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A comic book movie is the highest-grossing film of all time. Think about that for a second. No longer is Hollywood star power the determining factor to a film’s success, as these pop culture juggernauts are more than enough to pull people into the cinema (for repeat viewings at times).
Yet, the comic book industry isn’t seeing the renaissance it anticipated as a result. While the likes of Marvel, DC and Image Comics are nowhere near bankruptcy, these companies are making more money from the TV and film rights to their properties than the actual format that started it all.
It isn’t all doom and gloom for comic books by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s concerning how Avengers: Endgame rocketed to over a billion dollars in its opening weekend but Avengers #18 struggled to sell more than 63,000 copies in April (according to the Diamond sales chart). One would think that the Endgame euphoria would have parents and fans purchasing copies of the latest Avengers comic book; however, it had little to no impact as the likes of Batman, Justice League and Immortal Hulk outsold the title.
In fact, it’s arguable that most of the people buying comic books are actually real comic book enthusiasts and not just fans of comic book movies. It’s a debate that’s raged endlessly, especially in the comments sections where long-time readers point out how most film fans don’t bother to check out the source material.
It’s a conundrum, really, as the comics companies try to figure out how to turn those viewing numbers into regular readers. So, what are the real reasons for people not jumping on the comic book train? There are several.
For one, there’s the reality that most people don’t read nowadays. If you don’t believe me, hit the comments section of this article on Facebook and see how many people bothered to read all the way to the end before commenting. We live in an era of abundance, instant gratification and pure laziness. Why use your brain to read a comic book when you can watch Kardashian sisters sobbing and fighting with each other about a pair of boots on TV? It’s a behavioural thing, which requires an attitude change.
Then, there’s the problem of where to start with comic books. The biggest question I receive from people who want to start collecting and reading comics is, “Where do I start because it’s all confusing?” It isn’t a lie. There are far too many reboots, #1s and confusing timelines in comics. If you aren’t a regular reader, you’ll feel intimidated and lost. This hasn’t fallen on deaf ears, though, as the likes of Marvel and DC have introduced new comic lines that don’t require readers to understand all the twists and turns over the years.
And finally, the film-makers don’t always help matters. It’s disheartening to see actors and directors admit they’ve never read a comic book or even credit the creators for what they’ve done and are doing. Look at Jennifer Lawrence, who couldn’t even name five X-Men characters in an interview; it’s evident she’s only in it for the cheque and couldn’t care less about the characters. These film-makers have a responsibility to shine the light on the people who made it all possible—not just the late Stan Lee, but every artist, writer, letterer and colourist who inspired a storyline.
When you think about it, comic books aren’t even expensive. People are attending the likes of Endgame ten times or more, which means they’ve spent over R1000 on a single movie. So, why can’t they buy a single-issue comic book for R60 or a trade paperback for R300?
Simply put, comics are a wonderful medium. While comic book movies and TV shows have entertained us, there’s another world of incredible storytelling that’s waiting to be discovered. It’s worth your time to explore it, as you might find the reward to be more fulfilling than you ever imagined.


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“Unlike any other brand, Apple products have had a lure on the global consumer,” Richard Saintvilus writes for TheStreet. “The iPhone 6 won’t be any different.”
“In September 2012, after the release of the iPhone 5, Cook asked consumers for feedback. More specifically, he wanted to know what features the iPhone 5 lacked and what device buyers would change if given the chance. These answers were revealed in the patent case between Apple and Samsung,” Saintvilus writes. “According to documents presented during the trial, consumers asked Apple for longer battery life, improved mapping and a bigger screen — in that order.”
“It is said Apple plans to release two different versions of the iPhone 6. One will have a 4.7-inch screen and the other will have 5.5-inch screen. The latter version is what everyone is excited about. It is expected to carry a display size of 2272×1280,” Saintvilus writes. “The phone is also expected to sport the A8 chip with quad core processor… [which] consumes less power and offers faster multitasking. This means longer battery life. And if Tim Cook adheres to the consumer feedback, the quad core will kill two birds with one stone.”
“The third item on the consumers’ wish list was an improved mapping feature,” Saintvilus writes. “Tim Cook has listened to that demand as well. For all of the complaints about how Apple doesn’t make acquisitions, it has, in fact, acquired 23 companies over the past 16 months.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “David E.” for the heads up.]

domain: news


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Total revenue of Việt Nam’s top 5 e-commerce platforms can reach $12.4 billion
The 2023 Việt Nam e-commerce report published by the Việt Nam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency shows that Việt Nam’s e-commerce has recorded strong growth in recent years.
It is forecast that the revenue of Việt Nam’s business-to-consumer (B2C) online retail platforms will continue to increase strongly and may reach VNĐ650 trillion in 2024. — Photo vnexpress.net
HÀ NỘI — The 2023 Việt Nam e-commerce report published by the Việt Nam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency shows e-commerce recorded strong growth in recent years.
It is forecast that the revenue of business-to-consumer (B2C) online retail platforms will continue to increase strongly and may reach VNĐ650 trillion in 2024. Of which, the total revenue of the country’s top five e-commerce platforms may reach more than VNĐ310 trillion, equivalent to $12.4 billion, increasing about 35 per cent compared to 2023.
Việt Nam’s B2C e-commerce revenue surpassed $10.8 billion in 2019 from $8 billion in 2018 and continued to increase to $11.8 billion in 2020 and $16.4 billion in 2022.
With revenue reaching $20.5 billion in 2023, B2C e-commerce revenue made up about 7.8-8 per cent of the total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue nationwide.
According to the e-commerce data platform Metric’s 2023 online retail market overview report, there are 2.2 billion product units successfully delivered on the five largest e-commerce platforms in Việt Nam, including Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, Sendo and Tiktok Shop, increasing by 52.3 per cent compared to 2022. This is the strongest growth in the last three years.
In 2023, many new forms of shopping have developed strongly, typically the trend of live streaming and multi-channel sales has brought huge revenue to professional sellers.
Despite strong development, according to the Việt Nam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency, issues related to ensuring the origin of goods, safety and security of personal information, e-commerce logistics infrastructure and consumer trust in online transactions are still problems that need to find more solutions for Việt Nam’s e-commerce in the coming time.
The agency said that it is necessary to join hands with ministries and branches to come up with many overall strategies and solutions to promote e-commerce development towards goals such as protecting consumer rights; strengthening regional connectivity; green and sustainable development and narrowing the gap between localities and regions through digital platforms.
The Informatics and Digital Technology Centre under the Ministry of Industry and Trade currently has been implementing many solutions, such as implementing an origin traceability system to trace the origin of products, preventing fake and counterfeit goods, building online branding and marketing products in the online environment.
The establishment of a Flagship store model and local booths on e-commerce platforms also helps small and medium-sized businesses in localities distribute local products through digital platforms and narrow regional gaps.
The programme to support businesses exporting through cross-border e-commerce – Go Export also supported Vietnamese businesses in accessing and successfully exporting domestic products through major e-commerce platforms in the world.
Connecting International Goods Supply Chains – VIET NAM INTERNATIONAL SOURCING EXPO 2024
Time: 06 – 08/06/2024
Venue: SECC, 799 Nguyen Van Linh, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Hotline: (+84) 24 3516 2063


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Nov. 22, 2011 -- Consumers feel worse about their finances than last year with 41 percent saying they plan to spend less during the holidays, according to a survey by the Consumer Federation of America.
Retailers are hoping for a busy Black Friday to kick off the holiday shopping season, which traditionally contributes 20 percent to annual retail sales.
"Shop local, please!" Leslie Kinder, a business owner in Wichita, Kan., said. "The economy needs you to spend your money with us little guys this year. Do your homework and you'll find the local guys will give you just as good a deal as the big box stores, and they'll give you good service to boot."
Overall, only 8 percent of shoppers plan to spend more than they did last year, according to the 12th annual survey released Monday by the Consumer Federation of America and the Credit Union National Association.
Of the 1,011 survey respondents across the country, 37 percent said their financial condition is worse now than a year ago, compared with 30 percent who felt similarly last year.
Many ABC News Facebook fans said they will not be shopping but working, trying to perhaps improve their own financial standing. Some workers have expressed dismay over stores' earlier opening times, as an more retailers announced they will open at midnight or even earlier. Toys "R" Us will be opening at 9 p.m. for the first time this year.
Kathy Kaufman Weber said it was "very iffy" that she would go Black Friday shopping at all. If so, she said she would be "much more likely" to shop at stores opening at midnight.
"I will not get up at the crack of dark to go to a store where it is likely to not garner me anything worthwhile," she said.
Donna Johnson McNeece said she will be "going to bed early and sleeping in" after cooking for two days "on my feet."
"That sounds better to me than trying to get around a store full of people, who seem to lose their manners on that day," she said.
The Consumer Federation of America survey responses showed an improvement from the downbeat results of 2008 in which 55 percent said they intended to spend less.
But from 2000 to 2007, the percentage who said they planned to spend less never exceeded 35 percent. The federation notes that because consumers always spend more than they intend, the year-to-year comparisons, not the absolute levels, are what's meaningful for predicting spending.
The survey showed a direct link between financial condition and spending. Of those who said they planned to spend more, 33 percent said their financial condition had improved since last year, while only 19 percent said it had declined. Of those who said they plan to spend less, only 15 percent indicated their financial condition had improved while 55 percent said it had worsened.
Jean Mohler in Canton, Ga., said she is not exchanging gifts this year. Instead, she is "holding on" to the money she she has and will be "giving things to friends and family I already own."
"Good food, good family gatherings, laughs and love -- those are my gifts!" she wrote.


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The average retail price for a kg of pork in Ukraine reached 106.28 hryvnia (€ 3.42) as of early May 2018, up by 7.8% as compared to 1 January 2018 and by 31.2% against 1 May 2017.These figures were estimated by the Ukraine ministry of Economic Development. Not only prices for pork are growing fast in Ukraine, so does the price for beef. The average price for poultry, however, has been falling over the past few months.
Faster rise in pork price
Retailers indicate that the price for pork in Ukraine may even be growing faster than the government estimates. Alexey Doroshenko, chairman of the Ukraine Retail Suppliers Association, reported on his Facebook page that since early 2018 the average price for pork in Ukraine had increased by 37%, while the price for the particular pork by-products had jumped even higher. For example, since early 2018 prices for cured pork fat, a very popular dish in Ukraine, has risen by 67% – and counting.
Basically, prices for the main types of meat have nearly doubled in Ukraine over the past 2 years, Mr Doroshenko said. To some extent, this trend has been associated with inflation in the national economy, as according to official estimates it was around 26.6% between March 2016 to March 2018, Mr Doroshenko added.
Higher feed costs for Ukraine’s pork producers
In 2018, prices for pork in the country have been rising due to a jump in the cost of feed, said Irina Palamar. She is chairman of the Ukrainian Stock Breeders Association (USBA), and she expressed her opinion in a statement posted on the USBA’s website. In particular, the average price for sunflower meal has increased by 33.4% and for soybean meal by 18% since early 2018 and all other main feed components also became more expensive during the first months of the year.
Ongoing price rises, however, are limited as the Ukrainian population does not have a strong purchasing power. According to Ms Palamar, at the current prices, demand for pork is much weaker than a year ago, and retailers have to cut orders for pork, as they are not able to sell it. As a result, the number of orders for live pigs in Ukraine has dropped by 25-30% over the past few months, Ms Palamar estimated.
Higher prices, lower pork and beef consumption
The price hike has pushed the average meat consumption in Ukraine down. From 2013 to 2017, the per capita consumption of pork has shrunk by 25% and beef by 26%, according to earlier estimates, released by the country’s National State Statistical Service. As a result, at the moment the pig population and production have hit the lowest figures even seen, according to the Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
Check out the development of the Ukrainian pig herd in the Global Pig Statistics Tool
Another causing agent for the fall in production is the continuing epidemic of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Ukraine. Since 2016 the veterinary services have had to cull 78,000 heads of pigs due to ASF. It is believed that many backyard farms have been forced to cease operation, since they were not complying with the common rules of veterinary safety.


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News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services.
Lidl own-brand clothes a huge hit as Brits kit themselves out in bargain buys
Tesco, Morrisons, Lidl and Sainsbury's issue urgent product recall warnings
Lidl's £13 sell-out trainers that sell for double the price are back this week
We test crumpets from supermarkets, including Lidl, and Tesco to find a winner
Lidl August Bank Holiday 2021 opening times: What time are stores open today?
Supermarket August Bank Holiday opening times 2021: Are Tesco and Aldi open?
Inside 'Russian Lidl' which looks more like a stockroom than supermarket
We test frozen pizzas from Tesco, Aldi and Lidl - the winner is a surprise
Lidl launches cheap school uniform bundle from £4.50 to rival Aldi
First look at discount supermarket dubbed 'Russian Lidl' as Mere opens in UK
Lidl speeds up supermarket check-outs testing new 'scan as you shop' service
Supermarket dubbed ‘Russia’s Lidl’ reveals launch date for first UK shop
10,000 supermarket supply chain workers will be exempt from 'pingdemic'
Lidl is selling a bargain bouncy castle to keep the kids entertained and it's £35
Lidl BANNED from selling copycat gin after legal battle with Hendrick's


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Just because a product is marketed to babies doesn't mean it's actually safe for babies. This is especially true with over-the-counter teething products that parents might be using to help relieve their child's teething pain.
Gels, sprays, ointments, solutions and lozenges under brand names Anbesol, Baby Orajel, Cepacol, Chloraseptic, HurriCaine, Orabase, Orajel and Topex, for instance, contain the drug benzocaine. If you have teething products with benzocaine for children, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising you to drop it now.
The FDA issued the warning this week, saying the popular local anesthetic is a potentially deadly ingredient. In addition to these products not being effective (as they can wash out of the mouth quickly), they also pose a serious risk to infants and children, especially those 2 years old and younger.
The FDA has been warning about teething products with benzocaine for more than a decade, but reports of illnesses and deaths have continued. The agency is now asking manufacturers to stop selling the teething products and will take legal action against companies that don't remove the products aimed at babies and toddlers. Products for adults can remain on the market, but the FDA wants companies to add new warnings about benzocaine's association with the blood condition methemoglobinemia.
Methemoglobinemia occurs when the oxygen level in blood dips dangerously low and can be fatal. In March, a Virginia mom warned against teething gels when she applied a pea-sized amount of Baby Orajel on her toddler's gums. Her child "immediately turned red, started kicking, got one or two screams in, and 10 to 15 seconds after the Orajel touched her gums, she became unresponsive." Thankfully, after another 15 to 20 seconds, the toddler woke up screaming and crying, and was examined by emergency medical responders.
Other symptoms of methemoglobinemia include rapid heart rate, lightheadedness, difficulty breathing, sleepiness, headache, skin that is pale and nails that are blue or gray. Children who experience these symptoms, which can start minutes after a product is used or up to a couple of hours later, should get medical attention immediately.


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5G is coming: Here's how carriers can prepare
Technology’s rapid advance continues, requiring companies to adjust quickly to keep pace. And with the arrival of 5G, businesses can anticipate even more rapid change beginning this year. In fact, it’s predicted that by 2025, 5G will make up 99 percent of all broadband carriers and have over 2.6 billion subscribers -- or one-in-five mobile connections worldwide.
If these numbers sound overwhelming, you’re not alone. Carriers around the globe need to prepare themselves for 5G to transform the way they service customers. But thankfully, with these three easy tips, any carrier can get ahead of the game and be ready for 5G to take the industry by storm.
Research, Research, Research
It’s never too early to begin simply researching 5G and what’s to come from its implementation. There are plenty of resources being developed to help you better understand what 5G is, how it works and why your business should invest in it.
Additionally, new network offerings mean new devices. Wanna stay ahead? Figure out what 5G-compatible products are on the way and which will be the best fit for your customers -- they’ll appreciate you adapting to keep up with trends.
Trial and Error
Every new endeavor requires a little trial and error. But instead of waiting until 2020 to test your readiness for 5G, start implementing on a small scale now. AT&T recently tested this strategy by deploying the 5G millimeter wave system at the Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas. Logging onto the market’s WiFi from their mobile devices, 5,000 visitors each day were able to test the capabilities of 5G. As a result, AT&T was able to see what went right, what went wrong, and what changes they could make for 5G in a real-world environment.
And the arrival of 5G doesn’t just mean trial and error for you, but also for your customers. During these smaller scale trials, listen to customer feedback and adjust accordingly. By 2020, you’ll be go for launch.
5G? There are Three!
5G boasts not one, not two, but three types of networking capabilities, each with specific functions: enhanced mobile broadband (emBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable low latency communications (uRLLC).
The first, eMBB, will provide up to 10 Gbps and support 100 times more end users. uRLLC will be utilized in products like automated vehicles, remote surgery applications, or teleprotection, to name a few. And mMTC will offer longer battery life and guaranteed communication at less frequent intervals. Get a handle on these 5G types and their capabilities to figure out which best fits your audience, and be aware of the advantages and disadvantages they offer.
Additionally, it’s important to understand their various applications outside of personal wireless in case you’re asked for a knowledge assist. It’s not just carriers that will be affected by 5G; this new tech could improve things like response times for autonomous vehicle incidents or the functionality of life-saving medical equipment.
Even as fast as technology is changing, there’s always time to prepare. And with $12.3 trillion worth of potential profit from 5G innovation on the line, you’ll want to be ready.
Photo Credit: Shaynepplstockphoto/Shutterstock
Jon Mikow is Vice President of Wireless at Fortegra Financial Corporation (a Tiptree Inc. company). Fortegra and its subsidiaries comprise a single-source insurance services provider that offers a range of consumer protection options including warranty solutions, credit insurance, and specialty underwriting programs. Delivering multifaceted coverage with an unmatched service experience for domestic and international partners and their customers, Fortegra solves immediate, everyday needs, empowering consumers to worry less and Experience More.


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PORT OF LOS ANGELES MOVES 748,762 TEUs IN OCTOBER; TRACKING TOWARD RECORD-BREAKING YEAR
SAN PEDRO, Calif. - November 14, 2017 - Last month, 748,762 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) moved through the Port of Los Angeles. While it was the third best October registered by the Port, it is an 8.1 percent decrease compared to last year's record-breaking October. The last quarter of 2016 the Port handled additional cargo after the Hanjin bankruptcy.
Ten months through 2017, volumes are up 6.4 percent compared to last year’s record-breaking 8.8 million TEUs. The Port of Los Angeles is on track to be the first-ever port in the Western Hemisphere to move 9 million TEUs in a year.
"In October, the good men and women of the ILWU moved 24,308 TEUs off and back on the Maersk Evora at APM Terminals in Los Angeles, which is believed to be a world record for a single vessel port call," said Executive Director Gene Seroka. "It's that kind of efficiency and productivity that our supply chain partners have come to expect and deserve."
In October, loaded imports decreased 8.1 percent to 383,385 TEUs compared to October 2016. Loaded exports decreased 13.3 percent to 144,209 TEUs. Those figures, coupled with a 4.2 percent drop in empty container traffic, delivered overall volumes of 748,762 TEUs.


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The 2019 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia will be held October 15-19 in Moscow. During the event, as part of its main catwalk program, Russian Fashion Council will hold its second Global Talents show.
The initiative is aimed at emerging designers from all over the world and will provide them with an opportunity to present their collections at the largest fashion week in Eastern Europe for free and enjoy the publicity of one of the most notable fashion events in the world. Global Talents program will stage shows in one of the three main halls of the event and will feature at least two emerging designers from around the globe every day.
Russian Fashion Council will cover show production expenses including models, will arrange for video and photo production and will provide participants with guidance and support on arranging their visit to the fashion week.
The deadline for applications is August 25, 2019.
more: russianfashioncouncil.ru (128)


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Recently YouTube quietly added about 100 hours of movies to YouTube. These movies are 100% free with ads and include a mix of well-known movies like Rocky, The Terminator, Zookeeper, Legally Blond, and others.
The growth of ad-supported streaming services has really taken off as advertisers take notice of the opportunities streaming offers. Walmart and Roku have both recently launched free services joining Pluto TV, Tubi, and Sony Crackle.
YouTube seems be testing the waters on what could turn into a dedicated legal free with ads section.
Since launch YouTube has been fighting unofficial uploads of popular movies and TV shows. By offering legal options of movies like Rocky, YouTube could help cut back on piracy. This would also help both YouTube and the content companies make money on YouTube content.
The question now is how successful will this new section be and will YouTube and their partners invest in it. For now, we will have to wait and see what YouTube does next.
If you want to find all the movies offered for free legally on YouTube, you can find the full list here.
Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Every week we have a live Cord Cutting Q&A, and weekly Cord Cutting recap shows exclusively on our YouTube Channel!


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YouTube Announces Innovations?
YouTube announces innovations as one of the world’s most used platforms. Chrome YouTube has unveiled new innovations to control children’s content. The company shared some of the innovations that improved the safety of children in its blog post.
Considering that the new generation grows with technology. It is not to say that children are becoming more active in the use of social media. An increase in malicious or harmful content targeting children is a normal occurrence.
YouTube is a name we often hear about child safety. The company tries to improve safety for children, but there are many charges against it. Finally, the company $ 200 million for violating the Child Online Privacy Protection Act.
Data collection is changing; Personalized ads, comments, and notifications are leaving:
Customized ads, comments, and notifications will no longer appear in child-tailored content. It is up to the content producers whether the content is child-specific. Video producers that produce special content for children will say that their content is in this category. YouTube will use machine learning technology to check whether the content for younger children.
YouTube stressed that all the changes mentioned in its article will become operational within four months. Content producers, whose job is to produce family and child content, have only four months to adapt to new changes. The company said it would provide resources for content producers to better adapt to the changes.
YouTube will continue to invest in improving the quality of children, families, and educational content. The company announced that it has allocated $ 100 million. Funding to support the production of more original and good content on YouTube and YouTube Kids.


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The 2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe SE is a good value, but its sporty pretenses work to its detriment. Check out the more laid-back sedan, instead.
The Internet's biggest radio service reported a narrower-than-predicted loss in the first quarter, but guidance -- damped by investments in its advertising abilities -- stoked investors to sell.
New court filings reveal that Yahoo has allegedly been stalling its rollout of Microsoft's search technology in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Panasonic will sell its last plasma TV March 2014, making the company's current 2013 line its last. Great picture quality just became less attainable.
Citibank analyst Glen Yeung is down on Apple's prospects, citing delays until September and inventory issues.
Corporate computer buying will be sluggish again this year, says Forrester Research, though Apple will still see strong business.
The Milkmade is being marketed as the "milk jug of the future." Designed to let consumers know, in real-time, whether their milk has gone bad, it can deliver that information to a mobile app.
With a new service called SceneTap set to put video cameras in bars, privacy advocates warn that a red line's about to get crossed.
Wilson's back from his seven-day "Jumanji" bender, so first we recap what he missed, then we'll tell you about socially engineering any friend on Facebook, Facebook's plans for online gambling, the ACLU's beef with Siri, and Capcom partnering up with Method Man. Also, RIP GamePro.
Wilson's back from his 7-day Jumanji bender, so first we recap what he missed, then we'll tell you about socially engineering any friend on Facebook, Facebook's plans for online gambling, ACLU's beef with Siri, and Capcom partnering up with Method Man. Also, RIP GamePro.


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The row that's rocking online music
ROBBIE Williams and Ms Dynamite are unlikely to man the barricades, but the battle is getting serious for 40,000 British songwriters who earn less than £10,000 a year from royalties.
They are furious because they say they are missing out on the rewards of the internet music revolution which allows fans to buy and download tracks on to home computers and digital music players.
The composers, songwriters and publishers have a mighty enemy deployed against them, led by the British Phonographic Industry, representing more than 300 UK record labels. Opposition forces also include key digital music suppliers such as Apple iTunes, Napster, Yahoo and Sony Connect.
Phone companies, including T-Mobile, Orange and O2, which profit from royalty payments through sales of songs as ringtones, are also in the enemy camp. Though the artists are taking action against the industry, many record companies have divided loyalties as they make their money from selling music, but also reap rewards from owning and publishing it. Leading companies will not reveal who they want to win.
The amounts involved are relatively small at only £2m over the next two years, compared with about £500m in total annual copyright fees. But both sides know future sums could be gigantic.
They also know that what happens in the UK will have a bearing on how other countries deal with the same issue. Songwriters and publishers get eight% of an online music sale, a rate set in 2002 when online music was in its infancy. The figures was accepted by the songwriters as a temporary discount from their preferred 12% to compensate for losses through piracy and illegal downloading.
This compares with copyright royalties of 6.5% on physical products such as CDs. The BPI wants the online royalty rate reduced to 6.5% or less. Record companies get 38.5% of the sale of a CD, but they take 64% of an online sale.
This week, the battle will intensify when former Education Secretary and Arts Minister Estelle Morris joins the board of the Performing Right Society to put political muscle into its bitter fight.
The organisation, which collects royalties from public performances and broadcasts, has formed the Music Alliance with the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society, which collects royalties from the recording of music. It will take its case to a Copyright Tribunal next month.
For the alliance, the case is simple - selling music online is cheaper for the record companies than producing a CD and distributing it to record stores, so while costs plummet and margins soar for online music, the people who provide the music see none of this benefit.
'At the risk of sounding like Oliver Twist, all we want is a little bit more,' said Adam Singer, the group chief executive of the Music Alliance, 'not least because everyone else involved in music is getting more out of online.'
For a downloaded track costing 79p, writers and publishers get 6p, 11p goes to the service provider, 7p to the credit card company, 5p goes on tax, and the record company takes 50p - some of which goes to the performers.
The legal market for online music, which barely existed in the UK in 2003, had grown by the end of 2004 to 5.7m permanent downloads sold. Halfway through this year, that figure had topped 10m, and by the end of last month it had reached 13m. Those who are lined up against the alliance say that this market has been created, if belatedly, by the record industry and technology companies, not by the composers.
They argue that the battle against piracy has been fought by the record industry and that it still faces fixed costs for producing CDs while also incurring costs in digitising music for sale online and promoting it.
Geoff Taylor, the BPI's general counsel, said: 'At no stage has the alliance offered any justification for the royalty increase. The unity among record companies, online music services and mobile operators demonstrates the unreasonableness of the alliance's position.'
Singer says that his enemies simply have a vested interest in keeping music cheap. 'Over the past few years the price of music has been in a downward spiral and the record companies and companies such as iTunes have allowed that to happen. But it's not really about percentages, it is about the dosh, the money, and all we want is a fair cut.'
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Earlier today, we heard the news that the CEO of Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah had been set free by a court in Dubai, where he was battling a case of fraud that was brought against him.
Well, now it seems Nana Appiah Mensah is truly free and that could come as a huge relief to the victims of Menzgold who just want their monies back.
A little over an hour ago, Nana Appiah Mensah took to Instagram to send a message thanking God.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.#JehovahKnows #JehovahSees #PRAISETHELORD
This is the first time since November 28, 2018 that Nana Appiah Mensah has posted anything on social media.
NAM 1 was arrested in Dubai sometime in December 2018 following a report to security authorities by a Dubai based company that he could be connected to an alleged botched gold business with a Ghanaian company, one of whose officials was known to him.
He is said to have landed in Dubai hoping to retrieve some $39 million owed Menzgold by the Dubai-based company, Horizon Royal Diamonds DMCC, for the supply of gold.
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WhatsApp users on both Android and iOS can create a status using their voice. On Monday users spotted a notice from WhatsApp confirming the…
Why it’s a good time to be developing mobile apps in Africa
The African mobile developer community should be smiling right now, what with being ideally placed to take advantage of a number of factors that currently make the region one of the most exciting digital spaces on the planet.
Mobile is massive
Mobile take-up across Africa took a lot of people by surprise; in hindsight it was obvious. Infrastructure-lag left a gaping chasm of consumer demand wide enough for mobile technology to swoop in and satisfy the need for telecommunications. South Africa now has more active SIMs than it has people. Across the region communication, banking, healthcare, education and many more facets of everyday life have been positively affected by the proliferation of text and voice apps and services.
But as the available hardware continues to improve and come down in price, so the development will get more sophisticated, increasing the positive impact that mobile technology can have on the people and businesses of Africa. The prices of smartphone handsets are also falling, with $100 devices already available, and $50 Android handsets touted for the near future.
Last year Nokia reported triple digit growth in the number of downloads from its Ovi app store, with instant messaging and health related apps by far the most popular. Projects are underway across the region, looking at using mobile and smartphone apps for disease prevention, patient care, treatment support and health data collection.
Leading South African healthcare provider Sanlam, for instance, is currently involved with telecommunications giant MTN to roll out a number of self-diagnosis, medication and consultation products across the 22 separate countries it operates in. The trend is snowballing.
The phenomenal growth of the market has caught the attention of the world’s leading communications and digital brands. Many key players are investing in the skills and knowledge of local developers. Corporations from Google to Samsung are running initiatives aimed at nurturing local talent.
In partnership with Samsung, Cape Town University recently launched a multi-million rand mobile Africa innovation lab. The three year project demonstrates the potential that has been identified in the region.
“Opportunities for innovative African mobile applications have been identified both in the individual user and social development markets,” said Professor Gary Marsden, CTU associate professor of computer science. “In addition, there is a need to move the most promising applications from prototype to commercially viable opportunities by means of a business incubator.”
Wanted: unique local knowledge
Social, economic and geographical challenges exist in Africa like nowhere else in the world. No other place boasts the wealth of cultural and linguistic diversity, disparate geographic populations and infrastructural inconsistency.
So for both western and Chinese multinationals, used to working in more standardised market environments, cracking this vibrant African mobile market would be impossible without good developers, using their local knowledge and insight to crack problems and invent apps that can significantly change peoples’ lives. The leading multinationals know this; they need eyes on the ground.
Education and opportunity
On 1-2 June, Google Android is running ‘Droid World’, a series of free-to-attend developer workshops, at Apps World Africa 2011 in Cape Town, the same day as the Developer Challenge opens for entries.
‘Droid World’, forms just part of a raft of expert developer content on offer at the event, with brands including Nokia and Blackberry also hosting free developer sessions, a full industry exhibition and more in-depth paid for conference tracks. For more information visit the Apps World Africa website.


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Publix changes store hours due to coronavirus
The growing number of coronavirus cases is causing many businesses to alter their plans.
A trip down the toilet paper aisle at a Montgomery Publix grocery store Friday night showed every package had been stripped from the shelves by concerned customers looking to stock up.
Publix now says, as of March 14, it will close its store at 8 p.m. until further notice as a way of better serving its customers. The closures will help crews by giving them more time for preventative sanitation, as well as time to restock their shelves.
Publix isn’t the only company affected. Others include Apple, which is temporarily closing all of its stores worldwide. Cruise ship companies are halting trips from the U.S. Even the Disney theme park empire is announcing it will close.


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We’re living in a unique moment in history. Technology-wise, it’s never been so bright. But economically, things aren’t so great. Rising interest rates, heavy inflation and an environment of austerity makes life difficult for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Tellingly, more than 60% of UK firms cited the “domestic economy” as their greatest challenge while another survey found 40% of small businesses listing inflation as their main concern. Inflation is especially painful, because you’ve got less cash coming in and more going out. It’s understandable why so many SMEs are anxious. 15% of US firms expect their revenues to decline over the rest of 2023.
One of the major problems is the soaring price of materials, forced upwards by high inflation, global shortages, and the war in Ukraine. 92% of UK businesses report higher costs compared to last year, with utilities causing the most financial pain. Among the worst hit were construction firms, accounting for 18% of insolvencies in March 2023. The challenging environment is making it increasingly difficult for SMEs to stay afloat.
Building on my predictions from earlier in the year, here’s how SMEs have been responding to the dire need for cash flow in 2023 so far.
2023 has squeezed cash flow – hard
Rubbing salt into the wound, firms are also waiting longer than ever to get the money they’re owed. As of May 2023, 55% are still waiting on invoice payments from 2022, leaving them with dangerously little liquidity. This is similar to what we predicted at the beginning of the year, and it seems to only be getting worse. As of April 2023, just 25% of UK businesses say that their cash flow has improved, while 30% have suffered a decrease. Hospitality was the worst hit, with 47% reporting a drop in cash flow.
Unfortunately, one late payment often sets off a domino-effect of late payments down the supply chain. It can also mean that SMEs must resort to expensive debt to make ends meet. A study by the Federation of Small Businesses found that firms who get paid late are twice as likely to take out credit as those who don’t.
At the start of the year, we recognised the urgent need for faster payments. Throughout 2023, we have seen it in action.
Fintech (and BNPL) to the rescue
Getting a hold on cash flow is crucial for SMEs as they move into starvation mode. But there is hope. Easy access to B2B finance has leapt to the rescue over the past nine months. Services like Hokodo’s B2B BNPL solution mean that merchants get paid instantly, without compromising the payment terms of their buyers.
Better still, BNPL repayments are interest-free. In a world where business loans are charging upwards of 10% APR, this represents significant savings. It could even be the difference between boom and bankruptcy. After all, around one in five small businesses are concerned that they will not be able to meet repayments from traditional banks.
It’s little surprise that the number of small businesses taking out B2B BNPL rose sharply in 2023. April research from Marqeta found that 32% of European SMEs have used BNPL. And 43% used it at least once within three months of answering the survey. Today, that figure is probably significantly higher.
Flexible finance can make life easier for business owners
Undoubtedly, there is a need for quick and accessible B2B financing. Today, just 37% of small businesses describe the process of securing traditional finance as “easy”. And when time is money, every efficiency counts. In my predictions earlier this year, I highlighted how the stresses related to debt and poor cash flow have been shown to impact business owners. Indeed, a study from earlier this year revealed that financial worries are the most anxiety-inducing issue for these individuals.
Cash flow tools like BNPL can help to make the lives of business owners as easy as possible. Giving firms more flexibility can enable them to buy the materials they need, make regular payments or invest in better equipment, ultimately helping them to realise their full potential.
Missed our 2023 predictions? Check them out here.


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Speaking with investors in a conference call earlier today, Sony executive vice president and CTO, Masuroto Kato has confirmed that Sony is actively working on the development of a new platform. According to Eurogamer, Kato confirmed the existence of the new platform when he was asked to account for the significant increase in research & development expenses.
“For the home equipment the PS3 still has a product life, but this is a platform business, so for the future platform – when we’ll be introducing what product I cannot discuss that – but our development work is already under way, so the costs are incurred there.”
Kato did not provide any information on how long the console had already been in development, or when it will be expected to make its way into the hands of developers or the public.
Earlier this year SCE boss Kazuo Hirai stated that the company hadn’t even started discussion on the new platform, as the Playstation 3 is not even halfway through the planned ten-year market cycle.


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Scandal-hit dairy industry looks to NZ for clean assets
China's burgeoning dairy industry is expanding into the clean green pastures of New Zealand as it seeks to put the melamine poisoning scandal behind it.
The country of four million in the Southern Pacific - which brands itself and its produce as 'pure' - is seen as the perfect investment opportunity for an industry that was hard hit by the melamine scandal in 2008.
Mainland-backed Bright Dairy and Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings are both eyeing New Zealand's dairy assets, and the scale of foreign investment in the country's most profitable sector is raising eyebrows.
It is not hard to see why mainland players are looking offshore. In 2008 milk powder produced by Sanlu Group was found to have been adulterated with the industrial chemical melamine, causing the deaths of at least six children and making more than 300,000 others ill.
The melamine scandal was one of several 'incidents' in China's food sector in recent years. Mainland food producers' use of pesticides and other chemicals has also come under fire.
Ironically, Sanlu, China's third-biggest dairy producer, had a New Zealand partner, dairy giant Fonterra, which held a 42 per cent stake. Sanlu was declared bankrupt in December 2008.
Fonterra is the world's largest dairy exporter, with between 33 per cent and 40 per cent of the global market. It is New Zealand's largest business and accounts for a large chunk of the country's gross domestic product and foreign exchange earnings.
The two new entrants into the New Zealand market are very different companies.
Bright Dairy, China's third-largest dairy operator in terms of volume, is 65 per cent owned by Bright Food (Group), a state-owned company based in Shanghai.
Bright Dairy was the first mainland dairy producer to venture offshore. Last month it announced a 382 million yuan (HK$438.07 million) investment in New Zealand's Synlait by taking a 51 per cent stake.
Synlait, 22.5 per cent owned by Japan's Mitsui, said Bright Dairy would only focus on the processing business.
Analysts said Bright Dairy was putting its brand on the finished product of Synlait, as a way to restore the trust of mainland customers. The deal gives Synlait access to the huge China market where Fonterra chief executive Andrew Ferrier expects demand to triple over the next decade, to be worth about US$70 billion.
But they warn that Chinese consumers' trust in locally produced milk products has been shaken and will not be restored overnight.
'It will take quite a long time for the industry to get sales back to the level they were at before the melamine scandal,' said analyst Wang Jianhui at Southwest Securities. 'Consumers' trust and confidence will recover only after the government sets up a more comprehensive monitoring system for food safety.'
Bright Dairy reported net profit of 122 million yuan last year, bouncing back from a 286 million net loss in 2008, but some analysts remained sceptical.
'[Its] 2009 sales growth remained unexciting,' Goldman Sachs analyst Deng Yifan wrote in a report. '[That] implies bumpy expansion in the post-melamine scandal era.'
The Synlait acquisition, which hinges on regulatory approval, offers Bright Dairy good quality sources of milk powder and infant formula.
While the 382 million yuan is not a big cash investment, it is an important step for Bright Dairy.
While Bright Dairy's foray into the New Zealand market has met with little or no criticism, a separate deal involving Natural Dairy, formerly a Hong Kong-based engineering company, is meeting more resistance.
The receivership of a group of farms controlled by the Crafar family has raised fears of deep-pocketed Chinese bidders buying prime New Zealand real estate.
UBNZ Assets Holdings - which is 20 per cent owned by Natural Dairy - agreed in May to buy 16 Crafar dairy farms.
Natural Dairy has applied to buy the remaining 80 per cent of UBNZ Assets, which already owns four farms purchased from the Crafar family interests in February.
That has brought the deal to the attention of the Overseas Investment Office (OIO). which is studying Natural Dairy's bid.
'The Government has very suddenly woken up to the concern that the upside from the dairy industry - which is considered economically vital to New Zealand's future - might be lost to other players if this country does not hurry up and get its act together,' wrote business commentator Fran O'Sullivan in the New Zealand Herald last week.
'The dairy industry is responsible for around 25 per cent of exports and has the potential to be a strong long-term economic growth driver for New Zealand as global demand gradually grows on the back of a snowballing world population.'
Prime Minister John Key questioned the rising tide of foreign money flowing into the sector last month.
'If we ended up in a position where New Zealanders are tenants in their own country, I can't see how that would be in New Zealand's best interests,' he said.
The plan has also drawn criticism from both the Green and Labour political parties.
But Natural Dairy vice chairman Graham Chin said people 'need to keep a sense of proportion'.
'In the last 12 months the OIO has approved the sale of 80,000 hectares of land to foreign interests, our OIO application only relates to the purchase of just 8,615 hectares out of more than 2 million hectares of dairy farmland in New Zealand. It involves only 25,000 cows in a national herd of around 5 million cows,' he said in a statement.
Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson said he could see why foreign investors were drawn to the dairy sector, which had massive potential.
'There's just this feeling - as I understand it - that New Zealand is losing control of its trump card, which is the land,' he told the Post.


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July 4, 2009 - Ukraine is home to some of the world’s cheapest cigarettes — at $1.05 per pack — making the country a bonanza for smugglers. Loads move by car, truck, bus and train, bound for other European countries where high taxes make packs cost as much as $5 (Germany) or $10 (United Kingdom).
The world’s four leading multinational tobacco companies, Philip Morris International, Japan Tobacco International (JTI), Imperial Tobacco, and British American Tobacco (BAT), have produced billions of excess cigarettes in Ukraine, fueling a teeming black market that reaches across the European Union. Today, Ukraine is rivaled only by Russia as the top source of non-counterfeit brand cigarettes smuggled to Europe, EU officials say.
The growing traffic pushes huge supplies of cheap, untaxed, and unregulated cigarettes into the rest of Europe, undercutting otherwise successful attempts to curtail smoking. Worse, officials say, the trade is boosting organized crime gangs, who find the soft penalties and big profits hard to resist.
Each year, Ukraine’s cigarette consumption and legal exports top 100 billion sticks, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Health. Yet in 2008, tobacco companies manufactured and imported nearly 130 billion cigarettes — 30 percent in excess of what the local market can consume. These “extra” cigarettes disappear in the market, feeding an illicit trade that is worth, conservatively, $2.1 billion annually. Ukrainian cigarette production, meanwhile, has steadily risen since 2003, according to an analysis by ICIJ of data compiled by SOVAT, a tobacco and alcohol industry association, and Ukraine government statistics. In fact, cigarette production in Ukraine increased one-third between 2003 and 2008 — from 96.8 to 129.8 billion — with JTI and Philip Morris leading that trend.
Philip Morris, BAT, JTI, and Imperial — control 99 percent of the Ukrainian cigarette market.
Internet merchants are also making a windfall from Ukraine-made cigarettes. A Web search for “cheap Ukrainian cigarettes” yields about two dozen online stores, most of them located in neighboring Moldova. The sites offer all the well-known brands, from Marlboro to Winston, with Ukrainian tax stamps and health warnings. The price is $22 for a carton (10 packs) of Marlboro — about three times cheaper than prices in the EU. The sellers claim that they will skip customs inspections at the destination country. If customs does try to charge a duty tax, customers are advised to reject the package and ask for their money back. Also plentiful on Ukrainian Internet sites are classified ads offering Ukrainian cigarettes delivered to the EU “in large quantities,” “on constant basis” and “without any paperwork.”
Konstantin Krasovsky, of the Ukraine Ministry of Health, says tobacco companies are doing little to stop smuggling. In Krasovsky’s view, the only way to halt smuggling is to make the trade unprofitable for manufacturers. He and other tobacco control advocates propose that, much like in the Philip Morris-EU agreement, tobacco companies in Ukraine be forced to buy back their seized cigarettes at market prices.
Reference: Ukraine’s ‘Lost’ Cigarettes Flood Europe Big Tobacco’s Overproduction Fuels $2 Billion Black Market by Vlad Lavrov, Tobacco Underground The booming Global Trade in Smuggled Cigarettes, Center for Public Integrity, 6/28/2009.
Click on image to enlarge, graphic by Stephen Roundtree..


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US fast casual Mediterranean restaurant group Zoës Kitchen has added new Mediterranean classic and savoury flavours from Morocco and Italy to its menu, to offer better meal options for its guests.
The new menu offerings include a vegan-friendly baked falafel, Moroccan citrus roasted chicken with turmeric rice and sorrentina baked ravioli.
Zoës Kitchen CEO and president Kevin Miles said: “At Zoës Kitchen, we are focused on innovation and crafting menu items that immediately fulfil a craveable need for our guests who are looking for better-for-you meal options.
“We’re excited to introduce new menu additions that will continue to position us as the authority on Mediterranean, as well as tap into our guests’ craving for convenience.
“Our guests have been eager for a vegetarian and vegan protein option, and we are proud to now offer falafel that’s baked instead of fried, staying true to our no-fryers commitment.
“Additionally, we are excited to expand our Mediterranean Family Dinner offerings as we focus on capturing incremental sales in our dinner day part. These new options, along with existing choices in that offering, make the Mediterranean Family Dinners one of the best values on our menu and a desirable choice for busy families.”
The new menu offerings are also available for catering for business or social occasions and include vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Zoës Kitchen was founded in 1995 and currently has 250 locations in 20 states across the US.


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Car Wash Coffee To Open in Former Savannah’s Space
Mr. Wash owner has installed signs at the Kensington building
A worker installs the new Car Wash Coffee sign at the Connecticut Avenue building.
The building that housed Savannah’s American Grill in Kensington will be getting new life as a coffee shop.
Workers installed a “Car Wash Coffee” sign on the side of the building at 10700 Connecticut Ave. on Wednesday and were putting up another sign facing the road Thursday morning.
Nathan Harris, who operates Mr. Wash, a car wash adjacent to the building, confirmed this week that his father, Steve Harris, planned to open a coffee shop at the location. The elder Harris owns the building that will become Car Wash Coffee as well as the six locations of Mr. Wash in Virginia and Maryland. He could not be reached for comment.
A Mr. Wash manager said Car Wash Coffee might open in late May. On Thursday morning, the interior space looked unchanged since Savannah’s days, and workers said it would be remodeled before opening.
Some Savannah’s signage remains on the canopy in front of the building.
The space has been vacant since Savannah’s closed in July 2016. The bar and restaurant opened in 2001 and gained a reputation as a dive bar in online reviews.
Credit: Joe Zimmermann


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Primark Stores, the company that manages the fifty establishments that the Irish distribution company has in Spain, registered a net profit of 70 million euros at the end of its fiscal year 2021, closed in August of that year. A result that represents an improvement of 45% compared to the previous year, in the impacts of the pandemic made a dent in profitability, thanks to lower operating costs.
These also continued to be felt during the following financial year, affecting the recovery of Primark Stores’ revenues. Its annual accounts, deposited in the Mercantile Registry, reflect a turnover of 1,127 million, 2.5% less than in 2020, the year in which the Covid-19 caused a cut in income of 24% on the previous figures to the pandemic.
However, the main reason for the drop in turnover in the last financial year was the lower sales made to its Irish parent company, which fell by 22%. Pure sales in Spain, through the store, grew by 15% to 970.4 million, although still far from pre-pandemic levels.
“The increase due to the effect of the new openings has been reduced by the partial closures of some stores and restrictions in all of them motivated by the Covid-19 pandemic,” says the company in its management report.
On the health crisis, Primark Stores explains that “many lessons have been learned and we have developed a flexible set of possible responses that are ready to be implemented in the event that further restrictions are imposed, whether at the local, regional or national level”. It concludes that the Covid-19 will have “a minimal impact” thanks to the fact that its parent company “has agreed to provide the necessary financial support so that the company can meet its obligations.”
At the end of last year, Primark had 52 stores in Spain, four more than in August 2020, after opening in Sant Cugat (Barcelona), León, Bilbao and Marbella. To these have been added, already in the 2022 financial year, three more in Vigo, Girona and Cádiz, with Spain being the country where the most establishments have opened so far this year.
At a global level, the fashion chain announced a few weeks ago that it will implement “selective” price increases in part of the offer for the autumn-winter campaign, and that they will begin to be noticeable to consumers at the end of July and the beginning of August.


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Top brewers in India raided by antitrust watchdog CCI in price-fixing probe, says sources
Search and seizure operations were conducted at dawn by the CCI at the offices of India's United Breweries, Denmark's Carlsberg and the world's largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) in at least two Indian cities, said the three people, including one government source and an industry source.
The regulator has been conducting an antitrust investigation of the three companies for the past year, said a fourth source with direct knowledge of the inquiries.
The CCI was tipped off by one of the three companies after it filed a leniency application with the regulator, revealing details of the alleged price fixing, he added.
Published Date: Oct 12th, 2018 12:30 PM | Updated Date: Oct 12, 2018 12:30 PM IST


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The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on June 4, 2023 between the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Health, Government of the Republic of Suriname on cooperation in the field of Medical Product Regulation.
The MoU was signed during the visit of the President of India to Suriname. The purpose of the MoU is to facilitate a constructive dialogue on the laws and regulations pertinent to medical products as well as other relevant matters.
The MoU seeks to establish a framework for fruitful cooperation and exchange of information between the CDSCO and the Ministry of Health, Government of the Republic of Suriname in matters relating to medical products regulation in line with their international responsibilities. The main areas of cooperation between the two regulatory authorities include:
- Promoting an understanding between the Parties of each other’s regulatory framework, requirements and processes, and facilitating future regulatory strengthening initiatives for both Parties.
- Exchange of information and cooperation on Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Pharmacovigilance Practices (GPvP).
- Recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia.
- Exchange of safety information, including pharmacovigilance, and adverse events where there is a particular safety concern related to the other Party. This includes safety concerns relating to medicines and medical devices.
- Participation in scientific and practical conferences, symposia, seminars and forums organized by the Parties.
- Capacity building in mutually agreed areas.
- Coordination at the international fora.
- Any other areas of common interest.
The MoU is expected to facilitate the export of medical products from India to Suriname, leading to foreign exchange earnings. It will also help to converge regulatory practices between the two countries, which could lead to increased exports of medicines from India and better employment opportunities for professionals in the pharmaceutical sector.
The MoU is a significant step in the cooperation between India and Suriname in the field of medical product regulation. It will help to improve the safety and quality of medical products available in both countries and will also contribute to the economic development of both countries.


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Good memories and gratifying experiences are the currency of great restaurants. A new task for Commander’s Palace during these coronavirus times is getting all that into a box, shipping it across the country and making sure the turtle soup doesn’t leak.
Shipping the flavors of New Orleans, and maybe some of the experiences, is part of an effort now growing at an urgent pace at restaurants as they try to find a path forward. It’s playing out in different ways, but tapping one common asset.
"The popularity of New Orleans food isn't going away," said Commander's Palace executive chef Tory McPhail. "But now we have to find other ways to get it to people."
Commander’s Palace hasn’t served a meal in its dining rooms for two months. But the gas lanterns outside are still flickering, and inside, a small team of chefs and managers now keeps the fires burning on a number of projects.
“It’s us still taking care of our customers,” said McPhail. “They can’t come to us, so how do we bring a piece of Commander’s to them?”
Commander’s Palace started shipping early in May through the service Goldbelly. The company works with restaurants and specialty food purveyors to answer cravings and bucket list food indulgences from afar, from New York bagels to Texas brisket.
McPhail and his crew pack insulated boxes with frozen turtle soup, sugar cane lacquered quail (along with its boudin stuffing) and pecan pie. They even add foil-wrapped loaves of the same garlic bread Commander’s Palace guests usually munch while looking over the menu.
With shipping and third party fees, it’s a costly proposition. Turtle soup for six will run you $89, and the full dinner for two is $179. But Lelia Lambert, a manager at Commander’s Palace overseeing the effort, said customers are using the service to connect for something special.
“It’s the graduation dinner they didn’t get to have, the trip to New Orleans they didn’t get to take,” Lambert said. “People are still coming to us for special occasions, but in a different way.”
That’s why the restaurant tries to transmit not just the flavors, but also the festive feel and the attention to detail that has made the restaurant an icon of New Orleans dining. Balloons and bling that adorn restaurant tables for special occasions go into the boxes too, along with detailed instructions to heat, serve and even plate the dishes at home.
Shipping regional flavors has long been a niche industry. Mail-order king cakes fly around the country each Mardi Gras, turduckens make their way onto holiday tables and sacks of crawfish make it to boils far from the Cajun heartland.
When the coronavirus shutdowns began, Lovey Wakefield was worried that this business would dry up. She runs NOLA Cajun, an Elmwood-based company that functions like an online Louisiana grocery, handling sales and shipping for hundreds of local food makers. But as the crisis has unfolded, NOLA Cajun orders have been rising.
“It’s amazing, New Orleans is never forgotten, the brand we have as a region for food is just so strong,” said Wakefield.
People stuck at home are daydreaming about travel and their favorite destinations, she believes. With food shipped in, they can at least still connect with part of that experience from home.
Packaged foods like olive salad, regional brands like Zapp’s Chips and a cornucopia of Cajun meats are mainstays for NOLA Cajun. But lately, Wakefield has been fielding more calls from local restaurants looking to ship.
Signature dishes can be a potent product because instead of competing with other labels available wherever a customer lives, restaurants are offering an experience tied to their own brand. But getting a restaurant dish to a customer’s door takes more logistical work.
“My fear is restaurants will take three steps forward to do this and put it on the back burner when they can reopen,” Wakefield said. “But if they have this kind of capability in place, they’re going to be more flexible for whatever happens next.”
Po-boys and future plans
“We have someone in Hawaii who orders his po-boy every week,” said Ilene Nix, who was prepping shipments in the Parkway kitchen with her nephew Ted Morrison. “They get the bread we use here, the roast beef, all the stuff to dress it. It’s easy.”
The key is breaking the classic creation down to its components so each stays in good condition for the journey. Customers then assemble them when they’re ready to chow down.
Getting a po-boy across the country is not cheap either (a kit that makes four sandwiches is $99). But Parkway found enough business in shipping to pay staff to come back to work and manage the work four days a week.
“Really what it’s doing is showing people we’re still around,” said Parkway manager Justin Kennedy. “People are locked up in their houses. They can’t go enjoy life, but hey, look — we can get a taste of New Orleans.”
Parkway is resuming takeout May 12 but plans to continue shipping for the foreseeable future.
At Commander’s Palace, a kitchen that once hummed with 60 people is down to six chefs. The foyer where guests are usually greeted is a staging area for packing supplies. The chef’s table in the kitchen, normally the most coveted seats in the house, is an ad hoc shipping desk.
And the bar, where sazeracs were swirled under chandeliers, is lined with insulated foil sacks ready to take three-course dinners, whole pecan pies and packs of turtle soup out the door and around the country.
“These are all steps to getting us back to where we want to be,” said McPhail. “Right now, it just feels good to get back to work.”
It’s a good thing New Orleans prides itself on our devotion to local restaurants. And it’s a good thing our restaurant people have a track rec…
Hansen’s Sno-Bliz is guided by a slogan well-known to those who have lined up outside the generations-old sno-ball stand: There are no shortcu…


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In the year since agri-biotech company Arbiom announced that samples of its innovative wood-to-food protein ingredient SylPro were available for trials, the product has been undergoing intensive assessments with hybrid striped bass at Texas A&M University and Atlantic salmon and tilapia at Matis in Iceland.
Arbiom has its foundations in bioconversion processing technology, specifically in woody biomass as an undervalued carbon source. The initial trials concentrate on material handling and nutritional performance, and are an essential step towards creating a commercial product.
“Our primary focus is on carnivorous species, but we are also looking for a fit with species such as shrimp, because our yeast product is robust and economical,” Ricardo Ekmay, Arbiom’s vice president of nutrition, told SeafoodSource.
Wood is a natural fit for aquafeed, thanks to its plentiful nature and the declining demand for the resource in other industries, Ekmay said.
“The demand for low value goods such as newsprint are in decline, and the efficiencies of biomass in/biomass out are no longer there, so we saw an opportunity to add value to the woody biomass by turning it into substrates that are highly fermentable and digestible. Protein is a relatively unexplored but critical resource for the future, and we realized that there was great potential in producing protein-rich ingredients for aquaculture and livestock,” Emily Glen, Arbiom’s business development director, told SeafoodSource.
She explained that when a tree falls and starts to degrade, microorganisms feed from the nutrients in the wood and accelerate decomposition.
“Our technology mimics that natural process, but faster and at larger scale, converting wood into food for microorganisms that we process into a single-cell yeast protein that is suitable as a replacement for fish meal or plant protein concentrates,” she said.
According to Ekmay, SylPro has four key advantages to feed manufacturers; it offers high nutritional quality with a favorable amino acid profile, it is cost-effective, and it is sustainable and traceable.
“We can for example, tell a customer which forest the wood came from and work with the main certification schemes such as the Forest Stewardship Council,” he said.
Ekmay said Arbiom does not take its attributes for granted, but explained that the company consults with a wide range of potential feed customers to validate the high protein concentrate. The company partners with biomass stakeholders and leading firms in aquaculture, biotechnology and bio-based industries, and recently welcomed two new partners to help continue the development of its technology. BioProcess Pilot Facility BV (BPF) in the Netherlands, and Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEU) in Belgium, will lend their expertise in scaling-up wood fractionation processes, and help Arbiom to create an effective wood-to-food value chain.
“Arbiom’s wood-to-food technology has shown enormous promise in its potential to help address the looming global food shortage,” said Peter Flippo, BPF business development manager.
Wim Soetaert, chief executive officer of BBEU is in agreement.
“BBEU understands the challenges associated with scale-up of innovative bioconversion technologies, and we are pleased to join the Sylfeed consortium and lend our expertise and years of experience to Arbiom’s mission to commercialize its technology,” he said.
Arbiom opened its first pilot plant in Norton, Virginia, U.S.A., in 2013, to test out its pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis process technology and produce a base product. A fermentation plant was added in 2018, which further facilitated production of SylPro.
Results from the initial trials at Texas A&M have now been published, and compare the performance of SylPro to conventional plant and animal protein sources in aquafeed. The study concludes that SylPro behaves in a similar or even superior way to conventional protein ingredients in extruded feeds.
“Assessment of the material handling characteristics of SylPro suggest that it performs well in a range of extrusion conditions, and at varying inclusion levels in extruded feed. The results also highlighted that the product has additional functional binding properties, which suggests that SylPro could reduce the need for binding agents,” Ekmay said.
A second study evaluated the nutritional performance of SylPro at various inclusion rates, when fed to hybrid striped bass. Growth rates, body composition, nutrient digestibility and general gastrointestinal health were evaluated over a 60-day period, and the results showed no differences in mortality or feed intake across all diets.
“There was no statistical difference in body weight gain or feed intake up to a 20 percent inclusion level of SylPro compared to the control diet, and a crude protein digestibility of 97 percent. This means that our product could be used to replace fish meal or plant-based proteins in hybrid striped bass diets, and deliver the same nutritional performance as conventional protein sources up to a 20 percent inclusion level,” he said.
According to Ekmay, the company is now on the upward trajectory toward commercialization and thinking about the future.
A proof of concept demonstration plant is planned for France, co-located with a pulp and paper mill, to benefit logistics and cost. If successful, the goal is to open several production facilities, either co-located with mills, or with cogeneration plants, with an ultimate aim of achieving commercial-scale production of around 100,000 tons of SylPro per year.
Photo courtesy of Shuttertstock


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During the first month of 2022, FBM has expanded its Mythic Link Multi-Game to 40 new casinos across Mexico.
Composed of slot titles Ancient Tropics, Nature’s Paradise, Golden Voyage and Eternal Kingdom, the multi-game product has become available for Mexican players to try in 52 gaming sites across the country.
The FBM Mythic Link was a great addition to our multi-game portfolio, and the proof is the excellent feedback that we are getting from casino managers and players in the gaming sites,” commented Luis Casamayor, General Manager at FBM in Mexico.
“We are happy with what we are achieving with this product, and we are also already working on some updates that will allow us to bring even more value to the operators and players in the future.”
Available to play on the Shadow and Galaxy cabinets, the FBM Mythic Link Multi-Game – launched under the FBM Xtreme brand – enables players to switch between four slots with specific features in the same cabinet. On the other side, this also allows casino managers to get more games in less space.
The development comes after an expansion campaign across the Mexican market in November of 2021, where the FBM Mythic Link Multi-Game started conquering its space in several casinos across the LatAm region.


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PLUTA press contact
+49 89 210 257-22Download as PDF
The chocolate business Leysieffer GmbH & Co. KG filed an application with the Local Court of Osnabrück for in-court restructuring proceedings as a debtor in possession.
The business activities of the family business, well known throughout Germany, mainly consist of creating and distributing very high-quality confectionery products. In addition to this, the company operates its own cafés at select locations in Germany.
“Unfortunately, tradition and the production of high-quality products is nowadays no guarantee for success anymore. Therefore, the company is taking advantage of the chance of a sustained restructuring process,” said the attorney Mr Joachim Walterscheid from Bad Oeynhausen, who is guiding the company through the proceedings. In the past five years, the experienced restructuring expert has restructured a large number of family businesses as part of debtor-in-possession proceedings. The full scope of the long-established company’s business operations is being continued without any restrictions. Mr Jan Leysieffer will keep his position as managing director and will also be fully capable of taking action.
“As the Leysieffer family, we believe that this difficult step has set the course for a secure future for the company on a sustained basis. It has become more and more clear to us that such in-court restructuring proceedings offer the best chance of making the company competitive again. This will also ensure the company’s future existence on a long-term basis and make jobs secure,” said Mr Jan Leysieffer.
The employees have already been informed about the proceedings and the further measures at a staff meeting. The wages and salaries of all the 350 employees are guaranteed until the end of May 2019 thanks to specific substitute benefits provided by the Federal Employment Agency.
By its decision of 2 April 2019, the court assented to the company’s application and appointed the attorney Mr Stefan Meyer from PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH as the provisional insolvency monitor, whose task will be to oversee the restructuring process.


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Is this Jacquemus micro handbag the most talked-about design to emerge from Paris Fashion Week?
The pinkie-friendly purse has been described as the new "It bag" by designers, but the internet is left scratching its (figurative) head
It's a subjective topic, fashion, with people bringing their own preferences, styles and persuasions to the table.
However, one new creation is proving to be more divisive than most: enter Jacquemus's Mini Le Chiquito bag.
The almost-microscopic accessory might have been a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment on the Paris Fashion Week runway, but it's certainly created a big impact ever since.
The itsy-bitsy purse measures just two inches in length, according to The Guardian, meaning it's too small to hold credit cards, phones and house keys. Essentially, you'd have to go about your day with little more than a few nuggets of gum, some rolled-up banknotes and perhaps a dirham or two.
"Bag for a ring? Or?" the French fashion label, which is helmed by designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, questioned on Instagram.
Scroll through the gallery below to see more from the Jacquemus autumn/winter 2019 collection (and spot the Mini Le Chiquito where you can – it's like the Where's Wally of fashion):
The minute tote – that can tote almost nothing – is the little sister to Jacquemus's Le Chiquito bag, which debuted for autumn/winter 2018, and has been worn by Kim Kardashian West and Rihanna.
The diminutive design itself only measures four inches by two-and-a-half inches, and, like its smaller sibling, comes complete with gold lettering spelling out the brand's name. The micro version, however, can only fit a J on the top-handle bag, making the mini look positively spacious in comparison.
Jacquemus also unveiled its mini Le Vanity shoulder bag last Fashion Week, for spring/summer 2019, which is just 3.1 inches tall.
"What would you fit inside?" the brand asked on Instagram. It doesn't even look big enough to hold our emotional baggage, let alone the daily essentials.
While Jacquemus has not yet revealed what the micro Le Chiquito will cost, the mini version retails for $522 (Dh1,971) while the Le Vanity will set you back $240 (Dh881).
The minute creation was lauded by fashion critics, with Elle magazine describing the Barbie-worthy design as the "new It bag" – although social media commenters swiftly turned the Chiquito into sartorial meme.
It’s not the first time Salon-de-Provence-born Jacquemus has created a stir by playing with proportions; the designer’s exaggerated straw hat that blocked out the sun (as well as created quite the neck ache, we imagine) was an Instagram sensation last summer.
Jacquemus also played with oversized silhouettes for autumn/winter 2019, crafting enormous carryalls and four-pouched bumbags that more resembled lifebelts.
We wait with bated breath to see what Jacquemus has in store for next season – but we assume the front row will need to take binoculars along to the show.
Published: March 5, 2019 01:34 PM


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Fine dining a recipe for increased profit at Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud
THE COUNTRY’S top-rated restaurant “has come through the worst of the recession” after recording increased business last year and in the current year.
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud is the country’s only restaurant with two Michelin stars restaurant and accounts just filed by the company that operates the exclusive restaurant, Becklock Ltd, show its accumulated profits increased from €201,630 to €221,550 in the year to the end of August last, an increase of €19,920.
This followed the company recording a profit in 2009 and in 2010. The abridged accounts provide very limited information but company director Stephane Robin said yesterday: “I am very, very happy with how the business has performed last year and this year. We are doing well.”
He declined to provide figures for revenue or profits but said: “The restaurant has come through the worst of the recession. There is light at the end of the tunnel and when the banking system is right again it will be fabulous.”
He added: “Between 2008 and 2010, our target was to break even, and we reached that target, but last year and this year it has been much better and the business has been more consistent. We can’t complain at all.”
The abridged figures show the company’s cash during the year increased from €156,151 to €216,286.
The 20-table restaurant is located beside Dublin’s Merrion Hotel and Mr Robin said the restaurant is back once again to the full staff complement of 40 it had before the recession. The staff includes 14 chefs.
Mr Robin said the two Michelin stars “are rewarding for all staff and very good exposure”.
“We work very hard and we maintain standards by our day-to-day attention to detail and doing our best to please the customer by meeting their expectations of having sophisticated and quality food,” he said. The accounts are signed off by French head chef, Guillaume Lebrun and Mr Robin, who said: “We haven’t cut corners in the service we provide during the recession and that is why we are alive and kicking.”
The restaurant opened in 1981, has retained its two Michelin stars since 1996 and moved to its current location from nearby St James’s Place in 1997. The restaurant has a wine cellar stocked with 25,000 bottles from all over the world.
Mr Robin, who has worked at the restaurant for the last 26 years, said business last year and this year has been boosted by the increased number of tourists in Dublin. “The exchange rate between the euro and the dollar and sterling has been very good for us as well, as has been the business from conferences at the Convention Centre.
“We are also much more competitive and passed on the cut in VAT when it was made last year by the Government,” he said.
Mr Robin said the restaurant has built up customer loyalty over 31 years in business, with 85 per cent of its business coming from local customers.
Mr Robin described the salary costs for the 40 staff as “heavy, but without them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do”.


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DeeCash Acquires MeatCash
Deal includes FuckedUpNetwork, MeatMembers.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -
Posted May 31st, 2008 08:38 AM by Sherri L. Shaulis
In what's becoming an almost regular occurrence, DeeCash
announced Saturday it had acquired the affiliate program MeatCash
Major details of the acquisition were not disclosed, but Vipesh, vice president of business development for DeeCash, said the deal does include all of the associated paysites and the two consumer networks FuckedUpNetwork and MeatMembers.
The deal is the latest in a long line of acquisitions in recent months by DeeCash. Most recently, the company acquired Rude.com
"We feel this acquisition is strategic to our organization for many reasons," a DeeCash representative said. "One major one being the supreme and unique quality product and content that Meatcash has. We are impressed with the retention numbers, overall members area, webmaster factory and structural setup of Meatcash. Arthur and Mike have done a great job building Meatcash to the level it is today. They have the unique ability to connect both ‘online conversions' to ‘content production' which is rare."
The consumer networks of MeatCash consist of more than 40 all-exclusive sites.
DeeCash representatives said with the acquisition, there will be regular updates of the existing sites, and that Arthur and Mike will stay on to continue to shoot exclusively for MeatCash.
There are also plans to introduce increased payouts as well as increased retention with the addition of the DeeCash library of content to MeatCash members' areas.
Also, new sites are already in the works.
For more information, visit DeeCash.com


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We’re now more than five weeks into the new year and there has been little movement by church furniture manufacturers to raise prices for 2010. In a random survey of 50 prominent church furnishing manufacturers, I found only 12 that have raised prices this year subtantially over 2009. That’s great news for churches. However, I’ve heard from several that they’re prepared to raise prices at any point during the year should production costs should rise suddenly due to increased commodity prices (petroleum based products, wood and steel).
If you’re thinking of a substantial furnishing purchase, the first few months of 2010 might be the time to do so. Be sure and check out Church Furniture Partner to help the dollars you do have available for furnishings maximize what can be purchased.


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Greatest Purchase has introduced that it will likely be kicking off its Black Friday offers not on the Friday following Thanksgiving within the US, however subsequent Tuesday, October thirteenth. This two-day deal fest will final by means of October 14th.
After all, it’s no coincidence that this window of time matches when Amazon’s Prime Day 2020 takes place. Greatest Purchase often runs anti-Prime Day offers every year, although this 12 months’s Prime Day is completely different because it’s occurring so near the opposite massive procuring holidays, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as an alternative of in the course of the summer season. So right here we’re, writing about “Black Friday” offers in October.
So far as what offers you may count on to get subsequent week, Greatest Purchase’s solely offering a tease. It’s touting a 70-inch Samsung 4K tv for $530 — a deal so good, Greatest Purchase says, it is going to grace the quilt of its Black Friday advert when it launches later this month. $530 for a 70-inch TV does appear good, although we don’t know if it’s this mannequin that’s already $600 exterior of any sale or a barely costlier mannequin that’s presently $750.
Greatest Purchase can be touting laptops that begin at $120. There are not any different specifics offered when it comes to what manufacturers or fashions will likely be up for grabs at this worth. I positively wouldn’t count on an excessive amount of out of no matter laptop computer finally ends up promoting for this worth, however we’ll you’ll want to let you realize about it as soon as we all know extra.
Lastly, the JBL Free wi-fi headphones will likely be $70. Greatest Purchase claims that that is $80 off the unique worth, which appears notable. We’ll need to see if Amazon matches it throughout Black Friday.
Talking of worth matching, Greatest Purchase is addressing what occurs if one thing you purchase now in October sells for a greater worth throughout Black Friday. Merely put, it’s going to refund you the distinction, presumably routinely. But it surely’ll solely do this for gadgets which have “Black Friday Worth Assured” messaging on the product web page and just for purchases made whereas signed right into a free My Greatest Purchase account. It says these reimbursements will happen by December 14th, 2020.


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Rocco, the independent telecom industry researchers, last week published the results of their SMS Firewall analysis.
Four vendors are listed as Tier 1 providers. The vendors are listed alphabetically, so none of us four can claim the top spot.
An SMS Firewall is of course a security measure. But it is also enabling a major revenue opportunity right now for mobile networks. ‘Grey route’ A2P SMS is analysed and monitored, so it can be monetised.
In Rocco’s research, Tier 1 indicates 4 to 5 points out of 5. Rocco asks MNOs to rate their vendors on 30 KPIs across the areas of Performance, Value, and Leadership. The 15 biggest vendors were rated by 172 MNOs, across 141 countries.
We don’t know which of our customers this quote comes from, because feedback is given anonymously:
“SMS Defence is like all their products, built with great competence.”
Categorised in: News


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Microsoft may be on its Bing search engine now, thanks to its work on the Bing Chat AI service. However, a new report claims that just a few years ago, Microsoft was in early talks with Apple about selling Bing to the people of Cupertino, California.
A story from BloombergCiting unnamed sources, it claims that in 2020, Microsoft representatives held meetings with Apple’s then-VP of Services, Eddie Cue, when Microsoft proposed that Apple acquire the Bing division.
However, the talks reportedly never went beyond the exploratory stage. The story claims that Apple had several reasons not to pursue such a deal. One was that Apple was probably very happy with the revenue it was getting from Google with its default search engine on Apple devices like the iPhone.
According to the story, another reason the talks did not progress was that Apple “also had concerns about Bing’s ability to compete with Google in quality and capabilities.”
This was not always the case. In 2013, Apple signed an agreement with Microsoft to make its Bing search engine the default for its Siri digital assistant. However, this agreement did not last long. In 2017, Apple switched to Google Search as the default for Siri. This was also the case for Spotlight for Mac, and Search within iOS.
In another report from Bloomberg Today, as part of coverage of Google’s current antitrust lawsuit, it was revealed that in 2016, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss Bing becoming the default search engine for Apple’s Safari browser. Those talks went nowhere, as did another series of talks in 2018 when Microsoft discussed switching from Google to Bing on Apple devices outside the United States.