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Skip to comments.Fisker Karma car dies in Consumer Reports testing [Another green machine bites the dust]
Posted on 03/08/2012 11:17:18 PM PST by Zakeet
A $100,000-plus Fisker Automotive luxury sports car died during Consumer Reports speed testing this week for reasons that are still unknown, leaving the struggling electric car startup with another blow to its image.
"It is a little disconcerting that you pay that amount of money for a car and it lasts basically 180 miles before going wrong," David Champion, senior director for the magazine's automotive test center, told Reuters, on Thursday.
In a statement, Fisker said it was assessing the source of the problem that caused its Karma plug-in hybrid to fail. Fisker dispatched two engineers Wednesday night to examine the car.
Over the last month, Fisker changed its chief executive and halted work at its U.S. plant as it renegotiates the terms of a $529 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Fisker has already recalled some Karmas and in January it halted Karma sales for four days to fix a software malfunction that at times triggered warning lights while temporarily freezing navigation systems.
In December, Fisker recalled 239 Karmas due to a possible defect in batteries made by A123 that could cause a coolant fluid leak and electrical short circuit.
The previous month, A123 reduced its full-year revenue outlook after Fisker unexpectedly cut orders.
Fisker builds the Karma in Finland and plans to build a second model, the Nina sedan, at its Wilmington, Delaware plant, a former General Motors Co factory.
The Karma's issue will not affect Consumer Reports' reliability rating for the car because those scores are based on feedback from owners who subscribe to the magazine
(Excerpt) Read more at wsbt.com ...
You mean if I buy one and it breaks down, they'll send a couple engineers out to fix it? I'm impressed. What customer service!
Oh, these are the two guys who designed the thing?
At least they have better customer service than Tesla. After a half dozen Tesla Roadster owners bricked their new cars by mismanaging the battery charge state, Tesla informed them that the only fix was a battery replacement, at a cost of $45,000 each.
Hey, DE auto workers, how good has that 0bambi guy been for you? Chrysler plant - sold to University of Delaware for pennies on the dollar and GM Boxwood plant - supposedly to build Fiskers, gathering dust and property taxes gone.
Go ahead, keep voting for the RATs; they care SOOO much about you./s
Look at the bright side of this, the tires and brakes will last a long, long time!
I think they ought to throw a big ol' V8 in it and recoup their investment.
This car is only half the price of a $250,000 Dolt!
Maybe they can just chnage the name to the Fisker Bad JuJu.
Not the only one to break down, either.
I read that Justin Beiber bought one too.
Beiber is said to be a singer.
He can afford to drive a gas hog.
Well Played !
“Driving at 7pm pst this evening and for the second time in two weeks at 70 miles per hour the “idiot lights” behind the steering wheel all light up the car goes dark including the headlights and then the dash disappears and after a few seconds it rebuilds itself. This is very dangerous and random...This condition is a safety issue and an accident/lawsuit waiting to happen.”
“As of today (March 6, 2012) Fisker Silicon Valley has had my Karma “in the shop” longer than I have driven the car. And the prospect of having it in the shop for another 2 weeks (or possibly longer) is making me really unhappy.”
I am drained from laughing at the green morons. Unfortunately, they are also draining taxpayers’ wallets.
Nice looking car if you could figure out how to drop in a turbo 6 and a 6 speed manual transmission.
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The Mercedes Group closes 2021 positively with a clear improvement compared to 2020. More specifically, the German Group achieved a turnover of 168 billion euros against 154.3 billion euros in 2020 and 172.7 billion euros in 2019. Ebit is amounted to 29.1 billion euros, while the adjusted one of 19.2 billion euros equal to + 105% compared to 2020.
Net profit it reached 23.4 billion euros. On the other hand, net profit excluding the result of the deconsolidation of commercial vehicles was 14.2 billion euros. Earnings per share were € 12.89, equal to an increase of 280% over 2020 (profit excluding the result of deconsolidation). The increase in sales of premium vehicles (+ 30%) and those of electric vehicles (64%) contributed to these interesting results.
2021 was a year of strategic progress for Mercedes-Benz. Three numbers illustrate how this transformation is taking place: High-end vehicle sales increased 30%, electric car sales increased 64%, and our Adjusted EBIT increased 105%. This is a strong demonstration of the potential of this brand and this team. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all of our colleagues who have made this excellent achievement possible.
For 2022the German group is confident despite the uncertainties caused by the chip crisis.
With a clear plan for this year, we are confident for 2022. Aside from the relentless focus on cost efficiency and supply chain management, our strategic priorities are: increase EV sales, accelerate our software plans for cars and growing sales in the luxury segment.
Following these results, the Mercedes Group has decided to pay out a dividend totaling 5.35 billion euros. In terms of new electric models, the arrival in 2022 of the Mercedes EQS SUV and EQE SUV. Regarding the chip crisis, Mercedes highlights how the situation is improving but that the supply has not yet stabilized and therefore further problems are possible over the course of the year.

domain: news


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Future of Work 2020: How Alibaba’s Cloud is pioneering solutions and changing lives
At Future of Work, YourStory's flagship product-tech-design conference, Alibaba Cloud’s Yaw Yeo spoke about how the cloud is empowering people amidst the coronavirus crisis.
The silence that hangs over China’s offices, schools, and assembly lines is deafening. As the death toll following the outbreak of the Coronavirus mounts across China and the world, there has been a significant fallout on the economy and daily life.
With many tech giants across the world cancelling their flagship events, China’s ownhas served up a novel solution: its Cloud service.
The world’s third-largest cloud service provider, Alibaba Cloud has been working with enterprises and offering bespoke Cloud solutions to help companies overcome their challenges. In addition to Cloud credits, the company has offered products such as Elastic Compute Services, RDS, OSS, DCN, Anti-DDoS Premium, Web Application Firewall, Data Transfer Plans, Server Load Balancer, and ApsaraVideo VOD.
Speaking on Day 1 ofFuture of Work, Yaw Yeo, General Manager of International Product and Business for several product groups (CDN, Edge Computing, Video, cPaaS) under Alibaba Cloud spoke about how the coronavirus is literally redefining the future of how we work.
“The coronavirus is something that has been weighing on all our minds. We have been applying a lot of our technologies to help minimise the impact of the situation on work and people. In various cities across China, tens of millions of people have to stay at their homes. This has had a tremendous impact on business,” said Yaw.
However, people have been learning to adapt. Yaw gave the example of Alibaba’s ecommerce sellers, who are no longer able to go out and promote their products, but have taken to live streaming. “It’s not just the small-time sellers, even larger brands have turned to live streaming to sell their products,” he said.
Yaw added the virus has also resulted in a spike in working from home. “Bloomberg termed this the largest work from home experiment,” said Yaw.
This is the efficiency of the Cloud that Alibaba is bringing to its country. Alibaba’s DingTalk launched a “remote office” function for free for 10 million companies and organisations, which was supported by Alibaba Cloud, to assist organisations to resume businesses via the cloud.
This is a significant achievement for the Alibaba Group that only recently migrated its entire business to its own cloud – Alibaba Cloud.
The China-based company also announced that its cloud revenue had grown 62 percent to $1.5 billion in 2020. Merely a decade after it was founded in 2009, Alibaba Cloud is the #1 cloud provider in Asia Pacific and #3 in the world.
“It’s been a 20-year-long journey for the Alibaba Group. While most people know us as an ecommerce company, we have diversified into fintech, mapping, local delivery, retail, logistics, movie production and more. We needed the infrastructure to power all our business units from mapping to collaboration to our very successful Singles Day sale,” said Yaw.
Alibaba Cloud’s journey began when data from different business units was stored separately. “We basically brought all that together and made the Alibaba Cloud. The migration of Alibaba’s core ecommerce system to the public cloud was a defining moment for the company as it not only brought about greater efficiencies but was also a way to build greater confidence in customers to migrate their operations to the Alibaba Cloud.
“Every technology Alibaba Group sells has been beta-tested internally, and the cloud was no different,” said Yaw.
Today, Alibaba Cloud has deployed infrastructure globally, with over one million paying customers, 2,800+ Content Delivery Network (CDN) nodes worldwide across 200+ countries and regions, 63 availability zones and 21 global regions. “This means that we are operating at the scale at par or better than other players,” said Yaw.
“The decision to move to the cloud was not an easy one. In 2009, there was a huge split on whether to venture into the cloud. Some of the engineers said we should move everything to the cloud while the others doubted if we can make it happen. Ultimately, we decided to move into the cloud,” he said.
Explaining why the Group ventured into the cloud, he said Alibaba could not find any providers who could support them at the scale they needed.
“On Singles Day, which is the world’s largest shopping festival, Alibaba Cloud supported $38.4 billion GMV in just 24 hours with peak order over 544,000 per second. That’s more sales than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined, and with zero downtime.”
From supporting businesses to promoting education and ensuring timely support reaches health professionals treating the coronavirus, the cloud has impacted life in unprecedented ways.
“If you think about it, a decade or so ago, this would not have been possible. Just imagine the extent of what we have achieved. It’s mind-boggling what technology has made possible,” said Yaw.
(Edited by Megha Reddy)
A big shout out to our Future of Work 2020 Sponsors: Alibaba Cloud, Larksuite, Vodafone Idea Limited,, , , Pocket Aces, Junglee Games, , , Vesta Space Technology, Maharashtra State Innovation Society, Kristal.AI and GetToWork; and our Knowledge Partner: Ascend Harvard Business Review.


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Jaguar lines up J-Pace SUV to take fight to Porsche Cayenne
F-Pace, E-Pace and I-Pace will soon be joined by J-Pace
J-Pace to use Range Rover running gear and powertrains, due 202; electric-only new XJ on sale in 2019
The model will have a brand-new shape inspired by Jaguar design director Ian Callum and an obvious on-road bias, but it will draw on the Range Rover for much of its running gear.
It will be the brand’s fourth eye-grabbing entry into the gigantic global SUV market in just five years.
Jaguar stands on the edge of a highly profitable, much higher-volume future, based on rapidly rising sales of an SUV family that started with the F-Pace just two years ago and will probably account for two-thirds of its total sales in the early 2020s.
Also prominent in this progress will be a quick increase in the number of electrified Jaguars – both hybrids and full EVs – some of which will draw on the hardware, software and design influences of the revolutionary I-Pace, just launched.
The company, which promises at least one electrified version of every model by 2020, will keep its mix of performance-oriented saloons, SUVs and sports cars while accepting that burgeoning world demandfor soft-roaders is its real passport to higher sales and big profits.
The success of the 2016 F-Pace and the embryo success of the smaller, more affordable E-Pace are the main reasons for current improvements. However, company bosses are well aware that they need to continue producing upper- end models like the J-Pace to reinforce Jaguar’s image as the home of substantial, luxurious performance cars. Key models of the near to medium future are next year’s all-electric XJ limousine – which is being launched at that time to mark the 50th anniversary of Sir William Lyons’ seminal XJ original – and the bigger, super-luxury J-Pace.
Jaguar’s volumes, decimated in the financial crash of 2008-2009, have been rebuilt rather laboriously to around 150,000-160,000 cars a year, while bullish Land Rover and Range Rover sales have lifted total Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) volume beyond 600,000. Although that total is impressive in some ways, Tata-JLR bosses at one time planned to reach 800,000 sales by now and still have their eyes on an annual group total exceeding one million.
Jaguar’s SUV charge:
In a sense, the F-Pace of 2016 was the beginning of the rest of Jaguar’s life. It has become the marque’s most successful model for decades, selling more than 70,000 copies last year, after a similar performance the previous year. There are strong indications that we’ll see a plug-in hybrid concept this year, drawing on know-how from the recent Range Rover and Range Rover Sport hybrids. A mid-life refresh is due next year, too, (perhaps the two will coincide) and a full replacement is already timed for late 2022, because this is one model Jaguar wouldn’t want to get wrong.
Hopes are even higher for the recently launched, smaller E-Pace, whose BMW rival, the X1, posted sales of around 120,000 last year. In the UK alone, sales of all compact SUVs exceeded 170,000 last year, more than doubling in three years. Jaguar is rightly bullish about further expansion of the class. The one awkward point is that a generous slice of this volume was earned by the Range Rover Evoque, now six years old and still a major force in the market.
The E-Pace’s success is certain to cause some sales cannibalisation.
The I-Pace – Jaguar’s first electric car and launched at the Geneva motor show last week – has already won big plaudits for looks, proportions and the boldness of its concept. It is being made in Graz, Austria,by Magna Steyr at greater cost than in one of Jaguar’s own plants, but the company regards it as proof of its credentials as a leading user of new technology and is happy to invest.
The best guidance on I-Pace volumes is that it will be “somewhere either side of F-Type”, which sounds like 10,000-15,000 cars a year, although company insiders are honestly unsure how it will go. Given the combined expense of the model’s new, stand-alone electric architecture and Magna’s manufacturing, this looks like being Jaguar’s least profitable model, although JLR CEO Ralf Speth insists it’ll be a money-maker “at the anticipated volumes”. Some say it could eventually be made in China, where manufacturing electric cars has recently become easier.
The fourth SUV in Jaguar’s frame, the J-Pace, will be a sleek and luxurious all- aluminium model for the early 2020s. It’s likely to use a developed version of the Range Rover aluminium architecture, although it will be longer, lower, probably more spacious in the rear and much more on-road biased. It will employ Range Rover running gear and powertrains, and plug into a rising demand for super-luxury SUVs. Jaguar bosses will expect it to sell especially well in China, where well-heeled owners are chauffeur-driven.
JAG’S SALOON CHALLENGE
Jaguar needs saloons. They’ve been a backbone since the heyday of company founder Lyons but not enough people are buying them now. Last year, the compact XE, launched in 2015 to fight the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, made barely 19,000 sales in Europe (around 25,000 in the previous year) against 170,000 for the leading Mercedes C-Class. The mid-sized XF, recently refreshed and with the Sportbrake (estate) to help, does little better.
Replacements are nonetheless planned for both cars in the early 2020s, mostly because special long-wheelbase versions of both have recently gone on sale in China and Jaguar is prepared to bet the resultant volume will make them viable.
Big Jaguar saloon news is an electric XJ (as scooped by Autocar earlier this year), due to be shown this year and on sale in 2019. The car is believed to be a second application for the twin-electric-motor architecture introduced with the I-Pace, with all the benefits in smoothness and cabin space we’ve already seen. Jaguar wants the new XJ to be seen as revolutionary – as several of its predecessors were in their time – in a category diminished by the rising success of luxurious SUVs.
JAG’S SPORTS CAR DECISION
Jaguar faces potentially agonising decisions over sports cars. Should it drop them or give them more prominence? There are strong arguments for both courses, and Jaguar bosses are trying to decide the correct direction. Even before Tata bought JLR in 2008, it was clear there was going to be a brand-new Jaguar sports car. Ratan Tata, with fond memories of XK120s, was in favour from the beginning.
The result was the 2013 F-Type convertible, which looked terrific although industry pundits have since criticised its price structure, the time it took JLR to add coupé (2014) and the lack of a small-engined version until 2017. Sales run at currently about 10,000 a year.
The argument in favour of sports cars goes thus: Jaguar needs its image builder, just as Porsche (which still calls itself a sports car company) uses its minority 911 and 718 models to create an image for its SUVs and saloons. The F-Type should be raced, replaced and enhanced to add lustre to the brand. These arguments work in favour of a Jaguar XK coupé, another candidate for electric I-Pace and XJ architecture that could be priced just under the Bentley Continental GT.
The anti-sports-car argument is that the F-Type is a modest earner, as all sporty cars now are. Its structure is expensive because it shares little with other production models. It doesn’t sell well in China, and even US sales run at about only 4000 units a year.
The good news is that Jaguar now seems to have its model building blocks in place for the next few years, and they are starting to be effective. Since the F-Pace, Jaguar has started earning solid profits, with more and better in prospect from the E-Pace. The company’s managers can now give more concentration to image enhancers (like the I-Pace, XJ, J-Pace and possibly XK) it has always needed to maintain a special place in the world.
Source: Autocar Online


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IFT explores GM crop promise
“Genetically modified (GM) crops, foods, ingredients, and feeds produced from them have been very much in the news. In the United States, voters have gone to the polls in California and Washington to reject initiatives that would have required mandatory warning labels on foods containing even traces of GM crop-derived materials. Connecticut passed a GM labeling bill that will not take effect until five other states adopt similar legislation; such legislative actions are pending in about 20 other states.”
For the full article from IFT, click here.


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Alibaba has invested in luxury online wholesale fashion tech firm Ordre as the three-year-old company positions itself for major growth. Ordre said Alibaba is now “a strategic investor,” but the terms weren’t disclosed.
Matchesfashion went from strength to strength in the year that it was bought out with revenues up 44% and profits up 34%. And importantly, as much as 82% of its business was generated outside its home market, the UK.
Chadstone Shopping Centre has clocked more than $2 billion in sales annually, a first for the Melbourne-based mall, as it continues to redevelop and attract more global brand store openings to its centre.
American actress Meghan Markle picked a sleek sculpted dress by Givenchy creative head Clare Waight Keller for her wedding to Prince Harry and later changed into Stella McCartney, a label also chosen by other big names.


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Sony thinks we have not seen enough of the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima and we agree. Tomorrow, the console maker will host a State of Play solely dedicated to the upcoming PS4 exclusive. Users will be able to tune into a full stream showing off the game’s world, gameplay, story and more.
The Ghost of Tsushima State of Play will kick off at 22:00 SAT / 4pm ET / 1pm PT. In addition, the stream will be live on YouTube and Twitch. According to the official announcement, the stream will be 18-minutes as it includes gameplay footage, including exploration, combat and more.
Be warned, however, Sony has clearly stated that Ghost of Tsushima State of Play will not reveal any PS5 news at all. The stream is solely on the upcoming game.
Ghost of Tsushima is set for release on 17 July 2020 after suffering a slight delay last month. In addition, the game was pushed back alongside The Last of Us Part 2. We have seen very little about the upcoming Sucker Punch game. Sony revealed it back at E3 2015 and has released small trailers for the game. Hopefully, this upcoming stream will reveal a lot more about the game.


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Doha Festival City (DHFC) marked its second anniversary on April 5 with 90% occupancy, further strengthening its position as a preferred partner for retailers to expand their business, general manager Robert Hall has said.
The celebration featured a special live performance by superstar Iraqi singer Rahma Riad followed by a series of entertaining and family-friendly public activities, among others.
“DHFC opened its door in April 2017 with less than 40% occupancy and since then, the management committed to delivering the best brand mix for customers in Qatar,” Hall told Gulf Times.
He stressed that they provide retailers unique opportunities for growth and work hard to maintain customers interest in DHFC, which is home to several international brands.
The mall hosts 58 first-to-market brands, including anchor brands Harvey Nichols, Charlotte Tilbury, Kiehl’s, Dior Beauty Boutique and ACE Hardware, in addition to 46 retailers that are exclusive to the mall.
Apart from having the country’s only IKEA since 2013, DHFC is also home to the largest Monoprix in the world and the only Vox Cinemas with Theatre by Rhodes, and “over 400 stores offering great brand mix under one roof”.
“We have more than 100 places to dine and relax such as restaurants, cafes and casual dining outlets from brands that are unique to Qatar or debuting concepts including Jamie’s Italian, Café Coco, 800 Degrees, Letto Café and Aimee’s Café,” Hall said.
Elaborating on the positive impact of the illegal blockade imposed on Qatar, he noted that DHFC is working closely with the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) on various initiatives that make the country consistently an attractive destination for local and foreign tourists from different regions globally.
Hall pointed out that such initiatives by QNTC provide DHFC with a platform to create partnerships for its retailers while also providing bigger and better shopping experiences for customers.
“Shop Qatar and Qatar Summer Festival are an amazing opportunity to attract the local community inwards and direct it towards internal tourism,” he said.
“We have shifted our focus internally first by ensuring that we support Qatari and local brands. This can be seen in our initiatives with Shop Qatar and Laha Premier for example, in addition to explore the locally developed brands.”
DHFC also amped up its local partnerships with top Qatari retail group, and looked regionally in Oman, Kuwait and Turkey to partner with brands that will add more diversity for its customers, he added.
With the soon-to-open theme parks (Snow Dunes, Virtuocity and Angry Birds Outdoor), the mall is set to offer unique experience that will attract tourists and new customers visiting Doha.
Hall said DHFC remained to be a top choice among shoppers due to several factors, including convenient parking with more than 8,000 carparks, being a smart mall with its free Wi-Fi, smart parking system, and its digital screens.
While taking a number of new brands on board recently such as Le Petit Train Bleu, The Coffee Club, Maki, Oud perfumes, Secret Notes, Atasay Jewelry, Antoine Karam, Quicksilver, Qinwan store and L’eto Caffe, the mall will launch new stores such as Patissez Australia F&B outlet, WYCON Italian cosmetics, in addition to other offerings in its kiosk such as Filicori Zechini café, Atyab AlMarshood, Huawei mobile, Tawaq perfumes, Pause coffee, Eden Coffee, and Cup of Joe.
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KIOXIA America, Inc. | January 09, 2023 | Read time : 02:10 min
Leading flash memory and SSD supplier, Kioxia, showcased new products and technologies designed to be future-ready at this year’s CES 2023.
Kioxia was the first to introduce NAND and 3D flash memory drives, and today, KIOXIA’s varied portfolio of flash storage solutions is designed to meet the ever-changing technological environment, where evolving standards drive performance levels higher.
The SSD products made by KIOXIA are built with BiCS FLASHTM 3D flash memory, which makes them ideal for client PCs, enterprise servers and storage, and cloud data centers. Kioxia’s flash memory and solid-state drives (SSD), are used to power vital information infrastructure like data centers, smartphones, PCs, and other devices that are important to people's lives worldwide.
"Whether it's the next connected vehicle, the next personal mobility device or the next smart city – we keep advancing flash memory to make the next thing possible, Countless consumer devices and applications require flash memory and SSDs, and we are committed to continued innovation."
Alex Mei, vice president of corporate marketing for KIOXIA America, Inc.
KIOXIA CES exhibit at the Venetian® Meeting Center from January 5-7 included:
Scalable BiCS FLASH™ 3D flash memory technology solutions – including XL-FLASH™ and 4-bit per cell quad-level-cell (QLC) technology
Flash memory solutions for automotive, consumer and industrial applications – including SLC NAND, UFS 4.0 and XFMEXPRESS™
A broad lineup of KIOXIA SSDs - representing the latest standards, technologies, and form factors
KIOXIA client SSDs – including XG8 and BG5 Series NVMe™ SSDs
About KIOXIA America, Inc
KIOXIA America, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of KIOXIA Corporation. From the creation of flash memory to the ground-breaking BiCS FLASHTM 3D technology of today, KIOXIA has led the way in developing cutting-edge memory, SSD, and software solutions that improve people's lives and broaden the boundaries of society. The company's Yokkaichi Plant is one of the world's largest and highly efficient flash memory manufacturing facilities. In addition, the company continues to meet the increasing demand for memory worldwide by deploying advanced manufacturing processes that use AI.


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Home > Travel > Malaysia
Tuesday February 18, 2014 MYT 6:00:00 AM
Tuesday February 18, 2014 MYT 10:33:09 AM
Many travellers like personalised service to meet their specific requirements. - Photo from AFP
Apparently tourists from certain nations crave personalised hotel services more than others.
TOURISTS from around the world seem to be increasingly demanding when it comes to what they expect from their hotel, and many are looking for their experience to come with personalised treatment. And according to an international survey carried out by Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), tourists from emerging countries are among the most exacting.
In a survey of 7,000 travellers from around the world, IHG found that in addition to demanding the high quality amenities typically offered by a global hotel chain, guests also expect their hotel to be relevant in terms of local lifestyles and customs. Furthermore, the survey revealed that a majority of guests expect hotels to provide personalised services tailored to their individual preferences.
Overall, 59% of travellers surveyed say that their stay will be “significantly more comfortable” if personalised services are offered, while more than one out of two people (54%) say that such services make them feel more respected.
Expectations vary by age group. While the 18-34 set would like to be offered personalised content during their stay (movies and music, for example), travelling seniors (aged 65 and up) expressed a desire for healthier food and drink options.
The survey indicated that travellers from emerging markets have a stronger desire for personalised services than travellers from more developed nations. Over 60% of Chinese (64%) and Brazilian (62%) travellers expect a hotel to customise their experience according to their personal needs, compared to just 43% of Americans and 42% of Britons surveyed.
For travellers from emerging markets, which IHG refers to as the “new global explorers,” this form of personal attention is seen as a sign of respect. “Sixty-two percent of Chinese travellers, 54% of Brazilian travellers and 46% of Emirati travellers agree that personalisation makes them feel respected compared to 39% of travellers from all countries surveyed,” states IHG’s report.
Finally, the survey also revealed some preferences according to nationality. British travellers are fond of surprises, Americans would like to be able to choose their check-in and check-out times, while the Chinese are keen on interactive applications for finding local points of interest. Russians, meanwhile, expressed a desire for tourist guides in their language. – AFP Relaxnews
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Privately held medical device maker FzioMed won Australian regulatory approval for its Dynavisc post-surgical gel, an absorbable gel applied to tendons and nerves to reduce adverse events after surgery.
Dynavisc has European CE Mark approval and FzioMed CEO John Krelle said in prepared remarks that the FDA is reviewing a citizen petition for product approval in the U.S.
"Australia has proven to be a strong market for our products and adding a product for use in tendon and peripheral nerve surgery to our already successful spine and gynecology products, provides more protection for patients who suffer the debilitating effect of adhesions after surgery," said Krelle. "Oxiplex is not yet approved in the United States despite having demonstrated safety and effectiveness in clinical studies involving more than 500 patients."
In 2012, FzioMed filed a citizen’s petition with the commissioner of the FDA, asking the agency to re-open a rejected premarket approval application for its Oxiplex spinal surgery gel.


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Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Borders Take the First Step On The Road to Nowhere?
Today Borders finally filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Manhattan Federal Court. The total debt is $1.29 billion and it lists the top 30 unsecured creditors listed with publishers and distributors being owed some $230 million. Borders expect to close some 200 of their 642 stores but will continue to trade under Chapter 11.
Chapter 11 is not the end of Borders and many US companies have come back from Chapter 11 and now a lot depends to the fincial restructuring and appointed management services. A lot also depends on their now somewhat strained relationship with suppliers.
It’s ironic that like others, they failed to see the threat of Amazon and the consumer trend online. By the time the woke up some seven years later, found a market dominated by Amazon and a thriving online book space. Even with ebooks they decide to partner and spread their bets. They were ideally positioned to go multi media but as music, games and Video went online they were left with cavernous spaces to fill and a name not synonymous with online. o, building loyal relationships with millions of customers. The fact is that others, such as WalMart, Costco etc, were also after their customer and revenues, and were squeezing them further.
Does any market now need or can they even support more than one bookchain? Does the chain have to be on the High Street or can it now operate on the virtual High Street?
The bottomline is that the industry looses yet another link in the existing chain and it is highly likely that Amazon will step up to capture the customers and business. It is hard to see Borders coming out of Chapter 11 without some serious downsizing and refocusing and time is not on their side to do this.
Letter to Customers from Mike Edwards, President and CEO
The court filing (PDF)


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Guess where awareness is lowest in the region.
The citizens of many Southeast Asian countries have been coping with the effects of significant haze – caused primarily by forest fires burning in the region - in recent months. While the haze seems to be finally under control, that was not the first time SEA has been affected in this way and there have been mixed voices as to who is to blame. YouGov ran a survey to investigate how the haze has impacted people’s habits and travel behaviour in the region. It polled 7,536 respondents online across Asia Pacific from 17-23 Nov 2015. All data was collected from YouGov panellists and weighted to be representative of the online population.
The survey also found that the haze has particularly changed the travel behaviour of people in Asia Pacific. 68% say they would only visit cities/countries that remain unaffected by the haze. Only 7% of respondents would still visit the affected cities/countries and think the haze is not a problem. Another 18% would still visit the affected cities/countries due to business travel, family visits, or because they already paid for the trip.
In fact, regardless of the haze, Singapore is among the top 5 countries in APAC where respondents would want to visit most. And here are the top 5 :-
1. Japan (50%),
2. Australia (43%),
3. New Zealand (38%),
4. Singapore (33%), and
5. Thailand (25%).
However, the above ranking doesn’t stay the same in some countries. In Mainland China, half of the respondents (50%) want to visit Singapore most, while over 50% of Malaysian wants to travel to Australia most.
Do you know more about this story? Contact us anonymously through this link.


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Former Falcons running back Jamal Anderson is accused of rocking out with his you-know-what out in Georgia.
He's one Dirty Bird.
Former Falcons running back Jamal Anderson is accused of rocking out with his you-know-what out in a Georgia convenience store early on Wednesday.
Anderson, now 44, allegedly walked into the store in Suwanee, Ga., and began handing money over to the clerk but didn't ask for anything, according to the 911 call obtained by the Daily News.
During the call, the clerk told the dispatcher that Anderson went to the back of the store with his phone "for quite some time" before walking back to the front of the store with his penis exposed. The caller did not recognize him as the former All-Pro running back, describing him only as a 6-2 black male (Anderson is listed as 5-11) in jeans and a sweater with a flat-brim cap.


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The world is flat, but American manufacturers have known that since before Tom Friedman published the book on the subject. Globalization means American companies compete with foreign trade partners. The New America Foundation calculates that U.S. manufacturers pay an average of $2.38 an hour for health benefits, while trade partners pay only $0.96 an hour.
That’s the bottom-line in the Foundation’s paper, Employer Health Costs in a Global Economy: A Competitive Disadvantage for U.S. Firms.
The percent of payroll devoted to health benefits is about 13% for American manufacturers, and 5% for foreign trade partners.
That adds up to one big competitive disadvantage which ultimately results in lost jobs for Americans.
Health Populi’s Hot Points: This is everybody’s business. Labor is coming together with business and key stakeholder groups to address the impact of health insurance on business and competition. New America points out a few of these important coalitions: Better Health Care Together, uniting Wal-Mart, AT&T, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the Communications Workers of America; Divided We Fail, a coalition of the Business Roundtable, National Federation of Independent Business, the AARP, and the SEIU; the Coalition to Advance Healthcare Reform, a business coalition led by Safeway CEO Steve Burd.
Clearly, one-time adversaries like Big Labor and Big Business can come together. Why can’t our legislators breach the same sort of chasm? Let’s make 2008 the year to stop demonization of stakeholders and come together for the benefit of all.


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By Alex Ruiz
Where should recreational pot sold in Colorado come from? Lawmakers debating the hotly argued marijuana question came down on the side of flexibility Monday, voting to reject the state’s current medical marijuana model, which requires dispensaries to grow most of the pot they sell.
A special House-Senate committee set up to regulate pot made the decision on their final day. The committee voted to seek a bill allowing future pot businesses to specialize in just one aspect of the business if they wish, growing or distributing or retailing.
At issue is whether future recreational marijuana shops should be like liquor stores, which don’t have to make the products they sell. Some wanted marijuana shops to act like current medical marijuana dispensaries, which are required to grow 70 percent of the marijuana they sell.
The question sharply divided Colorado’s existing pot industry. A coalition of large-scale pot businesses argued to keep Colorado’s grow-your-own requirement. They argued it would give Colorado greater control over the state’s crop of the federally illegal drug.
“It makes sure that if you’re growing it, you have a legal way of selling it,” said Mike Elliott, head of the Denver-based Medical Marijuana Industry Group.
By Alex Ruiz


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Oprah Winfrey's adulterous dad tried to screw Oprah's stepmom out of profits for the sale of their barber shop ... and the judge may be insinuating Oprah was in on it.In divorce documents --… READ MORE >
Born – January 29, 1954
Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S.
Real Name: Orpah Winfrey (weird, right?)
Talk show host, messiah, corn dog enthusiast.
The most powerful woman in the world, has more money than you and your children and your children’s children will ever dream of having.
Started out hosting a morning talk show in Chicago in 1983, caught the eye of Steven Spielberg, who cast her in “The Color Purple.” Remember “The Color Purple?” It’s like the one Spielberg film that doesn’t have Nazis or aliens in it.
Began “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” which inspired a generation of women to sit on their couches watching “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Also inspired women to robotically support any product, movement or person that Oprah endorsed. Gave the world Dr. Phil AND Dr. Oz. Thank you?
Has been besties with Gayle King since 1976, but that’s all they are, just friends. Just ask Oprah’s boyfriend Stedman who she’s been dating for 25 years but never married for some reason.
Ended her show in 2011, at which point thousands of women were put on suicide watch and sales of boxed wine skyrocketed.
Launched the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in January 2011 and finally had it all!! Except for an audience, because no one really tuned in and the network laid off a bunch off people in 2012.
It's not like Oprah Winfrey to screw up when it comes to TV programming, but she just made a huge mistake by cutting Lindsay Lohan's mom and dad from her reality show. C'mon O ... everyone knows… READ MORE >
Lindsay Lohan calmly told Oprah Winfrey she's an addict, and her poison of choice has always been alcohol, but she definitely dabbled in cocaine.You gotta watch the way Lindsay handles herself ...… READ MORE >
Oprah Winfrey says she's kinda sorta "sorry" for the fallout that ensued after she told the media about a "racist" encounter at a purse store in Switzerland ... saying, "I'm really sorry that it… READ MORE >
The entire country of Switzerland is begging for Oprah Winfrey's forgiveness ... after a racist shop assistant in Zurich refused to show her a handbag because it was "too expensive" for O.The… READ MORE >
Oprah just spoke about her talk with Lindsay on "Good Morning America." Oprah said she warned Lindsay not to go to Europe because "it's very hard to not go to Capri and not have a Bellini."Lindsay… READ MORE >
Oprah Winfrey says she has no tolerance for anyone who uses the N-word around her -- no matter the color of their skin -- saying, "You cannot be my friend and use that word around me."Oprah… READ MORE >


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On June 19, 2023, the German Trumpf Group (TRUMPF) and the bicycle brake manufacturer Trickstuff demonstrated for the first time at the European International Bicycle Show (Eurobike) held in Frankfurt, a bicycle titanium brake handle made by 3D printing, through 3D printing technology It enables the processing of titanium materials to achieve cost-effectiveness.
Manufacture of bicycle brake levers with TRUMPF 3D printing technology
Until now, the bicycle industry has generally used carbon as a material for high-quality brake levers. However, the environmental performance of this material is low. Manufacturers cannot recycle the carbon material and usually incinerate it. Titanium is more environmentally friendly and stronger than carbon. Manufacturers can use titanium to create harder titanium brake levers than other materials.
Manufacturers can use 3D printers to customize brake levers. Not only is it suitable for the design of titanium materials, but also the strength of the brake lever can be customized according to the needs of the rider. “Since TRUMPF’s 3D printing technology is also designed for series production, the bicycle industry can also use it for mass production. Components subject to heavy stress can thus be produced cost-effectively.” Christian Lengwenat, application engineer at TRUMPF express.
Manufacture of brake levers with the TruPrint 1000
Trumpf’s 3D printing technology also allows companies in the bicycle industry to speed up the production of prototypes. “With 3D printers, manufacturers can produce different prototypes simultaneously in one printing process, which greatly speeds up the prototyping process in the bicycle industry,” Lengwenat said. To date, manufacturers have mostly produced prototype parts by milling, which is time-consuming and expensive.
Titanium brake handle
TRUMPF is a high-tech company that provides manufacturing solutions for machine tools and laser technology. The company drives the digital connection of the manufacturing industry through consulting, platform products, and software. TRUMPF is the technology and market leader in the fields of flexible sheet metal processing machines and industrial lasers.


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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, July 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Angostura, world famend for fragrant bitters, has added yet one more flavour to its portfolio with the newest innovation- ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters. It’s made utilizing Trinidad and Tobago’s personal Trinitario cocoa which is a singular and untapped useful resource. The truth is, the beans from the Trinitario cocoa are well-known globally for its daring traits, its depth of flavour and aroma, which command a premium worth on the worldwide market. T&T is designated as a 100% effective or flavour cocoa producer, a standing it has held for many years.
This newest innovation is a part of Angostura’s bid to advertise our native agricultural treasure, cocoa, world wide. The Trinitario cocoa provides a candy and elegantly balanced flavour to our bitters line which makes it considered one of our most unique improvements in a long time.
After years of steady analysis and trials, the Angostura staff led by Grasp Blender, Carol Homer-Caesar, created the right recipe for this newest product, utilizing T&T’s internationally well-known, and indigenous, Trinitario cocoa to provide ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters; as we proceed to push the boundaries of flavour, taking inspiration from our historical past and native heritage.
Ms. Homer-Caesar says: “We consider our domestically cultivated Trinitario cocoa delivers a far superior flavour profile to different geographic areas. Our hope is that our new, expertly crafted, cocoa bitters conjures up folks to create their very own signature cocktail and meals recipes to savour and luxuriate in with household and pals.”
The launch of ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters coincides with an unprecedented second, when folks across the globe are spending extra time than ever at residence as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. This has sparked a wave of ‘DIY’ within the kitchen at residence and at bars. As a timeless model that has been flavouring the world for the previous 196 years, we have now a possibility to encourage mixologists, drinks lovers and residential cooks to grab this time of creativity and deal with their urge for food for authenticity and pure elements.
Angostura launched orange bitters 13 years in the past, and right now, we’re proud to announce that as a part of our efforts to help our native agricultural trade, we’re including cocoa bitters to our portfolio. Angostura’s forecasts for the demand of cocoa will lead to elevated output in native cocoa manufacturing. We’ve already been in touch with lots of the native producers to make sure a gentle provide of cocoa for our manufacturing course of which has put native producers in growth mode.
The truth is, the demand for our newest innovation has already surpassed preliminary projections. We’re delighted that this newest product is shortly capturing market share throughout the globe, which is strictly what our staff had in thoughts once they have been formulating the right recipe.
As considered one of this nation’s main exporters, ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters shall be exported to a number of markets together with the U.S.A the place it will likely be positioned in over 1,200 Walmart shops within the introductory section. It’ll even be offered within the U.Ok. and Europe. This has additional enhanced our strategic place globally.
ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters incorporates high notes of wealthy, floral and nutty cocoa mixed with an intoxicating infusion of fragrant botanicals. Crafted to encourage creativity and experimentation with flavour combos, this new product is right to be used in each skilled and at-home settings, and for candy and savoury purposes. It may be used to remix basic cocktails or put an expensive spin on a major dish or candy deal with. It pairs completely with candy vermouth or aged spirits, like whiskey, rum, cognac and tequila, whereas bringing new layers of depth and complexity to cocktails, such because the basic espresso martini. ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters can innovate your creations.
For additional data please contact:
Tel: (868) 623-1841 ext. 290
E-mail: [email protected]


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- NIST pledges transparency in NSA dealings over crypto standards
- New framework helps companies quantify risk
- US spy program has financial, security impacts, says Snowden
- Which cloud personality are you? Three ways to approach online storage
- Google's Project Zero publishes three OS X zero-day vulnerabilities
Adobe CEO - News, Features, and Slideshows
News about Adobe CEO
Adobe's CEO, Shantanu Narayen, was today quizzed over the Australian pricing of Adobe software products at the launch of the software company's new office in Sydney.


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Shoppers who aren’t wearing a mask will now be denied entry to supermarkets in Altrincham including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
All four retailers – as well as Morrisons – have announced they will ban shoppers who refuse to wear face coverings, unless they are medically exempt.
With the infection rate spreading across Trafford and the UK, retailers have been criticised for not doing enough to stop people breaking Covid rules.
Enforcement of face coverings is officially a police responsibility, but supermarkets can deny entry to their premises as it is private property.
Tesco, which has two stores in Altrincham, said today it had decided to strengthen its policies.
A spokesperson said: “To protect our customers and colleagues, we won’t let anyone into our stores who is not wearing a face covering, unless they are exempt in line with government guidance.
“We are also asking our customers to shop alone, unless they’re a carer or with children. To support our colleagues, we will have additional security in stores to help manage this.”
A spokesman for Asda, which has a store in Broadheath, said it will continue to offer customers a mask free of charge if they need one.
But he added: “Should a customer refuse to wear a covering without a valid medical reason and be in any way challenging to our colleagues about doing so, our security colleagues will refuse their entry.”


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What’s your take on the Pixel 3 XL conspiracy theories?
All of these rumors will finally be laid to rest in less than a month.
Ever since the Pixel 3 XL leaks started to surface earlier this year, there’s been an unavoidable narrative surrounding them that’s caused a lot of folks to get stirred up. While the leaks we’ve been seeing are more than likely the real deal and the phone Google’s going to announce on October 9, some people believe that these have been faked by Google and that we’ll actually see a phone other than the 3 XL announced at the fall hardware event.
There are a lot of people taking a stance on both sides of this argument. Many expect the Pixel 3 XL to be the flagship we’re getting for 2018, but at the same time, others are convinced this is meant to dupe us and that we’ll actually get some sort of Ultra Pixel instead.
Here’s what members of the AC forums have to say.
09-10-2018 02:55 PM
Not buying it and not a smart decision at all if it were true.
09-10-2018 05:01 PM
Hmm, I guess you never know! I do agree with you that it would be quite difficult to keep a phone (especially a flagship from Google) under wraps for so long – especially so close to its release – so there is that. But hey, if anyone could pull off that kind of secret-phone-business thing, it’s Google!
09-11-2018 08:29 PM
While the theory does seem implausible, the things I can’t reconcile are Google wanting negative reviews from YouTubers, and the “stolen” shipment of Pixel 3XLs.
On the first part, what possible reason would you have to want negative reviews for a promo regarding a product you’re debuting. That makes zero sense to me. Unless it’s internal and they’re going to make the design team watch it on a…
09-12-2018 01:02 AM
I honestly think Google reckon they’re just like Apple and that they can produce a device that everyone hates the look of at first but will grow to love and think the opposite shortly after. They have that same arrogance but they’ll never pull it off like Apple do..
I’m secretly hoping they’ve bluffed everyone and have a notch less phone waiting in the wings but let’s be honest…. It’s Google
Now, we’d love to hear from you. What’s your take on the Pixel 3 XL conspiracy theories?
Join the conversation in the forums!


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The results of Beverage Industry’s annual Fleet Study are in and they reflect the increasing diversification of fleet equipment, fuel and the best day-to-day practices in modern delivery operations.
The lighter side
The survey results underline the notion that beverage fleets aren’t just about medium-duty vehicles and above. Vans and passenger vehicles continue to play a critical role in day-to-day operations, whether it’s sales calls, troubleshooting or small deliveries.
In fact, passenger cars are the most common vehicles in use, with 64 percent of respondents saying they deploy them for some functions. Those fleets operate an average of three passenger cars each, out of an average of 17 total vehicles. More than half of respondents use vans and pickup trucks, with an average of four and two, respectively, in each fleet. Sport utility vehicles also are filling a significant role in many fleets, with nearly half of respondents reporting that they operate an average of two SUVs.
When you break down the average fleet, Class 3 to 7 straight trucks with box or side-load bodies represent the greatest share of the fleet’s overall composition at 26 percent, while vans are not far behind at 23 percent.
Down the road
When it comes to the vehicle types that beverage fleets are most likely to purchase in the next two years, vans are the most popular.
More than two-thirds of all respondents indicated that they plan to make a vehicle purchase of some sort during that period and, of those, 60 percent noted that they expect to buy at least one van, compared with 50 percent who say they’ll be buying Class 3 to 7 straight trucks with box or side-load bodies.
When it comes to light-duty and small, consumer-friendly vehicles, vans appear to be the future of beverage fleets. Only 34 percent plan to buy SUVs and 28 percent expect to purchase pickup trucks in the next 24 months. And most purchase decisions (58 percent) are driven by the need to replace existing vehicles versus a desire to add vehicles to that fleet (42 percent).
Keep it cool
The continued surge in the number of new craft beer brands on the market, as well as certain functional non-alcohol beverages, has made refrigerated vehicles increasingly more popular. Some beer styles, especially a number of bottle-conditioned brews with live yeast in them, as well as non-alcohol drinks with active cultures or other components that are sensitive to spoilage, make refrigerated trucks an ideal addition to any fleet.
Forty-two percent of survey respondents have at least one refrigerated vehicle in their fleet. For nearly half of the respondents (44 percent), refrigerated vehicles make up between 21 percent and 50 percent of each of their fleets.
Fueling the future
Petroleum prices are once again creeping up after a multi-year reprieve. So now’s as good a time as any for fleet managers to start thinking about alternative fuels.
One-third of respondents say they currently employ an alternative fuel strategy of some sort. A little more than one-tenth of those surveyed say they plan to in the next 12 months.
However, there’s still a sizable number of beverage fleets (43 percent) that have not adopted alternative fuels nor plan to in the near future. Among the different types of alternative fuels, ethanol is the most popular and, surprisingly, natural gas is the least popular. A few years ago, fuel seemed to be trending in the natural gas direction.
It will be interesting to see the results next year once fleets have had the chance to digest this year’s higher fuel prices. BI
Beverage Industry’s Fleet Survey was conducted by BNP Media’s Market Research Division. The online survey was conducted between July 16 and 30 and included a systematic random sample of the domestic circulation of Beverage Industry.


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The first OnePlus 6 speed test is in and it looks mightily impressive
The OnePlus 6 was unveiled earlier this week with the company boasting that this new device will bring users the “Speed you need”.
Along with a new edge-to-edge screen, dual-lens camera and glass design there’s some pretty powerful specs tucked under the hood.
This includes Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 845 processor, an Adreno 630 GPU and up to 8GB of RAM.
OnePlus says that “Through a combination of intelligent software and powerful hardware, we’re able to ensure performance keeps up with the fast pace of life.”
Although that is clearly some clever marketing spiel it appears that OnePlus may not be joking about the performance of its new smartphone.
A video posted on YouTube by Web Hacks claims to show the new OnePlus 6 being pitted against the Galaxy S9, iPhone X and OnePlus 5T.
The simple speed test shows the phones opening and closing a number of apps and games in quick succession.
All the devices appear to perform well but, amazingly, the OnePlus seems to be the fastest - beating all the other flagships.
According to the results, the OnePlus 6 took 44 seconds to complete the task with the iPhone X cominng close behind with a time of 47 seconds.
This was followed by the 5T and Galaxy S9 which both took 51 seconds.
There’s no way to confirm or verify this speed test and we’re sure there will be more scientific results coming over the next few weeks, but the signs certainly look promising for OnePlus fans.
Express.co.uk is currently reviewing the OnePlus 6 and will bring you our full thoughts in the coming days.
If the OnePlus 6 does prove to be the fatest phone on the market it's hugely impressive from a device that is considerbly cheaper than most of its rivals.
This latest device starts from £469 with the top-end model featuring 256GB of memory and 8GB RAM costing £569 - that's almost half the price of the iPhone X.
"With the OnePlus 6, we challenged ourselves to deliver an external design as smooth and elegant as the work we've done inside the device," said OnePlus Founder and CEO Pete Lau.
"We're proud of what we've accomplished, and we hope our users are too."
This device will be on sale from May 22 at OnePlus.com


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HCMC – The Ministry of Transport this morning, May 18, announced in a statement that two more sections of the North-South Expressway will be officially opened to traffic from 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.
According to Uong Viet Dung, office chief of the Ministry of Transport, the 49-kilometer Nha Trang-Cam Lam expressway and the 100.8-kilometer Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet expressway will be opened only for automobiles.
Pedestrians, rudimentary vehicles, motorcycles, tractors and motor vehicles with a designed speed of below 70 kph are not allowed to use the two new expressways.
Vehicles carrying poisonous, inflammable and explosive substances on the list of hazardous goods cannot run on the expressways unless otherwise authorized by competent agencies.
Vehicles can travel on the expressways at a maximum speed of 80 kph and a minimum speed of 60 kph.


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Beaujolais Nouveau makes bigger splash in Japan
Friday 19 November 2010
Japanese wine importers have purchased 5 percent more Beaujolais Nouveau than last year as the drink's popularity bounces back.
This year's wine went on sale in Japan on Thursday, with retailers hoping sales will be boosted by lower prices - thanks to the strong yen - allied with the increasing use of plastic bottles.
And it helps that this year's wine is reportedly as good as the 2009 version, with a sweet and fruity flavor.
"The number of cases of Beaujolais Nouveau imported peaked at slightly more than 1 million in 2004, but declined after that," Kiyoshi Yokoyama, general manager of the corporate communications department of Mercian Corp., told Relaxnews.
"We think that trend bottomed last year, when only 500,000 cases were imported, and we think that people are more conscious of the product and will again be buying Beaujolais Nouveau," he said.
After proving a success last year - despite some criticism from wine purists - plenty of Beaujolais Nouveau is being poured from plastic bottles.
Importers say their state-of-the-art plastic bottles are just as good as glass ones - plus they help increase sales by making the product cheaper because each bottle is lighter and therefore less expensive to transport from France.
Supermarket chain Aeon Co. is selling 375-millilitre plastic bottles for Y500 (€4.38), while rival chain Seiyu GK has 750-millilitre plastic bottles for Y690 (€6.05).
Thanks to the strength of the yen, importers have been able to knock around Y50 (€0.44) of the price of each bottle.
Glass bottles - including most of the Albert Bichot Beaujolais Nouveau imported by Mercian - are more pricey at around Y2,000 (€17.54) a bottle.
"This drink is most popular in Japan among women aged between 20 and their late 40s, but the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau creates a major media stir every year and we are seeing a broader consumer base this year," said Yokoyama.
For the first time, Mercian is importing a rose Beaujolais Nouveau, he added, which he hopes will also prove popular with female drinkers, while the company asked model and actress Moe Oshikiri to design the labels for one of this year's bottles.
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Two Adobo Grill restaurants, including the one in Wicker Park, have been the focus of a Chicago health investigation.
Health officials say nine of the 17 people who got sick with salmonella saintpaul, the strain linked to the nationwide salmonella tomato outbreak, ate at the Adobo restaurants.
Local health officials are working to figure out what the victims had in common, but it's difficult.
"We suspect it was a food served at the restaurant, but because the recipes had so many ingredients in it, based on just this information we can't say it was tomatoes or onions or other types of spices," said Dr. Susan Gerber, Chicago Dept. Of Public Health.
Health officials emphasize that the Adobo Grill restaurants have fully cooperated with the investigation, which also included a second restaurant in the Old Town neighborhood.
Nationwide, the outbreak has sickened 277 people.
Health officials are trying to pinpoint the source of the salmonella-tainted tomatoes.
In Chicago, the Adobo Grill's president released a statement. It says, in part, "When purchasing produce for use at the restaurant, there is no way to know whether it may harbor salmonella bacteria. Just like anyone buying produce at the supermarket, Adobo Grill relies on government oversight and enforcement of regulations regarding the proper handling of produce by the growers, processors and distributors who bring the produce to market."
For mroe information visit: http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/tomatoewarning061008.html


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With every competitor in the market now understanding that an ‘experience’ is now a minimum expectation, creating a design concept or precinct design that is outstanding on an experiential level, can be challenging. How will customers remember your food and beverage offer from the next? We have eight recommendations that will help to create an elevated experience using interior design as the primary tool. By elevating the design of your interior space using some or all of these recommendations, you can create the best environment for memories and customer loyalty time and time again.
Last week, Future Food’s Managing Director, Francis Loughran joined a group of industry experts in Bangkok to speak at the International Council of Shopping Centers’ event, RECon Asia Pacific. RECon is the largest global gathering of real estate professionals under one roof, with more than a thousand of the world’s leading developers, owners, retailers and more attending the three day event. Find out the key insights Francis discussed at the conference and how food will shape the future of malls around the globe.
Last week’s post introduced mixed-use developments to our readers including what they are and what makes them appealing to the modern person. With people wanting a more centralised life, the mixed-use development is perfect for those seeking to live, work and play in the same space as it satisfies the convenience factor, the liveability factor and the need for social connection with ease.
So what do you put in a mixed-use development? What food and beverage outlets would make it a convenient, liveable and social building? We’ve put together a basic outline of what could go into these developments to ensure it meets success status for both the asset owner and the customer using it.
Our job as food consultants has completed transformed from what it was 30 years ago. We are no longer masterplanning traditional food precincts marked with a ‘food court’ sign but working on creating places out of spaces including high street shopping strips, purpose-built laneways, urban markets, cafe courts and business hubs servicing hundreds of workers. One area we are seeing major developments in, an area of our work that definitely did not exist 30 years ago, is mixed-used developments - the modern solution to living, working and playing in the one place.


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The deadline for nominating a young person for a Summer of Heroes award is Monday, July 22. The award acknowledges five Alaska youth, ages 6-18, who are making a positive impact in the lives of others. Previous winners have included young people who organized clean-up operations on the Kenai River and hospitality accommodations for soldiers returning to Fairbanks from combat zones.
The five individuals selected this year will each receive a scholarship for $1,500 and a trip to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer where they will receive their awards on Aug. 25. Nominations can be made at alaskacommunications.com/summerofheroes, Alaska Communications retail stores and Boys & Girls Clubs.
Anchorage Daily News / adn.com


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The famous shoplifter Ignatius M. Pollara traveled from Florida to Chicago back in 2015 on an apparent business trip. Pollara has attracted the attention of the media since then. He stole valuable items such as high-end lego and place them in less expensive packaging. These items were sold online making about 2 million in revenue. The proceeds were used in lavish travel. Law enforcement officials say he used his Toy R Us rewards card in about 139 stores across the country. Ignatius still has some trips to make to the Illinois Department of Corrections. He was recently sentenced to five years in prison for his numerous convictions Contact a high-profile criminal attorney to handle all the details of your high-end criminal case.
According to a recent study about $30 million in merchandise is stolen each year in the United States. There are those like Ignatius who place expensive merchandise inside a box of a less pricey item. Other shoplifters use foil-lined bags to pass through anti-sensors, switch bar codes or simply place items in their pockets.
Organized shoplifters are getting global. As more transactions take place online, chances are criminal cases may not be as simple as they used to be. Although online marketplaces report taking the necessary measures to fight these issues, things can fall through the cracks and the wrong person may end up being convicted of cybercrime. If you are facing cybercrime convictions in Chicago, contact one of our cybercrime attorneys and we’ll explain in more detail what your legal options are.
Pollara’s trial is barely starting. While he has been held in jail for shoplifting in a Lombard Hobby Lobby store back in 2015, he still has other charges to fight. Mr. Pollara was apparently inhibiting his own defense in the courtroom by interrupting the judge a couple of times. He was placed in a soundproof booth in the courtroom after insulting a witness with obscene names. Criminal contempt of court charges come separately from the main case. These charges can continue even after the underlying case has been dealt with.
When someone is charged with a high-end crime, he or she is bombarded by the media and the charges are often exaggerated distorting our perception of sentencing. Whether the individual is guilty or not, it’s important to investigate the case and gather the necessary evidence to cause the jury rule in your favor. Although you are innocent until proven guilty, the opposite may also apply. In the eyes of the media, you are guilty until proven innocent.
Okabe & Haushalter take your case seriously and will fight to prove your innocence. Even when the individual is found guilty, a high-profile Chicago criminal attorney can defend your rights and have multiple criminal charges dropped.


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As fuel hits new high, companies deny profiteering claims - Car Rental News
As fuel hits new high, companies deny profiteering claims
Car Rental News - 13/12/2010
A litre of petrol has risen to a new high of £1.22 and oil giants are accused of profiteering.
The price of a litre of petrol has risen to a record high of £1.22 per litre, leading to claims by critics that oil companies and retailers are engaged in profiteering. Oil companies had refuted the allegations and are blaming soaring prices for oil and wholesale fuel.
As a result of the latest price increase, a gallon of petrol now weighs in at a painful £5.53. To fill up the average family car now costs more than £60 and prices are set to rise yet higher, as a new VAT rate kicks in next year. VAT is to rise by 2.5 per cent from January, to 20 per cent.
The AA has accused fuel retailers and oil companies of generating excessive profits. The announced the new average price for a litre of petrol at 121.76 pence. At the start of the year, a litre of petrol cost an average of 109.88 pence.
Since then the average price has increased by 11.88 pence per litre. As a result, it now costs an average of £5.94 more to fill up a car in the UK than it did last year.


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- Speaking Heads
- 3 min read
Hospitality industry pleads for right to earn livelihood
HRAWI has requested for revision in timings and protocols to operate restaurants without restrictions in cities and districts with very low Covid-19 cases.
The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has expressed anguish against the unfair and unjustified imposition of restrictions on hotels and restaurants in the State. The Association has cited the unfortunate death of a Virar-based hotelier who committed suicide a few days ago, due to loss of livelihood. The hotelier was being hounded by debtors and with no means or source of income to pay off the same, was coerced into taking his own life. This is just one incident in a string of incidents where owners of Hospitality establishments succumbed to mental stress caused by financial losses. HRAWI has voiced out that hotel and restaurants owners are being pushed to the edge by restricting their right to livelihoods. The Association has pleaded that they either be allowed to run their businesses as usual or if not, at least be offered reliefs and waivers by the Government to unburden them from statutory financial obligations.
HRAWI has requested for revision in timings and protocols to operate restaurants without restrictions in cities and districts with very low COVID19 cases. It has requested that restaurants falling under level 2 or 1 be allowed to operate as per the timings permitted under respective licenses. The HRAWI has asked that restaurants be allowed to operate through the week between 7 am and 12:30 am including Saturdays and Sundays.
“We have made several attempts to explain the plight of the industry to the Government and its authorities. Over the last fifteen months, we have knocked on all the doors and made several representations offering all possible recommendations to the Government. Unfortunately, not much has come through. The series of incidents involving hoteliers and restaurateurs ending their lives over business should act as a warning bell for the Government. The industry should be offered financial relief in terms of license fees and other statutory obligations for the losses suffered since the beginning of the pandemic. Also, restaurants should now be allowed to remain open daily from 7 am to 12:30 am including weekends. There is no reason why we aren’t being allowed to, at present. The Government needs to instil confidence amongst business owners and offer hope by allowing them to earn their livelihoods and to those who depend on them for their livelihoods,” concludes Pradeep Shetty, Senior Vice President, HRAWI.


text: The Semicon West 2023 will be held from July 11-13, 2023, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California, USA. The event will offer executive panels, market symposium, sustainability summit, smart pavilions, tech-vision symposium along with several best paper award ceremonies. Semicon West 2023 is set to cover all microelectronics related topics such as electronic design automation, device fabrication, assembly, packaging, and testing procedures. Participants will find the most distinguished businesses introducing the disruptive technologies of the future during the Best of West Award ceremony. Additionally, Wall Street analysts will be presenting at the Bulls and Bears special stage along with various networking events, conferences and special TechTALKS’ keynotes to be delivered by leading research and industry analysts.


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Wednesday, June 5, 2019, the Trump administration added new restrictions on Americans traveling to Cuba and banned cruises, private yachts, and fishing vessels from docking in Cuba. The Cruise Line International Association said in a statement that the move affected 800,000 passenger bookings. Since 2016 cruises had become the most popular way for Americans to travel to Cuba. This year, between Jan. 1 and April 30, 142,721 Americans went to Cuba on cruises, compared to the 114,832 who traveled there by plane. These numbers don’t include Cuban-born Americans visiting family. Americans were the second-highest travelers to Cuba after Canadians.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement the travel ban was being implemented because of Cuba’s “destabilizing role in the Western Hemisphere,” its efforts to suppress democracy and its support for “U.S. adversaries in places like Venezuela and Nicaragua.”
As of today, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United airlines still fly to Cuba. Americans can still travel to Cuba but under certain rules and approved categories. There are 11 categories of legal travel under the Cuba General License (formerly 12 before #45 added restrictions). They are:
Remember “People to People” category of travel is no longer permitted per #45
The U.S. Embassy in Havana is operating with limited staff as all non-essential personnel were sent back to the U.S. The staff can only help you in an emergency and it’s best to contact the Embassy by phone at +(53)(7) 839-4100.
Regardless of which Category of Legal Travel you choose, you will still need to buy a Cuban Tourist Card to enter Cuba (not actually a visa, though the two words are sometimes used interchangeably). This is a Cuban government requirement and has nothing to do with the 11 Categories of Legal Travel required by the US Government. If you’re traveling from the US, this card is pink. If you are traveling from outside the US, this card is green. There are several ways to purchase a Cuban Tourist Card:
A daily itinerary is still necessary as travel is not yet permitted solely for tourism from the US. By engaging in cultural activities with the Cuban people, spending your money in locally owned establishments, and staying off the beaten path of tourists from other countries, you may travel under the loose restrictions of the Cuba General License.
Did you travel to Cuba before the ban? Comment below!
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Forever Beta launches bedtime storybook in aid of Barnardo’s
A beautiful book bringing hope and optimism to children struggling with fears around the pandemic
100% of the proceeds will go to Barnardo’s.
Called “There’s a Place Where There is no Pandemic,” the book uses fond memories of the pre-pandemic world to gently remind children and parents that once the pandemic ends, the world will still be a place where they can hug they’re loved ones or visit their granny, where people are smiling and they can feel safe.
The book was written by Forever Beta creatives Majken Gram and Felipe Faria, and illustrated by Bruno Rovaraotto.
The authors said, “We – as adults – are so stressed out about home working and home-schooling and everything else right now that we forget how stressful this situation is to our kids, how much this weighs on their minds. So we wanted to create a safe space for the children – a place where there’s no pandemic that they can go to in their dreams.”
Buy the book here:


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Sharley Haddon fears she may lose her beloved horses and riding business after nearly 40 years.
Mahurangi businesses are putting on a brave face but are realistic about even tougher times ahead, given the restrictions, lockdowns and associated economic fallout due to Covid-19.
Pakiri Beach Horse Rides owner Sharley Haddon is among the worst affected, fearing that she may have to close up shop and sell her beloved horses.
International visitors keep the business running during the winter months but with foreign tourism effectively banned, Mrs Haddon is reliant on the domestic market to keep going.
That’s proving an unreliable prop as people worry about hanging on to their jobs and conserving their limited resources.
“I’m a discretionary activity. People don’t need to ride horses. It’s a leisure pursuit and the first things that topple are leisure pursuits,” she says.
With no money coming in and 60 horses still to feed, Mrs Haddon has had to lay off four of her six staff and has managed to keep the remaining two only because of the Government wage subsidy.
Mrs Haddon has run her business for almost 40 years but is more bothered about the prospects for her horses than she is for herself – concerned that they will end up separated.
“They all have their own little groups of friends. It’s not easy to break them up – not for somebody who is emotionally fond of horses,” she says.
Other businesses have yet to feel the full effects of Covid-19, but fear the blow will inevitably fall soon.
Lynda Ashby, owner of strawberry grower Gala Berry, of Omaha, says harvesting begins in just a few weeks and the business is heavily reliant on recruiting overseas workers – typically from the Pacific Islands – to pick the crop.
“There are some seasonal workers stranded in the country who have not been able to return home who we can employ, but it will quickly come to the point where there are not enough of them,” she says.
The crunch time will be October, when the bulk of the harvest will come in and when Gala Berry typically employs around 100 seasonal workers from overseas.
Ms Ashby says she will work closely with the Ministry of Social Development to try to make up the shortfall.
She adds that the biggest challenge is the uncertainty – not knowing when lockdowns are going to occur, at what level and what plans need to be in place to cope.
“I guess there’s no point in stressing because there is not a lot you can do,” she says.
Uncertainty is also playing at the back of minds of other business owners and managers. General manager at MS Engineering Graham Buchs says he actually prefers operating under Level 3 in some ways. While it has meant temporarily closing the retail side of the business, it has allowed the company to concentrate on its core engineering works.
“Construction and building can continue under Level 3 so we are still servicing that sector,” he says.
His biggest setback so far is having an employee living outside the Auckland region who has been unable to come in for work.
But Mr Buchs says challenges will mount as lockdowns impact the businesses MS Engineering trades with, inevitably ultimately hurting MS Engineering as well.
He is especially concerned about any reversion back to Level 4, which would completely shut down the company’s workshop, leaving 60 staff without work and MS Engineering still having to pay major overheads.
Despite the headaches, businesses so far appear remarkably tolerant of the Government’s lockdown approach.
General manager at Brick Bay Wines and Sculpture Trail Anna Didsbury says from a business perspective it is been devastating to go into lockdown a second time.
“However, we can see the bigger picture and are fully supportive of these public health-focused restrictions,” she says.
Nevertheless, businesses are often urging for a more nuanced approach to lockdown from Government.
Matakana Farmers Market manager Fiona McGeough says stallholders are unable to trade under Level 3, but thinks this restriction should be relaxed.
“We offer a large open-air environment for our locals to shop. We should be able to service the public, not just the supermarkets,” she says.
Matakana Cinemas owner Dan Paine adds that the Government needs to look at specific assistance for certain industries, rather than a cookie-cutter approach.
For example, he says his industry has to cope with the fact that the key players – the United States film studios – are in disarray and are currently unwilling to release big budget films into key markets, including New Zealand.
“We cannot just reopen after lockdown and get straight back to supplying a service that was the equivalent of pre-Covid, in fact far from it,” he says.
“It is currently manageable for us, given the ongoing wage subsidy assistance and partial rent-breaks, but it wouldn’t be sustainable otherwise,” he says.
Meanwhile, Sharley Haddon thinks the Government should more closely restrict lockdowns to the areas where outbreaks of community transmission occur.
“For me, being in lockdown here in Pakiri is crazy. I’m miles away from the city,” she says.


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Household appliance makers selling in the European Union will be forced to make sure their products are designed so that they can be repaired at an affordable price under new rules due to be passed imminently.
In a major coup for a growing worldwide movement called the Right to Repair, EU ministers have over the past few weeks agreed to proposals that will increase the lifespan of dishwashers, washing machines and fridge-freezers and their component parts in member states.
These proposals will also force manufacturers to make household appliances easier and cheaper to repair and end the growing practice of producing sealed units that cannot be prised apart because they are glued together.
UK Whitegoods, an online retailer of appliance spare parts, told kbbreview that the makers of washing machines are particular culprits for making sealed units that prevent the replacement of small, cheap parts.
UK Whitegoods said “sealed” washing machines accounts for about half the market, with many leading brands producing washing machines in this way.
“On December 10, the EU’s 28 member states agreed on a new set of manufacturing laws to make fridges and freezers more easily repairable and longer-lasting. The vote was the first of its kind for Europe,” said Kenneth Watt, director and one of the founders of UK Whitegoods, which aims to be consumer champion for those with appliance problems.
“Most notably, the agreed text foresees that repairers should be able to disassemble some critical parts without damaging the product and with the use of commonly available tools.
“Components of products are very often glued together or welded, which makes the replacement of failing parts very difficult.”
Similar laws are being considered in some states in the USA.
“This is an important and much needed step forward for the right to repair in Europe,” said the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the largest network of environmental citizens’ organisations in Europe. It currently consists of around 150 member organisations in more than 30 countries
“All in all, it’s a victory for consumers and the environment as for the first time ever we now have some requirements to produce longer-lasting and repairable products.
“This sets an important precedent for more products to be included in the directive in the future. However, some parts of the text should have been improved.
“We regret that key spare parts will only be made available to professional repairers. This may limit the scope and affordability of repair services.”
Amdea welcomed the new regulations and told kbbreview that they will make appliances “even more sustainable than they are today”.
“Our sector has always made a significant contribution to the circular economy, by designing and manufacturing innovative products that minimise the use of scarce resources; save labour, time and money; and reduce waste,” a spokesman said.
Amdea believes that the proposals will be adopted by the UK regardless of what arrangements are made as a result of Brexit.
Commenting on the impending new laws, Brendan Bulfin, customer service director at BSH, said: “At BSH, we have long maintained that investing in a quality appliance is a sound environmental choice because it should last longer. Only this week, we received a message from a customer that they are just replacing their ‘still working’ 31-year old dishwasher and they wanted to thank us for its reliability. But on the occasion that one of our products does go wrong, we would also advocate repairing rather than replacing it. With this in mind, we routinely keep appliance parts for at least 10 years and we also have our own national repair division.”
Miele is another manufacturer that said it is committed to making products that are “built to last and are kinder to the environment throughout the entire lifespan, from production to disposal”, according to marketing director Dominic Worsley.
He added: “Miele recognises that appliances may need to be repaired during their lifespan. Its appliances are designed to be repairable, with spare parts to prolong a product’s lifespan where possible. Around 63,000 different original Miele spare parts are permanently held in stock at the company’s central warehouse in Gutersloh, Germany. This means that even discontinued models can still be repaired if possible.”


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Japan has seen a different scenario than many other developed countries in 2022, with Bank of Japan (BOJ) keeping interest rates low. This policy is aligned with an inflation that has not reached the levels of US and Europe, but the move has accommodated a weakening of the Japanese yen against especially the US dollar.
For a country that suffered from the so-called “lost decade” following the bursting of the economic bubble in the early 1990s and a deflationary period in the early 2000s, inflation may not be entirely bad for Japan.
Inflation has the potential to break the vicious cycle of disinflation and low wages, which is essentially a “chicken-and-egg” problem, according to Junichi Takayama, investment director at Nikko Asset Management. Inflation, if accompanied by rising wages, could open a new chapter for Japan that has suffered from a long period of disinflation and economic stagnation.
“Wage hikes will be key in whether the BOJ decides to pivot. The annual wage negotiations take place in spring. The government, business lobby Keidanren and unions are encouraging higher wages, which would clearly be positive for consumption thanks to households’ pent-up demand following the pandemic,” he told AsianInvestor.
If there is a turnaround of the weakness of the Japanese yen, it will post negative impact to some sectors like exporters. However, stable or higher yen could attract foreign investors who are looking for investments outside of the US, Kensuke Niihara, chief investment officer Japan at State Street Global Advisors, told AsianInvestor.
“Usually, higher interest rates will have a negative impact on equity, but value stocks will benefit from it. The potential increase in interest rates by the BOJ next year could benefit the banking sector and the over Japanese equity market which is value-oriented,” he said.
While weaker Japanese yen has different impact on various segments and sectors, it is positive for the overall equity markets in Japan. Japanese firms have delivered relatively robust earnings that are trending upward, Niihara argued.
He finds valuations of Japanese equities relatively attractive, as the price-to-earnings ratio and price-to-book ratio of the TOPIX are around 12-13 and 1.15 respectively. Those are cheaper than the 10-year average (14 and 1.27, respectively) as well as other key markets.
One of the main macroeconomic events at play in 2023 will continue to be the supply chain constraints that have emerged in recent years. Takayama expects to see a shift away from globalization and in the other direction towards reshoring (bringing manufacturing back home), nearshoring (producing goods closer to home) and friend-shoring (deepening supply chains with trusted partners).
“Companies’ increasing focus on ESG and human rights due diligence is also expected to lead them to reorganise their supply chains and bring manufacturing and procurement closer to home. Attempts by large Japanese companies to realign their supply chains and adapt to new global constraints could inject new life into “made in Japan” in 2023, especially for manufacturing sectors,” Takayama said.
In the longer term, investors should also look for trends in domestic capital expenditure growth of Japanese companies according to Jasmine Duan, investment strategist, Asia at RBC Wealth Management.
“The government’s policy to attract high-end industries back and heightened geopolitical tension between major countries could drive more advanced technology investments back to the country,” she told AsianInvestor.
RISKS FROM ABROAD
Japanese equities can face wider volatility entering 2023, driven by the correction of other major developed markets on recession concerns. Risks to be aware of include a potential US recession, delay in China’s reopening and geopolitical tensions in Asia.
Duan said the recent progress of China’s reopening could serve as a tailwind for Japan’s export and inbound tourist recovery that has already taken off this quarter with Japan’s reopening and fueled by the weak yen.
Spending by inbound tourists amounted to ¥4.8 trillion ($253 billion) in 2019, or 0.9% of Japan’s GDP. While this spending may not immediately return to such a level due to an absence of visitors from China, the yen’s significant weakening is expected to drive a recovery in both the number of tourists to Japan and the amount of money they spend.
“Cyclically, the Japanese economy is well positioned to benefit from the recovery of domestic activities as well as the reopening of borders. We believe it could be one of the highest growth countries among developed markets in 2023,” State Street’s Niihara said.


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E-commerce keeps evolving.
Last week we looked at how we’re still smitten by stores. Now let’s examine the effects of changing consumption habits, as 2022 global e-commerce is set to top $5 trillion.
More shoppers have shifted online for:
⭐ Flexibility to shop from anywhere
⭐ Time savings, as we skip the store
⭐ Convenience, as companies cater to us like royalty
Notice how the e-commerce evolution fuels growth in logistics (last-mile delivery), tech (AR, robotics) and marketing (ads, Prime Day & concurrent sales events).
How else has the global e-commerce boom influenced consumer habits and business practices?View Original Article


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Across the newsdesk this week is a new release from TGIC Importers, Inc. The Seducer was released in January 2014, and is targeting the "confident, adventurous, fashionable" woman.
TGIC Importers President Alex Guarachi said that The Seducer is fun, but is still a serious wine.
The Seducer 2012 uses its proprietary name Red Rendezvous for its blend characterized by red and black berries, vanilla and spice, The Seducer delivers a bold, yet graceful wine style.
The Seducer emphasizes sophistication and style with its provocative packaging and will retail for $14.99.


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Designer Willie Norris presented his fall 2019 collection at the intimate and iconic La Mama Galleria in the East Village, where artists such as Bette Midler, Harvey Keitel, Diane Lane, Harvey Fierstein, the Blue Man Group and David Bowie have performed or taken in a show.
Though the setting was intimate, the audience was rambunctious, cheering for the all-queer cast of models and friends like Coco Romack, West Dakota and Charlene Incarnate, who hosted the show, and Aaron Philip, Michael Love, Jess Miller, Blaire Augustus and Cherry Jaymes, who made their runway debuts. Norris cast the models before the collection was done, because he wanted to adapt the clothing to each individual.
“I cast most of the models before the looks were made,” said Norris. “I knew exactly who I wanted in the show and the clothes needed to adapt to the models, not the other way around.”
“Collection One” consisted of 15 workwear-inspired looks, including a range of jeans, denim jackets and jumpsuits, and graphic T-shirts and tank tops all crafted from deadstock fabric and repurposed clothing. In addition, leather pieces and accessories were made from reclaimed boots and a Manolo Blahnik stiletto.
Norris, who is currently the design director of Outlier, launched Willie Norris Workshop with the mission to promote a pro-queer streetwear aesthetic. The designer launched a Kickstarter campaign called #PROMOTEHOMOSEXUALITY to fund his debut runway show.


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Enviro’s recycled carbon black may soon be approved for use in truck and bus tyres as a result of discussions between Volvo Trucks and Enviro through the RISE circular economy research project.
This further illustrates the pace of change in the tyre and vehicle manufacturing sector. Tyre manufacturers have previously shied away from using rCB. By spearheading testing Volvo Trucks will strongly encourage tyre manufacturers to explore the use of Enviro rCB in tyre manufacture.
“Volvo Trucks would like the opportunity to influence tyre producers to use recycled carbon black in their operations”, says Thomas Sörensson, CEO of Enviro.
Last year, Volvo Cars approved the use of environmental rubber containing Enviro’s recycled carbon black after a long quality test process. Volvo Cars has since then significantly increased the use of environmental rubber.
Enviro’s CEO Thomas Sörensson and representatives of Volvo Trucks began the discussions through a research project at RISE, a merger of several government institutions with the purpose of being an innovation partner in the circular economy for industry and society.
“Right now, the discussions are about Volvo Trucks wanting to carry out tests on truck and bus tyres with recycled carbon black in their test facility together with various tyre manufacturers. Volvo Trucks wants to be able to offer more environmentally friendly tyres for their customers, one way is to help us to be accepted quicker by the truck and bus tyre market”