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tv The Communicators Angwin Mc Cabe CSPAN October 21, 2017 6:29pm-7:00pm EDT
executive director of paralyzed veterans retired marine corps officer talks about his paralysis see from a patient's perspective, policy paralysis and his work to help paralyzed vets. >> i am trying to tell them this perspective, advocateshat i perspective, you have to empathize that is what will make it the ideal provider for veterans who have gone into combat and sacrificed. >> sunday night at 8:00 eastern on c-span q&a. "communicators," communicators, russia's involvement with the election with julia angwin. that facebook has said
they learned a number of adds placed during the election were outfits under an anonymous accounts, and they ads. political divisive not necessarily, it seems like candidate or sowing but just aimed at decisiveness on certain topics. 8:00 eastern monday on c-span 2. host: -- is our guest this week to talk about facebook, russia.al ads and ms. angwin what have we learned in the past couple of months rom the investigation into facebook and the russian ads [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] julia: thanks for having me on.
we've learned a lot in the last month about facebook and russia. ssentially facebook has said hey learned that bunch of ads placed during the election were under by russian outfits anonymous accounts. they were politically divisive ads. seemed like ly it aimed at one candidate or but aimed at sowing charged topics. ost: why did facebook not know who was placing the ads? julia: it's not totally clear do for due didn't diligence on the accounts. the ad were bought in rubles. law that is say that foreigners can't buy election but apparently, these theyed through and because were under some sort of fake identities, maybe, they didn't them until recently.
host: what i learned in your that these are basically self service ad placement, correct? necessarily a human involved? julia: yes. easy.very you get an automated response. usually within 10 or 15 minutes your ad was approved or if it wasn't approved. o, you know, facebook hasn't been very clear about how many humans are engaged in this system, you know. there are a lot of algorithms and there are some notns, but apparently maybe enough humans. host: so these ads could have een placed without facebook even knowing it? julia: yeah, most likely they were, you know. volume is a huge business. one thing about their is that ng platform there are a lot of small ad buys. ads, $10buy $5 worth of
worth of ads to target people in your town. hey do have a huge volume of ads going through and i think disclosed that they wasn't a particularly huge amount of money. a hundred dollars or something. so they may not have noticed it. it sounds like they didn't much later when it was brought to their attention somehow. now, julia ght angwin, we're looking at a undred thousand dollars worth of ads but i read in propublica ads.llion people saw these what have you found? julia: there is a lot of debate about how many people could have a hundred thousand dollars worth of ads because the way facebook's platform operates, you go on to the self-service platform and you reach men i want to and women age 18-25 who live in ohio, it will give you an people theyhow many think that ad would reach and so people have gone into facebook made a guess of what
kind of reach this amount of money would have had. just don't really probablyanswer, but it was pretty wide. i can get several thousand 50,000, for $10 ad buys. have you seen the ads that were placed by the russians? seen a few e only that were published by some news outlets. of the ads have leaked out from the congressional committees that are looking at them. has promised to release all of them, and -- actually, said they would release all of them to the congressional investigators and those congressional investigators said all public.ake them we should see them all fairly promises are real. host: of the ones that you've een what do they say, what are their targets? julia: the way they have been escribed is that they are
really divisive. they have some racially charged language. they talk about politically guns, race,ics like abortion. just emed to be kind of inflammatory, you know. just trying to make it seem like happening.me thing is think the one that's most amous is this one that claimed to be from black activists but there was strident language about black activism. host: political ads of that type disclaimers to have and be somewhat regulated, aren't they, disclosures about placing them? julia: most political advertising does require to the re according rules from the federal election ommission, but there has been this exception made for online advertising, basically, for years, the fcc has been whether those t
rules should apply to online advertising, and that deadlock essentially meant that they haven't applied those rules. o basically right now, online advertising doesn't have to have that same disclosure that you a ld see, you know, on tv or radio ad paid for by this committee or that committee. debate has reopened that and perhaps those rules would start to apply. group k was the leading arguing against those rules eing applied to online advertising saying that the ads were so small that that kind of isclosure would be hard to fit into the ad. but they have dropped their objections to it now. now, facebook is also saying they aren't a journalism rganization, they are a tech company, correct? julia: yeah. -- sand berg spoke about whether they are a tech company or a media company. made this sort of fine distinction which is that they are a tech company.
employ engineers, they don't write news articles but they understand they have some of the responsibilities of maybe company in terms of making sure the content, the way it, is safe.d so it sounds like they are kind of softening that distinction a now.le bit right host: some of these platforms editors and arbiters, what can be published, is that a fair assessment? well, absolutely. facebook and google are probably to what st gatekeepers people see in news, what kind of news is delivered to them. twitter as well, because people are getting their news online and they are getting it rated. you go into google news and they tell you what the top news is or facebook news feed is sorted to determine what kind of see. you so these tech companies are bsolutely the gateway to what news we see, and the same way that in the old days, you know, in every paper i
ever worked at, they would have a meeting to discuss what story page go on the front every day, that was big decision. now that kind of a decision is being made on a bigger scale by algorithm.ical host: when we talk about that?ithms what exactly is julia: it sounds like sort of a mysterious thing. just instructions you give to a computer. say that -- ry to it can actually be instructions you give to a person on a piece to complete a task but generally we use it to talk and, computer algorithms, you know, computers are just instructions, because they instructions we give them so algorithms are maybe complex instructions about to sort things, and these days, you know, algorithms are they don't have a rule like put this type of news first or that type of news first.
based sort of on what do people like? are they clicking on this thing that thing more? it automatically resorts in to the user's behavior. host: i'm sure you saw mark penn clinton d for hillary ed.2008, his on in your newspaper. you can't buy the presidency for a hundred thousand dollars is that i e, and he writes have 40 years of experience in politics, and this russian ad mostly after the election anyway, simply does not add up targeted campaign to move voters. it takes tens of millions of deliver meaningful messages to the contested electorate.he s this making a mountain out out of a molehill? > i mean, there is a point to what mark says, which is true, right? but i don't think anyone is russian ads these
tipped the balance in any way. or maybe they are, but i wouldn't claim that. i would say that it's more, what -- e learning is, that this the way that we've built these technological platforms, it vulnerable to what you could call information or disinformation campaigns, whatever you want to call it, some of them are going to be maybe foreign operators but plenty of them are happening domestically. think of pizza gate, right? where a domestic conspiracy up, got a lot of currency on social media and people actually showed up, a guy weapon at this pizza parlor, really believing there were children he wanted to save there. so we're just -- i think this russian story is sort of a way waking up to the fact that these platforms, we've given them a huge amount of decide what kind of things we see as news but they a moral e sort of judgment and the fact checking, you know, that the newspaper made s had when they
decisions about the front page so sometimes these systems can riseamed and bad stuff can to the top. conspiracies and hoaxes can seem oflly real so we're all kind collectively realizing that and trying to decide what to do about it. the tech companies are trying to say, look, it's not our responsibility to vet every but at news out there, the same time, everyone believes we have to do more and the that more? what is host: in some sense, "wall propublica al" or would be a much sterner vetter than facebook, for example? oh, absolutely. for instance, like, you know the checking i do on my articles is insane. i'm very concerned about everything i write being true, and, you know, we have legal liability for what publish, we have lawyers that read everything before we publish and we take our responsibility really seriously. organizations do, and, you know, the problem is, now we of this sort
decentralization of news so anyone can write something and this is a great flowering speech but at the same time, when you have these algorithms that sort and they account the fact that like some news outlets are really fact checking and some people are just writing conspiracy theory they think will get some clicks, and things imes those other can get more traction, more, the algorithm puts them higher up or some sort of lift, and then they can get currency have gotten in the old world. i'm not saying the old world was perfect. a lot of stories that didn't make the cut that should have but we have to figure out a rebalance this equation, i think. ost: julie angwin, in a recent article on propublica you write political ook's new ad transparency initiative. that?is julia: so in the wake of the increasing uy and
pressure about their systems, makeook has said they will political ads transparent. they have been a little vague will happen but essentially what they have said is that political advertisers ill have to disclose the ads that they are buying, so, we can all as the public see them. it works, if iay buy a political ad targeted to people in one small town only it.e people will ever see no one else would ever see it so you could spread lies and wouldn'tation, and you be fact checked the way a tv ad is fact checked. build more is to transparency and they have said that the advertisers will have their own ose ads on facebook page for inspection. now, the question i have is, are every going to go to possible political advertiser, go to their page, and look at those ads, and they only have to there while the campaign is running. o we'll see how this transparency plays out. you know, i hope that it will be
waitingent, but i'm not for that. i've built my own transparency facebook that i'm trying to get people to use in case that thing doesn't work out. is that tool? >> so we at propublica have we're calling the facebook political ad collector and people can put a software, it takes one click to stall to your web browser, either fire fox or and basically when you're on facebook, our little piece of news re will look at your feed and pull out any ads that it thinks are political and it say, show them to you and are these political ads, are we right? you confirm yes or no and it it into our public repose tore so people can see all the political ads out there. facebook user, not all two billion will use our tool but more political ads than has ever seen on facebook before. we also show the user if they tab there is a little where they can say, see ads that weren't targeted to them. so it will be sort of
thatesting to see the ones were targeted and ones that other users are seeing that might be very different than the getting.e the idea is simply that people should be able to see political ads. politicianes should be held promises e for the they make in advertising, and hat we want to build a public repository of these ads. host: is this exclusive to to be k or are you going doing it on other platforms such as twitter, snap, et cetera? julia: we're not doing it on all the platforms just because the reallyogical hurdles are high. also, facebook is really the eading place for political ads from my understanding of talking to people in politics. it has the best microtargeting. it has the biggest reach. it has two billion users worldwide. there is like this ability to find exactly the kind of person you want to find on there. decided to start there. it's not perfect but it's something. how will facebook determine what is political and
what isn't? that's a very good question. facebook hasn't said how they to determine political ds, and we've built an algorithm ourselves. to guess what type of ads are political based on political into the t we fed system, that we still use humans to verify so we have all of our yes, no, was our machine guessing right? will t know how facebook do it? they tend to automate these things also. we find it's really helpful to in the loopans also checking, and then also we as ditors can go in and look through that to make sure that they really are political. you know,a angwin, as sandberg was here in washington the rounds on capitol hill, and media organizations. feeling pressure because of this? julia: oh, absolutely. pressure.s feeling cheryl, i think, was pretty clear about that when she came to washington. saying, retty explicit
look, we need to do better. we know we need to do better. we're trying to do better. think the implicit message was, don't regulate us. we're going to take care of it ourselves, right? and that's what companies do when they feel the pressure. up their self-regulation promises. and we'll see if they pull it off. i think it's a huge lift really. gigantic company, and it's just not clear what kind of versight mechanisms they have right now, but they aren't catching these things that they catch.at they need to and so she mentioned they are investing in technology, they are investing in hiring tons of people, so, you know, we'll see if that's enough to keep washington at bay. host: is there a role for the federal election commission in this? julia: well, federal election commission has, i think, a play here.oles to one is, you know, they could disclosure of these ads,
online advertising. same ould require the amount of disclosure that's required on other types of ads, about who paid for it. this weird thing, when you buy an ad on facebook, you have to an disclose your spending to the federal election commission. reports about what you spent on your campaign. but you can very easily obscure by just placing them through a consultant and then it spent money t you with this digital consultant and those people don't always say hether they placed it on facebook or what was the campaign so there isn't a lot of information about how much money s being spent by campaigns on facebook, twitter, all these different social media platforms, so they could amount of at transparency. there is also a role for the federal communications maybe because they actually require an enhanced amount of disclosure for ads, and perhaps those rules could be transferred online ads also
through the fcc or some other mechanism. angwin, when it comes to television and radio newer media, the tech company platforms, are the all different at this point? julia: there is kind of a regulations. tv is held to like the highest to dard because they have report both at their local television level -- affiliate level. hey have to report detailed spending reports. they have to report to the fcc. report to the -- print is a little bit less, and online is the least amount, and -- but the other thing to emember is that it's not just the regulators that police these ads. mean, the fact that a tv ad almost always is picked up by groups that monitor tv ads and and ame thing with print radio, and then those get circulated, and the opponents
counterad or news organizations often do fact checks of new ads all the time. they get subject to a lot of public scrutiny in addition to the regulation. i think one of the things that's so challenging about online ads is because of this whole ability microamount to just a small audience, they don't get picked up, fact checked and seen by the public. and that, i think, is actually, holding people accountable in some ways than he regulations themselves, because public scrutiny is really what, you know, holds these politicians accountable in the end. now, again, we're focused on facebook, but this is also an and twitter itter has visited capitol hill as well. julia: oh, absolutely. twitter and google, i think, russian adsund some on their platforms, and have about it.capitol hill i'm not sure that i have seen the same amount of promises from going tot how they are
clean things up but it's also not clear what the scope of the problem was there. there are ads, political ads on twitter. there are -- but they often are that, ublic in the sense you know, it's easier to get a sense of what's happening on almost because everything is publicly available there. same thing with google. those ads are public in the sense that, like, if you go ads utube and watch the that are playing before each video, you can get a better sense of it. targeted in some ways, but there is a little bit more transparency. facebook is such a closed system. really all you ever see of have on is what you your own feed. the least transparent and that's probably why it's under the most scruti scrutirecrui scrutiny. host: another report is about they are s and how monetized by the tech
companies? julia: this is becoming such a hot topic. tech r thought as a reporter that i would be dealing with nazis. that.t never thought about but basically, hate groups have found the internet to be a great and recruit new people to their causes, and so survey of all the different payment systems that groups to ng these paypal being ons, the leading one. after our report pay balance did hut down a bunch of the donation links for these sites. we used a list of sites that designate as hate by the anti-defamation league and then to ally, those hate sites, prove that they weren't hateful, launched a hate campaign against reporters, and then they sent us spam to our email to the point that our email was
down. host: julia angwin, what is it these issues on for propublica as opposed to the "wall street journal" where you spent 13 years? julia: you know what's great about propublica is the ability and to do aorations little bit more open-ended stuff, so, for instance, tool that we built, it's really a tool for crowd we wanted to so test it and we went to germany where they were having an in september and worked with three different newspapers there to have them promote the collectedeir readers, a whole bunch of german ads and then we're doing that in australia right now, during election. we're moving to a bunch of different countries. you know, we don't have to do reporting ourselves. one thing that's nice is expanding the idea of reporting just being the person to write an article, but in some ways what we're doing is just reporters tool that can use around the world, to monday or political ads in their elections.
i think that gives me great joy to be able to do that kind of in helping other reporters. host: will you be down in ashington november 1 for the big hearings with facebook, the congressional hearings? going tom probably not be there. i have this great luxury as an investigative reporter of not to do as much of the daily news coverage. mostly focus on projects and investigations of things that would otherwise not come out. so my definition of news that i something us on is that would never come out if i wasn't doing it, where as these whether will be covered or not i'm there. so i feel like it's best for me to stick to things that wouldn't be done otherwise. host: julie angwin's work at propublica is available online. for your time, and joining us on "the communicators." julia: thank you. on the d now joining us communicators is david mccabe h
axios.h axios: we hosted an event last week. we interviewed her for about a an hour focusing on the russian ad and one of the things hat stuck out was the obvious point from her that facebook as a core business isn't going to change. asked about target and she talked about the value of targeting. facebook's ad isn't going to change even if their message does. took note of,g we she was asked multiple times if there was overlap between the used by the trump campaign and that used by russian operatives and she answer.t host: why wouldn't she answer? the question ged multiple times. she didn't give a particular reason for why she wasn't clear answer on what the company has seen. obviously this is an ongoing investigation and it's not a
to go n that's going away. host: david mccabe, what's the response so far from congress on issue? david: congress remains very reoccupied by this question, particularly the democrats on the house and senate intelligence committee. those are two of the committees been briefed on the facebook ads and now have them possession, and so from congress, they have some follow-up questions about that. to know where the bhernl internal investigation is going and they want to know how it ill be prevented in future elections, perhaps as early as next month in virginia. host: this is almost a tech than a journalist ethics question, isn't it? you know, it's a question of how these systems work certainly. nd that's why they have received briefings from facebook staff. that's why you've seen facebook their technical experts to respond to this. alex -- the chief security
on facebook has become the huge public face of this and that's because, as you know, topic and a hnical complicated one. host: david mccabe, november 1 coming. what will happen on that day? that's when there will be a senate hearing on this featuring facebook and twitter. invited.s been there is also expected to be a house hearing that day. more abstract about that but you will see these companies respond directly o lawmakers' questions about this and particularly for facebook which has had this real asen dance over the last 5-10 years. hat is sentinel moment for them. they don't testify on capitol hill very often so it's a big deal that they are. a lot about alked acebook and we talked to julia angwin about facebook but this is not just facebook's issue, is it? david: it's not. it's obviously partially a google issue. google is the other big player
ad market.ne they said they found some ads associated with this effort. exposure because facebook has this possibility for something to go viral. go viral.n that's not how google works. twitter has some problems with bots and the potential russian operations on their platform. just today we saw a story that outbrain, which is a big advertising content referral is also looking into these questions. so certainly it's one that consumes the entire industry. fcc and ll we see the the fec at this hearing or perhaps some hearings at those commissions as well? david: the fcc, federal election ommission is doing some work around looking at whether or not there should be different disclosure requirements for ads.al one of the things that make this so complicated is there is not really a clear single regulator google and s like facebook and twitter. so actually the fcc doesn't have the ads so i ver
wouldn't expect them to be particularly involved in this right now. mccabe is with axios and he's been our guest on "the communicators." david: thank you as always, peter. "communicators," russia's involvement in the 2016 lection with propublica senior reporter julia angwin. julia: facebook has said they earned that a bunch of ads placed during the election were outfits under an anonymous accounts, and they divisive ads, y not necessarily, it seems like, candidate or another, but just aimed at charged ivisiveness on topics. >> watch "the communicators," on ay night at 8:00 eastern c-span 2. c-span, a discussion on freedom of the


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Former Amazon employee, Christian Smalls, stands with fellow demonstrators during a protest outside of an Amazon warehouse as the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in the Staten Island borough of New York U.S., May 1, 2020. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson By Nandita Bose and Krystal Hu
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Warehouse employees last month staged a walkout in Michigan to demand safer working conditions at their facility. So did workers in New York, Illinois and Minnesota.
These and other Amazon.com Inc employees across the country are seizing on the coronavirus to demand the world’s largest online retailer offer more paid sick time and temporarily shut warehouses with infections for deep cleaning.
Employees in at least 11 states this year have voiced their concerns and staged actions to highlight a variety of purported workplace deficiencies, allegations the company has denied.
Supporting these Amazon workers are labor groups and unions eager to penetrate the Seattle-based behemoth after years of failed attempts to unionize its operations.
Reuters spoke with 16 unions and labor groups targeting Amazon. They included established organizations such as the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) and the Retail, Wholesale and Department […]

domain: news


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European auto factories had to cut 25,000 more vehicles out of their production schedules last week because of the worldwide shortage of microchips, and North American producers cut a similar number, according to the latest report on the situation by AutoForecast Solutions.
At the same time, plants in Asia outside of China have reduced production plans by more than 23,000 vehicles, according to AFS, which has been monitoring the impact of the chip shortage since it emerged in early 2021.
AFS now forecasts that automakers will lose more than 3.1 million vehicles from their global 2022 plans because of inadequate chip availability — separate from other supply chain problems the industry may be dealing with.
That forecast reveals a gradual worsening of the impact this year, despite hopes that the situation was improving. The forecast has added 800,000 vehicles to the full-year tally in just the last 60 days.


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McDonald's Corp MCD reported Friday yet another "thesis-affirming quarter" in which the fast-food giant showed both tangible and accelerating metrics in its second-quarter results.
Wells Fargo's Jon Tower maintains an Outperform rating on McDonald's with a price target lifted from $235 to $237.
Stephens' Will Slabaugh maintains at Overweight, price target lifted from $220 to $230.
Shares of McDonald's traded around $216.93 Monday morning.
Wells Fargo: 'Bearish Knock' Quarter
McDonald's earnings represents another "bearish knock" on the stock in which short investors argued the restaurant's dependence on same-store sales to drive system-wide sales growth is a concern, Tower wrote in a note. Exiting the print, it's evident the company will end 2019 with around 2% unit growth which is the highest seen in five years. The momentum in store growth remains an underappreciated part of the stock's narrative in contributing to EBITDA and cash flow generation.
Meanwhile, Tower said McDonald's looks to be on track to return $25 billion to shareholders and management is likely to present a new multi-year cash return guidance in the coming months.
The ongoing rapid expansion of technology acquired from Dynamic Yield will be included at 8,000 U.S. stores in the coming months. Tower said this should add comfort to the company's ability to continue driving same-store sales growth ahead of introducing the acquired technology to international stores next year.
Related Link: The Street Remains Bullish On McDonald's
Stephens: Q3 Could Be Even Better
McDonald's report was highlighted by a 5.7% same-store sales growth in the U.S. and 6.5% global growth, Slabaugh wrote in a note. Both numbers easily beat expectations and showed signs of acceleration. Specifically, same-store sales growth on a two-year basis sped up by 90 basis points and represented the best performance since the end of 2018 when the launch of all-day breakfast items was implemented.
If McDonald's shows a deceleration of same-store sales by 200 basis points, Slabaugh said the company will still be able to match current full-year consensus estimates of 4.4%. Given the current momentum there is sufficient reason to believe this won't happen and the third quarter could come in even better for four reasons: continued shift from fresh beef, the return of the two menu items for $5 option, ongoing experience of the future (EOTF) deployments and an overall core menu strength.
McDonald's faces "blue skies" for at least the rest of 2019 and there is no reason for investors to be looking at cashing in on some profits as the company's "global engine seems to be hitting on virtually all cylinders."
© 2022 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Microsoft is trying to convince government regulators to approve its proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard for its Xbox gaming division. Sony would not want that kind of deal to happen as it fears Microsoft could make games like the Call of Duty franchise an Xbox exclusive. However, in newly revealed documents sent to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) (via The Verge), Sony has some rather “out there” ideas of how Microsoft could cripple the Call of Duty games for future PlayStation releases.
Sony told the CMA:
Microsoft might release a PlayStation version of Call of Duty where bugs and errors emerge only on the game’s final level or after later updates. Even if such degradations could be swiftly detected, any remedy would likely come too late, by which time the gaming community would have lost confidence in PlayStation as a go-to venue to play Call of Duty. Indeed, as Modern Warfare II attests, Call of Duty is most often purchased in just the first few weeks of release. If it became known that the game’s performance on PlayStation was worse than on Xbox, Call of Duty gamers could decide to switch to Xbox, for fear of playing their favourite game at a second-class or less competitive venue.
Obviously, this sounds like a highly extreme, and also unlikely, scenario. Indeed, it’s more likely that if Microsoft did put in deliberate bugs in a PlayStation Call of Duty entry, gamers would blame Microsoft rather than Sony.
Microsoft has already said it will offer Sony a 10-year agreement that will keep Call of Duty games on PlayStation consoles and they would include feature parity with the Xbox versions. It has already made a similar agreement with Nintendo, and has also pledged to give NVIDIA’s GeForce Go streaming game service access to Microsoft games, including Call of Duty. The CMA is continuing its investigation into the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and is expected to make a final decision by April 26.


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US brands are only allocating 8.8% of their media budgets on audio, despite consumers spend as much as 31% of their media time immersed in audio, according to research conducted by marketing trade body WARC with iHeartMedia, which owns more than 860 live broadcast radio stations across the US.
Though WARC expects audio ad spend to reach $13.9 billion in the US this year, ‘The Investment Gap: Understanding the Value of Audio’ highlights that that there is a clear audio gap not being recognised by advertisers.
“The changing role of Audio has been a relatively under-researched area of the Marketing Media Mix. This study, with iHeartMedia, starts to address that,” said Paul Coxhill, Managing Director at WARC. “The study investigates whether there’s a disjoint between consumer consumption and media allocation of audio as a channel. The findings are fascinating and demonstrate a real opportunity for brands to expand their brand reach and, if done well, their share of consumer attention by expanding the role of Audio in their media mix.”
The study identified four different types of advertiser attitude toward audio: the audio avoiders – 25% of advertisers don’t invest in audio at all; the broadcast believers, who have seen the benefits of radio and are now starting to explore other forms of audio; digital-only advertisers, which is those that invest in audio, but are missing out on other areas, such as the 90% monthly reach of broadcast radio uncovered by Nielsen; and the cross-platform champions, who delve into audio’s feel potential and continue to optimise across platforms.
The research also highlights how audio can be used effectively at different scales and across the entire funnel, finding that it can be used to increase brand awareness, create favourability, and spart conversion.
“The Audio Investment Gap is the single-biggest growth opportunity for brands,” said Gayle Troberman, Chief Marketing Officer at iHeartMedia. “With the growth of wireless headphones and smart speakers paired with in-car listening, audio is everywhere and consumers are listening in more places, more times throughout the day. But too many brands are on mute. Brands that right-size their audio investments and begin spending and innovating across radio, streaming and podcasts outpace competitors in finding new audiences, building brand affinity and driving sales.”


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BuddyTV Guide Adds Hulu Plus to its Popular TV Discovery iPhone App
App now integrates Hulu Plus TV and Movie selections alongside Pay TV providers and Internet Video Providers.
SEATTLE, WA (October 10, 2012) - BuddyTV announced today that they are welcoming a new content provider to their free BuddyTV Guide app - Hulu Plus. Users of the free app who have a Hulu Plus account can now find all their TV and movie selections within BuddyTV Guide. Once they choose a particular piece of content to consume, there is now an option to watch immediately through Hulu Plus which is linked from the BuddyTV Guide.
"It shows our commitment to have the best entertainment content indexed in one place," said Andy Liu, BuddyTV's co-founder and CEO. "Our app is the best TV discovery app in the world, adding Hulu Plus makes it an even better experience for our users."
With the addition of Hulu Plus, BuddyTV indexes over 1.2 million unique programs ranging from popular TV shows to cult-classic movies. That number will continue to grow as BuddyTV expands its reach in the entertainment industry.
BuddyTV Guide indexes all the major cable and pay TV providers' schedules as well as the major Internet Video providers (Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and now Hulu Plus) to create the best personalized TV discovery experience. Watchlist, TV grids, Search, and editorially driven guides help users find shows to watch in less than 20 seconds. With the addition of Hulu Plus, users will have even more choices of how they want to watch their entertainment instantly.
The BuddyTV Guide 2.6.1 app is available for free in the app store on iTunes. To learn more, visit the BuddyTV Guide website for more details.


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August 27, 2018
- August 23, 2018
August 03, 2018
As huge huge huge fans of Sex and the City we're so happy to announce that the "Carrie" customizable nameplate necklace will soon be making it's debut as part of our product line.
As anyone who watched the show, as if anyone didn't, knows Carrie's loss and eventual finding of her beautiful nameplate necklace was a special moment for the character serving as a reminder of who she truly was. Hopefully our necklaces can do the same for our amazing customers!
August 8th we will begin accepting pre-orders, stay tuned!
July 29, 2018
We are happy to announce a new addition to our product line up. KC jewelry bundles will feature various pieces including a necklace, earring set, bracelet and unique fourth item in each box. Every bundle will come with at least $40 dollars in savings!!!
Our first two available bundles, Simple Arrowhead and Neutral Agate Slice, are now live and going fast.
Stay tuned for future updates!


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The game will only be available digitally through the eShop, with the game costing $29.The following was shared from Capcom:
“Spirit of Justice is packed with puzzles on top of the series’ well-known witty and humorous courtroom drama,” reads a line from the game’s description.
With the Nintendo NX console on the horizon, you would think some developers would know about it already.However, some developers know nothing official about it like everyone else.
The day is finally here as the Future Trunks saga has started with episode 47 of Dragon Ball Super.To clarify some confusion, this is the same Future Trunks that we met back during the Cell saga.
Just as Disney is expanding the Star Wars franchise with the movieverse, EA is looking to do just the same with the games and we learned a little more about their future plans during the EA Play conference.When they are narrating about their game, we see two guys in full body mocap suits in the middle of a lightsaber duel.
We had heard rumors earlier this year that 2K Games was planning on releasing a remastered collection of the first 3 BioShock games, and now it looks like that is true.The BioShock Twitter account recently posted an image from the first game that is accompanied with the caption that reads “Welcome to Rapture!
Overwatch on PC has gotten its latest patch through the Public Test Realm, which will be gearing the game up for Competitive Play season 2.This means that players can get a taste of what’s to come with season 2 next month, though none of their progress will carry over once it officially launches.
Fans of moody, atmospheric games have been anticipating the release of Below for quite some time.From Capy Games, the title has been generating good buzz for years.
Teased nearly a month ago at PSX 2016, Naughty Dog‘s action packed Uncharted series is getting its own spinoff.Following Chloe Frazer, best known for her outstanding performances in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy set in the outskirts of India this time.
The final DLC for From Software’s Dark Souls 3 has officially been revealed, serving what will be the last piece of content from the Souls series for the foreseeable future.” Of course, the DLC will be bringing new “lands, new bosses, new enemies with new armor, magic and items.
Whether it be in the MOBA scene with games like DOTA 2 or League of Legends or the shooters with titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and the recently released Overwatch, Esports has seen a spike in viewership and interest.Brandon Alexander, one of the administrators for the World Cup, commented on the decision to reinforce this rule.


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CBD Bath Bomb by Urth Leaf
How to stay clear of hazardous CBD products?
Lab checked With the rising trend of CBD items, deceitful firms are being revealed for using unsafe chemicals as well as dilutors in order to exploit this spike in popularity. Not all business are putting earnings before people; UrthLeaf has actually been recognized as a company that follows industry best practices by subjecting all of their items to strenuous lab screening.
In the past year alone, three business have been blacklisted by the FDA for unmanageable business practices entailing the production and sale of cannabidiol (CBD) items. In the previous 5 years, a massive 48 U.S. business have actually been positioned on this precise listing, obtaining caution letters from the FDA to either discontinue procedures or conform with the laws and also finest practices that secure the consumer. The FDA successfully made it clear that there is no room for dangerous items in the U.S. cannabidiol markets, yet companies remain to obtain away with these shady organisation practices every day.
As the “worry of missing out on out” sneaks right into the CBD market, consumers are unknowingly getting into these items while lacking the appropriate tools needed to recognize the items most likely to include unsafe chemicals. With Urth Leaf CBD wholesale having actually come to be the new fad in healthcare and also medicine over the previous couple of years, we take a look into what truly goes into the products that have everyone ranting and going crazy.
UrthLeaf securely believes that the public must not be left in the dark regarding these hazardous chemicals, which is why they have been completely transparent regarding every component that goes right into their products. In May 2019, complete screening was carried out on UrthLeaf’s product line by Cannalysis (Santa Clara, CA), a CBD/THC testing laboratory.
Why do business still exist if they are offering potentially lethal products to unknowing customers? cbd bath bomb is much extra profitable to thin down a CBD product with non-natural chemicals than it is to go after the totally natural course.
It is strongly suggested that consumers research the components in their CBD items before use given that it is really tough to see any short-term side effects by utilizing pesticide or chemical-containing items, but the long-term effects can potentially be harmful. The FDA is doing as long as they can to limit the number of hazardous firms entering this market, however ultimately it depends on the consumer to do their own research prior to selecting which item to purchase.
Take the winner and also acquire your following order of CBD items from UrthLeaf right here.
Lab examined With the rising pattern of CBD items, fraudulent companies are being exposed for making use of damaging chemicals and also dilutors in order to manipulate this spike in appeal. In the past year alone, 3 companies have actually been blacklisted by the FDA for unruly organisation techniques involving the manufacturing as well as sale of cannabidiol (CBD) products. As terms and conditions of missing out” slips right into the CBD market, consumers are unknowingly getting into these products while doing not have the correct devices required to determine the products most likely to have damaging chemicals. It is a lot more profitable to dilute a CBD item with non-natural chemicals than it is to pursue the completely organic route.


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Bills to regulate drug compounding and establish a national track and trace system face political and policy differences.
Concerns about unsafe products from large pharmacy compounders, continued emergence of counterfeit medicines, and the prospect of diverse state tracking requirements for prescription drugs are spurring action on Capitol Hill. House and Senate leaders are crafting legislation to address these issues, but divergent Republican and Democrat approaches for revising FDA authority threaten to stymie timely legislative action.
Meanwhile, reports keep piling up about adulterated and unauthorized drugs. FDA recently uncovered Internet sales of a foreign version of Allergan's cosmetic treatment Botox (onbotulinumtoxinA), a sterile product, and Teva Pharmaceuticals has reported fraudulent versions of its generic Prilosec (omeprazole). Pfizer is challenging widespread Viagra (sildenafil) counterfeiting by marketing its product directly to consumers through its own website, with CVS Caremark filling the orders.
Reports of more than 50 deaths and widespread serious medical problems from fungal meningitis linked to contaminated products from a large compounder makes action most likely on legislation to curb large-scale compounding of high-risk drugs. Public outrage over the failure of state and federal agents to detect and prevent the outbreak has generated support for proposals to enhance FDA authority over compounding. Granting FDA more authority, however, will require House Republicans to shift from blasting FDA for inaction and tackle the regulatory challenges directly.
At an April 2013 hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee (E&C), Republicans criticized FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg for not cracking down on the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Massachusetts, despite NECC's long history of failed inspections and contamination problems. Democrats echoed these concerns but supported legislation that would clarify and strengthen FDA's ability to inspect and bring action against compounders, which now fall primarily under state pharmacy regulation. Hamburg noted that some compounders denied FDA inspectors access to facilities and records during a recent FDA inspection campaign, forcing the agency to seek court warrants.
FDA supports legislation that distinguishes local, traditional pharmacy compounders that prepare drugs to treat specific patients with specialized needs in response to individual prescriptions, from large compounders that produce drugs in advance of any patient-specific prescription and market drugs across state lines. States would continue to oversee traditional compounders and license compounding pharmacists, but large operators would be considered a new class of drug manufacturer and have to comply with GMPs, submit to regular FDA inspections, and report adverse events related to their products. These firms also would pay registration fees to FDA to support federal oversight and clearly label products as compounded drugs. Unlike pharmaceutical manufacturers, though, they would not need approved new drug applications (NDAs) for products they compound. FDA would develop a list of products banned from all compounding, such as complex dosage forms and most biologics.
Some of the challenges in reaching agreement among compounders, pharmacists, and state regulators were discussed at a hearing held on May 9 by the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee. A Senate bill that essentially supports FDA's approach for distinguishing between "traditional" compounders and "compounding manufacturers" received generally strong support. But there were questions about whether a hospital pharmacy that sends compounded products to a satellite facility in another state would fall under FDA's purview, and whether FDA should have access to records of traditional compounders to ensure that no illegal activity is taking place.
FDA has pressed for legislation to clarify its authority to regulate pharmacy compounders, which has been mired in legal debate for some 20 years, with FDA largely on the losing end. After the Supreme Court tossed out an FDA compounding regulation in 2002, the agency essentially gave up and directed its resources to other pressing issues. When signs of malfeasance at NECC appeared, "we allowed ourselves to be far too cautious due to fear of litigation that would further undermine our authority," Hamburg told the E&C panel.
FDA recently conducted dozens of inspections of large-scale firms making sterile products and has issued FDA-483 inspection reports that reveal an array of contamination and quality failures. The agency has instigated numerous product recalls, and some of the worst offenders, such as NECC, have shut down.
Some Republicans claim that FDA has sufficient power to inspect and bring charges against clearly violative compounders, and that new legislation won't help an agency that fails to protect the public health when it should do so. FDA also is wary that cracking down harder on compounders could aggravate shortages of sterile products. Moves by FDA and states to shut down large compounders could disrupt the supply of necessary drugs to hospitals and providers, Hamburg acknowledged, emphasizing the need for "tailored authorities" appropriate for compounders.
There's even more political disagreement over legislation to better secure the nation's drug supply chain by establishing a system to track pharmaceuticals from production to patient. Several senators sought to have a track-and-trace bill included in the FDA Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) last year, but agreed to pull it to avoid delay on the broader FDA measure. A comprehensive tracking policy in California that goes into effect in 2015, however, is spurring efforts to establish a national drug-tracking system that would supersede diverse state requirements—a key goal for manufacturers that benefit from a uniform national distribution process for medical products.
Bills crafted by House and Senate leaders generally agree on lot-level tracking, plus national standards and licensing for wholesale distributors. Both bills pre-empt state pedigree laws, with the Senate measure giving states more leeway to enact more stringent requirements.
The main point of dispute is the approach to product serialization and tracking. FDA seeks tracking to the drug unit level, with an interoperable electronic data system able to support efficient recalls and quick identification of illegal and substandard products. While most manufacturers now accept that approach, they side with distributors and pharmacists that want to start with lot-level product serialization and tracking as a more affordable and practical first step. The Senate proposal sets a 10-year schedule for establishing a unit-level tracing system, phasing in lot-level serialization over seven years, followed by adoption of product verification at the unit level. The current House bill has no provision for a future shift to unit-level tracking, a shortcoming that was roundly criticized by Democrats at an April E&C Committee hearing. At a minimum, FDA and Democrats want to delay state pre-emption until some kind of national tracking system is fully operational.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson are moving to comply with the California law by applying standardized, serialized two-dimensional bar codes to packages and establishing processes to exchange serialized data with distributors and pharmacies, explained J&J Vice-President Michael Rose at the House hearing. However, these efforts would be wasted, Rose noted, if other states adopt different standards. "What we need is a clear end-game," said Rose, "where the goal posts are fixed."
E&C Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich) initiated efforts to "mark up" the Republican-backed bill with an eye to approving legislation by August 2013. Without some provision for unit-level serialization in the not-to-distant future, though, Congress probably will reject drug-tracking legislation in 2013.


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Elon Musk Suggests A Conspiracy Against Tesla Over
Elon Musk Suggests A Conspiracy Against Tesla Over Model S Suspension Claims Elon Musk has broken his Twitter silence over the recent claim that Tesla attempted to cover up owner claims of suspension issues on the Model S, suggesting that fraudulent claims of similar issues indicates a larger conspiracy.
The original issue blew up following a blog post to the Daily Kanban by Ed Niedermeyer which revealed a series of forum posts discussing an agreement between Tesla Motors and a Model S owner to cover $3,100 in repair costs to replace the vehicle"s suspension, despite an expired warranty. Tesla Accused Of Ordering Owners Not To Talk About Their Repairs
America"s auto safety watchdog, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, slammed Tesla�


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Zomato axes around 100 employees in cost-cutting drive3 min read . Updated: 07 Aug 2019, 07:55 PM IST
- Zomato had earlier laid-off close to 300 employees in early 2015 or 10% of its staff due to cost-cutting
- The lay-offs were carried out due to redundancies in its current customer support workforce
Bengaluru: Food delivery and restaurant discovery platform Zomato has laid-off around 70-100 employees in its customer support team at its office in Gurgaon, as the company looks to cut costs and reduce redundancies across its food delivery business, said three people aware of the development.
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I became instantly outraged by a disturbing post I recently read by a fellow blogger, Liz Brazile, concerning Walmart’s loss prevention policy of locking up African American hair products at one of its stores in Perris, CA.
But is my outrage justified? And what is it exactly that I’m outraged about?
I mean, let’s face it, this story isn’t what one would consider, according to mainstream media standards, to be newsworthy. There was no White on Black violence, bloodshed, or killing involved. Even when it first happened weeks ago, the incident was a viral blink on social media. It was just Walmart simply taking action because obviously the AA hair products in that particular store were being stolen.
So, what’s the big deal?
The BIG DEAL is that it’s NOT OKAY for the retail giant to disrespect the many honest, hardworking African American consumers by having them seek out a store employee to unlock the protective glass that houses their specific brand of hair products. While their non-Black counterparts are free to shop sans the protective glass for hair products without being treated like crooks. The BIG DEAL is that it’s NOT OKAY to disregard the dignity of a 43-year-old Black mother of five, Essie Grundy, by
perp-walking escorting her to the cash register to pay for an item she wasn’t even allowed to carry herself.
I’m outraged because I see this incident as a more modern, covert version of Jim Crow, a microcosm of the discrimination African Americans continue to confront in this country on a daily basis. It’s nothing new to us but it is newer. Separate and unequal dressed up as diverse and inclusive. That we should put away our race cards and just be happy that Walmart even bothers to sell hair products that address our unique ethnic needs.
I don’t think so.
And it’s a shame that Walmart is willing to go to court to defend its policy (a policy largely defended by gaslighting tweets on Twitter) rather than find a less racially insensitive method for securing its AA hair merchandise. That the shopping chain juggernaut would choose to help perpetuate long-held, negative stereotypes that mischaracterize all African Americans as thieves and born criminals is disturbing. Evidenced by the following more overtly bigoted tweet which was just one of many (both cryptic and subtle) echoing the racist vitriol of times past:
Essie Grundy isn’t looking for some huge financial settlement, according to her lawyer, Gloria Allred. At the most, they’re looking at a little less than five large if they win their lawsuit against Walmart. What Essie Grundy wants is an apology and for the protective glass housing the AA hair products to be removed. But apparently, that’s not possible in the new era of Jim Crow 2.0!


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A continually updated look at the biggest Apple rumors.
Keeping up with the deluge of rumors about Apple is difficult, but now there’s one place to track them all. Below, you’ll find a list that we’ll update throughout the year of the latest speculation about Apple’s AAPL iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more.
Currently, much of the talk about Apple centers on its plans for a rumored updated iPhone later this year. There’s also speculation that Apple could announce some new iPads and new Macs. Meanwhile, Apple will be holding its annual Worldwide Developers Conference later this year, where new iOS and macOS operating systems are expected to debut.
Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter
Read on for all the latest rumors about Apple hardware, software, and more:
(Last updated: March 27, 2017)
- Apple is said to be moving forward with a curved-screen iPhone this year. The device will reportedly premiere alongside the expected iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus, which are said to include only minor updates over last year’s iPhone 7 models. (Apple’s Curved iPhone Is Coming This Year)
- Apple’s curved-screen iPhone may not include new features beyond what’s in its predecessor. Instead, the curves could simply be cosmetic to add a little design flair. (Apple’s Next iPhone’s Screen Curves Might Disappoint)
- The curved-screen iPhone, which could be known as iPhone 8 or iPhone X, may feature an all-glass design and wireless charging, among other features. (Apple Is Said to Have These Big Plans for its Next iPhone)
- In addition to the iPhone 8 or iPhone X name, Apple is considering another moniker: iPhone Edition. (Apple’s Rumored iPhone Could Have a New Name)
- Apple is reportedly planning to unveil a new, 10.5-inch iPad Pro version. (Apple Could Be Adding a Third Screen Size to its iPad Lineup)
- The event to unveil the new 10.5-inch iPad alongside new iPad Pro units may be in early April. (Here’s Why Apple Could Unveil its New iPads)
- Apple hasn’t said much about its future plans for Mac desktop computers, but CEO Tim Cook said late last year that new “and great” models, including iMacs, will be coming within several months. (Tim Cook Promises New and ‘Great’ Mac Desktops)
- Apple has filed a patent application for an Apple Watch that is substantially thinner than the current model. (Why the Chunky Apple Watch Might Soon Be Thinner)
- Could Apple bundle some new features in its Apple Watch watchband? That question has arisen after the company secured a patent for a technology that would let it move certain Apple Watch features from the watch case, like processors, to the watchband. (Some Big Changes Could Be Coming to Apple Watch)
- Apple has remained quiet about its future plans for its iOS operating system, but it is said to be working on a new mobile operating system called iOS 11 that would be unveiled at Worldwide Developers Conference in June. (Apple Is Making a Big Change to WWDC This Year)
- What’s next for Apple’s desktop operating system, macOS? Apple is expected to announce an updated operating system at its Worldwide Developers Conference. The company may make the new version of its operating system available to developers soon after. (Apple Is Making a Big Change to WWDC This Year)
- Apple is working on a new, fifth-generation Apple TV set-top box that could come with support for Ultra HD video streaming, a feature that isn’t available in the current version, and better color accuracy than its predecessor. (Apple Could Be Testing New Hardware for In-Home Entertainment)
- Apple plans to expand the video library available through its Apple Music streaming app. Specifically, the company’s executives are said to be holding discussions with Hollywood studios to acquire more content. (Apple Can’t Seem to Cut a Deal with Hollywood)
- Apple may also go it alone and develop a wide range of original content like Netflix does to expand its streaming business. (Apple Is Planning to Take a Bite Out of Netflix, Spotify With Original TV)
Miscellaneous Apple Rumors
- Apple has formed a team to work on augmented reality technologies. The first of those may find its way into the next iPhone’s camera, and allow users to change the depth-of-field of images and enhance the look and feel of their photos. (Apple Could Be Investing Heavily in This Technology)
- The iPhone maker is rumored to be working with lens-maker Zeiss on new smart glasses that would provide people wearing them with information through virtual graphics that appear to be overlaid on top of the real world. (Apple Could Be Planning Snazzy Smart Glasses)


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News analysis: Google, partners have clout to make smart TV a reality
After years of PC-TV convergence talk, analysts say Google TV may make it happen
Computerworld - With Google said to be working with Intel and Sony to develop a way to bring the best of the Internet to television, industry analysts wonder if the time for a smart TV has finally arrived.
People have been expecting a convergence of computers and television for a long time now, but it never really happened. Could it be that the time for this idea has finally come? Some say that with the likes of Google, Intel and Sony involved, it just may have.
"This is an interesting alignment of some serious industry powerhouses," said Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group. "With this group, they have a lot of options to bring about a TV play, ranging from set-top boxes, to integrated TV processors, along with content from Google. It will be interesting to see what comes out of it."
Google and its partners are working to create what they're calling Google TV, a service aimed at putting the Internet search giant's Web offerings in people's living rooms, The New York Times reported on Wednesday. It would basically put Internet search on a TV, making it easier to find and watch content.
Google TV will combine Google's Android mobile operating system and applications with next-generation televisions and set-top boxes made to run the OS, according to The Times. The TV technology will run on Intel's Atom chips, the report says, and Google will develop a new version of its Chrome browser for the project.
A Google spokesman told Computerworld today the company would not comment on rumors and speculation.
Van Baker, an analyst with Gartner, said in a blog post today that he didn't have a lot of hope this idea would gain any real traction with consumers.
"Haven't we been here before?" asked Baker. "There have been countless products and services which are designed to bring Web connectivity to the television, starting with WebTV Networks in the early 1990s. There is only one problem with this vision: Consumers have repeatedly rejected these solutions."
But Olds noted that some consumers do want Internet-connected TV. One example of a service people want is Netflix, which lets customers go online to find videos they watch them via a Blu-ray or other device that streams Netflix service to televisions, rather than on their smaller computer screens.
"As more and more compelling content moves to the Web, people want to see it," he said. "While there's a lot of talk about using PCs as the main entertainment platform, for a variety of reasons, this isn't the case today and probably won't be the case tomorrow."
"So rather than making the PC the living room TV, in my mind, this move gives PC-like capabilities to the TV," Olds said.
Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Business Technology Research, also is seeing an accelerating convergence of content and display between PCs and televisions.
"People are watching videos and television content on their PCs, and doing some Web viewing on their TVs," he added. "You want to watch your streaming or downloaded stuff on the big screen with the big speakers, but it's inconvenient. There are browsers in the game consoles, and in some TVs, but the user interface is limited."
But Gottheil said this could be the time for this to all become easier.
And both Gottheil and Olds said Google, Intel and Sony could be the right mix of companies to make that happen.
"On their own, I don't think that Google can drive PC-TV convergence, but with Intel, Sony, and others involved, we might be seeing this long-predicted convergence finally happening," Olds said.
"This partnership covers the bases in terms of core hardware, consumer products, and content," he said. "With proper execution, they could combine for some compelling products."
Sharon Gaudin covers the Internet and Web 2.0, emerging technologies, and desktop and laptop chips for Computerworld. Follow Sharon on Twitter at @sgaudin or subscribe to Sharon's RSS feed . Her e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.org.
- Google updates the Maps Explore Nearby feature -- for some users
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- Android Wear deep-dive review: A smart start to smartwatch software
- Google's Larry Page talks of killing the 40-hour work week
- Google terminates Quickoffice apps on Android, iOS
- Google I/O looks to be about more than Android
- Google eyes 3D vision tech for experimental tablet
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Google has just launched a new television accessory in India. The company has unveiled a new Chromecast called the Chromecast with Google TV (HD). This affordable streaming stick has been in the news for a few months now. The look and design of the HD version is similar to the 4K version.
Google was expected to launch the new Chromecast alongside the Google Pixel 7 series and Pixel Watch on October 6th. But, Google has managed to surprise a lot of folks with this announcement today and the bigger surprise is that the all-new Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is available in India right now for purchase. For context, Google took over a year to bring the Chromecast with Google TV 4K version to India and it was only launched in July 2022.
Chromecast with Google TV (HD): Price in India and Availability
The all-new Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is priced at Rs 4,499 in India. However, during the ongoing Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale, the streaming device will be available for Rs 4,199. The product is available right now for purchase via Flipkart. It is available in Classic Snow colour option.
Chromecast with Google TV (HD): Features and Specifications
Like many other smart TV sticks available in the market, the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is also a plug-and-play device. The device comes with an HDMI port which goes behind the screen. The new affordable Chromecast supports up to Full HD 1080p HDR streaming. It supports HDR10, HDR10+, HLG video formats and Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos via HDMI passthrough audio.
The streaming stick comes with a companion voice remote with shortcuts to apps like YouTube and Netflix. There is also a hotkey for Google Assistant and the volume controls are on the side of the device 一 resembling a smartphone.
With Google Assistant, you can get all the latest shows and movie recommendations and also search for any movie or show on your own. Apart from that the assistant also allows you to check the weather, control smart home devices, play music, and more.
Once you connect the stick to any TV, it will run on Android TV OS with the Google TV interface. Google TV UI brings four main tabs on the top 一 Search, Home, Apps, and Library. In addition, you also get access to Google Play Store with 10,000+ apps and games. You can also install popular apps like
Chromecast (HD) can also install apps like Apple TV, Disney+ Hotstar, MX Player, Prime Video, Voot, SonyLIV, and Zee5. Other features include dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth.
In case you are looking for the 4K version, the Chromecast with Google TV 4K is available for Rs 5,999 on Flipkart, which is Rs 400 cheaper than the regular price. Another alternative can be the Realme Stick 4K with Google TV from 2021.


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All Posts Tagged With: "diptyque"
Diptyque & Hermes National Fragrance Day
Introducing the newest launches from diptyque and Hermès in honor of National Fragrance Day on March 21st!
NEW diptyque 2017 Valentine’s Day Collection
Launched this week, diptyque introduces a new limited edition Valentine’s Day Collection titled Rosa Mundi, which includes a new candle, scented oval, solid perfume, scented drawer liners and a multi-use fragrance. What makes this collection even more special is that diptyque has partnered with Antoinette Poisson, the French domino paper making company which specializes in interior design wallpaper, for the design of the collection. They have hand created two unique domino paper designs for the brand in honor of the Rosa Mundi scent.
Rosa Mundi Candle, Drawer Liners and Scented Oval
Vétyvério Eau de Toilette by diptyque
diptyque Paris has just debuted their new (and first-ever!) e-commerce site. Now US consumers can shop the full breadth of the line right at their fingertips at www.diptyqueparis.com. They have also just launched a new Eau de Toilette, Vétyvério.


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Yesterday Tasty Peach Studios posted a picture of a new plush they will have up for sale this spring. The plush is based on their “Nomwhal” character, a sprinkle-coated narwhal with a waffle cone tusk. What you think?
Nomwhal is supposed to be 15 inches in size and scheduled for release this April. Stay tuned for the official release date and price
Source: Tasty Peach Studios


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LinkedIn (NYSE:LNKD) today announced the opening of a new office in Hong Kong, the company’s ninth office in the Asia Pacific region and 25th office globally. The new office will support the nearly half a million members in Hong Kong, as well as “the millions of members in the North Asia region.”
As LinkedIn already has offices in India and Japan, the North Asia reference almost certainly refers to China where the network has over two million members, the third most in the Asia Pacific region after India and Australia. (Note that this is according to the LinkedIn’s ad tool, which I’m going to accept as an approximate indication of the actual regional member counts )
Overall in the Asia region, LinkedIn claims more than 25 million members as of early February – check the breakdown in the chart on the right – which is a significant portion of its 150 million members around the world.
When we spoke with the company’s APAC vice president Arvind Rajan back in February at out Startup Asia event, he noted that the company is “studying” and “thinking about” China, but doesn’t have a presence there yet, adding that it’s an exciting market where many western companies have tried and failed.
The Hong Kong office will have about a dozen local staff, according to the company’s announcement. You can check out LinkedIn’s own infographic about its Asia presence below, as well some characteristics about its membership in Hong Kong.
The reason I say approximate is that the ad tool currently lists regional membership totals that when put together, do not actually exceed 25 million. So there’s a discrepancy somewhere. We have previously asked LinkedIn for membership breakdown, but so far we don’t have anything more accurate than its ad tool. ↩
Link to full article


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Cargill, BASF join race for plant-based omega-3 oils
- Article by: MIKE HUGHLETT
- Star Tribune
- November 2, 2011 - 9:48 PM
Cargill Inc. is partnering with German chemical giant BASF in the race to develop a plant-based source of omega-3 oils, a potentially lucrative market as demand for the healthy ingredient soars.
Cargill and BASF unveiled a joint development agreement Wednesday in which the companies will work to produce genetically modified canola with the same omega-3 benefits as fish oil. BASF will sink $208 million into the venture; Cargill, a private company, didn't disclose its commitment.
BASF brings its genetic engineering capabilities to the project, while Cargill brings its sizable presence in the processing and distribution of canola oil and myriad other foods. The companies expect to have a commercial product by 2020.
Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for the heart, and may have other positive physiological attributes, including bolstering brain health. Fish oil is the traditional source for omega-3s in dietary supplements and food, and most of it comes from sardines, particularly from Peruvian fisheries.
But "basically supply is capped because there are strict rules on the amount of fish that can be harvested," said Christopher Shanahan, a consultant at market researcher Frost & Sullivan. "Supply growth is not keeping up with demand growth."
According to GOED, an organization of omega-3 suppliers, demand for omega-3 dietary supplements alone -- already a $1 billion a year market -- is growing at 12 percent annually. Beyond that market, there's increasing demand from foodmakers who want to bolster everything from bread to orange juice with omega-3s.
Enter Minnetonka-based Cargill and other global agribusiness giants. Certain plants, including canola and flaxseed, are natural sources of omega-3s. Over the past two years, Cargill has brought to market a canola oil and shortening bolstered with omega-3s from a flaxseed-based technology.
However, those products and all plant-based omega-3 food goods now on the market -- while imparting health benefits -- don't have the chemical structure to deliver the same broad health punch as fish oil.
The quest for Cargill and BASF: find a "disruptive" technology to turn plants into the biochemical equivalent of fish oil, Shanahan said. They have plenty of competition.
Monsanto and Solae, a biotechnology firm in turn owned by DuPont Co. and Bunge Ltd., have been jointly working since 2007 to develop omega-3-rich soybeans. Dow Chemical paired up with Martek Biosciences to do the same with canola in 2008.
Earlier this year, an Australian corporate-government venture launched a canola-based omega-3 project. And the burgeoning algae industry is eyeing the omega-3 market, including Green Plains Renewable Energy, which produces algae for biofuel and omega-3 ingredients in Iowa.
The prize is potentially big: Plant-based omega-3s are expected to be less costly than fish sources of the fatty acids. Plus, plant-derived omega-3s have a longer supermarket shelf life than those that come from fish.
Thus, efforts by agriculture and bioscience companies are likely to eventually produce omega-3 ingredients that will dominate the food and beverage industry, Shanahan said. "This is a race, so whoever gets to market first will have a competitive edge."
Mike Hughlett • 612-673-7003
© 2017 Star Tribune


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Crypto is a hot trend of late. The cryptocurrency market hit over $1,000 billion in market value in 2018, and it’s likely that we will see the market cap rise to $1,300 billion, which is a huge number.
The reason crypto is overvalued is because those holding the first Bitcoin are very wealthy, and those holding the second Bitcoin are very poor, and those holding the second Bitcoin are not as wealthy as the first. We have seen some of the most powerful crypto personalities in the world, but we don’t have a lot of money left for them. If we didn’t have any money left, we wouldn’t be seeing the market cap rise.
The crypto market is so small, I doubt it will do much more than hit a billion dollars in a week. But you can be sure that some people are going to try to take advantage of it. I for one am not going to bet against them.
No, I’m not going to bet against the Bitcoin.
But I do think that the crypto boom is a bit overdone. It’s too easy for people to get rich off of crypto, but I dont think that they should. I think that the entire crypto market is a bubble. I am not saying that they are making no money, just that it has just been too easy to get rich too quickly. If it werent for the market cap rising, the market would have been much smaller.
I agree with you. If the price of Bitcoin goes up, it is a bubble. If the price of Bitcoin goes down, it can be a bubble too. In fact, the drop from the peak of the Bitcoin bubble in 2010 to now is pretty significant. But I will tell you what. Bitcoin will not disappear. It’s too late. But this is a very big deal. It’s the first time since the Bitcoin boom that people are betting against Bitcoin.
If you take a look at the price trajectory of Bitcoin over the last year, it’s been a remarkable and unexpected rise. But this rise was not caused by a bubble, nor is it necessarily a bubble. The rise is a result of the massive amount of money being invested in Bitcoin, which has been the largest investment ever by a currency on a global scale.
But that’s not what’s driving the price. Bitcoin’s price has been driven by the massive global interest in the currency and the enormous amounts of money invested in it. And that’s what makes the price so interesting. The reason Bitcoin prices have been so high is because it has become the new reserve currency of the world. That means that everyone around the world can just say “I’m going to buy $X.
Yeah, so even though many investors are scared of the volatile nature of the currency, because they have not seen the real price as it has been driven by that, they are willing to pay a lot of money into it. Because what is driving the price right now is the fact that the world is becoming more open to the idea of using Bitcoin (it is the world’s largest cryptocurrency). Even though the currency has been used for illicit transactions, it has still been used as a store of value.
And so, I am going to take the money, invest it, and use it to buy a few X’s which will go into the crypto market. And then, so long as the market has enough volatility, I can expect to get more than a billion dollars.


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The largest ever FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 has just begun, taking place across Australia and New Zealand and including 32 teams for the first time.
Spread across six football confederations, this year sees debuts from Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Vietnam and Zambia.
The strategy for the tournament’s branding was based on the idea Beyond Greatness, which, according to FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura, “perfectly captures where FIFA wants to take the female game in the hearts and minds of football fans worldwide”.
With renewed energy and investment in women’s football from both FIFA and brands, the prize money has also risen 300% since the 2019 tournament to make this year’s pot of $110 million (£84.1 million). However, this still sits at only a quarter of the $440 million (£336.4 million) awarded at the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar.
Much design work for the tournament draws on the two home nation’s history and culture – with a focus on indigenous Antipodeans and working with local creative talent.
Meanwhile, each of the women’s teams, many with their own distinct nicknames – including England’s Lionesses, Australia’s Matildas, China’s Steel Roses and Zambia’s Copper Queens – have newly designed kits, drawing on their nation’s culture and natural landscapes.
The identity was first revealed in 2021, designed by studios Public Address and Works Collective, working with local artists Chern’ee Sutton and Fiona Collins and local type designer Alistair McCready.
Eschewing the usual focus on the trophy, the logo is instead formed by 32 coloured squares, one for each of the participating teams, arranged in a circular formation around a football.
The squares’ arrangement is intended to represent a “coming together” of the world’s best, and the spirit of the host countries “radiating back out to the world”, according to the studios.
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Overlayed squares in different colours and patterns are used throughout the graphic language of the identity, additionally becoming frames for video during broadcast.
The local artists developed the patterns, Sutton designing those for Australia, inspired by Aboriginal tools or representing gatherings of people, and Collis designing New Zealand’s based on traditional weaving techniques.
The bespoke typeface was designed by New Zealand type designer and Monolith director Alistair McCready, with letterforms inspired by the squares.
The opening ceremony
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The opening ceremony featured Maori and First Nation vocal and dance performances, with large fabric puppets of a Stingray and Rainbow Serpent to represent the two host nations.
Additional groups of dancers wore costumes inspired by the 32 national jerseys.
As the ceremony came to a close, the performers held large fabric squares of colour held above their heads – recreating the logo in large-scale.
The match ball, named OCEAUNZ, “to reflect the coming together of Australia and New Zealand”, features designs by both Sutton and Collis, inspired by the natural landscapes of their countries.
On the technical side, it features the same connected ball technology as seen in Qatar at the FIFA World Cup 2022, providing precise ball data to help with decisions.
Its polyurethane (PU) skin features a mix of textures, which, combined with its 20-piece panel shape, is designed to enhance aerodynamics.
The Trophy, which unusually does not feature in the 2023 identity, is the same in use since the third Women’s World Cup, held in the USA in 1999. It was designed by William Sawaya of the Milan firm Sawaya and Moroni.
It measures 47 centimetres and weighs in at 4.6 kilograms, made of sterling silver coated in 23-carat white and yellow gold. According to FIFA, its spiral design tries “to symbolise the athleticism, dynamism and elegance of women’s football”.
A design highlight of any World Cup, this year’s kits come from a range of brands, with 10 from Adidas, 13 from Nike, and others from Castore (Republic of Ireland), Grand Sport (Vietnam), Hummel (Denmark), KoPa (Zambia), Le Coq Sportif (South Africa), Puma (Switzerland) and Saeta (Haiti).
Building on an ongoing collaboration with the brand beyond football, fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner co-designed the Adidas kit for Jamaica, complete with crochet cuffs on the away jersey and black gold and green with a delicate pinstripe on the home jersey.
The Japan jersey, with pink and purple tones inspired by the sunrise over Mount Fuji, reportedly sold out ahead of the tournament’s start.
England’s kit, designed by Nike, features a typeface by Neville Brody, with a “stencil feel” and a “modular, shape-driven aesthetic”.
Beyond the shirts, brands have developed new technology, including leak-proof shorts, often in period-friendly colours.
Adidas has announced its “biggest ever women’s football kit bag”, which it says was developed with athletes on women’s specific innovations and a “catalogue of firsts”. This includes bespoke sports bras engineered in collaboration with “The Bra Professor”, Joanna Wakefield Scurr, from the University of Portsmouth, Adidas says.
Off the pitch, the fashion collaborations continue. Working with Nike, British fashion designer Martine Rose has created a collection of tailored player suiting for team’s official engagements, while Italian brand Prada is dressing China’s Steel Roses in black suits, white shirts and black loafers.


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For India to develop, it needs to get more into manufacturing. This WSJ story on Tata Motors shows what Indian companies are capable of and should be doing:
MG Rover Group Ltd. is aiming to import 20,000 cars a year from India’s Tata conglomerate, a century-old industrial empire. The deal illuminates an arresting change in the world’s second-most-populous country. Its vast manufacturing sector, long sluggish and inefficient, is becoming a new global force. By seizing upon economic reforms and tapping the country’s cheap labor and engineering talent, top manufacturers are taking the nation’s economy beyond its well-known strengths in technology and back-office outsourcing.
India’s Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. is becoming one of the generic-drug industry’s fastest-growing players. An Indian auto-parts company, Bharat Forge Ltd., gobbled up a German firm to become the world’s second-largest forging concern. The Tata group’s own Tata Iron & Steel Co. has become one of the world’s lowest-cost producers, selling specialty steel to Toyota Motor Corp., Hyundai Motor Co. and other multinationals.
Mr. Ratan Tata and his team put engineers at all levels to work on designing the small passenger car that would become the Indica. (The name combines “India” and “Car.”) One team designed the Indica’s parts. Another division developed the conveyors for the assembly line. Yet another group built the machines to stamp the parts, and another churned out the software.
Tata Motors developed the Indica for $350 million. An equivalent project in the U.S. or Europe would have cost at least three times as much, says V. Sumantran, a 16-year veteran of General Motors Corp., who now heads Tata Motors’ car business. A good part of the savings are in salaries. Indian engineers typically earn a small fraction of the pay that their counterparts in the U.S. do.
In 2002, Tata Motors found an eager buyer for the Indica in MG Rover, which was seeking to add a small car to its stable of vehicles. MG Rover looked first in China but signed a deal on the Indica because of its low cost and high quality, according to an official from Rover’s parent company.
When one looks at outsourced services, the real benefit goes to be outsourcer, who saves 50-70% on costs. The benefit on the local (Indian) economy is marginal. This is not the same as in manufacturing. What India needs is more of FDI (foreign direct investment) which goes into creating assets on the ground, and benefits a much bigger section of the community.


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Hulu Enjoys its Emmys with Huge Surge in New Subscribers
Move over HBO and Netflix, there’s a new player in town—Hulu. The company is enjoying the success of its very own watercooler show—“Handmaid’s Tale,” which debuted on Hulu earlier this year in April. The series recently won eight Emmys, including best drama—marking the first time a streaming service took home the top prize.
But more importantly, it has helped Hulu increase daily sign-ups to the service by 98 percent since March, reported the Hollywood Reporter.
Launched in 2008 as a sort of digital DVR designed that let viewers quickly catch up on linear network programming, the streaming service provider over the past few years has been evolving into a more robust consumer offering.
“Three or four years ago, Hulu was largely known as that website where you watch last night’s TV, but we’ve actually become a lot more than that,” says Hulu’s head of experience Ben Smith. “Handmaid’s Tale was fabulous in and of itself, but what it also did was open up a conversation about everything else that is on Hulu.”
Hulu also added HBO to its programming ahead of the “Game of Thrones” season seven premiere and the lead-up to the fall television season also contributed to surges in new subscriptions. Of course, that costs money. But Hulu is planning to spend $2.5 billion on content this year.
Hulu continues to expand its product offerings outside of original programming as well. Earlier this year, the company unveiled a new user interface to go along with its newly added live TV feature. The $39.99 per month service includes access to all content that comes with a traditional $8-per-month Hulu subscription. Customers can upgrade to the commercial-free on-demand tier for an additional $4 per month.


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New Delhi: After labelling bribery charges against Infosys, Panchjanya, a journal with RSS leanings, has now opened an attack on Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, with a cover story calling it the second generation of the East India Company that entered India with business interests but ended up colonising the country for 200 years.
The cover story with Bezos’ picture accuses Amazon of indulging in corrupt practices after allegations of bribery surfaced against it.
Panchjanya has also accused Amazon for insulting Hindu values through Prime Videos movies and content.
“Amazon too wants to have sole rights on the Indian market. For this it has started taking steps to encircle the political, economic and individual freedom of people here. It is accused of floating shell companies to capture the e-market platform, of bribing to have policies in its favour, and of airing programmes opposed to Indian culture through Prime Videos”, the Panchjanya says in a gist of its cover story.
The cover refers to allegations Amazon’s legal representatives bribed Indian officials, and questions: “What did it (the company) do wrong that it needed to bribe… Why do people consider this company a threat to indigenous entrepreneurship, economic freedom and culture?”
The cover story said Amazon invested in India with a promise to help small traders get a larger platform to sell products, it actually floated its own companies to do the same. “The company floated supplier entities such as Cloudtail and Apiria in which it had significant stake and indirect control,”.
Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, has initiated an investigation into the conduct of its legal representatives in India, The Morning Context reported.
This investigation comes on the back of a whistleblower complaint alleging that certain monies paid by Amazon in legal fees have been funnelled into bribes by one or more of its legal representatives.


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Online Retailer Zulily to Add 900 Jobs In Central Ohio
Popular online retailer Zulily is planning to add about 900 jobs in central Ohio as part of new tax credit deal from the state.
The Seattle-based company says most of the positions at the new call center will be in customer service. The move is expected to generate $28 million by 2017. This comes in addition to Zulily’s existing facility in Obetz.
As part of a tax agreement, the Ohio Development Services Agency says the company will receive a 75%, 12-year tax credit in exchange for operating in Ohio for at least 15 years.
Zulily is an online store offering daily sales events on apparel, gear and other products for moms, babies and kids.


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The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association commissioned an Economic Impact Study on the RV industry, released on June 7, 2016. The study found that the RV industry contributes about $49.7 billion in economic output or 0.28 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Through its production and distribution linkages, the industry impacts firms in 426 of the 440 sectors of the United States economy.
Nationwide, the industry is responsible for 216,170 jobs, both directly and inderectly, creating an economic impact of $37.5 billion. The full study results, along with each individual state and congressional district's economic impact is available on the website by clicking here .
Fri Jul 1, 2016
Fairfax, Virginia - RVDA members can now save up to 80 percent on printing services and supplies thanks to RVDA’s recent endorsement of Office Depot. Office Depot and Office Max are now one company, so there are now more stores in more states where members can save. RVDA-endorsed products and services help dealers manage their businesses better by providing access to reliable products and services at significant discounts.
Office Depot provides printing, cleaning, break room, and office supplies for business and consumers. Under the RVDA-endorsed program, members are entitled to discounts on both in-store and online purchases, savings on printing, and free next day delivery on orders over $50. RVDA members can learn more on the Office Depot website where they can view a list of discounts on popular products and print a free store purchasing card.
“By endorsing Office Depot, the RVDA Board has added a tremendous benefit to membership, and one that every business can put to good use,” RVDA President Phil Ingrassia says. “The value of our RVDA-endorsed program just went up and dealers can look forward to achieving great savings under this agreement.”
Some dealers achieve enough savings by using endorsed products and services to pay for their entire cost of membership in just a few weeks. These cost-saving, profit-generating, educational and business-improving benefits increase the value of membership.
To see a full listing of all RVDA-endorsed products and services, go to the RVDA website at www.rvda.org.


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(Photo courtesy: csout)
It’s this last part of Christmas which seems to have truly captured the greatest amount of interest here in modern China. And in today’s modern age, shopping for Christmas is rapidly becoming a digital experience, as witnessed by the latest trends coming out of online shopping sites here in China. A couple of e-commerce websites here in China are reporting that sales in the lead up to today were anywhere from 2 to 5 times what they were from last year. This, despite the average price of online goods being up 20 percent from last year. So what is the Chinese fascination with the Christmas holiday when it comes to shopping? Source: english.cri.cn
Click to listen
Alexander F. Yuan/AP
At Beijing’s most luxurious mall – “New Light Heaven and Earth” – the religion this season is shopping.
The bright maze of cosmetics counters is festooned with green bunting. White-coated counter women wear mistletoe corsages. Downstairs a florist sells poinsettias, gold tinsel Christmas trees, and strings of flashing fairy lights.
“Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus lane,” the PA system chimes.
In one-party China, where Communist doctrine has cramped religion for 60 years, Christmas is not closely linked with spirituality. Continue here


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This outta attract some eyeballs.
Heavy.com has just announced a line-up of banned Super Bowl ads. Highlights include the GoDaddy “director’s cut” and two PETA spots, “Milk Gone Wild” and “Sausage.”
Heavy.com’s David Carson quipped, “The Super-Banned Bowl is for those companies and organizations who were denied their inalienable right to spend millions of dollars for 30 seconds of glory during the Super Bowl.”
Businesses near ‘PokeStops’ are enjoying a huge surge in footfall due to the popularity of Pokémon Go, according to our first major ... read more
A new organization, The Coalition for Better Ads, has been launched to “leverage consumer insights and cross-industry expertise to develop and implement ... read more


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By Iñaki Martinez Azpiroz
Santiago, Dec 29 (EFE).- Santiago’s La Vega Central market is resisting two global trends – the expansion of gastronomy tourism and restoration – and it keeping itself a nerve center and traditional hub where fresh food products can be had for low wholesale prices and which then wind up on the shelves of grocery stores and homes all over the city.
The Mapocho River divides the two most emblematic markets in the Chilean capital, although they operate very differently: the Central Market, on the river’s southern bank, and the La Vega Market on the northern one. The former is filled with seafood restaurants where tourists visiting the city abound, and the latter is jammed with merchants buying product wholesale which they then sell retail at their stores.
Aromas of cilantro, strawberries, fresh cheese and many other delectable scents fill the passageways of La Vega Central, where kiosks offer food of all kinds, mixing traditional Chilean fare with imported food loved by who have migrated to Chile from all over Latin America.
“We decided (at) La Vega, (not to) lose the traditional and homegrown, so we don’t fall into the same position as other European markets, which have transformed themselves into something (exclusively) gastronomic,” the market’s manager, Manuel Caro, told EFE.
La Vega’s hallmark, Caro said, it its patio area where buyers and sellers meet amid the flood of people and pickup trucks loaded with products. “We don’t want to lose our identity and transform ourselves into a mall” or shopping center, he said.
Some 7,000 people work at the La Vega Market, he said, and more than 45,000 customers come there each day to buy from the shops and kiosks.
The market’s rhythm is very much in contrast with Santiago’s other oldest market, the Mercado Central, located 400 meters (yards) from the central Armas Plaza. That market has been restored to cater to tourists and now there are very few fish and seafood sellers left plying their trade there.
“Before, at the Mercado Central you would find fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, seafood, meat – it was the supply nucleus within Santiago’s historic old town,” a translator for tourists, Luis Pezoa, told EFE, adding that he has worked in the area for 34 years for a restaurant that, over time, expanded to be a local chain.
“Over time, the Mercado Central has become a gastronomic center,” he said.
The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the tourism trade drying up at the market, forcing various restaurants there to close. But now the businesses there are recovering little by little, said Pezoa, but a number of shops and restaurants are still closed and activity is far below the levels of 2019.
Prices at La Vega are, for the great majority of products, lower than in other places around Santiago. “We are marked by the difference between us and the supermarkets, which are raising their prices,” Manuel Caro said.
For example, at La Vega, cherries cost less than 1,000 pesos per kilogram – that is, a little more than $1 – while at the big grocery stores the same amount costs five times as much.
La Vega’s fame has made it a regular tradition for many sellers in the Chilean capital, who come there each day to buy food for their restaurants and retail outlets. “Here, I’ve been buying products at wholesale for the past 20 years, and I can find everything,” the owner of a Santiago grocery store, Alvaro Campos, told EFE.
People walking through La Vega know the faces that they see there each day, Campos said, and that creates a mutually trusting community.
Before being interviewed by EFE, Campos was helping the clerk at a vegetable stand attend to several customers waiting in line. They knew one another and he was giving the clerk a hand, saying “Someone will always help you here. That’s just how we do it here.”