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Examine cyber exposures of vendor law firms: ReportPosted On: Jul. 9, 2019 2:17 PM CST
Companies are not paying enough attention to the cyber vulnerabilities that stem from their legal vendors, warns a report.
More than 50% of legal department budgets are spent on outside law firms, yet their outside counsel management programs “often lack the risk management components that are typically part of the procurement function, with any cyber risk assessment of outside counsel and other legal vendors often conspicuously missing from the list of (outside counsel management) activities,” says the report, Legal Vendor Cyber Risk Management, An In-Depth Guide, issued Tuesday by New York-based Kroll LLC, a unit of Duff & Phelps LLC.
“This absence is notable not only because risk management is often a critical step of a traditional procurement process, but also because of the nature of data transferred to outside counsel,” says the report.
“In many organizations, this is a treasure trove of highly sensitive and privileged data, representing a relevant and curated list of a company’s litigation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, lobbying activities, and more,” says the report.
With budgets shrinking, “law firms have not prioritized or allocated adequate resources to securing their client data,” says the report, which cites an American Bar Association report as stating 23% of respondents in 2018 reported their firms had experienced a data breach.
In addition to loss or theft of data, business interruption poses “an equally significant risk to organizations,” says the report, which offers advice on developing a legal vendor cyber risk management program.
More companies are insisting their vendors have cyber insurance, as the risks associated with these third-party firms rise, say experts.


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While games continue to account for more than 80 percent of sales on the App Store, the entertainment category observed a year-over-year increase of 130 percent, according to the latest data from analytics firm Sensor Tower.
Your iPhone might be a treasure trove of photos, but smartphones have a tendency to break. Luckily, there are a few different methods for transferring those selfies and other cherished memories to your computer.
Managing photos on your iPhone is important. Having too many photos can quickly eat through your storage, and leaving them unattended can make your Camera Roll unruly. Here's how to delete, and recover, photos on your iPhone.
Accidentally losing a contact or deleting an important one from your iPhone can be a panic-inducing experience, but after a deep breath and a quick trip to iCloud.com, everything will be back in order.
Recording calls on your iPhone isn't as easy as you might think. Here, we walk you through the process of doing so with with Google Voice, and highlight several apps and external voice recorders that can help.
Tinder recently acquired Wheel, a collaborative video messaging app which allows users to add videos to other users threads around a common theme. Tinder said it plans to add video features to the popular dating app in the future.
The latest Jailbreaking tools for iOS 10.2 are zJailbreak and Yalu102, and they make jailbreaking your iOS device easier than ever. This guide takes you through the entire process, and explains what jailbreaking will do for you.
If you have an unresponsive or otherwise misbehaving app on your iPhone or iPad, you may have to close out of the app completely and restart it. Follow these simple steps to force close the app in question.
If you've ever needed to recover text messages, photos, or other types of media, there are a few simple ways to do so in iOS 10. Here are just a few examples, whether you prefer to go with a third-party app or one of several built-in…

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COVID-19 pandemic is temporary, but future planning is permanent. In the current scenario, diversification and goal-oriented long-term investment can help investors to grow with time and sail through the current market conditions impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We have screened a few ASX-listed stocks which are showing some positive signs for the long run. Let us take a quick look at these stocks and their recent updates.
Altium Limited (ASX:ALU)
Altium Limited, an electronic design software company, recently confirmed its strong operational and market position within the COVID-19 environment and assured that it enjoys a strong balance sheet and is financially very strong with real earnings and profitability. However, due to the uncertainty around COVID-19 impacts, Altium Limited recently decided to withdraw its FY20 earnings guidance.
In the first half of FY20, the company reported strong revenue growth of 19 per cent, record EBITDA margin of 39.7 per cent and a healthy profit before tax growth of 23 per cent. During the period, the subscriber base increased by 16 per cent to 46,693. In the half-year, the company’s core business segments delivered double-digit revenue growth.
Going forward, the company aims to focus on accelerating the rollout of its new cloud platform Altium 365 and accelerating the rollout of its online/high volume selling approach.
The ALU stock was trading at $33.430 on 04 May 2020 (at 12:06 PM AEST), an increase of 1.211 per cent over its previous close.
The A2 Milk Company Limited (ASX:A2M)
Premium branded dairy nutritional company, The A2 Milk Company Limited, recently provided a business update wherein it reported strong revenue growth across all key regions, mainly for infant nutrition products sold in China and Australia. For the three months to 31 March 2020, the company’s revenue met the expectations, reflecting the impact of changes in consumer purchase behaviour arising from COVID-19.
Although the company has warned that there is significant uncertainty around the potential impact of COVID-19 on supply chains and consumer demand in A2M’s core markets, for FY20, it expects its revenue to grow across key regions, supported by increased levels of marketing investment in China and the USA and development of the organisational capability to support the execution of strategy. Revenue for FY20 is anticipated in the range of NZ$1,700 million - NZ$1,750 million.
During the first half ended 31 December 2019, the company generated revenue amounting to NZ$806.7 million, up 31.6 per cent on the previous corresponding period (pcp). For the same period, the company NPAT stood at NZ$184.9 million, up 21.1 per cent on pcp.
1HFY20 Results (Source: Company Reports)
The A2M stock was trading at $18.310 on 04 May 2020 (at 12:06 PM AEST), an increase of 2.006 per cent over its previous close.
Appen Limited (ASX:APX)
Appen Limited operates in the accelerating AI market, and it is involved in providing high-quality training data to improve machine learning. The company has been investing in new technology to reduce costs, improve margins and sharpen responsiveness to evolving customer requirements. The company helps in the training of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) applications by large proving large volumes of annotated data which includes speech, text, image and video.
The company recently provided an update on COVID-19 pandemic, wherein it informed that its staff is working safely and productively from home, with the exception of skeleton crews in its secure facilities and staff in China who have returned to their offices. Further, the company also reiterated that its full-year underlying EBITDA in FY20 is expected to be in the range of $125 million- $130 million.
The company has also mentioned considerations that may dampen 2020 performance, which include:
- a slowdown in digital ad spending,
- a reduction in IT/digital spending, reduction or cancellation of services from Appen’s smallest customers,
- interruptions to global hardware supply chains, and
- suspension of face-to-face projects such as audio data collection.
The company currently enjoys a healthy balance sheet, with cash resources in excess of $100 million and is well-positioned to weather the pandemic as well as respond to opportunities as they may arise.
The APX stock was trading at $25.400 on 04 May 2020 (at 12:06 PM AEST), an increase of 0.197 per cent over its previous close.
National Australia Bank Limited (ASX:NAB)
One of Australia’s leading banks, National Australia Bank Limited recently announced that Ann Caroline SHERRY had acquired 3,500 Ordinary Shares for a consideration of $56,594.98. NAB has a continued focus on cost and is positioning itself for return to growth post-COVID-19. NAB is maximising organic capital generation and is improving outcomes for customers, colleagues and shareholders, with substantial capital and liquidity.
NAB has recently completed an underwritten institutional placement of $3 billion wherein it issued 212 million new fully paid ordinary shares. This will help NAB to manage through a range of possible scenarios, including a prolonged and severe economic downturn and will provide enough capacity to continue supporting its customers through the challenging times ahead.
NAB has recently opened a Share Purchase Plan wherein the shareholders have the opportunity to subscribe for up to A$30,000 of new fully paid ordinary shares in NAB, free of any brokerage, commissions or other transaction costs.
NAB has recently released pillar III report for the quarter ended 31 March 2020 wherein it reported total risk weighted assets (RWA) of $432,666 million and a leverage ratio of 5.24 per cent. In the same period, Level 1 Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of the bank stood at 10.41 per cent on the total capital of $63,203 million.
The NAB stock was trading at $15.990 on 04 May 2020 (at 12:06 PM AEST), a decline of 0.929 per cent over its previous close.
Nearmap Ltd (ASX:NEA)
Aerial imagery provider, Nearmap Ltd recently provided an update on COVID-19, wherein it assured that till now it had not observed any material impact on trading conditions from the pandemic. However, the company is prudently deploying cost management initiatives to preserve cash and maintain a strong balance sheet for future operations. The company is likely to invest in growth initiatives such as commercialisation of Artificial Intelligence. The company is well-prepared to navigate the uncertain times because of its diverse customer base.
During 1H20, global subscriptions of the company witnessed an increase of 8 per cent to $10,081, with average group revenue per subscription increasing by 14 per cent to $9,580. In the same period, the company reported an increase of 31 per cent in statutory revenue to $46.3 million, which was mainly driven by an increase in ACV (Annual Contract Value) by 23 per cent to $96.6 million.
The NEA stock was trading at $1.440 on 04 May 2020 (at 12:06 PM AEST), a decline of 2.703 per cent over its previous close.


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On to the next stage. Will there be an impact on the wider economy? Anyone who thinks that this is a separate and isolated issue is obviously descended from King Canute’s advisers on tidal flows. Of course there will be an impact and there already has been. Some companies have seen credit lines cut and new facilities becoming tighter.
That will affect areas such as capital expenditure and investment plans and, in due course, employment. We have also started to see some effect on company payment schedules as companies squeeze the system to maximise their cashflow and it will be the small company at the end of the food chain that will suffer the most.
Funding also for mergers and acquisitions has also been affected and the M&A flood of the last 12 months will likely be a drought for the next period. This will not just affect the companies themselves but some might want to shed a crocodile tear for those investment bankers who lorded their way around the City over the past few years.
As for the retail economy, the signs are clear. The failure of music and DVD chain Choices UK is just the latest in a tale of woe in a sector squeezed by retail weakness and a fast-changing technology which effectively undermines their main business proposition. The increased cost of credit and mortgages will only turn the screw on other retailers.
So the barbarians had scaled the walls and occupied nearly a third of the fortress but they could not break into the keep. Yes, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) has finally seen the barbarians suffer the humiliation of withdrawing their forces as Nasdaq sought to sell its strategic position in the LSE. Perhaps they too have been a victim of the credit crunch as that heavily indebted exchange probably found the cost of its financing rising rapidly.
Its attention has now been drawn to the Nordic Exchange OMX, which, although I am sure is an excellent exchange, is hardly of a similar calibre or influence as the LSE. However, here too, the barbarians are likely to be foiled as its bid (saddled with yet more borrowings) may come up against that old fashioned alternative known as cash coming from an exchange with a better credit rating.
This cash may well come from the Dubai Exchange which has been keen to be expand its influence into Europe. Nasdaq, however, has had a torrid venture overseas compared with the NYSE and its purchase of Euronext. I suspect it may now go through a period of introspection and some significant changes.
For the LSE, this really is a new dawn. Freedom from the besiegers provides it with a great opportunity to lay out its strategy and ensure it wraps in some new and more reliable shareholders who share its vision for the future.
What may come? Well the co-operation agreement with the Tokyo Exchange may give a clue but as Tokyo has yet to demutualise, it would be difficult to effect any full merger. Maybe, however, further and more sold linkages with Hong Kong and Mumbai would be logical. The announcement last week to allow mainland investors to start investing in Hong Kong is an interesting move that could lead to some further significant developments in that market.
Come on LSE – your time has come – again.
Justin Urquhart Stewart is marketing director of Seven Investment Management


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Montgomery County Honors Its Roots And Celebrates Its Achievements During National Agricultural Month
29 Mar 2023
Over the past hundred years, the Montgomery County region has cultivated a robust supply chain with an established infrastructure supporting companies like White Castle, Frito-Lay, and Cargill. Montgomery County’s long history of food production makes it an easy choice to move your business here to experience all the region has to offer.
Why Agriculture Matters In Montgomery County
Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use, and wear daily. Each American farmer feeds more than 165 people — a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. American agriculture is doing more and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for food and fiber produced in the United States.
Montgomery County has a time-honored tradition of helping food-related industries expand their businesses and reach the United States. Over the past 100 years, Montgomery county has grown its food processing clusters from shelf-staple consumer product goods to frozen cold chain packaging. Montgomery County continues offering end-to-end supply chain and workforce advantages to ensure food companies easily reach buyers.
Reasons Why Food Processing And Other Agricultural-based Businesses Operate In Montgomery County
Logistics and Transportation:
- Within a 90-minute flight of 55% of the country’s population
- Within a 600-mile radius of 67% of the country’s population, 60% of the country’s manufacturing workforce, and 48% of the country’s collective buying power
- Four international airports within two hours
- Two freight lines cross through the county: CSX and Norfolk Southern
- Three Ohio rivers converge in Montgomery county
- Home to the Great Miami Aquifer — one of the largest underground aquifers in the U.S.
Culinary and Food Production Workforce
- More than 60 food and agriculture companies in the county employ 9,500+ people
- Local trade schools, colleges, and universities offer food and agriculture-specific training and upskilling
- Strong manufacturing presence provides opportunities for skilled equipment maintenance and operators
Celebrating National Agricultural Month in March
Agriculture and the food industry are vital industries that contribute to the positive business relationships that benefit area residents. March is recognized as National Agriculture Month, and this month is important because it celebrates the abundance provided by agriculture and the important people and groups in this industry.
At the national level, the Agriculture Council of America hosts a campaign to showcase the importance of agriculture on the national economy and its impact on local communities. The campaign focuses on understanding how food and fiber products are produced, honors agriculture’s essential role in maintaining a strong economy, and appreciates agriculture’s role in providing safe, abundant, and affordable products.
Ways Residents of Montgomery County Can Support The Local Food And Agriculture Industry
- Money spent with local farmers and growers stays close to home and is reinvested in businesses and services
- Helps companies to create more sustainable and reliable jobs for residents
- Supports energy conservation and resource management
- Keeps tax dollars reinvested in the local community
Montgomery County continues to sow the seeds of healthy food and agricultural production. By supporting all agriculture-related industries, this region provides businesses with everything they need to be successful — transportation and logistics, water supply, and a reliable workforce.


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Over the last few years, the mid-length skirt and other modest lengths have been dominating the fashion scene. But, the fashion industry has been in a renaissance about shorter hemlines, so expect to see less longer skirt options this summer.
Even though opinions differ about where the first miniskirt was created, nobody disagrees that Mary Quant of London’s King’s Road Boutique was one of the main driving forces of establishing this iconic 60’s trend. Quant’s uniform of a miniskirt, flat ballet shoes and dark tights transformed an entire generation that we have come to love.
The midi-skirt to the miniskirt transition has been dominating the catwalk this season. Burberry, for example, showed off the cow-print miniskirt on their fashion show and the center of Chanel’s summer collection is a coordinated miniskirt set.
Fashion designers claim that the miniskirt is making a radical comeback due to the London V& A exhibition that showcased 20 years of Quant’s miniskirt designs, bringing the shorter hemlines out of the closet and into the limelight. The question is: will you be wearing this summer’s hottest trend?
Miniskirts hold the essence of more optimistic times and send off a more playful vibe. But does that mean it’s only a young person’s trend? Not at all, you can pull off this vintage look. All you need is the confidence to pull off this look.
Still think miniskirts are for girls under twenty? Check out Gwen Stefani, 49, rocking a denim mini skirt in Los Angeles.
These shorter hemlines are shaking up the recent trend for more so-called modest designs with longer-hemlines and looser styles. Even though we have made great strides towards woman’s rights, many female television presenters have been called out, online, for wearing shorter hemlines.
Such as when Helen Skelton, a sports reporter wore a shorter hemline while reporting on a sports event in Brazil. She was heavily chastised for dressing as if she was going to a nightclub and not reporting on the swimming event. Even though she was showing the same amount of leg as her male counterpart sitting beside her.
Maybe that is why the miniskirt is making a comeback. We have the right to show our legs off especially in the warmer months such as summer. The time is now to defy our right to bare our legs.
Plus, if you have been watching the news lately, you have noticed that the political environment is spelling out a gloomy future. Let’s change our perspective by shorting our hemlines and having a more optimistic outlook.


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Calls for the death of brick-and-mortar retail have increased as many major department stores continue to report gloomy sales performance. But one dominant name seems to have separated itself from the pack: Nordstrom (JWN).
“Nordstrom appears to be years ahead of its peers in digital initiatives and development of its off-price concept,” according to Susquehanna’s Bill Dreher. “It is one of the few department stores with clear plans showing results to address unprecedented changes sweeping through the industry.”
While the stock is down 6% year-to-date, it’s nevertheless outperforming peers.
These moves up have been driven by results and not just the recent rumors that it might go private, according to analysts. And it’s not about luck, either. The company’s aggressive and early moves into two key growth areas — e-commerce and off-price — are separating it from the pack. Superior execution and customer service have also differentiated the brand.
Nordstrom’s e-commerce dominance
Nordstrom generates 23% of its sales online and management expects that number will exceed 25% by the end of the year. This stands well above other department stores: Macy’s and Kohl’s have 16% online penetration and JC Penney has 14%. Nordstrom’s larger online presence is key for sales growth, according to analysts, especially in the wake of dominance from online behemoth Amazon (AMZN).
Nordstrom didn’t get there overnight. The company was one of the earliest entrants to e-commerce, launching its full-price online shopping site in 1998 and continuing to innovate at a fast clip, according to RBC. It bought flash sale site HauteLook in 2011 for $180 million, marking the first time a traditional retailer acquired a company focused on online private sales. It further gained customers by building partnerships with online-first brands early on, including announcing a 2012 partnership with Bonobos.
“[Nordstrom] currently offers one of the better online experiences in retail with a no-minimum for free shipping policy, as well as additional conveniences including a ‘text to buy’ app, tag and credit card scanning, in-store pick-up, and text notifications,” RBC’s Brian Tunick wrote.
On the second-quarter conference call, Blake Nordstrom, the company’s co-president, highlighted its priority to build on the company’s successful online strategy, including efforts to use e-commerce to encourage more in-store traffic.
Nordstrom’s “Reserve Online & Try in Store” will expand to 50 stores by the end of the year, he said, with 80% of customers who try the service choosing to shop this way again.
“We’ve modernized our platform, enabling us to increase the speed and agility of enhancements to our product pages, navigation and content,” he added.
The company’s online platform has also helped it grow its loyalty presence, now with 9.4 million active rewards members that made up 56% of sales last quarter.
Nordstrom’s off-price advantage
Meanwhile, Nordstrom’s off-price offering, “Nordstrom Rack,” has provided a strategic advantage.
In the second quarter, total off-price sales rose 9.8%, with comparable store sales up 3.1%, an improvement of 100 basis points from last quarter.
The company’s 232 Rack store locations has grown ever since the first location in 1973, with sales aided by its first website in 2014.
Off-price now represents about 30% of the company’s revenue.
Meanwhile, Macy’s off-price concept, “Backstage,” was rolled out just in 2015, making it much later to the lucrative off-price game, where names like TJX (TJX) and Ross Stores (ROST) have continued to soar.
Beyond core strategic initiatives, Nordstrom’s customer service has set it apart, according to analysts.
“[Nordstrom’s] superior customer service is another factor that positions it more defensively against competition at the mall and online,” Tunick wrote in a recent note. “Nordstrom’s disproportionate emphasis on areas that require a high level of service including beauty and footwear makes Nordstrom a destination for those categories.”
The company has invested in partnerships with trending brands via shop-in-shops, allowing it to bring more excitement to stores with minimal risk, Tunick added. Partnerships include Madewell, TopShop, Warby Parker and Baublebar, which have become important traffic drivers.
Nordstrom has also been able to side-shuffle the excessive discounting environment that has hit profitability at peers.
Its promotional strategy, including its just-completed anniversary sale, offers brand-new arrivals at reduced prices. This contrasts with the mainstream strategy to offer discounts on inventory that doesn’t sell, which has been espoused by peers.
“What really drives our business is newness and regular price flow,” Blake Nordstrom said on the company’s second-quarter conference call. “And even if you looked at an anniversary sale, we did well with anniversary product, but we did particularly well with regular price product and sale too.”
The company’s gross margins have also been aided by the rollout of private-label, which outperformed in the most recent quarter. This is also particularly important, as vendor brands like Michael Kors (KORS), Ralph Lauren (RL) and Coach (COH) have recently made efforts to offer less merchandise at department stores.
“When done right, the proprietary brands can be a real asset for us,” Peter Nordstrom, the company’s co-president, said on its second-quarter conference call. “And we’ve had a lot of good success over the years. So I think it’s nice to have that play itself out.”
Nicole Sinclair is markets correspondent at Yahoo Finance.
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America doesn’t need to be the world leader to prosper


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KUALA LUMPUR (Nikkei Markets) -- Malaysia Tuesday extended tax benefits to companies seeking to establish their regional or global headquarters in the country as part of a broader push to attract investments and create high-skill jobs when a lingering U.S.-China trade war clouds exports prospects and has prompted several multinationals to re-look at their supply chains.
Effective 2019, companies approved under the so-called Principal Hub incentive will be able to enjoy a concessionary 10% tax rate for operations in the country, Malaysian Investment Development Authority, the investment promotion agency also known as MIDA, said in a statement.
This would replace the previous regime under which companies with existing Malaysian operations could only enjoy tax exemption on incremental income, MIDA said. "New companies that have yet to establish a presence in Malaysia can enjoy up to 0% tax rate for 10 years based on level of commitments."
MIDA defines principal hub as a locally-incorporated company that uses Malaysia as a base for conducting its regional or global businesses and operations. Since the introduction of the incentive in 2015, MIDA said it has approved 35 principal hub projects, with total approved investments of 35.5 billion ringgit ($8.47 billion) in various key sectors including electronics, aerospace, oil and gas, chemicals and information technology.
The extension of tax incentive times with Malaysia's efforts to corner a larger slice of foreign capital that is seeking new bases to shield from the toxic Sino-US tariff spat that has already bruised the global supply chain of several multinationals.
Malaysia is now targeting investments from the U.S. and European companies and also that from China to establish mostly-automated industrial facilities, the deputy international trade minister said.
"We are targeting high value-added manufacturing investments from developed countries especially the United States and Europe which want to make new investments in Southeast Asia as part of their manufacturing diversification strategy," Ong Kian Ming told Nikkei Markets. "We are also working strategically to attract Chinese companies with Industry 4.0 expertise to invest in Malaysia."
Industry 4.0 refers to the so-called fourth industrial revolution driven mostly by automated processes where artificial intelligence plays a central role in managing the systems.
Malaysia, which was agro-commodity driven in the '50s, has steadily adopted manufacturing as its growth driver to evolve into one of the most industrialized economies in Southeast Asia, home to several Hi-Tech global corporations such as Dell and Western Digital.
But the share of manufacturing hasn't kept up pace with its brisk expanding economy and the country has lagged in embracing newer technologies, trailing smaller neighbor Singapore in boosting labor productivity and migrating to high-value activities.
Last year, the government launched Industry 4.0 road map to overhaul its manufacturing initiatives and compete with sunrise regional rivals such as Vietnam, which has been successfully attracting foreign capital, especially a wedge of shifting global supply chain from China.
U.S. imports from Vietnam are estimated to touch $64.8 billion this year, up 36% from 2018, according to consulting firm A.T. Kearny.
"Malaysia does not want to compete with Vietnam in terms of the easy availability of relatively low wage workers but we want to compete for manufacturing investments, which require higher skilled labor operating in a developed supply chain ecosystem," Ong said.
Some U.S. companies such as iRobot Corp said it would start a new Roomba production line in Malaysia this year, while Yeti Holdings Inc. announced plan to move most production of soft-sided coolers out of China by the end of this year.
Foreign investments from the U.S. as well as from China have been gaining pace in Malaysia and the major trading partners were the top two FDI sources to the manufacturing sector of the Southeast Asian country in the first half of 2019. According to government data, U.S. investments amounted to 11.7 billion ringgit ($2.8 billion), followed by that of China's 4.8 billion ringgit.
"For new manufacturing facilities set up by Chinese companies, we also expect the latest Industry 4.0 technologies to be used in the manufacturing process, especially with the intention of reducing the reliance of low cost labor but instead focusing on skilled workers which can operate and monitor the automated processes to create high value end products," Ong said.
In the first half of this year, the key manufacturing segments of electrical and electronics, chemicals and chemical products, machinery and equipment, medical devices and aerospace accounted for 19.1 billion ringgit, or 57.7% of total approved investments in the manufacturing sector through 131 approved projects. Once implemented, these projects will potentially create 16,732 jobs, many of those high-skilled.
"Our focus on increasing the level of governance and transparency in government policies also gives more confidence to foreign investors who are interested to invest in Malaysia," Ong said.
--Jason Ng and Sarah Nadlin Rohim


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|Jon Esformes (Pacific Tomato Growers) and Lucas Benitez (CIW), Immokalee, FL.|
What: Fair Food Victory Celebration!
When: Thursday, November 4th at 7pm
Where: The Parlor (43rd & Guadalupe)
After ten years of high-intensity organizing in the Campaign for Fair Food -- efforts that have brought about precedent-setting agreements with the world's four largest fast-food companies, three largest foodservice providers, and leading natural retailer Whole Foods -- two major Florida tomato growers have finally joined the rising tide of social accountability in the agricultural industry.
Pacific Tomato Growers and Six L's, the oldest and largest growers in the business, respectively, have both agreed to pass on the penny-per-pound and to adopt the Code of Conduct at the heart of the campaign, including a cooperative complaint resolution system, a participatory health and safety program, and a worker-to-worker education process aimed at ensuring that farmworkers themselves are active participants in the social responsibility efforts. These reforms will directly impact thousands of workers as the Florida tomato harvest begins in just a few weeks.
It is clear that much remains to be done. With the exception of Whole Foods, the $550 billion supermarket industry continues to ignore calls to address farmworker exploitation in its supply chain. To maximize the wage increase and improved working conditions for farmworkers, it is necessary that all buyers of Florida tomatoes participate in the Fair Food program.
Still, this is a time for celebrating how far we've come. To our Austin friends old and new -- from the Taco Bell Boycott to the Farmworker Freedom March -- and to everyone who ever signed a postcard or petition, marched, picketed, slept on a church floor, played music, cooked tamales, drove through the night, spread the word to friends and family, or otherwise acted on the belief of a better tomorrow in Florida's fields, these victories belong to all of us.
Please join us to celebrate... even if we haven't seen you in months or years!
- "The wall comes tumbling down," The Nation, 10/18/10
- "Major grower to join wage plan," Wall Street Journal, 10/14/10
- "Victory long time coming for Florida tomato pickers," Editorial, St. Petersburg Times, 10/16/10


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Governor Chet Culver is calling for a nickel increase in the state’s bottle deposit law. Iowans currently pay a five cent "deposit" on every can of pop or beer they buy and supporters say it ensures most cans are taken back to the store so folks can get their deposit money back.
"It’s one of the most effective environmental protection programs in the nation and I’m confident that we can sit down and work together in a bipartisan way, bring businesses large and small to the table and do the right thing in terms of protecting our environment," Culver says.
The current nickel deposit is charged on some but not all of the beverage containers sold in the state and Culver says more bottles and cans should be subject to the dime deposit he proposes — such as bottles of water, tea, juice and sports drinks which are not part of the deposit charge today. Grocers have complained about being required to accept the empties Iowans return for their deposit money. Culver says one-cent of the nickel increase he proposes would go to those who handle the empties, like grocers and redemption centers. Another penny would be spent on environmental programs, eight cents would go to the consumer if the governor gets his way.
"This shouldn’t be a controversial issue. In fact, former Governor Branstad floor managed the bill that ultimately became law 30 years ago," Culver says, suggesting lawmakers have an "historic opportunity" to improve the law.
Previous attempts to change the bottle deposit law have fallen short. Some argue there should be no deposit fees on cans and bottles to increase the volume of cans and glass being placed at the curb, making it more economically feasible for cities to collect materials for recycling.


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You've probably heard that a stunning 95 percent of the gains the United States economy has made in the years since the Great Recession have gone to the top 1 percent. What you may not know — but which plays no small role in explaining that phenomenon — is that most of the jobs created in the same time period have been low-wage, service sector gigs (or McJobs, as some people call them). In fact, according to a 2012 study from the National Employment Law Project, McJobs make up 58 percent of employment growth we've seen during the recovery.
Wal-Mart workers and union organizers say they'll hold strikes in more than 20 cities Wednesday in their campaign to raise wages. The job actions are timed in conjunction with Wal-Mart's annual shareholder meeting, which takes place Friday in Fayetteville, Ark., near the company's Bentonville headquarters. OUR Wal-mart, a group backed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, helped orchestrate a candlelight vigil Monday night outside the Phoenix home of Rob Walton, Wal-Mart's board chairman.
In one of his first public appearances as Wal-Mart's new CEO, Doug McMillon talked respectfully about its giant competitor Amazon.com, but explained why physical retail is here to stay. He also talked about how digital platforms and sales channels will become increasingly important to the retailer's business, including the need to improve its presence in digital media.
After years of resisting pressure to ditch Abercrombie & Fitch's outdated strategy, Chief Executive Officer Mike Jeffries is relenting. Faulted by investors for a management style that alienated underlings and
CNBC's Courtney Reagan speaks with former Saks CEO Steve Sadove; former Toys"R"Us CEO Jerry Storch; former Bloomingdale's CEO Michael Gould; and former Sears Canada CEO Mark Cohen about the outlook for retail.
The first nonfamily member to lead L.L.Bean says he's planning to step down in 2016 after more than a decade as CEO. Chris McCormick, president and CEO, told employees in a memo that he's giving early notice so there can be a smooth transition. During his tenure, McCormick helped to transform the 102-year-old outdoors retailer from a catalog company into a multichannel retailer that does most of its business online. He's also sped up the opening of retail stores, with 19 stores now in operation and plans to open three more this year.
Jenna Lyons and the J.Crew design team as well as CEO Mickey Drexler are in Hong Kong to celebrate the opening of the brand's first store in the city-state, the first in Asia to have free-standing J.Crew stores. Below, I talk to Jenna about J.Crew and fashion, Lena Dunham and her role on "Girls," and why she refuses to join the social media craze.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it wouldn't oppose an increase in the federal minimum wage, its most explicit comment yet on the controversial debate to move past the $7.25-an-hour minimum. "We're not opposed to minimum wage increase, unless it's directed exclusively at us," said Wal-Mart U.S. President Bill Simon, referring to an attempt by the District of Columbia city council to require big retailers to pay starting wages that are higher than Washington's minimum wage.
Google named a new leader for its computerized eyewear Glass unit as it gears up for more sales. Ivy Ross will start leading the internet-connected spectacles unit on May 19, according to a post on the company's website. She most recently was chief marketing officer at Art.com, following positions at Coach and Bausch & Lomb. "With your help, I look forward to answering the seemingly simple, but truly audacious questions Glass poses: Can technology be something that frees us up and keeps us in the moment, rather than taking us out of it?" she wrote on the company's website.
A week after Gawker published an anonymous rant from a Target corporate employee that further revealed the extent to which the retailer's massive data breach has affected both employee and customer morale, the retailer's Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Jones responded with a LinkedIn post titled "The Truth Hurts." In the letter, which Gawker says was emailed to the website by a current midlevel employee at Target headquarters in Minneapolis, the employee writes about Target's unproductive staffing strategy that


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According to AAA's 2015 Thanksgiving travel forecast, 46.9 million Americans will journey at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday, a 0.6 percent increase (300,000 additional travelers) over the 46.6 million people who traveled last year and the most Thanksgiving travelers since 2007.
AAA says that this marks the seventh consecutive year of growth for Thanksgiving travel.
"This Thanksgiving, more Americans will carve out time to visit friends and family since 2007," said Marshall Doney, AAA President and CEO. "While many people remain cautious about the economy and their finances, many thankful Americans continue to put a premium on traveling to spend the holiday with loved ones."
Despite improvements in the economy, AAA says that consumers remain cautious about their finances. However, gas prices this year are expected to be the lowest they've been during Thanksgiving week in seven years, providing an early holiday bonus to the more than nearly 42 million travelers who will drive to their holiday destinations.
"One holiday gift has come early this year. Americans will likely pay the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2008. Lower prices are helping boost disposable income, and enabling families to kick off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway," continued Doney.
AAA expects air travel to increase by 0.1 percent this year, with 3.6 million Americans flying to their Thanksgiving destinations. Travel by other modes of transportation, including cruises, trains and buses, is expected to decrease 1.4 percent this Thanksgiving to 1.4 million travelers.
The Thanksgiving holiday travel period this year is defined as Wednesday, November 25 through Sunday, November 29.


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Brief down in at least 200 words of what do you think about the following summary of an article related to the impact of COVID-19 on mergers and acquisitions. Include your personal views about the following article summary statement.
The article opens up about how this past summer was one of the busiest in decades for mergers and acquisitions. There was more than one trillion worth of transactions around the globe within the third quarter. Because of the pandemic, the first two quarters were very slow. This caused many deals to be put on hold. According to Steve Morrissette, a professor at University of Chicago, smaller companies are in need of access to bigger corporations' cash. These larger corporations can then get a better value from the deal. The professor emphasized on avoiding “dumb” deals and over paying during a recession. Recessions are known to shift all types of deals that are in the process of being created. Corporations see the advantage in the value in diversifying their portfolios and buying brands that complement existing businesses. An example that was used in the article was Walmart bidding to buy a part of Tiktok. That would have made for a very diverse portfolio. Even Asish Ramchandran, a principal in the Merger & Acquisition Consultative Services practice of Deloitte Consulting agrees. He believes that big companies can make fundamental shifts when the market swings. He also shares how big companies with great sound strategy behind the scenes, are looking and waiting to step in and make a deal. The article did add that many corporations had to pull back from diversifying geographically, causing many international deals to fall through. The article then concludes with explaining how companies with the smartest strategies are using merger acquisition deals to get ahead of the pandemic and look at how business will look once the pandemic is over.
In this phase of global pandemic, the business has really been badly affected due to restrictions in movement, trade, decrease in the purchasing power of people etc.
But the business need to survive and for this the earliest method that they can come up with is merger and acquisition. Any company which is at the edge of shutting down can easily survive if it makes a wise decision of merging with a brand that is working at present. The world is going through a recession in which it is advised to not take any new deals, however, it is important for a company to go ahead with the deals in which they can see the potential future prospects.
for example- an Indian edutech company "Byjus" acquired an American edutech company "whitehatjr" which teaches coding to kids . The edutech companies especially in India has seen a major boom during this pandemic and thus " Byjus" which had noticed that it could win the race if it acquired a company ( which teaches coding) would be a great deal for it.
so, it took the advantage of the situation and it didn't acquire it because it had to survive the market. It could see the future as well as present prospects of the company it acquired and made the decision.
benefits of merger and acquisition:
1) increased market share
2) increase in customer base
3) increase in delivery capacity
4) increase in market value
5) market capitalisation
Since so many mergers and acquisitions are being done during this period, the business after the pandamic will be over will be a lot more different than now. We will see growth in certain sectors only. The companies which are merging and acquiring other companies will be in far better position than others.
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Microsoft announced quarterly revenue of $17.41 billion for the quarter ended Mar. 31, 2012, a 6 percent increase from the prior year period. Net income for the quarter was $5.11 billion compared with $5.23 billion in the prior year period and part of the drop was attributed to the overall slowdown of the gaming economy.
“We’re driving toward exciting launches across the entire company, while delivering strong financial results,” said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s CEO, in a statement. “With the upcoming release of new Windows 8 PCs and tablets, the next version of Office, and a wide array of products and services for the enterprise and consumers, we will be delivering exceptional value to all our customers in the year ahead.”
Allan Krans, an analyst with Technology Business Research (TBR), chimed in on the software giant’s fiscal Q3 2012 earnings:
“Microsoft started 2012 the way it ended 2011, with Server and Tools and Business Division businesses accelerating, and Windows Division recording another quarter of incremental revenue growth from a year ago. Average PC shipment declines through the latter half of 2011 and beginning of 2012, coupled with Windows 7 peaking in deployments continue to hinder consistent performance from the Windows business. Microsoft’s Servers and Tools and Business Divisions recorded the highest yearly growth during the quarter, at 14.1 percent and 9.1 percent respectively. Business, Windows and Server and Tools Divisions were once again the largest contributors to Microsoft’s $17.4 billion in revenue during 1Q12. Microsoft’s ability to refresh core products to cater to customer needs in cloud and flexible IT will determine the growth trajectory for these core businesses moving forward.”
“We saw strong demand for our business desktop and infrastructure offerings,” said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft, in a statement. “Solid revenue growth and continued cost discipline drove double-digit operating income growth.”
On a call with analysts, Klein added, “On the infrastructure side, the Server & Tools Business delivered double-digit revenue growth, with SQL Server leading the way. We’ve now launched System Center 2012 and SQL Server 2012, and the new versions of Windows Server and Visual Studio are on the horizon. Our product roadmap and vision are driving new customer wins and strong Enterprise Agreement renewals. We are confident that we are uniquely positioned to address the needs of CIOs as they strive to efficiently manage private and public clouds.”
However, Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division posted revenue of $1.62 billion, a decrease of 16 percent from the prior period due to a soft gaming console market. Despite the drop, Xbox remained the top-selling console in the U.S. for the 15th consecutive month, and the company announced new television content partners and experiences for its 40 million Xbox LIVE members.
“In gaming and entertainment, while industry console sales were softer than our expectations, we continue to maintain our shared leadership position,” Klein told analysts. “With Xbox LIVE, we are adding more content and partners as we expand the entertainment experience and build on our leading position in the living room.”


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The law of supply and demand has created a scarcity situation for used Class 8 truck sales, according to ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks.
Preliminary used Class 8 volumes dropped 6 percent month-over-month and 12 percent year over year (y/y) in June. Through the first six months of the year, activity is 23 percent higher compared to the same period a year ago, ACT reports.
Other data released in ACT’s preliminary report included month-over-month comparisons for June 2021, which showed average prices increased 5 percent, as average miles fell 1 percent and average age was unchanged compared with May.
Compared with June of 2020, average price was 63 percent higher, with average miles and age lower y/y by 5 percent and 2 percent, respectively. On a year-to-date basis, average price is 38 percent above its year-ago level for the first six months of 2020, with average miles and age down 4 percent and 3 percent, respectively, on a year-to-date basis.
“The industry is starting to see tougher comparisons since it did not take long to shake off the immediate effects of COVID-19. Year-to-date gains also started to erode, slipping nine percentage points, to 23 percent. The drop in sales was counter to seasonal expectations, which called for about a 10 percent increase. However, lack of inventory continues to hamstring sales efforts,” says ACT Vice President Steve Tam.
Regarding used truck prices, Tam says, “For the first time since we started following the used truck market almost 20 years ago, the average price of 3-year-old trucks with 300,000-400,000 miles on them broke the six-figure barrier. The feat is made even more impressive when one considers prices for these late model trucks started the year at just over $70,000.
“Arguably, the trucks did not change to justify the increase in price. Rather, the simple law of supply and demand has created a scarcity situation, and there is no viable substitute to the venerable Class 8 truck. Hence, prices are through the roof, with no relief in sight,” he says.
ACT’s Classes 3-8 Used Truck Report provides data on the average selling price, miles and age based on a sample of industry data. In addition, the report provides the average selling price for top-selling Class 8 models for each of the major truck OEMs.


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WNDBy Colin Flaherty
Letâ€™s say thousands of people riot in your upscale downtown neighborhood. And it happens a few dozen times in just a few years: Not just partying, but violence, destruction, theft and serious injuries.
Much of it on YouTube.
Question: If people notice that most of the criminals were black and most of the victims were white, does that make them racist?
Depends. In Philadelphia, it makes you a hero. In Baltimore, a bigot.
Read More: http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/is-it-racist-to-say-blacks-are-attacking-whites/


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Yu said, in 2020, we come alive and confirmed that Huawei’s consumer business strategy for the next 5 to 10 years is still a full-scenario smart strategy.
2020 was a very extraordinary year and it was also a very very difficult one. Not only there was a pandemic but Huawei also has to face second and third rounds of U.S. sanctions.
“With the strong support of our partners and global consumers, we come out alive from 2020.” said Yu Chengdong.
According to the data, Huawei ranked first in the market share of smartphones and wearable products in the Chinese market in 2020. The company achieved 80% growth in the TWS headset market.
Currently, Huawei’s smart equipment has exceeded 1 billion, HiLink ecosystem users exceeded 50 million, and Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) monthly active users exceeded 580 million.
In order to provide better services, Huawei has opened over 10000 Huawei authorized stores and 2000+ authorized service centers across the Chinese market, with a service satisfaction rate of 99 percent.
“We have ranked first in consumer satisfaction in China for six consecutive years, and the gap with the second and third places has been widening,” told Yu.


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UK retailer Debenhams to be liquidated
By Reuters | December 1st 2020
British department store retailer Debenhams is to be liquidated after failing to find a buyer, administrators FRP Advisory said on Tuesday.
It said it would start a wind-down of Debenhams, whilst continuing to seek offers for all or parts of the business.
The collapse of Debenhams, which trades from 124 UK stores and employs 12,000, came a day after Philip Green’s Arcadia fashion group entered administration, threatening about 13,000 jobs.
“Given the current trading environment and the likely prolonged effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the outlook for a restructured operation is highly uncertain,” FRP said.
“The administrators have therefore regretfully concluded that they should commence a wind-down of Debenhams UK, whilst continuing to seek offers for all or parts of the business.”
FRP said Debenhams will continue to trade through its UK stores and online to clear its current and contracted stocks.
“On conclusion of this process, if no alternative offers have been received, the UK operations will close.”
Kenya Power bosses say major reforms to reboot utility firm
- Don’t fear the Wi-Fi
SCI & TECH
- No full pay for pilots, says KQ
By Peter Theuri
- The power of pennies: Why every random shilling counts
MONEY & MARKET
- Anti-tobacco lobbies fault State on tax
- Kenya Airways CEO ties return to full pay on debt restructuring


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Battle over the skies of Moscow in this simulator game
IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Moscow is available today for Windows on Steam. It is also available as DLC if you've already purchased IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad.
According to the press release, "IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Moscow is a combat flight simulation dedicated to the Battle of Moscow, one of the most decisive battles on the Eastern Front in World War II. This new project from 1С Game Studios continues the next generation of combat flight simulations with the latest development technologies, from a new higher level of physics modeling, damage modeling and aerodynamics to modern modes of gameplay with detailed, immersive environments."
Here are some addition screenshots from the game:


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There are two recent studies that show national brands and retailers lagging in their adoption of mobile or under-investing in mobile as a platform. Brand consultancy L2 just this week released what it's calling "Prestige 100 Mobile IQ." Basically a survey of top brands' mobile presences and their efficacy, the firm found that most top brands were not taking mobile (and tablets) seriously enough, despite increasing consumer adoption.
Roughly 30% of the top 100 "iconic" brands surveyed didn't have a mobile app and 33% didn't have a mobile-optimized website. According to the study 52% had both an app and a mobile site, while 16% had no mobile site or app -- no mobile strategy whatsoever. Overall 44% of the brands qualified as "feeble" from a "mobile IQ" standpoint.
The top 10 brands with successful mobile sites/apps and strategies, according to the survey, were the following:
In a related set of findings, ForeSee Results measured consumer satisfaction with leading retailer mobile sites and compared those to online satisfaction scores. ForeSee found that most retailers and ecommerce sites' mobile ratings were lower than those for their PC websites. (Apple was the exception, with a mobile rating that was greater than its PC-experience rating.)
It's not entirely clear, at first glance, whether these scores mean consumers found the retailers' mobile sites sub-par or whether they simply preferred the PC sites. Let's assume, however, that it's the former and consumers were expressing dissatisfaction with these mobile sites.
If so, there will be near-term consequences in terms of lost opportunities as well as a negative brand impact among those companies that fail to optimize for mobile. Mobile and tablets are no longer a novelty phenomenon that can be addressed "later." Mobile internet access will eclipse PC internet usage in the next three to five years. Time spent with mobile apps is already greater than time spent online according to calculations from Flurry Analytics.
The "takeaway" from these two pieces of research is that you can no longer simply rely on your PC site. Brands and retailers must have an optimized mobile presence. But it's not enough to have a "mobile presence;" brands and e-commerce sites must deliver a positive mobile experience to their customers, which means all of the following:
These investments are rapidly becoming "tablet stakes" and those that fail to "ante up" will suffer.


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People around the world are eating more fish. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that, in 2016, humanity consumed 171 million metric tons of fish, including finfish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Overall, fish accounted for about 17 percent of animal protein and 7 percent of all proteins that were consumed by the world’s population. According to the FAO, annual per capita fish consumption was around 6.5 kilograms (14 pounds) in 1950. Annual per capita consumption reached 20.3 kilograms (45 pounds) in 2016.
Wild-caught fish production rose between 1950 and 1996, from 18.71 million metric tons to 93.8 million metric tons. The annual production in wild-capture fisheries has been essentially flat, hovering around 90 million metric tons over the past two decades. Fish farming, however, has spectacularly boosted fish production.
In 1950, aquaculture produced less than a million metric tons of fish. In 2016, aquaculturists raised more than 80 million metric tons of fish—51 million metric tons on inland fish farms and 29 million metric tons at sea. With regard to wild-caught fish, the percentage of stocks fished at biologically unsustainable levels has unfortunately increased from 10 percent in 1974 to 33.1 percent in 2015, with the largest increases in the late 1970s and 1980s. From the sustainability point of view, therefore, the growth of aquaculture is largely a welcome development.
The FAO projects that total world fish production (capture plus aquaculture) will expand to reach 201 million metric tons in 2030. The major growth in production is expected to originate from aquaculture, which is projected to reach 109 million metric tons in 2030. That amounts to 37 percent growth between 2016 and 2030.


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A new feature helps improve fuel economy for the 2015 model year.
Read This Article
Last week, Chrysler aired a 2-minute commercial featuring Clint Eastwood during the Super Bowl.
Chrysler Group boss Sergio Marchionne has decided to only offer one minivan in the future and the Chrysler Town & Country will be it.
Despite its recent sales pace, Chrysler Group will cut production of the 2014 Chrysler 200 sedan in half to make room for the redesigned 2015 model.


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MLB Sorare Collaborates To Develop NFT Game – The Coin Republic
Sports groups as well as organizations are looking for various means to involve with as well as link to brand-new target markets to bring in more youthful individuals and also enhance interaction amongst sporting activities lovers.
Major League Baseball is complying with a comparable course and also made the news concerning its partnership with an NFT video gaming company, Sorare, for releasing an NFT-based fantasy-style video game this summer season.
Sorare is mosting likely to be the main NFT baseball video game companion of MLB as well as will certainly be offering followers a system to play dream video games while getting, offering, and also gathering NFTs of MLB gamers. Its USP is that it’s not mosting likely to be a draft-style video game. Groups will certainly be created from the NFT cards that a certain follower has.
Rob Manfred, the MLB commissioner, stated in a declaration that the link with their followers is very important to them and also we recognize the relevance of that bond. The emphasis of the firm is to change fandom making use of a cutting-edge mix of innovation, sporting activities, and also video gaming, allowing followers genuinely be the proprietor of the video game that they are enthusiastic concerning as well as additionally get to a broader target market.
Details pertaining to the video games, honors, as well as rewards aren’t disclosed yet, nonetheless comparable video games Sorare has actually earlier developed such ready football organizations consisting of the Major League Soccer, Bundesliga, and also Copa America which includes numerous rewards for followers that gather NFTs.
1.8 million signed up customers on Sorare’s system, around 184 nations, functioned as component of the allure for the MLB. It broke the ice to link to a target market that baseball got to in the past.
Since 2007, a yearly dip in standard participation is seen in MLB, when it experienced 79.4 million followers decreased to simply 68.5 million in2019 Because 2020 because of COVID-19, there is an influence on Attendance so those numbers aren’t consisted of in any type of information.
Sorare has actually seen a 32% month-on-month increase in development of energetic customers and also gathered over $325 million in sales in 2021 with a wish to increase it this year.
Partnerships with 247 football clubs add to component of the success and also will certainly currently increase with the enhancement of MLB groups.


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Research in Motion, reeling as its BlackBerry takes a beating from the Apple iPhone and assorted Android smartphones, is expected to lay off anywhere from 2,000 to 6,000 employees to cut costs and turn around its financial fortunes. While the exact number of layoffs from RIM's 16,000-plus staff remains to be confirmed, the restructured company appears headed for a high rank on this year's list of tech industry layoffs.
LOOK BACK: Bloodiest tech industry layoffs of 2011
RIM will have plenty of company from other telecom companies, including Nokia, which said in February it would whack 4,000 jobs upon moving more of its manufacturing from Europe and Mexico to Asia, where factories have larger scale and closer proximity to component makers. The moves dovetail with Nokia's effort to ramp up Windows Phone production as it focuses on that market in light of falling Symbian-based smartphone sales. Nokia finished its fiscal 2011 year with revenue down 21% in the fourth quarter and reported a loss, rather than a profit as it had the year before in the fourth quarter.
Nokia figured prominently among last year's top tech job cutters, axing some 7,500 jobs while refocusing on Windows Phone and handing over Symbian activities to Accenture.
Also on the telecom front, T-Mobile and Sprint have announced layoffs this year.
T-Mobile, recovering from the FCC's shooting down of its proposed $39 billion merger with AT&T, announced in March that call center consolidation would cost 1,900 workers their jobs. One AT&T official blamed the FCC's decision not to OK the deal for the T-Mobile layoffs.
T-Mobile announced another 350 jobs cuts in May.
Rival Sprint said in February that it would slash jobs in the wake of a January management reshuffling, and according to a FierceWireless report at the time, the number of jobs affected was expected to be about 100 of about 40,000. Related, Sprint network operator Ericsson reportedly began laying off 10% of its 14,000-person North American workforce in March, weeding out its lowest performers.
Other big bloodlettings this year from technology ranks:
*The job cuts cited above pale in comparison to HP's recently announced plans to slash 8% of its workforce via layoffs and retirement offers, which translates into about 27,000 jobs. The company expects the cuts to save it $3 billion to $3.5 billion in fiscal year 2014. The job cuts are "difficult" but they also are "necessary to improve execution and to fund long-term health" of HP, CEO Meg Whitman said in a statement.
*Sony said in April it will cut about 10,000 of its 168,000 worldwide employees as part of a restructuring plan. Some of the workforce reduction will come by spinning off non-core businesses, including chemical operations and LCD screen production. Sony lost about $2.7 billion in its fiscal year ended in March. The company, which has lost ground in areas such as TVs, is refocusing on consumer products such as phones and tablets.
*NEC kicked off 2012 by announcing it would cut 10,000 workers, including 3,000 outside of Japan, while forecasting a $1.3 billion loss in the fiscal year ended in March. The company's smartphone business has suffered from incursions by other companies into the Japanese market, while NEC has also continued to suffer from flood-ruined plants in Thailand.
*Yahoo, which continues to take a pounding from Google and others, said in April job cuts would enable it to go forward as a smaller, more profitable company focused on its "core media, connections and commerce businesses." Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson said the company was reducing its workforce by about 2,000 people, or 14% overall, and as it turns out, those numbers wound up including Thompson himself after it was revealed he had embellished his resume.
*Computerworld reported in March that IBM cut 1,000 workers in the United States, though details on where within IBM the cuts were made is fuzzy. IBM is estimated to employ a little less than 100,000 people in the United States, and more than 400,000 worldwide.
*Finally, one workforce reduction that might hit especially close to home for Network World's IT professional readers: Lloyds Banking Group is offshoring some 300 IT roles to suppliers, and cutting another 100 IT workers. The cuts are part of the company's 1,600-job reduction across the United Kingdom, according to an IDG/Computerworld UK report.
According to jobs watcher Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 4,845 computer industry jobs were lost through April in the United States, plus another 7,421 in telecom. That's up from the 2,301 computer jobs and 4,752 telecom jobs lost through April 2011.
But on the bright side, IT jobs continued to grow briskly overall in April, according to TechServe Alliance, a collaboration of IT services firms, clients and customers that bases its findings on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. In April, the number of IT jobs grew by 17,000 or 0.4% sequentially to 4,168,700, according to TechServe Alliance. April marks the fourth straight month in which IT employment has reached a new record high. IT jobs rose by 117,000, or 2.9%, in the past 12 months.
Bob Brown tracks network research in his Alpha Doggs blog and Facebook page, as well on Twitter and Google +.
Read more about data center in Network World's Data Center section.


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Ryan Taylor, the CEO of Dash Core Group, has recently claimed that a new update adding ChainLocks and other improvements to Dash, make its transactions “instantly respendable.”
The Dash cryptocurrency, by the Dash Core Group, has recently effected a new protocol which ensures better security for the network. Specifically, the new protocol called Chainlock will make the Dash
Dash was recently in the news for the implementation of Chainlock, a protocol which helps the Dash network become immune to 51% attacks or a chain re-org. Ryan Taylor, Dash CEO, was recently featured in an interview where he spoke extensively on Chainlock, New InstantSend and more. Taylor first spoke of how Dash is different […]
Dash is an important cryptocurrency with a long history. When Evan Duffield and his collaborators began the DarkCoin project as X11, he had assessed several issues with what he’s always referred to as “the Bitcoin project.”
Yesterday, July 11, the price of DASH was in a bearish trend zone below the EMAs. The bears have broken out of the range bound move below the EMAs and price was approaching the low of $142
The team behind Dash, one of the most popular digital currencies in the market, is warning about a vulnerability they found at My Dash Wallet. According to a recent Tweet released by Dash, they found
My Dash Wallet, a digital wallet of Dash cryptocurrency has been compromised according to the developing team of Dash. The DashPay Twitter page notified the […]
A vulnerability has been discovered in the online wallet, and DASH warns users should immediately stop using the service.
Dash informed the community today about an oversight reported with respect to MyDashWallet, a 3rd party wallet; wherein an externally loaded script was reported to send users private keys to a server. Dash’s official Twitter handle further urged users to not use the wallet until the team handles the situation. The Twitter handle tweeted, “A […]
Криптовалютная биржа Poloniex, оператором которой выступает компания Circle, добавила семь торговых пар со стейблкоинами USDC и USDT. Introducing 7 new USD Coin and Tether pairs on Poloniex! $USDC pairs: EOS/USDC, DASH/USDC, ETC/USDC $USDT pairs: BCHSV/USDT, BCHABC/USDT, GRIN/USDT, DGB/USDT $EOS – $DASH – $ETC – $BSV – $BCH – $GRIN – $DGB — Poloniex Exchange (@Poloniex) 9 июля 2019 г. Среди них EOS/USDC, DASH/USDC, ETC/USDC, а также BCHSV/USDT, BCHABC/USDT, GRIN/USDT, DGB/USDT. При листинге Poloniex руководствуется фреймворком Circle по оценке активов по критериям рыночных показателей, технологии, команды и бизнес-модели. В этом контексте присутствие в листинге проекта Bitcoin SV, команда которого неоднократно осуществляла нападки на сообщество, вызывает некоторое недоумение. Напомним, ранее Poloniex добавила возможность ввода/вывода средств посредством банковских счетов, а также покупки биткоина с помощью кредитных и дебетовых карт. Подписывайтесь на новости
Cryptocurrency exchange Poloniex has announced the introduction of seven new asset pairs, with three markets tied to USD Coin (USDC) and four tied to Tether (USDT). The new USDC pairs include EOS/USDC, DASH/USDC, ETC/USDC. Meanwhile, Tether pairs include BCHSV/USDT, BCHABC/USDT, GRIN/USDT, DGB/USDT. To decide upon a listing, Poloniex uses The Circle Asset Framework. It takes …
Yesterday, July 8, the price of DASH was in a bearish trend zone below the EMAs. The price movement has remained the same. On June 25, the bulls reached the $180 overhead resistance but were resisted.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, EOS, Litecoin, Cardano, Stellar, IOTA, Dash, Monero: cryptocurrency rate According to the Coin360 online
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) recently published a draft guide that detailed the conduct of goods and services tax (GST) towards cryptocurrency transactions, since there has been an increase in the use of cryptocurrencies as a mode of payment. The draft has referred, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, Monero, Ripple(XRP) and Zcash as digital […]
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has published a draft guide that explains the goods and services tax (GST) treatment for transactions involving cryptocurrencies that are used as a medium of exchange. Referred to as digital payment tokens, the draft references Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, Monero, Ripple (XRP) and Zcash as examples. In a …


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Ben and the team from Jim Hindmarsh and Son and Mick and the team from K Ranch Arena would like to give you the opportunity to become a entrant at the Inaugural K Ranch Select Performance Horse Sale.
This exciting event will be held at the K Ranch Arena, Mount Hunter on the 19th November 2017.
K Ranch Select Performance Horse Sale is being held in a state of the art facility and will attract vendors and purchasers from all over the country.
The sale will focus on Quarter Horses, Stock Horses and Western disciplines and will give you a new and exciting avenue to market your horses at.
We encourage you to explore what they have to offer at http://www.kranch.com.au/
Each entrant must be registered with the Australian Quarter Horse Association or the Australian Stock Horse Association.
The sale will also be available on-line through Elite Livestock Auctions. Elite Livestock Auctions is Australia’s newest innovative auction company. The Auction will be broadcast live via the internet, with full video, imagery and sound.


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A PLASTIC Beauty and the Beast cup has Disney fans in a frenzy – with people queuing for FOUR HOURS to get hold of one.
The Enchanted Rose drinking cup, which retails at £12, has become a hit after a visitor to Disneyland posted a picture of it on Instagram.
The theme park has sold out and the light up sipper cup is already being sold on eBay for £102.
Katie Stockblower caused a stampede for the souvenir after posting it on a Disney fan website.
Katie, who lives in Orange County, has an annual pass to the park and revealed she went to the opening day of the Beauty and the Beast promo.
She said: “I saw a girl bring out a tray of these tumblers that looked so beautiful. Something about that red colour just popped. I said, 'Oh my gosh, I totally need to get that cup.'
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“So I bought it, and went outside and thought, 'That’d be a cute photo.' I shot it, put it on Instagram, and then one of my friends who runs the Disney Lifestylers account reposted it, and then it just blew out of control.
“Everyone started asking me about the cup, and where they could get the cup.”
Within days, she said, the queue for people trying to buy the cup stretched for four hours.
Fans who have managed to get hold of the sought after item have been sharing their joy on social media.
One posted on Instagram: “Waited almost 2 hours for these limited edition cups.”
Jealous fans posted a flurry of messages asking where they could get a cup.
One wrote: “OMG I need this.”
Another added: “OMG Must have!”
The latest must have Disney item comes days after Primark’s £4 Beauty and the Beast purse sent fans into a meltdown.


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According to retail experts Springboard, footfall across UK retail destinations rose marginally by +0.8% last week from the week before. The rise in footfall of +1.6% in high streets from the week before was predominantly due to a bounce back on Wednesday of +10%, in response to a low comparable of -15% in the week before last. Excluding Wednesday, footfall last week was flat from the week before.
Springboard said all signs are pointing to an increased level of cautiousness among consumers; while there were marginal rises in footfall during weekdays, on Saturday – the peak trading day of the week, which has also increased in significance since the pandemic – footfall declined across all three key destination types.
Despite the caution, the +3.3% rise in footfall in large city centres across the UK and a +4.4% increase in Central London, suggests an increase in office versus home working last week. This is particularly the case as it occurred alongside a drop in footfall of -0.8% in Greater London and a +1.4% rise in market towns, which have both benefited from home working since the start of the pandemic.
Despite the modest performance last week, footfall last week was +6.7% higher than in 2021, an improvement from the +5.1% in the previous week. The gap from the 2019 footfall level also narrowed to -9.2% from -10.8% in the week before last.
Diane Wehrle, insightsdsirector at Springboard, said: “Footfall across UK retail destinations strengthened marginally last week from the week before, however, this stronger performance was the result of a bounce back in footfall on Wednesday, when it had plummeted in the week before last due to rain.
“Excluding this one day, footfall was flat from the week before, a strong indicator of the cautiousness of consumers in the light of the current economic challenges. This cautiousness is particularly apparent in a drop in footfall across all three key destination types on Saturday, the peak trading day of the week.
“While consumers are clearly being cautious, the signs pointed to employees gravitating into their offices last week. Footfall in larger cities across the UK rose by twice the high street average, with an even greater uplift in Central London while in market towns and Greater London – which have become strong indicators of the extent of home working – footfall was weaker.
“The increase in office working last week will have supported footfall across the UK, and in both high streets and shopping centres it rose in six of the 10 UK geographies last week. In contrast, in retail parks – which are further away from office locations – footfall declined in all but one area of the UK.
The bounce back in footfall on Wednesday meant that footfall strengthened from 2021 across all three key destination types last week, and the gap from the 2019 level narrowed.”


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Astronomers in different studies over the years have found various results for the mass of the Milky Way galaxy. Now, in a new study, researchers have estimated that the galaxy is about 890 billion solar
Rocket Lab’s merch store has pretty much what you’d expect from a space-themed gift shop – baby onesies, t-shirts, caps and mission patches. But the commercial rocket launch company just added its latest
After typical supernovae, remnant collapsed cores of matter are left behind. These objects — neutron stars — are approximately 90% neutrons, surrounded by shells containing charged particles. As they spin,
As the private sector sets its sights on doing business in orbit, space exploration is becoming space exploitation—how can humans use the environment around their planet to further their own prosperity?
Max Q is a new weekly newsletter all about space from TechCrunch. Sign up here to receive it weekly on Sundays in your inbox. This is it – the very first edition of Max Q: TechCrunch’s space newsletter.


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Fable: The new title of the Fable franchise, currently under development by the Turn 10 studio, will use Forza’s graphics engine in its production and is behind a new software engineer to manipulate the tool.
Last Monday (3), Microsoft listed a vacancy offer to fill the Turn 10 studio team, responsible for bringing the Forza series to life (Horizon and Motorsport). According to the description shared on the company’s careers page, the new contractor will program the ForzaTech engine and enrich it “to support an open-world action RPG”, in addition to “adding new features like Ray Tracing” to the next-gen version of Fable.
The job vacancy also suggested that Microsoft already works on three AAA games from two “beloved Xbox franchises”, all based on the technology used by the Tech Share team – ForzaTech devs. Thus, with Forza Motorsport 8 practically in playable state and Fable being the center of the vacancy’s intentions, everything indicates that there are great possibilities for the third title to be a sequel to Forza Horizon 4, not yet officially confirmed by the studio.
What do you think about sharing this technology? Will we see a Fable with an open world to impress? Leave your opinion in the comments.


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MIAMI, April 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 2016 is a big year for AHAA: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing – not only is the organization celebrating its 20th anniversary but it is putting on the most anticipated multicultural marketing conference of the year. AHAA 20/20: The Future in Focus, taking place at the Nobu Eden Roc Resort in Miami on April 18-20, acknowledges the tremendous growth of the past two decades but also lasers in on how exponential changes in technology and demographics are shaping the U.S. marketing landscape of today and tomorrow. AHAA has jam-packed the most buzzed about topics, such as demographic disruption, social native content, digital fraud, programmatic and ad blocking, into a powerful, three-day agenda.
"Our market is more relevant than ever – second- and third-generation Hispanics have become the lifeblood of our nation and the strategic linchpin to the most successful marketing campaigns," said AHAA Chair Linda Lane Gonzalez, president of viva partnership, inc. "Brands, media and agencies that are looking to evolve with this dynamic marketplace will be attending this landmark conference."
The party starts Monday evening when singer/songwriting duo and sons of legendary singer Ricardo Montaner, Mau y Ricky, will perform live during the welcome reception and cocktail party. Attendees will be the first to hear their new sound, as they will debut songs from their first album title ARTE at AHAA. Kicking off the conference Tuesday morning is opening keynote speaker Wendy Clark, President-CEO of North America DDB.
Other notable speakers include film and television screenwriter and producer Roberto Orci, billion-dollar filmmaker behind some of the decade's biggest films including Mission: Impossible III, Eagle Eye, Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Cowboys and Aliens and the Star Trek films; Eric Reynolds, SVP-Chief Marketing Officer, The Clorox Company; Rich Benjamin, Author of Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America; Luis Balaguer, founder and CEO of Latin World Entertainment (LatinWE), the premier Hispanic talent management company in the U.S., along with digital superstars Juan Pablo Zurita, the #1 Vine and Snapchat personality in Latin America, and Miss Colombia 2014 Ariadna Gutierrez, who became one of the most recognized beauty queens in the world when host, Steve Harvey, accidentally announced her as the winner of the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant.
This year, State Farm® will be crowned the 2016 AHAA Marketer of the Year, joining a prestigious short list of elite brands that have received the award, including McDonald's, Toyota, and Walmart. Leif Roll, marketing vice president at State Farm, will accept the award on the company's behalf and join Luis Miguel Messianu, Chairman and CEO of Alma, for a candid discussion on the State Farm brand's successful 20-yearlong commitment to Hispanics and what it takes to stay relevant in a changing marketplace.
The accolades don't stop there – AHAA is honoring agency pioneer Ernest Bromley with the Caballero Award and Ceril Shagrin, executive vice president of Audience Measurement Innovation and Analytics for Univision Communications Inc. (UCI), with the Lifetime Achievement Award during a special luncheon that also will feature a donation ceremony as representatives from the Smithsonian Institution will accept artifacts from AHAA's Voto campaign, which will be included in the National Museum of American History.
Finally, AHAA is known for its breakdown sessions that allow attendees a deeper dive into key tracks, including research, digital and public relations:
- Known for its breaking research, AHAA is bringing the latest studies from Nielsen, The Futures Company, U.S. Census, YuMe and Culturati. Attendees will be armed with new information on disruptive demographics, consumer purchase behavior, culturally-relevant video content and messaging.
- Spearheaded by AHAA's Hispanic Digital Media Committee (HDMC), the digital track will cover automated advertising, digital product branding, digital audio, social native content, and digital advertising fraud.
- In partnership with the Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA), the public relations track features leading Latina PR business owners, including Roxana Lissa, founder and CEO, RL Public Relations & Marketing and partner, Sportivo, Yvonne Lorie, founder of Refresh PR, and Audrey Ponzio, founding partner, APC Collective, as they share their experience and insights on and what it means to be a power player in the communications industry. Moderated by Sabrina Macias, head of PR & Communications, DraftKings, this session covers how to drive revenue in an ever-evolving communications industry, attract and retain top talent, and deliver excellent client service. In addition, as the agency leading Hispanic public relations strategy for the launch of the all-new Hyundai Sonata, Lorie and her team will provide a glimpse into how they were able to penetrate the saturated auto market and develop a meaningful and engaging program driving approximately half a million dollars in earned media
AHAA would like to thank its generous sponsors for making this special iteration of the AHAA Annual Conference possible: Audio Ad, Azteca America, BrightBox, Clear Channel Outdoor, CNN En Espanol, Entravision, HispanicAd, Hispanic On Demand, iHeartMedia, IP Advertising, Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald, Multicultural Marketing, NBCUniversal Hispanic Group, Nielsen, Orci, Portada, PRODU, SBS, Univision, Yahoo, and YuMe.
For more information, please visit http://ahaa.org and follow all conference chatter on Twitter using the @ahaa handle and hashtag #ahaafuture.
About AHAA: Founded in 1996, AHAA: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing is the national trade organization of all marketing, communications and media firms with trusted Hispanic expertise.
SOURCE AHAA: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing


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Amazon expands growth, sends Alexa in Brazil
Amazon.com Inc. will be launching its virtual assistant Alexa in Brazil this month, set to install the software in three new devices.
Weeks after launching its Prime subscription service to Brazilian customers, U.S.-based Amazon aims at making local competitions more robust in Brazil as it offers unlimited nationwide free shipping plus a maximum 48-hour delivery in more than ninety areas.
“This is a particularly exciting moment for Amazon in Brazil,” Alexa’s international director Michele Butti said on Wednesday. Alexa will be available in the Portuguese language, as well.
Aside from the nationwide free 48-hour max delivery, Amazon is offering discounts on pre-orders of the three Alexa-infused devices in Echo Dot, Echo Show 5, and Amazon Echo.
“We are proud of our products and results are exceeding expectations in other countries, but we are not particularly focused on sales numbers in the first year or month,” said Butti.
The three Amazon gadgets offered in Brazil range from 349-699 reais.
Thailand GDP growth lower than forecast, says central bank19.02.2020
New York Fed: U.S. shoppers suspect spending growth slowdown17.02.2020
Euro slips on weak economic growth, yen stable despite weak Japan GDP12.02.2020
China can fortify stimulus if growth slows further amid virus spread, IMF says


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The much-awaited Philippine edition of the Condé Nast franchise reveals a stunning cover featuring Chloe Magno against the breathtaking lagoons of Bucas Grandes.
Vogue Philippines, which is published under a license agreement between Condé Nast and MEGA Global Licensing, Inc., today launched its maiden issue. Featured in its first cover of the 422-page issue is Chloe Magno, a Filipino-American model whose roots are from Davao, photographed by British-born, half-Filipino, half-Egyptian photographer, Sharif Hamza. Magno was shot amid the breathtaking lagoons of the Bucas Grande in Surigao del Norte. The debut issue marks the arrival of Vogue Philippines, in print and on its digital and social platforms. The cover story highlights the diversity of Filipino talent and beauty, with stunning locations that reflect this diversity.
“Our Philippine team charted out a course to explore the Philippine fashion identity. We waded through
mangroves and crossed digital skyways. Guided by the confines of sunrise and sunsets, we planned the days
judging for rain in the skies. Our waterways yield ways of thinking, enabling us to experience our “archipelagic nature”: how we are connected, not separated, by seas and a horizon,” writes editor-in-chief Bea Valdes in her Editor’s Note.
“The maiden issue explores the concept of identity – what it is to be fashioned and shaped by our environment, our landscapes and by the people we cherish. It speaks of sustainable mindsets, in our own terms. It is filled with hometown heroes and global dreams all seen through Vogue’s unique lens,” says Valdes, who has guided the team in stamping a distinctly Vogue Philippines identity to the title.
The 36-page cover feature travels the length of the Philippines, with Magno floating in the lagoons of Bucas Grande, Surigao del Norte, exploring the otherworldly rock formations of Biri Island, Northern Samar, and conquering the marble boulders at Tinipak River, Rizal. All this while dressed in clothing from international couture labels to local indie darlings, showing a range of designers and brands that have a mind for both luxury and sustainability.
Other notable fashion stories in the issue include a futuristic take on the terno, the traditional silhouette symbolic of Philippine national dress as interpreted by contemporary and cutting-edge Filipino designers; a feature on the next wave of emerging talent who are pushing the boundaries of fashion, whether by creating gender-disruptive clothing or diving deep into Filipino heritage; and an accessories story that celebrates the history of craft and artisanship inherent in the country’s latest must-haves baubles and bags.
“Through the content in Vogue Philippines and its platforms, we hope to showcase the Philippine fashion identity, by connecting us to the global community. Vogue remains the most powerful platform for fashion’s emerging talents and their diverse perspectives. It has always been at the crest of new aesthetics and mindsets, and we are thrilled to join the fold,” says editor-in-chief Bea Valdes.
The designer’s appointment to head Vogue’s 28th international edition was announced in April this year, following the news that Mega Global Licensing Inc. will be publishing Vogue Philippines across print, digital, and social platforms under a licensing agreement with Condé Nast.
Expanding the world of fashion and beauty, Vogue Philippines also shares the stories of craft and innovation found in furniture, interiors, and architecture. In this issue, we get inside a French luxury furniture brand whose family of designers has been working with Cebuano artisans for decades. We also delve into the slow-build philosophy of an interior designer who is making a seaside resort purely with materials local to the island.
When asked how Vogue Philippines can contribute to the Philippine publishing industry, Suki Salvador, President of MEGA Global Licensing Group, Inc. quotes MEGA founder, the late Sari Yap: “The best time to create something beautiful is during adversity.”
He explained that during the pandemic when this was being conceived together with Archie Carrasco, Chairman and CEO of AGC Power Holdings Corp., and Rhoda Aldanese, publisher of Vogue Philippines, they made the decision to make a big move.
“We felt that bringing Vogue Philippines to the country by making a bold move in such a difficult time would spark energy for everyone to follow. I feel that energy is what Vogue Philippines will bring to the publishing industry as well as fashion and beauty in general in the country,” Salvador adds.
While everyone is saying print is dead, Salvador believes that just like fashion, platforms on media are cyclical. Sometimes it will quiet down and plummet and he acknowledges there is a new generation of readers and people “who like to touch books because there’s so much garbage online.”
He shares, “We feel they are the ones we still start to talk to and hopefully they will pick up a magazine instead of an iPad.”
Addressing a question about how Vogue Philippines intends to focus on local fashion, the editor-in-chief shares that they would “like to focus on as many aspects as possible because there are broader stories to tell, from the yarn manufacturers and how yarns are made to the cotton farmers and what this means for the whole industry and society as well.”
Valdes adds, “The stories that we would like to bring forward are not just about one aspect, but we need the whole broad spectrum because we see it as an ecosystem. And in that respect every single part is integral to the next, connected, and it’s what helps the whole web become buoyant.”
According to the editor-in-chief, “Those are the stories we would like to bring to people, to serve different perspectives and people who contribute to the industry in lesser known ways. Hopefully those are the things we would like to open up to our readers.”
With regards to sustainable fashion as a relevant issue, Valdes shares, “I think what we would like to do is to show rather than tell. We would like to feature people who are trying new mindsets and doing new things that are along the lines of sustainability because it isn’t a trend; it’s really a mindset shift that is global. And we would like to tell it through the Filipino lens.”
What tone can we expect from Vogue Philippines? Valdes affirms, “I see it as a basis of our own character. We look at the characteristics that are inherent to the Filipino and we’ve used that as a guide to lead by our Filipino values.”
She adds that they are focused on the values of malasakit, bayanihan, this inherent sense of optimism and joy that they have which is very much reflected as the joy the magazine will bring as well.
What is the big dream and vision of Vogue Philippines? Valdes says that “to simplify it and put it through the lens of fashion, it would be first to crystallize the Philippine fashion identity.”
She adds that this applies to the local and global audience while discovering emerging talents and nurturing these. It is simply to bring the art and business of fashion to the whole community and it is something that they would like to share with the whole ecosystem and the other publications while lifting up the whole industry in every single way that they can.
Related to this is how Vogue Philippines will be impacting the lives of those in the country’s publishing industry.
Vogue Philippines publisher, Rhoda Aldanese shares, “We discussed a lot about our character and values system and that is what we have put into the platform. The platform aims to help the business as a whole.”
She elaborates, “I remember Bea saying that when the industry or economy is practically on its knees Vogue is here to help create a more robust ecosystem for our economy as a whole.”
Salvador shares, “Our role as media people and journalists is obviously to story tell and through storytelling we are hopeful that we can make people’s lives easier. By putting out stories through Vogue or MEGA or Lifestyle Asia we hope to shortcut people’s process in trying to get to know something.”
Aldanese adds, “I think we have the most powerful voices internationally that will really put us in that international landscape. So that’s one of the pluses we have, our access to the brightest in the industry.”
Valdes says, “Hopefully we want to be one of the most creative platforms out there for our fellow countrymen to be able to express ideas. The wonderful thing about fashion is it tells human stories.”
While that can lead to fantasy or pseudo reality it always points towards this creative lengthening and the magazine hopes to include as many stellar writers, producers, make-up artists, photographers, offering a safe haven and an exciting, dynamic place for creatives to showcase the best of what they can do.
Valdes shares that one of the interesting mandates that Vogue has is the thrust towards sustainability.
She explains, “What that means to me is that it has the potential to reframe our relationship with nature, our relationship with each other, and with ourselves. And when I think about it and what the magazine’s pages can do is bring these stories of people who are doing it in their own way, locally and showcase this to our readers.”
She believes that it is the spark they would like to ignite by featuring those who are doing meaningful and powerful work.
“The power of our platform is to bring small stories with global dreams to a wider audience,” Valdes concludes.
Vogue Philippines invites you to step into its world, one that is uplifting and inclusive and filled with the Filipino values of optimism, empathy, and the spirit of bayanihan. The September issue is only the beginning of a journey Vogue Philippines intends to take with its audiences, navigating the new and nuanced meanings of beauty, style, and luxury, and championing Filipino creativity in its multitude of forms.
Vogue Philippines is published under a license agreement between Condé Nast and MEGA Global Licensing. Inc. Condé Nast’s media licensing business publishes editions of the global media company’s iconic brands with local partners around the world.
Banner photo courtesy of Vogue Philippines.