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Photograph by Walter Bibikow/eStock
Sin Taxes, Percentage of Revenue: 4.66%
Total Sin Tax Revenue (2012): $821.6 million
When Washington State privatized sales of alcohol last June, it wasn't clear the move would pay off, partly because of the costs of shutting the state’s liquor business. One year later, it looks like the strategy was a success. Liquor is available at more than 1,400 retailers now instead of 329 state-run stores, and new fees, such as a 10 percent charge distributors have to pay, are adding to revenue.
The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, an independent agency, projects that spirit taxes and fees will generate $425 million in revenue for fiscal 2013, up from $309 million in fiscal 2012. Cigarette and tobacco taxes brought in $471.3 million in 2012, down 1.6 percent from a year earlier even though Washington has the fifth-highest tax on cigarettes, $3.025 per pack. Sin tax revenue could grow more: Washington has legalized the recreational use of marijuana.


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A new Vivo smartphone’s in-display fingerprint scanning feature is powered by Goodix hardware, the latter has announced.
The revelation comes immediately on the heels of Vivo’s announcement of the X21 and the X21 UD. The latter is only the second commercial smartphone to feature in-display fingerprint scanning technology, following the launch of the original in-display pioneer, the Vivo X20 UD, in January.
That device’s novel in-display technology was powered by a Synaptics Clear ID sensor, making the switch to a Goodix sensor for the X21 UD a surprising move, especially given the short timeframe between the smartphones’ launches. Possibly the devices have been in development simultaneously, with Vivo seeking to trial in-display technologies from both suppliers as a means of finding the most effective solution. Or, it may be that Synaptics was unable to deliver enough units to meet Vivo’s demand for the X21 UD, prompting the company to seek an additional supplier; in a statement announcing the X21 UD integrations, Goodix described itself as “the main fingerprint sensor supplier” for the device – not the sole supplier.
In any case, the X21 UD represents the culmination of a long development process for Goodix, which actually staked a claim to delivering the “world’s first” in-display fingerprint sensor technology at last year’s Mobile World Congress, but failed to deliver that technology in a commercial device before Synaptics took the lead with Vivo’s X20 UD.
As the X21 UD makes its way to market at the end of this month, other smartphone makers may keep an eye on how it performs, and in particular how its in-display technology compares to that of the X20 UD. In-display technology represents the next step in mobile fingerprint recognition, and those OEMs that are not prepared to abandon the modality in favor of facial recognition or iris scanning are likely eager to follow Vivo’s lead, and to opt for the better solution if there’s a clear winner.

domain: news


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Inflation Up 8.1% In China, 3.6% In Europe: Multi-Year Highes
The rising costs of goods and services now has most of the civilized world firmly by the throat. It is not going to get any better. The story has been written too often that the causes of increasing prices are oil and commodities, especially food. The hidden culprit is rising demand. Gas is still up in the US because people are still driving. Food prices in China are up because people are still eating. Growing nations like India and Venezuela have to “buy” their expansion somewhere. That increases demand for everything from cooper to asphalt.
Most of the evidence now is the world’s oil supplies are maturing. OPEC is not increasing production because the cartel members have no incentive to. Large agriculture products providers like the US already have record acres under the hoe. Crop yield, even those from gene-altered seed, are reaching their unnatural limits.
Because these things are global problems they need global solutions. Governments have demurred from getting together. Most of the conversation at this point is about blame and not solutions.
What all of this leaves is an ever-increasing chance of stagflation in most of the world’s largest economies. Leaving aside the ability of rich nations to help poorer ones, rich nations may not be able to help themselves.
Central bank rate cuts allow financial companies to rebuild balance sheets, but the risk of lending money into the economy is cutting the availability of capital. Even those with no access to money are likely to spend what they have on food and gas.
The US may be able to take the lead in repairing these breaches in the world economy by buying food and offering it to consumers here and abroad at better prices. It could even open the strategic oil reserve to bring down oil prices. But, the cost would fall to tax-payers and their ability to pay taxes is already compromised
Stagflation, coming on like a freight train, is not going to be stopped.
Douglas A. McIntyre


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Reuters reported soil moisture compensated for dry sunny weather in most of the country’s cocoa-growing regions last week, boosting the upcoming harvests of the October-to-March main crop.
Farmers said the bulk of harvesting is expected to leave areas in December but warned that more rain would be needed to prevent beans from becoming acidic from January.
Theodore Asse, who farms near the western region of Soubre where 8.9 millimetres fell last week, 6.5 mm below the five-year average, told local media: "We do not have a problem with dry [weather] that could endanger production,"
Farmers made similar observations in the southern region Agboville and the eastern region of Abengourou, where rainfall was above average, and in the southern region of Divo, where rains were below average, Reuters reported.
Black pod disease in Nigeria hits output
In neighbouring Nigeria, excessive rains have hit the production of its main crop after the spread of black pod disease in the main growing areas of the country.
The Cocoa Association of Nigeria has indicated that the country’s 2021-2022 cocoa production is expected to be down by 15%.
Mufutau Abolarinwa, the National President of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, told BusinessDay the season was delayed by two weeks, and a scramble for quality cocoa beans has pushed the prices of the commodity higher as floods ravaged farmlands in Taraba and Cross River states.
“Lots of cocoa were affected by the black pod disease owing to the excessive rains in major producing states and the flood incidents. The impact is quite huge and we see output for the season declining by at least 15%,” he said.
According to the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, black pod, a fungi disease, thrives in wet conditions on cocoa farms due to incessant rains without adequate sunshine.
The farm gate prices of cocoa, Nigeria’s flagship export produce, have surged by 77% this year.
Nigeria is the world’s fourth top grower of cocoa with 250,000MT, ICCO said in its third quarter bulleting, and a 15% decline means the output will dip by 37,500MT.
Cocoa prices on Monday closed higher, with NY cocoa posting a 1-week high and London cocoa climbing to a 6-year nearest-futures high. A stronger dollar Monday limited gains in NY cocoa.
A bullish factor for cocoa prices was Monday's news that Ivory Coast farmers sent a cumulative 707,200 MT of cocoa to Ivory Coast ports for the 2022/23 marketing year from October 1 through November 27, down -2.6% y/y, barchart.com reported.
March ICE NY cocoa (CCH23) on Monday closed up +1 (+0.04%), and December ICE London cocoa #7 (CAZ22) closed up +28 (+1.34%).
Last Friday's weekly Commitment of Traders (COT) report showed funds boosted their net-long London cocoa positions by 1,122 to a 3-year high of 75,683 long positions in the week ended 15 November.


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Movie theatres worldwide are entering financial peril amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic. Their operations have shut down for the foreseeable future, prompting some of the most notable brands in this marketspace to locate new investors. This extends towards AMC Theatres, with it now being reported that the Amazon Company is considering the full acquisition of this movie theatre chain. It’s also reported that Showcase Cinemas and Regal Cinemas also contacted Amazon for financial freedom. However, Amazon selected against those two respective brands and are moving forward with AMC Theatres.
Most of these movie theatres had hoped they’d reopen their doors weeks after the initial lockdown began. However, that was sixty days ago. It appears that an additional thirty to sixty days of lockdown measures will be imposed on Western Nations. That will force double the lost revenue on these companies, with Summer coming as their most financially profitable quarter. Obtaining an acquisition through Amazon would enable AMC Theatres to remain an active property for the foreseeable future, especially when considering that Jeff Bezos holds $145 Billion in financial wealth. He could afford to purchase all movie theatres worldwide and have barely inflicted his fortune.
It should be mentioned that AMC Theatres is struggling more than their competition. This company stands as the most prominent operator of movie theatres worldwide, supporting 11+ thousand screens globally. All these respective screens are shut down right now, with hundreds of millions being lost weekly to this company. Financial experts were predicting that AMC Theatres would file for bankruptcy during the pandemic. However, obtaining financial freedom with Amazon would revert all chances of AMC Theatres entering bankruptcy.
Jeff Bezos isn’t considering purchasing AMC Theatres from the kindness of his heart. It’s a business investment that would drastically improve the growth of Amazon Studios, which currently develops films and television series for Amazon Prime Video. Instead of these respective properties being released to their streaming service, they’d launch onto the big screen internationally. Amazon would throw hundreds of millions into acquiring new features through notable novels, directors, or writers. The investment would take a prolonged period to see returns but would eventually make Amazon Studios a powerhouse similar to Disney.


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Building water security for our region’s future
The Waimea Plains holds some of the most fertile productive land in the South Island, producing fruit, vegetables and boutique crops such as hops and grapes. It is of national strategic importance and its loss of productive capacity would be significant.
According to HortNZ, in 2022/23, the value of New Zealand’s horticultural products was $7.17 billion. These exports command a premium overseas and Nelson Tasman fruit has proven highly valued: the Envy™ apple, for example, is grown locally and was crowned 'favourite apple' by US consumers in 2017. Although wine, kiwifruit and apples dominate horticultural exports, Nelson Tasman is the only region growing boysenberries and one of two growing blackcurrants, unique additions to NZ's export success. For apple orchard owners, their value has increased by 70% since 2015 due to success in international markets.
Security of water with the dam will mean continued growth in higher value crops and, therefore, increased economic activity and value to everyone who lives in the region.
Several independent organisations, including the NZ Institute of Economic Research (NZIER), Northington Partners, and the Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA) analysed the data and concluded there are major economic arguments in favour of water storage.
The Nelson Tasman region will see tremendous benefit in terms of jobs, general health and well-being, and future economic development. These benefits are substantial: with the dam, the region could see GDP increase by as much as $923 million in the next 25 years, almost $37 million each year. In the first year alone, dam construction brought high-paying jobs to the region, and household incomes and consumption were expected to rise by $27 million.
We can't discount the supporting industries - it's not irrigators alone who will realise greater economic growth. According to the NRDA, our regional horticulture sector supports 21 other industries including business support, technology, research, and others. Today’s horticulture sector directly contributes 53 percent of the GDP from those industry sectors. It supports 41 percent of the total employment of those industries, which equates to thousands of people. The jobs in these 21 sectors pay a median wage that is 10 percent higher than the Nelson Tasman average.
Read these reports in full on our Documents page under the heading "Economic Analyses."
Copyright 2019 Waimea Water
027 544 0030
Website by Publik Agency


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Digiday Research: Publishers rely most on house ads and emails to drive subscriptions
This research is based on unique data collected from our proprietary audience of publisher, agency, brand and tech insiders. It’s available to Digiday+ members. More from the series →
When it comes to selling subscription products, publishers are finding most success by marketing to their existing audiences and direct connections through house ads and email marketing campaigns, as opposed to purchasing advertising from third-parties.
At the Digiday Hot Topic: Subscriptions and Memberships event in August, 65 percent of publisher executives said email marketing is their most effective customer acquisition tool for subscription products, followed by 16 percent who said house ads are their most effective tool.
Publishers are experimenting with various tactics when it comes to email, such as emailing offers to users who have signed up for newsletters and other editorial emails, or simply injecting ads and offers directly into those newsletters. Others may choose to purchase lists of email addresses to send offers to or may acquire addresses through partnerships with third parties.
The Times of London found success in sending more paywalled content in its newsletters, driving more non-subscribers to hit their free article limit and increasing their likelihood of purchasing a subscription for unlimited access as a result.
However, using in-house inventory to drive subscriptions can be a complicated balancing act for publishers. While house ads — like email — are potentially low-cost to use, dedicating inventory to them can eat into potential ad revenues. 18 percent of publishers surveyed by Digiday said they dedicate more than 10 percent of their inventory to ads promoting subscriptions.
Most publishers are still dependent on advertising for the majority of their revenues, according to previous Digiday research, so cutting down on ads, even to win over subscribers, is something publishers must consider carefully.
One way to avoid that tension could be for publishers to bake promotion for subscription products directly into their sites, reducing the need for ad inventory.
“Because our paywall and subscribe buttons are built into our site design, we generally do not allocate ad inventory to promoting subscriptions,”said Miki King, vice president of marketing at The Washington Post. “The rare exception is special promotions that we run on-site periodically, such as during holiday periods. Our on-site acquisition channels far outperform all off-site channels… such as programmatic and display advertising.”
More in Media
Publishers are testing a TikTok feature that adds links to organic videos, and hoping it can help drive traffic to their sites.
The percentage of publishers making money from events hit a low as of the first quarter of this year and, as a result, fewer publishers plan on putting a focus on growing that part of their business.
Year two of Possible is once again being held in Miami Beach, and it will take place from April 15-17 with 3,000 attendees expected to listen to another 200 or so speakers, including Snap’s Colleen DeCourcy, Uber Ads’ Megan Ramm and UM Worldwide’s Matthew Smith.


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Apple Smart Battery Case for iPhone XS Leaks
It appears Apple has plans to release a new Smart Battery Case for the iPhone XS, XR & XS Max sometime this month.
9to5mac recently discovered a new icon within the OS for the new battery case, and now they have an exclusive photo of the new case.
The new Smart Battery case will come in three different models to fit all of this year's iPhones announced by Apple. The case also has a better design on the back looking far better than the previous model.
9to5mac reports that Apple has plans to release this case within the next month so we will have to wait and see. If you're looking to buy a new case or battery case for the iPhone, you should wait and see what Apple has to offer in the coming weeks.
Story Source: 9to5mac.com


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The U.S.-listed shares of Aphria [$APHA] surged 17% in midday trading Thursday touching 2019 highs, after the Canada-based cannabis company unveiled a surprise fiscal Q2 adjusted profit and revenue that jumped above forecasts, citing strength in its global cannabis and consumer packaged goods businesses. The net loss for the quarter to November 30 grew to C$122.0 million ($96.3 million), or 42 cents a share, from C$8.2 million, or 3 cents a share, during the same period in 2020.
Barring non-recurring items, the company notched an EPS of 1 cent from a loss of 19 cents, beating the FactSet consensus for a per-share loss of 3 cents. Revenue elevated 33% to C$160.5 million ($126.6 million), above the FactSet consensus of C$153.9 million.
Adult-use cannabis revenue grew 149% to C$72.1 million. The average selling price of adult-use cannabis boosted to C$4.29 per gram from C$4.15 per gram in the previous quarter, while the average retail selling price of medical cannabis fell to C$6.96 per gram from C$7.38 per gram.
Shares of Tilray [$TLRY] shot up 19.4%, as the company and Aphria agreed in December to a merger. The stock, which which is on track for the highest close since November 2018, has soared 98.6% over the past three months while the Alternative Harvest ETF [$MJ] has appreciated 72.4% and the S&P 500 [$SPY] has tacked on a 9.4% gain.


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Google VP says 'my iPhone' at G1 press conference
It was quit the embarrassing moment for Philipp Schindler, vice president of Google Germany. He was having his moment of fame when he made the mistake you only make in your nightmares.
Schindler made the mistake (and corrected it quickly) at the press conference Google, HTC and T-Mobile held in Hamburg yesterday. At the press conference the new Android phone was announced in Europe. This month the phone will be on sale in Netherlands, Poland, Cech and Germany.
Tagcloudwebsite streetview china business social media yandex images baidu ads sem app maps iphone research russia blog london microsoft interview realtime google android advertising facebook smx seo search engines search engine internet street view viral browser yahoo google earth video europe spain search engine strategies gmail bing


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DETROIT – Local 4 has exclusive details about what is on the table in negotiations between the United Automobile Workers and General Motors and what has bogged talks down.
One of the biggest issues in the strike is what is to become of the Detroit-Hamtramck plant. It's one of four unallocated plants, but tonight, Local 4 has learned there is a specific plan for the Detroit Hamtramck plant.
General Motors is committing a couple billion more dollars to plant investment. Last month, GM offered $7 billion. As of Friday night, that number is $2 billion more. It's expected that $7.7 billion would go to GM-UAW facilities, with the rest going to joint ventures.
There's also a commitment from GM to build its new, full-size electric pickup at the Detroit Hamtramck assembly plant. Auto analyst Paul Eisenstein, of thedetroitbureau.com, calls it significant.
Watch the video above for the full report.


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Sina Tech, 8/05/11
According to an industry source, Zhao Zhiwei will soon step down as CEO of Chinese online financial information provider China Finance Online (Nasdaq: JRJC). An official announcement is expected to made shortly. Zhao has served as CEO of China Finance Online for six years.
China Finance Online has yet to make a statement regarding the situation.


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Vivint is a home security company looking for growth in home energy and solar installations.
The company, formerly called APX Alarms, today is scheduled to announce its new name and strategy to expand into home automation. It now has about 16,000 homes using a combined home alarm and energy management system, which it expects to grow to about 100,000 customers this year, according to CEO Todd Pederson.
Many utility-run smart-grid programs give consumers the ability to monitor their electricity usage and program appliances to run at off-peak times to save money. But similar energy management functions are being offered as part of home entertainment or security systems.
At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, a number of companies showed offfeaturing home energy management as one application. Broadband providers, including , are also packaging energy management with other services.
Vivint's system works with a touch-screen panel that does both security and home control. Right now, it lets people remotely control a thermostat from the panel, a smartphone, or Web page.
The latest version expands the home automation with wireless light switches and wireless plugs for small appliances. Those devices use the Z-Wave protocol to communicate with the main control panel, which uses the cell phone network to connect to Vivint.
In the coming months, the company plans to offer solar panel installation services as well, said Pederson. "We think solar is just a natural fit from a service perspective," he said.
Vivint says that consumers can expect about $25 savings a month on electricity bills by turning off equipment from a central point. For example, there are pre-set programs so that a person can hit an "away" button on the control panel and the thermostat adjusts and other connected appliances turn off.
The cost for the service is either $44.99 or $49.99 per month after a $99 fee. Energy management is $6.99 per month and a security camera is another $9.99 per month.
The company is also looking to work with utilities' smart meters so consumers can participate in demand response programs where they get a rebate for moving power-hungry jobs to off-peak times.
Home security company ADT is also offering athat lets people program and control thermostats and other connected devices remotely.


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Digital advertiser targets coffee crowd
DIGITAL screen advertising network Simply Screens has partnered with a Birmingham business district coffee shop to promote client products and services to queuing customers.
Customers at Cafe Costes on Newhall Street are to be targeted via on screen advertising from, initially, Hush Hair, Ink Tree, The Birmingham Small Business Centre and the Whitewall gallery.
Other advertisers will be announced in due course.
Tom Smith, founder of Simply Screens said: “Cafe Costes was chosen as it’s in the heart of the Colmore Business District with more than 500 surrounding companies making it the perfect place to promote local businesses.”
Graham Hollway from Ink Tree commented: “It’s exciting to be involved with a new media in advertising. Ink Tree looks forward to a long association with Simply Screens to promote our new design and print business.”


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As we’re all marching through 2020 fast, we’re also approaching the release date of the long-awaited The Elders Scrolls 6. After Bethesda released an official announcement teaser two years ago, many fans began speculating online about what we can expect from the upcoming game.
It’s nine years since The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim hit the stores in 2011.
Bethesda made it available for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Although it’s such an old game, it was a big hit that made the fans go wild in excitement. The main story for The Elder Scrolls 5 revolves around the Dragonborn character, on his quest to defeat Alduin the World-Eater, a dragon who wants to destroy the world.
The Elders Scrolls 6 shall make the fans forget about the fifth game
This is incredibly difficult considering how great was The Ender Scrolls 5 – compelling story, exciting gameplay, lots of powerful and mythical foes to battle, memorable soundtracks, and more. However, there’s a big hint that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be even better considering how long it has been (and still is) under production.
However, Bethesda wants to keep the silence and prolong the suspense until the game arrives, as it released a trailer that doesn’t say too much:
Todd Howard from Bethesda confirms that the developers are working hard for the upcoming game, but they also have full schedules with other games as well:
“We had done so many things, we were going Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Fallout… You have this Starfield game in your head, you sort of say, well, when? It can be never, you could say never. But look, we’re creative, and it’s like we have to make this game, and this is the time. So Elder Scrolls 6 is going to have to wait a little bit.”
The Elder Scrolls 6 Release Date
Judging by what Howard said with that “…Elder Scrolls 6 is going to have to wait a little bit”, we can conclude that the game is expected to arrive in the upcoming months or in 2021. The Elder Scrolls 6 will surely be a gaming blockbuster, and we can’t wait to see it running on various platforms.


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HP and Google have issued a formal recall for the defective micro-USB charger cables that have given some HP Chromebook 11 owners a nasty surprise by melting or bursting into flames during use.
"If you purchased your HP Chromebook 11 on or before December 1, 2013 and you have not received a replacement charger," Google wrote in a FAQ on Tuesday, "you should immediately stop using the original charger, which has been recalled."
Reports that the chargers were overheating first surfaced in November, prompting HP and Google to issue a notice saying they were "pausing sales" of the HP Chromebook 11.
At the time, Google said that it had only received "a small number" of reports of damaged chargers, but that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had advised it to halt sales anyway, pending corrective measures.
The news was a setback for HP, which had hyped its latest Chromebook in part based on its innovative charging system. Where previous Chromebooks had all used AC adapters to connect to power mains, the HP Chromebook 11 charges via a micro-USB cable, just like many smartphones and tablets do.
As of Tuesday, customers can now request a replacement for their Chromebook 11 charger by filling out a form online. The new chargers will be mailed to anyone who asks for one free of charge, and Google and HP will even cover the cost of shipping the defective charger back to them.
Only the charger itself needs to be sent back. Customers can keep their Chromebooks and continue to use them while they wait for the replacement charger, using a certified micro-USB charger from some other device to power them up in the meantime.
According to a press release from the CPSC, the recall affects approximately 145,000 units, all of which were sold in October and November. In addition, Google and HP say that any new Chromebook 11 units purchased after December 1, 2013 come with the new, improved charger in the box already, so no replacement is be necessary.
Just when you will be able to buy those new units, however, is still unknown. The HP Chromebook 11 is still listed as "coming soon" on its official website, and it isn't available for sale at Amazon, Best Buy, or HP's own online store, either.
The Reg has asked when Google and HP might be planning to resume sales of the devices. When we hear anything, we'll let you know. ®


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Some supermarkets routinely tout their environmental policies and products, but a local consumer group says stores such as Trader Joe’s aren’t always walking the walk when it comes to reusable bags.
The Citizens Campaign for the Environment has given Whole Foods and Stop & Shop top grades for reusable bag polices, while Trader Joe’s, King Kullen and Uncle Giusseppe’s got failing grades.
The group graded stores on sale and promotion of reusable bags, as well as signage reminding shoppers to bring their own bags.
It also looked at incentives and how well companies educated employees on the environmental importance of reusing bags.
“Grocery stores have helped create the problem of disposable bags and now we need them to help solve this problem,” said Citizens Campaign Executive Director Adrienne Esposito.
The Citizens Campaign found that seven out of 14 grocery chains refunded money to consumers for bringing their own grocery bags. The most generous was Whole Foods’ 10 cent rebate. Stop & Shop and Shop Rite each give a nickel back.
“That’s the biggest incentive for consumers to bring their own bag, getting money back,” Esposito said of Whole Food’s dime-a-bag deal. “Some people shop at supermarkets two or three times a week.”
Stop & Shop won praise for extensive signage in parking lots and outside stores, reminding shoppers to bring bags.
Walmart and Best Yet got kudos for selling reusable bags for less than 99 cents, providing a cheap way to make the environmental choice.
But Trader Joe’s got the thumbs down in part for not giving people money off for bringing back bags despite a growing trends among supermarkets to do so.
Trader Joe’s is known for selling environmentally friendly products and taking environmental stands regarding seafood and other products.
But Esposito said Trader Joe’s doesn’t provide a financial incentive in the form of cash for supplying their own bag. She said the company also doesn’t post signage in parking lots regarding bringing your own bag, although it does offer in-store signage.
Esposito added that the company didn’t respond to numerous requests both to a local store and corporate headquarters for information about its policies and programs.
“Trader Joe’s is the only store out of 14 which refused to participate in our phone interview,” she said. “They’re not willing to talk about their consumer policy, because they should give money back for customers bringing reusable bags.”
But workers at several Trader Joe’s stores contacted by LIBN said customers who bring their own bags can enter a raffle two times a week for a $25 gift card. Trader Joe’s also sells reusable bags for as little as 99 cents at many locations to promote recycling.
“There’s a lot of great things our company does,” said one employee. “We always encourage customers to bring back their bags.”
Customers can be entered into a lottery even if they reuse paper or plastic bags, rather than traditional reusable bags.
“It’s a fun way to encourage customers to reuse their grocery or reusable bag,” a spokesman for Trader Joe’s said.
But Esposito believes refunding a small amount of money to many people is a more effective way of promoting reusable bags than a lottery. “Why reward two people a week?” she said. “Why not give everybody something back?”
Trader Joe’s has been sellingcanvas bags for more than 30 years, putting it well ahead of the curve in terms of that approach.
Some Trader Joe’s customers said they routinely see people bringing their own bags at the store, even though they rarely see that at other chains.
Others said they reuse Trader Joe’s paper bags, which are bigger and more durable than plastic bags many chains use.
Whether or not Trader Joe’s approach is the best, the chain wasn’t the only one criticized in this report. King Kullen also got an F, but Wild By Nature, which Esposito said shares the same ownership, got a B.
Wild By Nature gives back a nickel for bringing your own bag, uses good signage regarding reusable bags and trains cashiers to ask whether customers bring their own bags, according tothe group. But Esposito said King Kullen wasn’t as active on those fronts.
“That tells me that they understand what should be done,” she said of King Kullen supermarkets. “They’re just not doing it.”


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Asian markets have been weighed by the “increasingly dire narrative” over the U.S. trade war escalation, but with U.S. President Trump set to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping, some shares could rally, Nomura said.
Xi and Trump are set to meet at the G-20 meeting in Buenos Aires later this week, and optimism that at least a face-saving, if unsubstantive, agreement would emerge was running high among analysts. That was in part due to a South China Morning Post article last week, citing a source with knowledge of the matter, that hardline White House adviser Peter Navarro wasn’t on the guest list, a development which suggested cooler heads might prevail.
When it comes to the meeting outcome, “it does not have to be material, but it might just be enough to provide stocks with a reason to rally
(even if it is short term),” Nomura said in a note on Tuesday. “We would be looking to add stocks that have a lot of trade-related negativity priced in.”
It tipped 18 stocks in the region that might climb more than the broader market if the easing-trade-tension theme plays out.
The list is dominated by tech plays, despite a fundamentally cautious view on the handset supply chain and memory makers, Nomura said.
“The link between trade tariffs and many tech players is tenuous, and driven by sentiment rather than actual exposure. Nevertheless we think that positive news on the trade front could result in some of these beaten down stocks rallying on better sentiment,” it said.
While handset-supply-chain companies also face slower demand, Nomura tipped the segment for playing the trade theme. It said it preferred Android exposure as it was closer to the bottom than Apple.
Sunny Optical Tech and O-Film Tech fit the theme, Nomura said, adding that while Parade Technologies bypasses the handset-slowdown trend, it has faced concerns notebooks might be included in tariffs.
It tipped Hua Hong Semiconductor in the non-memory space, and the two largest surveillance systems companies globally, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital and Zhenjiang Dahua Technology, which have China plants using high U.S. semi-conductor content.
For tech hardware, it tipped Taiwan-listed Ennoconn, Bizlink Holding and Taiwan Union Technology, while in the optical modules segment, it pointed to Zhongji InnoLight and Accelink Technologies.
Among other shares that might rally on easing trade tensions, Nomura pointed to Singapore’s banks as “unusual suspects,” as they’ve been affected by their high gearing to trade finance and China exposure.
It tipped DBS, noting its China exposure was at 31 percent of loans.
It also noted shares of Genting Singapore have been “caught in the crossfire,” despite solid earnings, amid a selloff in Macau gamers on expectations the trade war would weigh on demand.
Nomura also pointed to the petrochemical sector as potentially gaining on easing trade tensions, as China, the world’s largest polyethylene
and polypropylene importer, has seen stagnant import growth amid trade uncertainty.
The investment bank tipped Lotte Chem, LG Chem, Formosa Plastics and Siam Cement as potential beneficiaries.
It also pointed to Hong Kong-listed WH Group, which has been seen its both its U.S. and mainland operations hurt by China’s tariffs on U.S. pork products


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The Jewelry Industry Summit, a two-day event that will gather all segments of the industry to discuss sourcing issues, is open for registration.
The summit will take place at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City March 11–13, 2016, with an opening reception on the evening of March 10.
The summit will be an interactive, working meeting, with large and small discussion groups assisted by professional facilitators.
“Consumers care about where their products are sourced today, there’s no longer any question,” said Lita Asscher, president of Royal Asscher and a member of its planning committee, in a statement. “That means it’s important to the future health of all of our businesses. And though there are a number of excellent responsible-sourcing programs out there, there’s never been an industry-wide consensus on what constitutes a vision all stakeholders can support. The summit is organized to hear all viewpoints, from miners to retailers.”
Also attending: government representatives, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), consumer and marketing experts, and affiliated service providers such as banks and industry trade associations. Experts on responsible sourcing will be invited to create informative posters.
For more information, click here.


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Tallinn-based Katana has raised $35 million in a Series B round. The startup offers makers just about everything they need to keep on making, corralling all the processes, tools, and software manufacturers require within an easy-to-use ERP. With the new influx of capital, Katana is expecting to expand its feature range, including supporting the more complex needs of SMB manufacturers with omnichannel sales strategies as continues to move upmarket.
Led by Northzone, an early investor in Spotify, Personio, and Trustpilot, the Series B round also saw the participation of Lightrock alongside previous investors Atomico and 42CAP. Additionally, Katana continues to be supported by a host of angel investors including Sergei Anikin (former CTO at Pipedrive, also serving as Katana’s Chairman of the Supervisory Board), Sten Tamkivi (Co-founder of NFTPort and former Skype executive), and Ott Kaukver (CTO of Checkout and former CTO of Twilio). To date, the startup has garnered $51 million.
“I am thrilled to welcome investors to our board who share our team’s vision. We’re equally grateful for the continued support of our previous investors and angel investors,” said Katana founder and CEO Kristjan Vilosius. “From offering software to single-person workshops to bigger and bigger manufacturers over time, Katana now serves over 1300 companies across 80 countries. This investment helps us continue to develop a manufacturing ERP platform customers love, as well as offer support to an under-served market that is having its own incredible renaissance.”


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Verizon expected to cut 2,100 jobs at Yahoo and AOL after merger closes
Verizon will cut 15% of the combined workforce of Yahoo and AOL in a merger expected to close next week, resulting in an estimated 2,100 layoffs, a source familiar with the plans told the Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo’s shareholders on Thursday approved the $4.5-billion sale of its core business to Verizon. The deal is expected to close by June 13, uniting Yahoo with longtime competitor AOL.
The layoffs will be spread evenly across AOL and Yahoo as Verizon looks to reduce redundancies and streamline operations, the source said. Employees in product or engineering roles will be the least affected.
Verizon has a simple goal in buying Yahoo: It wants to challenge Google and Facebook in the huge and lucrative field of digital advertising. But Verizon faces its own challenge in doing so, given that it will be competing against a slew of other companies also looking to break in.
Verizon wants to become a strong third choice for advertisers by adding Yahoo’s popular sites and billion users to its own media business, which includes AOL and Verizon’s homegrown go90 video service. It can place ads on those sites, and can also combine data from visitors to those sites with AOL’s ad technologies and sales teams — and possibly also personal data from Verizon mobile customers such as location and other information — in order to better target ads at individuals.
AOL and Yahoo will retain their own brands and products, but internally the unified firm will be called Oath. It will be led by AOL Chief Executive Tim Armstrong.
Job cuts aren’t a surprise — cost-cutting has been framed as a benefit of the deal. Laura Martin, senior analyst of entertainment and Internet at Needham & Co., said the pending layoffs imply that Verizon has determined the 85% of the business with the biggest upside.
“Verizon has decided what parts of the businesses they will keep and which ones they will shutter,” she said. “The employees remaining will be centered in the businesses that will likely grow.”
Yahoo shares jumped 10.2% to $55.71 on Thursday after shareholders approved the merger. Verizon stock closed at $46.19, down less than 1%.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
2:50 p.m.: This article was updated with a closing stock price for Yahoo.
12:35 p.m.: This article was updated with comment from Laura Martin, senior analyst of entertainment and Internet at Needham & Co.
11:15 a.m.: This article was updated with confirmation about the number of layoffs from a source familiar with the matter.
This article was originally published at 10:45 a.m.


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Fred and Betty Ann Rainbow have the dubious distinction of having been driven out of business by Amazon – twice.
First, it was bookstores they owned in Gainesville, Florida. Today it is Duffy’s Island Hardware, Peaks Island’s only hardware store.
The couple treat their fate with good humor. “Amazon got us twice,” Ben Rainbow said Tuesday.
“I will never forgive this guy,” he said, referring to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. “We continue to wait for him to go bankrupt.”
Duffy’s closing Wednesday – named after one of the couple’s dogs – will leave a hole in the tight-knit community all year round.
For Island resident Bill Oliver, this was the store he could rely on for a box of nails, nuts and bolts or a roll of duct tape to complete a home repair project. Often the store was the difference between a quick errand and a shopping spree to and from mainland Portland’s stores via ferry, an excursion that could take hours.
“One of our early mottos was that we save you a trip ashore,” Betty Ann Rainbow said.
As Oliver stopped by on Tuesday to pick up grab tools for his wife – she uses them to clean up litter on the island – he said the store’s closure left him with a “feeling of emptiness”.
The Rainbows said they share that sentiment, but ultimately their small store couldn’t compete with larger retailers who can ship products directly to a customer’s doorstep in a day or two.
Duffy’s Island Hardware opened in early 2014 – four years after the Rainbows closed Florida bookstores – and quickly established itself as a trusted resource for the island’s nearly 1,000 residents, whose number triples during the summer.
The islanders particularly appreciated the year-round presence. Fred Rainbow, however, said business wasn’t exactly buoyant once the weather cooled and summer visitors headed home.
He boasts of having read the New York Times and the Portland Press Herald cover to cover every day, as well as a few novels. Most of the time, friends came to discuss politics.
“All he needed was a flat-bellied stove,” Betty Ann Rainbow said.
But Fred Rainbow said the goal was never to make a lot of money; the goal was to provide service to Peaks, where he spent every summer until he moved full-time to the island in 2013.
“It was a lot of work, but it was rewarding work,” he said of the store. “And it was modestly profitable.”
“Very modestly,” Betty Ann Rainbow interjected.
The Rainbows plan to donate the remaining tools and equipment and they hope at least some will go to Somali immigrants in the state. Fred Rainbow said it takes a few tools and supplies to truly make a house a home in a new land.
The Rainbows said they know this week will be filled with a lot of sad goodbyes, likely outnumbering sales.
“I made a lot of acquaintances and very good friends,” he said.
Fred Rainbow said he and his wife considered selling the business, but their landlord had already pledged the store space to another tenant. The couple have always considered the location – a short walk from the ferry terminal – a key part of the store’s identity, since almost everyone on the island regularly visits the ferry terminal.
The couple also realized that a new owner would likely face the same competition as them, but without the same convenient location.
In the immediate term, the Rainbows said they hope to travel to Maine to visit a long list of places they haven’t been, from Rangeley to Acadia.
The Rainbows also said they would spend time visiting their grandchildren in New York, many of whom helped out in the store during their visit. The couple’s 5-year-old granddaughter has been particularly helpful over the past year, greeting customers and letting them know immediately if the store has what they’re buying.
Renters face a charging dilemma as US cities shift to electric vehicles


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PUBG BAN: Angry Players Ask Why Cigarettes & Alcohol Aren’t Banned
Are you also suffering from PUBG ban?
Can you imagine a day without PUBG? Well, you may as well prepare for it, as the popular mobile game might get banned across India for being too ‘addictive’. In fact, the ban has already come to effect in Gujarat and several players who violated the ban have been arrested.
‘PUBG: Mobile or Player Unknown Battleground’, is one of the most popular mobile games of our generation. It’s mad popularity among children, teens and young adults has worried parents across the country, especially after reports of accidents due to the game were flagged. Many parents have also complained that it has hampered their wards’ education. Other issues with the game seems to be its violent content.
But is a ban like this really the solution? And can you really blame a game for an overall lack of regulation in the mobile game market? Ask several PUBG lovers and gamers across the country.
‘When will people stop being silly?’
Others question why banning PUBG was the government’s top priority when other more addictive and dangerous substances are freely available in the market.
As of now Tencent, the makers of the game, have given an official response to the ban, stating that they are checking if it is legally feasible for the government to ban a game.
At the same time they have reiterated that internationally PUBG is a 16+ playable game targeted at young adults. In order to enforce the age restriction, the makers would now require any user below the stipulated age to take permission from their guardians to play the game.
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Charlotte-based Electrolux North America has started production at its $266 million cooking-appliance plant in Memphis, Tenn. The company has hired 500 employees at the site, with a goal of employing 1,200 within five years.
“We produce one out of every three ovens sold in the U.S,” Truong says in a press release about the Memphis opening. “Today we tie together advanced manufacturing systems, visionary planning and a collaborative public-private partnership.”
Two price ranges of Frigidaire slide-in ranges are the first stoves to come off the production line in Memphis, the company says. Eventually, the plant will make upscale Electrolux and Frigidaire built-in cooking appliances, along with wall ovens and specialty ranges.
A test lab in the facility can test up to 380 cooking products simultaneously, the company says.
Electrolux relocated its North American headquarters to Charlotte from Augusta, Ga., in 2009. The company has about 900 employees in Charlotte.


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The Super Eagles are arguably Africa’s best hope at the showpiece tournament in Russia and they have already won a legion of new fans with their stunning strip.
Kit makers Nike have fallen foul of producing a string of like-for-like jerseys as of late, keeping the same template for every team and just substituting in the respective colours.
But with Nigeria’s attire, Nike have pulled a instant classic out of the bag.
The ‘For Naija’ kit takes inspiration from their infamous World Cup 1994 strip, a shirt synonymous with Daniel Amokachi’s wonder goal against Greece.
It has been made to reflect the ‘youthful exuberance, pride and infectious palpable charisma’ of the current crop of players and fans from the Gulf of Guinea nation.
‘For Naija’ is meant to help Nigerians and the rest of the world ‘celebrate their vibrant culture’ while looking to the future with optimism, Nike say.
The word Naija - which translates directly to ‘the new Nigeria’ - is a popular term in the country and can mean a host of different things, all positive and forward thinking.
The kit has been made to reflect this with its bright green colours and abstract feather-inspired pattern.
It also includes a retro badge which pays homage to Nigeria’s ‘dream team’ that claimed football glory at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Arsenal and Nigeria star Alex Iwobi said: “It is always an honour to wear the white and green. To compete this summer is not just our dream, it is also the dream of our fans. Together, we all represent Naija.”
The home shirt will stand out like no other at the upcoming competition and in Nigeria’s opening clash against Croatia on June 16.
And they'll will be wearing it in the friendly against England at Wembley tomorrow.
Thouands of eager fans queued up outside Nike's London flagship today desperate to get their hands on the strip.
And it seems the kit has taken the world by storm with the Nigeria Football Federation claiming it had hit pre-order sales of 3,000,000 prior to its release date.
For context, in 2016 Manchester United sold the most jerseys in the world with 2,850,000 sales.
Those wanting to buy Nigeria’s kit can head to Nike’s website where the home shirt is retailing for £64.95.


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The Associated Press discovered that even after you turn off location tracking in Google apps running on Android devices and iPhones, the tech giant will still track your location. The AP asked security researchers to evaluate its findings and those experts said that Google is indeed tracking locations after you request it doesn’t.
In one example, the AP found that Google will take “a snapshot” of your location when you open its Google Maps app, even if you have location tracking turned off. When you search in Google for innocuous topics, like “kids science kits,” Google can accurately determine your location up to a square foot of space, according to the report.
Interestingly, Google isn’t skirting its tracking. In a statement to the AP, in fact, the company said that it tracks location in a variety of ways, including via “Location History, Web and App Activity, and through device-level Location Services.” Google added that it’s clear in how the features work and allows you to delete your location history “at any time.”


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UPDATE: Smash-and-Grab Thieves Target Hayward Mall; Lululemon Store Robbed in San Joses Santana Row – CBS San Francisco
HAYWARD (CBS SF) — Looters targeting Bay Area businesses struck again Sunday evening, with smash-and-grab thieves hitting the Southland Mall in Hayward and suspects taking merchandise from a Lululemon store in San Jose.
Hayward police told KPIX they responded around 5:30 p.m. Sunday to multiple calls from stores in Southland Mall.
Witnesses said a large mob of people caused a huge disturbance inside the mall, with some briefly taking over a jewelry store.
Witnesses described some 40 to 50 looters wielding hammers and other tools looted Sam’s Jewelers, breaking glass cases and quickly fleeing. The Macy’s store was also ransacked.
In video taken during the robbery, you can hear workers inside Sam’s Jewelers screaming in fear.
A large mob robbed Sam’s Jewelers inside Southland Mall, Hayward. PD said they received calls at 5:25 pm today. Witnesses told me 1st wave of robbers involved about 30-40 kids. A 2nd wave with fewer robbers returned to clean it up. Story tonight 11 on Ch 5 @KPIXtv pic.twitter.com/1kXj5N4UT2
“It was a whole bunch of glass shattering,” said one person who was at the mall during the incident.
Witnesses say this was the tail end of a much scarier and bigger scene.
“I would say at least 30 to 40 [people] from what I saw,” said another witness, who declined to identify themselves. “But then after the main group of kids rushed out, we saw 15 to 20 scattering, some even came back in.”
KPIX spoke with two women who work near Sam’s Jewelers. They and other mall workers said some kids ran into other stores and left with shoes and clothing.
“We saw all the other stores closing. They were panicking, so we were panicking and quickly closed our store and barricaded ourselves,” said one of the women.
Hayward police said multiple 911 calls came in at around 5:25 p.m., just before closing time. Most of the stores at the mall close at 6 p.m.
Workers inside Sam’s Jewelers cleaning up. A large mob smashed the cases and took off with a large amount of jewelry. Inside Southland Mall, Hayward today. If you haven’t already, check out my other tweet with video of the actual robbery. @KPIXtv pic.twitter.com/RU4ei9aVsM
Meanwhile in San Jose Sunday evening, police said that at approximately 6:30 p.m., a group of suspects entered the Lululemon store in Santana Row and took merchandise. They fled prior to police arriving. No other information was immediately available,
It marked the third straight day a large mob of robbers have gone after retailers in the Bay Area.
The brazen robberies came hours after Walnut Creek police issued a warning on social media that there maybe a repeat of the bedlam that broke out in their community on Saturday night.
“The Walnut Creek Police Department is actively monitoring intelligence that indicates the group of thieves who stole from the Broadway Plaza Nordstrom last night are considering similar activity later today,” police posted in Twitter and it was shared by Hayward police.
“This has not been confirmed, but out of an abundance of caution, we’re alerting businesses and residents to be prepared… some stores may consider closing early or taking other precautions. There is no specific time or target known right now.”
Walnut Creek Lt. Ryan Hibbs told KPIX that three people were in custody and others were being sought.
“Walnut Creek police investigators are in the process of reviewing surveillance footage to attempt to identify other suspects responsible for this brazen act,” authorities said in Sunday morning news release.
Police began receiving calls from Nordstrom employees about the looting at around 9 p.m. He said there were approximately 80 individuals who ran into the store and began looting and smashing shelves.
Two employees suffered injuries when they were assaulted and another was pepper sprayed by the suspects.
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The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.


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On Monday, millions of cameras will be pointed at the sky in hopes of capturing the image of a lifetime. Instructor Tom Flaherty has some great advice for increasing your odds of eclipse excellence.
Houston is getting a partial eclipse of about 70 percent. What is your advice for creating the best possible photos? Does taking a photo of the eclipse damage cameras or phones?
Reports are that Apple says an iPhone or very wide angle cameras like a GoPro will not damage the camera sensor, but there could be problems using a DSLR with a telephoto lens. To avoid these issues, the lens needs a protective solar filter, similar to those eclipse-watching sun glasses that are being sold. Just remember that the sun will still be very bright in Houston.
And remember, do not look directly at the sun! NASA's statement on eye safety gives these guidelines:
"Looking directly at the sun is unsafe except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse (“totality”), when the moon entirely blocks the sun’s bright face, which will happen only within the narrow path of totality. The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun."
Will smartphones take decent pictures of this event?
Although smart phones might not be damaged shooting the eclipse, that wide angle lens that protects the sensor will also prevent you from getting a zoomed-in view of the sun/moon. For example, take a photo of the moon, or a small cloud in the sky with your phone and you will see that those objects will be very small in the photo. So it will probably be hard to see the crescent shape in the sun. Additionally, in Houston, a large part of the bright sun will still be strong enough to over-expose the photo of the sun/moon. Putting a pair of those super sun glasses over the phone’s lens could help with that. Making a pinhole in cardboard is a way to project the eclipse on a piece of paper.
Here are online instructions on how to make and safely use a pinhole camera.
All eyes will be looking at the skies, but does the eclipse create other photography opportunities?
Because of the muted light in the middle of the day, shooting photos of any scenes around you can be very interesting. For sure, shots of those taking in this rare eclipse would be great subjects, as well as your favorite landscape or cityscapes. This light in this setting might be similar to a small cloud covering the sun on an otherwise sunny day. This light is very even with no harsh shadows.
Where will you be watching the skies on Aug. 21?
I will be in Houston and haven’t picked a spot yet, but I will pick one where I can hopefully use the unique light to get some interesting shots.
Our thanks to Tom for these photo tips! The eclipse will soon be over, but oportunities for fantastic photography happen every day. You can join Tom at Glasscock School for iPhone Photography, starting in October. Check out all of our photography courses and visit us this fall. You can also read our previous post about the Aug. 21 solar eclipse from Dr. Christopher Johns-Krull.
Be safe, and enjoy the show!
Image at top: Bangkok-Thailand March 9, 2016. People come together as one to watch the solar eclipse at Benjakitti Park. Solar Eclipse 2016 by National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand.
About Tom Flaherty
Tom Flaherty is a published photographer and a member of the board of the Houston Center for Photography and other local organizations. He is a business consultant and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas A&M University.


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Social Madness champion Hard Rock returns with new strategy and eye on the prize
As more and more nominations roll in for this year’s Social Madness competition, I couldn’t help but notice that Hard Rock International was among the first to sign up.
The Orlando-based hotel and cafe chain was one of last year’s national champions, taking home the crown and designating $10,000 to the charity of its choice — Orlando-based Kids Beating Cancer.
So, I spoke to Kim Matlock, senior director of digital marketing and consumer-related marketing, and Sebastian Quinn, digital marketing manager, to ask why Hard Rock returned to the competition.
The answer was simple: Not only because of the opportunity to raise money for charitable partners, but also because the competition increased the company’s social media followers by 35 percent last year.
“It made us aware of what other brands are doing in social media and showed us where our fan base fit in compared to other brands,” Matlock said. “It also gave us a chance to see others’ best practices.”
But the team at Hard Rock also is looking forward to some of the changes in this year’s competition, like the all-new scoring algorithm that measures social engagement instead of growth.
“That’s the true measurement of how effective your brand is,” Mattlock said.
With the changes, Hard Rock has some new strategies up its sleeve, including using its new Hard Rock Rewards customer loyalty program to help drive social engagement.
“One of our big challenges is moving our more than seven million fans across all our social channels to Hard Rock cafes and hotels,” Quinn said. “Our strategy ties in our rewards program to drive that engagement and move them into the cafes and hotels.”
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The Chicago Sun-Times Co. Tuesday announced plans to purchase Field Corp.`s Pioneer Press, which runs 38 weekly newspapers with combined paid circulation of 175,000 in the north, northwest and west suburbs.
Terms of the purchase weren`t disclosed.
However, sources familiar with Pioneer operations said annual revenue last year was about $35 million. Strong weekly papers-and Pioneer is considered one of the stronger chains in the area-can fetch a purchase price of up to twice annual revenue, according to newspaper analysts.
``Pioneer was meeting our expectations, but the unsolicited offer was a substantial one that we could not ignore,`` said Lee M. Mitchell, president of Field Corp.
Field purchased Pioneer Press from Time Inc. in October, 1984, for an estimated $25 million. At the time, there were 30 papers in the chain, with 163,000 paid circulation.
Prominent properties included the Evanston Review, Oak Leaves of Oak Park, Lake Forester and Winnetka Talk. Pioneer bought Barrington Press and its eight weeklies in December, 1985.
Pioneer is the second major suburban newspaper chain bought by the Sun-Times since the Chicago newspaper was itself purchased for $145 million from Rupert Murdoch in July, 1986, by an investor group led by Adler & Shaykin, a New York City-based firm.
In November, 1986, the Sun-Times acquired Star Publications, a chain of 12 south and southwest suburban papers published twice weekly, for an undisclosed sum. The chain has since grown to 18 papers.
``There may be other select properties we`d be interested in purchasing, both in this market and others,`` said Leonard P. Shaykin, chairman of the Sun-Times. ``Community newspapers are a growing business, and we see great value in their franchises.``
Analysts suggested the Sun-Times would try to use its growing stable of suburban weeklies to lure additional advertising from major retailers, who register most of their sales in the suburbs.
In the most recent Audit Bureau of Circulations report, the Sun-Times showed average daily circulation of 579,000 and average Sunday circulation of 605,000 for the six months ended Sept. 30.
It trailed the Chicago Tribune by 136,000 in daily circulation and 498,000 on Sundays, with the entire disparity registered in the suburbs.
``Their weakness is in the suburbs versus The Tribune, and it`s where you have to do well to attract major retail advertising,`` said John Morton, an analyst with John Morton & Co. ``They can offer advertisers a one-buy, one-bill deal, with ads going into all the papers.``
That strategy has been tried before in a two-newspaper city with limited results, according to Morton. The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, which lagged far behind the Los Angeles Times in daily circulation, bought a chain of suburban weeklies in the early 1980s but eventually sold them.
However, in acquiring Pioneer Press, the Sun-Times picks up a growing chain located in many communities whose higher-income demographics are coveted by advertisers.
It also acquires a printing plant in Wilmette and a small commercial printing business. Company officials said the printing plant is not equipped to handle daily newspaper production, a major long-term problem facing the Sun-Times.
Pioneer`s 38 papers have 470 full-time employees, up about 40 from two years ago. The papers have 160 reporters, editors and photographers.
Shaykin suggested that Pioneer Press will be launching one or more new weeklies in the coming year.


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Smart Card Alliance forms IoT security council
The Smart Card Alliance has formed an Internet of Things Security Council to develop and promote best practices and provide educational resources on implementing secure IoT architectures using embedded security and privacy technology.
The IoT is expected to hit 21 billion by the year 2020 and security and privacy concerns are top-of-mind. Similar to other Smart Card Alliance councils, the Internet of Things Security Council will provide guidance and insights through white papers, briefs, webinars, seminars, infographics, and a variety of other resource formats.
One of the Alliance’s first IoT activities will be the Security of Things conference, to be held October 19-20 in Chicago. The event will focus on security, authentication and the Internet of Things.
The council will focus on IoT markets where security, safety and privacy are key requirements, and will leverage the expertise and knowledge gained from implementing embedded security technology across other industries to provide practical guidance for secure IoT implementations.
Face recognition to authenticate Uber drivers in China
Safety concerns have put Uber under fire in many markets. Drivers in China are particularly notorious for having multiple drivers use one account.
In an attempt to alleviate that the ride sharing company is going to deploy facial recognition. Drivers will have to periodically take a selfie and be authenticated before they can pick up additional passengers.
Uber is using tech from Face++, a Chinese facial recognition startup, to come up with the feature. It is being testes and could roll out in China next month.
FIDO Alliance, GlobalPlatform sign MoU
The two industry associations are working to ease FIDO authenticator development on GlobalPlatform-based secure component products. This will enable service providers to efficiently incorporate user authentication features – such as voice recognition and biometrics – as part of their GlobalPlatform-secure deployments.
The FIDO Alliance is making online authentication simpler and stronger by defining open, scalable and interoperable protocols that reduce reliance on passwords. The joint work initiative with GlobalPlatform will bring FIDO authentication to GlobalPlatform Specifications on secure elements and trusted execution environments.


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Tag Archives: Litecoin
- Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies Revolutionize Today’s Gambling Markets
August 4, 2015
Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies continue to challenge today’s financial systems, and it has successfully penetrated select industries.
- Cozy Games React to POC Taxation by Turning to CryptoCurrencies to Reduce Costs
October 27, 2014
Cozy Games have inked a deal w/ GoCoin, in an industry first that will see the gaming specialists deliver cryptocurrencies payment options.
- Hasher’s United Conference coming October 10th and 11th
September 25, 2014
Hasher’s United happens on October 10th and 11th, 2014 at the Tuscany Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Hasher’s United Conference to be held in Las Vegas this October
September 9, 2014
Hasher’s United Conference will be held at the Tuscany Hotel and Casino located in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 10th to 11th, 2014.
- Hashers United: Where Miners Meet
August 27, 2014
Hasher’s United is a three-day global conference that focuses on the critical issues facing of cryptocurrency miners.
- The Red Wire: Ban Bitcoin? Good Luck!
March 4, 2014
Sen. Manchin wants to ban Bitcoin. His latest excuse is the collapse of Mt. Gox, the recently bankrupt Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange.
When we say Bitcoin, we mean Bitcoin Cash
October 17, 2017
Roger Ver bets $1M that Bitcoin Cash will not be ‘short-lived’
September 22, 2017
New Japan law recognizes bitcoin as method of payment
March 31, 2017


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Tommy Baldwin Racing announced sponsorship for this weekend’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. DOC 360 will adorn Alex Bowman‘s No. 7 Chevrolet SS this weekend at Richmond. According to the team release, DOC 360 is “a growing soft drink brand that is known for its distinct taste [that] is aligned perfectly with up-and-coming athletes as they carve their own name in the sports world.”
“Alex [Bowman] is the perfect match for DOC 360,” DOC 360 Marketing Manager Tyler Hartmann said. “He is as passionate for the sport of racing as we are for our products, and we’re confident that the NASCAR fanbase is going to enjoy the great taste of DOC 360.”
It marks a new sponsorship for the organization a team that is still growing themselves. Tommy Baldwin Racing currently sits 34th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner points in its seventh year of operation. The team is in their first year with sophomore driver Bowman.
“We are proud to welcome DOC 360 aboard the No. 7 this weekend at Richmond,” said team owner Tommy Baldwin. “It’s encouraging for our team to be attracting new companies into the sport and we appreciate all of our partners.”
Bowman currently sits 33rd in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings and is coming off his best finish this weekend after finishing 20th in the Food City 500. Bowman has two career starts at the Richmond International Raceway, both coming last year when he drove for BK Racing. He finished 28th in this event in 2014.
About the author
Clayton has been writing NASCAR for the last seven years and has followed the sport for as long as he can remember. He's a Jersey boy with dreams of hoping one day to take his style south and adding a different kind of perspective to auto racing.


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Artist Paula Crown's latest collaboration with AspenX Prada is taking Fashion to new heights.
Artist and designer Paula Crown teams up AspenX & Prada to create a stunning ski collection.
Celebrated artist Paula Crown teams up with Couture designer Christy Rilling to create wearable art.
Best known as a winter wonderland, Snowmass is, in fact, a four-season resort village in the Colorado Rockies, with a swanky new hotel, condos and a mountain of amenities.
A new exhibition at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Aspen/Snowmass addresses climate change.


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FORWAY Heavy Industry on Bauma Munich in Germany, Gradually moving towards internationalization
April 15th-21st 2016 the 30th International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines, Construction Vehicles and Construction Equipment held in Munich International Expo Centre.
At Bauma 2016 FORWAY equipments were favoured by foreign customers, especially European customers. Many professional dealers talked about the agency authorization with FORWAY. In the next few years, FORWAY Heavy Industry in addition look to continue expansion in overseas emerging markets and will continue their focus on developed regions, such as Europe and the United States market. Forway strive to be highly competitive in the international market sand also gain the approval of all global users.
FORWAY's German dealer is also confident to the European countries, hope to work together with FORWAY for a win-win cooperation.
The 2013 Yellow Table survey, due to be published in the April edition of International Construction, estimated SANY’s 2012 construction equipment sales revenue at $7.929 billion USD, up slightly from $7.861 billion in 2011. SANY’s move to the No. 5 rank supplanted Liebherr, which fell to No. 7. Caterpillar and Komatsu remained No. 1 and No. 2, while Hitachi overtook Volvo for the No. 3 spot. SANY’s percentage of total revenue among the Top 50 was unchanged at 4.3 percent. The survey ranks the Top 50 construction equipment manufacturers in the world.
“To achieve the No. 5 global ranking in a very difficult Chinese economy is a testament to the strength of SANY in China, and our continued success in markets outside of China,” said Tim Frank, chairman of SANY America Inc. “With progress on almost all fronts globally, SANY continues to show its staying power. We are a company built on a strong foundation, poised for continued growth, with aggressive targets. Now that we have surpassed Liebherr, Volvo is next.”
Total revenue from the Top 50 manufacturers was $186 billion, up 2.6 percent from 2011. Chris Sleight, editor of International Construction, attributed the lack of robust growth to weakness in the Chinese economy. “While there was some growth in the market last year, things were relatively subdued,” Sleight said in a video preview of the 2013 Yellow Table. “The key factor that depressed growth last year was the weak market in China.”
Six Chinese manufacturers in the Top 50 slipped in the rankings, Sleight said, and one other company fell out of the Top 50 entirely. Overall, Chinese manufacturers had revenues of $27.9 billion in 2012, down about 12 percent from 2011. “That was the first time in the 10-year history of the Yellow Table that both revenues and the Chinese manufacturers’ shares have fallen,” Sleight said.
The top 10 manufacturers accounted for two-thirds of the Top 50 revenue, a fact Sleight said illustrates “how important these large, long-line manufacturers are”.


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MODA Creative Fashion Wrap Party will be held this weekend
Tiernan Silcock | On 26, Aug 2013
â€œEveryday is a fashion show, and the world is your runwayâ€ Coco Chanel
With the weekend comes the winding down of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festivalâ€¦but the fun will still be in full swing at Capulet Bar.
Calling all style obsessed fashionistaâ€™s: this is the event for you!
Over two evenings, local labels such as Fallow, Bessie Head, Soot, Chi the label, alongside international label Scotch & Soda will showcase their upcoming collections with a cocktail runway party.
Brisbaneâ€™s newest fashion agency MODA Creative will host the event, which is sure to be a combination of sophistication, style and debauchery.
â€œWe are excited about our upcoming fashion show, weâ€™ve made it over two nights to cater for all the amazing labels and brands we have on board,â€ said MODA Creative Founder Zubie Brown.
â€œWe wanted to relaunch at a new venue to celebrate our rebrand and what better place than Capulet Bar.â€
The recently opened Capulet pays homage to the romantic torment of Romeo & Juliet, and has offered an alternative to the standard Brisbane nightlife offering a high-end cocktail bar that transforms into a chic and modern club after 10pm.
So for all those who may not have been lucky enough to score tickets to the Friday night MBFF show, never fearâ€¦
This event will is sure to quench your fashion thirst!
WhenÂ Friday, 30th August 8pm (Bessie Head,Â SOOT,Â Fallow,Â Chi the label) and Â Saturday 31st August 9pm (Scotch & Soda,Â Dirtbox,Â House of Cards,Â SHARNEE)
WhereÂ Capulet Bar,Â 188 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
Contact 0416 743 561Â or email@example.com
CostÂ General admission tickets are still available online at https://modacreative.eventbrite.com.au/ $20, and with all guests receiving a complimentary martini on arrival, this will be a night well worth the money.


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- Head Grower Greenhouse Canada
- Post Entry Quarantine Facility Manager
- Economic Policy Officer Agri-Tech Kentucky
- Licensing Manager North America
- Junior Sales Executive
- Fruit Breeder/Trait Discovery Scientist
- General Manager
- Regional Sales Manager – DACH Region
- Country Manager – Italy
- Country Manager – Spain
Top 5 -yesterday
Top 5 -last week
- “Black growbags could benefit vegetable crops as well”
- Latvia: First greenhouse to grow cucumbers under LEDs uses landfill waste to produce energy
- "Moisture is the big danger in the next two months"
- "Even light intensity at every spot in the greenhouse"
- US (OH): 80 Acres Farms makes layoffs as tech job crunch continues
Top 5 -last month
- How farmers are cutting out supermarkets
- Combining vertical farming and greenhouse horticulture to decentralize lettuce production
- Higher light transmission and lower heat demand with double foil greenhouse
- Fresh produce chain hit by Lakeside Produce’s bankruptcy
- 30MHz declared bankrupt, curator 'optimistic about restart'
Mastronardi/SUNSET® partners with Pink Ribbon Produce
“We always look forward to working with Pink Ribbon Produce every year,” commented Paul Mastronardi, President. “It’s a cause we fondly support and we always strive to advocate healthy lifestyles.” For each Campari® purchase made across North America in the month of October, SUNSET® will make a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Specially marked Pink Ribbon themed packaging will include a QR code, which will direct shoppers to sunsetcares.com.
The SUNSET® Cares website has been updated to include information about the brand, Pink Ribbon, and how consumers can get involved in supporting Breast Cancer Awareness via social media. SUNSET® will also be holding contests and promotions all month long across social media channels using the hashtag #SunsetCares.
This is the seventh year Mastronardi Produce is teaming up with Pink Ribbon Produce to support breast cancer awareness and research. Over the past 6 years, Mastronardi has donated over $100,000 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Mastronardi Produce will also be hosting the Pink Ribbon Retailer Appreciation Ceremony at booth 2738 at PMA Fresh Summit on Saturday, October 19th at 3pm in New Orleans.
To learn more about SUNSET’s partnership with Pink Ribbon Produce, visit sunsetcares.com
For more information:
Chris Veillon – Director, Marketing
Tel: 519 796 7722
Daniela Ferro – Communications Coordinator
Tel: 519 990 6933
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2022-12-23 "In today's inflationary environment, choice of horticultural twine is an investment decision"
- 2022-12-16 Air bubble film to boost yields and protect greenhouses from the elements
- 2022-11-29 Australia: baby cucumbers launch limited edition football pack to promote as a healthy sporting snack
- 2022-11-08 New blackberry and raspberry launching in 2023
- 2022-10-25 ‘Kawaguchi RZ meets Chinese consumers’ requirements for pink tomatoes’
- 2022-10-21 New snack packaging for tomatoes unveiled
- 2022-10-19 "We have launched a reuseable 4G wireless temperature and humidity location recorder with light sensors"
- 2022-10-18 “Company clothing is part of the operation in terms of hygiene, appearance, and comfort”
- 2022-10-12 Dutch bell pepper grower gets new automated crate processing line
- 2022-10-05 Shock-sensing data logger with food shapes replicate movement of fruit and vegetables during handling and transport
- 2022-10-05 “The impact of visibility on global trade flows is rising”
- 2022-10-04 “Good tastes like more”
- 2022-10-04 Narrow strawberry tray saves grower 10% on substrate
- 2022-10-03 "We have been able to contain the cucumber mosaic virus much better"
- 2022-09-30 Laser microperforated packaging prevents fresh produce waste
- 2022-09-26 Royal Brinkman and Kam’s Growers Supply launch Valent truss support clip
- 2022-09-15 Chopped salad line kit gets three new flavors
- 2022-08-25 Drop peppers: A niche product appreciated for their look and taste
- 2022-08-22 AI pest & disease detection platform to be distributed by Cultivatd
- 2022-08-08 BioTherm improves performance of their finned heating products


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Virgin Media has agreed a five-year deal to deliver all of Vodafone UK’s current services and future technologies, including 5G, to more than three million mobile customers.
Running until 2026, the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreement will see Vodafone supply wholesale mobile network services, including both voice and data, to Virgin Mobile and Virgin Media Business.
Virgin Media’s current MVNO agreement with BT Enterprise comes to an end in late 2021, at which point Virgin Media’s mobile offering will transition to Vodafone. Virgin Mobile 5G services are set to launch on the Vodafone network before this transition takes place.
Virgin Media CEO Lutz Schuler said: “Twenty years ago, Virgin Mobile became the world’s first virtual operator and this new agreement builds on that heritage. It will open up a whole new world of opportunity for Virgin Media as we focus on becoming the most recommended brand for customers and bring our mobile and broadband connectivity closer together in one package for one price.”
A complementary wholesale agreement has also been struck between both parties in relation to the supply of network services by Virgin Media Business to Vodafone.


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Chevy is giving car buyers even more options to access Apple's digital assistant, as the automaker announced on Tuesday that Siri Eyes Free support will be available in six more of its 2014 models.
Citing a "remarkable" customer response to Siri Eyes Free, Chevy revealed that the hands-free iPhone operation feature would be built in to the company's 2014 Camaro, Cruze, Equinox, Malibu, SS, and Volt. Siri integration will mean that customers with iPhones running iOS 6 or iOS 7 will be able to use those devices to make voice-activated, hands-free calls to their Contacts, play music from their iTunes libraries, send iMessages, and add Calendar appointments.
Chevy was the first automaker to integrate Siri Eyes Free into its vehicles, debuting the feature in its Spark and Sonic models in February of this year.
While Chevy was the first, eight other automakers initially signed on to integrate Siri compatibility into their vehicles in June of last year. Honda enabled Siri compatibility into its 2013 Accord and Acura models, making the Apple digital assistant a dealer-installed option for buyers.
Other automakers building in compatibility with Siri include General Motors, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, and Chrysler.


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SKY NZ to launch SVoD service
June 19, 2014
New Zealand pay-TV operator SKY TV has revealed it will launch a Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) service before the end of 2014.
The service will stand alone from SKY’s pay television offering, available to non-SKY customers offering a selection of both television series and movie content.
SKY has also confirmed the expansion of its successful partnership with Vodafone who will bundle SKY’s SVoD service with its broadband.
The partnership formed in 2009 has already seen more than 100,000 Kiwi homes taking SKY and Vodafone services together. SKY’s says that its content combined with Vodafone’s HD quality broadband will deliver the next generation of on demand connectivity for New Zealanders, building on the leading home entertainment packages already offered by the two companies.
John Fellet, SKY chief executive, described the initiative as an exciting new development for the operator. “This new service will appeal to many Kiwis who want the flexibility to watch movies and TV series when they want on a variety of devices. We love great content at SKY and this new service will provide another really convenient way to watch the shows and movies Kiwis love. Our team has a huge amount of experience working with local and international content suppliers. We are working hard to secure a top quality selection of content for this service.”
SKY customers will also enjoy this on demand content delivered via the Internet (for no additional cost) to MY SKY decoders or via SKY GO this year.
Further announcements with SVoD service details and Vodafone package options will be made in due course.


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The new range consists of Diptyque branded bags as well as gift boxes customised for male and female passengers
Qatar Airways has announced the launch of amenity kits and gift boxes from renowned French Perfumer Diptyque.
The bespoke products will be initially available for First and Business Class passengers on routes across the Americas, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to A380 flights to London and Paris.
Each Qatar Airways amenity kit and gift box provides specially selected Diptyque products, including lip balm, body lotion, face cream and an Eau de Rose fragrance.
In line with Qatar Airways’ focus on sustainability, the Diptyque bags are made from vegan leather while the eye shade and socks are made from RPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate plastic).
Diptyque bags are made from vegan ‘leather’
Speaking about the partnership, Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: “We are the world’s best airline due to our constant innovation in elevating passenger’s experience. We are constantly looking at new ways to enhance our customer’s journey and surpass their expectations. Our customers will be delighted to discover a generous number of items inside the amenity kits, including a choice of Diptyque’s signature fragrances for women and men. Through this exclusive partnership with Diptyque, we have further elevated premium travel, having raised the bar for all other airlines.
“It is only fitting that two pioneering brands collaborate, and continue our tradition of ‘firsts’. I am proud to say that Qatar Airways is the only airline that offers Diptyque products onboard, complementing the washroom amenities offered onboard and in our lounges. This partnership further enhances our world-class passenger experience, and will leave our customers with lasting memories of their journey, until we welcome them onboard again.”
Diptyque executive director Fabienne Mauny added: “Travel is an elegance we cultivate. Diptyque is therefore delighted to offer for Qatar Airways’ passengers, wellness and pleasure in the skies. To concoct our precious perfumes, we seek out the noblest ingredients from around the globe. With this exclusive collection, we aim to provide an enchanting experience to passengers.”
Qatar Airways first entered its exclusive partnership with the French Perfumer, Diptyque in March 2021, offering its washroom products on board and in its Premium lounges at Hamad International Airport (HIA).
This latest collaboration between Qatar Airways and Diptyque is being facilitated by airline amenity and hospitality specialist, Formia.
For more information, visit www.qatarairways.com


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Vail summer marketing broadens its reach
April 24, 2013
For about as long as anyone can remember, Beth Slifer has been involved in trying to market Vail's summer charms, but this year's effort is different than any she's seen before.
"This is the most coordinated effort we've had," said Slifer, currently the president of the Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council, which administers a roughly $2.5 million summer marketing budget for the town of Vail.
The town's investment has paid off in recent years with record sales tax collections, Still, winter makes up roughly 70 percent of the town's sales tax revenue.
Steamboat Springs' summer marketing budget is $625,000 from the city's general fund with $25,000 of that specifically designated for trade shows, according to Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association Marketing Director Kara Givnish.
Vail's marketing is, as usual, using both print and television advertising, much of it in the Denver area, to sell Vail to the state's biggest population center.
Read more at VailDaily.com.


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1st leg of BusinessWorld Insights Sustaining Sustainability series calls on business to meet sustainability goals
By Adrian Paul B. Conoza, Special Features Writer
Sustainability has increasingly become an aim for many businesses, especially with the United Nations setting the agenda for member-states through its 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) gravely impacting the economy, however, achieving these goals must have been hampered.
Yet, for the panel in the first leg of BusinessWorld Insights Sustaining Sustainability series, the push for sustainable practices is not just timely, but also necessary for businesses. Held last Oct. 21, the online forum gathered fresh and relevant thoughts from leaders and professionals from both public and private sectors on the theme “The Philippines’ Sustainability State and COVID-19.”
Urgency in sustainability
Enrico Gaveglia, deputy resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines, recognized that the pandemic has disrupted the global efforts in meeting SDGs. Worse, the pandemic has made it more crucial and yet more challenging to address existing problems such as hunger, poverty, inequality, and climate change.
“The effects of the pandemic and the measures taken to mitigate its impact have overwhelmed health systems globally, kept [children] out of school, kept business and factories closed, and distracted the global value chain and supply of products. It is [also] expected to push 71 million people back to extreme poverty, and cause 132 million more people to suffer from undernourishment in 2020,” Mr. Gaveglia added.
This apparent regression in fulfilling SDGs, he continued, caused as well a regression in human development, with many Filipino households having experienced loss of income and even experiencing voluntary hunger and food insecurity.
With these underlying issues further stressed by COVID-19, Mr. Gaveglia believes that there is now an increasing need for businesses to move towards sustainable recovery.
“Many countries are embarking on a great reset, taking the painful lesson from COVID-19 to rebuild greener economies and promote greater collaboration between governments and the private sector,” he said. “Companies should rethink their strategy, and contribute in the long way to generating green jobs and creating a more resilient economy.”
Businesses can redeploy their unique capabilities to meet society’s immediate needs, Mr. Gaveglia continued, who believes that consumers will give a premium on companies that are moving forward to a sustainable path.
Mr. Gaveglia also believes that moving towards sustainability makes a lot of business sense, since UNDP estimates that achieving SDGs in the country could open a lot of market opportunities in various sectors and help create new jobs.
He hopes as well that a ‘new social contract’ will be formed between societies and stakeholders. “We need to be conscious of the fact that… we all have a role to play, where all unload all of [their] selves. The moment we wire with each other, I think we can resolve this together,” he said.
‘Purpose should drive business’
Sharing from a trade perspective, Senen Perlada, director of Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Export Marketing Bureau, also recognized the challenges the pandemic has brought on industries, exporters, as well as consumers — from the disruption in supply chains to the rapid change in consumer behavior.
But more importantly, the pandemic has brought a welcoming impact on businesses. “[T]he pandemic has redefined sustainability with social awareness… Businesses are now compelled to rethink social issues,” Mr. Perlada said.
Citing recent findings from Euromonitor, Mr. Perlada pointed out the further adaption of supporting local communities as a sustainability aim for businesses, from 51.4% of respondents taking that in 2019 to 65.8% in 2020. Furthermore, the year’s findings revealed that for businesses sustainability now also means achieving the SDGs and being a purpose-driven business.
The DTI director also noted that non-tariff measures have a multifaceted effect on sustainable development, especially as it was found out that 42.5% of these measures in the Asia Pacific region and globally address SDGs such as good health and well-being and responsible consumption and production.
Observing this accelerating move to sustainability, especially in what he expects to be a digital, green, and circular new normal for the global economy, Mr. Perlada encourages businesses to embrace the movement. Else, they might lose relevance and face extinction. “We all have a responsibility to ensure that future generations inherit a livable planet,” he added.
Mr. Perlada also advises businesses to shift their focus to their purpose, or why they are there for their customers. “We should really look at purpose as the new normal, individually and collectively as a nation and as a community of nations,” he said.
As he shared the sustainability journey of one of the country’s big players in the private sector, Timothy Daniels, investor relations consultant of SM Investments Corp., emphasized that the group is continuously driven to serve as a catalyst for development in communities.
“SM is a large group, but we are an ecosystem of many small businesses and stakeholders, and sustainability is about how do we make everyone win as we go forward and how do we go in the long term,” he said.
He shared that from focusing its efforts on UN’s 17 SDGs, SM narrowed it down to six goals, namely decent work and economic growth, sustainable cities and communities, climate action, good health well-being, quality education, and partnerships for the goals.
The group finds it will help stakeholders the most in these goals. “[W]e really assessed what is our business doing and capable of doing and where can we really make the most material difference in the Philippines, to the stakeholders and communities that we work with,” he explained.
Mr. Daniels also stressed that in spending on sustainability, what really counts is being responsible to communities as well as preparing for the future.
“It’s not just about spending money. It’s about stepping back and saying, ‘If we have the responsibility to all these stakeholder groups — and we need them for us to thrive and grow — then how do we use what we’ve got on the ground in order to make that happen?’,” he explained.
The consultant also noted that sustainability gains traction with shareholders. “Everybody is supportive that being responsible is the right thing for the business, and our shareholder base, I think, [will] reward us for this in the long term,” he shared.
BusinessWorld Insights Sustainability Series is made possible by Globe, Energy Development Corporation, First Gen Corporation, Meralco, media partner The Philippine STAR and e-learning
platform partner Olern; with the support of the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines, British Chamber of Commerce Philippines, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.


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Yang Ming to Spread Roots in Asia
- Business & Finance
Taiwanese shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) has unveiled its plans to expand throughout Asia.
The move comes on the back of the company’s third quarter 2017 profits and recapitalization campaign, in which it raised USD 343.4 million in public and private offerings.
Yang Ming said that the plans are consistent with Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy, a proposal of the government of Taiwan to develop and strengthen its role and ties to the economies in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Australia.
During a press conference on December 12, 2017, chaired by the Minister Ho Chen of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and co-attended by the Taiwan International Ports Corp. (TIPC), and Yang Ming, there was a consensus to develop Taiwan’s role in the shipping and logistics industries in Southeast Asia.
Additionally, the shipping company announced plans to upgrade its fleet capacity and efficiency, with the intention to replace vessels nearing off-hire and retirement with newer and more efficient vessels.
Starting with Southeast Asia, Yang Ming agreed a partnership with TIPC to jointly invest in container depot projects in Surabaya, Indonesia. Operations are expected to commence in the first quarter of 2018. Yang Ming also informed that it intends to expand its footprint in the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, including the China market.
The company will launch China-Vietnam Express (CVX) service on January 9, 2018, which will be jointly operated by Yang Ming, T.S. Lines and MCC Transport with a total of four container vessels of nominal 1000-TEU capacity.
Of the four vessels, one will be deployed by Yang Ming and the remaining three by TSL and MCC. The ports of call will be Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Haiphong, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Haiphong, Shanghai. A round trip will take 28 days.