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Queen City Bookstore has been a staple of Buffalo for decades. For more than 50 years, it has been an inviting haven for comic book lovers, making it the longest-standing comic store in Western New York. Now, it still shines as bright as ever despite the current pandemic taking a toll on businesses everywhere.
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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Silicon Valley start-ups, increasingly dropping Microsoft and turning to Web-based software, may be the crucial opening Google needs for its Chrome operating system.
Analysts and executives say Google, which unveiled the Chrome this week in a direct challenge to Microsoft’s decades-old dominance of computer operating systems and business applications, will take years to get significant share of the market, but start-ups might be their way in.
A growing number of tech entrepreneurs argue that Microsoft’s current software is out of date and inefficient because, unlike applications that run off the Web in a “cloud” environment, they run one copy per person at a time, rather than allowing multiple users to share information.
“In a business setting you never work on things alone,” said Tien Tzuo, chief executive of Zuora, a company that sells software to facilitate billing online.
“The idea of sending a file back and forth is just archaic,” said Tzuo. “Why not just give employees an inexpensive device that allows them to plug into the Internet?”
Microsoft’s Windows nonetheless dominates. It remains the operating system software for about 95 percent of PCs, with more than 950 million copies running worldwide.
Key to Windows’s success is that it offers the most applications and draws the most programmers. But start-ups, who thrive on low-cost efficiency, say Google’s operating system — which will be free — offers superior applications.
Many have already switched to Web-based software such as Google Apps for everything from email to word processing.
David Sifry, the chief executive of Offbeat Guides, which provides personalized on-line guides for 30,000 destinations, said Google Apps allow him to travel without a computer because he can access all of his applications on-line.
Also, with operating system-based applications most companies would have to maintain, update, install, costing time and money, he said.
In contrast, Offbeat Guides contractors around the world collaborate online with the main office, Sifry said.
“The fact that I don’t have to worry about doing technical support on their computers and software helps an extraordinary amount,” he said. “Whenever Google does a bug fix it works on all of their systems, without us having to spend any effort.”
Analysts estimate about 2 percent of PC users will try out the Chrome OS in its first year.
Google has said it will first try to persuade the likes of Hewlett-Packard and Acer to offer its operating system in low-cost netbooks that work mostly off the Web, allowing existing individual users to switch painlessly.
But analysts are uncertain if Google’s Chrome can gain rapid traction among corporations, law firms and other businesses because of the sheer cost of switching.
James Siminoff, chief executive of PhoneTag — which faces direct competition from Google for software that transcribes phone messages — uses both Google and Microsoft and similarly lets his employees use any application they want. But he concedes that some Microsoft applications remain indispensable.
Both Siminoff and Sifry say they need at least a few copies of Microsoft’s Excel spreadsheet software so they can exchange data with lawyers and accountants.
Chad Wilbur, a senior Quist Valuation financial analyst, said Excel enjoys “mindshare” among long-standing users.
“It’s beat into you from the time you learn on a computer. All our client documents arrive in Excel format. There are no comparable products,” he said.
But Tzuo argues that will change.
“Sure, there are certain functions that are still only in Excel,” he said, noting his finance department uses it for complex spreadsheets spanning multiple files. But every day that passes, the number of things that Excel does, that Google Spreadsheet doesn’t, gets smaller and smaller.”
Editing by Edwin Chan and Tim Dobbyn

domain: news


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Retail store owned by Stacy's Greenhouses now closed
If you still want to buy plants from Stacy’s Greenhouses in York, S.C., you’ll have to shop at a big box store.
The popular upstate greenhouse was purchased last year by Huntersville-based Metrolina Greenhouses, according to Mike Colitti, Metrolina’s chief financial officer.
Stacy’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June of last year to facilitate its sale to Metrolina, Colitti said. The purchase was approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in South Carolina last fall.
It was a strategic move Metrolina made to continue to grow its revenue, Colitti said, by gaining access to Stacy’s perennial (plants that grow for more than two years) business.
“Their products really complemented our annual (plants that grow for one year) business,” Colitti said. “By purchasing them, we were really able to broaden what we sell.”
Stacy’s retail facility was not reopened this spring, Colitti said, to conform to Metrolina’s philosophy.
“That retail facility just wasn’t a part of our business model,” Colitti said. “Of those three locations owned by Stacy’s, we closed the retail facility and kept the two (production) greenhouses.”
Customers will now be able to purchase plants at more than 2,000 locations across the East Coast, Colitti said, including Wal-Mart and other big box stores.
Founded in 1969 by Louis O. Stacy Jr., Stacy’s Greenhouses grew from a single greenhouse to more than 260 acres of greenhouse, retail and office space at its peak, employing more than 700.


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WASHINGTON — The U.S. December consumer price index was up 0.3% and the core rate rose 0.2%, a little worse than expected. Underlying price details are even scarier.
Over the year CPI posted a 4.1% rise, its biggest advance since a 6.1% jump in 1990. Core posted 2.4% higher over the year. Unrounded core CPI was up 0.2422% for December, a high reading and a bond-market negative.


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2014's iPad Mini debuted with a lot of yawns as the upgrade was very minimal from 2013's unit. Even though most agreed that the iPad Mini 3 was an okay tablet, critics such as Dieter Bohn from The Verge slammed Apple for not caring enough to give the iPad mini more of an upgrade.
"It's a disappointment, and not because Apple released an average tablet instead of the miniaturized super tablet I'd been hoping for. No, it's a disappointment because for the past year there was one 'best' tablet, the iPad, and you could pick the smaller one if you wanted. This year bigger, it seems, is better again."
Apple is expected to launch the iPad mini 4 around the same time they launch the iPad Pro, a larger tablet that Gizmodo claims will have a very special addition.
"Apple already has patents for its own stylus, and a bigger iPad wouldn't interest the average user anyway, who would most likely stick with an iPad Air or Mini. Instead, the big iPad will be marketed toward creatives and artists who need the pen to do their tablet-based artwork."
"In the earnings call, CEO Tim Cook attributed the apparent drop in iPad sales to two reasons: First, a reduction in channel inventory this year compared to an increase in channel inventory last year. Second, the holiday quarter last year ended with a backlog of iPad mini sales. This year, there was a supply and demand balance."


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Hyatt is set to add six properties in the southern US under its recently acquired Thompson Hotels brand.
First up will be the Thompson Dallas and Thompson San Antonio – both scheduled to open in November this year.
The 219-room Dallas property will be housed within a re-development of the city’s 52-story First National Bank Tower, and will feature a 49th floor restaurant and 50th floor observation deck, as well as an “urban oasis” on the 9th floor featuring an infinity edge pool, spa, fitness centre and “yoga and pet parks”.
Meanwhile the 162-room Thompson San Antonio will be located on the banks of the San Antonio River, and will feature a 20th floor rooftop bar, and a restaurant from “a celebrated local chef”.
Further ahead the brand is slated to open properties in Savannah, Buckhead and Austin in 2021, as well as Houston in 2023.
Thompson Hotels joined Hyatt last year, following the group’s purchase of lifestyle hotel management company Two Roads Hospitality. The lifestyle brand also joined the World of Hyatt loyalty programme in March 2019.
In January Hyatt opened the first Thompson property in Washington DC, with an 11-storey new-build located in the city’s Navy Yard district.
Commenting on the news Crystal Vinisse Thomas, Hyatt’s director of global lifestyle brands, said:
“We are excited to announce the future openings of six new Thompson hotels in Georgia and Texas, which, together with Thompson Nashville, will bolster the brand’s presence in the Southern US.
“In this new and uncharted era of travel, we recognize the importance of unique, lifestyle-driven hotels that inspire travellers seeking refined and evocative experiences.
“We look forward to inviting our guests to rediscover southern hospitality through the tailored lens of the Thompson Hotels brand – celebrating the rich culinary, music and artistic foundations of the South through exceptional service, crafted design and an elevated social scene.”


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Although the agreement for the purchase of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft was announced at the beginning of the year, there are still many deadlines to meet. The business movement will be effective in 2023 if everything goes as planned, but before that happens from the United Kingdom an investigation arises.
Specifically, the one that is going to be carried out by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the antitrust regulatory body of the territory. As they point out from Reuters, this investigation aims to ascertain whether the purchase would reduce competition in the United Kingdom.
Taking into account the official publication made by the CMA, we can verify that it will pronounce a decision with a deadline of September 1 of this same year. However, the institution “cannot guarantee that the decision will be announced on or before the current deadline.” Both Activision Blizzard and Microsoft have been informed about the opening of this process.
The consequences of the acquisition are multiple and in different ways. For example, everything indicates that Bobby Kotick will leave his position as CEO of Activision Blizzard, while Microsoft has already taken a position on cases of harassment and discrimination. In addition, the exclusivities on Xbox with the arrival of new IPs have been resolved by Matt Botty.
#United #Kingdom #takes #magnifying #glass #walk #investigate #purchase #Activision #Blizzard #Microsoft


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This article is more than 1 year old
Google borgs display ad optimizer for $400m
Bring on the regulators
Google has agreed to acquire international online-advertising outfit AdMeld for $400m, according to a report citing "multiple sources". An ad-related deal of this size will almost certainly bring more antitrust scrutiny onto the company.
AdMeld provides "ad optimization", offering technology that helps websites choose which ads to accept from which ad networks and other ad buyers. "AdMeld's mission is to keep premium publishers on the cutting edge of advertising technology, enabling them to maximize their revenue and sell their inventory smarter and safer," the company says on its website. "Our high-tech, high-touch approach generates the maximum yield for every ad impression by giving publishers access to demand from hundreds of sources (ad networks, DSPs, etc.) on their own terms."
Similar tools are offered by companies such as the Los Angeles–based Rubicon Project and the Palo Alto–based Pubmatic.
Presumably, Google will roll AdMeld's technology into its DoubleClick for Publishers server (formerly known as DART). DART, of course, is another Google acquisition. Google announced that it had agreed to purchase DoubleClick for $3.1bn in April 2007, but the deal wasn't finalized until March of the next year, thanks to heavy antitrust scrutiny from the US Federal Trade Commission and regulators in Europe.
Last year, Google also received heavy scrutiny over its proposed acquisition of mobile ad outfit AdMob, but this deal went through as well.
The AdMeld acquisition is significant because provides a piece of the display-ad puzzle that Google lacks. In addition to serving display ads through DoubleClick for publishers, Google offers a Double exchange that sells ads. Over the past several months, Google has also acquired Teracent, an outfit that customizes the makeup of display ads, and Invite Media, which helps ad buyers acquire inventory from ad exchanges. ®


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President Donald Trump singled-out the euro as an undervalued currency Tuesday in what could be a sign that Europe, and its $1.2 trillion auto sector, is next on his tariff hit-list.
Trump said the euro, as well as other global currencies, are "devalued" against the U.S. dollar, which itself is trading a two-and-a-half month low on foreign exchange markets. Speaking with CNBC's Squawk Box program yesterday, Trump said the European Union had been a "very, very difficult" trade negotiator and suggested weaker global currencies put the U.S. at a disadvantage in world trade, but that he could redress this imbalance with tariffs.
"Without tariffs, we would be absolutely, outside of something that I won't even mention, we would be absolutely in a competitive disadvantage, the likes of which you've never seen, Trump said. "Now, people haven't used tariffs, but tariffs are a beautiful thing when you're the piggy bank, when you have all the money. Everyone's trying to get our money, China -- and the China deal's going to work out you know why. Because of tariffs."
TheStreet's founder, Jim Cramer, thinks Trump's use of tariffs to extract concessions on non-trade issues, such as with Mexico and immigration, raises huge risks for European carmakers, which could find themselves on the business end of fresh U.S. levies if the President were to use tariffs to compel countries such as Germany and France to increase their NATO spending commitments.
Germany reaffirmed a commitment to increase its military spending to 2% of its GDP by 2024 following a series of tense meetings with Trump at last year's NATO summit, but indicated last month that its 2019 outlay would only rise to around 1.35% and that it would only spend 1.5% of its GDP by the 2024 deadline.
"The Prime Minister and I agree that our NATO allies must increase their defense spending (and) we've both been working very hard to that end," Trump told during a joint press conference with outgoing UK leader Theresa May last week in London. "We expect a growing number of nations to meet the minimum 2% of GDP requirement. To address today's challenges, all members of the alliance must fulfill their obligations."
"They have no choice," he added.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to apply tariffs on European-made cars sold in the United States, but postponed a decision to use section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act as a pretext to apply the 20% levy until later in the fall.
European carmakers had been under pressure from comments made during Trump's State of the Union Speech to Congress earlier this year, when he urged lawmakers to pass the United States Reciprocal Trade Act, "so that if another country places an unfair tariff on an American product, we can charge them the exact same tariff on the exact same product that they sell to us."
The EU exported around 1.155 million cars to the U.S. market last year, according to the European Automobile Manufacturing Association, with total value of just over €37.3 billion ($41.8 billion). The U.S, in contrast, moved only 267,653 cars in the other direction, a value of just €5.5 billion but still nearly 20% of the sector's entire international export base.
Cars imported into the United States from countries that don't have existing pacts with Washington are subject to a 12.5% levy, while pickup trucks are subject to a 25% tariff.
That said, some of the largest production facilities of Europe's biggest carmarkers are located in the United States, with plants in Vance, Al. and Spartanburg, S.C. and Chattanooga, Tn., that assemble around a third of the German cars sold domestically.


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One day in 2008, George Parry was sitting in his truck at an intersection when a strange, bright yellow three-wheeled vehicle zipped along the road in front of him. “I was like, ‘I have to have one of those,’” he recalls. Parry, who lives in San Diego, went home and searched the internet for variations of “three-wheeled motorcycle” until he found a match: the vehicle was called a Spyder, manufactured by Valcourt, Que.-based BRP Inc.
For Parry, the moment at the intersection proved serendipitous. He rode motorcycles as a young man, but gave up the practice after he got married and had kids—not to mention the fact that he has a genetic disorder that leaves him with bones that easily break. The Spyder, essentially a tricycle for adults designed with two wheels in front and one in the back, provides some of the thrills of a motorcycle without the risk or requisite technical abilities. Parry put 85,000 miles on his first Spyder, and he’s now on to his second. His wife owns one, too. Parry even serves as the national director for Spyder Ryder of America, an organization for enthusiasts (the motto? “It’s about the RYDE…Not the destination.”) And he tracked down the owner of that yellow Spyder. “He’s become one of my best friends,” Parry says.
BRP could use more customers like Parry. The company, spun off from Bombardier Inc. in 2003, builds Ski-Doos, Sea-Doos and other recreational vehicles. BRP introduced the Spyder a decade ago as an alternative to the motorcycle, courting wealthy Baby Boomers and retirees who have aged out of riding Harleys, or were too intimidated to start in the first place. Since then, the company has produced more than 100,000 Spyders, and it’s grown into an improbable success, accounting for approximately $300-million in revenue last year.
But growth may have plateaued. Sales fell in the “high single-digits” last year, company CEO José Boisjoli said on a recent earnings call. In the U.S., for example, BRP sold only 6,700 Spyders in 2016 compared to 8,500 the year before, according to one analyst who follows the company. Boisjoli characterized it as a “disappointing” year. That’s why BRP installed a new executive to oversee the division last fall and implement a plan to boost sales. But it remains to be seen how much more the unit can really grow, especially beyond its core group of early-adopters. “My view on the Spyder is not as optimistic as the company’s,” says Seth Woolf, an analyst with Northcoast Research in Ohio. “They’ve created a nice little business, but I’m not convinced the ceiling is much higher.”
READ MORE: The Baby Boomer’s dream ride
That’s where Josée Perreault comes in. She joined BRP as senior vice-president for the Spyder division in October, after spending more than 20 years at sports equipment maker Oakley Inc. She stresses the issues facing the Spyder are not entirely surprising. “BRP invented the three-wheel business 10 years ago,” Perreault says. “In my books, it’s still a brand new business.” She’s spent the past few months immersing herself in Spyder culture—meeting with dealers and owners as far away as Japan, and going on rides herself. Her plan is to address some of the barriers that prevent people from trying out and ultimately purchasing Spyders. If BRP can just get more people to actually take one for a spin, Perreault argues, sales will improve. “Butts on the seats are critical for our future,” she says.
The licensing system presents one hurdle. Each province and state has a different approach to three-wheel vehicles. Drivers in California can hop on a Spyder with only a regular automobile license. Other jurisdictions require riders to get motorcycle license, or a variant thereof. The problem is not every driving school offers courses for three-wheeled vehicles because there haven’t been enough students to make it profitable.
To remedy that, BRP is reaching out to driving schools primarily in the U.S. to pitch them on the business case for offering classes for trikes. In the past few months, the company has convinced 17 schools to implement one. In some jurisdictions, BRP is also offering to cover part of the cost of these courses for those who purchase Spyders. In Ontario, for example, BRP will pay up to $489. Subsidizing ridership does not exactly point to a bright future for the Spyder, but Perreault says it’s helping to reduce one more obstacle for customers.
The other major component she’s tackling is the dealer network. “When your sales have been difficult,” Perreault says, “dealers might be disengaged.” Spyders are sold through independent stores that carry multiple products and brands. If those dealers are not properly educated or enthusiastic about the Spyder, they’re not likely to sell many of them. BRP has launched “Spyder Experience Days” as a result, essentially taking over dealerships for a weekend, and bringing in veteran Spyder owners to lead demos, answer questions and spearhead group rides.
Woolf at Northcoast says these efforts will help, but believes the impact will be limited. “Dealers will devote plenty of attention to a product if they feel it will make them money,” he says. The reality is the three-wheeled market is small, and the Spyder is not the only product of its kind to be stagnating. A U.S. company called Polaris Industries also manufactures a three-wheeled vehicle called the Slingshot, which is more akin to a car than a motorcycle. Woolf says the sales trajectory for the Slingshot is similar to the Spyder, and growth is levelling off.
The Spyder isn’t cheap, either. Prices range from $17,000 to more than $26,000 in Canada. “One of the things I’ve really been trying to hammer home to the company is that price point,” says Tony Younger, president of a Spyder rider chapter in Sacramento, Calif. He’s suggested to BRP representatives that an entry-level model would help sales and attract a younger demographic. For now, though, the company has no plans to court younger buyers. The typical Spyder owner is 62-years-old, predominantly male, with time and money to spare. “If our current client is 62, let’s embrace that,” Perreault says, adding she wants to do a better job of tapping into the enthusiasm that already exists.
Indeed, there is a strong fan culture around the vehicle. Spyder clubs and chapters have popped up across North America to organize group rides and participate in community events and parades. YouTube is rife with videos of reviews, demos and helmet-cam footage. A healthy aftermarket exists for owners to trick out their Spyders with LEDs and decals (flames and spiders are evidently popular). Next month, BRP is hosting a “homecoming” weekend event in Valcourt to celebrate the Spyder’s 10th anniversary, and 2,800 owners have signed up to attend. Parry and his wife will be cruising on their Spyders more than 3,000 miles each way to take part.
Devotees say that over those 10 years, the Spyder has become more accepted and less of an oddity. When Younger gives a wave to an oncoming motorcyclist these days, the rider will now return the gesture. “There’s still about 10 per cent who don’t salute back, just because they don’t consider it to be a true motorcycle,” he says. Parry echoes this sentiment. “It’s being taken more seriously,” he says. Whether people take the Spyder seriously enough to purchase one is another matter.


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Gaijin Entertainment: PS4 makes 'huge step towards ease of development'
Another game studio has praised the PS4's architecture. Creative director Kirill Yudintsev of Gaijin Entertainment, the studio working to bring War Thunder to PS4, praised the system's design and architecture, claiming "Sony really made a huge step towards ease of development."
"PlayStation 3 was very power, for that generation, but it was much harder to exploit," Yudintsev told GameZone.
"The power was mostly in SPU units," he explained. "We had to spend a lot of time developing code for the PS3."
The PS4, he says, "is much more accessible." War Thunder was originally designed as a PC game, but because of the PS4 features Kirill told me that the studio is going to be able to develop "a lot of really cool features that are not currently presented in the PC version. These features will be ready for PS4 players right from the start."
Back in April, Epic Games VP Mark Rein praised Sony's decision to use "off-the-shelf PC parts" in the PS4. Reign even raised the notion that PS4 titles could even surpass what "most PCs" are capable of achieving due to memory limitations of the 32-bit versions of Windows. It's an idea that even Yudintsev brought up when he told me that War Thunder on PS4 will have "greater visuals, at least for some time" than the average PC.
Be sure to check back for the full interview with Gaijin Entertainment's Kirill Yudintsev which will be posted later this week. And follow @Matt_GZ on Twitter for all the gaming news you can handle.


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WhizAI, which touts itself as the first and only purpose-built cognitive insights platform for the life sciences, secured $4 million in seed funding.
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The Somerset, New Jersey-based company’s platform uses artificial intelligence, machine learning and scalability to learn the language and data of life sciences to provide insights to customers about business questions.
“One thing we kept seeing was apps geared toward dashboards, but those are for people who are already tech savvy,” WhizAI co-founder and CEO Rohit Vashisht told Crunchbase News. “There are people who need data, but can’t use those products, so we created one. We focused first on the sales side of the pharmaceutical business. They can use SMS to text a question, and WhizAI pulls the data and puts it into a chart.”
Healthy Ventures led the round, with participation from Bling Capital, Firebolt Ventures and existing investors. WhizAI previously raised $2.5 million in other seed rounds and other investments a few years ago, according to Crunchbase data. With this new investment, the company has raised more than $6.5 million since being founded in 2017.
As part of the financing, Healthy Ventures’ founder and general partner Anya Schiess will join WhizAI’s board of directors.
The new funding will be used for product development, new hires and to increase sales and marketing, Vashisht said.
In terms of growth, WhizAI has 43 employees right now at its offices in New Jersey, India and Ukraine, having grown from 19 three months ago. By the end of the year, Vashisht expects that number to be about 70. Revenue has grown five times between 2019 and 2020, and he anticipates the same next year.
“We are seeing very rapid growth, especially now that we have signed a major contract with a global pharmaceutical company that will have thousands of users,” he said. “We also plan to have a small office in Europe and will go live in 26 countries.”
Illustration: Li-Anne Dias
Stay up to date with recent funding rounds, acquisitions, and more with the Crunchbase Daily.


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The man responsible for keeping Walgreen Co.`s 1,300 stores stocked with candy angrily confronted E.J. Brach`s new top marketing official at an industry trade show at McCormick Place in early 1989.
Since Swiss-based Jacobs Suchard AG had taken over Chicago`s biggest candymaker two years earlier, it had purged the firm`s top management. Then the new European managers purged most of the higher echelons of the sales and marketing ranks.
Now it was just a few months before Easter, a time of heavy candy sales, and the company had no sales program in place.
``They didn`t know which items they were going to have; they didn`t know what the packaging would look like,`` said Ray Lalowski, the candy buyer for Walgreen`s. ``We dumped them for the season and went to Farley (another Chicago producer).``
They weren`t alone. In the years since the takeover, sales at the nation`s third largest candymaker have plummeted. Suchard`s North American sales, about 70 percent of which is Brach`s, dropped from $740 million in 1987 to $646 million last year.
At Jacobs Suchard`s annual meeting in Zurich on Thursday, the firm admitted it lost $50 million on its U.S. operations last year, a stunning reversal from the $75.6 million in pretax profits earned in 1986-the year before the Swiss giant bought Brach.
Robert Jaunich, the president of Jacobs Suchard USA Inc. and interim head of its E.J. Brach`s division, refused to be interviewed for this story. A spokesman declined to make other executives available.
Brach`s story shows a dark side of the global economy. A once-solid company now faces an uncertain future as a result of a foreign ownership accused by former employees and competitors-and its own bottom line-of failing to understand the U.S. marketplace.
``It`s sad,`` said John Wakely, a London-based analyst with Shearson Lehman Hutton Inc. ``They`ve turned a quite profitable business into a money loser.``
For Chicagoans, the implications are not small. To stanch its hemorrhage of red ink, the company is threatening to shutter its West Side plant, which employs 3,000 people. The company says that would have a devastating effect on the already hard-hit area.
The financial decline of E.J. Brach over the last two years ironically occurred while industry sales grew 11 percent to $8.1 billion, according to Commerce Department figures. Imports remained relatively stable, and actually fell in Brach`s main product lines.
Other U.S. candymakers have been racking up impressive gains. The fastest growing firms have been those that hired the dozens of executives forced out by managers appointed by Klaus Jacobs, who is considered one of Europe`s top candy men.
Indeed, Skokie-based Farley Candy Co., which hired many former Brach executives and watched its sales double in the last two years, has purchased and plans to reopen a Melrose Park plant shut two years ago by Brach`s new managers in an efficiency move.
With morale at low ebb, Jacobs flew into Chicago two weeks ago and fired Ron Habijanac, Brach`s third chief executive in three years. He also announced another reshuffling of the firm`s management and sales structure.
A replacement has yet to be named; sources with ties to the company say several executives already have turned down the job.
The recent history of E.J. Brach is a case study of a global vision gone awry.
When Klaus Jacobs bought the firm from American Home Products Corp. in December 1986 for $730 million, he spoke about his desire to create global brands out of his European leaders such as Milka and Toblerone chocolate bars. What he bought in E.J. Brach was a company that knew how to push penny candy by the pound.
E.J. Brach & Sons has never been the Cadillac of the candy industry. It has relied on in-store displays in grocery stores, drugstores and discount retailers to sell its lines of individually wrapped hard candies and chocolate-covered peanuts. An in-house sales force pushed a myriad of specialty items like the Starlite mints found near cash registers in restaurants.
Through aggressive marketing and a modest amount of national advertising, Brach under American Home Products was able to hoist itself above a host of regional competitors. Only Hershey and M&M Mars, which specialize in well-advertised brand name chocolate bars, are larger.
Jacobs saw in Brach an opportunity to pick up a national distribution system for its European chocolate bars and, as reported at the time of the takeover, a launching pad into the Asian market. After the buyout, he began pressing his demands on the existing leadersip at the firm, most of whom had been in place for years.
Ned E. Mitchell, a 40-year veteran of the firm and president since 1977, recalled in an interview last week that he was expected to start turning out five-year global plans. Brach was more used to targeting the annual Valentine`s Day rush.
The sales force was given higher sales targets. But Brach`s sales in the first year stayed around $460 million, about where they were in 1986.


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Brentwood Mall, Chaguanas. Photo by Ayanna Kinsale
THE covid19 pandemic has not made shopping malls extinct from the economic landscape of any country and they remain prime locations for businesses to thrive and prosper in.
Caribbean Housing Ltd (CHL) chairman Dr Krishna Bahadoorsingh expressed this view at the opening of Brentwood Mall in Chaguanas on Wednesday.
“The major thing about a mall is the location. If you have the proper location and the proper area of land to provide services, it quite likely, in a congested place like Trinidad, that you are likely to succeed.”
But Bahadoorsingh observed that some businesses start up where there is congestion and are not successful.
“The other thing is, malls are not only shopping areas any more. Malls are equally entertainment areas, along with shopping. Shopping may be secondary to a large extent.”
In phase one of the CHL’s malls, most of the businesses that have opened are restaurants.
He also said security is an important component for malls.
“We spent a lot funds on security. We just have to make sure that we can continue being a safe haven.
Lands to the south, between the mall and a newly opened Massy supermarket, are allocated for phases two and three of the mall.
Owner of Caribbean Housing Ltd Krishna Bahadoorsingh, Chaguanas mayor Faaiq Mohammed, Councillor of Edinburgh/Longdenville Janelle-Jo Ryan, and Managing Director of Caribbean Housing Ltd Daran Bahadoorsingh smile for a photo during the launch of the Brentwood Mall in Chaguanas. Photo by Ayanna Kinsale
“We have the lands properly located and it’s a work in progress as to how big (the mall) will be.”
Bahadoorsingh said, “As long as the economy can sustain it, we (CHL) are there to build it.”
On the types of businesses to be accomodated in phases two and three, Bahadoorsingh said, “It will be businesses that we know will satisfy a need in society.”
He hinted that clothing stores, jewellry stores and more entertainment-oriented businesses could be in the expanded mall.
Bahadoorsingh could not say yet what the amount of investment in the mall would be.
“It all depends on the scale. The scale will determine that, and since the scale has not been ascertained as yet, it would be incorrect to give you a figure.”
The mall was 15 years in planning and its construction began in 2017. Bahadoorsingh said the opening was delayed because of the pandemic.
“Covid presented many challenges to us. It also provided many challenges to our prospective tennants.”
He was grateful that over 95 per cent of the mall’s prospective tenants stayed the course.
Raw Health Fitness Health Club, Creme Faiche, Domino’s, D Ranch, Hakka and Excellent Stores are among the businesses already open.
Bahadoorsingh said CHL does not view mall tenants merely as people who have financial obligations to it as the mall’s owner. He described the relationship between the two as symbiotic.
“We are with you and we will assist you in being successful.”
Chaguanas mayor Faaiq Mohammed and Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce vice-president Baldath Maharaj were confident the mall would bring more commerce and employment opportunities to Chaguanas.
Mohammed was also confident that improved traffic plans for Chaguanas will be worked out with stakeholders in the near future.
Maharaj said the mall provided great opportunities for retail businesses to thrive. He added that retail businesses showed great resilience during the pandemic.
While acknowledging the solution to crime is not simple, Maharaj said the mall offered hope to people seeking meaningful employment and could reduce the risk of their committing crimes.


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Cannabidiol (CBD) has actually been lately covered in the media, as well as you might have even seen it as an add-in booster to your post-workout shake or morning coffee. What exactly is CBD? Why is it all of a sudden so prominent?
With a forecasted income of over 20 billion by 2024, the CBD market is expanding. What exactly is CBD and also how effective is it? We check out 9 proven or possible health and wellness advantages of CBD oil.Read more →


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When police arrested a couple for planting cameras and credit card skimmers on Long Island Railroad ticket machines, they discovered a "virtual factory" for credit card fraud. An apartment the couple allegedly worked from contained cameras, skimmers, memory cards, credit cards, and two flash drives full of account numbers, the New York Times reports. "It was unclear how much money was stolen. At least one bank has reported thousands of dollars of losses on more than 50 accounts, the authorities said." Basically, the only safe way to handle your money is to keep all of it on you at all times.
Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty


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This year is going to be huge for wearable devices, with Samsung, Apple and Pebble (surprised much?) leading the charge.
Apple recently announced the release date for its highly anticipated Apple Watch, a device with a price ranging from some £200 to a stunning £11K model, and Pebble, Kickstarter's favourite child, reportedly shipped more than a million devices since its conception.
However, among all these facts and figures, it's Samsung who gets all the limelight – according to new research published (opens in new tab)by analyst firm Statista.
It was none other than the Korean giant who shifted 1.2 million smartwatches in 2014, making it the biggest selling smartwatch brand in the world.
With these numbers, Samsung takes up 18 per cent of the market share.
However, as Wareable writes (opens in new tab), the report's definition of a smartwatch is somewhat vague. According to the report, a smartwatch is a "wrist-worn device with indication of time and wireless access to the internet."
"We're also dubious of the figures given that, with that definition, it'd be the Fitbit Charge and Surge models that qualify Fitbit's supposed 600,000 sales. Given these devices were only made available very late in the year, we're not sure Fitbit could have sold that many,“ Wareable writes.
Samsung, who has had a tough last year, is looking to have a much better 2015. After getting hammered on three different fronts by Apple, Micromax and Xiaomi and losing the 'world's biggest smartphone seller' crown, the company made two new Galaxy models which have already received 20 million pre-orders.


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Visa partnered with mobile wallet GCash earlier this week, adding another development to a growing list of collaborations, product launches and initiatives that are boosting cross-border payments in Southeast Asia this year.
Many recent developments in this region have surrounded remittances, with a mix of homegrown and larger Western players attempting to tap into flows worth billions across the region. This was particularly true in the Philippines – GCash’s home and the fourth biggest recipient country for remittances in 2022 – with $38bn worth of inflows according to the World Bank (behind China ($51bn), Mexico ($61bn) and India ($111bn)).
B2B payments are also represented, with UK-based provider Rapyd extending services to help SMEs accept more payment methods and transact to more countries. A recent study by Rapyd found that many businesses in Singapore – whose central bank recently pledged $150m to support new fintech projects – still favour legacy banks for transfers, despite long delays. Having said this, cross-border trade platform WorldFirst recently reported a 50%+ increase in transactions, driven by a surge in new SME customers from Singapore and Malaysia, showcasing the continuing opportunity for B2B payments in this space.
The need to improve speed, as well as reduce costs, is driving real-time payments and interoperability in Southeast Asia. In August, Vietnam’s central bank joined its counterparts from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand as a member of the Regional Payment Connectivity initiative, which aims to connect the fast payment system of its members and allow travellers between the countries to make instant payments in their local currency using QR codes. Such linkages have already been launched between Singapore and Malaysia, as well as between Indonesia and Thailand.
According to the Bank of Indonesia, QR code payments could lead to transaction cost savings of up to 30% compared to regular transfers, as by using local currencies they avoid the need to exchange into a commonly held FX currency (i.e., the US dollar) to make payments. If QR code payments do rise rapidly as some analysts suggest, they could prove to be a model for cross-border payments collaboration that other countries (particularly G20 members) may learn from in the future.


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Traditionally, Malaysian enterprises tend to see and use technology in a supporting role within the business, divorcing it from larger business strategy. Research has shown that most companies focus on the ‘digitisation’ aspect of digitalisation, which involves converting traditional or manual processes into more efficient digitally-enabled methods.
As of early 2021, the study found that most Malaysian enterprises remained at the basic digitalisation stage – only an estimated four out of every 10 had a clear, integrated digital strategy as part of their business plan.
However, with the COVID-19 pandemic irrevocably accelerating global digital transformation by years, it is clear that Malaysian businesses can no longer afford to exclude the tech agenda from business strategy if they want to stay competitive. Digitalisation for process and operation enhancements is a good first step, but the true disruptive potential for technology can only be unlocked if leaders incorporate it as part of business strategy from day one.
Keeping pace with thriving digital-first industries
From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to the subsequent Movement Control Order (MCO) lockdown in Malaysia, businesses that did not inculcate themselves with tech-driven business strategies from day one fared the worst – where 84 per cent of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) suffered difficulties with online connectivity and communications with their stakeholders as a result of tech ineptitudes. Many had to pivot quickly to digital-first strategies to survive but brands that had already formed digital strategies in their core business were more resilient in the face of sudden disruptions.
As such, Malaysia’s digital economy has seen marked growth in the recent year amidst nationwide lockdowns, attributing to its rapidly growing e-commerce market and digital boosts by government initiatives such as the National eCommerce Strategic Roadmap (NeSR) and digitalisation grants issued by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
With an increasingly elevated tech environment in the country, several tech leaders in Malaysia have recognised the importance of technology in both enterprise formation and resurgence from pandemic lows and how the global necessity of digital-first behaviour is likely to be sustained in the future. Thus, Malaysian businesses must reconfigure their mindsets from thinking that technology is a “supporting tool” to operations to embracing technology as the backbone of all business strategies.
Walking the tech talk
Making the shift from a tech-supported business strategy to a tech-led one is easier said than done. For one, it requires a significant mindset shift at all levels of the organisation, but most importantly, among leadership. Technical decision-making has traditionally fallen on the CTOs, who typically create structured frameworks that specify how technology can support an already-decided business strategy. However, with the vast jump of Malaysian retailers going digital with e-commerce, there is a stronger emphasis on merging technology with corporate strategy to keep pace with the times.
Hence, it is time for technology decision-makers to have a seat in business strategy discussions so that technology can be incorporated from day one. Business leaders need to be able to envision the success they want to achieve, and then consider the tech infrastructure that must be implemented to allow the execution of these scalable strategies. This can only be accomplished through open and consistent dialogue with the organisation’s tech leaders, which ensures that the technology is capable of enabling – or even improving – the company’s desired growth plan.
By having the CTOs and other tech leaders in the discussion room, business leaders can overcome knowledge gaps around technology and resolve concerns over cost-efficiency. Technology leaders will be able to ask the right questions and answer difficult questions such as the type of tech required to achieve certain business goals or enable certain transformations, as well as how they can cater for different business needs. This will help business leaders focus on the right challenges and allocate the right budgets to ensure that the company has a sustainable, long-term digital transformation plan that can foster lasting success.
Tech-centric instead of tech-driven
Many examples of Malaysian businesses embracing technology are often on a piecemeal basis to meet immediate needs. For example, many businesses are doubling down on their digital marketing efforts to attract more Malaysian consumers, who are spending more time than ever online. Some are implementing better online payment channels such as e-wallets and adopting artificial intelligence in chatbots and recommendations for a better customer experience.
While these are good first steps towards incorporating tech into business strategy, they may cause integration problems if not properly considered. Additionally, businesses often rush to adopt new technologies such as cloud, ERP and CMS systems, but then find difficulty using and operating these systems and processes because employees are not familiar with them – which can then lead to issues around data privacy and cybersecurity.
For that reason, a truly tech-centric business strategy requires a holistic consideration of how technology can empower the business and what is needed to achieve it; they cannot digitalise just for the sake of bandwagoning. Besides the necessary systems and hardware, other factors such as employee digital literacy, system migration, systems synergy/integrations, data storage, hardware maintenance and upgrades must be taken into account. Overall, businesses have to critically analyse their internal tech capabilities and interoperability of existing digital systems to decipher the optimal tech-centred strategy.
Leveraging technology to survive during a digitally thriving future
Overall, technology leaders must emerge from their silos and evolve alongside fellow brand leaders as they play an increasingly vital role in corporate operations. This evolution involves deeper and more frequent interactions with all major departments regarding treating technology as a holistic part of business strategy.
With this integrated teamwork, as well as transformative initiatives like Malaysia's National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan, local brand leaders have much to gain from accelerated digital connectivity nationwide presenting new opportunities for digital transformation. Choosing to leverage these technologies will prevent brands from becoming obsolete and will ensure that they stay ahead of the curve, no matter the adversity.
Vishal Desai is Country Head, Anchanto Malaysia.


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Mark Hiraide Quoted in Forbes
May 12, 2022
MSK Partner Mark Hiraide was quoted in the article 'Crowdfunded Dashcam Startup Fails to Deliver Promised Product, Three Years Later," published by Forbes on May 12, 2022.
From the article...
"Mark Hiraide, a Los Angeles-based attorney, and expert in business finance law, said that crowdfunding platforms can fall into a nether region in which unscrupulous companies can walk away with large sums of money and the platforms can disclaim any liability. 'There are people that are taking advantage of the gray area – it walks like a security and quacks like a security, or the sale of a product — but they offer on these platforms, products that are supposed to be for donations,' he said."


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ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons was thrilled to receive a car model of his ’33 Ford three-window coupe. The coupe was beautifully customized by the famous So-Cal Speed Shop. The jagged accent line is currently painted on the car, but the So-Cal designers planned on making a 3D piece from the scan of the rock legend’s ’33 Ford Coupe.
API project engineer Robb Rudluff stepped in and scanned the coupe. Robb used the API IMAGER Scanner and Radian Laser Tracker to scan the vehicle. “The IMAGER working with the Radian made scanning the car a quick and easy process,” Rudluff said. “For custom autos, it can be a handy reverse engineering solution that can help pros and hobbyists easily mock up parts.” The data collected by the IMAGER was processed though3D Systems software to create a CAD file that showed the curvature of the car and the exact shape of the trim design. The CAD file will allow for easy fabrication of the 3D trim piece.
Gibbons was surprised with the 3D scan of the car and the car model at the newly opened SEMA Garage – Industry Innovations Center in Southern California. When the car is complete, it will be on display at the 2014 SEMA Show, taking place from November 4-7 in Las Vegas. API Services will also be exhibiting at the SEMA show.
For more information on API Services scanning solutions, visit www.apitechnical.com.


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Millions of pounds worth of lost business has been catastrophic
EDINBURGH Woollen Mill is among a number of British retailers to have collectively cancelled £1.4bn and suspended another £1bn of orders from Bangladesh.
More than a million Bangaldeshi garment workers have been sent home without pay or have lost their jobs after EWM, Primark and Matalan cancelled or suspended £2.4bn of existing orders in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic, according to data from the Bangladeshi and Garment Exporters Association (BGMEA).
EWM, which includes Peacocks and Bonmarché, has cancelled or suspended £27.1m worth of orders, A company spokesperson said it had cancelled all existing orders, saying: “Our relationships with suppliers are absolutely fundamental to our business.
“This is not what we would ever normally wish to do but the current circumstances are such that this is a necessity.”
The BGMEA said the impact of the cancellations had already been “catastrophic” for Bangladesh.
More than one-quarter of the country’s four million garment workers have lost their jobs or been furloughed without pay because of order cancellations or the refusal of brands to pay for cancelled shipments.
A survey of nearly 300 Bangladeshi garment suppliers by the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) and Penn State University, found western retailers had used force majeure (unforeseeable circumstances which prevent someone from fulfilling a contract) clauses in their contracts to cancel or suspend orders.
Factory owners in Bangladesh said brands and retailers were postponing the delivery of orders, which had already been produced by garment factories, so invoices couldn’t be raised.
They were also cancelling all upcoming orders and refusing to pay the cost of raw materials already bought by suppliers.
“We have had to temporarily close our factory for the health and safety of our workers but we face ruin because brands and retailers are cancelling orders which we have already produced and, if they don’t pay, I can’t pay the workers,” said Mostafiz Uddin, chief executive of the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange and managing director of Denim Expert, which supplies international brands, including Peacocks, in the UK.
“We have to pay upfront for all our materials and banks are blocking my accounts. I can’t even pay the utility bills.
“We can’t do anything because, after this is over, we’ll need to work with these brands again so are powerless to fight them.”
More than 97 per cent of the suppliers surveyed by the WRC and Penn State University said brands had offered no financial help in covering the cost of furloughing workers or helping to pay severance costs.
“What we’re seeing is a wholesale abandoning of workers and suppliers,” said Scott Nova, executive director of the WRC.
“The way the garment supply chain is set up means the suppliers take all the risk. They buy the cloth, hire the workers and make the clothes but can’t raise an invoice until the order is shipped.
“If brands cancel existing orders and refuse shipment, invoices can’t be sent and nobody in Bangladesh gets paid.”


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The domain of NFT has been creating many highlights from the beginning of 2022. In a recent improvement, Visa enters metaverse by purchasing an NFT, and this is a striking highlight for the NFT space. By purchasing the unique piece of digital art, Visa has marked a subtle entry into the metaverse. Many are touting this move as a profound milestone in the growth of the metaverse, or a virtual world with the capabilities for transforming the internet to virtual reality.
The latest NFT purchase of Visa is the CryptoPunk 7610, a unique piece of pixelated artwork. Interestingly, Visa has not invested in any physical artwork drawn on marble or canvas. The digital artwork also referred to as an NFT or non-fungible token, is basically a digital asset. Visa purchased the CryptoPunk 7610 on August 18, 2021, and this visa news showcased how the digital payments giant could become a part of the metaverse.
Visa, the digital payments giant, purchased ‘CryptoPunk‘ for $150,000 and entered into the NFT craze on 18th August. This is reported to be its first step towards the metaverse, a growing domain that has the power to change the world of internet into virtual reality.
Aspiring to Become a Certified Metaverse Expert? Enroll in Certified Metaverse Professional (CMP) Certification Course Now!
NFT Purchased by Visa
NFTs have the capability for certifying authenticity, provenance, and ownership of any digital asset on a blockchain. The news of “Visa buys CryptoPunk” also reflects profoundly on the details of the CryptoPunk 7610. It is one of the ten thousand pixelated artworks in the CryptoPunk collection. Each NFT in the cryptographic collection has to be created with specific algorithms with 24×24 pixel resolution. The NFT purchased by Visa is the avatar of a female character with distinct highlights such as bright red lipstick, a Mohawk, and large green eyes.
Visa has purchased the CryptoPunk 7610 for a staggering value of $150,000. Therefore, such an NFT purchase by a large company like Visa definitely calls for attention from enthusiasts in the NFT space. As a matter of fact, Visa has not taken custody of the 49.5 ETH, i.e., the price of the NFT itself. On the contrary, a newly licensed bank known as Anchorage has played a crucial role in completing the deal. As a result, Anchorage is presently the first US bank to take custody of NFTs.
Also Check: Walmart Is Looking For A Digital Currency Lead
Transforming the Vision for Future with NFTs
The demand for virtual experiences is growing substantially with newly evolving virtual experiences alongside digital assets and avatars. Interestingly, blockchain enthusiasts, gamers, investors, and innovators are seeking opportunities in the ever-growing world of digital experiences. With the news of ‘Visa buys CryptoPunk’ and the simplicity of the transaction, banks and payments companies could look at completely new types of services they would have to offer in the future.
The Head of Crypto at Visa, Cuy Sheffield, has stated that NFTs could play a significant role in transforming the future of commerce, retail, entertainment, and social media. As an enthusiastic NFT collector, Sheffield also added, “We were looking for a firsthand understanding of the requirements for acquisition, custody, and interactions with an NFT.” Cuy Sheffield also stated that Visa has collaborated with Anchorage on this NFT purchase for building necessary expertise. It will help them in the future to support clients in navigating the NFT landscape.
The greatest player in the field of international football, Lionel Messi has launched his own collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), crypto art that was created with his image by digital designer BossLogic.
New Strides in NFT Purchases
The details of the latest Visa news of purchasing an NFT were available exclusively with Forbes prior to the announcement. According to the source, the transaction involved an undisclosed third-party seller and an Ethereum smart contract. Anchorage was the primary entity responsible for conducting the transaction with decentralized software operational on the blockchain. The official website of CryptoPunks developers, Larva Labs, provides all details regarding the transaction.
After completion of the transaction, Anchorage stored the NFT in the digital vault of Visa. In addition, Anchorage also ensured accessibility of the NFT with the help of the private key of Visa. According to the Co-founder and President of Anchorage Digital, Diogo Monica, Anchorage has stored the NFT in a digital vault behind a very heavily safeguarded digital door rather than in a traditional bank with an actual vault.
Interestingly, Anchorage also ensured compliance with the full KYC process to create a benchmark for other banking and corporate giants aspiring to join the NFT economy. How? The bank did not have to go through the full KYC process, and it did, thereby setting a perfect example.
According to Cuy Sheffield, Visa perceives prolific opportunities in driving the metaverse revolution in which merchants would transform the economy. Visa is hopeful of a future where the crypto address of an individual would be equally significant as their mailing address. Visa has been successful in adapting to different transitions in the world of commerce in the past. Therefore, it also harbors hopes regarding their contributions in boosting the new transition of commerce in the future.
The Metaverse is Already Expanding
As Visa enters metaverse, it is important to take a look at the existing state of the metaverse. The virtual world has already served as the foundation for the growth of multi-billion dollar marketplaces. NFT collectibles such as CryptoPunks have been able to accumulate a sales volume amounting to $752 million. On the other hand, the NBA Top Shot NFT valued at $661 million alongside their growing value indicate promises for the growth of NFT ecosystem.
Many users are seeking alternative sources of income, and the metaverse includes pay-to-earn games for solving these issues. One of the play-to-earn games, Axie Infinity, can help users in regions that have incurred heavy damages during the pandemic. Axie accumulated $1 billion in sales and qualified as the first NFT to achieve such a feat.
Awareness of NFTs and the Future of Metaverse
While the NFT purchase by Visa points towards favorable opportunities, the amount of money involved in NFTs can lead to risks. Experts have pointed out to possibilities of malicious actors using the metaverse for illegal activities such as money laundering. However, the participation of other corporate biggies such as Facebook in the metaverse could boost its growth in future.
Visa has also released an NFT whitepaper alongside the Visa news of purchasing CryptoPunk 7610. The NFT whitepaper could help businesses and brands with a better understanding of NFTs and their capabilities. Experts are hailing this purchase as the beginning of Visa’s journey in the metaverse. Most importantly, it is important to find out how Visa would help merchants, platforms, and brands in connecting and interacting with the domain of NFT.


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Police are trying to shame a gang of young troublemakers - by telling their parents on them.
The force say youths, who are ‘intimidating’ traders near a Teesside shopping centre, may have a letter sent to their parents telling them what they’ve been doing.
It comes after a rise in anti-social behaviour by the troublemakers in the Sunningdale Shopping Centre area in Eaglescliffe .
The force say officers are looking to identify who they are before possibly taking action.
“The Thornaby policing team are aware that there has been an increase in anti-social behaviour by youths in and around Sunningdale Shopping Centre In Eaglescliffe,” wrote the force on Facebook.
“Members of the public and shop owners are feeling intimidated by the large amount of youths that are congregating in the car park area.
“The team will be working closely with the community, shop owners and local schools to identify the youths that are causing problems and once identified the youths will be issued with warning notices and their parents informed via letter.”


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The US economy grew at an annual rate of just 1.4 percent during the last three months of 2000, the weakest growth rate in more than five years. Analysts had predicted a growth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)—the total output of goods and services produced within the US—of around 2.2 percent. The weak showing in the GDP was down sharply from the dramatic growth in the second quarter of last year, when it grew by 5.6 percent.
At the same time, confidence of US consumers dropped sharply in the first month of 2001. The Conference Board, a business research group, announced Tuesday that the consumer confidence index dropped more than 14 points in January to 114.4, the largest drop since the recession of the early 1990s. The index, which tracks Americans' attitudes towards job security, income and investments, has dropped more than 20 percent over the past year. The index is considered an important measure of the strength of the economy because consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the nation's economic activity.
The plummeting of the consumer confidence index has been undoubtedly fueled by the wave of layoff announcements in January, which culminated in the January 29 announcement by DaimlerChrysler to eliminate 26,000 jobs in its US-based Chrysler Group. Other factors contributing to the pessimism about the economy include higher electric and home heating bills and poor performance of mutual funds, reflected in quarterly statements. A Conference Board official said the January index of consumer confidence showed a trend “we normally see just prior to a recession.”
Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan on Wednesday announced a half-percent point cut in the federal funds rate, the interest banks charge each other on overnight loans, to 5.5 percent from 6 percent. This was the second drop this month, following a surprise decision on January 3 to cut interest rates by half a point, the largest cut in eight years. Openly pointing to fears of recession, the Fed commented, “Consumer and business confidence has eroded further, exacerbated by rising energy costs that continue to drain consumer purchasing power and press on business profit margins.”
Greenspan told a congressional committee last week that US growth was now “probably very close to zero,” but that the “critical issue ... is whether the degree of contraction [in growth] is enough to breach the fabric of consumer confidence.” The unprecedented plunge in consumer confidence in January, combined with the severely weak growth of the GDP and the rash of layoffs, provide more evidence that the US economy is moving in the direction of a recession.January job cuts
In the last week of January alone, more than 100,000 layoffs were announced in a wide array of industries. In addition to the 26,000 layoffs at the US-Chrysler division, the DaimlerChrysler company Freightliner said it would lay off 1,085 workers and slash output at its Portland, Oregon facility, citing high fuel prices and falling demand for big rigs. The job cuts add to the 3,745 jobs Freightliner eliminated last year at its plants in Oregon, Ohio, North Carolina and Ontario, Canada.
Layoffs were announced throughout the auto and truck industry. General Motors announced plans to temporarily idle 14 North American plants in stages throughout February to trim vehicle inventories, affecting 14,400 workers. GM plans to cut first-quarter production by 21 percent. Ford Motor Company is also laying off 4,150 workers. Caterpillar, the world's largest maker of heavy construction machinery, announced 2,500 temporary layoffs at its truck and tractor facilities.
Norfolk Southern railroad will eliminate 1,000 to 2,000 jobs over the next year as part of a restructuring program in response to the slowing economy and changes in the transportation market. The company said it will also dispose of 12,000 surplus freight cars in an effort to reduce costs.
Textron, Inc. announced January 23 that it plans to cut more than 3,600 jobs, or 5 percent of its global workforce, as it restructures its automotive, fastening and industrial divisions. Textron products include Cessna airplanes, Bell helicopters, automotive dashboards and golf carts. The $13 billion company has 70,000 employees in 30 countries.
J.C. Penney Co. announced January 25 that it will close 47 of its department stores and eliminate 5,500 jobs in an effort to return to profitability. Most of the stores will be closed by the end of June. The company said it will also close most catalog desks in its Eckerd drugstores. The layoffs amount to about 2 percent of the company's 290,000 workforce.
In one of the largest layoff announcements, telecommunications manufacturer Lucent Technologies announced it would eliminate 10,000 jobs. WorldCom, the nation's No. 2 long-distance phone company, also announced 10,000 employees will lose their jobs.
AOL Time Warner, the media and Internet group formed in a $106 billion merger that was finalized earlier this year, announced 2,000 jobs would be eliminated in the integration of the merged companies. AOL Time Warner Chief Executive Gerald Levin said more job cuts were possible, commenting, “On an ongoing basis we are always organizing to make the company as efficient and integrated as possible.'”
Xerox Corporation, the copier company, lost $119 million in the three months ending December 31, and announced it was eliminating 4,000 jobs. The company cited increased competition, a flawed sales force reorganization and sluggish sales for its poor revenues. Company officials said they would continue to make deep cuts throughout the year as part of a previously announced turnaround plan. “Every area except sales is on the table,” said Xerox spokesman Bill McKee.
Other layoffs announced at the end of January:
* Consumer products and foods group Sara Lee revealed plans to eliminate 7,000 jobs by the end of the year, mostly in its intimates and underwear division.
* Toolmaker Black & Decker announced that it plans to cut about 400 jobs, or 1.8 percent of its global workforce.
* The business forms and document management company Standard Register said that it would eliminate 2,400 jobs, or almost one-third of its workforce, as part of a restructuring plan aimed at slashing production capacity by 30 percent.
* Brunswick Corp., the world's largest manufacturer of pleasure boats, announced it will close four plants by the end of March, eliminating 650 jobs.Dot.com layoffs
Dot.com firms set a new record in January, announcing 12,828 layoffs, a 23 percent increase over December's record total of 10,459. Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a firm that tracks layoffs, reports that since it began following dot.com job cuts in December 1999, 108—or 18 percent—of these companies have closed.
One of the dot.com companies most severely hit was Internet retailer Amazon.com, which said it is eliminating 15 percent of its workforce, or 1,300 jobs. Amazon said it will close its McDonough, Georgia distribution center and its Seattle customer service center, and that it would operate its Seattle distribution center on a seasonal basis only. Amazon stocks lost $90.4 million in the last quarter of 2000, due in large part to poor holiday season sales.


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United Fresh highlights foodservice trends for produce
The spring 2017 issue of United Fresh Produce Association’s Fresh Insights for Foodservice report, a quarterly publication from United Fresh showcasing the latest innovations in fresh produce use in foodservice, is now available.
The report features “In Season” and “On the Horizon” updates, which are dedicated to the commodities and menu items that are currently on spring menus, as well as items that will be featured in fall menus.
“The United Fresh Retail-Foodservice board provided tremendous input on the fresh fruits and vegetables that are driving growth and excitement with consumers,” said Jeff Oberman, vice president of trade relations at United Fresh. “This issue features jackfruit, a hot commodity that is performing well in both retail and foodservice venues.”
“In Season” focuses on the spring flavors of cucumbers and specialty citrus, as well as shines a seasonal menu spotlight on the hot menu trend of poke bowls. Looking ahead to Fall 2017, “On the Horizon” highlights jackfruit, romaine and pickled and fermented fruits and vegetables. “Top Chain Trends” covers menu items featuring garlic, cherries and bananas. The report’s “View from Above” section looks at meal kit subscriptions, including an interview with HelloFresh COO Uwe Voss on the company’s recipe development, food trends and utilization of fresh produce.
“The popularity of ‘fresh prep’ at home, and trying new items represent two key factors in consumer meal delivery kit purchasing decisions,” said Oberman. “These kits present a new opportunity for produce companies to showcase their products and varieties to consumers.”
Fresh Insights for Foodservice is developed in partnership with Datassential, a market research firm dedicated to the food industry, using data from its menu database, MenuTrends. Incorporating feedback and input from the Retail-Foodservice board, the report provides United Fresh Members and the broader industry a comprehensive look at how chefs and restaurants are featuring fresh produce on their menus. The report is sponsored by Tanimura & Antle.
Fresh Insights for Foodservice is free to United Fresh Members and $50 to non-members. To order the report, visit www.unitedfresh.org. If you have questions, call Jeff Oberman at 831-600-8922. For questions about the data or content in this report, email Mike Kostyo, Datassential, at [email protected].


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Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, speaks on stage during the introduction of the new iPhone 5c in Cupertino, Calif., Tuesday.
Huy Nguyen, 18, of Fort Myers, was checking out the new iPhones on an in-store digital display at the Best Buy at Page Field Commons.
"It does look like it's a completely new phone," he said of the iPhone5S.
He just purchased the iPhone5 three days ago and isn't sure if he's going to upgrade. But Nguyen said the graphics on the new phone look better and he'd probably play multi-player games on it. ...


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Toronto, September 19, 2019 - METRO (TSX: MRU) has officially marked the start of construction to modernize its Ontario distribution network, hosting a groundbreaking ceremony with its Ontario leadership team on the grounds of what will become the new, semi-automated Fresh Distribution Centre at 17 Vickers Road.
The investment, which was announced in October 2017, will modernize the supply chain infrastructure to be even more responsive to the needs of its customers. This will enable the company to continue its growth and expansion in the Ontario market.
METRO’s Carmen Fortino, Executive Vice President, Ontario Division Head and National Supply Chain, Yves Vézina, National Vice President, Logistics and Distribution, Dan Gabbard, Vice President, Logistics and Distribution, and employee representatives break ground on METRO’s new semi-automated Fresh Distribution Centre in Etobicoke.
With annual sales of approximately $16 billion, METRO INC. is a food and pharmacy leader in Québec and Ontario. As a retailer, franchisor, distributor, and manufacturer, the company operates or services a network of more than 600 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C and Food Basics, as well as of more than 650 drugstores primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Drug Basics banners, providing employment to almost 90,000 people. For more details, visit corpo.metro.ca.
514 643-1009 ou 1 800 463-2190


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At E3 2013, Square Enix announced Kingdom Hearts 3 was in the works. Now, one year later as E3 2014 approaches next week, the game is still a relative unknown, but it seems there will be a little bit more to share this year.
A new trailer for “Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX” adds a tag that teases a bit more about the highly-anticipated third all-new game in the long-running series, posing questions about light, darkness, Keyblade wars and masters.
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX will be released December 2nd, 2014.
Those not able to attend E3 will be able to tune into a live broadcast from Square Enix on June 10th from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM PT.
Square Enix isn’t talking about Kingdom Hearts 3 any further at E3, but they are offering playable demos of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX.
(E3 booth photos by Jeremiah Daws.)


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Volvo says it's close to fully autonomous driving
Volvo hopes to trial its unsupervised autonomous driving feature in California this year.
“Ride Pilot aims to free up more time for customers and make driving a Volvo even more convenient and enjoyable,” according to the company. “By using Ride Pilot, drivers will be able to free up time while driving, and spend it on secondary activities like reading, writing, working or socialising,” Volvo said.
It added: “The feature can also help drivers arrive at their destination rested and recharged by reducing the mental strain that may come with driving, especially in traffic jams or heavy traffic.”
Once it has been verified as safe for use on highways, Ride Pilot will be available as an add-on subscription on the company’s forthcoming fully electric sport-utility vehicle. This new flagship car will be revealed later this year.
On its next generation of cars, Volvo is preparing autonomous technologies that rely on over-the-air software updates in combination with more than two dozen sensors. Technology company Luminar is collaborating with Volvo on the latter.
While this software-sensor combination will be standard on the imminent flagship, Ride Pilot will be made available to customers only once it has gone through verification and testing. This includes validation of the technology as safe for use on highways in a number of varying conditions.
As part of this verification process, Volvo is already testing autonomous driving functionalities on roads in Sweden with its software partner Zenseact, and collecting data across Europe and the US.
By the middle of this year, the company intends to begin testing on roads in California, where the climate, traffic conditions and regulatory framework provide a favourable environment for the introduction of autonomous driving.
Once it has been verified as safe and all necessary approvals have been secured, the company’s ambition is to introduce Ride Pilot in California first, before gradually rolling out in other markets and regions around the globe.
Ride Pilot implies what the driver can expect: when the car is driving on its own, Volvo takes responsibility for the driving.


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Netflix in talks to buy Roald Dahl. (The IP, not the corpse).
Netflix is spending big to acquire the Roald Dahl library.
One of the big problems Netflix faces is a lack of intellectual property that is known away from Netflix. Anytime it is releases TV shows or movies as Netflix originals that are based on pre-existing books/TV/Comics/etc it needs to license the properties.
Three years ago Netflix did just that with the Roald Dahl library of content. It paid somewhere betw…


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'It's horrifying how much they know': A Facebook employee explained what it's like to go face to face with Mark Zuckerberg's 'secret police'
An anonymous Facebook employee has explained in a new interview with The Guardian what it's like to be under investigation by Facebook's internal investigations team.
The anonymous employee said that they received a message from their manager saying they would receive a promotion. They said their manager walked them down a corridor, praising their work, and then directed them into a meeting room.
Inside the meeting room were several members of Facebook's internal investigations team, The Guardian reported. The investigators accused the employee of leaking information to a journalist, and the employee said they had records of screenshots, links clicked, and potentially the conversation with a journalist.
"It's horrifying how much they know," the anonymous employee told The Guardian, "you go into Facebook and it has this warm, fuzzy feeling of 'we're changing the world' and 'we care about things'. But you get on their bad side and all of a sudden you are face to face with Mark Zuckerberg's secret police."
The employee went on to say that "the counterbalance to giving you this huge trusting environment is if anyone steps out of line, they'll squash you like a bug."
It's not unusual for technology companies to have internal investigation teams that try to root out leaks. But the full feature by The Guardian illuminates how widespread it is and how it works. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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- An OUTsurance founder just landed a R350 million payday – but he's not shopping for private islands just quite yet


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प्रिय महोदय / महोदया, Please reply that when will Datsun Go Plus be available in Ludhiana, पंजाब, India and what will be the starting price range.Please Reply Soon
The company hasn’t revealed the official launch date of Datsun Go+ diesel. It is expected to be priced for Rs. 5, 25000 लगभग. It is expected to be launch with 1461cc engine that will offer maximum power of 64Bhp and maximum torque of 160Nm.


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“Indoor air quality is a real concern in our community, but thankfully there are things homeowners can do to help alleviate potential IAQ concerns,” says Jack Yarbrough, HVAC manager at Greenstar.
Lake Forest, CA (PRWEB) September 05, 2014
Greenstar Home Services, the leader in sustainable plumbing, HVAC services and whole home water filtration for Orange County and Las Vegas residents, is working to clean up and green up indoor air quality (IAQ). IAQ is important because people spend most of their time indoors.
“Indoor air quality is a real concern in our community, but thankfully there are things homeowners can do to help alleviate potential IAQ concerns,” says Jack Yarbrough, HVAC manager at Greenstar. Electronic air cleaners (EAC’s) and high-efficiency filters help clean the air and provide respiratory relief by removing dirt particles, dust, and even pollen. Humidifiers, heat recovery ventilators, and air purifiers are just some products that can improve IAQ.
Some of the most effective solutions for poor IAQ may involve heating and cooling systems. EAC’s, air filters, and high-efficiency air cleaners can assist in absorbing particles that otherwise would escape due to their size. It is important to be aware that household items will contribute to poor indoor air quality. Not only do composites found in furniture, carpets, upholstery, and drapery fabric continuously release fumes, but cleaning agents, paints, and personal care products can also contribute to indoor pollution. In addition, weather stripping and storm doors can cause poor ventilation, which can further contribute to in-home contaminants.
"Indoor air quality can be worse than outdoor air quality in almost every case,” says William J. Calhoun, MD, professor of medicine and vice chair of the department of medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston (Source: Webmd.com). By using the right products and removing airborne dust particles from the air, the extent of contact they have on the respiratory system can be greatly reduced. Although it is not possible to eliminate every cause of contamination, reducing the sources and/or the number of contaminants they produce will add to a healthier living situation.
Need more Greenstar? Visit us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greenstarhomeservices14.


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A security researcher claimed that zero-click WiFi exploit is one of the most notorious iPhone hacks right now. This iOS flaw, he said, enables cybercriminals to control and access nearby iPhones, thanks to AWDL, a proprietary Apple wireless mesh networking protocol.
(Photo : Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) A South Korean man experience Samsung Electronics Galaxy Note 8 smartphone at its shop on August 25, 2017 in Seoul, South Korea. Prosecutors are seeking a 12-year jail sentence. Lee, de facto chief of South Korean conglomerate, faces five charges connecting the bribery scandal involving ousted former President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil. The verdict affects the business of Samsung, which has launched new Galaxy Note 8 smartphone to wipe out the misery of exploding Note 7 last year.
According to Apple Insider's latest report, Ian Beer, a member of Google's Project Zero team, explained that the newly discovered scheme allows hackers to access photos, messages, real-time device monitoring, and emails.
Because of its ability, Apple patched this vulnerability since it gives hackers remote access to the entire device. What makes this more dangerous is that it only needs a WiFi connection and doesn't require any user interaction.
Beer spent six months developing the exploit
Ars Technica reported that it took Beer six months to single-handedly develop the new exploit. He described the vulnerability and the proof-of-concept exploit in a 30,000-word post he published on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
(Photo : Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) The new iPhone 5S with fingerprint technology is displayed during an Apple product announcement at the Apple campus on September 10, 2013 in Cupertino, California. The company launched the new iPhone 5C model that will run iOS 7 is made from hard-coated polycarbonate and comes in various colors and the iPhone 5S that features fingerprint recognition security.
Because of its severity, many security researchers immediately took notice. "This is a fantastic piece of work," said Chris Evans, Project Zero's founder, executive, and semi-retired researcher, via Ars Technica.
"It really is pretty serious. The fact you don't have to really interact with your phone for this to be set off on you is really quite scary," he added.
Evans explained that a hacker can use WiFi to import worms in a user's device, even if it is in their pockets.
How Zero-Click WiFi exploit works
The new vulnerability works by importing a buffer overflow in a driver for AWDL. Since these drivers are located in your iPhone's kernel, an extremely privileged part of any smartphone system, the flaw could lead to serious attacks.
What's alarming is that the zero-click WiFi exploit works over the air, making it more difficult for users to notice the attack. Beer said that a hacker can use this exploit to acquire sensitive user data without getting detected.
For more news updates about security vulnerabilities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.


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Since Alessandro Michele took the helm of Gucci in 2015, the brand has the living embodiment of the fire emoji. The bags, shoes, and the gowns are on every with an Instagram account — as well as some without. Unfortunately, up until recently, Gucci still struggled with diversity in its ad campaigns and runway shows. The Spring 2017 collection, which debuted in September, featured 75 looks, only a small handful of which were shown on non-white models. At Business of Fashion’s VOICES panel in December, casting agent James Scully gave the brand “two thumbs down for lack of diversity”—all while Gucci chief executive Marco Bizzarri sat in the audience.
But then, finally, a sign of change. In January, Gucci teased a pre-fall campaign featuring a cast of nine black models and today, the brand announced that it would be asking the Italian non-profit Parks — Liberi e Uguali (which translates to “Free and Equal”) to help make the company more inclusive and diverse going forward. Bizzari commented on the partnership to WWD, saying,
Parks, which was founded in 2010, helps companies realize their own bias in everything from hiring and compensation to corporate culture, and advises them on how to best fix the problems on a short and long-term basis.
For more evidence of how big of a step this is for Gucci, look back to 2013, when casting director Barbara Nicoli had this to say about diversity on the Gucci runway,


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Ahead of the ‘Wonderlust’ launch event, the weight and measurements of iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro have been leaked. The details of the upcoming iPhone 15 series have been surfacing online for the past few months, including colour options, internal specifications, and now, the weight and measurements.
According to a report, the iPhone 15 is expected to have dimensions of 147.6×71.6×7.8mm and a weight of 171g. These measurements are almost identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 14, which had dimensions of 146.7×71.5×7.8mm and weighed 172g. The report also suggests that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will use the same 6013 T6 aluminium material for the chassis as the 2022 model.
The Pro models, however, might see a more significant difference in weight. The report claims that the iPhone 15 Pro will have dimensions of 146.6×70.6×8.25mm and weigh 188g, while last year’s iPhone 14 Pro had dimensions of 147.5×71.5×7.85mm and weighed 206g. This indicates an approximate weight reduction of 8.73 percent for the new model.
Similarly, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which was unveiled last year with dimensions of 160.7×77.6×7.85mm and a weight of 240g, is expected to be succeeded by a model weighing 221g with dimensions of 159.9×76.7×8.25mm. This suggests that Apple’s top model will be about 7.91 percent lighter than last year’s Pro Max model.
The report also hints at a switch to a titanium chassis for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models instead of the stainless steel used in last year’s models, making them lighter and more durable this year.
Last month, it was speculated that due to this switch to titanium, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max would weigh around 191g and 221g respectively. Although this reduction in weight is minimal and these models will still be heavier than the regular models, it could offset the weight of a protective case on these models.


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Every Malaysian citizen who is eligible to vote must do their part as we have the power to decide on the future of our generation. Plus, the best part is that you receive free stuff! Like a good cup of coffee.
ZUS Coffee, Malaysia’s leading technology-driven coffee chain, is extending the celebration of its third anniversary with a Jom Undi programme to reward Malaysians who cast votes in the upcoming 15th General Elections (GE15).
On November 19, users can take advantage of this offer and receive 15% off in-app beverage purchases. Customers can claim the exclusive discount by using the code ZOMVOTEMSIA for pickup and delivery on the ZUS Coffee app.
Zus has previously completed a number of rakyat-focused projects in keeping with its aspirations to give back to Malaysians, such as Thank You, Abang Rider, which provided delivery drivers with a free cup of Americano upon request.
Since opening its first shop in Lorong Binjai, ZUS Coffee has brewed up a storm, slowly but surely taking over the country one cup at a time.
The halal-certified brand has established itself as a homegrown brand committed to providing high-quality specialty coffee at affordable prices, making it accessible from both a location and a price point standpoint, serving nearly 20 million cups to 5 million customers through 150 outlets across the nation.
You can find a store near you by clicking here.