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Maruti Suzuki net profits have declined by a massive 28% for quarter ending March 2020
2020 is not even half way through, and it has been the worst year for the Indian Auto Industry, thanks to the ongoing Corona Virus crisis. Production, Dispatch, Deliveries and Services of cars and two wheelers have been majorly stuck since the later half of March’20.
April’20 was a disaster for most OEMs with almost 0 sales in the entire month. However, thanks to the relaxations given in the Lockdown 3.0, some dealerships, service centers and factories have started to operate, though with a limited workforce. Most OEMs are now moving towards contact-less experiences for all interactions with customers. One key pillar for these touch-free experiences are online car booking portals which are being promoted by all major car manufacturers.
Maruti has confirmed that it has received 5,000 online bookings, which are encouraging figures, considering that the Lockdown is still going to continue for a foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Maruti’s Manesar facility has also resumed operations but with limited manpower. Till date, it has dispatched 2,300 cars across the country.
Talking about Maruti’s touchpoints, Maruti has confirmed that its 1,900 workshops have opened up. Out of its sales network of around 2,500 touchpoints, around 33% outlets have opened up. Interestingly, 60% of these operational sales points are based in rural areas, majorly because most metros are currently under red/containment zones.
To ensure that its field force and customers are safe, country’s largest automotive manufacturer has also issued a new comprehensive SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to its dealer partners. All these guidelines are aimed at ensuring that hygiene is maintained across its touchpoints and the premises are safe for its field force and customers.
As per the SOP, all dealerships will be complying by social distancing guidelines. To begin with, customers will now have to take prior appointments with the dealerships before visiting the showrooms. Dealership’s staff will be handling prospective buyers on a one-on-one basis. However, it will be planned in such a way that customers are handled one at a time.
To obtain an entry to the premises of any touchpoint (sales/service), all customers and staff members will have to undergo a compulsory thermal scan. Test drives will be provided to customers only if the customers will insist. For all test drives, seats of the test drive vehicles will be wrapped with a disposable cover which will be disposed after every test drive. Other OEMs like Mahindra and Honda too have been taking similar approaches as far as resumption of business is concerned.


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As the Crypto Valley Conference on Blockchain Technology prepares to kick off in Zug in June, we take a look at why this small Alpine city has become a centre of the financial ‘revolution’.
If you hadn’t heard of cryptocurrency before, there’s no doubt that by the end of last year, you would have done. One of the most well-known, Bitcoin, reached a record value of almost US$19,000. The surge didn’t last long, although the currency, which launched with a value of less than US$1, still sits at around US$9,000 (at time of writing).
But what is cryptocurrency? And what can you do with it? Originally designed as a way for gamers to buy and sell digital assets, cryptocurrency is a digital currency used for online transactions. It is valued against flat currency such as American Dollars or Euros, but there is actually no official price. However, it is bought like stock and stored in a virtual ‘wallet’.
It is ‘mined’ using special software that solves math problems and issues a certain amount of coin in return. The idea of ‘mining’ is clearly inspired by traditional gold currency, and originally BitCoin was designed to have a finite availability: 21 million coins, around half of which have already been mined. This limit sets its value, as does its increasing acceptance as currency in the offline world.
The coins can be bought, traded, saved and spent. For example, in 2017, the Swiss ski resort of St Moritz became the first resort to accept Bitcoin as payment for lift passes, and over 100,000 companies worldwide accept the currency (including Microsoft). Owners can also exchange it for other currencies using third-party services.
Transaction security is based on blockchain computing. Although the data is public and embedded across the entire network, the currency is decentralised to prevent single user alterations and single point security breaches. This means that a network of computers works on different parts of a long code to verify transactions, and no single machine holds the key.
Cryptocurrency is mined and traded all over the world, but one hotspot is Zug, Switzerland. Established in 2017, the Crypto Valley Association was founded with the express aim of promoting blockchain companies and organisations in Switzerland.
This wasn’t Zug’s first venture into the world of virtual currencies. Ethereum, the company behind the second biggest cryptocurrency behind Bitcoin, Ether, incorporated in the town in 2014, and Shapeshift, a cryptocurrency conversion company, has also been located in Zug since 2015.But why Zug? Dubbed the centre of a financial ‘revolution’, the canton of Zug is home to over 50 start-ups from the crypto and blockchain world. Part of the draw is the traditionally low taxes of the region, which have been an attraction for years. However, the area, and Switzerland as a whole, has also taken a welcoming attitude to ICOs (initial coin offerings), with cryptocurrency regarded as a virtual currency and therefore under less regulation than other financial industries (although the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority has said it will regulate ICOs to apply anti-money laundering laws to some sales).
As The Financial Times wrote earlier this year: “another reason for Switzerland’s crypto success…has been its openness to business innovation. Mr Eckert at MME [an asset management company] says:
‘Swiss regulators are among the few that really have a deep understanding of the technology and how it works.’
Indeed, the Crypto Valley Association states that “Switzerland with its decentralised, citizen-controlled political system, its centuries-old culture of individual rights, innovation, and entrepreneurship, its neutrality, stability, and business-friendly environment, and its world-class infrastructure and educational institutions [is] the ideal environment for building the new generation of decentralised technologies.”
The aim of the Association is to promote and accelerate industry growth in the area through developing relationships with relevant authorities and providing assistance to start-ups interested in settling in Switzerland. And it seems to be working. Almost 200 blockchain companies call Zug home, and last year, Switzerland ranked second after the US in investment funds for ICOs (Financial Times, March 20, 2018).
There are, of course, doubts; both to the strategy, and the future value of the currencies, but for the moment, Zug and Crypto Valley seem to be flourishing.
Interested in learning more about cryptocurrency in Zug? The Crypto Valley conference on Blockchain Technology runs from 20-22 June.
Le Bijou offers a number of high-end apartments in Zug, all perfectly placed for attending the event and seeing the city. Visit lebijou.com to book.

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With the pandemic, schools and stores have limited the amounts of capacity.
On March 17, the Coronavirus lockdown began. Although it has been a couple of months, everyoneis still advised to practice social distancing. At football games, a restricted amount of people are allowed in the football stadium.
“I definitely think that it’s not too much to ask for to have limits set at sporting events. It will help give people peace of mind and help others to feel safe,” sophomore Mallory Grucza said. “I think the country is at a point where we need to try our best to return back to normal while still keeping in mind wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing, as well as limiting the amount of people in a store or at an event”
Even though not everyone can go to the games, it keeps everyone safe.
“I feel that having a limited amount of spectators definitely had an impact on the game because it makes you feel like you have less to play for,” sophomore Talon Frick said. “I can see why people say it is unconstitutional to limit attendance and masks, but personally, I agree with everything the government has done, [and] feel they could have done much better.”
Besides school events, stores have to limit their capacity.
“Sometimes, it’s frustrating that I have to wait to go into a store, but at the end of the day, I believe it’s necessary,” Grucza said. “Some stores are really small, so it would be dangerous to be so close to other people or having a store so full of people.”
Having limitations can be frustrating for some people.
“I disagree with limitations because I think any outdoor activity shouldn’t have a limit because the area is way bigger,” sophomore Sydney Ferraro said. “I think as long as you’re wearing a mask, the same amount of people, as other years, should be allowed.”
However, without limitations, there is an increased risk that more people can contract the Coronavirus.
“If I had the power to, I would still keep the limits until we had a vaccine for the virus,” senior Anna Chernicky said.
With restrictions, not everyone will be able to do everything they want to, but it is vital to overcoming this pandemic.
“If I were in power, I would limit certain things even more and make it a crime not to wear a mask even though it’s illegal, but if I had that power, I would,” Frick said.
Not being able to participate in events is not fun. Within time, more people might be able to participate if everyone respects the limitations.
“The limitations are pretty reasonable, and I think it’s good that stores are setting boundaries,” Chernicky said. “I agree with having limited numbers at games to help not spread the virus (although it is sad).”
No matter how frustrating it might get, everyone will be able to get through this together with limitations.
“If I had the power, I would definitely enforce limitation. We are so fortunate to be at a point where we can have events, go shopping, and even dine indoors, but the key to keeping that stability is to make sure that no establishment is fully operated,” Grucza said.


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updated 07:30 am EDT, Tue April 12, 2011
Mobee unveils Magic Bar charger for Apple input
Mobee, best known for its Magic Mouse inductive charger, has expanded its charging to cover the rest of Apple's current input hardware. The Magic Bar uses the same inductive technique to charge Apple wireless input with a barrel-shaped battery area, including the Wireless Keyboard and the Magic Trackpad. The charger replaces the AA batteries altogether with a lithium-ion battery pack that needs only contact with the charging cradle to power up.
The charger is entirely USB-powered and serves as a cradle for the keyboard or trackpad while it's being replenished. Mobee believes the battery should be good for about 10 days of use and will top up in about six hours.
Pricing hasn't been handed out, although pre-orders are due to start on May 15 with the expectation of a late June release.


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EghtesadOnline: Iran’s exports to African countries reached $912 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year (March 21-Dec. 21), registering a 199% year-on-year growth ($600 million) in terms of value, according to the director general of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran's Arab and African Countries Affairs Department.
Ghana with $292 million, South Africa with $169 million, Nigeria with $85 million, Sudan with $72 million, Algeria with $67 million, Kenya with $57 million, Mozambique with $55 million, Tanzania with $49 million, Somalia with $18 million and Ivory Coast with $14 million were the main export destinations during the period.
“The exports are expected to cross the $1 billion-mark by the end of the Iranian year [March 20, 2022],” Farzad Piltan was also quoted as saying by ILNA.
Imports from Africa to Iran stood at $40 million during the period.
With 54 countries, Africa is the second largest continent with a population of around 1.3 billion and has a higher economic growth compared to the world average.
According to TPO, Iran exported $580 million worth of goods to Africa in the last fiscal year (ended March 20, 2021).
Steel and iron semi-finished products and ingots, urea, rebar, cement, raisins, food pastes, sweets, chocolate, biscuits, pistachios and floor coverings were the main goods exported to Africa.
Iran’s fiscal 2020-21 imports from Africa stood at $96 million. The imported goods mainly included feed corn, manganese ore and concentrate, tobacco, tea, tuna, mining machinery and equipment, essence and herbs, zinc ore and fruit seeds.
Iran’s exports to African countries last year registered an 8% and 14% decline in tonnage and value respectively compared with the previous fiscal year, according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
The intensification of US sanctions, the coronavirus pandemic, partial closure of global events and curtailment of trade relations were the main reasons behind the decline in Iran-Africa trade in the fiscal 2020-21, ILNA reported.
Problems on both sides are said to blame for the low presence of Iranian export products in African markets.
"From the Iranian side, lack of close communications and knowledge of African markets by the private sector, non-existence of planning and high marketing costs, lack of direct presence in African markets and shortage of infrastructure such as banking relations, transportation, etc. are among the most important problems and obstacles," Piltan said.
Besides economic and political instability, lack of proper administrative and security arrangements for long-term economic and trade activities, inadequate financial capacity of the private sector and African governments are among the problems and obstacles afflicting the African side.
The Trade Promotion Organization of Iran plans to introduce the export capabilities to African traders by using the capacities of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa as well as Iranian embassies in African countries and other relevant institutions, while creating coordination at the domestic level and pursuing the establishment of trade infrastructure with Africa, such as development of transportation lines and establishment of banking relations.
TPO also plans to allocate €200 million to promote exports to African countries.
The funding will be part of a $2 billion support package approved by the National Development Fund of Iran (the country's sovereign wealth fund) to promote Iranian exports.
The package is aimed at removing hurdles to expanding foreign trade with African nations.
According to Hamid Zadboum, former TPO chief, the NDFI support would be given to exporters via designated banks over two years.
Money has been deposited with four banks, namely the Export Development Bank of Iran, Cooperative Development Bank, Bank Keshavarzi and the Venezuela Bi-National Bank.


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BerryWorld Australia has begun picking its first Tasmanian-grown raspberries, and packaging them for exclusive retail partner Woolworths in heat sealed punnets at its purpose-designed on-site packing facility.
The Orielton region in Tasmania is now the third Berryworld Australia farm to enter production since joint venture partner Piñata Farms established the growing arm in 2016.
BerryWorld-branded premium raspberries are also produced in winter at Wamuran and in summer at Stanthorpe, Queensland, taking advantage of the climatic variations of each region to spread the harvest out.
BerryWorld Australia also produces specialty strawberries in Queensland. All BerryWorld berries are sold in heat-sealed, tamper-evident punnets, resulting in 30 per cent less packaging than traditional punnets.
The Tasmanian operation includes some 30 polytunnels in production and a high-tech packhouse. All fruit is picked and packed on site. The first small volume of berries has been distributed to selected Woolworths stores in Tasmania.
Managing director Gavin Scurr said Tasmania's initial season would run until May with the next harvest resuming by November this year.
“Once the volume increases, fruit will be shipped daily by ferry from Devonport to Melbourne for Woolworths' distribution,” Scurr said.
Over time, BerryWorld Australia would supply the East Coast with raspberries, he said.
The farm is expected to reach full production by 2024.
The farm, north-east of Hobart, was previously used for agricultural purposes. Redevelopment included extensive earthworks to achieve the right slope for optimal drainage, construction of polytunnels with customisations such as wind doors, connection to the South-East Irrigation Scheme to ensure a stable and reliable water source, and construction and fit-out of the packhouse.
The expansion is the latest milestone for BerryWorld Australia, which launched a refreshed brand presence internationally last year.
BerryWorld-branded berries are produced exclusively in Australia by Piñata Farms under a joint venture with UK-based BerryWorld Group.


text: The building materials manufacturer said the global financial crisis has presented the company with “unprecedented challenges”. Cemex said it expects its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation for 2009 to sit somewhere between $US3.5 billion and $3.7 billion, nearly a 20% drop on the company’s full year EBITDA for 2008 of $4.3 billion. Domestic cement and ready-mix volumes were predicted to fall in most counties around the world, with an expected decline of 15% in cement and 17% in ready-mix volumes in the United States. Anticipated reductions in Australian volumes include a 10% dip in ready-mix, and a 13% drop in aggregate. The company said its 2009 forecast does not take into account the current economic stimulus packages of various countries, which include substantial infrastructure investment. During 2009, the company said it plans to reduce its net debt by $3.6 billion to $14.3 billion, which, it says, will restore financial flexibility.


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The hashtag #DespacitoRemix and the Bieber trend stood out on social networks such as Twitter after the version of Despacito, played by Justin Bieber, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, became known . In the United States, #DespacitoRemix was placed as one of the main trends with South Africa Mobile Number List more than 25.3 thousand tweets, while the Bieber trend was placed as one of the main in Mexico, with more than 253 thousand tweets. The singer surprised his fans by singing in fairly fluent Spanish. The musician announced the new version on his Twitter account, making social networks replicate the information in a massive way in minutes.
With this, the singer’s personal brand generates greater engagement with his Spanish-speaking audience , especially if one considers that only in the United States, a world power, Experian reported that 37.2 percent of Hispanics interviewed in the United States, asserted that when they listened to a The company advertising in Spanish made them feel that their Brother Cell Phone List cultural heritage was being respected, while 32 percent said that this marketing strategy allowed them to remember or pay more attention to products advertised in Spanish. The same ex-girlfriend of the musician, Selena Gomez, caused a furor when she made a commercial for Pantene, in which she spoke Spanish. It is worth mentioning that on Twitter alone, the pop singer has 93.1 million followers. On Facebook, Bieber has more than 78 million likes.


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Traders said some buying support from jewellers and retailers mainly led to the recovery in precious metals prices but a weak trend overseas capped the gains.
Gold coins and bars account for about a third of India's annual gold consumption of 850-900 tonne.
Leading jewellery brand Kalyan Jewellers has opened five more exclusive showrooms in Kerala, taking the total number of outlets to 15 in the state.
Six star trading houses under government lens for spike in imports, news channel CNBC TV18 reported.
Diamond & ruby-studded jewellery crafted by celebrated Mario and Gianmaria Buccellati and inspired by Renaissance great Benvenuto Cellini are going on show for the first time.
A lot of money is floating around and companies here are bracing to expand. Labour unrest, the bugbear of enterprises in Kerala, is now a thing of the past.
P N Gadgil Jewellers said it wants to scale up its diamond jewellery segment for which the company has set up a separate manufacturing unit.
Focus will be on replicating comfort, convenience & brilliance that is associated with shopping at a PCJ's large format showroom online on Flipkart.


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Bajaj Auto posts 4% fall in sales; shares fall
Shares of Bajaj Auto - India's second biggest two-wheeler maker after Hero MotoCorp - slipped more than 2 per cent in early morning trade on Wednesday after the company announced a year-on-year decline in October sales.
Bajaj Auto, one of India's biggest two-wheeler makers, said its motorcycle sales slipped 4 per cent year-on-year to 348,323 units in October this year. Sales of commercial vehicles dropped 26 per cent to 37,000 units in the month under review.
However, the company enjoyed an impressive increase of 9 per cent in export sales, which jumped to 138,022 units in October 2013.
Net profit increased 13 per cent to settle at Rs 837.16 crore, while net sales increased 5.1 per cent to Rs 5061.49 crore in September quarter 2013 over the corresponding period of the previous year.
Combined sales slipped 6 per cent, from 4.11 lakh units in October last year to 3.85 lakh units in the same month this year.
In response to the announcement of sales decline, Bajaj Auto shares shed 2.17 per cent to Rs 2,050.45 apiece at 09:49 IST on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The stock hit its all-time high of Rs 2,228.95 a share on 3rd of January 2013, and its 52-week low of Rs 1,657.50 a share on 4th of April 2013.


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Yesterday Sony and studio Wildcard announced that the Ark: Survival Evolved standalone spin-off, Survival of the Fittest, would be released on PS4 on June 19th, 2016. Luckily for Xbox One owners, the spin-off will still be released on Xbox One, and the game releasing on PS4 first is merely for public testing and optimization.
The announcement caused quite an uproar in the Xbox community since the pre-release of the original Ark: Survival Evolved, has long been made available for Microsoft’s console. On the official Ark forums, Xbox gamers expressed their dismay with the release of the spin-off on Sony’s console, assuming it would be due to an exclusivity deal.
Luckily for Xbox players, this isn’t the case. In a TwitLonger ‘tweet’, Community Manager at Studio Wildcard, Jat, assured fans that both versions of Ark will be released on Xbox One and PS4. According to the community manager, releasing the two games on two separate platforms “is the most effective and efficient development process” for Studio Wildcard.
Seems like someone ran a Beast Within event ;). We just wanted to assure you guys that both versions of ARK will be released on all platforms. Yeah, that means ARK: Survival Evolved will release on PS4 and ARK: Survival of the Fittest will be released on Xbox One! In the mean while, we'll be able to bring a piece of the ARK Universe to every platform so no matter the type of gamer you are, you'll be able to experience and play in the ARK world.
We strategically made the decision to initially release the two games on different platforms because we believe it is the most effective and efficient development process for our Studio. We have a ton of people working on both games across platforms - this can lead to a number of issues, people stepping on each others toes and a lot of wires getting mixed up. You guys even know how sometimes we mix up Xbox and PC. Going forward, we'll be able to effectively develop across all 3 platforms, respond to player feedback and further optimize the game. This is better for all ARK players in the long run!
Releasing Survival of the Fittest on PS4 first isn’t due to some sort of exclusive deal between Studio Wildcard and Sony – “Sony didn’t pay for timed exclusivity”, according to Studio Wildcard’s lead designer and co-founder, Jeremy Stieglitz. According to Stieglitz, releasing Survival of the Fittest on PS4 first is due to “the necessity of publicly testing and optimizing the shared ARK codebase on PS4 in advance of the full Survival Evolved game release”.
“Just wanna note that Sony didn't pay for timed exclusivity. The reason for releasing SotF onto PS4 first is the necessity of publicly testing and optimizing the shared ARK codebase on PS4 in advance of the full Survival Evolved game release, and iterating on that PS4 codebase through a wide release. We're just not large enough to do that effectively without the help of the public ARK community. As mentioned, it'll also hit Xbox One later on! Also Xbox players, please stay tuned for some large news updates tomorrow that will be of particular interest to you”, Stieglitz stated on the official Ark forums.


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Wow, I'm kind of surprised by this: according to New York magazine, there's a Tony award for sale on eBay. I didn't even know you were allowed to sell one.
The award belonged to the late costume designer Florence Klotz, who won it for her work on the 1985 musical Grind. Ms. Klotz, who died in 2006 at the age of 86, won a total of six Tonys, including for Follies, Pacific Overtures and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
I know that since 1950, every Oscar winner has had to sign an agreement that neither they nor their heirs can sell the statuette without first giving the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences the right to buy it back - for one dollar! Here's an article from Forbes that explains it all.
I don't know whether the American Theatre Wing has a similar stipulation for a Tony. But according to a New York Times story, Christie's auction house sold one in 2007 for $4,800 and another, which may have been returned to the manufacturer because of a misspelling, sold last year for $5,676.25.
(Update: Kevin at Theatre Aficionado at Large says there is one, and it requires that anyone wishing to sell an award first offer it to the Theatre Wing for a nominal sum. Here are the details. Apparently, the Tony that Klotz received for Grind predates the requirement.)
I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I agree with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences spokesman who told Forbes: "They're not tchotchkes to be bought off of a shelf." On the other hand, I can sympathize with someone who needs the money, an heir who doesn't have an emotional attachment to the award or who might want to use the proceeds for some worthy cause.
Of course, a Tony won't net you as much as an Oscar. The Forbes story says that an Oscar can bring as much as $1.5 million. Bidding for the Tony starts at $10,000, although you can buy it now for $20,000. But I think the principle is the same - you should get one by earning it, not because you have enough money to buy one on eBay.


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A roundup of some of the North American equities making moves in both directions today
On the rise
A day after surging over 40 per cent, American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL-Q) jumped another 30 per cent in early trading on Friday.
On Thursday, American Airlines said it will aggressively add back flights in July — a bet that the slow recovery in air travel will gain speed this summer as states re-open their economies.
United Airlines (UAL-Q), which was up 20.9 per cent, also announced plans to add back flights, while taking a more cautious approach that includes resuming about 130 nonstop routes in July that were suspended when travel collapsed as the coronavirus spread rapidly.
Both airlines will run much smaller operations than they did last summer, but they could exceed the market’s low expectations for business during the crucial peak vacation season.
American said it plans to operate 55 per cent of the U.S. flights that it ran in July 2019, a huge increase over the 20-per-cent schedules it ran in April and May. The airline is more guarded about demand for foreign travel. It plans to operate just 20% of the international flights that it ran last July.
In Toronto, Air Canada (AC-T) followed its U.S. peers higher, jumping over 13 per cent.
Major Drilling Group International Inc. (MDI-T) jumped 7 per cent after it reported after the bell on Thursday revenue of $88.8-million for its fourth quarter ended April 30, down from $100.4-million a year earlier.
Its net loss was $74.3-million or 92 cents per share down from a loss of $3-million or 4 cents a year earlier.
Its adjusted EPS came in at a loss of 4 cents versus an adjusted loss of 2 cents a year earlier. Analysts were expecting an adjusted loss of 2 cents per share and revenue of $95.1-million.
In a research note, Laurentian Bank Securities analyst Ryan Hanley said: "With government restrictions slowly being lifted in Canada & the U.S., it is our expectation that we will continue to see slow & steady increases of activity in this region. Several countires in the Central & South America region are also slowly re-opening (particularly Mexico), which should also lead to slow & steady increases of activity beginning in June.
“With its strong balance sheet, MDI has been able to maintain strong levels of inventory as well as retain all of its employees. As a result, we continue to believe that the company remains well positioned for an upturn in drilling activity.”
U.S. jewelry chain Tiffany & Co. (TIF-N) increased 8 per cent amid reports French luxury goods giant LVM is not seeking to renegotiate its US$16.2-billion acquisition after deliberating whether to do so.
LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault had been in talks with his advisers this week to identify ways to pressure Tiffany to lower the agreed price of US$135 per share in cash, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
He considered whether he could argue that the New York-based company is in breach of its obligations under the merger agreement, sources said at the time.
LVMH has decided it will not raise the issue of repricing the deal with Tiffany for now, after it considered the legal hurdles involved, the sources said.
Gap Inc. (GPS-N) on Thursday reported a quarterly loss of nearly US$1-billion as the apparel retailer was forced to close its stores due to the coronavirus outbreak.
It shares at narrowly higher on Friday.
San Francisco-based Gap, which operates nearly 2,800 stores in North America, said 55 per cent of its company-operated stores in the region were now open and sales from online operations were booming.
Citi analyst Paul Lejuez said: “As expected, 1Q was a weak qtr with total sales down 43 per cent due to store closings. So far, stores that have reopened are running down 30 per cent on average with Old Navy outperforming the average and BR running below. Though it is hard to make too much out of this period, this is a little below several others that have reported trends in reopened stores, especially given ON is primarily off-mall and their customer should be seeing the benefit from stimulus. GPS is yet another retailer talking about using a ‘pack and hold’ inventory strategy, which we are skeptical of. Given these concerns, we remain on the sidelines.”
Broadcom Inc. (AVGO-Q) was up 4.8 per cent after it forecast current-quarter revenue with a midpoint slightly below analysts’ estimates, in part caused by a delay at a “large North American mobile phone” customer that analysts believe is Apple Inc.
The company forecast fiscal third-quarter revenue of about US$5.75-billion, plus or minus US$150-million. Analysts on average were expecting US$5.79-billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
“We would normally expect to see a double-digit sequential uplift in revenue from the ramp of next-generation phone at our large North American mobile phone customer,” Chief Executive Hock Tan said on a conference call. “However, this year, we do not expect to see this uptick in revenue until our fourth fiscal quarter.”
Tan cited a “major product cycle delay in wireless” without naming the customer, but Broadcom got about a fifth of its revenue from Apple in its most recent fiscal year and in January entered into to two multi-year agreements worth as much as $15 billion in revenue to supply Apple with wireless components.
On the decline
Bombardier Inc. (BBD.B-T) was down over 4 per cent after it said on Friday it would cut 2,500 jobs, or about 11 per cent of its workforce, at its aviation unit as the COVID-19 pandemic’s crushing impact on the air industry adds to its long list of problems.
The airline industry has been among the worst hit by the coronavirus crisis, which has dented travel demand and forced several aircraft manufacturers, including Bombardier’s peers Boeing Co and Airbus SE, to cut production as customers defer deliveries.
“Bombardier must adjust its operations and workforce to ensure that it emerges from the current crisis on solid footing,” the company said in a statement, citing an estimated 30% fall in business jet deliveries across the industry due to the pandemic.
Bombardier, which has nearly 60,000 employees at its aviation and rail units, said it would book a $40 million related to the job cuts.
The company, which agreed to exit the commercial aircraft business in February, is in the process of selling its rail business to French TGV high-speed train maker Alstom for up to 6.2 billion euros ($7.02 billion), and said last month that the deal has not been affected by the coronavirus crisis.
Slack Technologies Inc. (WORK-N) posted slowing quarterly sales growth, disappointing investors who had expected a surge in demand for its workplace messaging app as companies rapidly adopt remote working tools and technology.
Shares of the company, which had surged nearly 80 per cent this year, dropped 18.8 per cent in Friday trading.
Slack also withdrew its 2021 billing outlook citing uncertainty driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, and said it had seen sales from some large customers slow down in the worst-affected industries, such as travel, hospitality and ride-sharing.
“There’s less visibility into how spending will trend for the remainder of the year, particularly if the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic persist or worsen,” Chief Financial Officer Allen Shim said in a post-earnings call with analysts.
RBC Dominion Securities’ Alex Zukin said: “Slack reported a strong start to FY21, with results ahead of guidance and consensus across billings, revenue, and profitability, and F2Q guidance was better than expected. FY21 guidance was increased, though by less than we believe investors were looking for, and billings guide was pulled, but we chalk these up to conservatism on the macro and the decreasing relevance of billings.”
With files from staff and wires


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PlayStation 4.5 release date happening this year
- Author: Gina Adkins Jun 25, 2016,
Jun 25, 2016, 20:25
However, support for native 4K games is only going to matter if gamers do not have access to 4K displays which is the status now. But does the fact that there's a more powerful PS4 coming change plans for the PlayStation 5? To begin with, Pachter praised Microsoft's decision to announce Project Scorpio a year and a half before the actual release (planned for Holiday 2017). The PlayStation Neo will hit the scene later this year, but it will not shorten the PS4's life span. It will come as an alternative, not a replacement. If it was, that meant it was already in fabrication and we'd actually know about it; I think they're just going to launch PlayStation VR in October and then the Neo sometime in April-June, probably ahead of the Holiday. Sony however has deliberately held off from revealing more information about the upcoming console but that has not stopped industry analysts from speculating about its features, release date and specifications. The Xbox One S really does look great and obviously the big reveal of Scorpio at the end was a big deal.
It's interesting indeed, and we're looking forward to seeing the future of console gaming as Microsoft and Sony unleash their latest hardware. It's not like you are not going to spend a lot on this, but it's at least not a huge amount of money you are set to invest all of a sudden. This works especially for Xbox One, since it has had for a long while an operative system which is bad, very bad, and now remains a mess where Phil Spencer and his team are trying to do it any better by releasing patches after patches.
Both consoles are leading in sales of the current generation, but Sony has a massive lead over Microsoft.
Although Sony has confirmed that it's working on a new more powerfull version of the PS4, the console wasn't shown at E3.


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© Chernetskaya |
The e-commerce market out of southern China stays strong in air cargo – but that appears to be the only pleasure on the horizon for carriers.
Indices this week show international need is nonetheless weak, and charges heading nowhere.
TAC Index showed a slight decline in prices, after a mild bounce a 7 days earlier, while the all round Baltic Air Freight Index dropped 2.4% week on 7 days.
While passenger/tummy potential may well be up, freighter capacity is predicted to slide, with airways employing this dull time period to conduct hefty routine maintenance checks on more mature freighters. TAC Index additional that there have been also much less conversions coming to the market.
WorldACD claimed today worldwide tonnages experienced stayed flat, while rates slid somewhat. Tonnages in the week to 25 June were being down 2%, as have been fees. Around a two-7 days time period, tonnage was secure, capability was up 1% and charges fell 1%. It extra that, regionally, there experienced been some considerable price tag improvements.
In a two-week vs . two-7 days interval, rates out of the Middle East and South Asia to Asia Pacific fell a hefty 17%, ex-North The usa to Asia Pacific fell 7% and transatlantic westbound fell 5%, regardless of quantity rises on all 3 lanes, said WorldACD.
TAC Index discovered that charges out of Hong Kong rose 2.1%, driven by e-commerce volumes to Europe and North America. Out of Shanghai, on the other hand, rates fell marginally, in unique to North The united states. Fees out of Frankfurt to North America also slipped, although to China, they edged up. Chicago’s export tradelanes noticed a 12% charge drop, with decreases on all key routes.
In the meantime, far more anecdotally, Eddy Liu, SVP cargo for China Airways, observed that in spite of a lot speak of sourcing shifts, there was “still no substantial export demand from neighbouring South-east Asian countries”.
In conditions of probable progress motorists for air cargo on the horizon, dockworker union ILWU Canada options a strike at the ports of Prince Rupert and Vancouver tomorrow, though it is not however distinct how extensive it will keep on, or what effect it will have. But it could most likely give air cargo a very little filip.
In addition, much more freighter capability is said to be leaving the sector – albeit perhaps briefly – as Western World Airways is believed to be parking its fleet as it decides how to navigate its credit crisis. But with Amazon and FedEx amongst its leading consumers – the two of which are pulling ability – that might have very very little affect on the current market in standard.
Though some industry observers point to the actuality that costs, even though approximately 40% lower than last year, are continue to effectively above pre-pandemic amounts, airways have been quick to issue out that costs have been mounting fast.


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West Bromwich Albion and its Principal Club Partner Ideal Boilers have signed a deal to extend their partnership into the 2020/21 season.
Ideal Boilers became the club’s main sponsor in May 2018 and following a successful opening year – with an action-packed season ahead – has extended its two-year partnership agreement into year three.
Boilerman, Albion’s Ideal Boilers mascot, has taken The Hawthorns by storm since arriving on the touchline last season. Having become a worldwide phenomenon overnight, Boilerman merchandise is now available to buy online and at the stadium, and is collected by fans in all corners of the globe.
Simon King, West Bromwich Albion’s Chief Commercial Officer, said “Ideal Boilers is a truly fantastic sponsor and we are delighted to continue our partnership. They have gone above and beyond to enhance the club’s identity and to win the hearts of our loyal fans.
“Extending the deal was an easy decision – we are lucky to have a partner so passionate about seeing our club succeed.”
Chief Executive Officer at Ideal Boilers, Shaun Edwards, added: “Continuing our partnership with Albion is a great opportunity for both sides to build on everything we’ve already achieved together.
“We’re proud of our award-winning range of boilers, renowned for energy efficiency, reliability and simplicity of use. Our football sponsorship has provided a fantastic platform from which to introduce more people not only to our products, but also to our brand.
“The fans have given us a warm welcome and working with club is a pleasure. We’re both ambitious British brands with long-standing heritage and plans for future growth, and we look forward to another two seasons of joint success.”
Ideal Boilers was founded in Hull in 1906 and employs more than 800 people.
Check out the gallery above to see some highlights of the partnership so far.


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Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.
The Google Chrome beta is a powerful new browser that loads Web pages quickly and accurately. CNET says Chrome is faster than all other browsers, and my experience matches these claims. It reveals that Google intends to break a Microsoft stranglehold on the desktop, but the user experience on Chrome feels a bit like walking on a sheet of ice in your slippers: a bit temporal and shaky.
With just a handful of desktop-bound apps including Sidebar and Desktop Search, Google has never strayed too far from the online world where they make most of their money by selling ads. Chrome, released around midday Tuesday, could be their last official desktop app. It points to a day when the operating system is obfuscated by the browser, which runs all the apps you really need. So will Chrome make a dent in Microsoft's market share or scare away the nice folks at Mozilla?
I think it's too soon to know whether Chrome will be a success. It could be one of the most glorious burn-outs in tech where we look back on 2008 and say - that's when Google tried in vain to capture the browser market. But Google has a history of stomping the competition even though the service (see Gmail as an example) does not offer nearly as many features (see Yahoo Mail).
Here's why Chrome probably won't just fade away. For starters, it lets you grab tabs and drop them away from the main browser window. They run as a separate app that uses a separate portion of RAM. You can also create a shortcut to an app using a menu option and then run it without the address bar. It looks amazingly extensible and flexible, which means it could have a bright future.
Chrome is a first glimpse at Google 2.0, an effort to make cloud computing ubiquitous and the desktop a thing of the past. For anyone who has wondered whether Google will release an operating system, the short answer is: yes, they just did.
And here's the proof. When you install Chrome, it asks you if you want to use Google as the search engine. You might think, well - of course! But what Google is saying with that question is: we intend to own the Web, and when we do, we don't want to get sued for monopolistic practices.


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The growing business of retail has given a good boost to all related businesses. The UK-based Mainetti Worldwide, one of the largest hanger manufacturing companies in the world, is investing $1 million for a manufacturing facility in Chennai. The company is also expected to come up with an additional facility in and around Delhi.
“With the boom in retail and the fashion business, the demand for garment accessory has been growing for the last five years now. There was a time when Mainetti was being imported in India, and now we export from here as we have set up a good manufacturing base,” Rajesh Menon, vice president, marketing, told Indiaretailing.
The company claims to have introduced the Garments on Hangers (GOH) concept worldwide and will promote the same in India. This service assists apparel manufacturers and retailers as it reduces delivery time from production facilities to retail stores.
When asked what is it that sells best in India as compared to the western or the European markets, Menon said, “There’s not much difference in the quality of produce for India. We have products in all categories, be it the high-end hangers for luxury labels, the customised hangers as per demand, or the supermarket hangers for the mass segment. Mass segment has almost 60 per cent sales share.”
Mainetti has operations in 24 countries across the globe. The company entered India in 1997 through a joint venture with a local hanger manufacturer and recently acquired 100 per cent shares of the Indian operations and formed Mainetti India, the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary in the country.
– Ranjan Kaplish


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Korean Film Council: prices don't deter audiences
70% of consumers continue movie-going despite price increaseSEOUL -- Movie ticket prices are expensive, but that won't discourage local audiences from watching films in cinemas, says a consumer report by the Korean Film Council.
In its "2009 Film Consumer's Investigation," the Korean Film Council reports that an average movie ticket costs 5,600 won ($4.94), about 70% of the actual cost of 8,000 won. Nevertheless, about 18.5% of Korean audiences said watching a film in a theater is "the most satisfying" choice of entertainment among other options, such as traveling, shopping, dining or going to a gallery. Reportedly, 66% said they'll continue watching as many films as last year. The nationwide report was based on an opinion poll of 2,000 respondents ranging in age from 15 to 49.
About 79.6% of Korean consumers said the current ticket price is expensive. About 55.5% of respondents said 3,000 won -- the average cost of download service for recent movies here -- was high, and preferred the price be lowered to 1,462 won. Separately, about 55.5% said an unlimited download service of 10,000 won a month was appropriate.
Up to 70.1% of consumers said they continued watching films in cinemas since the ticket price was raised in June. Only 29.9% said they stopped going to cinemas. Among the audiences who continued going to theaters, 21.7% said they took advantage of various discount rates by multiplex chains and their partner companies.
Concerning 3D films, 34.9% of audiences said the biggest advantage of 3D was to experience the "new expression of the medium," and 30.6% said the films represented "high-quality visuals." But 29.4% said the cost is overpriced considering the film quality while others complained about the inconveniences of wearing goggles and nausea.
Action films were among the most popular genre for movies people watched in theaters in the last five years, the report said. Scifi, fantasy and martial arts genres rose in popularity while romance dropped.
"Such results show that more audiences prefer an 'active' genre that stresses on scale and spectacle when they watch films in cinema, whether or not the films present special visual effects," said Han Seung-hee, a researcher at the the Korean Film Council.


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Lightsaber for Star Wars Kinect spotted at online stores
In Germany two different online stores list a Kinect Lightsaber peripheral for Kinect Star Wars. What happened to "You Are The Controller" there, Microsoft? What about your controller-free future?
Before we get to far it should be said that we're not sure what to make of this yet. Amazon Germany lists a November 17 release date for the Lightsaber. Too bad there's no pictures. Another German online shop, Promediama, lists the same thing for about the same price. Eurogamer says that the sabers include light effects but no batteries.
Will the Kinect even 'see' this Lightsaber? If it will, save some cash and just get a sawed off broomstick instead. Setup email comments
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Colombia's coffee production down 12% year-over-year to 7.8 million 60-kg bags in 2011, as increased rains from La Nina cut productivity, Colombian Coffee Growers Federation says; estimated value of coffee exports up 29% to US$2.85M
January 23, 2012
– The La Nina phenomenon that has struck Colombia with a significant increase in rains, led to a reduced productivity of Colombia’s coffee plantations. As a result of the phenomenon’s persistence over the last years, coffee production decreased 12% reaching 7,8 million 60 kilo coffee bags in 2011. Nonetheless, in 2011 the total crop value increased 13%, reaching US$ 2.5 billion.
In addition, total production was also the result of the number of coffee hectares that were renewed in the last three years, whose trees are not yet producing. Since coffee trees begin to produce significant volumes in the third year after being renovated, the 300 thousand hectares renovated in Colombia from 2009 to 2011 are still unproductive. This means that crop renovation was another cause of the decrease in coffee production.
During 2011 the FNC set ambitious goals regarding crop renovation programs with resistant varieties to coffee leaf rust. The successful initiatives led to the renovation of 117.000 hectares of coffee, a country record. According to Luis G. Muñoz, CEO of the FNC, “We are very pleased with the implementation of the FNC’s crop renovation programs which have compliance rates near or above 90%. The fact that coffee grower income actually increased despite the reduced production brings a respite to what has been a very difficult period.”
In 2011 Colombian coffee exports reached 7,7 million 60 kilo bags. The estimated value increased 29%, reaching US$ 2.846 million, 632 more millions compared to the US$ 2.214 million of 2010.


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We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
‘The finance industry is a goldmine for marketers’ Siliconrepublic.com
This week on Leaders’ Insights, Inbal Lavi of Webpals Group talks about the importance of a strong acquisition strategy and a diverse team.
Todd Doyle has been an internet marketer since 1994. Owner of several website domains and several online social profiles, Todd Doyle continues to be at the forefront of all emerging technologies.


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With less than a month to go for the official Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ unveiling, high-resolution photos of the devices have leaked online giving us a clear look at its design, the Infinity-O display, and their rear camera setup.
The leaked photos of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ confirm both devices will come with a triple-camera setup at the rear.
At the front, the Galaxy S10 will come with a single camera while the bigger S10+ will come with a dual-camera setup. The photo also gives us a clear look at the Infinity-O display of both phones.
The photos also confirm the Galaxy S10 and S10+ will come with a noticeably smaller top bezel than the S9 series. The bottom chin on the S10 seems to be about the same size as the outgoing model but the one on the S10+ is narrower than that of S9+.
The leaked photos also confirm the Galaxy S10 and S10+ will come with an in-display fingerprint scanner, USB-C port, and most importantly for many, a headphone jack! It is definitely surprising and impressive to see Samsung continue to retain the headphone jack on its flagship Galaxy S devices while other OEMs have continued to abandon it from their phones.
Samsung will be unveiling the Galaxy S10 series on February 20 at an Unpacked event. Apart from the Galaxy S10 and S10+, Samsung will also be unveiling a third cheaper Galaxy S10 variant featuring a dual-camera setup, a 5.8-inch QHD+ OLED display, and an optical fingerprint scanner.[Via AllAboutSamsung]


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United Kingdom lawmakers prepare to deliver verdict on Brexit EU divorce deal
China Oil Imports Up 30% In December, Gas Imports Hit Record
Concourse at Miami International Airport to reopen Monday despite government shutdown
Lowe's to close underperforming stores in US, Canada
05 November 2018, 06:27 | Austin Hogan
Edmonton Mayor’s Awards Lowe’s west end’s Thomas Stenson nominated for employment paid
Based in Boucherville, Que., Lowe's Canadian business has more than 630 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores.
There are also signs that Americans are spending less on housing as prices and demand peak after a seven-year homebuilding spree, although numerous factors underlying the industry's health remain in place. (NYSE: LOW) today announced the wind-down of certain underperforming store locations as part of its ongoing strategic reassessment. Lowe's has partnered with Hilco Merchant Services to help manage the process in the US and ensure a seamless experience for customers.
New Chief Executive Officer Marvin Ellison began a restructuring after taking over in July and has said he was reviewing its real estate portfolio, promising to remove slow-selling products and end unsuccessful ventures.
The list of other USA stores closing include locations in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. The retailer will attempt to relocate employees to nearby stores.
BMW M850i xDrive convertible joins 8-series lineup
That's a $9,500 price hike over the M850i Coupe, but for well-heeled buyers who love open-top motoring, it's a small price to pay. Power goes to all four wheels through an eight-speed Steptronic autobox and BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system.
Horse race for Amazon’s HQ2 nears the wire
He also hinted that Amazon compelled finalists to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) that the leakers may be violating. The e-commerce giant has said it will announce the location by the end of 2018.
This summer, for instance, Lowe's announced that it's shutting down its Orchard Supply Hardware chain, which the company bought in 2013 for $205 million, in order "focus on its core home improvement business".
The affected stores, with locations including New York, Texas and California, as well as British Columbia and other Canadian provinces, are expected to close before February 1, 2019.
What to Watch For: Packers vs Patriots
That lead held through the break once the Pats halted the Packers at midfield during their ensuing two-minute drill. I have a ton of respect for the way they're run, what they do, how they do it and how consistently they've done it.
Trump speaks by phone with China's Xi on trade
Kudlow also added that Trump "could pull the trigger" on additional tariffs on Chinese imports, depending on how talks go. Bloomberg reported on Friday that Trump wants to reach a trade agreement with China at the G20 meeting.
EPL: Mourinho baffled by United’s slow starts
I look to the team we didn't press or do any of the week we did in the week. "It is what we call a game of two halves". Ander Herrera had been particularly influential after being introduced as a substitute for the second half.


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Southern Cross Austereo and Nine are about to switch on their regional television deal that will see SCA broadcast Nine's content into regional Queensland, Southern NSW and Victoria from 1 July following the affiliation deal signed back in April.
The deal will see SCA pay Nine 50% of the advertisng revenue it makes, which is significantly higher than the 30-5% it was paying Ten under the previous terms, which has caused some to question if it can attract enough advertisers to make it sustainable.
Blackley tells AdNews SCA is set to increase its ad revenue by 100% as a result of the deal, although he would not reveal a dollar figure. Rate cards have been renegotiated and regional advertisers will end up paying higher rates under the new Nine deal, but Blackley believes the Nine signal and content is of significantly greater quality to justify a “commensurately” higher rate. He also adds that new advertisers have come on board since the deal was struck.
He claims that year-on-year, ad revenue for July is already 80% higher under the new terms, and had it remained in discussions with Ten it would have ended up paying a higher fee anyway.
“The way we see it, we have secured a superior audience and superior opportunity to grow revenue. A 90-100% revenue increase is just good economics – it funds itself,” he says.
SCA sells ads across 135 sub-TV markets and says its structure makes it more accessible for regional advertisers to buy spots, particularly for Nine's GEM and GO stations, that appear in local markets than the previous arrangement under WIN where it operated national sales structure.
“That’s where you get the economic benefit in regional markets … more regional advertisers will be attracted because it’s more efficient and has less wastage,” he says.
The deal marks a shift of providers after nearly 30 years and will see the SCA brand disappear from TV for the first time – something Blackley claims was SCA’s idea because it’s “more efficient and positive for the business”. It doesn’t suggest any further merger down the track that would see Nine take over SCA’s regional TV business, he says.
Part of the breakdown of WIN and Nine’s affiliation deal was the launch of 9Now streaming nationally in to regions. WIN’s position was that it was broadcasting content into its geographical region, which was in breach of the affiliate partner agreement in place, and negatively impacted its ability attract advertising revenue. The court, however, ruled in nine’s favour.
Streaming is a reality of the broadcast world, and Blackley concedes that it could impact the regional business. But, there is a clause written in to the SCA Nine contract regarding it. While Blackley would not reveal the threshold that triggers it, there is a mechanism built into the contracts so that if streaming does materially impact SCA’s regional business the two sides would evaluate the economics of it.
“I can’t talk about the commercialities but we have a view that is expressed in our contracts. It’s fair to say, if it makes a material impact, we have a mechanism to discuss it from that point. If we see substantial impact, it allows us to have a conversation. This is new to this affiliation deal. It’s complicated but we’re looking at it with our eyes open, and we can modernise our contracts.”
While the election temporarily shelved media reform discussions, it is expected to be back on the table following the 2 July vote but Blackley does not believe there will be the rush of M&A activity that had been speculated. There has been much speculation that the affiliation deal is paving the way for a merger between the two after Nine bought a 9.9% stake in SCA in March, but Blackley batted that away, as SCA has done on numerous occasions.
WIN and Ten’s partnership also begins on 1 July.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop me a line at firstname.lastname@example.org


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The Gap is suing Kanye West for $2 million over their failed cooperation, claiming the troubled musician made unauthorized renovations to a Los Angeles rental property the landlord is trying to collect on.
According to reports, The Gap has filed a $2 million lawsuit against their former partner #KanyeWest. Gap wants Kanye to pay for any damages they might face in a lawsuit with a company that owns the building they leased as a storefront for Kanye's Yeezy clothing line. The… pic.twitter.com/LeynBypLlb
— WORLDSTARHIPHOP (@WORLDSTAR) May 23, 2023
Gap recently brought a lawsuit in LA against 45-year-old West and his Yeezy clothing line. The clothing giant was sued by Art City Center last year for “damages” to the property at 1360 E. 6th St., which the firm contends it owns and is leased to Gap.
According to the lawsuit, the modifications included construction an outdoor ramp in the east side parking lot, placing a tunnel there, removing the ceiling lights, constructing a wall, and eliminating three bathrooms.
West, who announced the Yeezy Gap cooperation in 2020, is being blamed by Gap.
According to the lawsuit against West, “by making and not repairing or restoring the foregoing alterations of the premises that [West] made without Gap’s participation or approval, [West] breached the strategic agreement and directly and proximately caused Gap to incur expenses to repair and restore the premises.”
Gap is asking West be held responsible for any damages owed to Art City, as well as $2 million in compensatory damages for itself.
When contacted for a comment, a Gap spokesperson declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
Gap ended its partnership with the “Stronger” rapper last fall after he made a string of anti-Semitic comments.
“Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values,” Gap said in a statement at the time.
But West later claimed the venture failed because he is a “king.” “Everyone knows that I’m the leader, I’m the king,” West said during a CNBC appearance. “A king can’t live in someone else’s castle. A king has to make his own castle.”
West’s controversial remarks also cost him a lucrative Yeezy deal with Adidas, according to Forbes.
That meant West lost his billionaire status, as a whopping $1.5 billion of his estimated $2 billion fortune was attributed to his relationship with the apparel company.


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2020 Super Bowl Sunday: When, Where, & More | NFL.com
Feb 03, 2020 · Super Bowl LIV averaged 102 million viewers across several channels and streaming outlets, according to Fox. Aside from the actual game, the 2020 Super Bowl will feature performances during the Super Bowl Halftime Show LIV (54) by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. Here's the time, performers, songs and J.Lo's Jul 08, 2020 · Posted by Michael David Smith on July 8, 2020, 2:02 PM EDT Getty Images Suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon ‘s Super Bowl ring will be sold at an upcoming memorabilia auction. May 26, 2020 · Several long months after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, Kansas City enters the 2020 NFL season as both the % chance to win the Super Bowl, FPI's view of the Patriots
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This year, the Super Bowl LIV, airing February 2, sold all its in-game ad inventory early for the first time in five years, with pricing for units topping out at $5.6 million per 30-second spot. To accommodate brands that were late to the game, Fox Sports added an additional “floater” ad pod to the game resulting in an extra two minutes and 30 seconds and increasing Fox’s in-game ad 2020 Super Bowl: Betting odds, point spread, over/under 2020-2-2 · 2020 Super Bowl: Betting odds, point spread, over/under. Super Bowl 54 is finally here, and for sports bettors, Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest day of the year. View all newsletters More The Best Super Bowl LIV 2020 Commercials | HYPEBEAST Below are the best Super Bowl 2020 commercials, The fully restored 911 will be on view at Jeffrey Deitch gallery this month. By HB Team / Feb 3, 2020. Feb 3, 2020 Lady Gaga's Applause, A. Rod's Cheers For J. Lo & More


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The PA Republicans have been trying for years to get ride of the state-controlled wine and spirits stores, and it looks like they’re finally going to pull it off. What a great idea! Instead of people having to buy booze during store hours, they’ll be able to buy it anytime they want — and we can maybe even widen our lead as the worst drunk driving state in the tri-state area!
Thousands of state workers could lose jobs if Republicans successfully push the legislation, said a labor leader representing store clerks. The Liquor Control Board employs 5,000 people.
Wendell W. Young IV, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers’ wine and spirits council, said the privatization effort is absurd because if the LCB were a private company, the state typically would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to save up to 5,000 jobs. He points to the state’s action in February to spend $42 million — combined with private investment and company equity — to save 1,000 jobs at the Acker Philadelphia Shipyard.
Lou Matter, who manages a liquor store in the North Side, said he is unaware of any effort to assist employees in making the transition into the private sector.
“Is there some sort of plan in the works? Not that I’m aware of,” said Matter, 45, of Spring Garden.
Turzai’s bill offers tax credits for private employers that hire ex-state store employees, preferential hiring for them at state agencies, and vouchers for retraining, Miskin said.
Continue Reading »


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If you know Apple, you would know that they are the kind of company who would not bring the latest of technologies to their phones all of a sudden. It is usually after most Android smartphones have had the technology for a year or two that Apple’s iPhones also have that technology.
This can be said about the notched-yet-bezel-less display as well as FaceID as well as some other things inside the phone as well. Right now, higher refresh rate displays are all the craze and people love to use phones that have at least 90Hz and even 120Hz refresh rate.
As we know, companies like Samsung, OnePlus, Asus and others have implemented 120Hz and higher refresh rate on their OLED panels so far. But the technology is still new whereas 90Hz OLED panels have become older now. Reports were that Apple is also adding a 120Hz OLED panel to their iPhone 12 Pro series.
However, a new video leaked by Jon Prosser shows that Apple is still evaluating the higher refresh rate panel and checking quality control issues for the same. Because it is mentioned that Apple is testing some iPhone 12 Pro models with a 120Hz panel and others without one. If the tests are passed, we will see a 120Hz option on the iPhone 12 Pro Max but it could be cancelled at the last moment as well.
Also, the talk about iPhone 12 series having a smaller notch have been buried by this video because the notch seems to be identical to the iPhone 11 series. Having said that, it looks like the bezels on all sides will be trimmed down to make the phone slightly smaller.
It can be seen from the leaked video that the “PVT” model of the iPhone 12 Pro Max has options to toggle “high refresh rate” as well as “adaptive refresh rate”. PVT models also called product validation test models are the last step before mass production of a device. So if the PVT models have this refresh rate and pass testing, they can go into mass production.
Prosser claims that Apple is late for mass production this year and they have not yet begun mass production of the iPhone 12 Pro series at least. He claims the production will start next week which means this week could be a make or break thing for 120Hz on the iPhone 12 Pro series. Jon Prosser says he has been told “half” of the iPhone 12 Pro Max devices in the PVT batch have 120Hz and half of them have 60Hz.


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Wing Bank Certified by Global Standard’s PCI DSS Compliance for Secure Online TransactionsJuly 14, 2023
Wing Bank announces its recent attainment of the prestigious PCI DSS certification, elevating the bank’s commitment to ensuring the highest level of online transaction security.
Wing Bank has significantly protected its customers from fraud and cyber-attacks by securing the eminent Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification.
The certification was officially presented to Wing Bank’s CEO, Han Peng Kwang, at a ceremony recently held at the bank’s newly renovated and state-of-the-art Head Office, located in the bustling central business district of Phnom Penh.
The achievement of PCI DSS compliance is a testament to Wing Bank’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest level of data protection and security while providing its customers with a secure, reliable, and seamless online shopping experience.
PCI DSS compliance is a rigorous set of security standards established by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) – a global forum that unites prominent industry stakeholders such as American Express, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, and Visa – to protect cardholder data and maintain a secure payment environment.
The bank has attained the PCI DSS certification through an independent assessment by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) – SISA, a forensics-driven cybersecurity solutions company. It is trusted by 2,000 organizations in over 40 countries for securing their businesses with robust preventive, detective, and corrective cybersecurity solutions. Its human-centric approach leverages forensic insights and Artificial Intelligence to improve security posture.
“Wing Bank’s exceptional commitment to data security and adherence to global standards has earned them the well-deserved PCI DSS certification,” said Mukesh H Khanwani, SISA’s Director for Asia Pacific.
“By complying with the stringent requirements set by the global standards, Wing Bank has demonstrated its strong focus on maintaining a secure card environment and safeguarding the trust of its customers,” he added.
As part of the certification process, Wing Bank underwent a thorough audit conducted by SISA, an authorized QSA. SISA’s team of highly skilled security professionals meticulously assessed Wing Bank’s systems, policies, and procedures to ensure full compliance with the stringent PCI DSS requirements.
Han Peng Kwang, CEO of Wing Bank, said, “Our achievement of PCI DSS compliance reaffirms Wing Bank’s position as Cambodia’s fastest-growing digital bank, demonstrating our commitment to safeguarding customer data and providing secure financial services.”
“With this achievement, Wing Bank is poised to continue its trajectory of growth and innovation while ensuring the utmost security for its customers,” Han emphasized.
Wing Bank has been at the forefront of innovation in Cambodia’s banking sector. In April of last year, the bank, in collaboration with Mastercard, launched the Wing Bank Debit Mastercard, the first numberless card in the country. This initiative aimed to provide greater payment flexibility to cardholders while promoting digital and financial inclusion. Additionally, Wing Bank officially launched Visa Credit and Debit Cards in February 2023, further expanding its range of services.
Achieving PCI DSS compliance reinforces Wing Bank’s position as an industry leader, distinguishing it as a trusted partner for individuals and businesses looking for secure financial services. The certification signifies that Wing Bank has implemented robust security measures and industry best practices to mitigate the risk of data breaches, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of cardholder data.


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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Citizen Labs from Toronto University says technology giant Apple censors political phrases in Taiwan and Hong Kong when providing engraving services.
Apple varies its censorship policies according to the country. For Japan and the United States, around 170 and 192 words, respectively, are filtered mostly due to explicit sexual content, vulgarity, and illicit things, among which political censorship is rare.
Apple has 1,045 forbidden words for engraving in China and 542 in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, there are 397 forbidden words in Taiwan, according to Tech News.
The research shows that 43% of China's banned phrases are political, like democratization, human rights, freedom of the press, and politics. Some terms related to "sensitive" events are blocked as well, such as Umbrella Revolution, supreme leader, Epoch Times, and Falun Gong. Numbers like 8964 can also cause offense in China, as it's the date of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Though Hong Kong supposedly allows freedom of speech, it is also censored according to China's laws, according to Tech News. Even the independent nation of Taiwan is affected by China's censors because for Apple, it is considered to be part of China's main market.
The number of words censored in each region. (Citizen Labs image)
Apple is valued at about US$2.44 trillion, according to Google Finance. China's market contributes one-fifth of the company's revenues, in addition to which, the assembly of most of its products takes place in China, according to Tech News.
Apple's Chief Privacy Officer Jane Horvath replied to Citizen Labs that Apple takes account of the laws and cultural sensitivities of each country or region. "We revisit these decisions from time to time. While those teams rely on information from a range of sources, no third parties or government agencies have been involved in the process," Horvath said.
This kind of information on censoring is important considering multinational companies like Apple have to negotiate political pressure from governments. They also have to weigh up commercial benefits and human rights, Citizen Labs commented.


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Future 50 list recognises the world’s best new marketing talent under the age of 30 or have only worked in brand marketing for less than 18 months
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It is the first time WFA has partnered with The Drum to help identify the best client-side marketers from around the world under the age of 30 or have only worked in brand marketing for less than 18 months. The list recognises exceptional talent from sectors including airlines, beverages, beauty, fashion, finance, FMCG, online services and tech.
From left to right: Emilie Berg Kaasin, DNB; Ben-Jie Lim, AirAsia; Krishma Sood, Arnott's Group; and Ioanna Kontorigopoulou, Nestlé/CPW Hellas
The final 50 marketers on the list were selected by The Drum’s researchers and editors from hundreds of reader nominations from across the industry. Global brands and national advertiser associations in the WFA network also nominated colleagues who they consider have done exceptional work against the backdrop of the pandemic and have helped marketing be a positive force for change.
WFA member nominations who have made the list include Emilie Berg Kaasin, Concept Developer in Marketing & Digital Sales at DNB in Norway, Ben-Jie Lim, Head of E-commerce at AirAsia, Krishma Sood, Marketing Manager at The Arnott’s Group in Australia, and Ioanna Kontorigopoulou, Brand Manager, Lion & Fitness Cereals at Nestlé/CPW Hellas in Greece. Read the interview with these four rising stars here.


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Kohl's Department Store is closing all of its stores nationwide.
There are more than 1,000 Kohl's stores in the U.S., including one in Mount Pleasant and another in Burlington.
The stores will be open until 7 p.m. local time Thursday and then will close until at least the end of March.
Kohls.com and the Kohl's App will remain open for business while the brick-and-mortar locations are closed.
"We will support store associates with two calendar weeks of pay," Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass said in a statement. "... and we look forward to reopening our stores soon to serve families across the country."
Adam does a little bit of everything with the JT, from page editing to covering homelessness to localizing state & national politics. He grew up in Racine County, believes in the Oxford comma and loves digital subscribers: journaltimes.com/subscribenow
Walmart, Target and Dollar General have dedicated specific hours for the elderly and immunocompromised to be able to shop separately from the general public. Dollar General went the furthest, dedicating 8-9 a.m. every day to allow only those "most vulnerable" to COVID-19 to shop.
People form a line outside Kohl's Mount Pleasant location in anticipation of its Black Friday sale in November 2017. On Thursday, Kohl's announced it would be closing all of its U.S. stores until at least April 1.


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DETROIT--Green is all the rage at the Detroit auto show, but a different hue emerged in the Blue-Will plug-in hybrid concept car that Hyundai revealed Monday.
The car can run solely on its lithium polymer battery for a range of 20 to 40 miles, said Scott Margason, director of product planning for Hyundai Motor America, in an interview here at the North American International Auto Show. Like the Toyota Prius, perhaps the best-known hybrid car, the Blue-Will has an engine that's directly connected to the drive wheels and that runs in parallel with the electric motor.
Hyundai wouldn't talk specifically about plans to make the concept into a production model, but Margason did say the company's concepts are directly linked to real-world plans, often with a two- to three-year lag between concept and reality. "Concepts tend to be the foundation of production vehicles," he said.
The Blue-Will is code-named HND-4 and is the fourth concept vehicle from Hyundai's Namyang Design Center.
The lithium polymer battery in the system, built by another Korean company, LG Chem, is similar to the one in the first Hyundai hybrid, the Sonata BlueDrive that's set to go on sale later this year. Hyundai went with lithium polymer batteries for their superior energy density and weight, Margason said. Even though it's later to the hybrid game than some rivals, it got to skip past the nickel-metal hydride and lithium ion battery technologies, he said.
The Blue-Will also features low-friction tires and a full-length undercover for better fuel economy.
Another feature in the system is low weight, made possible through use of carbon-fiber reinforced plastics and bioplastics. Hyundai pledged to reduce the average weight of its fleet by 10 percent by 2015, said Dave Zuchowski, vice president of national sales at Hyundai Motor America.
"Weight reduction benefits almost everything--fuel economy, performance," Margason said.
Disclosure: Stephen Shankland's spouse is employed by Tesla Motors.


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We’re about three weeks away from the rumored February 8th unveiling of the Olympus OM-D — a new Micro Four Thirds camera designed in the style of old school Olympus OM SLRs. The mockup above shows what the camera might look like based on the latest spec rumors. The 16MP camera will reportedly offer ISO 200-25600, a grip and a leather-covered surface, built-in flash, in-body image stabilization, a 610000-dot swiveling LCD screen, and speedy autofocus
(via blog.livedoor.jp via 43 Rumors)
Some spec rumors for the Olympus OM-D camera that we wrote about yesterday are starting to emerge. The retro-styled, weather-sealed magnesium body will reportedly resemble classic OM series film SLR cameras, and will be available in both black and silver. Rather than have a pentaprism like an actual SLR, the 16MP camera will feature a 1.44M dot electronic viewfinder. It’ll be 121mm wide, and will weigh 425g. The release date is rumored to be sometime in late March 2012.
(via Digicame-info via Photo Rumors)
Update: The rumored announcement date is February 8th — less than a month away!
Image credit: Olympus OM-2n & Zuiko 2.8/24 – one of the greatest cameras ever made! by mr. Wood
There might be a giant corporate scandal hovering over its head, but that’s not stopping Olympus from planning big things for its digital camera lineup. The company has placed a giant full page advertisement in Amateur Photographer magazine with the headline “OH MY GOODNESS!”. 43 Rumors is reporting that the company will be announcing a new Micro Four Thirds camera around February 8th that’s part of the 40-year-old OM camera lineup — in other words, a digital mirrorless camera that’s beautifully retro-styled. A trademark application filed on January 3rd indicates that camera will be called the Olympus OM-D (D as in digital). Watch out Fujifilm: Olympus is coming for you!
(via 43 Rumors)
Image credit: Olympus OM-1n by Attila con la cámara
Faking toy camera effects with apps or software is a big fad these days, but Joel Pirela of Blue Ant Studio went a step further: he built his own homemade digital Lomography camera using some walnut wood, hand-polished aluminum frame, parts from a 5-megapixel Vivitar Vivicam, and an Olympus OM series lens.


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Pampers diapers, made by Procter & Gamble, are on display in a dedicated supermarket in New York.
Ramin Talai | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Procter & Gamble It was announced on Tuesday that prices for baby care, feminine care and adult incontinence products will be raised in September in response to higher raw material costs.
The consumer giant is joining a host of other companies, such as rivals Kimberly-Clark and beverage giant Coke, these are Price increases to protect profit margins. Companies are betting that consumers will be willing to pay more for the branded version rather than opting for a cheaper private label. However, this result depends on the economic recovery Coronavirus pandemic and how many consumers will have the money to spare.
P&G said price increases will vary by brand but will range from mid to high single digits.
“This is one of the bigger increases in raw material costs we’ve seen over the period I’ve been involved in it. It’s been quite a long period of time,” Jon Moeller, chief operating officer, told analysts.
After the price increases go into effect, P&G plans to maintain market share by trying to improve consumers’ perception of the value of its products and by introducing new or improved items.
Moeller said at a press conference that the company is evaluating raw material costs and the impact of exchange rates on other categories as well, which could lead to further price hikes across the board. For example, Kimberly-Clark raised the price of its Scott toilet paper due to rising raw material costs, but P & G’s Charmin products were not yet affected.
Shares of P&G more than 1% in midday trading according to the company reported on the results of the third fiscal quarter. The company beat Wall Street’s profit and sales estimates as consumers bought more cleaning products and laundry detergents.


text: Electric Geely Homtruk to take on Tesla Semi with autonomous driving and built-in apartment11/08/2021 Comments Off on Electric Geely Homtruk to take on Tesla Semi with autonomous driving and built-in apartmentFox Business Flash top headlines for November 5Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.China's Geely has unveiled an electric semi truck with all of the comforts of home for long-haul truckers.The Geely Homtruck will be avaialble with an all-electric drivetrain. (Geely)The Homtruck, built by Geely's Farizon Auto commercial truck unit, is equipped with a full mini-apartment that includes a bed, shower, toilet, electric kitchen and washing machine.Geely said the Homtruck will be offered around the world with several powertrain options, including all-electric, range-extended electric and a hybrid with a methanol-burning internal combustion engine. A projected driving range between charges for the all-electric version was not announced.The Homtruck has a full kitchen and bath. (Geely)The truck is being designed with semi-autonomous driving capability in mind and the company is aiming to have Level 4 hands-off capability available by 2030. It will have an AI assistant that communicates with the driver through a digital face projected above the digital dashboard.The Homtruck will feature an AI-powered digital assistant. (Geely)Geely is planning to launch the Hometruck in North America and other global markets in 2024, when it may be competing against the Tesla Semi, which has been delayed until at least 2023.Tesla has not revealed a sleeper-cab style version of the Semi, but currently advertises it with up to 500 miles of driving.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREMost major truck makers, including Volvo and Daimler, are also in the process of electrifying their fleets.Source: Read Full Article Related posts: ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Expands Into Australia and New Zealand for 2021 Why Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart's Natascha Was 'Terrified' to Join the Show John McAfee, Antivirus Software Creator Awaiting Extradition, Found Dead in Prison at 75 John Legend Says Seeing the Death of George Floyd Makes Him Worry For His Own Family Members Watch Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak Bring Seventies Soul to the 2021 Grammys With 'Leave the Door Open'


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Nissan Has Developed Super Creepy 'Brain-to-Vehicle' Tech
Nissan has developed new technology that is able to read a driver’s brainwaves and send the information to an autonomous vehicle’s on-board systems.
The brain-to-vehicle technology, or B2V, aims to improve a driver’s reaction times. The driver wears a device on their head that measures brainwave activity and sends it to the vehicle for it to be analyzed. The car can then anticipate a driver’s intended movements, like turning the wheel or bringing the car to a stop, and make the input 0.2 to 0.5 seconds faster. This may sound a bit intrusive, but Nissan promises that users will barely notice the vehicle making the inputs.
“When most people think about autonomous driving, they have a very impersonal vision of the future, where humans relinquish control to the machines,” said Nissan executive vice president Daniele Schillaci. “Yet B2V technology does the opposite, by using signals from their own brain to make the drive even more exciting and enjoyable. Through Nissan Intelligent Mobility, we are moving people to a better world by delivering more autonomy, more electrification and more connectivity.”
The technology will also work if a vehicle is in full autonomous mode. By detecting a passenger’s discomfort, the AI can change the vehicle’s driving configuration or style to better suit them. For example, if a driver is feeling sick, the car may travel slower and make less abrupt movements when turning or accelerating. It could also use brainwave info to adjust the internal environment to their needs, like changing what the passengers see to make them more at ease.
“The potential applications of the technology are incredible,” said Nissan innovation researcher Dr. Lucian Gheorghe said. “This research will be a catalyst for more Nissan innovation inside our vehicles in the years to come.”
Nissan will have a driving simulator set up at CES 2018 later this month, where attendees will get the chance to sample the B2V tech. AutoGuide.com will be on site at CES, so if we get the chance to give this tech a shot, we’ll definitely be providing a report on our experience.
Discuss this story on our Nissan forum.
Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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Scott Chapman admits that his resentment was palpable when he first sat down at the Marine Industry Dealer Certification Program orientation meeting back in the fall of 2006. From his crossed arms to the frown on his face, his body language came across loud and clear. He did not want to be there.
But the attitude didn’t last.
“I went in with an uninformed bad attitude — about the cost, about adding another layer of bureaucracy, about having to deal with stuff that wouldn’t add value,” explains the general manager of Barrier Island Marine, Johns Island, S.C. “But everything they talked about was reasonable and something that we knew we needed to do anyway.”
Chapman gives Regulator Marine full credit for first pushing him to attend the launch workshop and then helping Barrier Island Marine achieve certification.
The boat builder made dealer certification a required standard of performance in its 2007 dealer agreements and insisted that all of its dealers start the process by the end of 2006. By June 2007, all but a handful of Regulator’s dealers had achieved certification, and those who hadn’t were well on their way.
The final Regulator dealer was certified in early May, making the company the first in the industry to have every member of its dealer network certified.
More than 400 dealers have earned dealer certification since the National Marine Manufacturers Association launched the initiative two years ago.
“Those who are certified really swear by it,” says Thom Dammrich, president of NMMA. “It is helping them deliver a better customer experience, achieve higher customer satisfaction and improve their business.”
That is precisely why Regulator got behind the program early on.
“We believed that certification of the entire dealer network would offer Regulator and its dealers a competitive advantage,” says Carol Ricketts, the company’s director of sales and marketing.
To help dealers quickly work through challenges along the way, Regulator named Cheryl Williams, its customer service manager, as its in-house liaison for the program. Not only was she there to answer their questions about certification, she also visited many of the dealerships to work one-on-one with them.
Although many of the larger dealerships had at least some of the required processes in place, Williams’ on-site assistance with those who were starting from the ground up made what might have been an otherwise overwhelming situation manageable.
“It was so important for Cheryl to be on the frontlines explaining that certification wasn’t as arduous as it looked,” Ricketts says. “She was instrumental in picking apart the requirements and working with the dealers to set up processes where no processes had been.”
Williams would arrive with guidelines and dealer customized forms in hand. She then sat down with whomever was responsible for each task and walked them through the specific process or procedure.
“When we sliced it into pieces, the burden didn’t fall on any one person, which was especially important for the small dealerships,” Williams said, adding that no dealer had to add staff to handle certification requirements.
Williams’ visits were reinforced by Regulator’s sales reps who kept the importance of dealer certification in front of the dealers during their sales calls.
Regulator also assisted its dealers by picking up all of the $2,495 tab, as well as travel expenses for dealers attending the launch workshop. In addition, dealers will be able to co-op 50 percent of their recertification fees.
Chapman appreciated the financial help as cost was one of his initial concerns with the program, but Williams’ support was even more significant.
“Having her walk through the facility and show us what we needed to do gave us a high level of confidence that we would pass the inspection,” he says. “We knew what to expect.”
Checks and balances
Even with 100-percent certification of its dealer network, Regulator continues to hold its quality requirements in front of its dealers.
As one of Regulator’s eight standards of performance listed in its dealer agreements, certification is part of the quarterly “report card” that the manufacturer sends to its dealer network.
In addition, Williams monitors the NMMA CSI program on a weekly basis, then reviews performance ratings each month with area sales reps who, in turn, work with their dealers. The manufacturer does an internal review of overall trends on a quarterly basis.
Given the manufacturer’s focus on quality, its dealers weren’t surprised that it was the first in the industry to demand that its network all be certified.
“Regulator is committed to continually improving processes and procedures, and when you go up and visit the facility, and look at their commitment level, you can’t help but get excited when you are reciprocating at the dealer level,” says Darren Plymale, general manager of Galati Yacht Sales, Tampa Bay. “They are setting a great example.”
Galati Yacht Sales participated in the dealer certification pilot program and has already been recertified twice.
“It confirmed that we were doing so much right and provided us with a platform to work from and the checks and balances to ensure that we were on the right track,” Plymale says. “It really helped us because it is organized in a proactive rather than reactive manner.”
The dealership’s biggest achievement as a result of certification, says Plymale, is in its CSI rankings. To help ramp up customer follow-up, the dealership instituted an internal customer satisfaction index.
“We now have the boat manufacturer follow-up, the engine manufacturer follow-up and our internal measure, and that is really huge,” Plymale says.
Dealer certification requirements also improved the dealership’s training by providing a benchmark to measure future training against.
“So you take the process mapping, combined with the training, combined with the customer follow-up, combined with the facilities components,”
Plymale explains, “and you have a platform for continuous improvement — and as a result, a better customer experience, which is what it is all about.”
Dealer certification is branded in all of Galati’s marketing efforts, from boat show signage to national advertising. Barrier Island Marine hasn’t promoted it as much, although Chapman expects that it will do more as consumer awareness increases.
“The challenge going forward is to add value in the eyes of the customer,” says Ricketts. “We need to communicate to the customer what his expectations should be of a certified dealer.”
Dammrich agrees and says that with the program having crossed the 400 threshold, it is time to increase its visibility among consumers.
“We needed to get to a critical mass first,” Dammrich says. “But I think we are getting to that point now where we can begin to start heavily promoting the certified dealers.”
Although Dammrich acknowledges that dealer certification isn’t for everyone, more and more manufacturers are putting their weight behind it, both by providing financial assistance for dealer certification as well as tying certification to their dealer programs.
Dammrich doesn’t discount dealer skepticism but believes that, as Chapman found out, resistance will diminish when dealers learn more about certification.
“Certification doesn’t tell a dealer how to run his business,” he says. “It gives him tools to run his business better.”
Manufacturers and dealers alike who still might question the benefits of certification can look to Regulator’s steadily increasing CSI numbers and its 2007 CSI Award.
“Once dealer certification was achieved by the majority of our dealerships,” Ricketts explains, “it took us over the 90-percent satisfaction threshold required by the NMMA for the award … and we’ve been improving ever since.”


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The sequel to 2013’s rebooted Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, was revealed at E3. Gamescom brought forth more information, in the form of (timed) platform exclusivity.
Basically, Rise of the Tomb Raider will launch on the Xbox platform first; only XBONE and X360 will see the game at launch. Initially, it was uncertain whether Microsoft was putting a ring on it and taking Ms. Croft off the market for us other-platform-users, and they weren’t keen on clarifying that (but, really, everyone knew it wasn’t permanent. I suppose playing silly buggers with release information is kinda Microsoft’s way now…). It’s now been said outright, however, that there’s a timer on the deal. I suppose Microsoft’s gotten Squeenix and Crystal Dynamics to STFU about what other platforms RotTR will get to for the time being, too.
So hooray! XBONErs will beta test the thing and the rest of us get a more polished release. Eventually.
I did more words on other things from Gamescom 2014 that I thought were interesting.