalee shows how quickly and dramatically supply chain pressure can curb labor abuses, historic conditions here are only a sliver of an exploitation problem that fills the American shopping cart, says former Immokalee farm worker Nely Rodriguez, who, along with Silvia, now works with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. The goal now, says Ms. Rodriguez, is to “expand the program to Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, Alabama – to every sector where farm workers are struggling.”
In North Carolina, for example, 39 percent of the state’s 150,000-strong farm workers report being illegally trafficked or otherwise abused, according to the June 2014 issue of the International Journal of Rural Criminology.
As a Haitian migrant picker named Peterson says, one only needs “eyes in the field” to see the difficult conditions. Peterson, who is using a pseudonym, holds out a paycheck for a recent day’s work in Florida, showing he made $69.77, after taxes, for a 13-hour workday in the cucumber fields. That’s even though he technically makes $8.50 an hour, the state minimum wage.
To that end, the CIW and other farm worker groups, including The Farmworker Alliance of Central Florida, are going beyond picketing big corporations to instead leverage US consumers directly to use the Immokalee project to force reform more deeply into the darkest corners of the American cornucopia.
A certified “Fair Food” label for produce that is grown and packed ethically is part of a nascent “clean labor” movement that spans from the pepper fields of South Florida to small organic farms in California’s valleys. Immokalee tomatoes certified as “clean” from labor abuses are available at Whole Foods stores throughout much of the country. This fall, Giant and Stop & Shop in New England began carrying the label. Similar labels such as “Food Justice Certified,” which expands farm worker protections to organic products, are also beginning to crop up from New York to California.
Such sourcing clues can be a powerful initiative, experts say, given that the labels tap directly into a US consumer base that has begun to turn once routine shopping decisions into moral guideposts.
“The label allows personal judgment: What are you willing to tolerate and what are you willing to ignore?” says Mr. Molloy. “And that’s a difficult question to avoid when the product is right there literally in folks’ shopping cart.”
Indeed, the popularity of “fair trade” coffees and chocolate suggests that a certain portion of US consumers do, to at least some extent, attach a value to purchases that benefit farm workers, whether in the US or overseas.
“A tomato is a tomato, so I’d pay a little more” to make sure workers are treated fairly, says Angela Carter, a young Atlanta woman exiting a Kroger supermarket in the city’s Edgewood neighborhood.
While the label strategy may not be a guaranteed success, over the past decade, the Immokalee workers so far have managed nothing less than “revolutionary changes in the structure of the agriculture sector,” says Rutgers University labor economist Janice Fine.
And labor experts see a lot of promise in using labels as a tool to spread the reforms seen in Immokalee to other agricultural centers around the US.
“Labeling is a way of asserting the ability of consumers to act according to moral values that they want to implement in their lives,” says Alan Rubel, a philosophy professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, who specializes in information ethics and policy. “The label tells consumers the way in which their food would fit with their moral views.”
But challenges remain in making sure that promise is realized.
Some supermarket chains, including Kroger and Publix, have balked, claiming they can already assure shoppers that their vegetables are grown without exploitation. (Farm worker groups disagree.) Moreover, some market experts like Mr. Rubel worry that a proliferation of value-guided labeling will dilute their impact. And the idea of certifying products for ethical labor practices is a different proposition than, say, organic or non-GMO labels that serve primarily as family health guides.
For Yesica Ramirez, a former field hand who now works for the Farmworker Alliance in Apopka, Fla., the labels present another paradox, given higher prices that come with certified “clean labor” products.
“People who work the fields are consumers, too, and they would be impacted more if food is more expensive,” says Ms. Ramirez. “We are changing, we can do it, but it’s still a challenge.”
‘Pig pens filled with humans’
Exploitation of farm labor has a long, sobering history in the United States, running all the way back to slavery. In the 20th century, the US imported foreign labor from Mexico under the brutal “bracero,” or “strong arm,” program, that began after World War II and ran until the 1960s. And despite endless documentation – as well as farm worker rebellions like the Delano Grape Strike in California in the late 1960s – corruption and abuse remain entrenched.
As early as 1940, the journalist Ernie Pyle bemoaned conditions in Immokalee, where he described “pig pens filled with humans.” Given decades of such reports, the US Congress strengthened protections with laws such as the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act of 1983 and the more recent Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
But according to US prosecutors, farm labor exploitation, even more so than sex trafficking, is a persistent and largely invisible crime, hidden amid grungy labor camps and behind ominous “no trespassing” signs at field gates. Exploited workers often don’t know their rights, and even if they do, are often afraid to assert them, adds Ramirez, the former Apopka farm worker.
Only about 80,000 of an estimated 1.3 million migrant workers have farm, or H2, visas. And even visa holders are often loath to complain about abuses, given that their working papers tie them directly to a single employer, often a farm labor contractor, who can send them home at will.
Recent farm worker abuse cases include a 2014 federal lawsuit that alleged that an Oakley, Idaho-based Christmas tree grower forced five Hispanic visa holders into horrific working conditions in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Threatened with death of they didn’t keep working, the men claimed they were fed rotting food, forced to drink unfiltered river water, and endure rashes from the chemicals they were told to handle.
In July, a federal court in the Northern District of Ohio unsealed a 15-count superseding indictment “charging three defendants with luring Guatemalan minors and adults into the United States on false pretenses, then using threats of physical harm to compel their labor at egg farms in Ohio,” according to a Justice Department press release.
Other cases have involved tomato pickers locked in box trucks under armed guard and first-graders laboring in Michigan blueberry groves. At the same time, lawsuits documenting wage abuses also have increased, although the numbers are still small.
The number of pending cases involving farm labor abuse in front of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rose from 1 in 2010 to 10 in 2014.
Profound market pressures, many of these cases show, can make even former farm workers complicit in labor abuse.
The road from farm to table is a long one, with many middlemen. Downward pressure by corporate food forces – and ultimately demanded by US consumers looking for lower prices – has squeezed margins for every layer, especially the foreign migrants in the fields.
The farm-to-table “supply chain is there to protect the party above. In agriculture, it’s really hard to get a labor force, because it’s very hard work,” says Professor Fine. “Prosecutions have showed that the traffickers were often the farm labor contractors, who controlled the housing, the food, the pay, and supervised the worker in the field.”
‘Mostly, we take care of each other better’
Francisco Dominguez is a farm labor contractor, albeit a new and different breed.
Today, his colorful school bus – where workers’ rights papers are affixed next to the door – is followed by a pickup truck pulling Porta-Potties – a distinct shift from past practices, when women especially would not drink water during scorching days so as not to have to take a bathroom break, and be docked pay – or lose their job.
The transformation of shadowy labor contractors to farm-hired crew chiefs has turned out to be the most fundamental shift in the fields, labor economists say. But it is also representative of the broader “Fair Food” strategy: Push for specific concessions demanded by workers who witness actual abuses, unshackled from more academic pleas for social justice.
In Mr. Dominguez’s case, he was one of the original Florida farm workers to agitate for changes in the 1990s, particularly in the safety of orange pickers. “They had the wrong ladders, so many people would fall off and hurt themselves, even get killed,” he said. Those early efforts had at least one measurable impact: Workers were given ladders that were safer.
Another example shows how difficult it can be to get even small reforms on the farm. Only recently did farm workers win a concession they’d been demanding for years: That they be allowed to fill tomato baskets only to the brim, not piled as high as they would go. Since workers are paid in part by how many baskets they pick, extra-full baskets represented a 10 percent extra margin for farmers – money that now goes to the workers.
Another crew chief, a burly-chested man named Jaime Zamora, stands in a salt-stained shirt behind a truck in front of a popular Immokalee taqueria. Free-running chickens peck at the gravel at his boot-laced feet. He runs his crew of melon pickers around south Florida and all the way to up to Cordele, Ga., where he says he puts them up in a motel “so they can watch TV and relax” after a day in the field.
“A lot of things have changed,” he says. “Mostly, we try to take care of each other better.”
US and slavery 'should never be in the same sentence'
But there are complexities to US farm labor policy that still give Immokalee a fortress-like air. Reporters are often barred from the the farms by threats of felony convictions, meaning it’s difficult to independently confirm assurances that field conditions have improved. Moreover, the partnerships between farm worker groups such as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and multinational cucumber and tomato growers remains a tenuous one, given the market and cultural realities at play.
Historically, farm worker exploitation has been overshadowed by larger immigration politics in the US. For Americans to understand labor trafficking and rectify abuses remains a tall order, given the vast cultural chasm that spans between the average American (including law enforcement) and farm worker communities.
Mr. Molloy, the former US attorney for South Florida, made prosecuting slavery cases his legacy.
One case that stands out is a young woman who was being held as a slave on a farm – unpaid and unable to leave. Her unusual religious convictions turned out to be a key to solving the case. The girl explained that she felt trapped because her boss had clipped a lock of her hair and kept it in a vial around his neck. When the man was booked, Molloy asked to see the possession envelope. Sure enough, there was the girl’s hair in a vial – a piece of evidence that led to his conviction.
In Molloy’s mind, the “fair food” label faces a challenge similar to the one he had persuading American juries that they should care about what happens to exploited and abused farm workers like the girl with the vial of hair.
“There’s an educational aspect to it, but, in this political time period that we’re in, when we’re hopefully trying to honestly sort out our feelings and policies on illegal immigration, it’s important to remember that this is different than it’s being portrayed,” says Molloy. “These [farm workers] are not scavengers coming in to steal jobs.”
Success is possible, he says, largely by appealing to a sense among Americans “that the words 'United States' and 'slavery' should never be in the same sentence.”
[An earlier version of this story implied that Silvia had been assaulted, which CIW denies.]
Coming Nov. 23: How technology is freeing victims of trafficking


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SANTA ANA (CBSLA) — The Santa Ana City Council voted to approve a “hero pay” ordinance that would give a $4 boost to the pay of grocery and retail pharmacy workers.
The council voted 5-2 Tuesday to adopt the premium pay measure, which will go into effect immediately. The measure will expire after 120 days.READ MORE: Standoff In Pasadena Ensues After Man Found Stabbed Several Times
“Grocery and pharmacy employees are essential workers who perform services that are fundamental to the economy and health of the community during the COVID-19 crisis. They work in high-risk conditions with inconsistent access to protective equipment and other safety measures, work in public situations with limited ability to engage in physical distancing, and are continually exposed to the spread of disease,” officials said in a statement announcing the ordinance’s approval.READ MORE: Aquarium Of The Pacific Mourns Loss Of 20-Year-Old Sea Otter Maggie
The ordinance applies to large grocery stores and retail pharmacies that employ more than 300 workers across the country and more than 15 employees per location in Santa Ana. Stores will be required to pay these workers an extra $4 an hour on top of their existing pay, but if they are already providing a bump in accordance with the ordinance, it will be credited toward the additional $4 per hour premium.MORE NEWS: 2 Men, 14-Year-Old Boy Killed In Possible Street Racing Crash Into South LA Building
Santa Ana is following in the footsteps of Long Beach, Los Angeles, Montebello, Los Angeles County, Irvine and Coachella in a “hero pay” ordinance for essential workers. Kroger is fighting back against the ordinance in Long Beach, where the company announced they would close a Ralphs and a Food 4 Less in response.

domain: news


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VILLE ST LAURENT, Quebec (AP) _ Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (ITPOF) on Friday reported third-quarter profit of $25.3 million.
The Ville St Laurent, Quebec-based company said it had profit of 42 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for stock option expense and non-recurring costs, came to 50 cents per share.
The packaging company posted revenue of $395.6 million in the period.
Intertape Polymer expects full-year revenue in the range of $1.5 billion to $1.54 billion.
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ITPOF at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ITPOF
Copyright by Automated Insights, Inc. All rights reserved., source Associated Press News


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The BlueBOLT Mobile Platform expands remote IP power management options, making them executable via Apple and Android devices
CEDIA has released a host of software upgrades for its The CEDIA Designer (TCD), program that helps integrators create cinema or media room design plans, documentation, and models.
Onkyo USA, as part of its newly established vertical business units, has announced a series of personnel moves, and has hired industry veteran Jim Pelech as National Sales Manager to lead the Custom Installation (CI) vertical.
Control4’s dealer and distributor awards are a tradition each year at CEDIA Expo, and this year they hit a new record with 87 winners.
Screen Innovations has announced that it has expanded the low-voltage motorized screen technology it introduced in 2017 to its full lineup of motorized screens.
HTSA ran an educational program on the eve of CEDIA Expo that leveraged members' presence at the show and showcased its initiatives in the lighting and health and wellness categories.
Savant's personnel moves for the Savant and Racepoint Energy brands were designed to support the companies as they drive continued expansion and enhance organizational efficiencies, according to the announcement statement.
LG Electronics’ CEDIA strategy was to emphasize its installer-appealing products, including its ultra-large-screen 8K OLED and LCD TV and its broadened selection of projectors


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Retail spending has continued to increase year-over-year in the United States after a freefall in March and April. In fact, in August retail spending, consisting of spending in restaurants, stores, service stations and online, celebrated its fourth straight month of increase, though the pace of that increase is slowing down slightly.
The increase for the month of August was 0.6%, when adjusted for traditional seasonal differences. This is slightly less than the 0.9% increase that was seen just a month earlier, in July. These numbers are believed to reflect additional income and spending even despite the current pandemic situation.
Some of these numbers are also believed to reflect higher gas prices, which led to a further increase over the month. While this portends a positive improvement for the country and for retail establishments throughout the nation, these numbers still reflect a decrease from earlier in the summer.
While numbers haven’t been as positive for the month of August, they still reflect a level of hope for future sales and the return of retail. Numbers that have decreased are believed to be a direct result of the current coronavirus pandemic and are expected to decrease further or to slow further in the increase as a result of the loss of unemployment benefits throughout the month.
At this time In August retail sales have again returned to numbers that are higher than what numbers were prior to the pandemic. This marks the third month in a row in which this has happened. This is also a promising sign and is believed to portend benefits and improvements for those throughout the country and different industries.
The numbers for August of 2020 are actually up 2.6% over sales from similar areas of spending in August of 2019. This seems to reflect improvements for the country, though it’s uncertain how the pandemic could continue to affect numbers as it continues on. If the pandemic continues for several more months it could cause another sharp decrease in the overall spending, no matter what other situations are happening within the market.
On top of this, employment increased in May and June following an increase in open businesses, which may likewise have led to improvements within the market and retail spending. These numbers do not appear to be continuing to improve however. It seems that employment numbers are stalling, which is also a potential negative when it coms to retail spending for the month of September.
At this point, however, we have no idea what the financial numbers will look like or the changes in retail spending and employment for the months continuing on through the rest of 2020.


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Shipment attention! The port of Sydney is congested, and the ship jumps to the port!
Empty containers increase yard congestion, Australia supply chain is hit
It is reported that Sydney's empty container storage area is full, which further hinders Australia's already tight supply chain. Since July, bad weather, sailing schedule changes and port strikes have all exacerbated congestion in Australian ports.
Last month, local freight forwarding company Sila Global stated that Sydney’s storage yard is “full and on the verge of collapse” and said in an email to customers that the situation is getting worse and that most ports are piled The field will be forced to close.
The freight forwarder said: "In this case, we will not be able to withdraw the container until the congestion is eliminated, which will bring additional costs to the importer."
"Ship scheduling is still a big issue, and the vehicle reservation system and performance issues, the recently upgraded Patrick Terminals strike action, and the issue of the cancellation of stacking to the terminal make the situation even more complicated."
"It is unclear how long the shutdown may last or when this congestion will ease."
The industry has used "crisis point" (crisis point) to describe the current bad situation in two days. Please pay attention to the following four points:
1. Shipping companies may impose port congestion charges USD300/20' USD600/40' on imported goods in Sydney.
2. Some shipping companies may unload imported containers from Sydney to Melbourne in the next few weeks, and they will be responsible for shipping them back.
3. The sailing schedule of Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane will be affected.
4. If you have goods to be imported, please avoid arriving in Sydney in the next three to four weeks.


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A startup that aims to help people quickly outfit new homes with rental furnishings has clinched $6.8 million in funding from investors, including Opendoor CEO Eric Wu and various Uber execs.
Oliver Space lets new homeowners and renters collaborate with an advisor to settle on the layout and design of interiors. They can rent the items they select on a monthly basis.
“The thought of picking out new furniture for each move that fit my apartment, coordinating the logistics of delivery and assembly around my busy schedule, and the high upfront costs didn’t make sense when I didn’t know where I would be in one year,” said Oliver Space founder Chan Park in a statement, explaining his rationale for launching the startup.
The startup delivers and puts together all selected items within a few days. Should a customer choose to keep the odd chair, coffee table or carpet, the customer can buy them at retail price, while deducting however much they’ve already paid to rent the stuff, TechCrunch reported.
The idea is to spare people the time, upfront costs and assembly work of trips to stores such as IKEA and Target.
TechCrunch notes that Oliver Space joins a growing number of venture capital-funded startups that are seeking to popularize furnishing rentals, including Fernish and Feather.
Park, the Oliver founder, has some pedigree. He is the former general manager of the Asian division of ride-hailing behemoth Uber. And he apparently was able to sell some colleagues on his project. A number of Uber executives contributed to the funding round.
The round was led by Mayfield Fund, with participation from Abstract Ventures.
Eric Wu, CEO of iBuyer Opendoor, also chipped in, adding to a real estate-related portfolio that includes Roofstock, a single-family rental marketplace, and Juvo, a data firm that helps lenders identify credit-worthy borrowers without robust financial identities.
Wu has previously said that one of his dreams would be to offer a shopping cart-like experience to buyers of Opendoor homes, under which they could order the installment of various items.


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Instead, 343 is cooking up Halo: Spartan Strike, a top-down, twin-stick shooter that is a spiritual successor to last year's Halo: Spartan Assault. The new game, out December 12, is set during the events of Halo 2 and features a wealth of improvements over Spartan Assault, which are detailed by 343 producer Fred LaPorte in the gameplay commentary video above.It'll be released for $5.99 on Windows platforms (desktop, Surface tablet, and Windows Phone) – where one purchase gets you the game on all Windows platforms – as well as Steam, where it's available for its own separate $5.99 purchase. Achievements, rewards in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, 25 weekly challenges, leaderboards, and more are all planned. Meanwhile, microtransactions have been eliminated.
And don't forget, we're covering Master Chief Collection all month long. Don't miss all of our ongoing coverage. Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews and Xbox Guru-in-Chief. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, on IGN, catch him on Podcast Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.
More Master Chief!
Ubisoft Is Grappling With a 'Great Exodus' of Talent - IGN Daily Fix
Dec 22, 2021 - On today's IGN The Fix: Games, According to a new report from Axios, Ubisoft has seen "massive departures" over the past 18 months, including both lower and mid-level employees as well as big names. Five of the top 25 credited people who worked on Far Cry 6 are gone, as well as 12 of the top 50 credited names from Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. Two current employees said that these departures are slowing or stalling projects. The departures are especially significant at Ubisoft's Canadian studios in Montreal and Toronto, with LinkedIn showing the two studios are down at least 60 total people in six months. Halo Infinite Winter Contingency Event starts today! Earn awesome themed skins, attachments, nameplates, and more! Nintendo is expecting servers to be overloaded over Christmas Weekend so here's a lovely PSA from Santa Narz on what to do to prepare. Santa Narz has all that in your Daily Fix!


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Cutting carbon emissions
24 Nov 2014
Find out how both Tesco and some of our suppliers have been working on reducing our carbon emissions.
In September the world’s attention was drawn to New York for the UN’s latest Climate Summit, where more than 100 world leaders gathered to pledge action to tackle climate change. Commitments ranged from a plan by China to cut carbon intensity to targets by several European countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 40%.
It was encouraging to see progress ahead of what will be a vital year in the fight against climate change, culminating in the 2015 Paris Summit. But as often can be the case with high-level negotiations, the hard work being done by individuals, companies and other organisations to make these commitments a reality can get overlooked.
Working on a common goal
That’s why we invited some of our suppliers, via our online supplier community - The Knowledge Hub - to share how they have been working on a common goal between our companies: to cut carbon emissions.
For example, food manufacturer Samworth Brothers has installed a new more efficient boiler, optimised boiler usage by sharing steam capacity between sites and trained delivery drivers on fuel efficient driving, saving 300, 800 and 695 tonnes of carbon each year respectively. It is also working with suppliers to reduce packaging waste and achieved zero waste to landfill across its nine bakeries in 2010, saving 60 tonnes of carbon each year.
Five Star Fish is not only planning to install over 1,000 solar PV panels on its factory roof – estimated to deliver an annual carbon saving of 202.5 tonnes, but it is carrying out a complete overhaul of its on-site lighting, estimated to save a further 165.7 tonnes of carbon.
Icelandic Seachill’s various energy-saving initiatives, such as voltage optimisation, LED lighting and variable speed drives on air compressors, are reducing its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 331 tonnes. A further 200 tonnes are expected to be saved with other projects including solar PV.
The Brita Group has invested in software to capture data from all of its global sites and in the UK it is concentrating on reducing the consumption of resources required to make its water filter cartridges. In the past five years this has included reducing water use by 50% and installing LED lighting. They are also looking at investing in solar PV in the UK.
ABP Food Group has implemented a number of energy saving initiatives over the last 12 months, including heat recovery from its refrigeration system in Ireland and extensive water saving measures. In addition to optimisation units and smart technology throughout all its sites, as well as a redesign to its site in Ellesmere, these changes have helped ABP Beef to reduce its carbon emissions by almost 40,000 tonnes from 2008-2013.
Cutting our own emissions
At Tesco, meanwhile, we have made two medium-term targets to cut our carbon footprint, one of which is to halve the carbon emissions per square foot of our stores and distribution centres across all our operating markets by 2020 against a 2006/07 baseline.
To achieve this, our Energy and Engineering teams are working collaboratively with our contractors to deliver extensive energy saving projects across our entire estate. The focus of this year has been to replace inefficient fluorescent sales floor lighting with LEDs.
While LEDs are a proven technology that can deliver sustainable energy savings and reduce maintenance expenditure, the challenge is to find an LED solution which conforms to our lighting design standards. So far we have converted 1,200 of our smaller convenience stores to LED lighting, which will save us 17 GWh of electricity and reduce our carbon footprint by 7,640 tonnes each year.
In addition we are carrying out a series of trials on other technologies such as freezer lids, heat exchange and dynamic voltage optimisation, as well as continuing our colleague engagement initiatives such as the Tesco Energy Grand Prix.
We are also working hard to reduce emissions in our distribution network, for example with our 'F Plan', which is about fuller cages, fuller containers, fewer miles and fuel economy.
An example of the F Plan in action is a function in our distribution network called Tesco Primary, whereby we collaborate with suppliers to transport their goods from farm or factory to our distribution centres, instead of suppliers doing this themselves. Our scale means that we can offer enhanced efficiency by consolidating loads from smaller suppliers at consolidation centres and using our return journeys from stores to pick up goods. This reduces carbon emissions and is usually cheaper for suppliers.
One example is how we are working with Alpro to transport some of their products from Belgium to the UK. The sharing and optimisation of distribution facilities has led to an annual reduction in carbon emissions of 100 tonnes.
Following the upcoming Climate Summit in Lima in December 2014, the focus of global climate negotiations will move to Paris 2015, where many are looking for a meaningful legal agreement.
Maintaining momentum until then will take collective action from a wide range of groups and organisations, so it is encouraging to hear about some of the ambitious work being undertaken by our suppliers. Thank you to everyone who contributed their carbon-reduction stories and keep up the good work.
You can also take part in DECC’s Tweetathon on 25 November by using #backclimateaction. More details here.


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You’ve got over a month before Miami heats up for TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17, but you’ve only got three days until our special launch prices leave and take off to the Open Sea – ha, that’s a nice NFT pun right there.
Don’t waste another minute. Buy your pass – general admission or student – before the deal ends October 12 at 11:59 PM (PDT)and you save $250 or $400 respectively.
Now that you are registered, you can start mining for opportunities in the blockchain, cryptocurrency, DeFi, NFT and web3 ecosystem.
You’ll hear from industry giants such as Binance’s Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, FTX Ventures’ Amy Wu, OpenSea’s Devin Finzer, and many more.
Here’s a quick look at just some of the hot topics of the day – be sure to check the agenda so you don’t miss out on what matters most in your corner of the cryptoverse.
Build for Standards: The most hyped decentralized apps are usually built for crypto speculators or decentralized financial acolytes, but a new breed of products is being created with the common internet user in mind. Join us as we chat with Alex Adelman (lolli), Devin Lewtan (Mad Realities) and Brandon Millman (Phantom) — founders of some of web3’s most exciting consumer apps — picking their brains for the mainstream public’s opportunities and the challenges of building consumer crypto businesses in a bear market.
londonbusinessblog.com Crypto Pitch Off: The industry’s brightest entrepreneurs will take the stage in front of a live audience and a panel of industry experts – including Gradient Ventures’ Wen-Wen Lam — pitching revolutionary technologies.
Is crypto regulation ready?: As crypto markets become more mainstream, regulators worldwide are keeping a close eye on the fledgling industry with laser focus. But which crypto companies, protocols and projects will be compliant under the current regulatory framework? And how will the crypto industry react if government agencies start issuing new guidelines? we talk to Katherine Dowling — General Advisor and CCO at Bitwise Asset Management — and explore what regulation means for the industry in 2022.
Plus, don’t miss your chance to meet and network over a dozen emerging startups exhibiting at the show. Today’s casual conversation can lead to tomorrow’s next big deal.
TC Sessions: Crypto takes place on November 17 in Miami, but the tides and time are waiting for no one. Hop on board and buy your pass before the launch special ends on October 12 at 11:59 PM (PDT).
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text: Sales of SUVs and luxury 4×4 vehicles in Greece have doubled in the last five years, despite soaring petrol prices and a shrinking number of parking spaces in Athens, particularly in the city center, industry sources said yesterday. Data from the Association of Motor Vehicle Importers – Representatives (AMVIR) showed that sales of sport utility vehicles in 2005 hit 9,288 versus 4,010 in 2001. Sales of luxury 4×4 vehicles also showed strong growth, rising to 17,208 in 2005 from 10,292 in 2001. «In the last two years, there has been an unprecedented trend for high-priced cars with large engines,» said Giorgos Efstathiou, head of corporate sales at EKKA cars. One of the most important factors that has been supporting the increase is the availability of financial leasing. Of the 216,963 cars sold in 2006, 54,000 have been bought via leasing. The figure is expected to exceed 70,000 by the end of the year. «The rise in the profitability of large companies and the circulation of tax-free ‘black money’ increase the buying power of certain types of customers and consequently the number of luxury cars, 4×4 vehicles or two-seater roadsters,» added Efstathiou. Sakis Tsioutras, researcher at the Hellenic Institute of Transport, said that trends for larger-sized cars is adding to Athens’s serious pollution problem. «In comparison to a car with a 1.4-liter engine, a luxury jeep consumes up to double the petrol and releases into the atmosphere up to 50 percent more pollution than a regular car,» he said. In the roadster category – sports cars which usually seat just two people – growth rates are just as impressive but on a much smaller scale. In 2003, 71 new Porches hit Greece’s roads while in 2005 the figure shot up to 213. Ferrari lovers also seemed to multiply, as three cars were sold in 2004 in comparison with 17 so far this year.


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Never has one dress received so much publicity in Country Music than Reba McEntire’s red dress she wore to the 1993 CMA Awards.
“I got more press off that dress than if I’d won Entertainer of the Year,” said Reba.
It’s remarkable that by today’s standards, this dress would hardly receive a second glance on the red carpet. But nonetheless, this iconic red gown now sits in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Watch the unforgettable duet of “Does He Love You” with Linda Davis that turned heads at the CMAs back in 1993, and a hilarious interview with Ralph Emery where Reba dishes on what it was like to wear that legendary red dress.


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Historically, carbonates have led global soft drinks consumption, but according to Canadean’s latest forecasts, 2015 will see packaged water overtake overtake the old category leader.
While western countries with traditionally high packaged water consumption will be slipping down the growth rankings—Germany, Italy, France and Spain are forecast to see compound growth of just 1% between 2015 and 2020—India, with 21% growth, and 12% growth in China, will drive the market.
Asia’s significant impact
Canadean predicts that China and India will account for around half of all additional packaged water consumption in 2020—a total of around 45bn litres more than in 2015.
“With nearly one-third of the world’s population residing in these countries, the impact is significant. Packaged water is often necessary in areas susceptible to flooding or other natural occurrences, as these often lead to water contamination and the spread of diseases,” said Fiona Baillie, the report’s author.
Due to higher temperatures and poor public water quality, on-the-go hydration is seeing growing influence in Asian daily life, with many consumers now carrying bottles of water with them.
“India has seen a strong growth in 100cl bottles in rural markets, as locals perceive them as having good value per serving and being easy to transport,” said Baillie.
“The expansion of retail in bus terminals and train stations is the key to India’s strong on-the-go consumption. It assimilates packaged water, namely 100cl bottles, into the process of travelling and establishes it as the norm for all types of consumers.”
Lightning growth of water
The report also found that global packaged water use will overtake carbonates consumption, reaching over 233bn litres in 2015, while carbonates is expected to grow at a slower pace to around 227bn litres.
Back in 2010 the global population consumed only 170bn litres of packaged water, compared to 215bn litres of carbonates. Baillie added: “The speed at which packaged water is growing is evident. Asia and West Europe already have packaged water consumption levels above those of carbonates and this year East Europe is set to join them.”


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The stitches are unravelling for Ted Baker as the embattled British fashion retailer finds itself on the precipice of administration.
In a grim development, the company has filed notice to appoint insolvency practitioners Teneo Financial Advisory, putting hundreds of high street jobs under threat.
With over 500 stores and concessions worldwide, the potential impact could be severe, though the exact number of looming store closures and job losses is unclear. No redundancies will be announced immediately, but layoffs loom for Ted Baker's UK workforce.
The retailer has faced mounting issues in recent years. In 2019, founder Ray Kelvin left amid claims of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff. This sparked a downward spiral with profit warnings, accounting problems, and pandemic impacts, leading to major cost-cutting with hundreds of job cuts and emergency fundraising in 2020.
Even a £210 million acquisition by Authentic Brands Group (ABG) in 2022 failed to turn things around. A European licensing deal with a Dutch partner fell through, leaving Ted Baker heavily in debt.
As the company enters insolvency proceedings, ABG admits past missteps were "too much to overcome." But it plans to keep Ted Baker operating while seeking a new partner.
For now, the future remains uncertain for the 35-year-old retailer as it grapples with the fallout from its recent troubles. Another potential high street closure looms.
Subscribe to Investomania for more business news and updates.


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While we all loved President Trump’s campaign pledge to bring jobs back to America, there are powerful economic forces at work that suggest the shift to cheap labor is pretty much irreversible. Yes, Trump has spoken with the leaders of some of America’s biggest companies and he’s been successful at getting those chief executives to commit to creating or keeping a few thousands jobs here and there, but when you consider that the competing foreign labor force primarily responsible for manufacturing America’s consumer goods numbers in the hundreds of millions of people, the notion that we’re somehow going to see explosive manufacturing growth over the next four or eight years is nothing more than a pipe dream.
But don’t take it from us. A Chinese factory worker explains exactly why we have absolutely no way to compete with the near slave-like conditions found in foreign factories:
Zeng walked CNBC through his decision to spend six weeks in a factory working 12 hours shifts Monday through Saturday, mostly during the night, and what he discovered along the way.
“They just gave me the address of the factory and I just went. I just showed up. When I was there I saw people holding luggage waiting in a long line, so I just stood in the line,” Zeng told CNBC in an interview.
“When it was my turn they asked for my ID, asked to see my hand and asked me to recite the English alphabet. I got in after that. It took less than 30 seconds. You don’t have to apply or have any skills.“
“The first thing I can think of from a labor perspective is that the wages are unacceptable for American workers. So, in the factories, I was getting paid about 3100 yuan, or $450, per month. I don’t think American workers can accept those kind of wages based on living conditions and prices here,” Zeng said.
“Even if they relocate factories to the U.S. they’d replace workers with robots,” Zeng said. He said Pegatron already uses robots to apply cameras to iPhones, and to drop batteries into the devices. Robots, Zeng said, are more precise than human workers, and precision is particularly important for those two components.
If President Trump wants iPhones manufactured in the U.S., Apple will need to front the cost to pay the much higher wages required in the U.S., which means that consumers will have to be willing to pay more. Either that, or it will have to rely a lot more on machines, which won’t create jobs, and might end up taking them.
Source: Yahoo News
For those who are having trouble visualizing the cumulative effect of what Zeng describes, this chart pretty much sums it up and shows how much manufacturing jobs as a percentage of America’s total workforce have declined since the 1960’s:
At first glance you may be thinking that we have no where else to go but up.
The problem, of course, is that if you do try to shift jobs back to America, and even if you triple the wages from what factory workers are making in China, those taking a monthly paycheck and benefits from the government already make more money for doing nothing than they would assembling mobile phone components for 12 hours a day.
One recipient of welfare summed it up succinctly in the following shocking interview:
While workers out there are preaching morality at people like me living on welfare, can you really blame us?
I get to sit home… I get to go visit my friends all day… I even get to smoke weed…
Me and people that I know that are illegal immigrants that don’t contribute to society, we still gonna get paid.
Our check’s gonna come in the mail every month… and it’s gonna be on time… and we get subsidized housing… we even get presents delivered for our kids on Christmas… Why should I work?
Ya’ll get the benefit of saying “oh, look at me, I’m a better person,” but when ya’ll sit at home behind ya’lls I’m a better person… we the ones gettin’ paid!
So can you really blame us?
There’s always hope, we suppose, that the millennial generation, currently demanding free college and living in their parents’ basements, will rocket America into its next great manufacturing boom.
But we’re not going to hold our breaths.


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Despite a boom in sales of four wheel drive SUV and ‘crossover’ models Down Under, General Motors’ Holden has reportedly slashed the cost of its recently launched Adventra – a higher-riding, 4WD crossover derivative of the Commodore station wagon – and refunded part of the price.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) the new purpose-built Ford Territory crossover – an all-new design rather than a spin-off from the Falcon wagon – has claimed its first victory as, faced with disappointing sales, Holden has slashed the Adventra’s price by $A4,000 ($US2,900; £1,560) and will refund that amount to those who have bought the car already, a move which could cost it more than $A5 million.
Private buyers will receive a $A4000 refund while fleet buyers, who bought the car at a discounted rate, will get a smaller refund, the SMH added.
The newspaper said Holden predicted it would sell 400 Adventras a month but has sold less than half that – the June tally of 177 sales proved particularly disappointing during the biggest month of Australian new car sales on record.
It took the Adventra’s main competitor, the Ford Territory, just one month to overtake eight months of Adventra sales, the SMH noted, adding that Holden has sold 1,355 Adventras since late last year while, in June alone, Ford sold 1,372 units of the Territory.
“We positioned the car at a price we believed reflected the market place … but there’s a lot of pressure from all angles,” Holden spokesman Jason Laird told the Sydney Morning Herald, defending the move to discount the car less than a year into its life.
“We’d obviously estimated a certain number [of sales] a month and hadn’t hit that. Value is becoming increasingly important. When you’re looking at a market that’s moving so fast and a segment that’s splintered at a rate of knots … prices are always being revised up and down,” he said, according to the report
Laird reportedly said the price cut is intended to sell more Adventras, currently available with a V8 engine only.
A cheaper version of the Adventra, powered by Holden’s new V6, is due in September and industry pundits believe the V6-powered Adventra will need to undercut the cheapest all-wheel drive Territory, which sells from $42,990, the paper noted.
The SMH said the Adventra move follows a range of price cuts across the Holden range in recent months – Holden attempted to move its brand upmarket by placing a premium on the price of its [Opel-built] European imports but the public deemed the cars too expensive and sales slowed.
Holden is enduring a rough patch while the Australian car industry as a whole is roaring along at a record pace – year-to-date figures released this week show that [locally manufactured] Commodore sales are down by more than 10% in a market that is up 5.6%, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
Competition from Ford Australia’s purpose-designed new Territory crossover (left) has prompted rival Holden to cut prices of its Commodore wagon-based Adventra by $A4,000.


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Following a technical issue which resulted in Coinbase overcharging numerous cryptocurrency buyers for up to 50 times their original purchase, VISA has now come out to blame the bug on the popular exchange desk.
“Visa has not made any systems changes that would result in the duplicate transactions cardholders are reporting,” a Visa spokesperson told TNW. “We are also not aware of any other merchants who are experiencing this issue.”
“We are reaching out to this merchant’s acquiring financial institution to offer assistance and to ensure cardholders are protected from unauthorized transactions,” the statement concluded.
This dreadful situation first started shaping up when tons of Coinbase users rushed to Reddit to complain that the cryptocurrency exchange desk has wrongly charged them multiple times for their original purchase – some buyers claim they’ve been charged for up to 50 times the intended purchase.
Shortly after the news broke, Coinbase reached back to TNW to clarify that its team is investigating the issue, speculating it might have to do with recent changes to the MCC code by banks and financial institutions.
“This is related to the recent MCC code change by the card networks and card issuers charging additional fees,” Coinbase told TNW. “We have identified a solution and future purchases will not be affected. We will ensure any customer affected by this issue is fully refunded. We expect these refunds to happen for customers automatically through their bank.”
Shortly after that, the company took to Twitter to shift the blame to Visa.
2/ Over the last few months, large banks and card issuers requested that card networks change the MCC for purchases of digital currency. Visa changed the MCC for digital currency purchases to a code that allows large banks and card issuers to charge consumers additional fees.
— Coinbase (@coinbase) February 16, 2018


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Peninsula Daily News
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The season of holiday bazaars has begun, with stocking stuffers and larger gifts offered for sale at fairs from Port Townsend to Port Angeles this weekend:
Holiday Fair slated
PORT TOWNSEND — The 10th annual JeffCo Holiday Fair will be held at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 4907 Landes St., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The event is free and open to the public.
Arts, crafts and gifts will be available from more than 40 vendors.
Items include tile coasters, paper crafts, jewelry, laser-engraved items, gift baskets, stocking stuffers, handmade gifts, wool products, candles, Christmas ornaments, Scentsy and Tupperware.
The fairgrounds restaurant will serve breakfast and lunch during the event.
Photos with Santa will be available from noon to 4 p.m. both days. Parents and guardians can use their own cameras for free or pay $8 for a fair association representative to take the photo.
Hourly raffle drawings also are planned.
For more information, phone 360-385-1013, email firstname.lastname@example.org or visit www.jeffcofairgrounds.com.
Holiday craft fair
BLYN — The Jamestown S’Klallam tribe will host its fourth annual Native and Non-Native Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday.
The fair will be held in the Red Cedar Hall of the Tribal Community Center, 1033 Old Blyn Highway, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More than 25 vendors are expected to sell their wares at the fair.
All proceeds from the fair’s bake sale and raffle will benefit the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Food Bank.
Donations of nonperishable food or personal-hygiene products for the food bank also will be accepted at the fair.
SEQUIM — The Shipley Center, formerly the Sequim Senior Center, will host its annual Christmas Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and Saturday.
The center is at 921 E. Hammond St.
Lunch will be available for purchase starting at 11 a.m.
PEO bazaar set
SEQUIM — Crafts, gifts, used books and baked goods made by members of Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Chapter JC will be on sale at the group’s bazaar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
The bazaar will be in the Pioneer Park clubhouse, 387 E. Washington St.
All proceeds from the annual bazaar support education for women.
Janet Watral will demonstrate needle-felting from 9 a.m. to noon.
Needle-felting is a dry process in which the crafter uses special needles to interlock the fibers in wool batting and create a felted object.
Watral has donated a Santa valued at $75 for the PEO “Night Before Christmas” basket raffle, which includes snacks, music and a handmade quilt valued at $150 for a total value of more than $500.
Raffle tickets are $1, sold at the bazaar. The winning ticket will be drawn at 1 p.m., and the winner need not be present.
PEO, with more than 238,000 members, has been a “pioneering force for women’s education” since 1869 with six philanthropies that include ownership of Cottey College for women (Nevada, Missouri) and five programs that provide higher educational assistance through grants, loans and scholarships.
Information about PEO is available at www.peowashington.org.
Senior Center bazaar
PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Senior Center’s 32nd annual Flea Market and Bazaar is set for Saturday.
The sale will be from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the center at 328 E. Seventh St.
Breakfast and lunch will be served.
Proceeds will benefit the Port Angeles Senior Center.
PORT ANGELES — The United Methodist Women Holiday House Bazaar is planned from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The bazaar will be at First United Methodist Church at 110 E. Seventh St.
Chowder, soup, sandwiches and pies will be available.
Baked goods, jam, produce, homemade gifts, home decor, a children’s shopping room and See’s candy are among the offerings.


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| Jul 29, 2012
| 3:27 PM
Amid all the beer and sauerkraut, all the wurst and schnitzel and strudel of every kind, 6-year-old E.J. Johnson was the clear hit of the 112th German Festival on Sunday.
That's what happens when you don a brand-new Tyrolean hat and lederhosen and...
| Jul 31, 2012
| 4:03 PM
Police fatally shot a man Tuesday afternoon after a confrontation inside a home in North Baltimore’s Medfield neighborhood, officials said.
Anthony Guglielmi, the department’s chief spokesman, said an officer responded to a report of a...
| Aug 7, 2012
| 6:51 AM
Graphic designer Jon Zerivitz was tired of being stuck at a computer for up to 12 hours a day as a contractor forT. Rowe Price.
"I needed a hobby," Zerivitz said.
Indulging a longtime passion for beer, he went to the Maryland Homebrew store in...
| Aug 6, 2012
| 4:40 AM
Gourmet burger joints have been popping up all over town. Some of them are regional and national chains like Five Guys Burger and Fries and Bobby's Burger Palace. A few independently owned burger boutiques like Baltimore Burger Bar in Hampden and Burger...
| Aug 8, 2012
| 3:39 PM
Timothy Michael Hillman, who had been beer manager at The Wine Source in Hampden and its predecessor for two decades and was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic supporter of Baltimore's craft beer movement and microbreweries, died Sunday of a heart attack at...
| Jul 2, 2013
| 6:05 AM
"Hello, my name is Robin Johnson, and I'm the pastor here."
That's how the Rev. Robin Johnson, longtime spiritual leader of Hampden United Methodist Church and founder of the church's popular Emmanuel's Rock social club for youths, introduced himself at...
| Jun 23, 2013
| 6:06 PM
Omar Ibrahim, a relative newcomer to Hampden, went to the Roosevelt Park pool for the first time Saturday, and was impressed that it cost only $2 to get in.
The next day, Ibrahim came back with his three children — not knowing it was Friends and...
| Jun 26, 2013
| 12:00 PM
Let's see: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore City can choose between the greedy developers with millions of "green" tax dollars stuffed in their pockets — or the generous Baltimore Free Farmers, who provide green vegetables to feed the...
| Jun 24, 2013
| 8:28 AM
Urban farmers are complaining about the city's plan to sell two lots that are part of an ambitious community garden on a working class street in Hampden.
But they are also trying to buy the lots to prevent them from being developed.
| Jun 18, 2013
| 10:42 AM
A guy walks into a sports bar in Hampden and … wait, back up, back up. A bar catering to a bunch of jocks located in Hipsterville, Maryland?
Yes, really. This isn't the punch line to a bad Baltimore joke. This is David's 1st and 10 Sports Bar...
| Jun 11, 2013
| 2:20 PM
Some north Baltimore wine and liquor stores may have found a way around a proposed Baltimore City zoning change that could eventually ban them from the residential neighborhoods in which they are located.
Several stores in the Hampden and Charles...


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Maruti To Invest Rs 2500 Cr; Rolls Out “Swift DZiRE” In India
Finally, Maruti Suzuki has rolled out its much awaited “Swift DZire” in the Indian market, making it the 7th model to be launched by the company in past three years.
Targeting the growing upper middle class, DZire is one of the best entry level sedans accompanied with style, performance and outstanding features.
Available in both petrol as well as diesel version, the DZire comes with luxury feature options including integrated stereo, steering mounted audio controls, automatic climate control and power windows.
It also has brilliant safety features like Dual Airbags, ABS with EDB, collapsible steering column and an i-CATS anti-theft facility.
DZire comes in seven different colors such as Bright Red, Silky Silver, Clear Beige, Arctic White, Midnight Black, Azure Gray and Sovereign Blue.
The DZiRE petrol comes in 3 versions - DZiRE LXi, DZiRE VXi and DZiRE ZXi, available at a price of Rs.4.49 Lakhs, Rs. 4.97 Lakhs and Rs. 5.90 Lakhs respectively. On the other hand, the diesel DZiRE, available in LDi, VDi and ZDi versions, will cost Rs. 5.39 Lakhs, Rs. 5.85 Lakhs and Rs. 6.70 Lakhs respectively.
Moreover, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) also has more plans for the Indian market. It has decided to invest around Rs 2,500 crore in its Manesar plant in order to increase its annual capacity by three times. It will also fuel the expansion of its diesel powertrain line at the same plant.
Shuji Oishi, director (marketing & sales), MSI said, “The existing annual capacity at Manesar is 1,00,000 units, which will be scaled up to 1,70,000 units by the end of March. And by the end of October, the plant will have a capacity of 300,000 units.”
In due course, the plan is to increase the Japanese car manufacturer's overall installed capacity in Indian between both its plants in Manesar and Gurgaon to more than 9,00,000 units. This will be the largest mass-produce of cars by any maker in the country.
The company will also increase the capacity of its diesel power train line to 1,20,000 by the end of March from 1,00,000 units. Out of the total 1.72 lakh units of Swift sold till January this year, 50,000 units are of the Swift diesel.


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Many of the largest companies in the world happen to reside in the technology sector. Tech stocks tend to have higher growth rates, but lately the technology sector has experienced a sharp selloff. To illustrate, the iShares U.S. Technology ETF (NYSEARCA:IYW) fell almost 12% from Feb. 12 to March 8, before recently staging a modest recovery. Making matters worse is that many of these companies pay just a small dividend if any at all, so there is nothing to offset the share price decline. Which brings us to Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) stock.
While tech stocks definitely have a place in an investor’s portfolio, we believe investors should also buy companies with consistent business models and long histories of growing their dividends. Some of our favorite dividend growth stocks are on the Dividend Kings list. And one name we believe to be among the very best Dividend Kings is healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson.
Recent Earnings Show Steady Results
The Dividend Kings have increased dividends for at least 50 consecutive years. These companies have experienced various economic cycles, including multiple recessions, and have still managed to grow their dividends. This is largely due to their strong business models and consistent profits, even during difficult economic climates.
Johnson & Johnson most recently reported earnings results on Jan. 26. For the fourth quarter, revenue grew more than 8% to $22.5 billion. Adjusted net earnings of $4.965 billion, or $1.86 per share, was down slightly from $5.027 billion, or $1.88 per share. On the plus side, Johnson & Johnson easily topped estimates for both its top and bottom lines.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a headwind, but Johnson & Johnson fared better than most in 2020. For the year, revenue inched higher by 0.6% to $82.6 billion. Adjusted net earnings of $21.4 billion, or $8.03 per share, was down a high single-digit percentage from adjusted net earnings of $23.3 billion, or $8.68 per share, in 2019.
Looking at the different regions, Johnson & Johnson performed very well in the U.S., its largest market, as sales grew nearly 10%. International sales were higher by 7%, but currency exchange negatively impacted results.
Pharmaceuticals remains the best performing division and at around 50% of sales it is the company’s largest business. Growth here was driven by strength in nearly every category. Growth was seen in Darzalex, Imbruvica, Stelara and many smaller pharmaceuticals.
Johnson & Johnson expects revenue for 2021 to be in a range of $90.5 billion to $91.7 billion and adjusted earnings-per-share between $9.40 to $9.60. The low ends of both ranges were above consensus estimates at that time.
While earnings-per-share declined in 2020, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy, 2021 should be a return to growth for the company.
Fueling this growth will be a wide variety of factors for Johnson & Johnson. First, Johnson & Johnson is a diversified healthcare company. Its three distinct business help the company to navigate through weakness in one area. For example, even with lower results for Medical Devices, Johnson & Johnson still grew fourth-quarter revenues and nearly maintained earnings-per-share due to strength in Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Health.
Johnson & Johnson’s Pharmaceutical business boasts several products with excellent growth potential as well. Consider the following products and their sales and growth rates for 2020:
- Darzalex: 39.8% growth to $4,190M
- Imbruvica: 21% growth to $4,128M
- Opsumit: 23.5% growth to $1,639M
- Stelara: 21% growth to $7,707M
- Tremfya: 33.2% growth to $1,347M
While Johnson & Johnson’s pharma portfolio provides growth, the Consumer Health segment provides lower, consistent growth. Products found in this segment are those well-known and trusted by consumers, including Aveeno, Band-Aid, Listerine, Neutrogena, Tylenol and Zyrtec. These products tend to be purchased even during difficult economic times, allowing Johnson & Johnson to avoid companywide setbacks when economic conditions worsen.
Johnson & Johnson’s diversified business model has served the company well over the long-term. Leadership positions in the pharmaceutics, consumer health and medical device markets have helped the company to see earnings-per-share rise at a steady rate. Even with the Covid-19 headwinds, earnings per share grew at a rate of 4.9% from 2011 through 2020.
Consistent business results have allowed Johnson & Johnson to grow its dividend for 58 consecutive years. There are just a handful of companies that can claim a longer dividend growth streak.
More important than past dividend growth, is future dividend growth. Johnson & Johnson has managed its payout ratio extremely well. With an annualized dividend of $4.04, the payout ratio is just 43% of expected earnings for 2021. This is lower than the 10-year average payout ratio of 48%. The company’s payout ratio was just 50% last year, though this was the highest since 2011. Despite a decline in earnings per share, the payout ratio never got close to a point where a dividend cut was even a remote possibility.
The dividend has a compound annual growth rate of 6% over the last decade. It has shown a very consistent dividend growth rate, a reflection of a very consistent company. Johnson & Johnson yields 2.4% today, which is nearly a full percentage point above the average yield of the S&P 500.
Given its long history of dividend growth, payout ratio and consistent earnings and dividend growth rates, it is highly likely that Johnson & Johnson continues to grow its dividend well into the future.
Technology and momentum stocks may be talked about more in the financial media, but growth in these areas can easily be reversed. This is what happened between mid-February and early March. The NASDAQ and technology ETF still haven’t returned to their high prior to the sell off. For investors who rode the ride down, they aren’t whole yet. For those who sold at the bottom, they locked in any losses that they incurred.
To us, investing in a company Johnson & Johnson could be a much easier road to retirement. The company has had an extremely stable business model due to its diversified business. Johnson & Johnson has a leadership position in each area that it operates, which has allowed the company to grow its dividend for nearly six decades.
For investors looking for sleep at night growth and income, Johnson & Johnson is one of the top Dividend Kings.
On the date of publication, Bob Ciura did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
Bob Ciura has worked at Sure Dividend since 2016. He oversees all content for Sure Dividend and its partner sites. Prior to joining Sure Dividend, Bob was an independent equity analyst. His articles have been published on major financial websites such as The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Business Insider and more. Bob received a bachelor’s degree in Finance from DePaul University and an MBA with a concentration in investments from the University of Notre Dame.


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News Dec 23rd, 2019
G-STAR 2019 success: over 240,000 visitors attended South Korean games conference
News Nov 12th, 2019
G-STAR 2019 kicks off on November 14th in Busan
The event will see over 2,000 trade visitors from more than 42 countries, alongside 230,000 consumers
News Jul 9th, 2019
East meets West at G-STAR 2019, Asia's largest game exhibition in Busan, Korea, on November 14-17th - early bird registration now open!
Join over 2,000 trade visitors from 36 countries and nearly 700 exhibitors at Asia’s most accessible show
News Jul 3rd, 2018
Early Bird registration opens for South Korea’s G-Star 2018
Early Bird registrations have opened for South Korea’s top B2B and B2C games expo G-Star 2018.


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Celebrate Baltimore's Thursday win against the Steelers with Ravens starting defensive lineman Brandon Williams this Monday at Dunkin' Donuts at McHenry Row.
Williams will work behind the counter and serve coffee to customers as part of a Ravens pep rally event featuring Ravens mascot Poe and Dunkin' Donuts mascot Cuppy. There will be Dunkin' Donuts product samples, prizes and giveaways.
Monday's pep rally also coincides with Dunkin' Donuts' partnership with our beloved sports team. The eatery serves Ravens-inspired products including the Ravens Nation donut and Poe's Purple donut; Baltimore Ravens cups; Baltimore Ravens Box O' Joe and dozen and half-dozen donut box packaging in Ravens logos.
Meet Williams from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at 1615 Whetstone Way. Williams will serve coffee from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
John-John Williams IV has worked for The Baltimore Sun since 2005. He joined the paper as an education reporter covering Howard County, then Baltimore City and state and national education stories. He joined the features staff as the fashion reporter in 2011. His role in features has expanded to covering home, food, travel and popular culture.


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Oh, you thought Ansel Elgort, also known as Baby in last year’s blockbuster hit Baby Driver, was finished sliding his red Subaru WRX around once the credits rolled? Think again. Elgort recently took advantage of the East Coast snowstorm to do donuts – and posted a clip of his antics on Twitter for us all to enjoy.
It’s a simple pastime that no doubt plenty of other Subaru WRX owners in cold climes have savored: The slippery conditions of a snowstorm allow for easy, dramatic low-speed spins and slides in the all-wheel-drive performance car. And, hey, while his movie character drove like a maniac on public roads, at least Elgort is keeping his spinny snow antics reserved for what appears to be a big, empty parking lot.
We know that at least one of the Subaru WRX stunt cars from the movie was sold; it went up for auction on eBay last summer and ended up selling for $69,100. But several more red WRXs were used in the film, and Elgort managed to nab one of them for himself – as a birthday gift, no less.
“I just harassed Sony and asked once a week. ‘Please give me one. I know you have like six of them. Let me have one. Let me have one. I’ll pay for it. I’ll this, I’ll that,’” he told Vanity Fair last summer. “And eventually, they finally said fine, you can have one. We wrapped the film last May. I finally got it in March. They gave it to me for my birthday.”
If you, too, find yourself with lots of snow and ice this week, you might be thinking about upgrading your ride to be more winter-ready. While adding winter tires is probably the smartest way to get better traction in snow, don’t forget to also check out our run-down of the most affordable new all-wheel-drive cars on sale today.


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Research conducted at the Stanford University School of Medicine in California has suggested that children prefer the taste of food and drinks when they come in McDonald’s rather than unbranded packaging.
The study gave 63 children, aged between three and five, identical food in both McDonald’s and similar but unbranded packaging. A total of 304 individual tasting comparisons were made and the researchers found that on average the children said they preferred the McDonald’s-packaged food.
The branded preferences were observed in children as young three, and researchers said the children even believed milk and carrots tasted better when they thought they had come from McDonald’s.
The study’s authors said the results support the introduction of tighter controls on the marketing and advertising of high-calorie, low-nutrient food to children. Indeed, the publication of this research is likely to provide a considerable boost to the lobby pushing for tougher legislation, not only in the US but elsewhere.
Its publication follows a major self-regulatory initiative launched recently in the US by 11 prominent food companies, including McDonald’s, which saw the companies undertake pledges regarding how and what they market to children.


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Resilience Capital Partners has announced that its portfolio company DG3 (Diversified Global Graphics Group), a marketing business based in Jersey City, New Jersey, has sold its DG3 Europe business to London-based Paragon Group, which is described as a provider of customer communications, identification and graphics services.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Resilience acquired DG3 in 2016, completing at least one add-on deal since then. Resilience's plan for the business has included bringing in new leadership and implementing an "ambitious growth plan concentrated on growing the company's differentiated products and services to expand its offering beyond print while defending its core business," according to the private equity firm.
The sale of the European business lets DG3 focus more on its core American business.
"The DG3 team has successfully positioned the company for growth," said Resilience co-CEO Bassem Mansour in a statement. "This transaction will enable DG3 to focus on initiatives to drive the continued growth and transformation of its U.S. business."
For Paragon, the company said the acquisition underlines its ongoing commitment to being the "market-leading service provider for businesses across Europe."
Resilience invests in niche manufacturing and business services companies, targeting investments in firms with $25 million to $250 million in revenues. It typically invests between $5 million and $15 million per deal, according to Crain's research.


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Following its announcement of the Sony Xperia TL earlier today, AT&T has made another announcement surrounding a new prepaid data plan and the new Huawei Fusio 2. According to the press release, the new prepaid data plan offers 1 GB of data for $65/month, including unlimited texting across over 100 countries. AT&T claims that this plan is $10 less than the previous 1 GB plan, however, their current prepaid plans listing shows that you can get unlimited data, calling and texting for $50/month.
Perhaos AT&T is conducing stricter elgibility guidelines going forward however at the present moment the older $50 and $25 plans are still around.
In regards to the new Huawei Fusion 2, the specs are as follows:
- 3.2 megapixel camera
- Android 2.3 Gingerbread (Why?)
- 3.5-inch 320 x 480 display
- 800 MHz dual-core processor with 512 MB of RAM
- 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
- 1400 mAh battery with 5 hours talk time
Those interested in obtaining the Fusion 2 GoPhone can find it in an AT&T retail store or their online store for $99.99.


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Free apps account for almost all mobile app downloads, and this trend is not declining. Developers need to find another way to monetize besides charging for downloads.
As we discussed last month, the avenues available to monetize mobile apps are changing. My earlier blog post concentrated on the decline of pay-per-click advertising -- across the Web as well as in mobile -- as a viable path to making money from mobile apps. That post suggested concentrating monetization efforts on strategies such as subscriptions, in-app purchases, and/or freemium models.
Gartner has released a new study casting doubt on the ongoing viability of another tried-and-true means of getting paid for app development -- namely, charging upfront for downloads.
Across the major app stores, fully 89 percent of downloads in 2012 were for free apps; Gartner expects that number to rise to 96 percent by 2016.
What's more, of the apps that were paid for on download, 90 percent cost $2.99 or less. That rock-bottom price range will account for 96 percent of paid downloads by 1996, Gartner asserts.
The research firm looked at both the app stores from major OS vendors -- Apple's App Store, Google Play, and Microsoft's Windows Phone Marketplace -- and up-and coming marketplaces such as the Appstore for Amazon and Facebook's App Center. Apple's store is the largest today, accounting for over 46 percent of apps downloaded in 2012, but it is slowly losing share as the app market expands. Downloads from the Apple store increased 74 percent from 2011 to 2012, but total downloads expanded by 83 percent over that time. (Downloads per year should reach almost 310 billion by 2016.)
The increasing proportion of free downloads is exerting downward pressure on the prices that can be charged by those app developers who want to recoup their investments quickly. Those who see the handwriting on the wall and shift their monetization efforts away from paid downloads will see their investments being paid back more slowly and over a longer period of time.
Gartner sees a bright future for in-app purchases. The research firm "expects the number of downloads featuring in-app purchase will increase from 5 percent of total downloads in 2011 to 30 percent in 2016, and its contribution to the store revenue will increase from 10 to 41 percent in the same period."
Quality matters more
The shift away from paid downloads means that, in order to continue getting paid, developers are going to have to concentrate even more on quality, polish, and the overall user experience. When the user pays upfront to download an app, it could be a bit of a pig-in-a-poke experience. The app could prove to be of low quality, leaving disgruntled users and bad reviews in its wake. In-app purchases, on the other hand, set up a revenue stream that continues only as long as the user remains happy with the app and willing to participate in the experience it provides.
How have changing app marketplace conditions and user behavior influenced your plans for monetization? Please let us know in the comments.


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LNG supply: After the cancellation of the delivery of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipment from Russia, India has to pay double the price for it. Gail India Limited has procured several cargoes of Liquefied Natural Gas for delivery between October and November. The amount paid for this cargo is double as compared to the corresponding period of last year. According to a Bloomberg report, the global jump in natural gas prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has affected most developing countries. Because of this, they have to pay more money to buy natural gas.Also Read – ‘How Would Wearing Hijab Threaten Unity And Integrity Of The Country?’ Hijab Row Petitioners To SC
The reason behind rise in inflation rate
Industrial operations in many countries have also been affected after the rise in natural gas prices. India’s retail inflation has also increased in August due to high fuel costs, which has once again reached the figure of seven per cent. There has been no statement from GAIL India on the overpayment made for the natural gas shipment. Also Read – 5 Longest Train Journeys In India
Why has the problem increased?
India was earlier buying gas from the former trading unit of Gazprom PJSC. But earlier this year Germany nationalized it. Because of this, India is now facing problems in the supply of gas. Gazprom is paying the fine as per the contract for the non-supply of gas. Also Read – India Pakistan T20WC 2007 Final Revisited, Who Wins This Time; Team Blue Or Team Green? WATCH VIDEO
According to traders with the knowledge of the matter, GAIL last week procured three LNG shipments for delivery from October to November. The deal has been done at a cost of over $40 per million British thermal units.
India had signed a 20-year deal
GAIL had signed a 20-year contract with the marketing division of Gazprom in Singapore in 2018 at a discounted rate. This unit was technically part of Gazprom Germania GmbH. In April, Germany’s regulator had seized. After this the company’s name was changed to Securing Energy for Europe GmbH.
The new company is no longer able to source fuel from Russia’s Yamal Peninsula. Because of this, he does not have gas available to supply to India. The company is now paying the fine to GAIL, as per the contract.


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How coronavirus is changing global shipping routes
The pandemic has put intense pressure on the flow of ships from Asia to the west. But FT Trade Secrets writer Thomas Hale says there could also be a far more long-lasting impact on the industry
Filmed and produced by Tom Griggs, additional footage by Getty.
You can enable subtitles (captions) in the video player
It's hard to imagine anything more central to our globalised world than container shipping. Just one of these steel boxes carries enough goods to fill your average house. The enormous ships that transport them around the world often carry tens of thousands at a time.
But as with almost everything else about the way the world used to work, the coronavirus has thrown a spanner into the works. From the banks of Hong Kong Island you can see plenty of idle ships. And behind the scenes the containers they might once have carried are also sitting unused.
Here, in one of the world's most iconic ports that has long symbolised the relationship between east and west, this is no coincidence. In fact, the short-term impact of the coronavirus on trade in Hong Kong today might actually tell us something much deeper about the long-term future of the world's shipping industry.
At the start of 2020 the coronavirus hit Chinese shipping hard. Fast forward a few months and the flow of ships from Asia to the west has come under intense pressure. That pressure is falling in particular on the ships that carry goods to consumers in Europe and the US. And this is because the ships setting off in the east depend on shops in the west.
Europe, Italy, and Spain, some of these places that have literally shut down completely - there's no opportunity for purchase at a store. In the US a lot of the department stores also have been curtailing their hours. So this has been one of the biggest driving factors. The other side is also, of course, the production has stopped.
After opening up in the 1970s China has transformed itself into the world's engine of manufacturing. But it's still in the west that much of its production is consumed. This arrangement consolidated the east-west shipping route as the most important artery of world trade and one of the best indicators of the health of the world economy.
As the prospects of a deep recession in the west looms over the industry, the indications are now clear. Maersk, the world's biggest container shipping company, says its east-west trade has been the worst affected part of its business. However, the fall is not as precipitous as you might expect.
The importance of the container shipping industry to the smooth function of the globalised economy means that, for the most part, cranes are still operating and ships are still sailing. In May, around 40 sailings from East Asia to the West Coast of America were cancelled unexpectedly. But they could easily come back if the economy recovers.
The action of pulling ships is not unprecedented. It happens year round. And it happens spontaneously. Whenever a shipping lane finds that they are underutilised they will not hesitate to pull one string or a service or a vessel.
I think this is probably the first time that we've seen such a big drop, 12 per cent. It's not huge, maybe, in our eyes if you think about how much volumes are still moving. But 12 per cent is something that we have not experienced before.
Cancellations, empty containers, and idle ships are, for now, short-term effects of the pandemic. It's the long-distance routes to have suffered worst. While the coronavirus has put pressure on consumption in the west, there are other longer term threats to long-distance shipping.
Most obviously, trade tensions between the US and China, which have escalated over recent weeks, look set to outlive the coronavirus pandemic. Beyond that, changes to the structure of manufacturing, including the rise of automation and the competitiveness of Chinese labour markets, could also disrupt the flow of ships globally.
So for ships the size of football fields that travel halfway around the world to bring you the phone in your hand, the pandemic might just prove to be the catalyst for far more significant and long-lasting changes.


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08/07/2021 — LONDON — (BUSINESS WIRE)
South Korea is the first nation to rollout 5G at scale and so Total Telecom has taken a closer look at how LG U+ have approached the rollout of 5G to explore its winning strategy.
Widespread coverage of high-quality connectivity is the heart of LG U+’s 5G strategy. Ensuring almost complete coverage for densely populated urban areas has been a primary concern for LG U+. According to the latest South Korean report by RootMetrics, LG U+ now has the highest coverage of the operator trio, covering 95.2% of Seoul, and delivers at least 80.2% coverage in all four of the major cities.
The speed is also impressive. This is another metric where LG U+ leads the pack in Seoul, recording the fastest 5G median download speed in the city. Part of this impressive performance can be attributed to LG U+’s use of Huawei’s 5G Massive MIMO solution in Seoul and Incheon. Innovations like these have allowed LG U+ to achieve the fastest median speeds in these cities despite having narrower 5G spectrum bandwidth than its competitors.
Perhaps most importantly, the reliability and low latency of the new mobile technology allows for the development of new products and services. LG U+ has been leveraging its 5G network throughout the coronavirus pandemic to help them stay connected to their customers via a contactless retail store. The operator already has augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications available for consumers, offering them entirely new forms of experience.
The difference between 5G and 4G is that the new technology goes beyond just being a network. 5G can have an even more direct impact as a societal force for good, from helping our world become more environmentally friendly to facilitating telemedicine. Total Telecom notes that LG U+’s solutions are all about developing a brand that the consumer knows they can trust to meet their specific needs, and 5G will be at the heart of this proposition.
About Total Telecom
Total Telecom offers daily online news with the option to sign up for headlines by email and monthly analysis. Total Telecom organises the annual World Communication Awards, Asia Communication Awards and a range of conferences and networking opportunities, including Submarine Networks EMEA, 5GLIVE, Connected Italy, Connected Britain, Connected Germany and the Total Telecom Congress. Find out more at www.totaltele.com


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Age checks being failed in ‘high numbers’ say Camelot
Lottery terminals could be at risk of being removed by Camelot if retailers do not ask for ID
Nisa has claimed Camelot age checks are being failed in “high numbers” for age-restricted test purchases on lottery products.
A warning from the symbol group shared with betterRetailing by a store owner read: “Do not risk losing your lottery terminal, Camelot is reporting high numbers of Operation Child failures.”
Operation Child is the code name for the test purchases Camelot carries out to check shops are refusing underage sales.
Camelot previously said 91% of retailers successfully asked for ID in 2018. Asked to comment, Camelot refused to confirm or deny an increase in inspection failures this year.
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MC Machinery Systems, the Wood Dale, Illinois-based supplier of EDM machines, machining centers, press brakes, and laser and waterjet machines, has announced a partnership with Matsuura Machinery Corp. to introduce Matsuura’s Lumex Avance-25 additive manufacturing machine to the North American marketplace. The Lumex Avance-25 is a hybrid machine that not only builds parts through laser sintering, but also uses a milling spindle to perform precise CNC machining of the additively produced part within the same cycle.
MC Machinery Systems, wholly owned by Mitsubishi Corp., is well established in EDM machine sales to moldmakers. The company says this is why the partnership makes sense. Matsuura’s laser sintering hybrid machine was developed for making mold tooling, and it has been sold specifically in the die and mold industry in Japan and Asia.
“The moldmakers know us and know our people, and we’re excited to be able to offer them this innovative new technology,” says Nick Giannotte, MC Machinery VP for EDM, milling and waterjet.
Other applications present opportunities as well, the company says. MC Machinery and Matsuura see the machine also as a solution for medical implant production, and for enabling lighter-weight aircraft components. “All told, this machine will serve medical, automotive, aerospace, tool/die, and job shop industries,” a statement from the company says.


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Samsung Galaxy S8 is one of the hottest smartphones that should be coming out in early 2017 and according to the latest rumors, the South Korean tech giant is ready to take on its Chinese counterpart, OnePlus 3T, when it comes to selfies.
OnePlus released a new OnePlus 3T phone to succeed the previous OnePlus 3, a phone that was deemed by many as one of the best in 2016. After just five months of existence, however, the phone is no more. But what did OnePlus do? The Chinese tech giant introduced what is basically the same phone, but stepped up a few things here and there, including the front-facing selfie camera.
Looking at the current market standards, OnePlus 3T has one of the best, if not the best, selfie camera in the shape of a 16MP snapper – a Samsung-made 3P8SP sensor that boasts an aperture of f/2.0, EIS, an auto selfie feature known as Smile Capture as well as autofocus (fixed focus), among other capabilities. Now, according to new reports, Samsung Galaxy S8 will be ready to battle the 3T when it comes to this selfie area when it is made official this coming year.
Apparently, the Galaxy S8 selfie camera will also come with support for autofocus – a feature that will be appearing on this end of a Samsung phone for the first time. With autofocus, selfie fans will be guaranteed that Samsung Galaxy S8 will deliver the best shots with more details than before, similar to what the OnePlus 3T achieves, or even better.
In addition to coming in with a top-class selfie camera, Samsung Galaxy S8 is also expected to be a lot thinner than its predecessor, the Galaxy S7, thanks to the enhanced Voice Coil Motor (VCM) that will be used on the selfie camera of the phone. This technology promises to deliver a slimmer camera module as well as the phone in general.
In terms of hardware, Samsung Galaxy S8 will reportedly ship with a RAM of 6GB alongside 256GB of onboard storage. The phone will also be powered by the latest Snapdragon 835 and Android Nougat out of the box. It is hard to agree with rumors that Samsung Galaxy S8 will shift from a 5.1-inch screen to a larger 5.7-inch size, but rumors have claimed so, citing the shift to a bezel-less panel as the main reason towards this change in display size. Apparently, there won’t be any changes in the physical size of the phone when compared to its predecessor.
Samsung Galaxy S8 should be launched at the MWC 2017 event, probably a day before, just like the Galaxy S7. We’ll be here to give you a full coverage of the event alongside the launch of other flagships such as LG G6 and Xiaomi Mi6, just to name but a few.


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E3 2009 was a video game show held between June 1 through June 4, 2009 in the Los Angeles Convention Center.
At 10:30 Microsoft gave a press conference featuring their new natal motion controller. They also showed trailers of the new game Alan Wake, Crackdown 2, and Left for Dead 2. There will also be a custom controller for Halo 3: ODST. Forza 3 is also scheduled to be released in October.
Bungie also announce their new Halo game Halo: Reach which is set to be released in 2010
At 2pm EA held a press conference where EA sports announced the addition of a MMA game and Mass Effect 2.
At 5pm Ubisoft gave a press conference where they showed off features for Assassin's Creed II and announced their production of a Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn game.
Konami showed off a trailer debuting their new game Metal Gear Solid: Rising for the Xbox 360. The game will feature Raiden as the main character.
At 9 AM Nintendo held a press conference where they announced Metroid: Other M, a first person and third person Metroid game which will be developed by Team Ninja instead of Retro Studios. For the DS Nintendo announced that another Golden Sun game, Golden Sun DS, will be released on the DS in 2010. Super Mario Galaxy 2 the sequel to Super Mario Galaxy debut today in the press conference.
Tecmo showed of their Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 game which will add Rachael to the roster. Activision also released footage of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
At 11AM Sony held a press conference showing off God of War III and a trailer to Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. They also announced the new PSP the PSP Go which is set to be released October 1 in US and Europe for $249 and November 1 in Japan.
Two new games were announced for the PSP, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker takes place 10 years after Metal Gear Solid 3 where the player will play as Solid Snake. Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is a standard soul calibur game which will feature Kratos from God of War.


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A national competition encouraging enterprising students to bring their ideas into fruition.
Uni Popshop is a national competition organised by the University of Bath Students’ Union in which student entrepreneurs are challenged to test out their social enterprise ideas, produce a digital marketing campaign and make as much money for their venture as possible in a single days trading at Spitalfields Market in London.
If you haven’t already registered, there’s still time – simply visit www.unipopshop.com, sign up, then request an invoice. The Uni Popshop team will then send you an email with more details enclosed. But you need to be quick as registration will close on Friday 29 May.
The entry fee is £500 per team with no more than three students per team. Each university is to provide a £300 loan to buy initial stock and students are expected to pay this back after trading day.
There will be prizes awarded for overall highest profit, best social impact and best digital marketing campaign.
The competition will be held from Monday 15 to Wednesday 17 June in London and organisers have decided to introduce a brand new event this year which will be an afternoon full of engaging workshops, inspiriting talks and sessions with industry experts before the big trading day itself.


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Streaming Media Ads To Reach $1.3 Billion
Streaming media advertising is on track to reach $1.37 billion in 2007, up 38 percent over 2006, according to a report by AccuStream iMedia Research.
The report, "Streaming Media Advertising 2003-2008: Market Spend by Avail, Brand and Content Category," looks at the multiple revenue components driving growth, both by video category and Internet music radio.
AccuStream estimates inventory of 1.4-1.6 billion pre roll avails being sold against 2.1-2.7 billion streams/progressive download views per month inside professional, ad supported content areas.
Pre roll is projected to comprise 26.7 percent of gross video ad spend in 2007 and 28.5 percent in 2008.
In contrast, embedded or in-page placements make up an estimated 58.8 percent of gross billings in 2007 and forecast at 55.9 percent in 2008.
In game video ads are expected to grow faster than the overall market. User generated video is estimated to generate ad dollars from embedded video placements.
Cost per interactive click (CPC) applications could become regular features on larger aggregated catalog sites such as Amazon.com, music video sites and premium content sites published by the networks.


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- The poll reveals that the miniskirt tops the nations list of iconic style pieces
- Two in five feel today’s fashion is mostly made up of old styles and trends which are making a comeback
- 22 per cent of Brits own a clothing item that is over 20 years old
London, UK – 27th May 2020 –Samsung Electronics UK Ltd. today released new research that reveals that the nation’s most iconic fashion statement is the mini skirt – ahead of the little black dress and hot pants.
A study of 2,000 Brits revealed the most memorable style trends, which also saw knee high boots, denim jackets and skinny jeans feature in the top 10. Tie die t-shirts, which were made popular in the swinging sixties, also featured, along with flapper dresses of the 1920s and shell suits from the 1980s. Also, among the most loved fashion items of the past were leather biker jackets, dungarees and band t-shirts.
The research, commissioned by Samsung to celebrate the launch of the new Samsung AirDresser, also revealed how a number of these memorable trends are still considered wardrobe staples – with one in four saying skinny jeans are one of their fashion must-haves. A quarter of women favour an LBD, and one in 10 adults have a leather biker jacket. As a result, two-fifths feel today’s fashion is mostly made up of old styles and trends which are making a comeback.
“Our study just goes to show that there are many memorable trends from over the years, and as a result people are hanging on to items, they perceive to be classics, while also investing in vintage finds. This is great for sustainable fashion but often these clothes need to be cared for properly to protect them for the future,” says Dan Harvie, the Vice President of Home Appliances at Samsung. “This is one of the reasons we have developed the Samsung AirDresser, to redefine how people care for their clothes and help prolong every garment’s lifespan.”
The study also found plain t-shirts and a pair of trainers are among the wardrobe staples for the nation, as well as black jeans and plain black trousers. But one in 10 would say a designer coat to keep them warm in the colder months is the most important wardrobe staple.