text:
“A Place to Encounter Your World”: Greenlight Bookstore Adapts to the Pandemic
Before the pandemic, her days started later and ran longer. Jessica Stockton-Bagnulo, co-owner of Greenlight Bookstore, would arrive at her store’s location in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, at 8:30 or 9 am and greet her staff in person.
Before the pandemic, she was on and off the sales floor all day. A bookseller since her days as an NYU undergrad, all it took was one glance to ascertain whether a customer needed help. “You see someone with that particular look,” she says with a smile.
Now, her days are lonelier. Stockton-Bagnulo is up before dawn and online shortly after 7 am. Usually, she works from home, but lately, she’s been going to the store to process web orders before her staff arrives – before the sun comes up, sometimes. Now, there are no employees to greet, no customers to help. By the time the store opens at noon, she’s back home. Otherwise, “I’m one more body in the space where we’re trying to limit the number of bodies.”
With light brown hair and bangs framing a round face, Stockton-Bagnulo, 42, talks rapidly, her enthusiasm for her work clear even through Zoom. Books aren’t just business for her – her apartment, on the border of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, is packed with thousands of titles. The same holds true for her family.
“My husband is the only person I ever dated who reads more than I do,” Stockton-Bagnulo laughs. “That was ‘the thing.’” And her nine-year-old? “She’s doing the thing that I did when I was her age. She doesn’t want to speak to anyone in the morning – she just comes out with a book.”
Stockton-Bagnulo co-founded Greenlight in 2009 with her business partner, Rebecca Fitting. “We have really complementary skill sets,” says Stockton-Bagnulo, who runs events and marketing while Fitting handles buying and inventory. “I’m the talking-in-front-of-the-crowd person, and she’s the make-the-numbers-work person.”
Their store grew quickly. Debt-free within five years, the pair opened a second location on Flatbush Avenue in Prospect Lefferts Gardens in 2016.
2020, however, brought unforeseeable change. When the state issued its lockdown order, Greenlight was forced to turn on a dime, shifting its business entirely online. Predictably, sales plummeted.
“We had to lay off about three-quarters of our staff,” says Stockton-Bagnulo. “That was a day of really terrible phone calls.”
Greenlight’s pandemic story is one of many. Over fifty of the American Booksellers Association’s member stores have closed since the outbreak in March, says Allison Hill, the ABA’s chief executive officer. Sales cratered, with over a quarter of ABA members reporting a slump of 41% or more in early July. At the same time, stores faced increased expenses from shifting business online.
“Online sales are more expensive,” Hill says. “These stores are not built to be online fulfillment centers.”
At Greenlight, annual profits had fallen 43% by June, a painful hit in an industry where a 2% margin is considered a success. But the holiday season was encouraging, says Stockton-Bagnulo, and the deficit shrank considerably by the end of the year. Overall, Greenlight’s annual sales were down by just 14%, “which is honestly way better than we thought they would be.”
How is this possible?
“Independent bookstores are known for their resiliency, scrappiness, innovation, creativity and commitment to what is really viewed as a cause,” Hill says. While the pandemic was undoubtedly devastating, she pointed out that some businesses received an unexpected boost. In fact, 32 new independent bookstores actually opened during the pandemic, while others, such as those in beach towns, actually benefited from droves of city dwellers fleeing to their vacation homes.
Greenlight, too, has seen some unanticipated growth.
“Sales for November and December were actually significantly up at our Flatbush Avenue location – like, 40 and 50% up” compared to 2019, Stockton-Bagnulo writes in an email, though she acknowledges that capacity limits at Greenlight’s “higher-volume” location on Fulton Street drove sales down. Stockton-Bagnulo points out that the Flatbush store is in a much more residential neighborhood. “More people working from home means more people sticking around the neighborhood and shopping local.”
Greenlight’s story of the community rallying to support local business is one of many, Hill points out.
“Independent bookstores tend to have a loyal following,” she says. “Stores that have been very direct and honest about their dire circumstances have seen a significant outpouring of community support that has made a huge difference.”
Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, California, for instance, received a surge in online orders after issuing a plea for help in late September; according to the store’s website, it has averaged 300 online orders a day for a month compared to 80 per day prior to the pandemic.
While Greenlight never issued a plea for help like Vroman’s, Stockton-Bagnulo says the community came through nevertheless.
“Our online sales grew 500% in 2020, making e-commerce 41% of our sales overall,” Stockton-Bagnulo writes. She believes that customers have become “more intentional with their shopping,” realizing that the threat to independent bookstores “is so real and palpable.”
Greenlight participated in the ABA’s #BoxedOut campaign to promote independent bookstores over Amazon. The campaign included an elaborate display outside the store and in the windows.
“There was a huge response to that,” Stockton-Bagnulo says. “The social media response to the photos of the big storefront was huge.”
In fact, Greenlight’s origins are firmly rooted in the support of its Fort Greene community. Stockton-Bagnulo and Fitting financed the store’s flagship location largely through a community lending program, where people lent $1,000 or more that the store would repay with interest. It worked because the community wanted a bookstore. In fact, the Fort Greene Association even connected Greenlight with its landlord and architect.
So, it’s not hard to understand the neighborhood’s eagerness to preserve its local bookstore. Even today, with browsing time limited to 15 minutes and only 10 groups allowed on the floor at a time, Greenlight remains a feast for the senses – from art-like displays of books arranged on shelves and tables to the wall of Greenlight-themed gear for supports.
Even dogs are welcome. One regular, local author Bill Logan, often visits with his mixed-breed rescue, Jessie.
“This is her favorite place,” Logan says. It’s not hard to see why – as soon as they walk in on a Sunday evening, Jessie beelines for the bookseller at the front of the store, who immediately produces a box of treats. Jessie subsequently makes the rounds of the staff, one of whom even sat cross-legged on the floor to pet her.
“A bookstore is as much about the space as about books,” Stockton-Bagnulo says. “It is a space that feels welcoming. A space where people can encounter each other and have a conversation.”
Homeschooled in rural California as a child, books were Stockton-Bagnulo’s first gateway to the world, and as an adult, she has made that form of connection available to others. She leans into hosting author events so that she can turn a retail location into “another kind of space – a performance space, a space to interact with creators.”
She has wrestled with maintaining that space during the pandemic. “Can we make that cultural space, that encounter and conversation and idea and safety and welcome space virtually? Is that possible? I think yes and no.”
She credits her assistant, Chelsea Carr, with “Translating” the experience on the sales floor to the store’s Instagram.
But for Stockton-Bagnulo, “the physical space is pretty special, pretty unique. When we finally opened up again for shopping, more than one person walked into the store and burst into tears.”
Greenlight’s staff attribute that culture to the store’s leadership – especially Stockton-Bagnulo – who understands the many roles a bookstore can play in the community and has dedicated herself and her store to filling them.
“For some people, it’s the barbershop, for some it’s the bar, for some it’s the bookstore,” she says. “It’s where you go to be with people when you need a place to go to encounter your world.”
Sign in or become a Bklyner member to join the conversation.


text:
The agency’s PR campaign, Pantene Beautiful Lengths, won the prestigious Consumer Marketing award at the annual Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) NSW and National Golden Target Awards, which recognise excellence in the Public Relations industry.
The Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign encouraged people to grow and donate their hair to Pantene, who created real hair wigs for women undergoing cancer treatment, in partnership with the charity Look Good…Feel Better. Over 6,000 ponytails have been donated to date and 400+ wigs distributed across Australia and New Zealand.
Pantene wanted to engage core consumers on a brand level by giving them a reason to emotionally connect and engage beyond a product launch or promotional initiative, whilst providing Pantene the opportunity to give back to the community as a worldwide leader in hair care products.
The Consumer Marketing category is one of the most heavily contested at the annual event – often attracting the highest number of entries across the country.
“This is a wonderful recognition for the agency and its commitment to help drive the Pantene business on behalf of our client, Procter & Gamble,” says Gary Saunders, Co-Founder of Tomorrowland Group.
Agency: Tomorrowland Group

domain: news


text:
A GOVERNMENT crackdown on a credit card con fleecing millions each month from plane passengers is set to fail because corporate cops have absolutely no idea what they can do about it.
Earlier this month Small Business Minister Bruce Billson - responsible for consumer affairs in the Coalition - asked the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to get involved after realising the public was fed up with excessive surcharges "particularly in the airline industry", he said.
Reserve Bank of Australia rules that came into effect in March were meant to ban airlines, hotels, ticketing agencies and others from slugging customers who pay with Visa, Mastercard or American Express more than the "reasonable cost of acceptance".
This should have brought down the plastic payment charge for booking a flight from as much as $17 to as little as $2. Visa and co want fees to fall because the extra cash goes to merchants, not them. Super-sized fees are also a barrier to use of their products. So initially they welcomed ASIC's involvement.
However, News Corp Australia understands ASIC is now privately expressing concerns that it can't act against rorting merchants. When this was put to ASIC it was not denied.
"If we are going to see any real reduction in the level of surcharging, there needs to be public enforcement," Visa Australia boss Vipin Kalra.
News Corp can reveal Visa has tested 12 large merchants' surcharging levels and found several were about 33 per cent more than the "reasonable cost". Those charging too much are aware they are flouting the RBA rules but have not brought down their fees. The RBA has no power to enforce its rules. Nor have Visa and its rivals had success.
Mr Billson involved ASIC after a Government-commissioned report suggested amendments to the Australian Consumer Law to put the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in a position to get tough.
Mr Billson rejected this advice, saying "existing ASIC and ACCC powers appear adequate".
However, Monash University Professor Steve Worthington said the RBA rules were currently "unpoliceable".
"You are going to need to get someone to act as the enforcer, otherwise (merchants) will know there is no policing involved," Professor Worthington said.
ASIC was given repeated chances to refute this story but did not. Instead a spokesman said it was "very actively considering the issues raised and liaising with the ACCC to ensure coordination of our efforts".
Research by East & Partners, which has done work for the RBA in this area, reveals not only that a greater proportion of larger merchants impose surcharges but that the average size of their surcharges is larger, at 2.3 per cent.
Originally published as Why the flight fees fight is failing


text:
Check out the latest news and views from the Major Nelson show.
Achievement's for Halo 2 are gonna be added. This is the greatest news of all time.
I have been pondering about this issue for months now....and to hear that achievements are finally going to be added is pretty sweet.
why'd he take so long to drop this new podcast? what happened to last sunday's episode? i missed listenin to it , but oh well better late than never i guess. halo2 with its achievements will be reason alone to buy windows vista since i already have a gold membership....i just wish i had it now while my second xbox 360 is in the shop getting repaired , which sucks but i still support them....just cause they do everything else great.
whats the part about the wwe? wwe still angry that the smackdown 07 game went to 360?
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


text:
The Buzz: Businesses gear up for Mile 5
Porta Potties: check
Food and more food: check
All hands on deck: check.
Enough beer to float a battleship: check
Downtown Appleton will draw an estimated 60,000 people over the course of four days starting Thursday for Mile of Music.
Businesses directly involved with the festival — most notably bars and restaurants — have their preparation routines down by now, as this is the fifth annual Mile of Music.
“I think we’re pretty well prepared,” said Bill Neubert, co-owner of Spats. He has 24 concerts scheduled for his outdoor stage and knows the most important part of what he does will be speed.
“You can’t have 30 things on a food menu. We have it down to 13 or 14 things. And we also do food outside, like brats and pulled pork,” he said.
Ordering has taken him two months, and he’s ready with 46 half barrels of beer, 80 cases of domestic beer in aluminum bottles, plenty of liquor “and all the other odd stuff.” He went through 9,000 cups last year.
Through all this, he sounds relatively calm. Newcomers, meanwhile, are taking a deep breath.
“From what I’m told, we should expect max capacity and running out of everything we have in our inventory,” said Kurt Langkau, co-owner of the new Gibson Music Hall. “I’ve ordered triple what I would on a regular weekend and our beer salesman and liquor guy will be working through the weekend if I need more.”
Retail businesses have a spotty record during the festival. Some are open longer hours. Others shut tight.
Blue Moon Emporium is one that gears up and extends its hours. “It’s one of our biggest weekends of the year. Not quite an Octoberfest, but still good,” said owner Cathy Stratton.
She’s among the shops participating in a Mile of Music window decorating contest. Some stores will also put out merchandise Saturday for a downtown Appleton sidewalk sale.
“For us, it’s just making sure we have a presence,” said Kara Manuel, co-owner of Lillians of Appleton. “There are so many people downtown. We just want to grab their attention so the next time they come downtown, they’ll want to shop here.”
She’s decorating her window, and will help shoppers who want packages held or need to charge a cellphone.
Maureen Wallenfang: 920-993-7116, or email@example.com; on Twitter @wallenfang


text:
THIEVES scaled a 40ft ladder to steal more than 130 designer handbags thought to be worth as much as £60,000.
The handbags by Jimmy Choo, Hermes and others, each worth up to £750, were taken in a raid on an upmarket store in Edinburgh’s wealthy New Town.
The most expensive item is a Hermes Vintage Classic 1954 handbag worth £750 and described by the devastated owner as “extremely rare”.
The raiders targeted Handbag Heaven in a carefully planned and risky operation which involved scaling a 40ft ladder to reach the back windows.
They broke the windows to get in, ripped the alarm of the wall and smashed the sensors with a hammer before taking 136 handbags, many of them worth hundreds despite being second hand.
Also taken were 36 pairs of designer sunglasses and numerous belts and scarves.
The raid, at 4.30am on Sunday, was heard by an upstairs neighbour who decided not to report the disturbance to police.
Police confirmed the raid had netted the thieves a “five-figure sum”.
As well as the Hermes Vintage Classic, the property included a brand new Jimmy Choo perforated tan leather handbag which has a double gold bangle which was on sale for £700.
An Alexander McQueen knuckle design clutch purse which was on sale for £680 was taken as well as a Louis Vuitton large hobo bag worth £610, both second hand.
Similar handbags are regularly seen on the arms of celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Victoria Beckham and Catherine Zeta Jones.
Owner Shirley Burnett said she thought she was “going to have a heart attack” when she discovered her three year old business had been ransacked.
She said: “When I opened the door I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There was just nothing left in the front of the shop. It was such a shock to see it like that.
“They got in through the back window despite the huge drop and just seemed to take everything, not checking prices, just taking.
“When they got in the store they smashed the sensors and pulled the alarm off the wall before it could go off. I’m just so thankful we’re insured.”
The 53-year-old owner said that a suspicious customer had been hanging around in the store at the weekend and may well have been checking out the security systems.
Investigators have asked the public to report these, or similar, items being offered for sale.
PC Gavin Howat said: “All of the items taken from the store are extremely expensive and those responsible may attempt to sell them on at a discounted rate.
“As such, anyone who is offered any handbags matching the description of these is asked to contact police immediately.
“Similarly, anyone who remembers seeing anything suspicious in the Howe Street area over the weekend or early on Monday morning is also asked to come forward.”


text:
Thank you for contacting me about the challenges which pubs are facing with energy costs, about alcohol duty, pubs’ business rates and the importance of supporting pubs to continue to play their vital role in our communities.
Pubs up and down the country play a vital role not only in the economy but in our local areas, supporting a sense of community and pride of place. After nearly two years of difficulties as a result of the pandemic and following extensive support provided to the hospitality sector during this period, I am glad that pubs were able to resume trading on something approaching a more normal basis but I appreciate that more recently increased energy costs and concerns about the cost of living have also impacted pubs.
However, I hope that this response reassures you about the extensive support which has been made available to pubs not only during the pandemic but since.
In terms of some of the current challenges, initially through the new Energy Bill Relief Scheme, the Government provided a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated by global energy prices. This included all UK businesses and will be equivalent to the Energy Price Guarantee put in place for households. This will see the Government set a Supported Wholesale Price which is a discounted price per unit of gas and electricity. It applied to fixed contracts agreed on or after 1 December 2021, as well as to deemed, variable and flexible tariffs and contracts. It applied until 31 March 2023, running for an initial six-month period for all non-domestic energy users: Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS): scheme documents - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
In April 2023, the EBRS was replaced by the Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS), which will run until March 2024. The EBDS will support businesses and other non-domestic customers by providing a discount on gas and electricity unit prices, you can read more about it here: Energy Bills Discount Scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The Government is committed to supporting our pubs and I welcome the fact that the Government’s long-term strategy for the hospitality sector includes an extension to pavement licences, making it easier and cheaper for pubs, restaurants and cafes to continue to make outdoor dining a reality with seating, tables and street stalls to serve food and drinks.
Additional funding also aims to support community groups to protect and take over local assets, like pubs, which are at risk without community intervention. The £150 million Community Ownership Fund allows community groups to buy assets so that they can continue to serve their local area. I am aware that rural pubs were among the local assets allocated funding in the scheme's first round, giving them a new lease of life for generations to come.
In the last two Autumn Statements, the Chancellor has supported pubs through a range of measures. In his Autumn Statement 2022 the Chancellor confirmed that Alcohol Duties would be frozen and confirmed reforms to the alcohol duty system. Following a review, these measures came into effect from August 2023. This simplification of the duty system will reduce the number of main rates from 15 to 6, and tax products in proportion to their alcohol content.
All tax categories, such as beer and wine, will be moved to a standardised set of bands, with rates for products between 1.2-3.4 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV), 3.5-8.4 per cent ABV, 8.5-22 per cent ABV, and above 22 per cent ABV. Above 8.5 per cent ABV, all products across all categories will pay the same rate of duty if they have the same proportion of alcohol content. Registration and payment will also be simplified, and the practice where individual products have different administrative rules will end.
The new progressive manner in which alcohol is taxed will ensure higher strength products incur proportionately more duty, and these rates will be the same across all product categories. This change will address the problem of harmful high-strength products being sold too cheaply, and the new rates for low strength drinks below 3.5 per cent ABV will encourage manufacturers to develop new products at lower ABVs, giving consumers greater choice and greater options to drink responsibly.
I also welcome the introduction of a new small producer relief which will build on the previous success of the Small Brewers Relief, which will benefit cidermakers and other producers of lower ABV drinks. This will allow small producers to diversify their product range to other products below 8.5 per cent ABV while still benefitting from reduced rates.
In addition to this new, simpler, alcohol duty system the Government confirmed last year that Alcohol Duty would remain frozen, initially extending the freeze for a further six months until August 2023 when the new system took effect and then extending it further this year. I include the link to my thoughts on the freeze here: Government freezes alcohol duty until August 2023 | Richard Fuller
In this year’s Autumn Statement, I welcomed the Chancellor's decision to freeze the Small Business Multiplier for another year and extend the Retail, Hospitality, and Leisure Relief Scheme, offering a 75 per cent discount on business rates up to £110,000. This will save the average independent pub over £12,800 next year at a cost of £4.3 billion. Pubs will also benefit from the freeze to the business rates multiplier for 2023-24, a tax cut worth £9.3 billion over the next 5 years, meaning all bills are 6 per cent lower than without the freeze.
The Chancellor has decided to continue the freeze on all alcohol duty until 1 August 2024, meaning no increase in duty on beer, cider, wine or spirits.
As of 1 August 2023 pubs have been able to benefit from the expanded Draught Relief, which effectively freezes or cuts the alcohol duty on draught beers and ciders to protect pubs, who are often undercut by supermarket competitors. The government has pledged that the duty pubs and bars pay on these drinks will always be less than retailers, known as the Brexit Pubs Guarantee - Tax cut for 38,000 British pubs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Moreover, to continue to support the hospitality sector, the Government recently announced the extension of the temporary off-sales regulatory easement – set out in the Business and Planning Act 2020 – until 31 March 2025. This extension enables holders of licences that only cover ‘on sales’ to continue to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, including ‘takeaway pints’, for a further 18 months.
For many years I have felt that the level of beer duty is too onerous for our pubs. This has created an unfair competitive advantage for alcohol sales through supermarkets and other retail outlets, with long term consequences for socialisation, a sense of community as well as potentially serious concerns for excessive drinking at home.
I therefore support the freezes on alcohol duty and the specific measures set out above as a start in rebalancing the pricing of alcohol so that pubs can compete fairly with supermarkets.
Thank you for getting in touch.


text:
The problem with clean tech is that it’s just not boring enough.
But boring is coming, promised Daniel Doctoroff, CEO of Bloomberg, as he kicked off the fifth annual Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit in New York City.
The conference does not focus on any particular energy source, but the deep pockets of financiers brings together some of the most innovative entrepreneurs across the clean tech sectors. The theme of this year’s conference is moving to a post-subsidy world, whether for fossil fuels or renewables.
“We’re working for the day when clean energy is just energy, when smart grid is just the grid, when high-intensity light bulbs are just bulbs, when LEED-certified buildings are just buildings,” said Doctoroff.
At the close of the first day of the conference, Bloomberg announced 10 companies that have the potential to change the energy landscape forever. From storage to home energy management to electric vehicle charging, the companies were chosen based on being game-changers and having momentum building solidly behind them from 2011 into 2012.
Here are the winners:
Tendril. Tendril, which once upon a time (last year) was seen as mostly just a home energy management company, has expanded to be a full-fledged energy platform for utilities and smart products to be delivered to consumers, who can then use the products to manage all of their energy-intensive devices. “It’s a platform for open, secure scalable consumer engagement,” said Kent Dickson, CTO for Tendril. The Boulder-based company likes to call it the energy internet. The product ecosystem includes OEMs such as Whirlpool, and it is also in a pilot with BMW for electric-vehicle charging.
Clean Power Finance. The falling price of solar is only one reason that more and more solar is being installed. Backed by a group of who’s who in greentech venture capital, including Kleiner Perkins and Google, CPF offers a software tool that allows solar installers to make financing available to system buyers. So far, the results have been impressive.
“We started selling financing for solar systems in April 2011,” CEO Nat Kreamer recently told Greentech Media, "and by August 2011, we were financing more than a million dollars a day of residential power purchase agreements and leases.”
And if you think it’s just Google and a few utilities that are interested, think again. Direct sales company Guthy-Renker, which sells Proactiv acne cream and the Malibu Pilates system, is also a client of Clean Power Finance.
ECOtality. The electric vehicle market is still extremely young, but that didn’t stop ECOtality from making the list of Pioneers in 2012. The EV charging company recently landed $5 million from its biggest benefactor, ABB, which had invested $14 million in an earlier round of funding. The most recent round also comes with a licensing agreement to use ECOtality’s Blink operating platform to connect ABB’s line of car charging equipment. The partnership could mean that ECOtality’s Blink software goes far beyond its own chargers and could be embedded in any other ABB chargers that are deployed globally.
Emefcy. It’s no surprise to find a wastewater treatment company in the lineup of 2012 Pioneers. Emefcy (pronounced M-F-C) works in the municipal and industrial wastewater markets, providing an aerobic bioreactor that can cut the energy required for aeration to nearly zero. It also has another bioreactor, essentially a microbial fuel cell that treats industrial wastewater while producing renewable electricity. “The water market is a great and huge market that maybe not all of you are aware of,” CEO and co-founder Eytan Levy told the crowd at the BNEF Summit.
LanzaTech. You heard it here first, Bloomberg. Greentech Media named LanzaTech one of the startups to watch in 2012. The company converts waste gas to fuel and chemicals using a proprietary microbe that essentially “gobbles up carbon monoxide and emits ethanol” without using water or land resources, according to Prabhakar Nair, VP of business development in Asia for LanzaTech. “It’s a novel way to capture carbon and produce biofuel.” The company recently raised $55.8 million in a Round C of financing, which will be used to scale up. LanzaTech currently has a pilot mill in New Zealand, where the company is headquartered, and is opening a pre-commercial scale plant for Baosteel this year.
Maxwell Technologies. Maxwell Technologies works with ultracapacitors that store energy in an electric field rather than a chemical reaction, as batteries do. The difference means a super-fast charge and discharge, and more than a million lifecycles. The San Diego-based company works in regenerative braking, wind power, high-voltage capacitors, transportation and backup power. Maxwell plans on doubling its electrode production capacity by the end of this year and is working with Bombardier to incorporate its ultracapacitors into regenerative braking systems.
Silver Spring Networks. The IPO hopeful was not in the room to present about the company at the BNEF Summit because of its quiet period. But that doesn’t mean Silver Spring Networks is not making any noise. The company recently announced it will deploy its smart grid networking platform to nearly four million homes and businesses in ComEd's territory. The champion of mesh has also recently embedded cellular communications in its network. Silver Spring also picked up $24 million in December of last year, which brings its total to just under $300 million in financing overall. The expected IPO will raise up to $150 million.
Xtreme Power. One more storage company also makes the list -- this time, one that plays primarily in the grid and renewable space. The company is expecting to see 100 percent growth for the fourth consecutive year, in some measure because Xtreme’s clients can use storage for up to seven services, including grid balancing and to smooth resources. Duke Energy has selected Xtreme to build a 36-megawatt dynamic power resource at its 153-megawatt wind farm in Notrees, Texas. The battery pack should go live by the end of this year.
Smarter Grid Solutions. Another grid company on the list of Pioneers is Smarter Grid Solutions, which helps utilities maximize the use of existing grid infrastructure using software. The company’s applications can help with voltage regulation, thermal modeling, bring on renewables on constrained grids and other grid services. Alan Gooding, managing director of Smarter Grid Solutions, said his company allows utilities to access two to three times more power than they can otherwise get onto the grid. “We sit at the intersection of OT and IT,” he explained. The company currently has 12 megawatts connected, with another 17 megawatts contracted.
Va-Q-tec. On the subject of boring, Chris Hoffman, principal with va-Q-tec, said that the company has bet that something as mundane as insulation can be a game-changer. The German-based company uses highly efficient vacuum insulation panels. Va-Q-tec is already working with some of the world’s largest white-goods manufacturers to put the technology into refrigerators. The company also works in packaging and transportation, building insulation and mobility. “We’re moving from the simple products into full solutions,” said Hoffman.


text:
Browse press releases below or select media contacts to reach out to our team
November 9, 2020 | Port Tracker, Winter Holidays, Supply Chain, Trade, Economy
Imports likely saw their busiest “peak season” on record this summer and fall as retailers replenished inventories and stocked up for the holiday season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from NRF and Hackett Associates.
November 7, 2020 |
National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and pledges to work with the administration and new Congress to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and propel the country’s economic recovery.
November 5, 2020 |
NRF welcomed a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice seeking to stop Visa’s acquisition of Plaid Inc., agreeing with federal officials that the takeover would threaten competition in the payments market.
November 4, 2020 |
National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay issued the following statement regarding the pending results of the 2020 presidential election:
November 2, 2020 | Economic Review, Winter Holidays, Retail Sales, Economy
Retail sales have largely recovered from the pandemic heading into the holiday season but the growing number of coronavirus cases remains a threat and additional federal stimulus could help keep the economy on track, according to NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz.
October 27, 2020 |
Joint statement from National Retail Federation, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, Business Roundtable, ITI, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
October 21, 2020 | Consumer Trends, Holidays & Seasonal, Winter Holidays
As the coronavirus pandemic extends into the winter holiday season, consumers are looking to purchase gifts that bring joy to counter its effects. In total consumers plan to spend $997.79 on gifts, holiday items such as decorations and food, and additional "non-gift" purchases for themselves and their families, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
October 16, 2020 | Data Security
NRF and EuroCommerce agree to reinforce cooperation on data flows and privacy, successor to EU-U.S. Privacy Shield
How to legally transfer customer and employee data across the Atlantic now that the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield has been invalidated by the European Union’s highest court was a key issue of discussion as EuroCommerce and the National Retail Federation held their latest Retailer Exchange Meeting.
October 16, 2020 | Retail Sales, Economy
A strong rebound in apparel led a continuing V-shaped recovery from the pandemic as retail sales accelerated their rate of growth in September and marked the fourth straight month of year-over-year gains, NRF said.
October 15, 2020 | Workforce, Economy, Talent Development, Safety & Security, Career Development
The NRF Foundation today launched two new credentials in its RISE Up program in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The credentials focus on Retail Operations and Customer Conflict Prevention to further ensure retail workers — and the millions of customers they serve — can work and shop more safely and help keep the economy open.


text:
Last week Google announced Generative AI for Google Workspace. Not to be outdone, a few hours later, Open AI announced GPT-4 — perhaps the most advanced large language learning model ever.
Ben Parr breaks down these announcements and, more importantly, what they mean for consumers AND for the future of tech and A.I.
If you or your company pay for Google Workspace (any site with a custom domain/email with Google), you will soon get Generative AI for Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Images — EVERYTHING. Here are just a few of the MANY things you will be able to do with their new AI:
Draft, reply and summarize your emails. Literally you can say, “summarize this email conversation” to Gmail, and it will summarize it.
Brainstorm, proofread, write, and rewrite in Google Docs. It’s interconnected with your Gmail, so you could ask Google to write a brief about an email chain and it’ll place that summary in Google Docs. You can highlight a section and ask Google to rewrite it. You can even give it instructions on how to sound.
Auto-generated images, audio, and video in Slides. It will build a presentation off a Google Doc. Imagine writing out the bullet points for a fundraising deck and having Google just… build it. Including the images!
Read More at The Social Analyst
Read the rest at The Social Analyst


text:
Microsoft a handful of days back announced the launch of its most current Operating System Windows 11 developing excitement about the brand new features and services. A lot of visual modifications are incoming. Those testing out the developer preview are now reporting that Microsoft is also switching the infamous “Blue Screen of Death” to a Black Screen of Death possibly for consistency.
It is not but clear why the organization is mulling a colour transform in the new Windows, it seems that the organization is in favour of sustaining a uniform theme colour all through most of the interface of Windows 11. Since the Login interface as effectively as Shutdown interface of the new OS is in dense black colour, the organization is prepared to go an additional mile and hold the black colour for all functions in the new Windows.
While the final choice is but to be taken by the organization (given that it is right away not clear if this will make its way to the final version), the discussions amongst tech-loving netizens have currently began as customers are asking yourself if they would be seeking at a black coloured theme with Windows 11. The phrase ‘Blue Screen of Death’ has turn into sort of ubiquitous for Windows customers given that Microsoft launched it with Windows 8. For these unaware of the phrase, the ‘Blue Screen of Death’ in common parlance refers to a technical glitch that devices operating on Windows face leaving customers waiting endlessly for hours just before their program is restored back. With Windows and its features obtaining turn into a ubiquitous component of the lives of so a lot of customers, even the minutest of modifications and alterations planned by the organization will attract sharp scrutiny and interest. According to news reports, barring the theme colour, the organization is not going to make also a lot of modifications in other features of its screen and show.


text:
Well, the dress has been found ... to be a fake!
The thief who took the gown says he took the dress from Lupita's room at The London after finding the door ajar.
[Image via WENN.]
Both Posh and Bar are wearing the same fug black and gold Cavalli gown from his fall 2006 collection four years apart. So we want to know…
Who wore Cavalli better???
Total Votes: 38,347
[Image via News Pictures/WENN.]


text:
Is Gwyneth Paltrow setting herself up to become the next Martha Stewart?
That seems to be the case, given the person she’s picked to run Goop, her growing lifestyle startup. The well-known actress, upping her relevance in the entrepreneurial arena, revealed Monday morning that she has hired Lisa Gersh, the former CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, to be the new CEO of Goop.
Gersh, a savvy media-industry executive with well over a decade of startup experience, left Stewart’s company early last year, after just six months at the helm, over disagreements with the veteran lifestyle guru about how to expand her business. At Goop, she’ll apply her strategic thinking about marrying content and commerce toward helping Paltrow compete with Stewart and build her own global lifestyle brand.
Gersh, who is attending the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit with Paltrow in Laguna Niguel, California, this week, says she was drawn to what she sees as a triple play: the ability to marry digital content, commerce and advertising. “I love businesses with three revenue streams,” she says. (Watch Paltrow live on stage at the Summit, talking about Goop and Gersh at 7 p.m. EST Tuesday on Fortune.com.)
Goop has been focused on content–from wardrobe to wellness to travel tips, curated by Paltrow and her dozen employees–and has so far generated little revenue. Gersh says that she and Paltrow intend to start bringing in advertising in the first quarter of 2015; they also plan to sell Goop-branded goods as well as other products developed in partnership with established designers. This past summer, Goop collaborated with Diane von Furstenberg on several pieces, including two dresses and a jumpsuit that were sold exclusively on Goop.com.
Gersh says Goop has opportunities to grow in many areas, including beauty and home as well as apparel. “Goop crosses a bunch of different categories,” she says. “We’re deciding where to go first.”
Appropriately for a lifestyle partnership-in-the-making, Paltrow offered Gersh the Goop CEO job over a home-cooked dinner in early June. “Gwyneth invited me over to her house in LA for dinner, which she pulled off effortlessly,” says Gersh. Over “an amazing chicken stir-fry” and salmon with hoisin sauce, the two women brainstormed what Goop’s future might look like with Gersh at the helm. (At one point, they were “appropriately interrupted by a call for homework help” from Paltrow’s two grade school-aged children, Gersh recalls. “That’s real life.”)
Paltrow started Goop in 2008 in London, where she lived with her husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. The couple split (or more famously, “consciously uncoupled”) last March; three months later Paltrow moved Goop to Los Angeles and realized she needed to hire a U.S.-based CEO. Paltrow and Gersh met, actually, through another lifestyle entrepreneur, fitness guru Tracy Anderson, last year. Following her exit from Martha Stewart, Gersh was helping Anderson find a CEO for her business; she and Paltrow, who is a friend of Anderson and an aficionado of her intense exercise regimens, bonded over being “two entrepreneurial working moms,” Gersh says.
While their lifestyles now may seem to be in sync, Paltrow and Gersh started out completely different. Paltrow, 42, was raised in Manhattan by her renowned actor parents, Blythe Danner and the late Bruce Paltrow, and attended the tony Spence school. Gersh, 55, grew up in the Bronx, where her dad owned a fabric and needlepoint store and struggled to make ends meet. Gersh went to public school and put herself through college—SUNY Binghamton—and law school at Rutgers.
A challenging childhood—working since she was 12 years old—instilled in Gersh a fierce ambition to succeed. She co-founded Oxygen Media with Geraldine Laybourne in 1998 and served as president and COO there until NBC Universal bought the company in 2007. She stayed on at NBCU as president of strategic initiatives for three years until Martha came calling.
Gersh’s drive isn’t limited to her business career. In September, she won the Liberty National golf club championship near her home in New Jersey. (She has a 10.2 handicap.) And like Paltrow, she’s a Tracy Anderson fanatic—she does the exercise regimen four days a week. Which makes you wonder, could Goop have big ambitions in the exercise business? That would be a good bet.
- Here’s How Effective the Original Vaccines Are Against Omicron
- The Promise—And Possible Perils—of Editing What We Say Online
- How Trump Survived Decades of Legal Trouble: Deny, Deflect, Delay, and Don't Put Anything in Writing
- Flint Is Still Shaken by its Water Crisis—and Residents Are Experiencing Long-Term Mental-Health Issues
- A Beer Shortage Is Brewing. A Volcano Is Partly to Blame
- How Fasting Can—and Can't—Improve Gut Health
- Cities Keep Enforcing Curfews for Teens, Despite Evidence They Don't Stop Crime
- Joe Manchin’s Red Tape Reform Could Supercharge Renewable Energy in the U.S.
- Column: We Should Talk More About What a Brilliant Actor Marilyn Monroe Was


text:
Disney to Reboot "The Rocketeer" With Black Female Lead
Showing results 106-145 of 157
DC Comics has released a preview for "Batman, Inc." #3 by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette. The issue, featuring covers by Dave Finch and J.H. Williams III, hits stores this Wednesday, March 9.
DC Comics has provided a five-page preview of "Action Comics" #898 by Paul Cornell and Pete Woods, which hits stores tomorrow. In "Black Ring" Part 9, Lex Luthor gets his rematch with Larfleeze!
DC Comics has released a preview of "Brightest Day" #19, the first battle in the long-brewing Aquawar by Geoff Johns Peter Jomasi, Ican Rei and more. The war for the Earth's oceans breaks out on Wednesday, February 2.
DC Comics has released a five-page preview of "Action Comics" #897 by Paul Cornell and Pete Woods. The issue features a showdown between Lex Luthor and the Joker, and is on sale January 26.
Writer/artist David Finch discussed teaming the Caped Crusader with Etrigan the Demon in his ongoing "Batman: The Dark Knight" series and DC Comics teased readers with a new Finch illustration of the hellspawn hero.
DC has unveiled David Finch's cover for "Action Comics" #900 featuring the return of Superman to the title, which has been a Lex Luthor showcase for nearly a year, in a 50 page story by Paul Cornell and Pete Woods.
DC Comics has released a preview for "Brightest Day" #17, written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi with art by Ivan Reis, Pat Gleason, Ardian Syaf and more. DC's event series continues Wednesday, January 5.
The writer/artist behind DC's latest ongoing Batman series, David Finch swings by CBR to uncover what obscure heroes help drive the supernatural tone of "The Dark Knight" plus an exclusive preview of the first issue.
As part of January's "Spawn" #200, Todd McFarlane is tapping the "Walking Dead" creator to write and pencil a four-page Omega Spawn origin, plus an exclusive look at David Finch's cover process.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics, CBR presents an exclusive preview of "Shadowland: After the Fall." Written by Antony Johnston with art by Marco Checchetto and Roberto De La Torre, the issue hits December 12.
DC Comics has released a preview for "Brightest Day" #15, written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi with art by Ivan Reis, Pat Gleason, Ardian Syaf and more. DC's event series continues tomorrow, December 2.
With a pair of Dark Knights suiting up for the all-new "Batman Inc." era, CBR's THE BAT SIGNAL shines on the two writer-artists charting solo adventures for Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, Tony Daniel and David Finch.
Chad Nevett gave the DC Comics' "Batman: The Return" one-shot 4 stars, calling Grant Morrison and David Finch's story "a brisk, entertaining read that kicks off the Batman Incorporated era with style."
DC Comics has released a preview for "Batman: The Return" by Bat-universe architect and writer Grant Morrison with art and cover by David Finch. The one-shot hits stores tomorrow, November 17.
Writer/artist David Finch stopped by CBR TV to discuss his current work on "Batman: The Dark Knight," his confidence level when it comes to writing versus illustration, redesigning the Batman costume and more
James Hunt gave the much anticipated "Action Comics" #894 3.5 stars, calling the Death guest-starring issue "quite good in most ways that count," but ultimately "[missing] the high standards it courted."
DC Comics artists Jim Lee, Francis Manapul, David Finch and Tony Daniel showed off their talent and answered questions during a special NYCC panel that allowed the audience to watch every step in the artistic process.
DC Comics has released a pair of Batman-themed advance previews, offering early looks at November's heavily anticipated "Batman Inc." #1 and "Batman: The Dark Knight" #1.
DC Comics has released a preview of "Brightest Day" #11 by Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason and more. Black Manta throws down against Aquaman this Wednesday, October 6.
Courtesy of DC Comics, CBR brings you an advance look at "Brightest Day" #9 by Geoff Johns & Peter J. Tomasi and Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, Ardian Syaf, Scott Clark & Joe Prado, on sale this week in comics stores everywhere.
DC Comics has released a preview of "Superman/Batman" #75 featuring an all-star list of talent including Joe Kelly, Frank Quitely, Francis Manapul, David Finch, Paul Levitz and others. The anniversary issue hits August 25.
In advance of their November 2010 solicits, DC Comics has unveiled David Finch's cover to "Brightest Day" #13 featuring Batman as a White Lantern. Check back with CBR later today for the full DC solicitations.
DC Comics has released a preview for "Brightest Day" #7, on sale Wednesday, August 4 from Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi, Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, Ardian Syaf and more with covers by David Finch and Ryan Sook.
DC Comics has released a 5-page preview for "Action Comics" #891 by the creative team of Paul Cornell and Pete Woods with a David Finch cover. The issue hits stores this Wednesday, July 28.
In November, David Finch launches "Batman: The Dark Knight," a new ongoing series featuring Bruce Wayne as the Caped Crusader in stories inspired by the Neal Adams and Denny O'Neil run from 1970s.
DC Exclusive Dave Finch takes his intensely detailed art onto interiors full time while also stretching his writing muscles in the all new monthly "Batman: The Dark Knight" following a Grant Morrison-scripted kick-off.
We spoke Andy Schmidt about his creator-owned miniseries "5 Days to Die," which ships weekly in September and follows a mortally-wounded cop faced with an impossible choice, a situation Schmidt finds oddly familiar.
DC Comics has released a preview of "Brightest Day" #5 by the writting team of Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi with Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason and more on art with a cover by Dave Finch. The issue hits stores July 8.
"Brightest Day"cover artist David Finch spoke about why he loves drawing Deadman and Aquaman for the bi-weekly event title, what he finds challenging about Firestorm and a tease about another big project.
DC Comics has released a preview of "Action Comics" #890, the debut issue of the creative team of writer Paul Cornell and artist Pete Woods. The issue, featuring a cover by Dave Finch, goes on sale Wednesday, June 30.
David Finch joined WonderCon attendees to discuss his recent move from Marvel to DC Comics, hold an impromptu art critique with his tiniest fan, reveal his dream inter-company character team-up and more.
Courtesy of Marvel Comins, CBR presents an exclusive preview of "X-Men: Second Coming" #1, by Craig Kyle, Chris Yost and Dave Finch. The issue time-crashes into stores next Wedensday, March 31.
The recently exclusive DC superstar offers up his first interpretation of the Dark Knight for the hero's milestone 700th issue, which remains the only creative announcement surrounding the June-shipping book.
DC Comics drops the first story-specific teaser for the upcoming twice-monthly follow up to the blockbuster "Blackest Night" event with an early David Finch cover and word from Geoff Johns on the sea king's future.


text:
Wema Sepetu’s lipstick brand ‘Kiss’ has been banned. Tanzania Foods and Drug Authority (TFDA) says the lipstick is unfit for human use.
Wema Sepetu has several hustles but her lipstick business was her main cash cow. 2017 has been a bad year for business as Wema’s products have been off the shelves while she struggled to prove her lipsticks adhered to acceptable standards for human use.
Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and Tanzania Foods and Drug Authority (TFDA) stopped the sale of Wema’s Kiss lipstick brand mid this year.
The two standard product watchdog recently concluded that Wema’s lipsticks were unfit for human use. They banned Kiss lipsticks altogether.


text:
Paradigm members can now offer Assurant Intermediary’s GI range including accident, sickness and unemployment cover with mortgage and payment protection and income protection.
The product is available through Assurant Intermediary’s quote and sales software Intermediary Point of Sale.
Bob Hunt, chief executive of Paradigm Mortgage Services, says: “Our overall membership for Paradigm Group has now grown to within touching distance of 500 firms.
“It has always been our aim to offer our members access to innovative products at competitive terms.
“This link-up with Assurant Intermediary certainly fits the Paradigm proposition providing members with a further avenue to explore in terms of their client’s GI needs.”
Kevin Paterson, sales and marketing director at Assurant Intermediary, says: “We strongly believe that the sale of GI products forms a core part of every adviser’s offering and provide a valuable revenue stream, particularly in the current environment.
“We’ve worked hard to ensure that the insurances we provide are customer centric and offer value for money and so we’ve made it easy for advisers to compare them against the market and to sell in a compliant manner.”


text:
DIA Brands Singapore has appointed Sherry Lee (pictured right) as creative director and Kay Hui (pictured left) as brand director for Singapore. Both will report to MD Dinesh Sandhu.
Lee was most recently at Interbrand and her work spans across hospitality, airlines, beauty, real estate, banking and finance, start-ups, among others. Meanwhile, Hui has worked in strategic planning roles across digital and brand agencies including 3M, eYeka Asia Pacific, Futurebrand Singapore and Grey London. Her involvement spans brand strategy, communications planning, innovation on Coca-Cola, Fonterra, Intel, Mercedes-Benz, Nestle, P&G and Unilever brands in Asia and Europe.
Both Lee and Hui said they are "thrilled" to be part of an established consultancy that is leading the way in strategy, design and digital thinking. Companies adept at using digital tools with classical strategic planning models and cutting edge design thinking are gaining a sizeable lead over competitors.
"We hope to fuse our collective knowledge with the 'Creating Remarkable Brands' philosophy to create winning solutions for clients," they said.
“Lee and Hui will be at the forefront of DIA Singapore’s transformation strategy in our mission to cement our reputation as an Asian brand consulting powerhouse. All this, while staying true to our mission of creating remarkable brands. We are confident they will augment our senior leadership given the breadth and depth of their collective multi market experience," Sandhu said.


text:
Reserve Bank of India cuts repo rate by 25 basis points
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday said that the Monetary Policy Commitee (MPC) has decided to bring down repo rate by 25 basis points.
Repo rate now stands at 6.25%. The reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.75%, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 6.75%.
RBI said, "The decision of the MPC is consistent with an accommodative stance of monetary policy in consonance with the objective of achieving consumer price index (CPI) inflation at 5 per cent by Q4 of 2016-17 and the medium-term target of 4 per cent within a band of +/- 2 per cent, while supporting growth."
It further said, "The momentum of growth is expected to quicken with a normal monsoon raising agricultural growth and rural demand, as well as by the stimulus to the urban consumption spending from the pay commission’s award."
The Government has announced several measures to cool food inflation pressures, especially with regard to pulses. These measures should help in moderating the momentum of food inflation in the months ahead. This has opened up space for policy action, as indicated in the third bi-monthly monetary policy statement, it said.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.


text:
Will you continue to wear a face mask after July 19?
- Credit: Archant
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced in his latest press conference that face masks will no longer be mandatory - but will you still wear one?
With it now being a personal choice to wear a face mask or not, we put the question to our readers: "Will you continue to wear a face mask even after they're no longer mandatory?"
We created an online survey to see how many people will continue to wear a mask even though it is not mandatory.
Of the 1,623 people that voted, 874 people said they will continue to wear a face mask and 749 people said they will not.
One person commented saying, that they will continue to wear their face mask for a while as they would like to see the variants "disappear" first.
You may also want to watch:
Another person commented: "I will in certain closed spaces because I don't particularly want any of other people's germs."
One person who said they will no longer be wearing a face mask after July 19 has also reminded people to "respect others' choices and reasons."
- 1 Suffolk families stunned after homes transformed on Changing Rooms
- 2 Corrie McKeague: Dad speaks of 'horrendous' past five years
- 3 'Complete waste of our money' - uproar over Santa's grotto
- 4 Suffolk petrol stations avoid closure as garages shut nationwide
- 5 Go-ahead for all-weather pitch and classrooms at village school
- 6 Jailed in Suffolk: The criminals put behind bars this week
- 7 Suffolk braced for Indian summer before forecast showers next week
- 8 Suffolk man arrested after motorcyclist killed in crash
- 9 Crash causing delays near Bury St Edmunds
- 10 Suffolk man guilty of raping schoolgirl and facing jail sentence
Speaking before the Prime Minister's press conference yesterday, Thérèse Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal, said: "I’m firmly of the opinion that after July 19, mask wearing should be an informed personal choice.
"I know Suffolk people tend to be sensitive to their neighbours and communities, so may wish to continue wearing one in certain situations - but it shouldn’t be mandatory."


text:
Content-creation Juggernaut: The Mi 10 Pro debuts at the top of DxOMark's camera and audio charts
After weeks of teasers, Xiaomi has now unveiled its newest flagship phones, the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro at an online event for the Chinese market. As is usual with Xiaomi's recent releases, the phones—well, the Mi 10 Pro in this case—make their way straight to DxOMark testing.
The Mi 10 Pro did exceedingly well, in fact, as it now sits at the very top of DxOMark's camera and audio charts. In the camera review, the Mi 10 Pro earned an overall score of 124. That just one more point than the Mate 30 Pro 5G (123), and three more than Xiaomi's next phone on the list, the fifth-placed Mi Note 10 Pro (121).
The Mi 10 Pro recorded a photo score of 134, four more points than the Mi Note 10 Pro. That makes sense, seeing as the phones sport identical camera hardware. What differences that exist are due to software fine-tuning, and the more capable SoC and ISP.
It's important to point out that the 108 MP sensor on the Mi 10 Pro is not the same one on the new Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. The one on the Mi 10 Pro (ISOCELL Bright HMX) uses 4-to-1 binning to replicate a 1.6μm pixel size, while the one on the S20 Ultra (ISOCELL Bright HM1) adopts a more advanced 9-to-1 binning process to replicate a 2.4μm pixel size.
In the video category, the Mi 10 Pro made do with a score of 104, which makes it DxOMark's new video champ.
The audio review is the real shocker here. The Mi Note 10 Pro flopped hard when it was reviewed but the Mi 10 Pro manages to deliver a stellar performance, dethroning—albeit narrowly—the Huawei Mate 20 X at the top of the audio leaderboard. Xiaomi appears to have used a dual side-firing stereo speaker setup, and it shines in the playback category. More impressively, it also earns DxOMark's highest ever score in the recording category.
As always, DxOMark is not to be considered gospel. There have been multiple cases of phones scoring highly on DxOMark's tests but performing poorly when tested by other media outlets. We will test the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro extensively when they're released globally, and you can wait for that.


text:
All posts tagged "Fiat Chrysler"
Germany urges EU to grill Italy over Fiat Chrysler emissions
German authorities believe the software that regulates emissions constitutes an unauthorized "defeat device"
- Posted January 13, 2017
US Gov’t Accuses Fiat Chrysler of Cheating on Emissions
WASHINGTON – The U.S. government accused Fiat Chrysler on Thursday of failing to disclose software in some of its pickups and SUVs with diesel engines that allows them to emit more pollution than allowed under the Clean...
- Posted January 12, 2017
Fiat Chrysler Recalls Vehicles for Fuel Leak, Wiper Problems
DETROIT – Fiat Chrysler is recalling nearly 89,000 cars and SUVs to fix possible fuel leaks or problems with windshield wipers. The most serious recall covers nearly 35,000 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs worldwide from...
- Posted November 18, 2016
Fiat Chrysler recalls 224K Jeeps; air bags may not work
DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler is recalling more than 224,000 Jeep Wrangler SUVs worldwide because the air bags may not inflate in a crash. The recall covers certain 2016 and 2017 Wranglers. The company says in government documents...
- Posted October 19, 2016
Parts Maker ZF Recalls 505K Transmission Control Sensors
DETROIT – Automotive parts supplier ZF North America is recalling 505,000 control sensors in the U.S. because they can make some nine-speed transmissions shift into neutral without warning. The company says in government documents that the transmissions...
- Posted August 5, 2016
Fiat Chrysler Revises Sales, Shows Streak Ended in 2013
Lawsuit by dealership group alleges competing dealers got incentives to report false sales
- Posted July 26, 2016
Fiat Chrysler Recalls about 410K Vehicles for Wiring Trouble
Covers some 2015 Jeep Renegade and Cherokee SUVs, Chrysler 200 sedans and Ram ProMaster City vans
- Posted July 22, 2016
US Auto Sales Hit Record in First 6 Months
Up 1.5 percent to 8.65 million, eclipsing last year's record of 8.5 million
- Posted July 1, 2016
Google, Fiat Chrysler Announce Collaboration on Self-Driving Cars
Team-up would mark first time Google’s self-driving system would be integrated into a mass-production passenger vehicle
- Posted May 5, 2016
US Auto Sales Headed Toward Best Month in 10 Years
Ford, Nissan and Fiat Chrysler report sales gains in March
- Posted April 1, 2016


text:
GlobalData’s 2022 Financial Services Consumer survey reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the growth of the mobile payments in China. The adoption level is much higher compared to developed markets like the US and the UK, where consumers still predominantly use cards.
Shivani Gupta, senior analyst of Banking and Payments at GlobalData, commented: “China is home to one of the most mature mobile wallet markets in the world. Mobile wallets are a mainstream payment instrument in China and widely used for day-to-day transactions at supermarkets, grocery stores, street vendors, and public transport, as well as for online transactions.”
The high cost of POS terminals and generally insufficient payment infrastructure have pushed merchants and consumers to leapfrog from cash to mobile-based payments, skipping payment cards.
“Chinese consumers are far ahead of their Western counterparts in terms of mobile wallet usage”, Gupta added. “The availability of high-speed internet facility, coupled with a rise in smartphone penetration, provided the foundation for mobile payments to thrive. This was also supported by its widespread QR code infrastructure, and rising consumer and merchant preference for electronic payments in the country.”
The extensive acceptance of mobile-based payments is primarily driven by the broad support from merchants, ranging from street vendors to large chains, who prefer mobile payments. This preference stems from the cost-effectiveness of mobile wallets, as they entail lower expenses for infrastructure (such as QR code stickers) and transaction fees compared to card payment systems.
GlobalData’s survey also revealed that in China, mobile wallets are primarily used for the purchase of food and drink, clothing & footwear and electrical goods, highlighting the high level of comfort among Chinese consumers in buying everyday essentials using mobile wallets.
The mobile wallet market in China has been driven by domestic wallets such as Alipay and WeChat Pay. However, international solutions such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay are now making their presence felt in the country. Mobile wallet growth in China will also be supported by the government’s push for e-CNY – the country’s central bank digital currency.
Gupta concludes: “China has a well-developed digital payments market. As consumers continue to embrace cashless payments, mobile wallet payments will continue to maintain their growth over the next five years.”
GlobalData’s 2022 Financial Services Consumer survey was carried out in Q2 2022, during which approximately 50,000 respondents aged above 18 were surveyed across 40 countries.


text:
California’s pistachio harvest is set to be the biggest ever. And a cool spring this year may have saved the nuts from this month’s Tropical Storm Hilary.
Across California, growers expect to collect 1.3 billion pounds, breaking the previous record of 1.1 billion pounds in 2021, according to Richard Matoian, president of American Pistachio Growers.
But even as global competitors collect their own bumper pistachio harvests, Matoioan said the world’s growing appetite for the nut will keep prices sustainable. And growers anticipate that amount to go only upward.
“We’re going to go from hitting 1 billion pounds of production — it took us 30 years to get 1 billion pounds — we’re going to hit 2 billion pounds of production by 2031,” Matoian said.
Cool Spring Saved Pistachio Harvest
This spring’s cool temperatures delayed most of the Valley crops. A lack of sun meant plants took longer to blossom. While growers lamented fewer growing days, it paid back in a big way.
In a normal year, Hilary’s timing could have spelled trouble for pistachios, Matoian said. Around this time, the shell starts to split, exposing the meaty inside, Matoian said.
“The hull was more intact, because the crop was delayed. By the hull being more intact, there’s less opportunity for water to get in between the outer hull and the shell,” Matoian.
That water could have reduced nut quality. Matoian still says pistachio quality will be affected, but that will largely be limited to shell staining. Pistachio lovers may notice some off-coloring on shells.
“You would basically find more nuts that have more stain on it as a result of the moisture in that,” Matoian said.
Pistachios grow in bunches. Cool weather delayed their opening this summer, which saved them from moisture caused by Hurricane Hilary. (Shutterstock)
Pistachios Skipped Their Off-Year, Went for Broke
Growers expected pistachios to take a break this year. The nut normally has an alternating harvest, switching between boom years and dormant years. In 2020 and 2021, however, the nuts had back-to-back bumper crops.
So after a quiet 2022, 2023 should have been a quiet year as well, Matoian said.
“Mother Nature plays funny little tricks on us,” Matoian said.
Foreign Markets Hunger for American Pistachios Despite Higher Prices
Pistachio growers export 70% of their crop around the world. In the past few years, pistachio harvests in Iran and Turkey — the U.S.’s major competition — have lagged. Not so, this year, Matoian said.
Following the pandemic, the dollar has strengthened while most other global currencies have lagged. For exporters, though, that means selling more expensive products to countries whose buying power has decreased.
Tariffs also didn’t help with global pricing. Despite that, Matoian said buyers associate U.S. pistachios with high quality.
This year, India is on track to consume 40 million pounds of pistachios, up from 20 million pounds last year.
Last year, Europe surpassed China as the biggest pistachio consumers. Right now, they’re neck-and-neck. Growers have shipped 177 million pounds to Europe and 176 million to China.
Can Pistachio Growers Step Up Their Marketing Game?
Even though people tell Matoian that pistachios are their favorite nuts, they don’t often associate the food with good health. Pistachios have just as much protein as almonds and also have potassium — making them an ideal recovery food for athletes.
Meanwhile, growers like pistachios because they consume less water than almonds and they tolerate poorer soils better.
Pistachio trees last longer than other nut trees as well, Matoian said. California’s oldest trees — planted in the late 1960s — are still producing. An almond tree typically lasts 25 years.
The trick is growing enough pistachios to meet the growing demand without saturating the market and driving down prices.
“Our hope is to keep promoting American-grown pistachios so that they can fully take up the crop that’s going to be produced in the next few years at an economically viable price,” Matoian said.
Rain and Flooding Shrink Almond Crop
Estimates for damages caused by floods earlier this year in Tulare County peg losses at $60 million. The revived Tulare Lake flooded more than 10,000 acres of farmland, sources say.
Cold, wet weather kept bees from going out and pollinating almond blooms. For that, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts almond yields to be down this year.
“We’re going to have a smaller crop than we did last year,” said Danny Koolhaas, director of ag services with Wells Fargo. “This year’s subjective estimate came out at 2.6 (billion pounds). We’re going to see if that estimate holds true as harvest is underway.”
But in the long-term, that level of flooding could be beneficial, Koolhaas, said. Water pushes salts and contaminants in the soil down where tree roots can’t reach.
Reports say it could be 2025 before a crop could be planted in land beneath Tulare Lake, Koolhaas said. But depending on next year’s rain, he said he wouldn’t be surprised if it was sooner.
Flooding came at the cost of a lot of tomato and cotton land. But with depressed almond prices, Koolhaas said growers saw an opportunity to put those row crops elsewhere. So, the price of ketchup may not be too terribly affected by lost land in Tulare.
“Water will take a while to subside,” Koolhaas said. “But water is always good for land. And nobody thinks differently. So we’ll see when the lake does fully reside if there’s any residual effects, but I think it’s probably beneficial in the long run.”


text:
A Charles Sturt University research project has been shortlisted to receive a share in $242.7 million in federal government funding under the Trailblazer Universities Program, to create a Food and Beverage Commercialisation Hub. Read more
Du Cane Brewing Co, a brewery based in Tasmania, has received $400,000 in funding under round two of the state government’s Building Projects Support Program, to support their $2.8 million brewing vision.
The $32.54 million Mareeba-Dimbulah Efficiency Improvement Project to enhance water delivery to over 17,000ha of far north Queensland farmland has been completed. Read more
A Western Australian company is progressing global advances in vertical farming technology, to address the emerging food security and quality crisis with environmental sustainability at the core of its approach.
The Queensland government has encouraged revellers to add some distinctive Queensland flavours to their Australia Day celebrations, in recognition of the state’s vibrant wine industry. Read more
An international study led by Curtin University, in partnership with Murdoch University and CSIRO, has found that supporting global on-farm experimentation (OFE) networks and activities could transform the agricultural industry. Read more
Deep Planet continues to evolve the international grape and wine industry through remote sensing and AI technology, but you won’t find its Australian head office in a city high rise. Instead, this global start-up has selected the Barossa in regional South Australia for its initial investment in Australia, this month appointing four positions with plans to expand further. Read more
Jobs Victoria is working with major supermarkets including Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, as well as wholesaler Metcash, to link job seekers with food suppliers and reduce critical workforce shortages. Read more
Turning a traditional spaghetti Bolognese plant-based or making meatballs meatless is now just a click away, thanks to a new partnership between pasta sauce brand, DOLMIO®, and Australian plant-based meat company, v2food®. Read more
If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to cut back on alcohol, it appears you’re not alone.
Due to the current economic and health challenges facing New South Wales and Australia, Diversified Communications Australia have made the decision to cancel Fine Food Sydney, 8-11 March at ICC Sydney. The Melbourne event will still run 5-8 September 2022 at MCEC as planned. Read more
Blackman’s Brewery in Victoria, a wholesale beer producer, has opened a new and larger site in Grovedale to double its production capacity and meet COVIDSafe standards. Read more
The Salmon 23 Forum, an international symposium discussing innovation in global aquaculture, will headline this year’s community conversation regarding the future of Tasmania’s sustainable salmon industry in early May, in Hobart. Read more
Rabobank has announced the appointment of Stefan Vogel as general manager of its food and agribusiness research division, RaboResearch, in Australia and New Zealand. Read more
The global honey wine market size is expected to reach $1,054.21 million by 2028 at a CAGR of 10.5 per cent, according to a new study by Polaris Market Research on current market dynamics and future market growth analysis. Read more
Cider Australia has revealed the judging panel for the tenth Australian Cider Awards, the first national show to be held since the pandemic reached Australia. Read more
The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) announced that Australian and New Zealand companies received the second highest amount of WorldStar Packaging Awards in the world behind Germany; with Japan 3rd and China 4th.
As Australia continues to battle the issue of food supply shortages being experienced in the face of the Omicron outbreak, academics from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology have given some extra insight into the cause of the crisis and possible solutions. Read more


text:
A Nanaimo-based roof-truss manufacturer has acquired a competitor in Lantzville in a deal worth $9 million.
Atlas Engineered Products announced this week the purchase of the assets and land of Hi-Tec Industries, which builds trusses and sells engineered wood products such as floor joists and beams to the construction industry throughout Vancouver Island.
Atlas said it acquired all shares of Hi-Tec for $5.8 million and the land and buildings of the company for $3.25 million after an independent appraisal.
Atlas, a publicly traded company, has been buying companies in Canada’s truss and engineered products industry to create a national network serving regional construction markets. The company now has seven companies under its umbrella in B.C., Manitoba and Ontario.
Hadi Abassi, president and chief executive of Atlas Engineered Products, called Lantzville’s Hi-Tec a successful, well-run business, adding that when the acquisition opportunity arose “it was too good to pass up.”
The companies are within a 15-minute drive and the deal will provide “unique synergies from labour to shipping to equipment and more,” Atlas said in a statement.
“The future with our Atlas Building Systems location and additional customer base for product expansion is exciting and our team is looking forward to this integration moving forward,” Abassi said in a statement.


text:
Apple announces the most successful month in its App Store history, sales passed $10 billion in 2013
Apps are an ever-growing industry, freemium models or not, and Apple just proved it again releasing its App Store sales figures for the past year. Customers spent over a billion USD just in the month of December, downloading three billion apps, which resulted in the most successful app sales month in Apple's history.
For the whole year, app sales amounted to more than $10 billion, and developers have earned a grand total of $15 billion so far, since the App Store inception. What's becoming a trend are not only surprise successes, like Ellen DeGeneres’ Heads Up, ProtoGeo’s Moves, Simon Filip’s Afterlight and Kevin Ng’s Impossible Road, but also that a number of the biggest hits last year were concocted by international teams:


text:
Commerce ministry wants to ease gold import norms
11 June 2014
The Commerce Ministry has proposed a lifting of the restrictions on gold imports in order to increase availability of the metal in the domestic market so as to boost jewellery exports.
The commerce ministry has sounded the finance ministry on and the matter is ''under their consideration,'' commerce secretary Rajeev Kher said.
''There is a need for rationalisation of duty and procedure.... We have already made it clear that there is a need to look at the current gold import regime,'' he said.
The government had raised import duties on gold imports while the Reserve Bank of India imposed conditions on gold imports in order to check rising current account deficit (CAD) that had gone up to over 5.6 per cent of the country' GDP.
Both the government and the RBI lifted some of the curbs on import of gold and also laid down various pre-conditions for inward shipments of the precious metal.
Kher also hinted at easing the 80:20 rule of the government and make it easier for exporters to source gold for exports.
''If you feel that the initial concerns of CAD are fully addressed, as we hope to in the next several months, then there will be a reason to restore or at least to some extent the position (gold imports),'' he said.
''There is a clear perception that there could be something that could have to be done. It will happen in budget if it has to happen,'' Kher added.
Under the 80:20 scheme, the government allowed nominated agencies to import gold on the condition that 20 per cent of the inward shipment will be exported. The permission to import the next lot depends on fulfillment of export obligation.
India's gold imports declined 72 per cent to $2.19 billion in May due to restrictions imposed by the government on inbound shipments of the precious metal to narrow the CAD.
India's current account deficit (CAD), which is the excess of foreign exchange outflows over inflows, touched a historic high of 4.8 per cent of GDP in 2012-13, mainly due to rising imports of petroleum products and gold.
Gems and jewellery exporters, which account for about 15 per cent of the country's total shipments, recorded a marginal 1.36 per cent fall to $3.43 billion in May.
During the 11-month period of the last fiscal, shipments declined by 7.15 per cent to $ 35.73 billion.


text:
Should parents be encouraged to keep their children in rear-facing car seats for longer? Yes, according to a campaign launched by motors.co.uk, which suggests that rear-facing car seats are “up to five times safer” than the more popular forward-facing versions.
Car seats in the UK
In the UK, babies aged up to 18 months or weighing less than 13kg use group 0 and 0+ car seats, but most of the larger seats on the market are forward-facing.
Many large retailers do not stock rear-facing seats for older children, so parents have to go out of their way to find them, if they know about the safety implications.
But for parents of children weighing between 9 and 18 kg (about 9 months – four years of age) in theory have a choice of either a forward OR a rear-facing child seat in the next â€˜Group 1 category. This is different from the law in the US and the Nordic countries, which stipulate that children must stay in rear-facing car seats until they are at least four years of age.
However, the reality is that parents wanting to move up to using such a rear facing child seat in the next category simply can’t find any to buy in this country.
Many parents, understandably, feel that they should choose what’s available in store or online, and if their trusty baby supplies store stocks a seat it that’s forward facing they’ll often buy just that.
This is supported by research carried out by Motors.co.uk, which found that. 52% of would buy a rear-facing car seat for their child if they were more widely available in the UK. And parents (43% of those surveyed) are calling for the UK government to officially advise parents to keep their child in a rear-facing seat until the age of four.
We all know what a slow-moving the government can be when it comes to getting legislation changed, which is why Motherswhowork.co.uk is helping to push the details of this campaign out to mums, to help keep our children safe.


text:
- Gartner predicts that SaaS spending will reach $140 billion this year
- SaaS spending is increasing a stunning 20% per year
- Nowigence’s flagship offering — Pluaris — makes it happen through this business model
A Gartner report has indicated that Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) spending is projected to increase 40% in the coming years, an impressive future especially considering that annual spend has already reached hundreds of billions (https://nnw.fm/0G3UT). That forecast is good news for Nowigence Inc. (NOWG), a savvy company that solves many of today’s information overload problems with a proprietary AI platform that is available through the SaaS business model.
“Just how fast is SaaS and Cloud growing?” asks a recent article from SaaStr, the world’s largest community of SaaS executives, founders and entrepreneurs. “One thing we know — Fast. Still. Even now, at hundreds of billions in annual spend.
“Gartner’s latest report illustrates just that,” the article continues. “Cloud software spending grew a stunning 23% in 2021, from $270 billion to $330 billion. But that’s just the start. After polling CIOs, Gartner found that total SaaS spend will grow from $100B in 2020 to $140B in 2022.” SaaStr goes on to note that budgets and spend are increasing an impressive 20% a year in SaaS and that enterprises are spending an additional $20 billion on SaaS each year.
“No matter what, the wave of enterprise spending that fueled 100 SaaS and Cloud unicorns is just getting bigger and strong,” the article concludes. “This is your time, folks. Go make it happen.”
Making it happen is precisely what Nowigence is doing with its Pluaris offering. Pluaris works 24/7 reading and analyzing content identified by its users as relevant, important and interesting. This content comes from a huge array of public and private data sources. Users identify information that they need in their professional lives in order to make decisions, lead, and succeed and in their personal lives because the topics are of interest. Pluaris then gathers all the information together and provides summaries, extracted intelligence and graphical analysis.
Using Pluaris, readers don’t have to wade through all the information themselves. Rather, they scan their news feed for key information, view analyzed content for unbiased importance ranking and identify what’s worth drilling down further on, reducing the sheer volume of reading material and increasing resources designed to provide exactly the information they are looking for. And they do it all based on a SaaS business model. By integrating state-of-the-art data processing techniques in an intuitive interface at an affordable subscription price, Pluaris allows and supports collaboration in the most efficient and effective way possible.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Nowigence.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Nowigence are available in the company’s newsroom at https://nnw.fm/NOW
NetworkNewsWire (“NNW”) is a financial news and content distribution company, one of 50+ brands within the InvestorBrandNetwork (“IBN”), that provides: (1) access to a network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets; (3) enhanced press release solutions to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience comprising investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.
To receive SMS text alerts from NetworkNewsWire, text “STOCKS” to 77948 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information, please visit https://www.networknewswire.com
New York, New York
NetworkNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork


text:
Tech-savvy readers already know that you can purchase or download e-books for free -- and legally.
Amazon says its new e-book reader will save reading--but does reading need to be saved?
Despite some imperfections, the Web emerged as a bright star at the swearing in of Barack Obama.
Juggling three browsers will be a thing of the past -- eventually.
Some folks hold on to dated devices and old applications. Why? Because they still work.
Articles by Barbara Krasnoff


text:
GSK's Sensodyne goes outdoor to drive home authenticity of product
By M4G Bureau - April 13, 2017
Laqshya Solutions planned and executed the multi-city campaign using over 150 key sites
For those suffering from tooth sensitivity, choosing between a whitening toothpaste and the one that helps relieve their sensitivity becomes a difficult choice. Usually, they are left with no choice but to compromise one for the other. With the launch of Sensodyne Whitening, GSK aims to offer the dual benefit of sensitivity relief along with restoring natural whiteness of teeth.
The brand made its presence felt in the outdoors by going all loud and visible. The campaign OOH duties were assigned to Laqshya Solutions. The OOH agency specialists put together a media plan that was high on dual strategy i.e. reach and frequency. The media were handpicked that could get the consumers attention by default and get the brand message going. To drive the message better, real consumers were included in the creative keeping the Sensodyne brand character of authenticity alive. The consumer preferred and highly endorsed brand by experts were visible in key cities like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Hyd, Bang, Chennai and Kochi.
The month-long campaign focused on the multiple touchpoints promising the most impactful congregation of TG. The media picked were mapped in place to get the best setting to reach out on scale and influence. More than 150 panoramic sites were handpicked to magnify the campaign’s reach.
The selected media units looked compelling with the simple yet striking brand message ‘Sensitivity Relief and Natural Whiteness, I got both’ that were intelligently planned keeping in mind the traffic and audience movements. The communication kept hitting them on every arterial routes superimposing the brand and their message.
Speaking about the campaign’s success, Atul Shrivastava, Group CEO, Laqshya Media Group said, the campaign is undoubtedly the most visible brand in the outdoors these days. We are extremely proud to have associated with them on their OOH campaign for Sensodyne Whitening. The brand has been a synonym with sensitivity and to bring the other USP to life, we worked on a visually gigantic theme by picking the best media units that can guarantee eyeballs. We offered them nothing but the best. Our team has not just delivered them a successful campaign that’s high on visibility but, a strategy evolved media plan that would keep the buzz ongoing for long.”


text:
President Signs Small Business Jobs and Credit Act into LawSeptember 27th, 2010 by Editor
President Obama signed the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act into law this afternoon, according to reports from the White House. The bill passed the Senate earlier this month and the House voted Thursday, September 23.
The bill was written to lower taxes and make loans more readily available for small business owners. Once enacted into law, the bill is designed to help small business owners access private capital to finance expansions and hire new workers, and would reward small business investors—in a long-term attempt to help small businesses compete with large corporations.
The Small Business Lending Fund Act will establish a $30 billion fund to boost lending to small businesses looking to hire and expand their operations by providing additional capital to community banks, according to information from Rep. Barney Frank (D – Mass.), who is one of 21 co-sponsors of the bill.
What are your thoughts on this legislation? Please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
WHERE TO WATCH
Changing the Dining Experience
August 7, 2018
Los Angeles based startup Halla is combining food, data and A.I. to change the way we dine. Its Founders Spencer Price and Henry Michaelson joined Cheddar to share more on what the company is bringing to the food industry.
M.M. LaFleur Looks To Help Women Running For Office
Feb 4, 2020
Chopt Salad CEO Touts Dos Toros Deal to Take on Fast-Casual Competition
Chopt CEO Nick Marsh told Cheddar wants to bring the recently acquired taqueria to take on the competitive fast-casual restaurant space.
Feb 10, 2020
Raising the Bar, KIND Expanding With Products in 4 New Categories
KIND is looking to go from a billion dollar snack bar company to a global leader in healthy snacking. The company is adding products in the frozen, refrigerated, chocolate and snack aisles. Those items will hit store shelves later this month. We spoke to Stephanie Csaszar, Registered Dietitian and Health and Wellness Expert at KIND.
Feb 4, 2020
DJ Muggs Has 'Lifestyle' Ambitions for Cannabis Company Bhang
Cypress Hill's DJ Muggs has signed on as the chief brand strategist for cannabis company Bhang.


text:
After Ghosn and coronavirus, Renault and Nissan weigh future
For automakers Renault and Nissan, the world is currently a very different place to what it had been just a few short months ago.
In 2017 and 2018, the Franco-Japanese industrial alliance had ranked the world's biggest automaker with sales of 10.6 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
But by the end of 2019, if the wheels have not quite come off, the two have nevertheless had a bumpy ride, after the man who oversaw that achievement, Carlos Ghosn, fled a trial in Japan over allegations of financial misconduct, and surfaced in Lebanon.
Digesting that scandal was one thing. Coping with the economic mayhem wrought by the coronavirus pandemic was a task of a completely different dimension.
Ghosn's expansion strategy of the past now appears to hail from a galaxy millions of light years away.
Today, the alliance is looking to cut back production capacity in view of the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic as the two carmakers -- which had previously accounted for some 10 percent of the global auto market -- realign themselves to the new reality.
The outlook already looked bleak enough last year, after Renault recorded its first loss in a decade on sagging sales. Then along came the novel coronavirus that all but paralysed the production line and sales points, particularly in Europe.
In the words of the French finance ministry, Renault is now "fighting for survival".
Nissan too, in which Renault holds a 43-percent stake, is set to reveal heavy losses when it publishes its 2019/2020 results on Thursday.
Ghosn had been targeting sales of 14 million by 2022, including five million for Renault. But that now looks ambitious.
During the course of this week, the alliance will lift the veil on its strategic plans for the future.
Another member of the alliance, Mitsubishi Motors, one-third owned by Nissan, has similarly hit hard times and is is preparing to reveal its own plans in late July or early August.
Nissan sees its priorities as centred firmly on its core markets -- Japan, China and North America, an informed source told AFP. It is losing "a lot of money" in Europe.
That could spell danger for the Nissan factory at Barcelona, judged as being over-capacity, although the source indicated the future of the Sunderland plant in northeast England looks assured despite Brexit.
The name of the game is "cut fixed costs everywhere," which means trimming production capacity from seven million units a year -- two million more than current annual sales.
Japanese media reports say the group could slash its worldwide workforce by 15 percent by early 2023.
Defending French jobs
At least the coronavirus shockwaves have pushed the Ghosn controversy off centre stage.
For Nissan, any negative feelings towards Renault and the French state in the wake of the Ghosn saga have been put aside "because the coronavirus is a much more important problem", notes Tatsuo Yoshida, auto sector analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence.
"Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault don't have any time to lose if they want to survive this crisis," he told AFP.
Renault needs to plot a route back into the black if it is to keep the French government onside amid concern over the potential direct or indirect fallout from the virus on jobs.
With Paris voicing fears that Renault could disappear without state support -- France retains a 15-percent stake in the carmaker -- the government is set to approve a five-billion-euro ($5.4 billion) loan package, although environmental strings will be attached.
Paris will also want guarantees on keeping maximum production within France -- several models are currently produced in lower-cost countries abroad, such as the Clio in Turkey.
Responding to media reports of possible closures in France, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warned last week that the government would be "intransigent" on the issue of keeping production on home soil.
But the challenge is a sizeable one.
Renault said in February, before the pandemic really took hold, that it was targeting two billion euros in savings over three years and would not rule out site closures.
Or, as interim CEO and former financial officer Clotilde Delbos put it: "No taboos."