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June 5, 2017
Bruce Fenton is an active investor and advisor in the Bitcoin and blockchain world, serving on the board of The Bitcoin Foundation – the industry's largest and oldest trade group where he also served as executive director.
Beyond his work with Bitcoin, Bruce runs an investment advisory and consulting firm with a focus on emerging markets and emerging technologies, helping large organizations stay ahead of economic trends and transitions.
His business acumen alone makes it clear that his beliefs on financial technology are well worth taking note of, and Bruce Fenton is a huge advocate for the advancement of blockchain and cryptocurrencies in the modern world of payments and beyond.
Blockchain beyond payments
I asked him to shed a bit more light on the role blockchain and Bitcoin will play in the future, and what relevance they pose to the internet of things.“These technologies have massive potential for impact on our world,” Bruce explains. “Some of the exciting ramifications for IoT will be easy and fast payments, so devices will be able to earn their own money and make micropayments.
“Also, anything which benefits from a unique identifier such as locks, collectibles, securities or other assets can be verified digitally using blockchain technology and linked to payments or verification or security systems.”
“So far, the best blockchain related ideas are those which eliminate the need for a trusted third party” – Bruce Fenton, Bitocoin Foundation
While some detractors say blockchain should not be put to use beyond digital currency, Bruce is adamant that this digital ledger technology has a wide variety of valuable potential applications, which could affect consumers, and businesses spanning a plethora of industries.
“There are some exciting developments for security and other applications,” he continues. “Smart contracts are early stage but also have potential. I think that one of the biggest changes we will see is a shift in how we think about assets and that these assets will no longer be tied to one place. With this technology possession takes on new meanings as you can control an asset from multiple places at once and in multiple ways.”
Is the negative perception warranted?
Once made aware of this range of useful and lucrative potential uses, a casual observer may well be surprised to see what a bad rap cryptocurrencies and blockchain-related technology receives in the general media on a day-to-day basis.
When they’re not ignoring these revolutionary technologies altogether, the average news outlet is typically both highly sceptical and cynical. And with numerous high-profile hacks over the past few years alone, the bad press is clearly warranted to an extent.
I asked Bruce whether this negative publicity is warranted, and how blockchain and Bitcoin might gain the trust of the media and general public.
“Yes, the hacking concern is a valid one,” he concedes. “The greatest benefits of the technology: secure, private, fast and unstoppable transfers, also make it an appealing target for hackers.
“It's important to note that Bitcoin itself has never been hacked, only third-party companies holding Bitcoin. Unfortunately, this is a major problem. But fortunately we are seeing increasingly sophisticated counter measures and security procedures designed to protect these assets.”
So what do the end-user companies have to gain if they decide to adopt Blockchain and integrate it with their processes?“The first step is to understand what the tech can and cannot do. Blockchain is a buzzword that has attracted a lot of interest. Some companies are overzealous in their attempts to make anything into a blockchain related project… even if there is no clear advantage.
“So far, the best blockchain related ideas are those which eliminate the need for a trusted third party. Keeping the central principles in mind is wise,” Bruce concludes.
Beyond convincing the media of blockchain’s benefits and demonstrating that the negative aspects are largely fixable, Bruce Fenton believes that it’s down to developers to champion the blockchain cause. This could encourage the widespread adoption of blockchain for IoT security.
“Large companies and capable developers should familiarize themselves with the code and consider contributing when they are able,” Bruce says. “Bitcoin code is not controlled by any person or organization, anyone can participate and contribute. IoT and security professionals, particularly those with relevant skills like high level C++ knowledge, can both help with existing testing and code development and can also contribute suggestions to the code.
“In the case of Bitcoin this is done through a BIP or Bitcoin Improvement Protocol. The Ethereum community is also an open-source project that is welcoming to new contributions.”
And he’s also taken on the mantle himself. In two weeks’ time, Bruce Fenton will take the stage at Blockchain 360 on the first day of the IoT Security Summit in Boston, to argue the case for Blockchain and explain why it could be of benefit as the IoT grows exponentially.
“For a long time I've been passionate about sharing this technology with people,” he finishes. “Now that it is becoming more mainstream and more people are aware of or involved with projects in the space, it's great to speak with people about jumping in to the next steps of practical implementation of this important technology.”
About the Author(s)
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A music and tech junkie who calls Nashville home, Brad is the Director TNW Academy. You can follow him on Twitter @BradMcCarty. A music and tech junkie who calls Nashville home, Brad is the Director TNW Academy. You can follow him on Twitter @BradMcCarty.
Google says that it doesn’t want those Nortel patents because it wouldn’t be able to use them if everyone else has them too. Flickr has hit 6 billion photo uploads which might sound like a lot, but leaves the site paling in comparison to social services. Nokia has dropped its long-time global ad agency.
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TNWDailyDose 05-07-2011 by TNW Daily Dose
Google says it didn’t want Novell patents if everyone got them [Updated] http://t.co/ic6LAzt
Flickr hits 6 billion total photos, but Facebook does that every 2 months http://t.co/3YWrGjU
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Processors, RAM and SSDs are now at record lows.
According to the authors of the popular YouTube channel about Hardware Unboxed, the summer of 2023 is the very moment when assembling a gaming PC from scratch will be a really profitable investment.
According to them, recent months are characterized by a significant decline in demand for ready-made computer solutions and components for them. This, in turn, led to the accumulation of their excess stocks.
- For example, journalists claim that RAM has fallen in price to a record low. Since 2023, the cost of DDR5 RAM has fallen by almost 60%.
- The rest of the components are also now extremely profitable: after the “death” of mining with the availability and price of new video cards, the situation has become noticeably better, and already cheap SSDs have become even cheaper.
- Moreover, the price cut also affected the processor segment. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D, popular with gamers, has fallen in price by more than 30% – now its average cost is $320, and at a discount it can be “snatched” for $270.
Thus, a gaming PC for Full HD resolution, which will “pull” all the games, today will cost no more than $ 600-700, although a year ago it was necessary to pay more than a thousand dollars for it.
Which PC is played by the most gamers in the world in 2023
As you may know, Valve releases detailed reports every month on the hardware and software of Steam users. It allows you to find out which PC build is played by the most gamers.
Statistics show that despite the fact that recently video cards have fallen in price, gamers are in no hurry to upgrade. The most popular model among Steam gamers is still the GeForce GTX 1650. In second and third places are the RTX 3060 and GTX 1060.
As for processors, in 2023 six-core models from Intel with a frequency of 2.3-2.69 GHz dominate. Speaking of RAM, 16 GB of RAM is considered the “golden mean”. At the same time, more and more users, based on Steam statistics, prefer Windows 11.


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What do a small business that sell socks packaged by homeless youth and a start-up that makes bracelets from life vests once worn by refugees have to do with the spread of misinformation during the presidential election season?
Nothing, thought the entrepreneurs who started them, until Facebook notified them that their ads had been pulled because they fell into a category of “social issues, elections or politics” that were being blocked by the site.
The social media giant announced last week that it was extending a ban imposed on certain ads during the election to prevent the dissemination of false information. The prohibition has ensnared a number of socially driven businesses with no direct connection to partisan politics.
Companies connected to issues like hunger, the environment and immigration, many of which rely heavily on social media to draw customers to their websites, have seen their access abruptly cut off.
“We’re just selling socks and trying to do a good thing,” said Sam Harper, 27, co-founder of Hippy Feet, a company in Minneapolis that employs homeless youth. “We are not trying to advance any particular agenda around homelessness and unemployment.”
“Facebook is thinking of the political campaigns, and we are collateral damage in the process,” Mr. Harper said.
The entrepreneurs say they don’t begrudge Facebook for barring falsehoods and misleading content. But they contend that it is unfair that their do-good businesses are being lumped in with politically motivated advertisers. With the crucial holiday season fast approaching, some fear that the ban, extended on Nov. 11 for another month, could spell their demise.
In the run-up to the 2016 election, deceptive and distorted information spread by Russian automated accounts and others on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube was designed to influence voters. Some of the accounts generated posts about social issues, such as civil and women’s rights, that proved divisive.
This election cycle, amid mounting pressure to improve the monitoring of ads, Facebook and several other platforms blocked new political ads ahead of Election Day and extended the suspension during the contested vote counting afterward.
“The temporary pause for ads about politics and social issues in the U.S. continues to be in place as part of our ongoing efforts to protect the election,” the company said last week in announcing the extension. “Advertisers can expect this to last another month, though there may be an opportunity to resume these ads sooner.”
Sarah Schiff, a Facebook product manager, said that the company made “difficult decisions” to temporarily suspend ads not only about politics and elections, but also on many social issues, “to protect the integrity of the election.”
“We know this may be disappointing, but we encourage businesses to run ads about other topics and reach people during this time through their organic posts and tools such as fund-raisers on Facebook and Instagram,” Ms. Schiff said in a statement.
The company said that business owners who believed their ads were flagged incorrectly could request reconsideration, either through an automated process or through a personal review.
“Enforcement isn’t perfect but we improve with time,” the statement said.
The ad policy so far has cast a wide net.
“Because you have to implement this at a tremendous scale, you can’t be making exceptions regularly,” said Jessica Alter, co-founder of Tech for Campaigns, a nonprofit that advises Democratic campaigns on their social-media advertising strategy. “Organizations and businesses trying to do good are unfairly disadvantaged.”
“If you have an all-out ban, this is the unintended consequence,” added Ms. Alter, who said she did not blame Facebook. “Is advertising mindfulness political? Yoga?”
Advertising on Facebook is a lifeline for Epimonia, a Minneapolis-based company that makes and sells bracelets and other items made from the discarded life jackets worn by refugees fleeing on flimsy boats to Europe.
The company spends several thousand dollars a year to advertise on Facebook, which targets users who have a favorable view of refugees based on the interests listed on their profiles. When an Epimonia ad pops up, those who click on it are directed to the company’s website.
“I have been advertising on Facebook for years. It’s very frustrating for me now to be categorized with groups using false advertising for political reasons,” said Mohamed Malim, 24, a Somali-American who started the business three years ago with $2,000 left from his college scholarship.
Epimonia’s ads were suspended in late October, when Facebook first announced a weeklong freeze on certain ads. They have not gone back up since, said Mr. Malim, who has appealed the decision several times, to no avail.
“Not being able to run ads before the holidays could put us out of business,” said Mr. Malim, who employs a handful of refugees to make bracelets, beanies and T-shirts.
Three of the banned Epimonia ads state that the purchase of a bracelet would help refugees build new lives in the United States. The ads also say that some of the proceeds will go to charitable causes.
“The ads have been approved but have been paused due to a Restriction Period,” Facebook told the company. “All issue, electoral and political ads in the U.S. were temporarily stopped.”
Facebook did not specify what was wrong with the ads, but Mr. Malim said he assumed that “since we talk about refugees in our brand communications, Facebook considers us a political advertiser.”
Given the uncertainty, he has decided to postpone the launch of a new apparel line planned for next week. “It will be hard for us to sell and to donate to nonprofits if we continue to have this problem,” Mr. Malim said.
Even before the election, Facebook required companies that have a social agenda to include a disclaimer in their ads. But businesses and ad agencies, which place ads for some of them, reported that Facebook has become more aggressive about disabling ads altogether in recent weeks.
One of the companies targeted was Bridgewater Candle Company, which donates money from every scented candle that it sells to orphans in Haiti, India and other countries through a Christian nonprofit. Its slogan is, “Light a candle, feed a child.”
On Nov. 4, the business was notified by Facebook that an ad promoting its mission had been suspended. “The simplest line, ‘With every jar candle, we provide three meals,’ triggered its removal,” said Kelly Barter, marketing manager for the Spartanburg, S.C., company. “Facebook considers our giveback mission a social issue.”
It was the first time since the candle company started advertising on the platform three years ago that an approved ad had been pulled. It took a week of back and forth communication with Facebook to resurrect it.
“It’s problematic for an e-commerce business trying to drive sales and raise awareness to be shut down,” Ms. Barter said. “Thankfully, we were able to work through the roadblock.”
Blueland, which sells refillable and reusable cleaning products, does not ask its customers to donate to environmental causes. But the e-commerce site markets its soap, laundry and dishwater tablets as “a gift for you and the planet” because the products help eliminate polluting plastic containers.
It was on that basis that Facebook recently banned a Blueland ad that talked about how its reusable hand soap prevents single-use plastic bottles from washing up in oceans and going to landfills. Facebook then reviewed the ad at Blueland’s request, and allowed it to run without any modifications.
“It was something we were able to get corrected, but it wasn’t the best timing when we were about to go into the holiday season,” said Gina Pak, the company’s chief marketing officer.
Ms. Pak said she agreed with Facebook’s efforts to address “big, important issues” during the election but suggested that it was “disruptive” to have ads taken down.
Hippy Feet, which sells zany, colorful socks with music-oriented names like Sunset Lovers, Fleetwoods and Joplins, is committed to helping homeless teenagers and young adults by employing them on a part-time basis to fill and pack orders, screen print and embroider.
On the eve of the election, Facebook notified Hippy Feet several times that its ads violated the ad policy, according to a communication provided by the company.
“Their algorithms see words like homelessness and decide we are political,” said Mr. Harper, who started Hippy Feet four years ago with a friend.
The company is more dependent than ever on Facebook ads to help boost its online sales because the coronavirus pandemic has prevented it from selling as it normally would at holiday markets and bazaars. The business traditionally generates about 40 percent of its sales during the holidays, when it also employs the most homeless youth at its facility.
“We are a little on edge and uncertain about where things will go,” Mr. Harper said. “It has us questioning the security and viability of what we are doing, if we are impacted by something like an election.”
After discussions between Hippy Feet and Facebook, some of the ads were resurrected on the platform late last week; others remain disabled.
“We can’t be mad at the intention of the policy. It’s supposed to make Facebook and the world a safer place,” Mr. Harper said. “We just ended up at the wrong end of the stick.”
Source: Read Full Article


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Brands in the U.S. spend hundreds of millions on identity resolution. That number will only increase, with projections pointing north of $2.5 billion in 2022. Technological advances and changes in consumer behavior have analytics pros leveraging identity as the new secret weapon to maximize and measure ROI.
We sat down with Infutor COO Kevin Dean to discuss why consumer identity will continue to be one of the most valuable tools in 2021 and beyond.
You’ll also learn:
- The unique challenges that have developed in 2020
- Where innovation is occurring with second-party data
- How the data industry will evolve in 2021


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Maori Authority Chair welcomes deal with the UK – it’s an opportunity for our young people to thrive
Image: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nanaia Mahuta
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has said the UK Free Trade Agreement deal will be a significant opportunity for Maori. Tukaki who has been involved alongside other Maori leaders in providing feedback and support to both New Zealand and UK representatives has said the doors will be open for young Maori entrepreneurs much more so than they have been as well as those involved in the agribusiness and food production arenas:
Tukaki has also said the Treaty Exception clause will remain pivotal: As in all of New Zealand’s free trade agreements since 2001, the NZ-UK FTA will contain a Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi exception which protects the New Zealand government’s ability to adopt policies it considers necessary to fulfil its obligations to Māori, including under the Treaty of Waitangi.
- Engagement with Māori, together with independent studies, identified a broad range of Māori interests across the agreement. This included:
Recognising Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi as a foundational document of constitutional importance to New Zealand;
Goods market access – particularly primary sector exports including honey, horticulture, meat, dairy and wine;
“let me be really clear here this is an opportunity for Maori to really grow our share of the export pie. But more so, in news ways and means that our Tupuna could not have imagined such as digital trade. The fact is when you look at our digital sector, even our gaming sector which has the potential to generate billions of dollars of income, Maori entrepreuers play a significant role – this is our change not just to grow our agribusiness and food production interest but now arc into new and exciting sectors” Tukaki said
“Our honey sector can win through the dropping of tariffs and its one thing I know – Maori small to medium sized enterprise produce the best honey! And even when it comes to the environment and the services sector – Maori know a lot about water through to land management – why would we not want to export that traditional knowledge.” Tukaki said
“Agreements like this help Maori to economically develop even faster than we could have anticipated fifty years ago – this is our chance to both protect the foundations of our Treaty Partnership while also growing our aspirations and turning them into reality” Tukaki said
o The Indigenous Chapter will create a platform for cooperation on a range of issues of importance to Māori, and New Zealand will seek acknowledgement of Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi as a foundational document of constitutional importance to New Zealand.
o New Zealand will work with the UK to enhance understanding on intellectual property issues of interest to Māori and to work toward a multilateral outcome at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Intergovernmental Committee on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC).
o The Trade and Environment Chapter will be the most ambitious New Zealand has ever negotiated and will include references to Māori environmental concepts, commitments to eliminate fisheries subsidies, to take steps toward eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, and to promote sustainable agriculture.
o The NZ-UK FTA will be New Zealand’s first bilateral agreement to contain a specific article on climate change, with a view to promoting mutually supportive trade and climate policies and reinforcing the objective both countries have in transitioning to a low carbon economy.
o The FTA will include commitments in the Digital Trade Chapter that promote inclusive digital trade and seek to make doing business digitally easier. There is also a focus on working together to ensure SMEs, including Māori-led and women-led enterprises, are able to access the benefits of digital trade. In recognition of the evolving nature of digital trade, these commitments are accompanied by robust protections for the rights and interests of New Zealand businesses and other users of these services, including Māori interests in respect of data.
o The FTA will have a focus on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) accessing the benefits of the Agreement through a dedicated chapter, as well as an emphasis on SME-friendly approaches throughout the FTA in areas such as Goods, Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation, and Digital Trade.


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Unlike creating sprawling cities on Earth, the game is all about colonizing Mars and surviving its challenges. It's more of a survival-builder than a traditional Cities: Skylines-like experience. According to the developers, it's a focused game about creating interconnected systems and testing them against the threats of a hostile environment.
The video has a somewhat comical tone but features a great look at the visuals. Haemimont Games said the following on their publisher's forum about why the domes play an important role.
Surviving Mars features many new mechanics in the genre. Hopefully they won't be too cumbersome when the game launches next year. The developers need to make sure that the learning curve isn't too great and the title remains accessible. Be sure to keep a lookout here for more coverage of this game in the coming months.
Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!
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Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.


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Spanish motorcycle brand GasGas has confirmed that it will be further growing into road-going motorcycle segment in the near future, mcnews.com.au reports.
Having been acquired by the Pierer Mobility Group in 2019, GasGas currently resides under the KTM umbrella of brands that include KTM as well as Husqvarna.
In the future, the GasGas range will be enlarged and expanded with street motorcycles and MotoGP is preparing the ground for these products that will come year by year,” the website quoted GasGas board member Hubert Trunkenpolz as saying at the GasGas MotoGP team launch in Barcelona.
Products in the GasGas range are predominantly of the offroad type, coming under the enduro, motocross, cross country and trials categories. That said, the brand does have road-legal models such as the ES700 and SM700. In Malaysia, the GasGas range is comprised of the MC250 and MC250F motocross and the EC250, EC300, EC250F and EC350F enduro off-road models.
With the aforementioned Pierer Mobility Group family connection to the KTM and Husqvarna brands, the ES700 and SM700 duo are closely related to the KTM 690 Enduro and 690 SMC as well as Husqvarna 701 Enduro and Supermoto models, respectively. These models are powered by a 692 cc single-cylinder engine with a six-speed transmission, offering a peak output of 74 hp.
Therefore, the upcoming street models from GasGas will almost certainly be based on those from KTM and Husqvarna. Could the larger, twin-cylinder models could form the basis of the upcoming street models for GasGas?
Source: Read Full Article


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SAN FRANCISCO -- Researchers have created a valuable new source of a promising anti-clotting agent called Protein C by genetically engineering pigs to produce the protein in their milk.
Animal studies hint that Protein C has great potential for preventing clot formation in heart attack and stroke victims, in patients undergoing hip replacements and other major surgeries and in victims of septic shock caused by bacterial infections.
Experts have been limited in their ability to test Protein C in humans because they can isolate only very small quantities from human blood, where it is present in only trace amounts.
The protein is far too complex to be produced in bacteria or yeast, which are the mainstays of the genetic engineering industry. But the pigs produce it readily in their milk and at concentrations high enough to permit easy purification, biochemical engineer William Velander of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University said on Monday at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.
Velander's work is "extremely significant" because it should make much larger quantities of Protein C available for testing, said molecular biologist William Drohan of the American Red Cross in Rockville, Md.
The results are also important because Protein C is only the fourth therapeutic protein produced in the milk of farm animals, such as goats and sheep, and is the largest and most complex. Other products that have been produced in animals are the clot-breaking agent tPA, a drug for the lungs. The growing use of this technique has the potential to make genetically engineered proteins available at much lower prices.
tPA, for example, costs about $2,000 per dose when produced in bacteria. Genzyme Corp. has developed goats that produce it in their milk and the company estimates that its price could be as low as $100 per dose.
The fact that such a complex molecule as human Protein C can be produced in the animal's milk also makes researchers confident that a variety of other desirable pharmaceuticals can be produced in this fashion as well.


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25th November 2015Southern Scientific are offering you the chance to trade in your old X-Ray QA device, no matter the manufacturer. In return you will receive discount on a brand new, state of the art RTI device.
26th October 2015Southern Scientific are now listed on the CBRNe World Procurement Guide website as a supplier of radiation portal monitors.
21st September 2015Keith Thompson has recently re-joined Southern Scientific on a part-time consultancy basis.
13th May 2015Southern Scientific has maintained an excellent relationship with medical device manufacturer Care Wise for many years, representing them in Europe as their distributor for the C-Trak Galaxy Gamma Probe and Auto Analyzer systems.
27th February 2015
Southern Scientific are offering Barracuda users an opportunity to trade in their old instrument for a brand new Black Piranha.
29th January 2015
As many of you will know, the much loved Capintec CRC-15R, which is on thousands of nuclear medicine work benches around the world was discontinued several years ago. Superseded by the more modern CRC-25R and recently the touchscreen CRC-55tR.


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Rick and Morty, the Adult Swim animated science-fiction sitcom with a cult-like following (which currently feels more like an actual violent cult than a television show’s fan base), is in the news again after a minor scandal involving obnoxious fans, an attempt to capitalize on hype, and an elusive condiment called Szechuan sauce.
A brief synopsis for those of you unaware of why Szechuan sauce is now such a coveted condiment: In the show's third season, there's a throwaway joke about Rick wanting to dip McNuggets into Szechuan sauce, a since-discontinued promotional item McDonald’s timed to the release of the Disney film Mulan in 1998.
Rick and Morty’s obsessive fans demanded McDonald’s bring the sauce back, and McDonald’s obliged. The company initially announced that it’d be made available at secret stores, failing to disclose that only twenty packets of sauce would be given per location. This, paired with fans’ rabid need for the condiment, birthed widespread logistical issues, mayhem, and even police presence in McDonald’s locations around the country, documented on social media.
After McDonald’s became aware of the crisis they created for their underprepared employees, the company followed up with an announcement that there would be more Szechu-an the way (sorry): “You spoke. We’ve listened. Lots more #SzechuanSauce and locations. Details soon. And that’s the wayyy the news goes!”
Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland also tweeted about the upheaval, writing, “FYI: We had nothing to do with this McDonald's stuff. Not happy w/how this was handled. Please be cool to the employees it's not their fault.” Fellow co-creator Dan Harmon previously gave his unenthused impressions of the sauce's flavor, emphasizing that with McNuggets, “you just want something to taste like honey or like a BBQ sauce.”
This isn’t the first time Rick and Morty’s devout following has acted like an immature pack of sixth graders. When the show recently hired female writers for its third season, some of the base went berserk and targeted the women in despicable attacks on Twitter. Some of the women were also doxxed, with their personal information released online as a form of harassment. (A brief message to the insecure, sad excuses for men who did this: Writing a television show is a collaborative effort, and there’s no way for you to know who wrote what. Find a hobby and get over yourselves.)
This is all absolutely insane, and any adult who participated in these antics should be ashamed of themselves.


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The Eldorado is in Germany
When faced with uncertain times, consumers save instead of consuming. In the EU, the savings rate doubled in 2020. In Germany it rose by 5% to 16.6% of disposable income. The highest savings rates can be found in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hessen, Hamburg and Rhineland-Palatinate.
In addition, it was often not possible to spend money in the past year. This particularly affected the culture, leisure and tourism sectors. Due to the lockdown and the associated uncertainty, private consumer spending fell by 1.4% in the first quarter of 2020, by 13% in the second and by 3.7% in the third quarter compared to the previous year. (Source destatis.de) Even if real wages fell last year, it can be assumed that around 80 billion euros will be available for private consumption in 2021 and 2022. Accordingly, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) is assuming economic growth for Germany of 3.1% in 2021 and 4.5% in 2022.
How can the tourism industry raise this 80 billion treasure?
In it’s entirety, probably not at all, as the competition with other industries is simply too big. Especially since the tourism sector emerged from the crisis year badly hit and marketing budgets are significantly lower than in other industries. How they can nonetheless assert themselves ,we showcase here:
- Be first
For most people, the past year has been one of hardship. In 2021 we will have to make do without many things, at least in the first half of the year. The longer this phase lasts, the greater our desire for reward for having been disciplined throughout the limitations imposed. With intelligent digital marketing, the tourism sector has great chances to land at the top of the relevant set of rewards in people’s minds, even with a small budget.
- Building up trust
Other industries have also gone through massive crises in the past. In the banking crisis over a decade ago, a car company offered its potential buyers that they could return their vehicle if they lost their jobs due to the crisis. The manufacturer has actively addressed the concerns of consumers and has strengthened trust in its brand. This approach can lead also to more bookings, especially at the beginning of the year.
- Offer resonance spaces
What seemed impossible for a long time should now be made-up for. More than ever, people are looking for a special experience. The funds to treat themselves is there. With the increased financial resources due to saving or not consuming in 2020, the demands also grow. After being isolated for a long time in the home office, many feel the need for resonance (link to the previous article) – they want to feel vividly connected to one another. Destinations and service providers should set up these resonance spaces.
Conclusion for your tourism marketing in 2021: Check your digital strategy. Those who quickly set the right course can benefit from the “consumption backlog” of the past year. It is important to build trust and to fulfill the desire for experiences that leave a lasting impression. You can efficiently channel the demand for your offer via digital micro-campaigns.


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DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov 19, 2020–
The “Home Fitness Equipment Market – Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2020 – 2025)” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
The home fitness equipment market is projected to register a CAGR of 2.86% during the forecast period (2020-2025).
- Amer Sports
- Nautilus Inc.
- Johnson Health Tech Co. Ltd
- Dyaco International Inc
- Technogym SpA
- Icon Health & Fitness Inc.
- Origin Fitness Ltd
- Echelon Fitness Multimedia LLC
Key Market Trends
Consumers’ Interest in Customized Workout Regimes
The busy schedule and long hours of working, crowded fitness centers, and problems regarding vehicle parking have resulted in an increasing number of consumers actively inclining towards home workouts. The home fitness equipment eliminates the inconvenience of commuting to a gym to use the machines and are highly cost-effective in the long run. The small, recurring cost incurred in transportation, workout equipment, trainer fees, and membership fees is a major factor promoting consumer inclination for home fitness equipment.
Moreover, the increasing number of manufacturers investing in launching apps, which provides a platform for the customers to select their personal trainers for either online classes or home visits to meet their specific fitness requirements, such as bodybuilding. For instance, in 2019, MIRROR, the company that created the first nearly invisible, interactive home gym, announced the launch of one-on-one personal training. For the first time, members will be able to bring the country’s top trainers into their homes through MIRROR’s immersive technology.
North America is Leading the Global Market
The North American market witnessed significant growth, due to the rising health awareness among consumers with the growing adoption of exercises related to physical wellbeing, weight management, improving body stamina, and muscular strength driving the market growth in the country. The rising percentage of the obese population and increasing health concern are the other major factors that are driving the home fitness equipment market in the country. For instance, According to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, in 2016, about 39.6% of American adults were obese.
Furthermore, the rising preventive healthcare measures and the augmenting healthcare costs are enabling consumers to engage in regular workouts to remain fit. Additionally, with the growing demand, manufacturers operating in the global market are expanding their presence to achieve a competitive advantage in the market. For instance, In 2019, Wattbike launched Wattbike Atom in the United States with real ride feel technology. The Atom offers the authentic, intelligent, and adaptable indoor performance training experience for the home, ideal for any cyclist and fitness enthusiast.
Key Topics Covered:
1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study
2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
3.1 Market Overview
4 MARKET DYNAMICS
4.1 Market Drivers
4.2 Market Restraints
4.3 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
4.3.1 Threat of New Entrants
4.3.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers
4.3.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.3.4 Threat of Substitute Products
4.3.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
5 MARKET SEGMENTATION
5.1 By Product Type
5.1.2 Elliptical Machines
5.1.3 Stationary Cycles
5.1.4 Rowing Machines
Veterinary medicine market Analysis 2020 With COVID 19 Impact Analysis| Leading Players In-depth Analysis Research Report Foresight to 2027 ||
The MarketWatch News Department was not involved in the creation of this content.
Nov 05, 2020 (CDN Newswire via Comtex) —
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Veterinary medicine market research report has been produced with the systematic gathering of market information for industry. All this information is supplied in such a way that it properly gives explanation of various facts and figures to the business. The market data provided in this report helps to discover diverse market opportunities present worldwide for industry. This report gives accurate information about market trends, industrial changes, and consumer behaviour etc. Taking up such market research report is always very advantageous for any company, whether it is a small scale or large scale, for marketing of products or services. Analytical study of Veterinary medicine market report helps in mapping growth strategies to increase sales and build brand image in the market.
Veterinary medicine market is expected to reach a market value of USD 45.6 billion by 2027 whilegrowat a potential rate of 7.15% in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Growing number of pet adoption will help in the growth of the veterinary medicine market.
The major players covered in the veterinary medicine market report are Merck & Co., Inc., Ceva, Vetoquinol S.A., Zoetis, BoehringerIngelheim International GmbH, Bayer AG, Elanco.,Nutreco N.V.,Virbac., Kindred Biosciences, Inc., BiogenesisBago, infocusrx., NEOGEN CORPORATION, Hester Biosciences Limited., Cargill, Incorporated., ADM Animal Nutrition,among other domestic and global players. Bone anchored hearing systems market share data is available for global, North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East and Africa (MEA)separately. DBMR analysts understand competitive strengths and provide competitive analysis for each competitor separately.
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Patient Epidemiology Analysis
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market analysis for patient analysis, prognosis and cures. Prevalence, incidence, mortality, adherence rates are some of the data variables that are available in the report. Direct or indirect impact analysis of epidemiology to market growth are analysed to create a more robust and cohort multivariate statistical model for forecasting the market in the growth period.
Increasing prevalence of veterinary professionals, growing demand of pet insurance, increasing initiatives by the government as well as private regarding animal health, rising consumption of meat and mandatory vaccinations, growing
The United States reported the five highest days of Covid-19 cases right up to election, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The figures represent the highest number of reported cases since the pandemic began. Tuesday ranked fourth with about 85,200 reported cases, the data showed.
Last Friday, the US reported 99,321 new cases — the highest single day number of infections recorded for any country. And at least 31 states set daily infection records in October.
Escalating case numbers point to a continuing fall surge across the country, setting grim records. Coronavirus is forecast to take tens of thousands more lives across the country in the coming months.
Experts have warned this bout with the virus will be the worst one yet — and alarming trends are already pointing in that direction. In just one month, the country’s 7-day case average nearly doubled.
Hospitalizations are also surging, with the number of patients nationwide rising by more than 10,000 in just two weeks, according to data from the Covid Tracking Project. Hospitals in some parts of the country have hit their “breaking point,” according to emergency medicine physician Dr. Leana Wen.
Hospital officials in El Paso, Texas, are now preparing to open the city’s civic center as an overflow medical facility and add a fourth mobile morgue. In Arkansas, Bo Ryall, president and CEO of the Arkansas Hospital Association, said there is a shortage of health care workers caused by fatigue, competition from other states, increasing costs and community exposure.
And when hospitalizations climb, deaths are likely to follow, doctors have warned.
The virus’ spread changed the way Americans cast their votes, as tens of millions of people voted early by mail or prior to Election Day. People recovering from Covid-19 or quarantining from being exposed to the virus were able vote, a spokesman for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CNN.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the US reported 9.3 million cases of the virus and more than 232,000 people have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Researchers from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation project that 399,163 Americans could lose
As a parent, I’m always thinking of my six year old son and how to keep him healthy and safe. I was surprised to hear of the idea of “clean medicine” – and learn more about how common medications oftentimes contain ingredients which could be harmful.
Genexa is a “clean medicine” company that is on a mission to get us to “Ditch the Dirty.” I caught up with cofounders David Johnson and Max Spielberg to find out more.
Afdhel Aziz: Max, David, welcome. Please tell us how the two of you came to start Genexa?
David Johnson: I grew up in a “nuts and seeds” type of household. My parents, both chiropractors, were particularly cognizant of everything health related. They always tried to choose natural and organic foods. In having my own kids now, I want to raise them similarly, using the cleanest ingredients whenever possible.
Max Spielberg: I have dealt with allergies my entire life. Only a few years ago I discovered that many of the OTC medicines we all know and use routinely, are, surprisingly, full of common allergens. I experienced adverse reactions from some of these allergens, one of which was even in my allergy medicines! David and I are longtime friends and when we both had kids, we became increasingly frustrated by the fever reducers or cough medicines on shelves that were full of synthetic and artificial ingredients. The medicines we trusted to make our kids feel better were actually full of artificial additives, frequently including synthetic dyes, flavorings, as well as common allergens.
Johnson: We decided we had to do something about this. With the rise of organic, clean label products in other industries (food, beauty, personal care and cleaning products), we thought the pharmaceutical industry – the industry making products intended to heal people – should have been at the forefront but was instead lagging behind. We got to work on creating a new kind of pharma company and found a way to make medicine with the same ingredients people need, but without the artificial ones they don’t. We launched Genexa in 2017 after two years of research, development and fundraising, and tremendous partners around us, namely Brian Perkins, former Worldwide Chairman, Consumer Pharmaceuticals & Nutritional’s at Johnson & Johnson. We’re 3 years in and have so much in store for the next few years!
Aziz: Thank you for sharing that. How would you articulate the purpose and the mission of the company?
Johnson: Genexa is on a mission to revolutionize the medicine aisle by making what we think of as real medicine clean. That means making products that have the same active ingredient – the ingredient that helps you feel better – but removing all of the artificial inactive ingredients. We replace the common allergens, synthetic dyes and artificial sweeteners with wholesome ingredients. For flavoring, we use organic blueberries instead of high fructose corn syrup. For coloring, we use
Vice President Mike Pence is committed to spending the final seven days of the 2020 election on the campaign trail, despite the fact that an outbreak of the coronavirus has struck his inner circle, including one of his closest confidants, Chief of Staff Marc Short. Seeing the busy schedule Pence and his team have kept up with, it’s possible the virus may have spread well beyond the confines of his office.
In the last week, Pence has crisscrossed the country to over half a dozen states, holding 12 campaign rallies and two private events. He also cast his early vote in person while back home in Indianapolis, Indiana.
ABC News has confirmed that along with Short, at least four others close to the vice president have tested positive for COVID-19 — and some are known to have accompanied Pence on his trips across the county. Other people in Pence’s inner circle who have tested positive include his top political aide, Marty Obst, and his bodyman, Zach Bauer. At least two others are now isolating after testing positive.
MORE: Here’s everyone who’s tested positive for COVID-19 in connection to the White House
Still, Pence’s press secretary, Devin O’Malley, said in a statement that Pence will not be quarantining after coming into close contact with Short, and will instead continue his jam-packed campaign schedule — a move that has worried experts.
Dr. John Brownstein, a Harvard epidemiologist and ABC News contributor, said that Pence “clearly meets the CDC definition” of COVID-19 exposure and should voluntarily be in quarantine.
“With even just one positive staffer, the VP should have put himself in a 14-day quarantine, especially as it relates to non-essential activities like political rallies,” Brownstein said. “The public should be worried if the vice president continues his intense travel schedule, which is counter to all public health guidelines. Negative tests do not change the need to adhere to quarantine.”
But Pence is carrying on with his schedule, with stops planned in North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Nevada through Thursday.
Here’s a look at all the places Pence has traveled to and the people he’s traveled with over the past week.
Monday, Oct. 19 Pence held two “Make America Great Again” rallies to start the week. One took place in Hermon, Maine, where Pence spoke to a few hundred people in an outdoor setting. Later that afternoon, he spoke at a rally inside an air hangar in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania.
Short, Obst and Bauer, Pence’s bodyman, both accompanied the vice president on the trip, along with spokeswoman Katie Miller, who tested positive for the coronavirus in May and whose husband, Stephen Miller, tested positive on Oct. 6.
A report released this week from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota said that COVID-19-related drug shortages in the United States have reached “unacceptable” levels.
“Ensuring a Resilient US Prescription Drug Supply” is the sixth report in the center’s series titled, “COVID-19: The CIDRAP Viewpoint.”
The newest report, released Wednesday, found that 29 out of 40, or approximately 73 percent, of drug treatments for COVID-19 are experiencing shortages, including propofol, albuterol, midazolam, hydroxychloroquine, fentanyl, azithromycin and morphine, citing data from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported that 45 percent, or 18 out of 40, of the drug treatments are on its official drug shortage list, according to CIDRAP.
The report added that 67 out of 156 critical acute drugs, including diazepam, phenobarbital, lidocaine and acetaminophen, are also in short supply.
“Drug shortages can be a matter of life and death, and some shortages mean that a life-saving drug is not available to U.S. patients at any price,” CIDRAP said in a statement announcing the report’s release.
“There is an urgent need for new, more effective policy with robust transparency to solve the persistent drug shortage issues plaguing the U.S. healthcare system,” the statement added.
Michael Osterholm, the director of CIDRAP, said in the news release, “The urgency with the drug shortage supply issue is related directly to the major increase in COVID-19 cases that we will experience in the coming months.”
“This, in turn, will dramatically increase the need for specific COVID-19 treatment drugs, while at the same, COVID-19 is having a major impact on two of the three key drug manufacturing areas of the world, India and Italy,” he added.
According to the report, the drug shortages have been fueled by the closure of production factories, shipping delays, shutdowns, limitations on trade and export bans amid the coronavirus pandemic.
CIDRAP outlined several possible solutions in its report, including a national infrastructure for “analyzing, predicting, managing and preventing shortages of critical medications” and the creation of an in-depth map to measure the U.S. drug supply chain.
The drug shortages come amid the race to approve a coronavirus vaccine for public use in the U.S.
While experts have predicted that a vaccine may not be safe and ready for FDA approval until the end of this year or into 2021, the Trump administration has aimed to get one out sooner through its Operation Warp Speed.
In Thursday’s final presidential debate, President TrumpDonald John TrumpMore than 300 military family members endorse Biden Five takeaways from the final Trump-Biden debate Biden: ‘I would transition from the oil industry’ MORE claimed that new rising cases across the country would soon be “gone” and that a vaccine could be available in a matter of weeks.
“It will go away, and I say we’re rounding the turn, we are rounding the corner. It is going away,” he said of the coronavirus, a remark that his administration’s own health
Sunil Sharma is a known Indian entrepreneur and Fitness trainer who hails from Gwalior of Indian state Madhya Pradesh. He was born in April 1993 in Gwalior. Besides being an entrepreneur, he is a strength and conditioning coach, fitness trainer along with fitness model and Influencer. All his teenage years, he has been a fitness freak that led him to become a fitness trainer. He then got engaged himself to be a strength and conditioning coach and later explored different areas in the fitness world in Gwalior.
While being into fitness training business, his good looks also attracted him towards fitness modeling, which enabled him to work with different brands. In the fitness world, he has remained the founder and owner of the gym called DFT Crossfit Sport Gym which is a space involved in training young people in the best way. In a sense, he was able to develop a competitive personality before the young crowd and thus able to embark himself as a leading model in this world.
He has remained an active personality on social media sharing videos and photos of his workout session along with the flaunting body before his fans and followers that kept on increasing with the passing time. Thus it helped him to embark on the social media world as an inspiring man for many thus becoming an influencer with his competitive moves. Talking about his personal life, he intends to go a long way.
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Fitness Innovator Teams with Leading Fitness Platform to Enhance Customer Training Experience with In-App Exercise Programs
LITTLE CANADA, Minn., Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — As fitness app usage soars, with over 84 million consumers using apps in the US alone, Dragon Door announced they would be making their best-selling fitness content available on the TriadXP fitness platform and TriadXP.com. Dragon Door will use TriadXP to convert their exercise routines into in-app workouts that are performed with the TriadXP app. The app’s voice and visual cues walk exercisers through all exercise routines guiding them on what to do, when, how many, or for how long. With guidance and tracking, customers enhance their training experience and improve workout efficiency. And, since the TriadXP mobile fitness app tracks the user’s performance as they workout with minimal effort on the users part, it eliminates the need for other apps or pen and paper to track results.
“TriadXP supports virtually any kind of workout,” said John Du Cane, CEO of Dragon Door Publications. “As fitness innovators, we know that long-term results are usually the result of consistent goal setting and the consistent measurement of results. You get what you measure for, and the measurement motivates you to maintain your progress. In that regard, we see TriadXP as the perfect solution to help our customers optimize their workout results.”
Addressing the need for home-based and callisthenic workouts, the bestselling 16-week Get Strong program from fitness gurus Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo will be the first program launched.
Dragon Door, credited with launching the modern kettlebell movement, is a publisher and online fitness retailer and provides advanced training and certification for fitness instructors. When searching for a partner who would provide the requisite technology platform from content conversion thru mobile app, Dragon Door found their answer with TriadXP. TriadXP knows fitness technology and delivers an optimal workout experience for a fitness enthusiast. The easy-to-use mobile fitness app and its versatility were critical in the decision. Equally important was TriadXP’s AI-driven conversion tools, which quickly convert content without needing any technical knowledge at Dragon Door.
“We are excited to partner with a leader like Dragon Door,” said Mike Elia, CEO of Triad Fitness Group. “They have a lot of great content, and we know their users will find it easier to work out and perform their routines on our TriadXP app.”
About Dragon Door Publications
Dragon Door Publications is a publisher of innovative fitness content that offers effective, safe, and proven methods for maintaining a high level of health and physical performance over the long-term. The company is best known for having launched the modern kettlebell movement in 2001. Learn more at www.dragondoor.com
TriadXP.com, a fitness content platform from Triad Fitness Group, provides services and technology to allow content providers to convert text-based programs and related exercise imagery and videos into in-app exercise programs to be performed and tracked with the TriadXP mobile app. The app is free and compatible with iOS and Android devices. TriadXP is making workouts better for everyone. Learn more at www.triadxp.com
Contact: John Du
Danish supermodel Nina Agdal cut a casual figure in a bulky white coat and a pair of distressed jeans after leading a workout class in the Hamptons on Saturday.
While grabbing a post-workout ice coffee with a few pals, the 28-year-old Sports Illustrated cover girl appeared in high spirits under a black face mask.
Despite keeping her gym-honed figure mostly concealed under a puffer jacket, she showed off her tiny waist by accessorizing with a mustard yellow crossbody bag.
As she strode around in a pair of hot pink Nike Sneakers, the fitness coach looked every inch the natural beauty with her signature blonde tresses in a low ponytail.
On her Instagram Story, the stunner uploaded pictures of her meal, which included soup and a sourdough crépe made from rice and lentils.
Following her intense sweat session, as she continues to teach fitness classes under quarantine, the girlfriend of Jack Brinkley-Cook enjoyed a nice steam shower.
‘Post workout steam shower,’ the catwalk star captioned a selfie of herself with wet hair and no makeup.
She continued: ‘Haven’t been in a steam room since February and omg it felt amaaazing to have your own…for the weekend.’
In her video, the star tagged The Reform Club Inn, where she has been leading in-person training sessions of her Agdal Method class for weeks.
Nina first became an international sensation during her relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio, who is 17 years older than she.
The pair of them split in 2017 when Nina was 25, and he is now dating 23-year-old blonde Camila Morrone, whose mother used to date Al Pacino.
In June, Nina rang in her third anniversary with Jack by posting a sweet album that showed them cuddling up and kissing during a beach picnic.
She gushed: ‘3 years later. Still on a beach. Still drinking wine. Still cracking jokes no one else would find funny.’
Jack’s biological father is Christie Brinkley’s third husband Richard Taubman, but he was adopted by her fourth husband Peter Cook, who is not to be confused with the
The country reported its most cases in a day since July. Deaths may begin climbing, too, a leading expert says
The US reported at least 69,000 new Covid-19 infections Friday — the most in a single day since July — amid an alarming nationwide rise in cases that experts say marks the start of a fall surge.
On July 29, the US reported more than 71,300 infections, about two weeks after the country’s peak daily case count of more than 77,000. That summer surge eventually waned, and daily averages dipped to a little more than 34,300 by September 12.
But now, the country is averaging more than 55,000 new cases daily over the past week — up more than 60% since mid-September’s dip. The case upticks have prompted state leaders to push new measures in hopes of curbing the spread of the virus.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts announced changes to the state’s health measures, including requiring hospitals to reserve at least 10% of staffed general and ICU beds for Covid-19 patients. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this week ordered new mass gathering limitations and a 10 p.m. closing time for establishments serving alcohol. And in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said this month he instructed authorities to step up mask enforcement.
Hospitalizations are climbing nationwide. And they’ll likely be followed by a rise in daily Covid-19 deaths, says Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.
“This is a good moment for people to stop and ask themselves, ‘What can I do to try to be sure that we limit the further infections that otherwise seem to be looming in front of us as cold weather is kicking in and people are indoors, and those curves are going upward, in the wrong direction?’ ” Collins said Friday.
Researchers from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation project more than 2,300 Americans could be dying daily by mid-January and a total of more than 389,000 people could die from the virus in the US by February 1.
The country’s daily tallies of Covid-19 deaths have been relatively steady recently — averaging around 700 per day across a week. That’s below the peak of the summer, when the daily average hovered above 1,000 from late July into mid-August.
More than 218,000 people have died from Covid-19 nationwide since the start of the pandemic. Just over 8 million US cases have been reported.
Experts say Americans can help get the virus under control by heeding basic public health guidelines touted by officials for months: avoiding crowded settings, keeping a distance, keeping small gatherings outdoors and wearing a mask.


text:
It’s almost three years since Magna Tyres Group acquired OBO Tyres, the largest retreader in the Netherlands. Since that time, the Obo facility in Hardenberg has been instrumental in Magna’s ‘Made in Holland’ production plans. The site has now been renamed ahead of a further increase in capacity for these products. The Obo business in Germany has also gained a new name.
OBO Tyres has marked the fifth anniversary of its retreading brand, Ecotrac, with discounts available on sever Ecotrac models. The manufacturer says its Ecotrac rubber compound, for retreading earthmover, agricultural and transport tyres, was the result of “years of market research,” which have made it “strong, durable and safe”. OBO said it is “proud” of the results, adding that “service and customer satisfaction is of paramount importance.”
Should Europe’s retreaders play a word association game, most if not all would pair the word ‘casing’ together with ‘shortage’. The dearth of retreadable casings in certain sizes has been an issue for a number of years now, and as yet no end to the situation is in sight. Retreaders not content with idly sitting by and waiting for suitable casings to come their way have needed to be creative and find alternative ways of sourcing them. Obo Tyres is doing just that; the Netherlands-based company has decided to break its reliance upon the open used casing market by entering into a new business area, and recently spoke with Tyres & Accessories about its plans to ensure the ongoing prosperity and growth of its retreading operation.
Starting January 2015, Dutch retreader Obo Tyres has entered the new tyre business and is distributing certain Techking tyre lines. This new venture draws upon the company’s half-century of expertise in the retreading segment, and provides customers with a package that covers the full tyre casing life.
The stated goal of OBO Tyres is to supply customers with tread that meets their needs. The Dutch retreader specialises in the off-road segment and offers tyre repair, pre-cure retreading and, increasingly, mould cure retreading. General manager Ursula Abels told Tyres & Accessories during Reifen 2014 that the mould cure retreading operation has become OBO’s most significant business.


text:
Apple AirPower Release Allegedly Slated For 2019: Here Are The Details
Not only has the AirPower purportedly entered production, but also the suppliers who spoke with DigiTimes said that it will become "available later in 2019."
Apple Pulls Plug on AirPower Wireless Charging Mat
While Apple's wireless charging pad was originally unveiled two years ago with a launch date scheduled for 2018 that never materialized, DigiTimes recently spoke with related suppliers who indicated that AirPower has entered the production phase.
Not only has the AirPower purportedly entered production, but also the suppliers who spoke with DigiTimes said that it will become "available later in 2019." However, considering that the same site suggested last year that the charging pad would be arriving in March 2018, this rumor should be taken with a grain of salt.
Despite this, other reports have been published throughout the month suggesting the same thing: ChargerLAB also cited Apple supply chain sources claiming that the AirPower production has begun, and a couple weeks earlier, Steve Troughton-Smith said that he continues to hear rumors stating that "they finally fixed it," referring to the technical difficulties (primarily over-heating issues) that allegedly spurred this extensive release delay.
While all word in relation to the device is still completely absent on the Apple website, it hasn't been omitted from even the most recent iPhone user guides. Whether or not the pad does come out this year, the continuous rumors suggest that Apple has not completely nixed the project, so it seems likely to make an appearance sometime over the next couple years.
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text:
Takeaway pizza company Domino's has seen like-for-like sales jump by four percent in its 669 mature stores in the 13 weeks to 29 September (release).
That's an increase on the 3.9 per cent like-for-like sales growth it saw in the same period last year. That's despite what the company called "an extended period of unusually warm weather" this year.
Digital sales make up an ever great proportion of total sales, up to 62.4 per cent from 58.4 per cent this time last year. Total online sales grew by 19.8 per cent to £72.3m.
Of those digital efforts – mobile sales make up an increasing share. They're now up to 29.3 per cent of total online sales, having leapt by 102.5 per cent in the 13 week period.
Lance Batchelor, chief executive of Domino's, said that the the introduction of a new store design had resulted in store opening opening delays, but that "the programme is now well underway". Batchelor said that Domino's are "confident of meeting City epxectations for the full year.


text:
US: Stein Mart posts full-year profit growth
- Full-year profit jumped 25.6% to $25m
- Net sales rose 4.6% to $1.23bn
- Gross margin improved to 27.8%
Off-price fashion retailer Stein Mart has seen its full-year and fourth-quarter profits surge, boosted by increased sales and lower markdowns.
The company said net income jumped 25.6% to US$25m for the year to 2 February, compared to $19.9m in the same period last year.
Net sales rose 4.6% to $1.23bn from $1.18bn last year, while comparable store sales climbed 2.7%. Gross margin improved to 27.8% from 27.1% last year, helped by lower markdowns resulting from its strategy of reducing coupons applicable to its regular-priced merchandise.
During the quarter, net income more than doubled to reach $13.5m over $5.9m the year before. Sales reached $368.6m, up 11.4% over $331m in the prior year and comparable store sales increased 6%.
The announcement was a restatement of its finances, helping it to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Stock Market after it did not file its quarterly report on time for the third quarter, ended 27 October.
"I am extremely proud of our 2012 sales performance which drove outstanding bottom line results. We did this by returning to those things that made this company great, including a compelling merchandise assortment, selectively lowering merchandise prices and controlling regular-price couponing," said CEO Jay Stein.
"We are thankful that the financial restatement is now behind us and we continue to be keenly focused on running the business."
Looking forward, Stein Mart said it aims to build on the sales increases last year by deepening its relationship with existing customers, attracting new customers and increasing its share of their spending.
The company also plans to launch its new e-commerce business in mid to late 2013 and transition its supply chain distribution centres from third-party to company-operated locations in the second quarter. As a result, Stein Mart expects to incur $3m in start-up costs this year.
Higher sales and improved margins helped off-price fashion retailer Stein Mart to book a 47.8% increase in second quarter profit....
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NEW YORK -- The holiday travel season is shaping up as a
lucrative one. As one top supplier to the Caribbean put it, the
question in mid-November is not "what's hot?" but rather, "what's
Steve Lassman, vice president of sales for Travel Impressions in
Farmingdale, N.Y., said there is very limited availability for its
hottest-selling sun destinations. "Aruba, Cancun, Orlando, Jamaica,
Nassau and Puerto Rico are far and away the best [sellers for us],"
At Delta Vacations, top draws are Grand Cayman, the Bahamas and
St. Thomas, said Chris Hamaway, senior manager of marketing for the
firm, which is operated by Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Certified
Vacations. Hamaway said that St. Thomas' refurbished hotel
infrastructure "is in its best shape in years, if not ever," and
clients are eager to go.
Perhaps nothing is so alluring, however, as good value. "When
someone calls and says, 'Where can I still go for Christmas and New
Year's,' and the cruise lines are sending over last-minute sales,
people are scarfing them up," said Cyndi Napolitan, travel
consultant with Worldwide Travel in Lancaster, Pa. "My No. 1 seller
has been cruises in the Caribbean," she said, adding that "cruises
have been a better deal with pre-packaged air. I don't have to
worry about clearing space. [Cruise lines] do it all for you."
Bargain hunters also can aim a bit farther north. Although
Thanksgiving and the Christmas-Hannukah period tend to be peak
periods for Central and South Florida, clients who can end their
vacations a few days after Thanksgiving or New Year's will find
significantly reduced rates for hotels and cars once the holiday
Hoteliers said agents are likely to find holiday bargains at the
Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa airport hotels because commercial
travel dwindles during the season. For families headed to Florida,
Amelia Island Plantation, northeast of Jacksonville, offers rack
rates that are about $100 a night cheaper for a one-bedroom suite
than those in effect during the hotel's March to May peak
Orlando, even with its 85,000 hotel rooms, will have few of them
available near theme parks during both Thanksgiving and Christmas,
predicted Maurice Honor, vice president of Kingdom Tours, Plains,
Pa., a major Florida wholesaler.
Gogo Worldwide Vacations, in Ramsey, N.J., already had sold out
one of its three Christmas charters to Orlando on Kiwi; some seats
still remained for Dec. 24 to 28 and Jan. 1 to 4, and on packages
with higher-priced scheduled air service, a spokeswoman said.
But good holiday room rates still were available in the St.
Petersburg-Clearwater area, according to the St.
Petersburg-Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Agents
looking for rooms there will find the bureau's reservations service
available to them at (800) 345-6710.
Despite its stormy autumn, Mexico was attracting significant
holiday travelers. At Peak Travel in San Jose, Calif., Cancun and
Puerto Vallarta were the most sought-after beach resorts, according
to retailer Terry Hall, who said the two destinations were nearly
sold out. Terry Hill, owner of Franciscan Travel in San Francisco,
said Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Los Cabos were in high
Not all holiday revelers necessarily are sun seekers. As Jack
Young Jr., president and chief executive officer of San
Francisco-based Clement Tours & Travel, put it: "I think for
value, [clients] should go to Vancouver and Victoria, British
Tom Crabb, owner of Dallas-based Lakewood Travel, cited the
favorable exchange rate as an incentive to lure clients to Canada.
"The 71% exchange rate is very nice," he said. "You get a good bang
for your buck up there."
Operators reported that holiday theme tours to Europe are
selling well this year. DER, in Chicago, typically sells out on its
two Christmas market tours in Germany, according to a spokesman,
and this year will be no different, with bookings up by 18%
Henry Magenheim, Gay Nagle Myers, Kristin O'Meara, Cathy
Carroll, Tyler Davidson, Lori Tenny and Dinah A. Spritzer
contributed to this report.


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By Tommy Acosta
We all know that tourism remains the lifeblood of Sedona’s economy.
The recent discord between the city and the Sedona Chamber of Commerce has led to a significant decline in visitor numbers.
To revitalize tourism and restore Sedona to its former glory, strategic efforts from multiple stakeholders are needed.
We, as a community, need to explore various avenues for enticing tourists to visit Sedona and outline actionable steps that businesses, the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce, and local media can take to boost tourism.
First, Sedona must adopt an integrated and targeted advertising approach.
The city should focus on leveraging digital platforms and social media to reach a wider audience. Engaging storytelling, captivating visuals, and user-generated content can showcase the city’s unique charm. Moreover, Sedona should collaborate with influential travel bloggers and social media influencers to promote the city as a desirable destination.
Local businesses play a vital role in enhancing the overall tourism experience.
Collaborations among hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and retailers can create appealing package deals that entice visitors to stay longer and spend more in Sedona. Businesses can also offer discounts or special promotions for tourists, emphasizing the city’s distinctive attractions and activities.
The Sedona City Council now has a crucial role to play in stimulating tourism, in that it now has officially become the official destination marketing entity for Sedona.
By investing in infrastructure improvements, such as road expansions, parking facilities, and public transportation options, the council can alleviate traffic congestion and enhance accessibility.
Additionally, supporting the development of eco-friendly practices and sustainable tourism initiatives will appeal to environmentally conscious travelers.
Rebuilding a harmonious partnership between the city and the Chamber of Commerce is essential for boosting tourism.
The Chamber should actively collaborate with local businesses to develop comprehensive marketing campaigns, including print media, television, and radio advertisements.
Participating in travel trade shows and organizing familiarization tours for travel agents and journalists can also generate positive exposure for Sedona.
To garner positive reviews from media outlets, Sedona must actively engage with Arizona newspapers and influential travel journalists.
Hosting press trips and providing accurate and up-to-date information about the city’s attractions, events, and amenities can increase the likelihood of positive coverage.
Building strong relationships with media professionals and offering them unique experiences can help generate favorable stories about Sedona.
Highlighting the distinctive aspects of Sedona is crucial to attracting tourists. Promote Sedona’s breathtaking landscapes, world-class hiking trails, and spiritual retreats. Emphasize the city’s vibrant arts scene, renowned festivals, and wellness offerings. By showcasing Sedona’s diverse and enriching experiences, the city can captivate potential visitors and differentiate itself from other destinations.
Public perception of traffic congestion can discourage potential tourists from visiting Sedona. To combat this perception, the city must focus on implementing effective traffic management strategies.
This includes providing real-time traffic updates, optimizing traffic flow through intelligent transportation systems, and promoting alternative transportation options, such as biking and public transit.
Engaging with the community to address their concerns and communicate ongoing efforts to alleviate traffic issues is also crucial.
Sedona can draw inspiration from other successful tourist destinations to increase visitor numbers. Studying the strategies implemented by destinations like Asheville, North Carolina, or Santa Fe, New Mexico, which have effectively marketed their unique offerings, can provide valuable insights.
Additionally, Sedona can participate in collaborative initiatives with neighboring destinations to create regional tourism campaigns that highlight the diverse attractions of Northern Arizona.
Reinvigorating tourism in Sedona requires a concerted effort from multiple stakeholders. By implementing strategic advertising, collaborating with local businesses, investing in infrastructure, rebuilding the Chamber of Commerce partnership, garnering positive reviews, showcasing unique features, addressing traffic concerns, and learning from successful destinations, Sedona can regain its status as a sought-after tourist destination.
Through these collective efforts, the city can attract a steady stream of visitors who will not only contribute to its economy but also cherish the unforgettable experiences that Sedona has to offer.


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- Hubilo’s platform is growing exponentially, with over 50% month-over-month growth this past year
- Its global customer list includes the United Nations, Roche, Informa Markets, Tech in Asia, Fortune, AWS, Siemens
- Hubilo to invest in strengthening its product and design teams in India and building out its US and Europe-based go-to-market teams
Hubilo, the global virtual and hybrid events platform, has announced a $23.5 million Series A investment led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Balderton Capital, alongside several industry experts and luminaries, including John Thompson, Chairman of the Board at Microsoft, and Chris Schagen, Former CMO at Contentful. This funding comes just months after Hubilo’s $4.5 million seed round in November 2020. It is a reflection of the exponential growth in Hubilo’s business and investor belief in Hubilo’s vision for a category that represents the largest fraction of marketing budgets globally.
Exactly a year ago, Hubilo witnessed its revenue as a successful in-person events company begin to collapse as the pandemic took hold. Hubilo rose to the challenge by doubling down on its virtual events platform, adding hundreds of features in less than a month to support the needs of the largest and most demanding conferences in the world. As a result, Hubilo has emerged as one of the leading platforms serving the high end of the corporate virtual events and trade show market, growing its revenue by 50% month-over-month since enrolling the first customer for its virtual events platform in April 2020.
CMOs widely acknowledge that Covid-19 has permanently disrupted the event landscape. Virtual events are now a key part of how businesses connect with their customers, attracting a far broader set of attendees and speakers than physical events. There’s also an increased sense of urgency around ensuring that physical events become hybrid with a digital overlay that brings the benefits of virtual events to the physical world. Hubilo is at the forefront of this transition and plans to build on its momentum by expanding its leadership teams globally, with new offices in San Francisco and London and a rapid build-out of its sales, marketing and customer success teams out of those offices. The Series A funding will also help accelerate the development of Hubilo’s platform. In the next few months, Hubilo plans on rolling out several features that will enable stronger attendee engagement and new monetization opportunities for organizers.
Hubilo has already hosted more than a million attendees on its platform – without the all too common “Zoom fatigue”. Organizers see increased attendee engagement through built-in networking features, including meeting tables, private rooms, meeting schedules, and gamification features such as leaderboards. Organizers also love the one-click integration with existing go-to-market platforms including HubSpot, SalesForce and Marketo, enabling them to demonstrate ROI through event data integrated with their existing workflows.
Vaibhav Jain, Founder and CEO at Hubilo, says. “Our strategy, product features and platform intelligence are expanding the possibilities of what is achievable in the events space, and we’re continually delivering greater value for event organizers, sponsors and other stakeholders. We’re excited to welcome our investors onboard as we begin this next phase of global expansion.”
Guru Chahal, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners US, added, “In our research, some of the most demanding customers worldwide made it clear that Hubilo was their trusted partner in both these categories, virtual and hybrid. We are delighted to lead Hubilo’s Series A funding and use Lightspeed’s global resources to support their exponential growth.”
Hemant Mohapatra, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners India, further added “As Hubilo’s first institutional backers, we are extremely pleased to welcome new world-class investors and board members to the team as we shift into an even higher gear to dominate virtual and hybrid events in a world that is emerging out of the pandemic.”
In March 2021, over 4000 marketing professionals, 40 CMOs and 400 event industry professionals from around the world will come together for Hubilo’s two-day Restart 2021 virtual event to build a more vital collective understanding of the power of experiential digital events and their benefits.


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settembre 15, 2017 - Mazu Yachts
Mazu Yachts hat trick at next Cannes Yachting Festival 2017
Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale.
- Three world debuts on display and available for sea trials
- 38 soft top, launched in June 2017 - first photos available now
- 38 open - photography available now
- 42 walk-around, to be launched in July - first photos available from August
Turkish boutique #yacht designer and builder Mazu Yachts confirms three yachts to be on display at the upcoming #cannesyachtingfestival 2017 (September 12-17, 2017).
More information on the press release


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Vietnam exported only 1.25 million tons of coffee with a total turnover of US$2.62 billion in the 2014-2015 crop, down 22 percent in volume and 20 percent in value over the previous crop.
|Workers box coffee product at Vinacafe Company (Photo: SGGP)|
The report was made by the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association (VCCA) at a meeting in Hanoi yesterday to review the last coffee crop and seek solutions for the coming crop 2015-2016.
Data by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development indicated the same situation. For the first 11 months this year, coffee posted the most reduction in export volume and turnover, falling 28 percent and 30 percent over the same period last year respectively.
VCCA attributed the reduction to weather change causing rain occurs during harvest time and drought hit coffee plants amid its growing phase, many coffee fields suffered irrigation water shortage and complete loss.
In addition, the cost of labor and fertilizer soared highly to hit coffee farming.
However, according to the latest forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Vietnam’s coffee export will increase 30 percent to reach the record high of 28.7 million bags in the 2015-2016 crop thanks to better weather.


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All six people injured by the since-recalled Crofton Chef’s Collection pressure cooker, bought exclusively at Aldi stores, received second or third-degree burns, with one woman standing one metre away from the cooker when it exploded.
Four of the injuries happened after the recall started in August, while fewer than a quarter of the 8405 pressure cookers have since been returned.
The details of the injuries and the recall rates were uncovered after Choice obtained private incident reports under Freedom of Information laws.
It has prompted the consumer group to push for more transparency from businesses recalling products.
“It’s staggering that businesses don’t currently have to release this information,” Head of Campaigns Sarah Agar said in a statement on Wednesday.
“When a product is so faulty that it puts people at risk, the public deserve to know how many products are affected, how many have been returned or repaired, and how quickly and effectively the business is running the recall.”
The responsibility is currently on consumers to remain aware of product recalls.


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Daily Voice being sold to founder and shareholders
Published 9:41 pm, Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Daily Voice was given authorization from the bankruptcy court on June 21 to sell news websites for 41 communities in Westchester County, New York, and Fairfield County.
The business was sold to founder Carll Tucker and two shareholders for $800,000, including $100,000 cash. There were no other bids.
Daily Voice filed for Chapter 11 protection on May 7, facing a lawsuit filed by workers alleging violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The employees contended they weren't exempt workers. The still-pending lawsuit had cost $500,000 in fees.
and precluded raising more financing, according to a court filing.
The business listed assets of $395,000 and liabilities totaling $877,000, including $550,000 in secured debt.


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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Executives at Cisco, Dell, Microsoft and IBM don't need to worry about losing a lot of corporate business any time soon -- at least according to a new report about customer loyalty in the tech sector.
But that might not be the case for managers at Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, and Sun Microsystems.
Walker Information, a research firm, conducted a survey of information technology (IT) decision makers to find which companies customers were most loyal to.
The study found that tech companies earning the highest marks for loyalty tended to be more profitable and enjoyed greater stock price gains during the past five years than those with poorer customer opinions.
The research firm asked respondents to answer questions about 51 leading brands from 39 companies in five tech subsectors: software; IT services; networking equipment; servers and workstations; and storage systems.
Companies were then grouped into three categories: loyalty leaders, loyalty limbo and loyalty laggards.
Walker would not identify the companies that were laggards. Instead it simply provided a list of leaders and those that were not ranked in that category.
| Sources: Thomson/Baseline, Walker Information |
In addition to Cisco, Dell, Microsoft and IBM, storage companies EMC and Network Appliance as well as software giants Oracle and SAP were named loyalty leaders.
Not making the cut as leaders among high-profile companies were networking equipment makers Lucent and Nortel, and software firms Adobe and Computer Associates.
Overall, Walker found that 84 percent of the survey respondents were satisfied with their IT vendors but that only 44 percent of them were truly loyal to them. So many tech firms could be at risk of losing customers.
What's more, the results indicated that clients were usually willing to pay more for the products and services of companies they were loyal to, rather than switch to less costly competitors.
The survey had several noteworthy findings about specific companies.
Businesses not taking a bite out of Apple.
The fact that Apple was not named a leader may seem surprising considering how fanatical many Mac devotees are.
But the survey only measured loyalty among corporate information technology decision makers, not average consumers. "IT departments appreciate Microsoft more than individual users," said Phillip Bounsall, executive vice president for Walker Information.
Security opportunity for Microsoft?
|Should Symantec and McAfee investors be more worried about Microsoft?
The two leading makers of anti-virus software, McAfee and Symantec, did not rank as loyalty leaders. But Microsoft's high ranking could mean that it will be able to quickly gain market share if it were to roll out its own Web security products.
That's a potential cause for concern for investors in McAfee and Symantec, especially because shares of both have rallied this year.
Big software Blues.
While IBM scored well in four of the five product categories, it was not named a loyalty leader in software, a high profit margin business that IBM has been emphasizing in recent years.
Although software accounted for just 17 percent of IBM's total second quarter sales, the business contributed a third of Big Blue's pre-tax operating profits.
Even though HP failed to rank as a leader in software, networking equipment, servers and storage, there was one promising sign. It was named a leader IT services while services competitors Accenture and EDS were not.
HP is a relative newcomer to the services business but it is rapidly trying to make a bigger push into this lucrative tech segment. Consulting tends to be a more steady business since customers typically sign long-term contracts, which leads to recurring revenue streams.
Another blow to PeopleSoft?
PeopleSoft, which is fighting off a hostile takeover attempt from rival Oracle, did not rank as a loyalty leader while Oracle did. That may not bode well for PeopleSoft, especially since it was named a leader in a similar survey Walker did in 2002.
However, another recent survey doesn't paint as rosy a picture for Oracle. Research firm Techtel issued a report indicating that customer opinion of Oracle hit a 12-year low. Bill Schaub, vice president of Techtel, said that customers tend to have lower opinions of software firms than other types of tech vendors but that Oracle stood out.


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Pocket Gamer Connects – Europe's leading mobile games industry conference – is heading to Seattle as we bring an array of incredible speakers, industry experts, and unparalled networking opportunities to the US west coast on 9-10 May 2022!
You can check out our speaker lineup, but to give you a teaser for what you can look forward to, we spoke with our speakers to share a little of what they'll be speaking on, and their thoughts of the mobile games industry.
Alun Evans, CEO of Freeverse.io, will be detailing the impact of NFTs in 2021, surpassing $20 billion in sales, and the rise of the “play-to-earn” model. However, turning gamers into gamblers does not make long-term sense for the wider industry, as it depends on a never-ending supply of new gamers at the bottom of the pyramid, and Evans will be detailing Living Assets – NFTs that can change and evolve based on how they are used in-game, thus, their market-value is based on how the gamer has played with them.
PocketGamer.biz: What is your biggest aspiration/goal in mobile gaming?
Alun Evans: To see content that is bought in one game appear seamlessly in another.
What do you think the next big disruptor in mobile games will be?
The metaverse, and the key role that digital ownership will play in it. Beyond fancy headsets and AR technology, the core component of the metaverse is how users will define themselves within it – and the expectation that they can bring that identity, and everything belongs to it, to every corner of the metaverse, regardless of the company that created that corner.
What role do NFTs play in the future of games?
NFTs will play a huge role as gamers realise, and begin to demand, that their digital content can and should be able to ‘travel with them’, across games and platforms. That said, NFTs will only begin to become truly relevant when gamers value them for their utility, and not just speculation as to their future value.
Tell us your thoughts on play-to-earn games
The current interpretation of play-to-earn – where gamers buy a rare item hoping to sell it on in the future – will forever be limited, as it relies on an endless (and thus impossible to achieve) feed of new users willing to buy second-hand items. The viable long-term model for play-to-earn is where NFTs are evolved according to how they are used in-game – allowing gamers to earn money for the effort that have spent in playing the game, as opposed to simply sitting on a rare item and hoping that somebody will pay for it.
Can people get in touch with you at the event? What sort of people would you like to connect with?
I would love to have a chat with anybody who is interested in the future of metaverse, NFTs, and digital ownership within games.
Don’t miss out on attending our west coast conference this May – you can secure your spot now.


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(The Hill) — The Association for Dressings and Sauces’s decades-long battle to revoke the standards for French dressing has finally come to an end, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agreeing to deregulate a label the group said “restricts innovation.”
The decision from the FDA revokes the so-called “standard of identity” on the books since 1950 that dictates what ingredients manufacturers must include in order to market their product as French dressing.
The group has since 1998 sought to eliminate the standard for French dressing, arguing that the “nonstandardized pourable dressing” world had seen an explosion in products to meet consumer preferences and that French dressing “no longer serves as a benchmark for other dressings because of the wide variation in composition to meet consumer interests.”
In its final rule posted Wednesday, the FDA determined that “the standard of identity for French dressing no longer promotes honesty and fair dealing in the interest of consumers” while removing the term would give manufacturers “greater flexibility.”
The rule noted that the proposal received just 20 comments, including some comments that “appeared to have been submitted as part of a university course assignment.”
“One comment said that the standard of identity for French dressing was ‘unnecessary red tape,’” the FDA noted.
The 1950 definition for French dressing wasn’t particularly specific, even noting that tomato-based ingredients were “permitted, but not required.” Low-fat varieties, however, were not meeting the standard that 35 percent of the product by weight must be vegetable oil.
The cost-benefit analysis for the rule did not do a financial assessment but concluded the rule would afford manufacturers “additional flexibility, and the opportunity for innovation regarding, French dressing products.”


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>> A strong showing for Dropbox as the Cloud storage company made its trading debut in NASDAQ. The stock, which begin trading Friday under the tickered DBX, opened at $29 a share. That's up nearly 40% from the $21 IPO price investors paid Thursday. Now Wall Street will be watching to see if the first big tech IPO of 2018 can hold up after big names like Snap and Blue Apron failed to meet expectations.
Reuters Leona Baker is on the story.>> So there's a lot of excitement today on IPO day since the stock is up so much. But it's gonna be up to them to finally turn a profit for the first time, keep their margin up, find new customers. Some say Dropbox is sort of past it's prime, a few years ago was a really hot brand, but now it's facing a lot of competition from Amazon, from Google.
So how do they keep their customer base happy, especially now that they're trying to aim for more paid subscribers and larger corporate accounts.>> While more than 500 million people have signed up for Dropbox, only 2% pay up, which is part of the reason it's not profitable. Meaning investors will be dialing up the pressure for the file sharing company to trim it's losses.
>> A lot of companies maybe aren't willing to pay for this use, because it might be free on other platforms like Google. So that's what they're gonna have to really focus on, which is getting corporate customers to help them generate revenue and keep those margins up so they'll finally turn a profit for the first time.
>> Despite markets taking a nosedive Friday, Dropbox held on to the days gains, ending it's first day up 35%. A promising sign for other high-profile tech companies yet to go public like Airbnb and Uber.