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After a coalition of eight civil and human rights organizations published an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook last month related to the delay of Apple’s new App Tracking Transparency features, Apple has responded to the letter doubling down on its privacy practices. The iPhone giant took a direct shot at Facebook, saying that Mark Zuckerberg’s social media giant has “made clear” its intention to “collect as much data as possible.”
9to5Mac reports that last month a coalition of eight civil and human rights organizations published an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook relating to the company’s decision to delay the releases of the new App Tracking Transparency feature in iOS 14. Now Apple has responded, doubling down on its privacy practices and offering more details on the delay of the App Tracking Transparency feature.
In a letter sent to the Ranking Digital Rights organization, Apple Senior Director of Global Privacy Jane Horvath, stated that the company believes that “privacy is a fundamental human right.” Horvath explained that Apple delayed the App Tracking Transparency feature in an effort to give developers more time to prepare for the changes.
The letter confirms that the App Tracking Transparency feature, which is designed to allow users to disable tracking between different applications, will be released next year. Horvath wrote:
We delayed the release of ATT to early next year to give developers the time they indicated they needed to properly update their systems and data practices, but we remain fully committed to ATT and to our expansive approach to privacy protections. We developed ATT for a single reason: because we share your concerns about users being tracked without their consent and the bundling and reselling of data by advertising networks and data brokers.
She further added that the transparency feature does not prevent advertising but rather encourages advertising that respects privacy:
Advertising that respects privacy is not only possible, it was the standard until the growth of the Internet. Some companies that would prefer ATT is never implemented have said that this policy uniquely burdens small businesses by restricting advertising options, but in fact, the current data arms race primarily benefits big businesses with big data sets. Privacy-focused ad networks were the universal standard in advertising before the practice of unfettered data collection began over the last decade or so. Our hope is that increasing user demands for privacy and security, as well as changes like ATT, will make these privacy-forward advertising standards robust once more.
Horvath also harshly criticized Facebook stating that the tech giant has “made clear” that it intends to “collect as much data as possible,” writing:
By contrast, Facebook and others have a very different approach to targeting. Not only do they allow the grouping of users into smaller segments, they use detailed data about online browsing activity to target ads. Facebook executives have made clear their intent is to collect as much data as possible across both first and third party products to develop and monetize detailed profiles of their users, and this disregard for user privacy continues to expand to include more of their products.
Read more at 9to5Mac here.


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Newsflash: 'Millennial pink' is really just blush
"Millennial pink" has been around decades longer than millennials.
So millennials are such a special generation they have their own color, eh?
They do. And it's called "millennial pink."
In case you've been living under an opaque rock, this old-is-new shade of pinky-pink ranges from cotton candy to a more saturated flamingo.
Back in the day, millennial pink was called simply "light pink" or "pastel pink." In more descriptive circles, it's referred to as "rose" or "blush." My mom calls it "Jackie O pink," and I once heard my grandma refer to it as "Chanel pink."
In other words, millennial pink has been around decades longer than millennials.
But thanks to young rappers (Drake), new lipsticks (Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics), fictional movie edifices (The Grand Budapest Hotel), girl-power tomes (#GirlBoss by Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso), athleisure clothing (last week's just-released Nike Chrome Blush collection), and this summer's must-have wine (rosé), marketers seem to have just handed over this historically fashion-forward shade to millennials.
"Millennials are treating it like it's a new color," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "Those of us who have loved this pink for years and years don't think of it as a new color. … What I think is happening is that millennials are drawn to the idea of a color that's soft but that isn't super-feminine. Its fluidity is what gives [this shade of pink] a whole new meaning."
It was the Pantone Color Institute that thrust the shy shade into our color consciousness in 2016, when it named Rose Quartz one of the co-colors of the year. A light blue Pantone named Serenity was the other shade. Both hues, according to Pantone, represented a certain gender fluidity driving trends in lifestyle and pop culture beyond "real men wear pink."
And because millennials are the first generation to embrace such a nonbinary way of thinking without much judgment, it makes sense that marketers of clothing and home goods, books and music, and even wine and spirits are ready, willing, and able to rename light pink "millennial pink," said Jane Boddy, color director for global trend forecasting firm WGSN.
Where were those same folks when gray (remember when it was the new black?) should have been named "Gen X slate?"
"The term has become massive," Boddy said. "Millennials have embraced pink, turning it on its head. It's modern and deliriously cool."
That must be why the young men who came to Philly in April for the NFL draft were millennial-pinked out.
A few years before blush went genderless, it was part of the emerging social-media scene as the trademark hue for the blog-making website Tumblr.
New brands seeking fierceness incorporated the sheer shade into their campaigns, like Thinx underwear. Rihanna has an entire millennial pink collection for her Puma Fenty line. First daughter Ivanka Trump wears (and sells) a lot of millennial pink.
"It's all over my Instagram," said Amanda Hill Bokosky, 29, director of public relations at Bloomingdale's in King of Prussia and Willow Grove Park Malls. She recently married in a blush — er, millennial pink — fishtail gown.
"It's in all our advertising campaigns, it's in all of our products, from blazers to sneakers, and we will definitely see it paired with tropical shades and darker neutrals in the fall," Bokosky said.
But the key reason she says millennial pink is a thing is that it's really a range of colors — and we know how noncommittal millennials can be, right?
There is nude millennial pink, which is best worn by itself. Dusty and dirty millennial pink, which I like with navy blue. Warm millennial pink, best paired with orange.
There is a millennial pink for every mood and a version of the hue for every season. Millennials won't be boxed in and labeled, nor will their hue.
It's all kind of powerful when you think about it, right?
The whole ridiculous concept leaves me tickled pink.

domain: news


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Earlier this week, Qualcomm officially announced its Snapdragon 845 chip that will presumably power the majority of flagship smartphones throughout 2018. Details were originally scarce, but the company has since given a full rundown of what to expect from the new mobile processor.
Upgrading from the Snapdragon 835’s Kryo 280, the new Snapdragon 845 features a Kryo 385 CPU which boasts a 30 percent improvement on its high-performance cores and a 15 percent increase on its low-power cores. It does this by retaining the previous eight cores but pushing its four performance cores to 2.8GHz and its four efficient cores to 1.8GHz.
Its graphics core has replaced the Adreno 540 for the Adreno 630 visual processing subsystem, bringing in a hefty 30 percent increase to the chip’s graphical performance and 64x more high-dynamic range colour information for video capture and playback. In fact, 30 percent seems like the magic number as the GPU and CPU combined help keep the chip about 30 percent more power efficient over its predecessor.
The Snapdragon 845 introduces its Spectra 280 image signal processor (ISP) to help with 4K HDR video capture at 60 frames per second (FPS), a first for smartphones, as well as high definition slow-motion video up to 480FPS. Still images will benefit from its ability to produce 60 images-per-second up to 16 megapixels in detail.
Qualcomm hasn’t forgotten about security, either, ensuring that the Snapdragon 845 includes a “vault-like secure processing unit.” This is pretty much Qualcomm’s own isolated subsystem that houses its own CPU, power supply, Crypto engine, random number generator and embedded private RAM, improving biometric support and encryption beyond anything we’ve seen before from a consumer mobile “platform.”
The company has already begun shipping to manufacturers, so it’s likely to make an appearance at upcoming events such as CES.
KitGuru Says: Qualcomm is pushing the mobile VR and AR scene quite hard with its new chip, so it will be interesting to see the impact it will have alongside Microsoft’s Windows Mixed Reality platform as both push into 2018. Still, my worry is how much more cost will fall on the consumer.


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Below is an announcement from the Wilmington-Tewksbury Chamber of Commerce:
WILMINGTON, MA — Who wants to join in on some Halloween Fun for the kiddos?
The Wilmington-Tewksbury Chamber of Commerce is looking to identify Wilmington businesses who are planning to hand out candy at their place of business on Saturday, October 31, 2020, from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. (Costumes are optional.)
Email the Chamber’s Executive Director Nancy Vallee at email@example.com by 3pm on Thursday, October 29, 2020 if you would like to participate and get your name on a flyer will be advertised to the Wilmington community.
This provides local businesses with a great way to promote themselves by giving out a coupon for a future visit with candy, not to mention participating in some safe Halloween fun!
Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Xiaomi Corp, which is readying for a blockbuster initial public offering in Hong Kong, has unnerved some investors as it revealed a loss of nearly US$1.1 billion for the first quarter of 2018.
In a filing in China in relation to a planned Chinese depositary receipts (CDRs) issue, which will take place alongside the Hong Kong IPO, the smartphone maker said it recorded a net loss of 7 billion yuan for the first three months of this year.
The negative bottom line, which followed a full-year 2017 loss of 43.9 billion yuan, has left people wondering as to when the company, which was founded in 2010, will turn in a profit.
More importantly, questions are being raised once again whether Xiaomi deserves the high market valuation it is seeking despite an apparent loss-making business model.
Xiaomi is gearing up for a Hong Kong offering, with the listing plan said to have been approved by stock exchange officials last week.
The Chinese smartphone maker will be the first entity to be listed in Hong Kong under a new regulatory regime that allows companies to issue shares with weighted voting rights.
After getting cleared for the Hong Kong listing, Xiaomi quickly filed an application for issue of CDRs in the mainland to allow investors there as well to buy into the company, becoming the first to launch such depositary securities.
According to latest reports, Xiaomi plans to raise around HK$39 billion in Hong Kong IPO and HK$39 billion in CDRs. The valuation of the firm could be in the range of US$70 billion to US$90 billion.
Xiaomi’s US$10 billion stock sale plan has generated a lot of interest among investors given the surge in share prices of some recent tech listings, but some observers are also questioning the lofty valuation.
The first-quarter financial report has added to such doubts.
Xiaomi said it had a 7 billion yuan loss in the first quarter, on revenue of 34.4 billion yuan, due to one-off accounting charges. Excluding those charges, it claimed a profit of 1.7 billion yuan, boosted by an 88 percent rise in smartphone sales during the quarter.
Despite the operating profit, observers note that Xiaomi’s reported valuation makes it twice as expensive as Apple.
The Chinese firm is coming to market at 27-34 times 2019 adjusted earnings forecasts, compared to Apple’s current valuation of 14.5 times forward earnings.
Morgan Stanley, one of banks involved in Xiaomi’s Hong Kong IPO, has argued that Xiaomi deserves to trade at a premium to global phone brands in view of its market share gains and faster growth.
The investment bank pegged Xiaomi’s fair value in the US$65 billion to US$85 billion range, Bloomberg reported.
But not all are convinced.
Xiaomi’s success has been due to low-price smartphones such as the Redmi series and connected gadgets like air purifiers and rice cookers. The business can’t support such high valuation, skeptics say.
But others aver that what should really be looked at is the growth potential of the internet services behind the hardware.
Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun had said the company will only keep 5 percent gross margin in its hardware business as the tech firm wants to sell advanced technology products at affordable prices. The tech firm is positioning itself as a software and internet services entity, citing its widening user base and connected ecosystem of devices.
Xiaomi is betting on fast growth in smartphone and IoT products to push its business in the next two to three years. Admittedly, its disrupting business model, involving online and offline sales channels in China and some key markets overseas, particularly India, is not easy for rivals to copy on scale.
While smartphone is still a core segment of revenue for Xiaomi, IoT products are also becoming an important component as more people are using such products to demonstrate style and taste. However, IoT products are still in the early stage of the development life-cycle. Also, the internet service is yet to demonstrate the potential to emerge as a core profit center.
Several investment banks had issued pre-IPO research reports on Xiaomi. Deutsche Bank believes Xiaomi can grow its global smartphone shipment market share from 6.2 percent in 2017 to 11.9 percent in 2020. Meanwhile, IoT revenue market share is seen rising from 0.7 percent to 1.4 percent.
Internet service revenue would be linked with the installed base of smartphones. According to the German bank, the service revenue could jump 39 percent between 2018 and 2020. What’s more important for investors is that internet service revenue gross margin is seen several times larger than the hardware gross margin.
In order to reduce its reliance on the China market, Xiaomi has expanded overseas, especially in India and Europe. India has emerged as the firm’s second-largest market, marking a big feather in the cap for the Chinese smartphone maker.
However, that success carries risks as well, given the frequent debates in India about the proliferation of Chinese products in the country and the need to curb imports. Given the often fraught political relations between the two nations, Xiaomi could be vulnerable to changes in Indian government policies on Chinese technology products.
The company certainly cannot take its market position in India for granted, which is something that investors need to bear in mind.
Given all these factors, what valuation does Xiaomi really merit, stripping away the hype from the company and its investment bankers?
Can anyone really be sure?
– Contact us at [email protected]


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The world of digital marketing has changed drastically, but no matter what precipitates the shift and how huge the impact is, your business should always be ready to adapt. May it be a shift in the economy, buyer behavior, or trends — as a digital marketer, what you always have to do is stay on top of things and be prepared to adjust your strategy.
There’s no question that a huge shift has taken place in the way the economy functions recently due to the global impact of the coronavirus. People’s health and safety are at the top of the priority list that’s why the government imposed quarantines and social distancing.
However, in such a short time, this made a huge impact on businesses of all sizes across the globe.


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Mumbai: Data and identity theft is among the most common form of cybercrime over past many decades. And its a known fact, cybercriminals and hackers sell these stolen information and data in the Dark Web.
But not many people know what could be cost of such stolen data remains. A new Dark Web study has found that although the digital identity is an important asset for cybercriminals but it actually doesn’t fetch much real value in terms of dollars. The stolen digital identity of users could be sold in less than a $50, according to Kaspersky Lab research.
It also uncovered an appetite among cybercriminals for data stolen from popular services – including via social media accounts and remote access to gaming websites.
User confusion about what their data is worth could result in a haphazard approach to security, making it all too easy for thieves to steal data and commit crime. Data stolen due to people’s lax security may have limited resale value, but can be put to many uses.
This can cause huge problems for an individual victim, who may lose money and their reputation, find themselves being chased for debt that somebody else has incurred in their name, or even suspected of a crime that somebody else has committed using their identity as a cover.
Kaspersky Lab investigated Dark Web markets to find out how much personal data is worth, and how it is used by criminals.
The company’s researchers found that criminals can sell someone’s complete digital life for less than $50; including data from stolen social media accounts, banking details, remote access to servers or desktops, and even data from popular services like Uber, Netflix and Spotify, as well as gaming websites, dating apps, and porn websites which might store credit card information.
Meanwhile, researchers found that the price paid for a single hacked account is lower, with most selling for about $1 per account, and with criminals offering up discounts for bulk-buying.
The most common way criminals steal this sort of data in the first place is via spear phishing campaigns or by exploiting a web related security vulnerability in an application’s software.
After a successful attack, the criminal gets password dumps which contain a combination of emails and passwords for the hacked services. And, with many people using the same password for several accounts, attackers might be able to use this information to access accounts on other platforms too.
Interestingly, some criminals selling data even provide their buyers with a lifetime warranty, so if one account stops working, the buyer will receive a new account for free.
It is clear that data hacking is a major threat to us all, and this applies at both an individual and societal level, because stolen data funds many social evils, said David Jacoby, Senior Security Researcher – Kaspersky
Fortunately, there are steps we can take to Your digital identity could be on sale for less than $50 – new Dark Web research from Kaspersky Lab shows prevent it, including by using cybersecurity software, and being aware of how much data we are giving away for free – particularly on publicly available social media profiles, or to organizations, added Jacoby.
(Image source – Flickr.com)


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STA, 23 September 2021 - Concerned about rising energy prices, Slovenian industry has called on the government to take action. "The state will have to get involved," the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) said on Thursday.
Electricity prices have nearly doubled this year whereas gas prices have tripled, which has severely affected energy-intensive industries such as food and chemicals, the GZS said.
"The fact is that the wave of high prices will sooner or later spill over into household energy prices - before the energy transition even starts."
High energy prices may even lead to production stoppages in some of the most energy-intensive industries and certain companies are already sounding the alarm, said the GZS.
Energy prices topped the agenda of a meeting of EU ministers in Slovenia yesterday. Energy Commissioner Kadri Simons indicated the European Commission was willing to clear certain short-term measures to curb price growth.


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British online gold bullion and coin dealer, BullionByPost, is forecasting its busiest every trading day of voters decide on a Brexit, citing there could be a ‘gold bullion rush’.
Rob Halliday-Stein, who founded the Birmingham-based company in 2008, has predicted that a decision to leave the EU will prompt an online gold rush, generating record sales of around £10m in a single day for the company, as investors seek to protect their wealth.
The online gold dealer said it has already enjoyed increased activity in the lead up to the vote with sales in the first two weeks of June up 54% on the same period last month.
If Britain votes to leave, Halliday-Stein estimates BullionByPost will generate £30m in sales in July.
Meanwhile, a remain vote is predicted to generate £20m during the month, and will still give the business its busiest single trading day since the company was founded in 2008.
The announcement comes after analysts indicated that Britain’s decision to leave the EU is likely to cause sterling to drop, leading to a rise in the price of gold.
Uncertainty in Europe has also typically led to a price surge. In 2011, the euro crisis drove the gold price to an all-time high of $1,603.40 an ounce (£1,133.70).
Halliday-Stein said: “We have many clients waiting to place orders, but everyone is waiting for the referendum outcome. Gold rises on volatility and we’ve never had a day as volatile as a Brexit day in the gold price market.”


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EA brought a few iPhone games to the show in Los Angeles this week -- first up, we got a look at the Mass Effect entry for the iPhone, recently titled Mass Effect Galaxy. The game takes place in the same universe as the popular console game (and its sequel), but it focuses around a separate, non-...
As we get closer and closer to the App Store launch (I'm still holding out for seeing an updated iTunes on July 8th, one week from today), a few big name game developers have announced that they're checking out the market for gaming on the iPhone. First up is Bioware, one of my favorite developers a...
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A Greensboro entrepreneur is looking to turn Greensboro a little greener.
In the face of lost jobs, layoffs and reduced hours, many have relied on improvisational skills to keep funds coming in.
Two handmade wooden deck chairs shaped like spindly marijuana leaves welcome customers as they enter Magic Mann, the first CBD cafe in Vermont.
More people have come forward, saying they were ripped off by a Waterbury CBD businessman, who now faces additional criminal charges.
Prosecutors plan to appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court after a judge downgraded the most serious charge against a Waterbury CBD businessman a…


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News. The Maven, of Seattle in the US, has agreed to acquire TheStreet Inc for a total price of some $34m – some 2% of the financial media company’s peak value. Both are listed companies. The Maven provides a digital distribution platform for a coalition of over 270 media providers. The news and media platform is claimed to reach 100m consumers globally. TheStreet – which was founded by American television personality, former hedge fund manager, and best-selling author Jim Cramer who is the host of CNBC’s Mad Money programme – has developed a strong financial news presence which can now reach a wider audience via The Maven platform. In December, TheStreet sold its B2B business units, The Deal and BoardEx, to London-based Euromoney Institutional Investor Plc for $87.3m.
It will now join other brands such as History, Ski Magazine and Maxim on The Maven and will provide the core of a finance vertical. This marks Maven’s third acquisition in the last year. It acquired HubPages and Say Media in 2018. The Street was launched in 1996 and listed in 1997, at one point reaching a market cap of $1.7bn. But, in more recent years, profitability has been challenging, to say the least. It has been loss-making for much of the last two years. TheStreet is expected to generate $50m revenue for The Maven over the next 12 months.


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ThunderCore to Power Bollywood Metaverse Concert
Partnered with ThunderCore, Singapore-based blockchain start-up E-verse, invites worldwide fans of India's most celebrated stars, Neha Kakkar and Tony Kakkar to join them as they perform 'Musically Yours By The Kakkars' LIVE in the metaverse for the first time on Saturday, November 26th at 9 pm (IST).
- Saturday 26 November 2022 at 9 PM IST
- E-Verse partners up with ThunderCore Blockchain
You can watch the concert from the comfort of your own virtual living room at home. Enjoy the experience of a special arena built custom for the concert. This will take advantage of bleeding-edge technology and lighting effects to set the stage. The live-streamed show will feature many of the Kakkars' greatest hits.
The virtual event will be live streamed to the world on Saturday November 26th, 2022 at 9 pm (IST) from Mumbai, India, (3.30 pm UK/10.30 am New York) at nehatony.tt.everseapp.com with tickets on sale now through Paytm Insider (insider.in), BookMyShow (in.bookmyshow.com), and NFT ticketing from ThunderCore blockchain through NFTmall at 5.99 USD or 1,250 TT.
NFT tickets on ThunderCore will grant access to the pre-show metaverse, which is sure to delight fans of the musical duo looking for an enhanced virtual concert experience. Users will be able to pick their own custom avatars, and the metaverse will offer a tour of the concert venue as well as games and prizes.
Sithi Srichawla, CEO of E-Verse said, "We are delighted to partner with ThunderCore blockchain on this exciting event and to bring a truly engaging entertainment experience to the web3 space."
Chris Wang, Founder and CEO of ThunderCore said, "This project is one we are really jazzed about, and we are confident it will give our rapidly growing web3 user count an even bigger boost. "


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PT TVS Motor, the Indonesian arm of TVS motors will launch its new offering the Daze underbone in Indonesia very soon. Underbone or stepthrough motorcycle is most commonly known as Bebek in Indonesia. The TVS Dazz will be the first automatic Bebek from the India two wheeler maker for the Indonesia market.
It will be positioned as an entry level bebek and will be ranked amongst the most affordable motorcycles in the country. The TVS Dazz is engineered in India exclusively for the Indonesian market and will be built at the company’s West Java.
The Dazz is powered by a single cylinder 110cc four stroke air cooled engine which and delivers a decent power of 8.34 bhp and max Torque of 8.3 Nm. The bebek has a fuel tank capacity of 5.3 litres weighs 92kg.
The Dazz comes with features like front disc brake, a mobile phone charger, maintenance free battery, electric starter and tubeless tyres.
The Dazz is expected to be priced at 9.9 million Indoneisan Rupiah which translates to around Rs. 60,000 in India. There are very very slim chances of such motorcycles making it to India and if the demand does exist, TVS could one of the first players to introduce it for the mass market.


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PETALING JAYA: Companies can learn how to leverage digitalisation trends to pave the way for export opportunities at the upcoming Export Excellence Awards (EEA) 2021 webinar.
The event, the third under the EEA 2021 Webinar Series, is titled “Digitalisation Opportunities: The Future for Export Markets” and will be held on April 20 from 3pm, through the Zoom conferencing platform.Those keen to attend can register at bit.ly/eeawebinar3.
With the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating digital adoption within the business community, especially among small and medium enterprises (SMEs), companies can turn their gaze outward towards export as a key area for growth and revenue.
When it comes to export, however, there are several important aspects for consideration when it comes to business viability and execution, namely the state of the local and global markets,
First up is economic developments both within the country and at the international level, which will be addressed by Standard Chartered Bank Singapore Asia economist Jonathan Koh, (pic below) whose focus is on providing macroeconomic coverage of Asia, specialising in Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand.
“I will be sharing the economic developments to date and the outlook for the rest of the year, for the global economy and Malaysia. This includes the divergence in economic recovery, the risk of inflation and Malaysia’s growth drivers in 2021, ” he said.
Another vital detail that businesses must take into account when it comes to exporting is safeguarding against foreign exchange (FX) risk, as currency conversion rates could heavily impact profit margins, or more critically, make or break the bank for smaller exporters.
At the webinar, Standard Chartered Bank Singapore ASA FX research head Divya Devesh – consistently ranked by Bloomberg as the most accurate forecaster for EM Asia FX in recent years – will share his expertise with webinar participants.
Among the areas he will touch on include the latest developments in FX markets, he noted, adding, “I will discuss the FX market outlook for 2021 and the view on the ringgit.
“(Among the key points) will be the US dollar’s weakness over the long term, how the ringgit should benefit in an environment of strong exports and the implications of higher commodity prices on the ringgit.”
His session will be followed by a panel discussion on technology as a fundamental business strategy, with relation to how it impacts exports, moderated by Star Media Group Bhd digital and print chief operating officer Kang Yew Jin.
The discussion will feature a panel of leading industry experts in technology, finance and export, including Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia managing director and business banking head Raj Tatavarty, Fusionex group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Ivan Teh and Malaysia External Trade Development Corp transformation and digital trade division digital trade section deputy director Idzham Abdul Hamid.
Inextricably tied to the business of export is financing, the premise of financial institutions such as Standard Chartered.
With digitalisation high on the bank’s agenda within the organisation and in terms of encouraging digital adoption among its clients, Raj notes financial institutions can support businesses in their digital transformation journeys by equipping them with the relevant knowledge, providing them with the right financing and connecting them to the right parties.
“Digitalisation comes in by providing solutions to the challenges that are unique to each exporter, be it faster turnaround times on payments, availing of financing electronically or acting as a single touchpoint for exporters’ needs, ” he added.
EEA 2021 is organised by Star Media Group in partnership with Standard Chartered, with Matrade as patron. It is audited by BDO.
Those keen to apply can visit exportawards.com.my, contact Victor at email@example.com or call 03-7967 1388 (ext. 1657, events department).


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Xiaomi Mi QLED TV 4K with a 55-inch QLED Ultra-HD screen was launched in India on Wednesday, priced at Rs. 54,999. The Android TV and PatchWall-powered Mi QLED TV 4K is the company’s first QLED TV in India, and is also its most premium television series yet, offering a step up over the existing LED TV range. The new television has a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels, and is available in only a single 55-inch size option, with support for HDR up to the Dolby Vision format.
Priced at Rs. 54,999, the Mi QLED TV 4K is the most expensive 55-inch television currently on offer from Xiaomi in India. Available in only a single 55-inch size option for now, the Mi QLED TV 4K goes up against QLED TV options from brands such as OnePlus and TCL, which are similarly priced at around or under the Rs. 60,000 mark. At this price, Xiaomi is offering similar specifications and features at a similar or lower price to options such as the OnePlus TV Q1 and TCL 55C715 (Review).
The Mi QLED TV 4K will go on sale in India on December 21, at 12pm (noon) IST, via Flipkart, Mi.com, Mi Home stores, and other retail stores including Vijay Sales.


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Entries in 'madden' (4)
EA’s FIFA series remains ever present on PC, but the Madden series has been absent since 2006 – and that’s not looking likely to change.
Sales of additional digital content could reach as much as $1bn for EA in the current financial year.
As EA prepares to launch its Access subscription model, it seems time is up for the EA Sports Season Ticket.
Publisher EA has predicted a slight dip in annual sales of its key sports IPs thanks to the upcoming transition to next-gen consoles.


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Brand IPL takes a big knock
If the Indian T20 League were a listed company, many stakeholders would have lost their shirts following the spot fixing scandal that came to light yesterday. Himani Chandna Gurtoo reports.india Updated: May 18, 2013 02:04 IST
If the Indian T20 League were a listed company, many stakeholders would have lost their shirts following the spot fixing scandal that came to light on Thursday.
Everyone connected with Indian cricket will suffer, but top players — such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli, among others — will suffer the most visible collateral damage. Already, leading brand experts are predicting a 15-20% fall in their endorsement rates following the scam.
“Controversies are not good. The brand equity of the league and players will go for a toss,” said Santosh Sood, former COO, Rediffusion Y&R, an ad firm. “It may erode the brand value of players by almost 15-20%.”
Sachin Tendulkar is the only exception — advertisers were unanimous that his brand equity will remain intact and his endorsement fee of R1.5 crore per day will not see any decline.
“Advertisers will exercise caution in extending or renewing deals with cricketers until the clouds clear. It means money may fly off to competitors, especially to Bollywood actors and actresses,” said Prahlad Kakkar, advertisement and brand expert.
Cricketers and film stars are the leading brand endorsers in India.
The fallout of the scam will spread far and wide. Almost every advertising expert HT spoke to said the impact of the scam would be felt next year, during Indian T20 League-7.
But this year’s tournament will not go unscathed. According to media buyers, agents who liaise between advertisers and broadcasters, in this case SET Max, there was a plan to increase ad rates for the last four matches.
“The channel was planning to push ad rates to R12-15 lakh per 10 seconds (from Rs 5 lakh per 10 second now). This looks impossible,” said Navin Khemka, a media buyer at ZenithOptimedia, a leading media buyer.
However, SET Max’s marketing head Rohit Gupta said: “A few bad apples cannot impact the brand equity of the event. We don’t expect it (the scam) to have any impact on our revenues or ad rates.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India also defended the tournament. “I do not agree that Indian T20 League has become untenable. We have an anti-corruption code, an anti-doping code. We have advised state units to take steps,” said BCCI president N Srinivasan.
First Published: May 17, 2013 22:50 IST


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The city went live with Accela’s out-of-the-box cannabis licensing app to improve oversight and discourage black market marijuana sales
When it comes to recreational marijuana, leaders in the Southern California community of Culver City are focused on consumer protection. They want business owners to have state and federal background checks, they want to ensure safe products, to have thorough inspections and they want a clear way to monitor and manage it all.
Using Accela’s Civic Solution for Cannabis Regulation, the city announced the launch of a new enterprise application on Sept. 25 that has done just that. The business licensing and permitting app allows the city to securely store documentation for applicants — like fingerprint and certification data. Further, the system can intelligently route tasks, digitizes the document review process and provides instant status updates for residents and departments.
Trisha Perez, the project’s manager and Culver City’s senior computer programmer and analyst, said that one of the primary goals during the design process was to make the system simple for applicants to use.
“Culver City was looking for a solution that would make it as easy as possible for Cannabis business permit applicants to apply for permits from the city and organize the city’s detailed permit review process,” Perez said. “We will measure success by applicants being able to apply without encountering much technical difficulties, and for the city to successfully review the first batch of applications as they move through the system.”
With numerous cannabis vendors still operating on the black market, Culver City is among many jurisdictions across the U.S. that want to give marijuana growers, distributors, and retailers a legal path forward. Compared to marijuana bought off the black market — that offer few safety assurances to consumers — legal marijuana is free of harmful pesticides and dangerous narcotics, sold away from sensitive areas like schools, benefits the local and state economy with tax revenues, and is sold, stored and transported by business owners that have been vetted through FBI and California Department of Justice background checks.
“The solution is a way for city staff to easily review applications and for management to track progress throughout the process,” Perez said. “This should result in quicker application review, leading to more efficient work by staff and less work for the applicants.”
Even with the benefits that come from legalization, Culver City is a trailblazer in California’s developing cannabis space. Throughout the state, only one in three cities permit cannabis businesses, and just one in seven California cities allow recreational cannabis stores.
In a four-to-one vote last December, the Culver City Council legalized cannabis sales and permits. This decision led to a contract with Accela in January and a short implementation period from April to June, when the city did a soft launch of the app.
Today the app can process 22 record types for cannabis, offers applicants their own dashboard where they can see submitted records, get updates and request city inspections. Perez said the app has also enabled the city to improve the methodology and workflows behind the application process.
“We congratulate Culver City on their processing of cannabis licenses and achieving a key milestone in this complex new industry,” said Accela’s Vice President of Strategic Operations Greg Felix. “Governments of all sizes are facing a growing number of challenges driven by regulatory changes in the cannabis market. Accela is proud to provide modern, easy-to-use applications for complicated emerging regulatory challenges.”
While Accela’s Civic Solution for Cannabis Regulation has been deployed statewide in California, in Michigan and in large cities like Los Angeles. Culver City is the first locality to use Accela’s new cannabis licensing application, that offers an out-of-the-box system that can be deployed on premise or as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution.


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CAR SALES were up more than 10% in August on the same month last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. A significant number would have been bought using hire purchase (HP).
HP is a type of credit agreement that allows you to hire an item for a set period — usually three to five years — with the option of buying it after a final payment.
You pay monthly instalments over the period that includes an interest charge similar to rates on loans — typically 5%.
HP can be available for items such as furniture, but is most commonly used to buy cars. The value of HP agreements for cars rose 14% to £218m in July this year compared with the…


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In recent days, several lockdown restrictions have eased in England. Since April 12, non-essential stores and gyms have been allowed to reopen after months of closure. Hospitality businesses, such as restaurants and pubs, were also allowed to serve people outdoors, with the rule of six outdoors being implemented again.
In February 2021, the Prime Minister presented his ‘road map’ for getting England out of lockdown this year.
Mr Johnson stressed that the easing of the lockdown would be based on “data, not dates,” but gave rough estimates of when the measures could be facilitated if the data allowed.
The easing of lockdown measures will depend on a number of factors, including the continued success of the UK vaccine rollout program.
However, if the spread of COVID-19 is kept under control, all lockdown restrictions are expected to end by the end of June 2021.
READ MORE: EU had to sanction UK to prevent repeat of Brexit
As of May 17, the six or two household rule is expected to revert to interior settings.
Government guidelines say that at the latest in Step 3 there will be an update to “Tips on Social Distancing with Friends and Family, Including Cuddling”.
Hospitality businesses, including pubs, bars and restaurants, may reopen.
Unlike previous closures, curfews and the requirement to serve alcohol with heavy meals will no longer be implemented.
Indoor entertainment, such as cinemas and children’s play centers, may also reopen.
May 17 could also see the return of some larger sporting performances and events, with restrictions.
Up to 30 people will be allowed to attend weddings, receptions, funerals and vigils and other important life events, including bar mitzvahs and baptisms.
Businesses considered high risk, such as nightclubs, are not expected to reopen on that date.
More about this article: Read More
This notice was published: 2021-04-18 19:51:00


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Technology moves at such a swift pace, it’s understandable that goods and/or services can cost a premium, depending on what it is you’re paying for. However, in June 2012, a pricing inquiry started in Australia to determine why the country, as a whole, pays over the odds for their IT.
Now, the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications has summoned Adobe, Apple and Microsoft to attend the inquiry into IT pricing. Until now, each of them had refused to attend any of the previous parliamentary hearings.
Labor MP Ed Husic is heading up the inquiry. He has said:
These firms should have cooperated and been prepared to be more open and transparent about their pricing approaches. Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft are just a few firms that have continually defied the public's call for answers and refused to appear before the IT pricing enquiry.
There is a clear divide on the amount of money that consumers spend on their IT in Australia, compared with say the US or the UK. One example is overseas customers paying $10 to buy Toy Story in iTunes, but Australian consumers will pay $24. The argument is being made that the same server hosts the file(s) but you will pay a premium just for being Australian. Adobe responded to the summons via a spokesperson:
Adobe will cooperate with the Committee as we have done since the inquiry began.
Apple and Microsoft are yet to comment.
At least for once we're not hearing about "rip-off Britian."


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Defining Small Business Champions by their actions, not their words
Politicians frequently scramble to procure the support of small business owners and their networks during campaigns.
Candidates provide plenty of lip-service to small businesses while promising to prioritize their interests should they be elected. Candidates know the small business community is robust and full of potential voters that can catapult them to victory. There is no shortage of slogans repeated during campaigns designed to garner the support of small businesses and their advocates.
Small business owners may feel valued during political campaigns. The often-elusive question for the small business community is whether campaign promises translate into action.
There are politicians that absolutely prioritize the interests of small businesses and entrepreneurs. However, information overload coupled with the disjointed nature of the legislative process makes it difficult to decipher which politicians truly have the back of the small business community.
The Small Business Advocacy Council is launching an initiative to identify the legislators that support the small business community. These politicians will be identified as Small Business Champions.
Politicians will not be measured by their words. They will not be assessed by their political affiliations. Rather, legislators will be measured by their actions. They will earn this designation by sponsoring and voting for legislation that supports small businesses and local communities.
The criteria by which politicians will be judged is not complex. State legislation will be formulated by small business advocates and filed in 2023. This legislation will be laser-focused on supporting small businesses, improving the economic climate for the small business community, and leveling the playing field for local entrepreneurs. Politicians will be asked to sponsor this legislation and if given the opportunity, vote in favor of these bills.
Small businesses continue struggling to hire employees and this is having a significant impact on their operations. Many small business owners reading this column are likely nodding in agreement.
The price of goods is also affecting small businesses in a profound manner. It seems the prospect of rising health insurance premiums looms on the horizon as well.
With these and other challenges facing small businesses, there has never been a more important time for the small business community to identify and celebrate political champions.
The goal is for every legislator to sponsor and vote in favor of bills that will support small businesses if given the chance. Of course, we welcome the engagement of policymakers in the formation of the SBAC's agenda as well. There are already legislators engaged in the process and their guidance helps generate bills which can withstand scrutiny through the legislative process.
Many small business owners and entrepreneurs do not have the financial resources to make significant contributions to multiple political campaigns. Small business owners rarely have the time to volunteer for numerous candidates. The small business community does have critical mass, a compelling tool by which to hold politicians accountable and support policymakers fighting for small businesses.
We must celebrate the politicians that understand the crucial role the small business community plays in fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and supporting local communities.
We will highlight these small business champions and provide them the recognition they deserve for standing with small businesses.
• Elliot Richardson is co-founder and president of the Small Business Advocacy Council.


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CANTON, Mass — Baskin-Robbins has entered the restaurant race to find the best fried chicken-related product. While Popeye's, Chick-fil-A, McDonald's and Wendy's make a cluck-a-fuss over chicken sandwiches, the ice cream chain is targeting another classic dish - chicken and waffles.
The company made a new creation, 'Chick'n & Waffles' flavored ice cream, its Flavor of the Month for March 2023. It is described as a "buttermilk waffle flavored ice cream with plenty of crispy chick'n and waffle flavored bites drizzled in a decadent bourbon maple syrup-flavored swirl."
Company officials made it clear their on the classic does not contain any actual chicken meat.
“This flavor is a frozen twist on the iconic brunch dish, recreated in a deliciously deconstructed concept that is unique to our shops," said Hannah Suits, Director of Brand Marketing.
Baskin-Robbins made a spectacle of the new flavor by launching it during a "bottomless brunch" event in New York City on Tuesday. Guests were treated to unlimited scoops of Chick'n & Waffles.
They promise their latest scoop is a "must-try for adventurous eaters and traditional ice cream fans alike."
This creation is the latest in a long line of unique, if not downright unusual, flavors during its 78-year history. The chain put out a range of flavors for the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976 including "Concorde Grape" and "Yankee Doodle Strudel." Their current lineup includes "Wild 'n Reckless Sherbet," a mashup of green apple, blue raspberry, and fruit punch flavors.
In a 2018 article by KCET, Baskin-Robbins had a historical roster of 1,300 flavors, well beyond its original menu of 31.


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Leadbank plc has chosen Trade Innovation from Misys Wholesale Banking Systems to consolidate data and increase efficiency in its trade finance operations. Leadbank, founded in 1989 and specialised in investment and corporate banking, has recently opted for Trade Innovation to take its superlative service to the next level, citing its ease of use and speed of implementation as major reasons for the decision. The excellent relationship between Leadbank and Misys, already established by the implementation of Bankmaster, Misys’ retail banking solution, was also a key factor.
Leadbank, based in <
Wale Adewumi, assistant general manager – Financial Services Group, comments: “Having worked with Misys before, we know we can rely on their support throughout implementation and for any future developments. We want our customers to benefit from this investment as soon as possible and Trade Innovation has a first rate implementation track record. The product’s proven high rates of straight-through processing will improve efficiency and risk management, allowing us to concentrate on serving our customers better.”
“With Leadbank’s business growing at a rapid rate, Trade Innovation will play a key role in allowing the bank to easily handle increased trading volumes and attract more customers, while also reducing processing costs,” says Juan Cejudo, head of sales, Middle East and Africa, Misys Wholesale Banking Systems. “Working in partnership with Leadbank, we look forward to demonstrating the enhanced customer service and increased efficiency that will result from this implementation.”


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Sustainability, recycling, carbon neutral, and eco-friendly have become such huge buzzwords in recent years.
In particular, a survey by YouGov revealed that 56 per cent of Singaporeans believe that businesses have a responsibility to prevent environmental damage.
This probably explains why more businesses in Singapore have begun to claim that they are sustainable and eco-friendly, and the public has in turn, increasingly scrutinised these businesses.
Awareness campaigns, questions about Environmental and Social Governance (ESG), and many other sustainability practices are increasingly gaining popularity and becoming commonplace.
All these efforts, in fact, are resulting in a change in the local economy — away from the pollutive models of the linear economy, and towards the sustainable model of the circular economy.
The circular economy is an ideal of how economies can, and should be run.
Instead of having waste from production and consumption discarded and to play no further use in the economy, production processes and products are instead designed so that waste and emissions are minimised, products are recycled and reused, and waste from one process is used to fuel another.
Waste is therefore minimised, and sustainability becomes common practice, baked into the design of the economy itself.
A model circular economy would have minimal waste and pollution, rely on renewable energy and materials, as well as the intensive use and reuse of products, to achieve these goals.
Many businesses in Singapore can be said to be part of the circular economy. Carousell’s recent acquisition of REFASH is a prominent example that sees the merger of two such companies.
Carousell’s main focus is on having users sell their unwanted or unused goods online, encouraging them to make money off it instead of disposing these items.
REFASH has a similar business model. Rather than having individuals sell their clothes online, REFASH helps sellers to sell their unwanted clothes. Sellers are then paid a small fee after the sale has been made.
Essentially, clothes are reused by different consumers, prolonging the lifespan of individual pieces of clothing.
This is in contrast to fast fashion, which is part of the linear economy. The fashion industry worldwide produces 10 per cent of humanity’s carbon emissions, and many pieces of clothing are not reworn.
These business models focus on reusing products — after all, one man’s trash could very well be another man’s treasure.
The government is also moving Singapore towards a circular economy, with the Singapore Green Plan 2030. In response, the Land Transport Authority has begun to push for greater adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), and plans to phase out Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles by 2040.
There are also new initiatives to build “EV-ready towns” and install EV charging stations in HDB carparks to prepare for this transition towards EVs.
Businesses in Singapore are also helping the transition, with CRX Carbonbank launching a new carbon trading scheme for EVs.
SMRT has also begun transitioning its ICE vehicles to EVs, both for its taxi fleet and its bus fleet. These vehicles rely on electricity generated mostly from natural gas, rather than the more pollutive crude oil petroleum.
EV car sharing services such as TribeCar and BlueSG are also operating in Singapore, allowing multiple drivers to use the same car. These car sharing services have seen a spike in revenue and usership over the past few years, partly fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic.
These activities and business models encourage more intensive use of the same vehicles, reducing the need for raw materials to produce vehicles.
Singapore has also seen a rise in social pressure for businesses to pay more attention to the environmental effects of their businesses as well. Civil society groups have sprung up to encourage awareness of the environmental impact of businesses and industrial production.
Activists are also getting younger, with even students taking it upon themselves to encourage eco-friendly practices.
Awareness pages like CASE Climate Change Mentoring also seek to raise awareness and provide climate education among youths.
In fact, the pressure for companies to have sustainable and eco-friendly practices has even spawned the term ‘green-washing’, which refers to when companies actively market their products and policies as environmentally friendly, even when they are nothing of the sort.
The government has taken notice of the practice, and aims to curb it via stress tests and technology.
While ‘greenwashed’ policies are not necessarily part of the circular economy, they are a testament to the strength of the eco-friendly sentiment in Singapore. Even when companies are unable to find ways to make their practices sustainable, they still hope to convince the public otherwise.
Awareness of the need for environmentally-friendly practices has also reached investors, who are increasingly demanding that companies exercise corporate social responsibility (CSR), with increasingly robust and detailed frameworks being set up for companies to declare the extent that their policies are environmentally friendly.
CSR, socially responsible investing and ESG have all become part of the national conversation, with the Taskforce on Nature Related Financial Disclosures taking the next step in demanding that sustainability should be more than just measuring and reducing carbon emissions.
Sustainability and eco-friendly practices are becoming the norm in Singapore, and the rise of the circular economy in Singapore has, almost without notice, slowly become the model on which we base future economic and social development.
These policies affect the lives of many Singaporeans — housing development regulations are changing, vehicle owners are increasingly incentivised to buy EVs, social enterprises are springing up, and the sustainability industry is growing. Businesses and consumers are increasingly driven towards choosing more eco-friendly options.
As these policies continue to be pushed out, the circular economy has slowly replaced the linear economy that many of us have grown accustomed to. Businesses and consumers who have yet to adapt, especially businesses that rely on greenwashing, would do well to adapt to this new reality.
Featured Image Credit: Centre for Liveable Cities
A look at S’pore’s carbon-credit scheme for EVs and how it stands out from global efforts
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Hulu announced last year that it wanted to merge on-demand and live television by offering a live TV streaming service and compete with the behemoth that is cable. The streamer said that its live TV service would be ready by early 2017; it ended up being Hulu’s highlight for the CES this year, when the company gave closed-door demos to the media.
Hulu is finally ready with a beta launch offering more than 50 live TV channels for $39.99 a month. These include ABC, FOX, CBS, Cartoon Network, CNN, FX, as well as local sports and news channels. However, not all channels are available in all areas.
Included with the service is access to Hulu’s on-demand library of shows and originals, which costs $7.99 a month by itself. Unfortunately, this comes with some commercials – but subscribers have the option to get rid of them for an extra $4 a month.
As the service is still in beta, there are some limitations on where subscribers can stream the content; while the on-demand library is available on Hulu.com and every other platform that Hulu already supports, the live TV streaming is only available for Apple TV, Xbox One, Chromecast, along with iOS and Android devices.
Hulu does say that it plans to add support for more devices such as Amazon’s FireTV, Roku, supported Samsung TVs, and Blu-ray players, as well as streaming on Hulu.com with a web browser.
It’s also worth noting that the service only allows for up to two simultaneous streams, despite offering the option to create six individual profiles per subscription. However, subscribers do have the option for an “unlimited screens” add-on for an extra $14.99 per month.
Similarly, the service also offers 50 hours of cloud DVR storage that can be upgraded to 200 hours for an extra $14.99 per month. If these two options are packaged together, Hulu offers them for a discounted price of $19.99 per month.
In addition to the channels included with the service, subscribers can also get access to SHOWTIME, but at an extra cost of $8.99 a month. Those looking to get HBO however, will be disappointed, as it is not an option.
It’s clear that Hulu wants to offer a lot of flexibility, but with all the add-ons included in the base $39.99 subscription, the total cost jumps to more than $70 a month. The company is, however, offering a good opportunity to try the service with a free one-month trial for new subscribers, right over here.
Hulu’s new service is not only competing with the traditional cable companies, but also services like Dish Network’s SlingTV and Sony’s PlayStation Vue. It will be interesting to see how well Hulu can compete with these services in the coming years.
Source: Business Insider via The Hollywood Reporter | Image: Hulu
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Target Corp. chief executive officer Gregg Steinhafel’s pay package dipped slightly last year, but he’s already made up the difference through a restricted stock award received this year for his performance in 2009.
According to a preliminary proxy filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday, Steinhafel, chairman, president and ceo of the Minneapolis-based discounter, earned total compensation of $13.3 million last year, down 1.4 percent from $13.5 million in 2008.
The company noted that, based on his performance in 2009, Steinhafel last month received $3.25 million in restricted stock awards. Because they were rewarded during the current fiscal year, they aren’t included in his 2009 compensation. If that amount is added to his 2009 package, his compensation would have totaled $16.6 million, 22.7 percent higher than in the prior year.
Steinhafel’s salary was essentially unchanged, rising 0.3 percent to $1.35 million, and he didn’t receive a bonus, versus the $448,000 picked up for the prior year. However, he earned $3.25 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation, up from zero for 2008. The sum of his stock and option awards slipped 26.8 percent to $7.9 million from $10.8 million. Due to vesting schedules and fluctuating stock prices, these awards aren’t necessarily realized by the executive, but are reported to the SEC.
Target reported Steinhafel’s other compensation, including perks, at $176,000, down more than two-thirds from the $540,000 logged in 2008.
To calculate non-equity incentives for its officers, Target uses a combination of earnings before interest and taxes and economic value added, which measures return on invested capital.
Last year, Target’s net income grew 12.4 percent to $2.49 billion, while sales added 0.9 percent to hit $63.44 billion. Same-store sales declined 2.5 percent.
Also on Wednesday, Limited Brands Inc. filed its definitive proxy with the SEC, a document showing that chairman and ceo Leslie H. Wexner earned $10.8 million last year, a 56.6 percent increase from 2008. His non-equity incentive compensation more than tripled to $4.9 million from $1.5 million in 2008, and the combination of stock and option awards rose 24.8 percent to $2.4 million from $1.9 million in 2008. In keeping with the more frugal trend among retail and apparel ceo’s last year, his other compensation contracted 6.9 percent to $1.2 million from $1.3 million.
Sharen Turney, president and ceo of Victoria’s Secret and Limited’s leading breadwinner in 2008, saw her overall compensation drop 62.5 percent to $7.6 million from $20.4 million in the prior year. She received $15.3 million in stock awards in 2008, “designed to provide significant retentive value,” according to the proxy. They vest over seven years, 40 percent after four years and 20 percent each after years five, six and seven.
Alberta Ferretti's "Rainbow Week" sweaters are back. The designer closed her #MFW show with a few day-of-the-week sweaters, which first debuted on the catwalk last January as part of the pre-fall 2017 collection. #wwdfashion (📷: @delphineachard)


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European manufacturers to halve food waste, Australian research quantifies food waste
Representatives from across Europe’s food supply chain have committed to reducing food waste, in line with the European Commission’s goal of halving food waste by 2020. Meanwhile, in Australia, research from RMIT University in Melbourne has found that packaging will play a “vital role” in addressing food waste in Australia.
European food manufacturers agree to halve food waste by 2020
In Europe, food manufacturers from across the supply chain have announced the launch of a joint effort to tackle the problem of food waste through the publication of a Joint Declaration entitled ‘Every Crumb Counts’.
Launched at an event in Brussels where guests included members from the European Parliament, the European Commission , various Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and industry representatives, co-signatories of the Declaration said they aimed to work towards preventing edible food waste. The Declaration would promote a “life-cycle approach” to reducing wastage and be proactive.
The co-signatories to the Declaration include European food and beverage industry group FoodDrinkEurope, the European Organsation for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN), the European Federation of Foodbanks (FEBA), the European Potato Trade Association (Europatat), the European fresh produce association Freshfel Europe, the European Plastics Converters (EuPC), the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), and European food service sector group FoodService Europe.
Australian researchers identify packaging design as a key issue
Meanwhile, in Australia, research conducted by RMIT University’s Centre for Design and commissioned by pallet and container company CHEP Australia, has shown where and why food waste occurs both along the fresh and processed food supply chain.
The research identifies opportunities for industry to address food waste through innovative and sustainable primary, secondary and tertiary packaging.
The authors, led by Dr Karli Verghese RMIT Senior Research Fellow, said their study “addresses a knowledge gap” identified by the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s (AFGC) ‘Future of Packaging’ white paper in understanding food waste to inform product and packaging design. The study, titled ‘The role of packaging in minimising food waste in the supply chain of the future’, focuses on the commercial and industrial food supply chain.
“Food security is an emerging challenge for both policy makers and companies in the fresh and manufactured food supply chains, however no significant research had previously been conducted into the role that packaging plays in minimising food waste in Australia,” Dr Verghese said.
“Packaging actually plays a critical role in protecting fresh produce and processed food in transit, in storage, at point of sale and prior to consumption,” Dr Verghese said. “In doing so it helps deliver a wide range of functions while reducing food waste,” she said.
While households are the largest contributor of food waste to landfill (2.7 million tonnes each year), according to the report the largest generators in the commercial and industrial sector are:
- food services (661,000 tonnes)
- food manufacturing (312,000 tonnes)
- retailing (179,000 tonnes)
- wholesale distribution (83,000 tonnes)
The study’s authors noted that food waste recovery rates were extremely high in the manufacturing sector, with 90 per cent of waste repurposed.
“While some food waste in the supply chain is inevitable – for example, trimmings from fresh produce and preparation waste in manufacturing and food services – other waste is avoidable,” Dr Verghese said.
The research identified opportunities for improvement where food waste is incurred through things such as poor inventory management, overstocking of shelves or product damage during transport and handling.
“There are certainly opportunities to minimise food waste through packaging innovation and design, such as improved ventilation and temperature control for fresh produce, and better understanding the dynamics between different levels of packaging, to ensure they are designed fit-for-purpose,” Dr Verghese said.
CHEP said that all members of Australia’s food supply chain have a role to play in addressing food loss and food waste.
“As a partner in many food supply chains, and a leader in reusable packaging with an inherently sustainable business model, CHEP wants to be a part of the solution and we would welcome opportunities to work with industry to create even more sustainable packaging solutions,” said Phillip Austin, President of CHEP Australia and New Zealand.
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SWITCH Singapore: Sustainability startups see growing demand from corporates
Sophie’s BioNutrients, Ubiik and Intello Labs also note new trends in technology and supply chain arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, across the food, manufacturing and e-commerce sectors
SWITCH Singapore: Alternative protein sure to take off in Asia, with Singapore as innovation hotbed
In an in-depth discussion, food industry experts say products made with alternative protein in hybrid forms could offer the fastest route to commercialization
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Co-CEO and Co-founder of Notpla (formerly Skipping Rocks Lab)
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Industrial farms, biotech firms and global mega food corporations emerged over the past decades to provide safe, reliable and low cost foods for 7.2 billion global consumers. With efficient operations and large budgets for research and development of new products, “Big Ag/Big Food” has undoubtedly helped to mitigate hunger and increase nutrition around the globe. But large-scale industrial agriculture and food production has also been part of the global environmental and health problems, contributing to climate change, soil erosion and over-consumption. Entrepreneurs in various countries, some supported by Silicon Valley high tech investors, have come up with intriguing new ideas to feed a growing global population with environmentally and socially sustainable methods – or no animals at all.
- New protein sources: This is the new frontier: generating protein without raising and slaughtering cattle, hogs, sheep or chicken. What sources of protein are more abundant and do not emit methane into the atmosphere? How about insects and jelly fishes, of course.
- New start ups like Exo, Six Foods, and Bitty Foods ave already launched snacks with protein powder derived from crickets. If consumers in the North Western hemisphere can overcome their gag reflexes, a big new market beckons to be explored.
- Climate change also has a huge impact in the oceans: warmer weather and surface water temperatures prevent oxygen to get into the deeper waters, especially in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, which causes the death of many fishes we love to eat. Those species that survive with less oxygen: octopus and jelly fish. Jelly fishes are actually highly nutritious, providing first rate protein and collagen. Several companies have invested large resources to use jelly fishes for nutritional supplements and increasingly in food.
- Laboratory Meats. Ever had a 3-D printed steak? Bioprinting is the latest fad to create meat without violating animal welfare. A new venture Modern Meadows, financed by Facebook billionaire Peter Thiel, is betting on acceptance on meaty dishes, served on the Star Trek or on the Jupiter mission in 2001 Space Odyssee.
- Nanotechnology: Many scientists agree: the use of advanced nanotechnology could make food production and packaging safer and prevent cross-contamination and the transmission of food-borne illnesses. It’s just that consumers are still wary of the unknown side effects, if there are any, to manipulate micro-molecules that are 100,000 times smaller than a human hair. Nano-particles or compounds can have different physical and chemical properties than larger version of the same compounds, which allows them to function in different manners guided by quantum mechanics. Sounds too much like science fiction? Certainly to some consumers. A backlash in recent years have prevented food companies to use nano-technology in production processes and packaging, but with new labeling laws in the EU, consumers may feel safer using food products containing nano-particles, as long as their features and benefits are well explained.
- Efforts to eliminate food and packaging waste: Every restaurant, retail store and consumer in the developed, wealthy world is guilty of wasting food. Whether it’s taste, transportation, storage, expiration dates or a lack of smart inventory management – more than a third of all food produced on the globe is wasted. That provides a huge strain on lesser developed countries where hunger is still a norm for many families. In addition, plastic waste from packaging pollutes oceans and landfills. Reducing food and packaging waste through technology, communication and “attitude adjustment” will be a major trend in the next 10 years.


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Online freelance marketplace Upwork reported fourth-quarter revenue that beat Wall Street’s forecasts, and the company also reported a rosy outlook for 2022, although forecast revenue was below consensus.
The report sent Upwork shares down 7% in late trading.
CEO Hayden Brown noted in the company’s letter to shareholders that “2021 was a remarkable year for Upwork, not only in how far we pushed our business forward but also in how clearly it has set our path for continued performance in 2022 and beyond.”
Revenue in the three months ended in December rose to $136.9 million, resulting in a net loss of 5 cents per share.
Upwork also said its measure of the total value of labor coming from its market, known as gross service volume, rose 35% to $980 million.
For the full year, the company expects revenue of between $620 million and $630 million and a net loss of between 8 and 11 cents per share.
For more information, read the original story in ZDNet.


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The U80V is without question our favourite 14-inch laptop, and Asus deserves praise for what it has achieved here. If the company can overcome the final stumbling block of having a reliable multi-touch touchpad on PC, we'll be thoroughly impressed indeed.
Typical price: $1,999.00
The latest revision of the Asus Eee PC line, the 1008HA (also called the "Seashell"), is finally coming to the US.
Asus has announced the U series: the U20A, U80V, U50Vg and UX50V are claimed to be distinctly battery-friendly with their backlit screens and low-power chips
Faced with heightened competition from newer, high-tech forms of entertainment, this pre-World War II concept continues to hold onto the American imagination.
EE, a joint venture of Orange UK and T-Mobile UK, plans to cover 98 percent population with 4G service by the end of 2014.
Nintendo likely had another abysmal month on U.S. store shelves, according to one analyst.
This story incorrectly described one of the HTC phones sold through U.S. Cellular. The carrier offers, among other devices, the HTC One V. This story was also updated to include confirmation from U.S. Cellular that it will sell the iPhone.
Sharp has unveiled an 'affordable' 80-inch TV, with no fancy features like 3D or local dimming. But it's still massive.
The company says that it was able to tally that mark for 1.8 million businesses, Web site publishers, and non-profits across the U.S.
HBO partnered with V-Moda to release a pair of noise-isolating headphones that features images inspired by the blood-sucking TV show "True Blood."


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Pharmaceutical Technology's annual survey on purchasing and innovation trends for equipment and machinery shows a slight uptick in spending in 2010. Overall economic conditions curtailed spending in 2009, but there is some improvement in 2010 as financial conditions improve. Purchasing relating to equipment for biologics manufacturing—both drug-substance and finished-drug product—was a strong area of investment in 2009 and is again for planned expenditures in 2010. Respondents were also fairly upbeat about the level of product innovation, although spending for newer initiatives such as quality by design (QbD) and process analytical technology (PAT) is not having a strong influence on purchasing decisions.
Although spending increases were robust in 2009 for those companies spending more, the declines for those decreasing spending in 2009 were more pronounced. For those companies reducing spending in 2009, 65.7% decreased spending by more than 8%, and approximately 17% reduced their expenditures between 4 and 8%.
For all respondents, purchasing decisions were delayed in 2009. The survey showed that 42.1% of respondents postponed purchases for equipment and machinery in 2009. Nearly a quarter of respondents (23.7%) reduced production because of customers' financial difficulties, and 18.4% had difficulty securing financing for capital investments. Also, 12.6% of respondents increased outsourcing to reduce capital costs.
Planned expenditures for 2010. The survey results showed similar purchasing trends for planned spending in 2010, with only slightly more respondents expecting to decrease spending on equipment and machinery in 2010. More than one-quarter (26.7%) of respondents plan to decrease spending in 2010, which is slightly up from the 24.5% of respondents that reduced their spending in 2009. The number of respondents planning to purchase more equipment and machinery in 2010 is 44.8%, which is on par with the 44.1% of respondents that increased spending in 2009. Nearly one-third of respondents (28.5%) plan to keep expenditures flat for 2010.
So to what degree will companies be increasing spending in 2010? More than half of respondents plan moderate spending. Almost one-quarter (23.1%) will increase their expenditures by up to 2%, and 19.2% will raise their purchasing between 2 and 4%. At the other end of the spectrum, fewer respondents plan to make large increases in spending in 2010 compared with 2009. For 2010, 19.2% of respondents plan to increase spending by more than 8%. In 2009, almost 30% of respondents increased spending by more than 8%.
Although the level of higher purchases is less in 2010 than 2009, the good news is that the extent of decline for those companies decreasing spending is not as great as it was in 2009. Of those respondents that plan to decrease spending in 2010, more than half (46.4%) plan to decrease spending by 8%. Although still a significant percentage, it is an improvement compared with 2009, when 66% of the respondents decreased spending by more than 8%.
Moreover, the survey showed fewer adverse effects on purchasing in 2010 compared with 2009. More than one-third (36.5%) of respondents plan to postpone purchasing equipment and machinery in 2010, which is less than the 42.1% that postponed purchasing in 2009. Roughly 15% of respondents, however, are experiencing some adverse financial effects. The survey showed that 16.4% of respondents are having difficulty in securing financing for capital investments in 2010, and 16.4% are facing reduced production because of customers' financial difficulties. Nearly 16% of respondents (15.7%) do not plan to purchase equipment and machinery in 2010, which is almost double the amount of respondents (7.9%) that did not buy equipment and machinery in 2009.


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After released the concept of 2012 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR at Los Angeles Auto Show in 2007, today Dodge was give the full review of this brand new sport cars. They say this 2012 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR bringing what would essentially be the last model presented before a whole new breed of Viper comes out in 2012. With 600 hp street-legal Viper engineered, this 2012 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR dominate on the race track and also provide for an exciting trip back home. Like 2012 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Supercar Limited Edition which become a brand new supercar from lamborghini.
The brand new 2013 Nissan GTR was get its new engine which powered 560 Horse Power. As like oldest one, this 2013 Nissan GTR gets better and better every year and will no exception fot this one. As we know the first version of GTR was launched in 2007 at the Tokyo Motor Show delivered a total of 473 HP. The 2012 models was got impressive 530 HP and things aren’t slowing down for the Japanese automaker which prepare the next model year (2012 in Japan, 2013 in USA) will deliver an impressive 2013 Nissan GTR 560 HP.
Behind Audi completely new ideology behind this electric R8 and the normal gasoline version, they serious about bringing this Audi R8 E-Tron to the market. And after the E-tron Detroit Show car, Audi has brought us the e-tron technology platform based on the 2013 Audi R8 E-Tron. The supercar form of R8 was made an easier job for the Audi engineers to develop an electric version of this Audi R8 E-Tron. Mid-engine design of the 2013 Audi R8 with E-Tron technologies provides the perfect location to store heavy batteries without distorting the weight balance that Audi wanted to achieve.
2013 Chevrolet Malibu the first global version of the popular mid-size Chevy, has finally been revealed in 2011 New York Auto Show. 2013 Chevrolet Malibu was revealed one day before at 2011 Shanghai Auto Show. The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu concept will take all of modernism of car design include exterior and interior of the car. Like 2012 Dodge Avenger R/T in New York 2011 Auto Show, the Chevy got many eyes look on its beautiful modern design style. The new Malibu is 4.5 inches smaller in wheelbase at 107.8 inches, and it’s 191.3 inches long–but an inch wider.
From the exclusive blockbuster movies at hollywood and have appeared in a growing number of them that involve superheroes, from the Batman Dark Knight Rises a Lamborghini Aventador become a new Batmobile. The supercar hollywood movies has strated from Iron Man that trend when Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., was seen riding the Audi R8 a few years back. That trend made another superheroes movie adapted the supercars like Audy R8 Spyder on Iron Man 2. Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 was used on Transformers: Dark of the Moon and The Dark Knight.
Related Auto Show & Car Showoff for corvette car shows 2013 new jersey at AutoCarShowOff.com
The 2012 Jaguar XFR model truly impressive unveiling by Jaguar at New York 2011 Auto Show. The 2012 Jaguar XFR enjoyed our eyes with the bulbous look of the previous XF’s lights, and cleaning up some of the lines elsewhere, the new XF is very bit as iconic and now, cleaner and more elegant. This [...]
Lamborghini was introducing their brand new supercar limited edition named 2012 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento which bring cool side of sportcar in mens color. 2012 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento reported will be arrive in October 2011, they will produce this supercar only 20 units and each carrying a price tag of 1.9 million euro, or about $2.8 [...]
The brand new 2013 Nissan GTR was get its new engine which powered 560 Horse Power. As like oldest one, this 2013 Nissan GTR gets better and better every year and will no exception fot this one. As we know the first version of GTR was launched in 2007 at the Tokyo Motor Show delivered [...]
SR Auto Group was releasing their brand new tuning concept name Project Zeus. This project was completely awesome which more promising with some powerful and aggressive tuned cars. This project used a 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia and once they called the Father Gods and Men like who Zeus are. This 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia offers [...]
Whatever Murcielago is not the future of Lamborghini anymore, but it certainly doesn’t mean that we’ve seen the last of this highly popular supercar. Lamborghini Murcielago can be sure tuned by tuning companies like Wheelsandmore which are still around. This 2011 Lamborghini Murcielago LP720-4 Final Edition is pretty sick projects in the past have outdone [...]
After released the concept of 2012 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR at Los Angeles Auto Show in 2007, today Dodge was give the full review of this brand new sport cars. They say this 2012 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR bringing what would essentially be the last model presented before a whole new breed of Viper comes [...]
If you have off-road market, then the name of Jeep Wrangler Rock Raider River Raider Off Road may come to mind and this company has a new full service outside. We recently spoke with Kenny Hauk Hauk project and talked with him about the various models that the company developed for its customers. He mentioned [...]
Based on Disney Tron the Movie, Timur Bozca a young and enthusiastic designer has developed the Tron Car. For those people who fans of this awesome movies, this Tron Car will be the choosen one to give applause which has vehicle that seems suitable for any ride on both Earth or Grid. Aired last year [...]
Mercedes Benz E-Class Cabriolet is one of the famous cars that most people choice to become their ride. With this Mercedes Benz E-Class they can smoke even the most powerful of exotics in the world with it. But Brabus, a german based tuning company has cooked up to have to pick your jaws up off [...]
As topspeed said, Autocar a British Magazine this 2012 Toyota FT86 will bring back the name of Celica to the Europe and Japanese markets. This 2012 Toyota FT86 coming as Scion at USA which bring new experience for impressive sport cars. Like Toyota said 86 is likely to be retained in its name somewhere, however, [...]


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Discover more from After School by Casey Lewis
Harvard Pranks and S&P's Gen Z Obsession
“Fifty Shades of freshman”
Today’s letter is brought to you by Day One Agency
Reading a daily newsletter about youth culture 🤝 creating award-winning campaigns that connect with Gen Z. My friends at Day One Agency are looking for creative thinkers and problem solvers to help leading brands earn Gen Z’s attention (see: the recent Chipotle X Roblox launch). If that sounds like you, drop a line at email@example.com and be sure to check out their recently relaunched youth insights arm Ask Gen Z.
M. Night Shyamalan’s Gen Z cusper daughter Saleka is an aspiring musician — and, as is often the case with famous offspring, assuredly a soon-to-be it girl; the appeal of MySpace nostalgia, according to a Gen Zer; Gen Z explains how millennials can text better; Chipotle is partnering with Kacey Musgraves and Carhartt to support young farmers; and faux freckle tattoos are trending on TikTok.
As the generation gets older and enters the workforce (whatever the “workforce” looks like these days, what with the creator economy and all that), Gen Z is beginning to make big money — but they’re saving a third of their income, which is significant. Meanwhile, brands are desperate for the money they are spending; the phrase “Gen Z” was mentioned 64 times in S&P 500 earnings calls so far this year, more than twice as often as all of 2020.
None of this list is terribly surprising: Google, Amazon, and Apple are top three, Roblox comes in at #11, Trader Joe’s at #13, and GOAT at #49 ahead of Crocs (#50). Also, Starbucks topped Dunkin’, which I found noteworthy only because of Dunkin’s Charli D’Amelio partnership. Shein, fwiw, did not make the cut, and neither did Victoria’s Secret…
An obvious play to reclaim the Gen Z shopper, who is far more likely to spend their money on, say, Parade.
This new Mindy Kaling-produced series debuts tomorrow, and while it’s gotten mixed reviews (Rolling Stone called it “Fifty Shades of freshman”), I’m excited to watch it because it sounds like SATC meets PEN15. “The show instead treats undergraduate intimacy with the friendly skepticism it deserves. There’s mortification, bewilderment, klutzy desire and sometimes, between rounds of beer pong, the stirrings of self-discovery.”
43% of Harvard’s white students are either recruited athletes, legacy students, on the dean’s interest list (meaning their parents have donated to the school), or children of faculty and staff; roughly three-quarters of these applicants would have been rejected if it weren’t for having rich parents or being an athlete.
↳ In other news re: whether Harvard students are smart or not, an MIT student turned a prank dating app for Harvard students into an actual matchmaking service.
One last thought:


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BOOM! Studios has provided CBR with an exclusive first look at covers for "Garfield" #9, including an illustration by legendary "Mad Magazine" artist Al Jaffee. The issue hits stores in January.
BOOM! Studios has provided CBR with exclusive previews of two of its titles on sale Wednesday, July 4: Sam Humphries and Jerry Gaylord's "Fanboys vs Zombies" #4 and Mark Evanier and Gary Barker's "Garfield" #3!
With a new monthly series on shelves this week, internationally renowned cartoonist Jim Davis talks all things "Garfield," from the jump to comic books, the modern cartoonist, and "Garfied: The Muscial."
From "Adventure Time" and "Peanuts" to "Fanboys Vs. Zombies" and "Extermination," BOOM! Studios brass discussed the publishers plans and projects for 2012 at WonderCon.
Writer Mark Evanier spoke exclusively with CBR News about joining with "Garfield" newspaper strip artist Gary Barker to bring Jim Davis' fat cat to comic books this May, courtesy of BOOM! Studios' kids imprint KABOOM!


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Alphabet Inc's Google and Tencent Holdings Ltd on Friday signaled possible future collaboration on developing new technologies as the US and Chinese firms announced a long-term patent-sharing agreement.
The companies gave no details on the scope or nature of the potential cooperation but said in a joint statement that they "are open to deeper collaboration in the future on innovative new technologies".
"By working together on agreements such as this, tech companies can focus on building better products and services for their users," Google’s head of patents, Mike Lee, was quoted saying.
Sam Xu, head of intellectual property at Tencent, added that the patent agreement would "advance the collaboration between two leading technology companies".
The US technology company has signed similar agreements before with Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Cisco Systems Inc, but the deal with Tencent is a first with a large Chinese tech firm.
Tencent oversees China's top social media and payments app, WeChat, which has close to a billion users. It also oversees one of the country's most popular app stores and hosts the country's biggest gaming and livestream platforms.
Any cooperation between the US search giant and China's all-conquering tech leader -- the world's second- and fifth-largest companies by market value, according to Bloomberg News -- is bound to generate buzz in the IT world.