text:
On a chilly January Florentine night besides the swollen river Arno, the modernist Palazzo della Borsa played host to the first ever K-Way catwalk show. Known for it colourful and affordable rainwear and its signature yellow-orange-blue striped taping, this was K-Way’s way of celebrating the revamp of the brand and a sort of anniversary for them. (The brand was founded in 1965)
Left - The Classic pac-a-mac - K-Way's first catwalk show - Pitti Uomo 97 Jan. 2020
While many think of Pitti Uomo as a place for peacocks to pose by the curved pebbled concrete and classic made-in-Italy tailoring, the real money is being made by brands that offer mass appeal and big margins. This is aspirational, usually, made-in-China fashion, that has multiple variations on the same product. The consumer feels like and is happy that they have a lot of choice, while the brand’s core is simplified and strengthens the idea of ‘owning’ a category. Customers are clear on what they do, yet want to know what the new variations or collaborations are for each season. They are happy to have multiples of the same styles and shapes and have the same things as everybody else. It’s like joining a club.
It was founder Leon Claude Duhamel’s decision to brand the lightweight, nylon pac-a-mac that gave birth to K-Way after seeing people struggling in the rain through the streets of 1960s Paris.
At the Florence show, both Duhamel, and the Italian Boglione family, which now owns it, were present after a collection featuring youthful and fashion-lead rainwear. Italian influencers in Coyote-lined K-Ways watched as every variable of a K-Way was sent down the catwalk. These weren’t the pac-a-mac types of old, though it will sell plenty of those, but more the limited runs of fashion product with the K-Way DNA centre stage, even if it was taped prominently to the models’ flies.
The Bogliones - who also own Petersham Nurseries in Richmond - own K-Way as part of their BasicNet business. This Italian sportswear group owns Kappa, Robe di Kappa, Superga, and, recently bought Sebago from Wolverine. The group produced consolidated revenue growth of 14.7% in the 2018 financial year. In the first three months, Q1 2019, revenue was €74.6 million, a 38.9% increase driven by the recent acquisition of Sport Finance, the group’s distributor in France, UK and Spain.
Right - More directional K-Way for AW20
BasicNet saw strong 2018 growth globally; USA revenue increased by 36%, Europe 13.4%, Asia-Oceania 17.1% and Middle East and Africa 56.3%.
The founder of BasicNet, Marco Boglione, was only 20 when he was invited to join the company Maglificio Calzificio Torinese (MCT). MCT specialised in hosiery and underwear until seeing the potential of designer jeans during the 1970s boom and came up with ‘Jesus Jeans’.
Marco applied himself to the sportswear side of the company and was part of the nascent industry of sponsoring athletes with branded product. Under the Kappa brand they sponsored American Carl Lewis as well as football teams such as Juventus, AC Milan and Barcelona.
Marco left MCT to start a company making football merchandise, but when MCT started to struggle he, along with his brothers, bought it out of receivership and created BasicNet in 1995. Since then it has been acquiring brands with K-Way having been acquired in 2004.
K-Way’s signature ‘Le Vrai Claude 3.0’ jacket is £75. Made in China of a simple, lightweight pac-a-mac material, the margins must be huge. Success breeds success and dominance in this sector of mid-priced branded sportswear. You can sell huge volumes and retailers like the ease of brands being clear on what they do. It’s also a fun and colourful product. The same could be said for brands such Crocs, Eastpak, Herschel and Sebago. Lots of colours and finishes in the same consistent, known and liked styles.
While many new fashion brands aim for ‘luxury’, it is too dominated by the three main groups - LVMH, Kering, Richemont - who will only increase their muscle and monopolies. The volumes are too small to grow quickly and too much money is tied up in less product. The ideal is to scale quickly and this is what BasicNet has cleverly done with its brands. It’s tapped into the desire for brands at a price people are happy to pay while making good profits.
While without the overt branding, a newish brand trying this idea of lots of colours with simplicity in styles is Colorful Standard. Made in Portugal, it recently opened a store with Oi Polloi in London. Founded by Danish entrepreneur, Tue Deleuran, in 2017, it is now sold by 500 retailers across Europe with stores in Paris and Zurich.
Colorful Standard organic T-shirts retail at €30 and the sweatshirts are between €60 and €80 in a rainbow of colours. Made in Portugal in a factory Deleuran bought in 2008, he also produces private label for many luxury brands.
Left - Colorful Standard for quality organic basics in lots of colours
Expanding, new Colourful Standard categories for AW20 include boxer briefs, socks and Oxford shirts. By having the illusion of lots of choice it entices the consumer to be happy to add to their 'collection'. It also becomes a go-to when the product is good and people are satisfied. Asking people to pay 4 times the prices of Uniqlo with feel good extras of organic cotton and charitable associations seems to be working. It looks Helvetica familiar and fills the American Apparel gap or that once held by the likes of GAP.
What these two examples illustrate is the opportunities in this mid-priced market. Healthy margins in large volumes is the dream for any fashion business. Despite the naysayers, people will still pay for product they like, it just needs to be good. Oh, and colourful!
BUY TheChicGeek's new book - FASHIONWANKERS - HERE
One of the last designers standing at LFWM doing anything remotely luxurious and expensive looking is Edward Crutchley. He’s stealthily built up a fan base and business selling beautiful and theatrical clothes stocked by the likes of Harrods, matchesfashion.com and Browns. Patterned chintzs and medieval looking prints are an extravagant, yet wearable, display of his fashion craft.
The Charles I hair - or was it Brian May?! - and exaggerated Freemasons’ Fezs - Shriners - made you yearn for beautiful things again. (There’s still a customer).
The furs were real - this could explain the refined walnut lined location of the Skinners' Hall - and provided by Kopenhagen Fur. Black and white checks and lewd artly printed silks are a signature of Crutchley's.
Silly, and as basic as it sounds, but, considering the state of the quality and output from many ‘luxury’ brands, this all looks good enough to buy. Finally!
Pass me the American Express.
With a schedule now slimmer than one of the teenage models, London Fashion Week Men’s, or LFWM, needs to find a new reason for being. We’ve done diversity, inclusiveness and sustainability, but now, thanks to the BFC, there’s an over-riding umbrella term called ‘Positive Fashion’. Designers such as Nicholas Daley, Bethany Williams, Bianca Saunders and Ahluwalia all had PW (Positive Fashion) after their names on the schedule.
Launched in 2013, the BFC’s Positive Fashion initiative is “a platform designed to celebrate industry best practice and encourage future business decisions to create positive change”.
Left - The BFC's new LFWM graphics
Positive Fashion is led by 3 strategic pillars - sustainability, equality and diversity and craftsmanship and community - it says, In a statement from the BFC, “The BFC takes the lead in setting the standards for an industry that strives to represent equality and diversity on the global stage. Championing the importance of every person in the sector as a vital and valuable part of our industry entitled to be treated with respect and dignity.
“Supports the community of talent, skills and craftsmanship that make up our unique industry. Our initiatives are designed to develop connections and understanding between designers and manufacturers taking a holistic approach to the long term viability of the sector. We celebrate the wealth of talent and capability that is unique to British designer businesses.”
While this manifesto all sounds totally earnest and worthwhile it does reek of wishful thinking and what does it actually mean?The green movement is only going to get bigger and the fashion sector, said to contribute £32.3 Billion to the UK economy in GDP and supporting 890,000 jobs, is firmly on its naughty step. We’ve had a lot of lip service, but sadly, without government legislation, the industry will put off the difficult, and more costly, things until tomorrow.
To further ram home the point, the British Fashion Council has announced its intention to launch the Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF). “The BFC recognises that the fashion industry engages consumers daily, and whilst it is often seen as forward thinking, it also appreciates that through global supply chains the industry can have a negative impact on the planet.”
“Through the IPF, the BFC aims to create an industry blueprint by bringing together expertise from different areas to help brands in the industry navigate an often confusing to understand topic and kick-start a much-need comprehensive step-change. Informed by research, expert opinion, industry insights and the significant industry experience of individual businesses and organisations, the power of collective effort will amplify independent activity.”
It’s a lot of marketing speak, but it does have an influence if the costs aren’t too prohibitive. ‘Sustainability' has been a part of the BFC’s strategy since 2006. Their ‘Esthethica’ showcase put sustainable fashion at the heart of London Fashion Week before evolving into Positive Fashion in 2013. This is the first time I have seen it mentioned anywhere.
But, what has exactly happened over those past 7 years and how much carbon emissions, or however you want to measure it, has been saved?
Back to fashion week and many designers are thinking about how to minimise their footprint, but they’re also trying to survive very tough times. LFWM is currently very sustainable because nobody buys any of it. But jokes aside, the ambition is there and it feels like we’re in something of a technological and supply chain cul-de-sac. Patrick Grant’s premium E Tautz label was called ‘Brand New Second Hand’. In the show release he said, “As a designer I feel acute pressure to act. We need to change the message. No more fiddling while Rome burns. Big fashion can do ‘sustainable’, it can do ‘ethical’, it can do ‘conscious’. It all helps make consumers buy MORE.
“But what big fashion cannot do is small. It can’t slow down. What they will never do is tell you to ‘buy less, keep for longer, cherish, repair, pass on’. That however is exactly what we must do and what we’re asking you to do. E Tautz clothes will not change so much from season to season that you feel you need to buy something new. In fact we’re suggesting the opposite.”
Grant has worked with Astco, one of the UK’s largest clothing recyclers, to make new pieces from unwanted textiles. He’s also enlisted the Rolls-Royce of darning, the Royal School of Needlework, to give them that patched/repaired feel. What he should have done is shown last season’s samples with the repairs from actual wear and tear from being lent out to the industry. It’s fine to talk about buying less when a coat costs £1500, but when the collections are often funded by more affordable, high-street collaborations it can often sound hypocritical.
But, everything fashion does is hypocritical. The idea of replacing something while it is still perfectly useful will always put fashion into the negative fashion bracket. ‘Positive Fashion’ could easily go the way of ‘sustainability’ and become as meaningless as it sounds. Nobody is going to disagree with making fashion positive, it just needs to be explained. We want detail.
“The world is burning. Fashion plays a BIG part in this.” said Grant in his show's press release, “But as Ranieri sings in ‘Oh My Love’ ‘from nature we should learn, that all can start again’. Even Fashion.”
As we end the decade, it’s time to look back at the highs (& low) of its final year and acknowledge those doing great things in men’s grooming and fashion. Hype is still just as important and the mega brands just keep getting bigger, but the great thing about fashion, and the reason I love it, is good ideas can come from anywhere.
Here’s to 2020 being the year of the Fashion Wanker - BUY TheChicGeek's new book - FASHIONWANKERS - HERE and owning it. Remember, it takes one to know one!
Best Label of 2019 Bottega Veneta
Just as Gucci starts to slow, Kering has Bottega Veneta creating all the hype thanks to it’s new British designer Daniel Lee. A graduate of Central Saint Martins College of Art, he has worked at Maison Margiela, Balenciaga and Donna Karan. Prior to joining Bottega Veneta, Lee was Director of Ready-to-Wear Design at Céline and he’s created a strict yet sexy reinterpretation of the Bottega Veneta signatures such as their basket weave leather.
It cools yet strict, minimal yet interesting and its influence is now everywhere.
Left - Bottega Veneta SS20
Best New Label of 2019 Carne Bollente
Carne Bollente is an independent Paris-based brand established in 2014 by Hijiri Endo,
Théodore Famery and Agoston Palinko. They focus on the relationship between sex and positivity, to allow people to embrace their own sexuality and kinks through their clothes. By pairing straightforward streetwear staples with scenic sex illustrations, which manage to cover a wide scope of sexual taboos without verging on the problematic, Carne Bollente inject irreverence and provocation into no-frills basics.
Left - Carne Bollente - Bimbo Unchained 2 Blue Denim Jacket - €230
Best High Street of 2019 Jaded London
The High-Street became something of a dirty word this year. It’s tough out there and menswear has been hit harder than most. While some brands ditched menswear entirely, others have taken the plunge and really gone for it.
Fun and affordable, Jaded London gets on all the big trends without the price tags. The made for Insta clothes are by brother and sister team, Grant and Jade Goulden, who launched in 2013. Dior Saddle bag for £40, anyone?
Best Grooming Product 2019 GilletteLabs
This year we were introduced to the first heated razor and its good. Part of the new ‘GilletteLabs’ stable, the stainless steel warming bar has adjustable temperature levels and a wireless magnetic charging dock to make this a revolutionary shaving sensation. Much higher than the usual Gillette price tag, it will be interesting to see how popular this has been.
Left - GilletteLabs - Heated Razor - £199
Best Grooming Brand 2019 Baxter of California
It’s getting increasing difficult to stand out in the crowded men’s grooming market and with everybody jumping on the unisex band wagon anyway, where does it leave it? Baxter of California now has the expertise of L’Oréal behind it and is a reliable mid-priced grooming brand. Based on its Californian surf heritage since 1965, it was one of the first in men’s grooming. For an everyday easy product I swear by the Oil Free Moisturiser.
Below - Baxter of California - Oil Free Moisturiser - £24
Fragrance of the Year 2019 - Ostens Impression Patchouli Heart No.1
Ostens was a new fragrance brand this year and completely won me over to patchouli.
This scent by Domitille Michalon-Bertier includes rosemary, lavandin, lavender absolute, immortelle absolute LMR, ciste labdanum absolute and is gorgeous. Easily my favourite of the year.
Left - Ostens Impression Patchouli Heart IFF-LMR No. 1 - 50ml - £85
Most Stylish Programme 2019 - Chernobyl
Possibly not the most stylish, but definitely the most memorable and impactful. Chernobyl took us on a jaw-dropping adventure in 1980s Ukraine charting the meltdown of the nuclear reactor. The wardrobe of drab Soviet suiting and military garments seemed to bookend the current trend of vintage dress down.
Best Menswear Collaboration 2019 - Moncler Genius
Moncler did the clever thing for our short attention span times and commissioned a new designer to do a new collection every few weeks and keep dropping throughout the season. Designers have included Craig Green, Simone Rocha, Pierpaolo Piccioli of Valentino, Richard Quinn, 1017 Alyx 9SM and Palm Angels, along with two of the brand’s own labels, 1952 and Grenoble.
It has kept it fresh, reliable and is producing some of the best outerwear to suit every fashion wanker’s taste.
Left - Craig Green Moncler Genius
Special ChicGeek Award 2019 - Drake’s
Charting its own preppy course, Drake’s has stealthy positioned itself as the bastion of contemporary classic British menswear. The new store on Savile Row shows they’re continued success and with Michael Hill’s tasteful eye over everything, it’s the most colourful quality menswear you’re going to find anywhere. Expanded far beyond its original silk ties and accessorises, it’s now a full men’s outfitters and the type of British label the Japanese and Koreans go crazy for.
Right - Drake's new Savile Row store
Most Stylish Man of 2019 Timothée Chalamet
A best dressed person is somebody you can’t wait to see what they put on next. Anybody who leaves you guessing and then smashing it out of the park is always the most interesting and therefore crowned best dressed.
This year I recognise Timothée Chalamet who famously said he doesn’t have a stylist. “I don’t want to work with a stylist or anything. I’ve been following designers like Raf, Haider Ackermann, Hedi Slimane—these guys are like rock stars. They’re artists.” he told Frank Ocean in a Q&A for VMan magazine in 2018.
Hi skinny frame and romantic locks have made him a youthful menswear pin-up who isn’t afraid to try something new.
Turkey of 2019 - Burberry
I just don’t get it. Riccardo Tisci has stripped all the personality out of Burberry. Rather than building on Christopher Bailey’s legacy and momentum, he seems intent on doing the opposite. Prices have gone up and the original ideas have gone down. It all just looks like it’s trying too hard and doesn’t have any identity.
It’s seems intent on ignoring the hero product of the trench and opting for gimmicks. If the Chinese stop buying, they’re going to need to change things quickly. It will be interesting to see whether sales are sustained at a label that has lost its kudos amongst the fashion crowd.
Burberry - Large Logo and Kingdom Detail Nevis Backpack - £1090
Not all high streets are created equal. The government has just announced the first 14 high streets to receive financial support as part of a pilot called the ‘High Streets Task Force’, which will be rolled out across the country over 2020. Each will receive up to £25million worth of “training, face-to-face support and access to research” from industry experts who will team up with local leaders.
Left - Huyton Town Centre in Knowsley set to get £25 million of investment
In July the £3.6 billion ‘Towns Fund’ was announced by the government, including this £1 billion High Streets Fund to “help high streets adapt and evolve while remaining vibrant places for their community”.
“This government is investing £3.6billion in our great towns, including £1billion to help our high streets to adapt and evolve while remaining vibrant and safe places at the heart of our communities." said Communities Secretary, Robert Jenrick said last week.
“Having announced the first 101 high streets that can benefit from £25 million each back in the summer, I am announcing support from our new High Streets Task Force for a further 20 places and naming 14 of these today.” he said.
So, the government has a ‘Future High Streets Fund’ and a ‘High Streets Task Force’ each giving high-streets £25 million to boost their local economies. This is fantastic, but, is this spreading the money too thin? While any money is welcome, wouldn’t the government be better targeting fewer towns with more money to really have a lasting and deeper effect to stem the bleed from our high-streets?
Many of these high-streets are lost and are never going to thrive while there are many that are simply declining, can be saved and just need an injection of cash and energy.
On the recently announced list of 14 high streets is Thornton Heath in Croydon in South London. Apart from being the home of Stormzy, the majority of people would have never have heard of it. Thornton Heath hasn’t had a thriving high-street since the 1950s. Apart from a 1970s Tesco there really is nothing there and never will be. Being a realist, the area doesn’t have much money and is far down on the list of being gentrified. The local council recently spent money on paving and planting so it has had some grass roots investment to boost its apperance. Supporting businesses which don’t have the customers to pass the baton onto is pointless. Thornton Heath is more a local parade of shops than a ‘high-street’. The government would be better off targeting the larger and more connected Croydon high-street nearby which is in desperate need of investment especially with the wobbling of the proposed Westfield shopping centre project
Looking at the announced list some look like tertiary high-streets such as Swinton Town centre in Salford, Stirchley in Birmingham and Huyton Town Centre in Knowsley. And while it’s great to give these areas a refresh, the future of high-streets is fewer but better. The places announced will benefit from bespoke support and guidance from the new ‘High Streets Task Force’, announced by the government in response to recommendations of an expert panel on the high street chaired by Sir John Timpson. The High Streets Task Force will give “face-to-face support, access to cutting-edge research, new online training, and local footfall data to give businesses that vital edge and transform local town centres”. The government says it wants to "level" up towns and regions, “ensuring prosperity and opportunity are available to everyone”.
But, can "up to £25 million" be anything more than cosmetic?
Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, Rt Hon Jake Berry, said, “Every place has its own unique strengths and challenges but all our town centres and high streets have one thing in common – they are the lifeblood of communities.
“The tailored support from our new High Streets Task Force and up to £25 million each from the Towns Fund for 100 places gives communities the money and support they need to unleash the potential of their towns.
“This people’s government is backing people across the Northern Powerhouse and every part of the UK to succeed no matter where they live.” he said.
Right - Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon has already had recent investment to its high street with new pavements and planting
The high-street ‘Task Force’ is run by the ‘Institute for Place Management’ on behalf of the government, and is holding an open recruitment for a Board Chair to provide expert leadership to this programme. The Task Force brings together a range of expert groups on reinventing and restructuring places, including the Royal Town Planning Institute and The Design Council.
The government is also seeking views on whether an online register of commercial properties would make it easier to bring empty shops back into use. It wants to understand people’s experiences of leasing commercial property – with a view to making ownership of high street properties more transparent, making it easier for businesses and community groups to find space and supporting investment in local areas.
This recent announcement builds on ongoing government action to support high streets, including cutting small retailers’ business rates bills by 50% from April, following more than £13 billion of business rates support since 2016.
The recent 2019 Conservative manifesto promised, “we will cut the burden of tax on business by reducing business rates. This will be done via a fundamental review of the system”. They pledged to increase the business rates discount available to businesses with a rateable value below £51,000 from 33 per cent to 50 per cent in 2020-21. They also plan to extend the discount to “grassroots music venues, small cinemas and pubs.” The changes to business rates would only apply to England as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own business rate regimes. The discount is set to last for just one financial year.
Public money should always be a catalyst for private investment. The government investing money into local high-streets is a welcome initiative, but spreading it too thin and wasting money on high streets which look like they will never grow or thrive is a wasted opportunity. While new pavements and a cosmetic tart up does change perceptions, it will be small businesses and start-ups that will really change these areas together with private landlords. This is where a reassessment of business rates will be needed. The new money will be a boost, but will it be enough in the right places? Ideally it needs to ripple out into the local economy and help high-streets to survive the threat of online and reduced footfalls long after it has gone.
So, where should the government be putting its money? AskTraders, a company providing detailed information about share trading and brokers, conducted an analysis of the UK’s high streets, looking at ATM, bank branches, retail store closures and ONS % growth of the retail sector over the course of 2019. It found the “most declining” high streets were to be Poole, Blackpool - Blackpool is on the government list of 101 high streets announced in the summer - Warrington, Manchester and Swindon. Poole High Street has seen overall retail growth fall by four percent in 2019. Stopping the decline is just as important as providing a boost and maybe these larger centres would be a better investment to stop the rot.
Local councils can change parking restrictions and charges, or work with transport providers to make it easier for people to visit the shops. Local people will be glad to see investment on their high streets, but it will be profitable and sustainable businesses with customers spending money which will leave the lasting legacy.
BUY TheChicGeek's new book - FASHIONWANKERS - HERE
As we wave goodbye to another decade, it’s time to assess where we’ve been and what the next 10 years will have in store for the retail sector. It’s hard to think back to 2010 and not somehow feel it is closer than it really is. Nine years’ later and you’d think online had virtually replaced traditional retail, but it is still under 20% of total retail sales. About 7% of total retail sales were online in 2010 rising to 19% by 2019 as a percentage of total retail sales.
At the start of the decade, in June 2010, there were 1.97B internet users, by 2019, that figure had reached 4.54B users, 58.8% of the world’s population. Virtually all adults aged 16 to 44 years in the UK were recent internet users (99%) in 2019, compared with 47% of adults aged 75 years and over.
And this is before the roll out and connectivity of 5G. We’ll probably look back and feel we were living in the dark ages when it came to internet speeds when we finally have uninterrupted data and mobile signal.
Left - Autonomous vehicles will be the future of deliveries
While online sales have grown nearly 3 times as a proportion of retail sales over the decade, it’s interesting to look at the growing monopoly of the internet. In the USA, the top five online retailers own 64.7% of sales, (data via Statista).
While online retail sales growth appears to be slowing nobody knows the final plateauing retail mix in numbers yet. One recent report by the analysts ‘Retail Economics’ for the law firm Womble Bond Dickinson, says online shopping could more than double its share of the retail market by 2028. The internet is expected to account for 53% of retail sales in 10 years’ time as younger people who have grown up with the internet become more than half the UK’s adult population according to the report.
Richard Lim, of Retail Economics, said: “Successful retailers have always had to reinvent themselves to stay relevant. However, the pace of change will inevitably prove too fast for many. It definitely feels like the digital retail revolution is only just getting started.”
Arguably the most important revolution in the coming decade will be automation and automated vehicles. Take the human out of something and it instantly becomes far cheaper and more flexible.
The automated car is coming, it’s just a matter of when. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla said that he anticipates completion of fully autonomous technology by the end of 2019 with their self-driving vehicles being so advanced in 2020 that the driver can basically take a nap. He said, “I think we will be ‘feature-complete’ on full self-driving this year, meaning the car will be able to find you in a parking lot, pick you up, take you all the way to your destination without an intervention this year.”
There will be rigorous testing and legislation for this to happen, which will take time, but once vehicles become fully driverless and trusted we’ll be able to have everything delivered at anytime for very little cost. It will revolutionise delivery and the volumes of deliveries. Things will no longer be a hassle to return and as such, will be easier to buy. You'll never be out when you know exactly when your delivery is to arrive.
Right - Secure and cheap deliveries without the human
Fashion will become a service. We’ve seen the idea start this year with the rental and secondhand markets growing recently, but it will be with automation when the business model will make sense. Fashion companies will sell ideas and consumers will buy or borrow those ideas. At the end of life, these items will be returned and disposed or recycled responsibly. The new affordability automation allows will make it cheaper than buying regular clothes. This is when the idea will reach a tipping point.
Having large fulfilment centres servicing larger numbers of people will also be more efficient and reduce wastage, particularly in food. The idea that every supermarket has to guess what that individual store will sell that day or week and it doesn’t leave that store unless it is sold, reduced or thrown away makes no sense in the 21st century. Retailers and brands will like this reduced wastage and more full price sales. Consumers will get fresher items and greater convenience.
The environment will become increasingly important and efficiencies will be driven by green ideas. I think it’s naive to expect consumers to buy less and retailers don’t want that either, it’s going to be about cycles and closing the loop on goods and services.
It will be about knowing more with regards to what to make and when, with fewer sales and less wastage. When The H&M Group is estimated to sell three billion articles of clothing per year, made in 40 countries, using 275 factories in Bangladesh alone, the scale and potentials for efficiencies is huge. Consumers being able to order exactly what they want and it will be a boon for retailers as well as the environment.
Left - What will the first automated vehicles look like?
How fashion dictates how we look throughout all this will be anyone’s guess, but luxury brands are getting bigger and more dominant, though never underestimate consumer’s desire for change and the human characteristic of becoming bored and moving on relatively quickly.
Whether we will still be wearing sportswear in 2029 is yet to be seen…but the future will definitely involve less humans.
BUY TheChicGeek's new book - FASHIONWANKERS - HERE
Without doubt the most famous menswear street in the world, for the uninitiated, Savile Row could be something of an anti-climax. While the name is known the world over as the home of male sartorial elegance, the reality of the street is something quite small, higgledy piggledy and with little on show to inspire or buy. It’s a mishmash of designer brands, traditional tailors and workshops, and empty shop units.
Left - Drake's new Savile Row store
A small side street behind elegant Regent Street, Savile Row has become much bigger than the place itself, and while brands desire to be able to put Savile Row in their addresses and on the sides of their bags, it can a difficult place to make money. There just isn’t that much traffic.
While nothing new, the street has seen something of a brand churn of late. Chester Barrie is closing down, Hardy Amies disappeared and the short lived Abercombie Kids store in the old Beatles’ Apple building is being pushed back into the larger Burlington Gardens store over the road while it turns itself back into offices for their European business.
I was recently invited to drinks at the Kilgour store on Savile Row and while on the way over I wanted to check out the new Drake’s store which had taken over from Alexander McQueen’s menswear store.
One of the bright spots of British menswear, Drake’s, the colourful accessories and preppy menswear business, has just moved around the corner from Clifford Street to a larger space and has built up a strong brand with locations from New York to Tokyo. Here, the new store has cosy striped window-type seats and an entire library of books. It looked like the kind of place you’d want to hang out in, or, heaven forbid, want to spend time in. It's welcoming. The product isn’t cheap, but it’s done properly.
Contrast this with the Kilgour store, which looks like a designer Swiss morgue, and these two juxtapositions perfectly illustrate the new mood in retail design. One reeks of personality and is overflowing with the owner’s touches, while the other is strict to the point of being a retail vacuum.
There was a time, a few year’s ago, when the majority of Savile Row brands were being snapped up by Chinese conglomerates. Fung Capital, the private investment vehicle of the Fung family that controls Hong Kong sourcing and apparel mega-corporation Li & Fung, bought the most including Gieves & Hawkes, Kilgour, Hardy Amies and Kent & Curwen. While they splashed the cash and moulded each for a particular type of customer at the beginning, things have become tougher and they show a tiring of interest. They placed Hardy Amies into administration in January, while selling to Trinity, another Chinese group, the Italian/French tailoring house Cerruti who cancelled their catwalk show and stopped the designer collection’s entire production.
What looked like little, individual outfits on London’s Savile Row often had hundreds of branded stores in China, invisible to outsiders, but they’ve all become quite bland and lacking personality with no clear direction with a continual revolving door of creative directors or in-house design teams. All these brands have become faceless.
Another new bright spark on Savile Row is the new ‘J.P. Hackett No.14 Savile Row’ store in the elegant townhouse Hardy Amies restored. The new Hackett store is warm and welcoming, and is saying “come in”, “make yourself at home” and “relax” with its homely yet elegant interior by designer Ben Pentreath with input from Jeremy Hackett.
Right - Inside Kilgour Savile Row
What Drake’s and Hackett both have is a figure head who is involved and makes decisions and menswear has always latched on to these men who lead.
Michael Hill, the current creative director of Drake’s, who is responsible for the brand's full wardrobe offerings, has a great eye and taste, while Jeremy Hackett has nearly 40 years of experience in the vintage menswear trade and then creating his own eponymous label. And this is what it all comes down to, people. You need a singular, strong vision to offer direction and also a domestic homeliness.
Stark, cold and soulless retail spaces are being replaced by the perennial idea of a traditional shopkeeper welcoming customers into their worlds. Admittedly, Hackett previously had a store on Savile Row which didn’t work, but this new bespoke concept is hoping to elevate the standard Hackett product and, moving the wholesale showroom from Bond Street and combining it with retail, will probably see them save money while in a stunning Georgian townhouse which will look good the world over.
Savile Row can be so much better and it’s always worth remembering what you thought on your first visit there. These two recent additions are adding some colour and Britishness to a street which had become something neither designer nor tailored.
Savile Row needs to hold onto what is good, but also be open to try new things. In 2016, Westminster Council said only new stores will only be allowed to open if they do not replace “bespoke tailoring uses”; “sell bespoke, unique, limited-edition or one-of-a-kind products”; and are “complementary to the character and function” of the zone, but that doesn’t mean 'The Row' should be stuck in a timewarp.
Left - Inside the ‘J.P. Hackett No.14 Savile Row’ store
This isn’t about just preserving Savile Row, it’s about making it more successful. It should be welcoming to all British brands and not look down on commercialisation. The skills that have survived this long will continue to survive and these two new additions show its about individuals going back to the idea of being a nation of shopkeepers rather than anonymous 'brands'.
BUY TheChicGeek's new book - FASHIONWANKERS - HERE


text:
Striking Black Gold at Universities & Colleges
The youth of today… Hoodie-wearing, Snap-chatting, Selfie-taking, and now; according to the NCA, Coffee Drinking.
The National Coffee Association’s Annual Drinking Trends report has highlighted that daily coffee consumption has doubled among ages 18 – 24. The young coffee consumer could be the most profitable and it looks like they are leading the speciality coffee trend
“Specialty coffee consumption increased by 35 percent among people ages 18-24 drink specialty coffee daily.”
This continued consumption of quality and specialty coffee has been affected by the change in purchasing trends. The NCA’s report shows that 21 percent of people ages 18-24 drank espresso-based beverages daily. So not only is the young consumer demanding espresso based beverages, they are willing to pay for quality. Keeping the consumer in mind it is important to meet demand and follow trends. Coffee shops are springing up outside of the high-street all over the UK. By following simple trends and responding to consumer demands owners and managers are continuing to strike black gold.
"Universities, Colleges and 6th Forms could access huge profits"
But what does this mean for the market and who is likely to profit? Any site with access to high volumes of young consumer could stand to benefit. Universities, Colleges and 6th Forms could access high profits simply by offering great coffee from high-street style coffee shops.

domain: news


text:
Friday, April 17, 2015
Bloomfire Claims Record Quarter
Austin-based Bloomfire, the developer of enterprise collaboration software, claimed it had a record quarter in Q1. The privately held firm did not disclose any financials. According to the company, it saw its first quarter new bookings grow 75 percent year to year, with such new customers as Bank of America, Cannon Financial Services, MuleSoft, GENBAND, TMW Systems and Tealium. Bloomfire is venture backed by Silver Creek Ventures, Austin Ventures, and Redpoint. Bloomfire is now being led by Trey Tramonte.


text:
The new notation is targeted exclusively towards containerships, and designed around a function-based approach for enhanced safety level beyond present SOLAS requirements.
“In shipping, we must always have safety at the forefront of our thinking,” said Knut Orbeck-Nilssen, ceo of DNV GL – Maritime.
“As we move forward in design and in operation, becoming more sustainable and more efficient, safety must still underpin every decision. This new notation enables owners and operators to work with yards and designers to take advantage of new technology, in a way that suits their requirements and mitigates fire risk,” he said.
Applicable to both newbuildings and ships in operation, the notation is set up in a modular way. Owners can decide on the set of qualifiers best suited to their safety objectives and then choose the most efficient measures and technologies to reach these objectives.
Classification society DNV GL said it can support hazard assessment and ensure that targeted functions are fulfilled.
Giuseppe Gargiulo, head of newbuildings at MSC, said: “Containerships have grown much larger in recent years and the volume of cargo carried on deck has expanded exponentially. Container fires, especially with the volume of cargo now being carried, can present a substantial risk to the safety of the crew, cargo and the vessel.
“This is why MSC decided to install new dual-tower fire-fighting system with high-capacity pumps to further enhance the safety of seafarers onboard and protect cargo carried across the whole deck of the ship,” Gargiulo said.
The MSC Gulsun is the world’s first to use on-deck firefighting monitors – fixed water cannons to slow and stop the spread of fire by cooling, which have a reach of more than 100 metres.
Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited.


text:
Anyone who has bought an Android phone through a carrier knows what a frustrating experience it can be. Aside from the lock-in due to a multi-year contract, carrier-specific phones are loaded with all sorts of apps and services that we don’t want and, in many cases, can’t get rid of. And now Verizon is looking to add another.
According to TechCrunch (which is owned by Verizon), Big Red has partnered with Android app maker Evie to bring a new search-based launcher to the carrier’s versions of Android phones. Like the highly rated Evie Launcher already for sale in the Play Store, AppFlash (as it is called) will “help users find content and services across different apps — and Evie is working with Verizon to make this the default experience on customers’ Android devices, popping up whenever they swipe to the left of their home screen,” according to the report.
However, where Evie Launcher requires a swipe-up to get to its search field, AppFlash will be accessed via a right-swipe to get to the left of the home screen, occupying the space where Google Now resides on stock phones. Evie CEO David Zhao said AppFlash is the Verizon-branded version of a new Evie product called Sidescreen, which could eventually be offered by other mobile carriers.
This story, “Verizon to begin installing a new piece of search-based bloatware on Android phones” was originally published by Greenbot.


text:
Brexit – Theresa May’s speech on Our Future Partnership
carolineheath 2 March 2018 No comments
In a speech today at Mansion House, the Prime Minister set out the Government’s vision for the future partnership the UK is seeking with the EU following Brexit.
The five tests
First, the Prime Minister set out her five tests for the agreement on the future partnership with the EU, which were that it should:
- Respect the result of the referendum;
- Be an enduring agreement;
- Protect people’s jobs and security;
- Deliver an outcome consistent with the kind of country we want to be;
- Strengthen our Union of nations and bring our country back together.
Why existing trading models are not an option
She acknowledged that existing models for co-operation between the EU and a third country would not pass these tests, and therefore would not work for the UK or the EU.
For example, under the Norway model, the UK would stay in the single market, but would have to implement new EU legislation automatically and in its entirety – and it would also mean continued free movement.
Other possibilities include negotiating a free trade agreement similar to the one Canada has recently negotiated with the EU, or trading on World Trade Organisation terms.
But these options would mean a significant reduction in access to each other’s markets compared to what is currently enjoyed.
Instead the UK is looking to agree the broadest and deepest possible agreement – covering more sectors and co-operating more fully than any FTA anywhere in the world today.
“We need to strike a new balance. But we will not accept the rights of Canada and the obligations of Norway,” she said.
Five foundations for the future trading relationship
To realise this ambition she called for five foundations that must underpin the trading relationship:
- Reciprocal binding commitments to ensure fair and open competition;
- A completely independent arbitration mechanism;
- Ongoing dialogue with the EU, in particular between our regulators;
- An arrangement for data protection that goes beyond an adequacy agreement;
- Maintaining the links between our people.
On goods, a fundamental principle is that the UK-EU border should be as frictionless as possible, without any tariffs or quotas. With this in mind the UK is seeking a comprehensive system of mutual recognition to ensure that, as is the current situation, products only need to undergo one series of approvals in one country.
The Prime Minister also set out two potential options for the future customs relationship with the EU: a customs partnership and a highly streamlined customs arrangement, as well as some specific provisions for the unique situation in Northern Ireland.
Under this proposal, at the border the UK would mirror the EU’s requirements for imports from the rest of the world, applying the same tariffs and the same rules of origin as the EU for those goods arriving in the UK and intended for the EU. By following this approach, all goods entering the EU via the UK pay the right EU duties, removing the need for customs processes at the UK-EU border.
But, importantly, a mechanism could be put in place so that the UK would also be able to apply its own tariffs and trade policy for goods intended for the UK market. This approach would require the means to ensure that both sides can trust the system and a robust enforcement mechanism.
Streamlined customs arrangements
Option two would be a highly streamlined customs arrangement, where the UK and EU would jointly agree to implement a range of measures to minimise frictions to trade, together with specific provisions for Northern Ireland.
Firstly, measures to ensure the requirements for moving goods across borders are as simple as possible.
This would involve continuing to waive the requirement for entry and exit declarations for goods moving between the UK and the EU.
In addition, goods moving between the UK and the rest of the world should be allowed to travel through the EU without paying EU duties and vice versa.
Second, measures to reduce the risk of delays at ports and airports. For example, recognising each other’s “trusted traders” schemes and drawing on the most advanced IT solutions so that vehicles do not need to stop at the border.
Third, both side should continue their cooperation to mitigate customs duty and security risks.
And fourth, measures to reduce the cost and burden of complying with customs administrative requirements, including by maximising the use of automation.
Further specific measures were proposed to recognise the unique circumstances in Northern Ireland, and the shared commitments to avoiding a hard border.
On services, the UK is seeking to establish a broader agreement than ever before. Whilst recognising that certain aspects of trade in services are intrinsically linked to the single market, and therefore future market access in these areas would need to be different, Theresa May said that new barriers should only be introduced where absolutely necessary.
The UK wants to limit the number of barriers that could prevent UK firms from setting up in the EU and vice versa. It wants to agree an appropriate labour mobility framework that enables UK businesses and self-employed professionals to travel to the EU to provide services to clients in person and that allows UK businesses to provide services to the EU over the phone or the internet. The same arrangements would apply for EU firms providing services to the UK.
Two areas that have never been covered in free trade agreements in any meaningful way before are financial services and broadcasting. Theresa May recognised that the UK cannot have the rights of membership of the single market, such as ‘passporting’ in financial services and ‘country of origin’ in broadcasting. But emphasised that future arrangements should not be bound by existing precedent.
The Chancellor will be setting out next week how financial services can be part of a deep and comprehensive partnership with the EU.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that there would be ups and downs in the months of negotiations ahead, “As in any negotiation, no-one will get everything they want.”
The PM concluded by saying: ‘My message to our friends in Europe is clear. We know what we want. We understand your principles. We have a shared interest in getting this right. Let’s get on with it.’
Reaction from the EU
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier welcomed the speech, saying it provided “clarity” about the UK leaving the single market and customs union and a “recognition” that trade-offs will inform future talks on a deal.
But the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt was less impressed.
He said: “Theresa May needed to move beyond vague aspirations, we can only hope that serious proposals have been put in the post.


text:
The goal of the ZigBee Alliance is to provide the consumer with ultimate flexibility, mobility, and ease of use by building wireless intelligence and capabilities into everyday devices. ZigBee technology will be embedded in a wide range of products and applications across consumer, commercial, industrial and government markets worldwide. For the first time, companies will have a standards-based wireless platform optimized for the unique needs of remote monitoring and control applications, including simplicity, reliability, low-cost and low-power.
Earlier this month, GE officially endorsed ZigBee as the wireless standard of choice for smart appliances in a white paper,… Continue reading 〉
The smart grid community saw a major meeting of the minds today: the ZigBee Alliance and Wi-Fi Alliance have teamed… Continue reading 〉


text:
Fuel consumption in Kenya, excluding the pandemic year, has fallen for the first time since 2017, pointing to a softening economy amid record-high prices and reduced vehicle sales by formal dealers.
The uptake of diesel— largely tapped for powering commercial vehicles as well as agricultural and industrial machinery— dropped to 2.27 million tonnes from 2.29 million tonnes, according to provisional official data.
Consumption of super petrol, chiefly used by personal car owners, slid at a faster pace to 1.508 million tonnes from 1.544 million tonnes the year before, pointing to reduced use of personal cars, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data suggest.
The fuel use dropped in a year the retail cost for a litre of diesel jumped 32.18 percent to Sh144.38 on average in Nairobi while that for super petrol bumped 23.90 percent to Sh154.77.
Given the growing number of motor vehicles on Kenyan roads, fuel consumption has always trended upward year on year, save for the Covid-19 period where consumption dipped and then started rising with the reopening of the economy.
The record retail prices for fuel were a result of volatile global oil markets largely due to Russia’s war in Ukraine that exacerbated disruptions in global supply chains that were yet to stabilise from the pandemic shocks of 2020.
The bottlenecks in supply chains saw Kenya’s cost of importing fuel jump 72.13 percent to Sh656.62 billion last year, according to the KNBS.
The higher cost of the essential commodity, the main driver of activities in key sectors such as farming and transportation, prompted the previous administration to spend Sh81 billion in the financial year ended June 2022 to cushion consumers.
President William Ruto’s regime, however, dropped the cushion on super petrol from last September immediately after taking power, citing the high cost of the fuel subsidy that the cash-strapped government could not sustain.
The reduced uptake of fuel reflects a slowdown in economic activity last year because of a prolonged severe drought, elevated inflationary pressure and higher interest rates that hurt spending and investment by Kenya’s families and businesses.
Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP) — economic output adjusted to inflation — averaged 5.6 percent in the first three quarters of last year, softer than 7.7 percent in similar period the year before.
The economic activity is estimated to have decelerated further in the fourth quarter as the Ruto administration dropped short-term consumption subsidies in favour of long-term interventions, largely on farming inputs.
Road transport accounts for more than half of total fuel consumed because of the low manufacturing base and low levels of mechanised agriculture, the Petroleum Institute of East Africa said in a previous note.
Kenya’s transport sector tends to slow down slightly in an election year as traders in land-locked Uganda and Rwanda — which largely rely on the Port of Mombasa for imports and exports — withdraw some of their trucks due to the tension tied to the polls.
Data from Kenya Motor Vehicle Industry Association (KMI) show that new vehicle sales in the formal market dropped 6.30 percent to 13,352 vehicles in 2022 compared with 14,250 units the year before.
Isuzu East Africa accounted for 44.70 percent of last year’s sales, followed by Toyota with 21.30 percent and Simba Corporation (Mitsubishi) with 8.90 percent.


text:
Recognizing the positive impact having a high-tech industry centered in your state can bring, Maryland is offering incentives for Cybersecurity companies that locate here. With its close proximity to Washington DC and a highly educated workforce, Maryland has the perfect combination of factors for rapid growth of the Cybersecurity industry. Recognizing the benefits of Maryland, cybersecurity the federal government has made Fort Meade, Maryland a hub for Cybersecurity and is looking for other locations in the nearby Maryland suburbs to establish relationships with Cybersecurity businesses. Many of the federal government agencies that are focused on Cybersecurity are centered in Maryland including NSA, U.S. Cyber Command and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, making this area one of the fastest growth areas in the country for the industry.
With the rapid expansion of Cloud Computing and the steady stream of new “Bugs,” everyone is worried about their online security. Both government and commercial businesses need help with protecting their computer operations and are seeking qualified consultants. Like other states, Medical clinic Maryland has developed Cybersecurity experts, education and training programs, technology, products, systems and infrastructure. These programs are specifically tailored to the needs of the emerging Cybersecurity industry.
The states are fighting to attract these types of businesses to their state because of the good jobs and tax revenue that comes from this new age business model. Recently Maryland lured a Cybersecurity company – Luminal – to relocate to the state with several cash and tax credit incentives. The incentive package included a $600,000 investment by the state in the company and tax credits. These incentives helped the company secure a new round of market investments so the company can move up to the next level of growth.Beginning in 2014, cronicadearagon Maryland began offering a tax credit to Cybersecurity companies. The Maryland Cybersecurity Tax Credit is based on new investments in the Maryland-based company. The investors do not get the tax credit, because the Maryland lawmakers wanted the incentive to stay in Maryland.
Instead the tax credit is given to the Cybersecurity company.
The tax credit is equal to 33% of investments in the Qualified Maryland Cybersecurity company. The credit can be up to $250,000 per investor and 15% of the program appropriation. The tax benefit is realized in one of three ways – reduce the income tax obligation of the company or reduce the owner’s tax bill or the company can get the credit in cash if there is no tax obligation. The details as to what is a qualified Cybersecurity company are extensive. In summary it is a Maryland-based, Criminal Affair small non publicly traded company that does specific activities and has a qualified investor, who leaves the investment in the company for a period of time.In late 2013, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development began accepting applications for the first year of the state’s CyberSecurity tax credit.
When the state’s fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, a little over $1 Million of credits had been issued to three qualified companies based on 15 investments in these companies. The state budgeted $3 Million for the credit and only one-third of the money was claimed. There were several reasons suggested why some of the state money was left on the table such as the short six-month period for applying for the credit, the strict qualification requirements and the fact that the credit dollars must remain in Maryland. For the new year starting July 1, 2014, state officials are hoping more businesses will be attracted to apply for the credit and other incentives offered to businesses.
The Maryland Business and Economic Development officials are working on ways to bring new investments to the state by actively courting Cybersecurity companies with cash investments of state dollars and tax credits. The state is hoping the creativity of the investment market will find new ways to entice investors into the Cybersecurity industry and overcome the rule about the investment remaining in Maryland. https://www.topellicottcitydentists.com/ https://new-smile-today.com/ the-cleanupguys.com
It is pretty obvious that Cybersecurity will be a high priority for government agencies and businesses for the foreseeable future. The almost daily news reports about high profile digital “breakins” will ensure this industry enjoys above average growth and business success. Cybersecurity companies should make sure they take advantage of the government incentives – such as the Maryland tax credits and cash investments – to improve their bottom line and add to their growth factor.


text:
The United States is on the way to impose quota limits on the exports of socks from China, seeking relief similar to what the Bush administration provided makers of three other textile products last year.
The move could lead to new protectionism of the US textile industry, analysts say.
The US textile industry petitioned the Bush administration on Monday to curb the import of socks from China, saying they are squeezed.
The US Department of Commerce now has until July 20 to decide whether to take the case filed by four textile groups and then will have at least three more months to conduct an investigation and decide whether to grant the request for import relief.
The industry asked that a quota be imposed that would cap the growth in Chinese sock imports at 7.5 percent over the next year.
The petition by US sock makers was similar to the relief obtained by US manufacturers of bras, dressing gowns and knit fabric last November.
The China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Textiles, which represents the interest of the country's embattled textile traders, said it has noticed the US move and has reminded exporters of the importance of cushioning the likely risks.
Comments from the Ministry of Commerce, the country's trade watchdog, were not available.
Chinese sock exporters say they are closely watching the appeal and expressed concern over the possible US trade limits.
"Losses are inevitable if the quotas are imposed," said the manager of a Guangdong-based sock producer which has a large exposure to the US market.
The unnamed manager said he and his company is "reluctantly" considering reducing the dependence on the US market.
"We just can't understand why China's cheap and good textile products are always put under unequal treatment," he said.
The southern Guangdong Province has already seen a slump of its exports of socks, after the US imposed severe quality inspections in the past months.
The province sold a total of 12.4 million pairs of socks to the US in the first four months of the year, representing a year-on-year decrease of 10.7 percent, local customs data showed.
Beijing-based experts say the US appeal runs against the free trade spirit that is enshrined by the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing that phase out textile quotas globally, adding the move might dampen the already friction-packed trade ties between world's two major trading powers.
Fan Ying, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, cautioned the sock prices in the US might increase if the import quotas are approved.
"It will be a loss-loss situation if the US abuses such a special safeguard measure," she said.
According to the General Administration of Customs, China exported a total of 770 million pairs of socks valued at 1.51 billion yuan (US$182.6 million) from January to April, an increase of 4 per cent and 9 percent respectively.
The US move also accelerates Chinese textile exporters' concerns that more counter-import measures will be targeted at China after the global multi-fiber textile quotas expire in 2005.
Analysts have cautioned textile makers and exporters to remain alert and not to be overoptimistic about the business opportunities during a post-quota era.
"For one thing, the World Trade Organization (WTO) members are allowed to impose special safeguard measures on Chinese textile exports until 2008, as a condition of China's WTO entry in 2001," Fan said. "Safeguard measures will continue to be slapped on the Chinese exporters."
And technical barriers will also increase even after the quota restriction is phased out, she added.
(China Daily July 3, 2004)


text:
How to protect and lock a PDF with password before sending through email?
MathewGeorge_YahR7B622 1 year ago
Is there any way to password protect and lock a sensitive PDF file before sending as an attachment through email? I cannot afford Adobe acrobat pro and free primopdf didn’t work for me as well. Any help will be appreciated!
Topic: Data ProtectionAnswer this Question
Ask a question
Be sure to show your sysadmin how much you appreciate him or her today - but keep it sane
Hackers have stolen user contact information, including email addresses and phone numbers, from the website of the European Central Bank and attempted to extort money from the institution.
Six people have been indicted on charges of running an international ring that resold tickets bought through compromised StubHub accounts for some of New York's biggest concerts and sporting events.
A vulnerability in a web-based graphics system led to a breach of The Wall Street Journal's network by a hacker, the newspaper acknowledged late Tuesday.
Goodwill Industries International said Monday federal authorities are investigating a possible payment card breach at its U.S.-based retail outlets.
Three stealthy tracking mechanisms designed to avoid weaknesses in browser cookies pose potential privacy risks to Internet users, a new research paper has concluded.
Matt Oh, a senior malware researcher with HP, recently bought a single Aloha point-of-sale terminal -- a brand of computerized cash register widely used in the hospitality industry -- on eBay for US$200.
European privacy authorities have invited Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to discuss the implementation of a landmark ruling by Europe's top court that gives people the right to have personal information excluded from search results.
Tokyo police on Thursday arrested a systems engineer accused of stealing millions of customer names from the computer database of a large education firm to sell them for profit.
Researchers find that by touching our phones all the time we’re leaving our biological mark on them
White Papers & Webcasts


text:
Burberry (BURBY) :The Movie. If the internet had its way, you might find this film at a theater near you just in time for the holidays.
The London-based luxury house has gained attention for a short publicity film it released for Christmas, starring Sienna Miller, about the life of its founder, Thomas Burberry.
Many Twitter users have called for a feature length film to be made of the ad, which also stars Domhall Gleeson, Dominic West and Lily James. Released to celebrate the label's 160th anniversary, the three-and-a-half minute film chronicles Burberry's contributions to history, including outfitting Ernest Shackleton's 1914 expedition across Antarctica.
The buzz surrounding the short film comes at just the right time for the luxury retailer, which is looking to build on the modest sales momentum recorded in the second.
The company reports its interim results Wednesday, with analysts expecting retail sales of just under £440 million ($545 million), according to the consensus data put together by FactSet.
The retailer is expected to get a boost from the fall in the 19% fall in the pound since the Brexit vote. Burberry makes just 15% of its sales in the U.K.
On top of that, foreign consumers are also flocking to the U.K. to take advantage of the devalued currency.
Burberry's stock was one of the biggest risers in London Monday, gaining more than 3% against a broader 1.5% gain for the FTSE 100 benchmark. The company is also the focus of merger speculation with Coach (COH) as both brands grapple with a slowdown in the luxury market.
The British investment site Betaville reported late last month that Coach has hired Evercore Partners (EVR) to facilitate what it said could be a $20 billion merger. Further accounts on the British blog seemed willing to entertain the possibility that the report could be far-fetched.
In October, Burberry said the Brexit vote would leave it £125 million better off. The group said sales revenue grew 2% to £895 million ($1.1 billion) in the three months ending in September as the weak pound helped deliver a "significant outperformance" in its fiscal second quarter.
However, a weak first quarter kept first-half revenues subdued, down 4% from the previous period at £1.158 billion and investors cited slower-than-expected sales growth in Asia as a concern going forward.
Before the referendum the company has reported disappointing sales, leading to a change in senior management. In July, Burberry announced that current CEO Christopher Bailey would step aside making room for Marco Gobbetti, who currently heads Paris-based brand Celine. He will assume the role "as soon as he is contractually able to do so" in 2017.
Bailey will become president and chief creative officer, relinquishing a dual CEO role that had proved controversial in recent months, with some investors suggesting he was unable to juggle the two senior positions.


text:
Worldpay boss scoops a £50m windfall after payment processing giant's £6.3bn float listing
Payday: Worldpay boss Philip Jansen
The boss of technology group Worldpay received a £50million windfall after the payment-processing giant floated in a £6.3billion listing.
Philip Jansen was installed as chief executive by the company’s private equity backers just two years ago.
Yesterday he collected £22.3million from selling shares, and saw the value of his resulting stake increase to £30million.
But corporate documents show he also enjoys a host of other benefits – including a four-fold pay increase and six-figure sums in private equity advisory fees.
Jansen’s base pay has risen some 40 per cent from £609,000 to £850,000 after the company floated.
But the potential value of his total package soared from £1.1million to £4.4million.
Private equity firms Advent International and Bain Capital each made £1.2billion from selling their stakes in the business, taking their combined holding down to 47.8 per cent.
Jansen is also an adviser to Bain, and will receive an additional £150,000 a year from this position. He gets another £50,000 for representing Bain on the board of a holding company owned by catering group Brakes Bros.
Worldpay also has a 6 per cent stake in card provider Visa Europe which gives Jansen a holding worth £8.5million on paper, though the company’s prospectus says the shares ‘do not have any value for accounting purposes’.
In all, bosses at the company saw their shares hit £480million in value.
Worldpay’s 4,300 employees will also share in the windfall, being given shares or cash worth up to £6,000.
Shares, sold at 240p each, rose to 265p yesterday.
The firm processes payments made online, in shops and over the phone – with its largest customers including British Airways, Sony and Google.
Its technologies also include contactless payments as well as the recently launched Apple Pay and its operations span 146 countries.
The initial valuation is far in excess of the £2billion previous owner RBS made when it offloaded the company after the financial crash.
The stricken bank claims it was told to sell the tech group as part of the conditions attached to its £46billion taxpayer bailout.
Most watched Money videos
- Take a look at the new Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 supercar
- F1 star Lewis Hamilton appears in Mercedes S-Class launch video
- VW launches clever new 'Caddy California' compact campervan
- Morrisons CEO reveals opportunities given to those out of work
- Maserati's back! Italian brand releases first supercar for 15 years
- Rolls-Royce release new £250,000 limo called Ghost
- Mercedes-Benz shows how hands-free Drive Pilot system works
- UK firm to build world's first electric Rolls-Royce's Phantoms
- Porsche has given the iconic Panamera a mid-life refresh
- Ray Massey reviews Aston Martin's first ever SUV
- Bentley revamps Bentayga with new exterior & interior styling
- New £250,000 Ghost 'most technically advanced' Rolls-Royce ever


text:
New Fiesta creates UK sales storm
Nearly 11,500 new Ford Fiesta models have been snapped up in the UK in just 77 days (since it went on sale on October 1) - 9000 of those to retail customers.
Due to go on sale here from January 1, the funky new Fiesta is already achieving glowing reviews from the motoring press, including our very own editor David Twomey.
UK sales show the Zetec model as most popular accounting for 51 per cent of sales. The most popular colour there has been Panther Black (21 per cent) followed by the new Hot Magenta (15 per cent).
"Dealers are telling us that people are coming out of their Peugeot 207s and Renault Clios to get into new Fiesta," Mark Simpson, marketing director, Ford of Britain said, "Fabulous style, high levels of equipment and a great price are the reason they want to be seen in the new Fiesta. We expect to attract even more sales from business and economy-minded drivers next year when our ECOnetic model goes on sale."
Ford Australia expects to sell up to 1000 units a month here when sales kick off in the new year. Pricing starts from $15,750.


text: While DigiTimes has been known to get a rumor correct now and again, its success rate falls off dramatically when dealing with companies HQ'd outside of its native Taiwan. Keep that in mind when you hear it discuss a Nokia tablet with either a 7- or 9-inch screen. DigiTimes, speaking with "upstream component makers," claims that the Foxconn manufactured device -- of which, about 100 engineering samples have already been produced -- will be ARM-based with a Q4 launch targeted. If true (and that's a big IF) then it would certainly be running the MeeGo OS (that's a Quanta-built prototype above) when it ships. Of course, DigiTimes has been rumoring an ARM-based smartbook from Nokia due in mid 2010 for almost a year. And guess what? It's mid 2010, with smartbooks/netbooks now out of style and tablets all the rage. Thing is, we'd have thought that Nokia would be more likely to opt for Intel's Moorestown in support of their partnership given the Q4 timing. But hey, it's just rumor, let's not get too carried away.


text:
(CNN) – Kentucky Fried Chicken is launching a plant-based version of its fried chicken in 50 locations in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.
The faux chicken version of its product, which is made by Beyond Meat, was already served in Atlanta for one day last summer, then again for a limited time in Nashville and Charlotte this past winter.
KFC plans to monitor the results of the test to determine whether the product can be made available nationally, reported CNN.
For the most part, restaurants have paused major menu changes as their supply chains have been put to the test during the pandemic. But “plant-based innovation has been the exception to the rule,” said Morningstar restaurant analyst R.J. Hottovy.
“We’re still seeing increased demand for plant-based products,” Hottovy explained. He added that the new plant-based menu items don’t add much complexity to restaurant kitchens, especially if the restaurant already serves such products.
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


text:
Damai Central, a new resort-styled multi-purpose complex in Santubong, will become another tourist spot that will
enhance Damai as Sarawak’s premier holiday destination.
Assistant Tourism and Heritage Minister Talib Zulpilip said the complex, sited on the shore of South China Sea and set against the backdrop of the legendary Mount Santubong, would be a new and exciting business and event hub to the scenic holiday oasis.
The new Damai Central, snuggled between popular resorts – Damai Beach Resort and Damai Puri Resort & Spa, Sarawak’s tourism icon, Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV), Damai Golf and Country Club, Camp Permai, will enrich holiday experience for the locals and tourists.
“The new facility will complement all the tourism assets here. This will transform Santubong peninsula into a major tourist destination within Sarawak,” he told reporters at a cocktail to introduce the facility to stakeholders and
the media here last night.
Damai Central, about 35km from here, is one of the components of the Sarawak Economic Development Corporarions (SEDC)’s Damai Tourism Masterplan. It is managed by Damai Bay Management Sdn Bhd.
The RM18 million Damai Central is designed according to Sarawak’s ethnic concept and can accommodate 3,000 people. It houses an open-air arena, open stage, a multi-purpose hall, food court featuring local and fusion food, 15
units of commercial lots and six booths.
Talib, who is also SEDC Chairman, said the new Damai Central was ideal for staging festive activities and events such as exhibitions, concerts, carnivals, sports and themed functions.
He added the complex would provide business opportunities for the local entrepreneurs, including people from Santubong to tap the tourism dollar in the area.
Meanwhile, Director, Damai Bay Management Sdn Bhd, Denis Hon said Damai Central was geared towards providing an attractive and fascinating holiday venue for holiday makers, tourists and locals.
“With the advantage of the natural ambiance of sun, sand and sea, Damai Central, set against the Mount Santubong and the South China Sea, will enhance fascinating and unique holiday experience to visitors.
“We aim to develop Damai Central into the ultimate getaway destination in Kuching,” he said.
Hon said the commercials lots in the complex would be occupied by a seafood restaurant, bar, convenience shop and souvenir outlets while the booths would cater for arranging tours, rental of recreational facilities and services.
“The management plans to organise regular theme events such as carnivals, concerts and exhibition in partnership with external event organisers to boost the attraction and popularity of the region,” he said.


text:
The Gungrave GORE release date has been nailed down. The bloody shooting game will be released on November 22, 2022. You can see a new trailer here!
Time for gunslingers! Gungrave GORE has an official release date: The gun-wielding, coffin-carrying Grave will finally be unleashed again on November 22, 2022!
Pre-orderers can now strike and collect an exclusive bounty: With the “Death Ronin Grave” skin, designed by Ikumi Nakamura, you become the Grim Reaper and mow down your enemies in style. Who wants to go back in time to 2004 and experience an overdose of old school action? OD Grave’s gives you cover and turns the shooting adventure into a journey into the past.
But that’s not all – time for another insane trailer!
Here you get to know the two opposing sides: the good guys and the bad guys with their larger than life personalities, all locked in this deadly confrontation!
Gungrave GORE returns on November 22, 2022 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X and PC.


text:
Extended profit pinch forecast on Wall Street
NEW YORK It's no secret that making money is a lot tougher these days for U.S. companies. And with the economy softer than an overripe tomato, analysts say the profit pinch isn't likely to end anytime soon, despite positive first-quarter profit "surprises" from tech giants Amazon.com and Dell Computer.
"The storm hasn't hit yet," warns Richard Bernstein, chief quantitative strategist at Merrill Lynch. "The full impact of the earnings slowdown has yet to be felt."
With the first-quarter earnings-reporting season under way, that doesn't bode well for an imminent recovery in stock prices, despite already steep declines.
But that hasn't stopped investors starved for good news from latching on to any signs that the "profits recession" is nearing an end. "There is some positive news trickling in," said Joe Kalinowski, strategist at Thomson Financial/First Call.
Yesterday, investors drove shares of Amazon.com up 34 percent after the Internet retailer said it would lose less money than expected. Amazon said its first-quarter operating loss would be less than $50 million, or 22 cents a share, versus a loss of $99 million, or 35 cents a share, a year ago.
Similarly, Dell Computer said on Thursday that it would meet lowered profit goals, boosting the Nasdaq 8.9 percent.
However, a slew of tech profit warnings Friday halted the rally.
Future rallies may falter as well, since positive surprises are expected to be in short supply. Analysts have been ratcheting down their earnings forecasts for all types of companies. Tech earnings are expected to plunge 36 percent in the first quarter. For the full year, tech earnings are expected to decline 25 percent.
More troubling is that the earnings pinch is not confined solely to tech. Of the 11 S&P 500 sectors, energy is the only one that has seen its first-quarter earnings estimates increased by analysts.
While much of the bad news may already be reflected in techs, that's not the case for stocks in the broader market, said Mary Lisanti, chief investment officer at ING Pilgrim Investments. "Stocks in the Dow and S&P 500 can come down more," she said.


text:
Ford Motor Co., CEO Jim Farley presents the thumbs up signal before asserting Ford Motor will associate with Chinese-primarily based, Amperex Technological innovation, to develop an all-electric powered motor vehicle battery plant in Marshall, Michigan, during a press convention in Romulus, Michigan February 13, 2023.
Rebecca Cook | Reuters
DETROIT — Ford Motor’s February product sales elevated by additional than 20% from subdued outcomes a calendar year previously, as the automaker ratchets up generation of its F-Collection pickups and electric powered vehicles.
The Detroit automaker Thursday reported February income of 157,606 autos, up 22% from a yr previously and a 7.7% maximize from January. Ford’s profits were being hampered by provide chain difficulties in February 2022, making for a person of its worst months because 2021.
Revenue of Ford’s F-Sequence pickups jumped 22% previous thirty day period in contrast with a calendar year earlier, expanding to about 55,000 models, which includes 1,336 units of its electric powered F-150 Lightning. So much this 12 months, revenue of F-Series pickups are up 15%.
Ford’s electric powered car sales — a important target of Wall Avenue — proceed to increase, up 88% from a year previously. Nevertheless, EV gross sales still only symbolize 2.9% of the automaker’s gross sales through February.
The automaker marketed 3,600 electric powered F-150 Lightning cars by way of February. On the other hand, revenue ended up off 41% in contrast with January as the automaker halted manufacturing and shipments of the auto final thirty day period because of to a battery fire.
Wall Road analysts estimate U.S. automobile revenue past month have been much better than envisioned, achieving a seasonally modified offering charge of about 15 million units. BofA Securities approximated sales were up by 8.5% past thirty day period in comparison with February 2022.
Ford’s February revenue outpaced other automakers who documented monthly profits. Toyota Motor’s income past thirty day period have been down by 8.5% in contrast with a 12 months previously, while Hyundai-Kia’s product sales improved by 16.2%. Many automakers have moved to quarterly sales reporting rather of every month.
The automotive industry carries on to navigate by some supply chain and production challenges, despite the fact that the circulation of parts and car or truck manufacturing this yr is predicted to be far more consistent than in the latest yrs.
“We are optimistic relating to our performance this yr,” Hyundai Motor North America CEO Randy Parker advised CNBC on Wednesday. “We do anticipate that interest prices will continue on to climb for the stability of the 12 months, and with any luck , that doesn’t idea us into a economic downturn.”
— CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report.


text:
The reading was the highest since May. It also remained above the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction for a 29th month, the longest since July 2013.
According to the National Statistical Office (NSO) data, the factory output declined by 4.3 per cent in September and 1.4 per cent in August this year, while it grew at 4.9 per cent in July.
The GDP figure is an outcome of several months of downbeat figures -- from weak consumer demand and private investment to shrinking factory output and an export slump.
A slowdown was witnessed in the manufacturing sector, which declined by 3.9 per cent in September as compared to 4.8 per cent growth a year ago.
There was a slowdown in the manufacturing sector, which grew at 1.2 per cent in June as compared to 6.9 per cent a year ago.
The main reason for the slump in factory output growth in November 2018 was the poor show from the manufacturing sector
The meeting comes ahead of the sixth bi-monthly monetary policy statement for 2018-19 scheduled to be announced on February 7.
Prime Minister Modi’s administration has been struggling to fulfill one of his key campaign pledge — creating 10 million jobs a year.
Factory output growth measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) was revised upwards for May at 3.9 per cent from previous estimate of 3.2 per cent estimated earlier, according to data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Friday.
Even as the country's industrial output growth slowed in September, key segments such as the manufacturing sector remained firm which prompted economists to say they expect growth to pick up in the months ahead.


text:
Hagen Family Farm has seen a major increase in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic and they attribute it to their online presence. The shutdown caused major meat suppliers to shut entire factories down and farmers to scale down operations. For the first time in most of our lives, we’ve seen empty grocery store shelves on a massive scale.
But problems are the bread and butter of businesses. Problems create demand, and solving problems is how a business makes money. With so much uncertainty about the future of the economy and the food supply chain, people are looking to stock up on food and turning to local sources. This was a prime opportunity for Hagen Family Farm and having on online presence helped them meet that demand.
Hagen Family Farm's has been able to cast both a deeper and wider net. Both their current customer base, mainly those in the Snohomish area, and new customers increased demand for local meat. On top of that, people from the greater metropolitan Seattle area and throughout Washington have also been looking for meat and Hagen Family Farm has been there for them. When they went to the internet looking for a meat supplier, they found Hagen Family Farm.
"The website has been so huge for us. I can't even explain to you. It has opened up a huge network of customers that I would never have known existed. From Seattle, Bellevue, and everywhere." Barbara, Hagen Family Farm
What is in many ways a crisis has been an opportunity for the folks at Hagen Family Farm. The graph illustrates just how large of one:
Increases like this are the opportunity that every successful business owner has worked hard to be ready for. Isn’t this the kind of growth that you hope, dream, and (admit it) maybe even kind of expect?
If your business provides value, opportunity will eventually knock on your door. Your opportunity might come in an accumulation of small increases in demand or it might be sudden and significant increase. While there are various factors out of your control, working on the factors within your control will help your business be ready to seize the opportunity when the chips fall in your favor. Being present and accessible for increased demand when it happens is one of them.


text:
| ||Thread Tools|
|10th August 2012, 07:35||#1|
Join Date: May 2010
Amazon snubs Europe over Kindle Fire
Online bookseller Amazon is not going to bring its cheap and cheerful tablet, the Kindle Fire to the EU.
Zdnet said that those waiting for Amazon to bring their Kindle Fire to the UK before buying a tablet would be better off buying something else.
The Fire has been on sale in the US since November 2011, and saw strong sales.
But it seems that this only lasted for three months and Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi said that demand has cooled.
If Amazon were to bring the Fire to the UK, it would have to create an infrastructure for it and then compete with the much better Nexus 7.
The Fire is starting to look decidedly old hat now and is being propped up in the US by the fact that it has a full entertainment service to go with it.
For some reason Amazon does not think that it can set up the entertainment package in the EU because Big Content will not negotiate licences as part of its "force the European's to pirate content" plan.
This means that the Fire would be left trying to compete with the Nexus 7 on hardware specs and price alone.
Milanesi said that the arrival of the Nexus 7 and other 7-inch tablets effectively killed off any chance that Europeans would get the Fire.
The Fire's hardware is rubbish in comparison with the Nexus 7 in terms of processor, camera, display resolution and specific OS features like near-field communication (NFC).
Google managed to get the licence agreements for content on its Google play store and has the best of both worlds.
Milanesi said that if she were to buy a Nexus 7 right now in the UK, she could hop onto the Google Play store and download a film or TV show to watch.
She said that she could not do that with a Fire and with the price difference it is simply not worth it.
|Thread||Thread Starter||Forum||Replies||Last Post|
|Grace Digital's MatchStick speaker dock for the Kindle Fire hits Amazon||Stefan Mileschin||WebNews||0||18th July 2012 08:41|
|Amazon tipped to delay next gen Kindle||Stefan Mileschin||WebNews||0||13th July 2012 08:25|
|Amazon rushes Kindle Fire II into shops||Stefan Mileschin||WebNews||0||6th July 2012 06:26|
|Unboxing the Amazon Kindle Touch @ ThinkComputers.org||Stefan Mileschin||WebNews||0||13th February 2012 09:02|
|Amazon Kindle Touch 3G Review||Stefan Mileschin||WebNews||0||29th November 2011 07:00|
|Amazon Kindle Fire Review||Stefan Mileschin||WebNews||0||24th November 2011 07:11|
|Amazon Kindle Fire Review @ TechReviewSource.com||Stefan Mileschin||WebNews||0||15th November 2011 07:45|
|Amazon again shipping its Kindle ebook reader||Shogun||WebNews||0||28th April 2008 21:37|


text:
Outdoor fall businesses a popular choice for Sask. families amid COVID-19
REGINA -- While COVID-19 has put a halt on many fun family activities, some fall-centric businesses are just getting going for their busiest time of year.
Regina’s Cedar Creek Gardens has opened up for its annual fall schedule with some minor adjustments.
"I would say we've seen more people this year so far," Brad Crassweller, the owner of Cedar Creek Gardens, said.
“Normally you'd be able to go in with the animals, this year it's just walk along. We have some food out there for you, they come to the fence and they just eat the leaves and corn and stuff through the fence."
The business’ popular corn maze is also back for another year.
“It's very COVID friendly, very safe, we can social distance, so now it's more a game of ‘eye spy’ as you go throughout,” said Crassweller.
The family business will soon be opening a COVID-19 friendly mini golf course, to offer even more outdoor entertainment. Although the pandemic has caused some changes for the 2020 season, the weather is cooperating.
"The last two years the falls have been really tough, we lost a lot of days to just too wet and too muddy in the maze,” said Crassweller.
Happy Hollow in Lumsden is also welcoming the warm weather. Its hay rides, animal visits and jumping pillow are welcoming visitors of all ages.
"The fact that the weather is nice and there's something finally for families to come out and do and get outside, it's perfect,” Tiffany Schaefer, the owner of Happy Hollow, said.
This year, Happy Hollow’s corn maze was planted with a special message.
"We wanted to do something just with COVID/corona and everything, something a little cute for the kids, so we did a pun "corn-rona says stay safe,” Schaefer said.
She added that Happy Hollow has also seen an increased in visitors this season. The business even reached full capacity on Saturday afternoon.
“Usually our opening weekends are the most beautiful but they're the quietest because people are doing other things or rider games even too. But the fact that there is nothing else, it's so much busier,” Schaefer said.


text:
Andrea Cole, co-owner of Pink Penguin Frozen Yogurt, said she enjoys running the frozen yogurt business in Hutto.[/caption]
Patrons eat frozen treats at Pink Penguin.[/caption]
At Pink Penguin Frozen Yogurt in Hutto, cravings for a cold treat can be satisfied with a cup of frozen yogurt with flavors such as apple pie, Irish mint, strawberry shortcake and gelato.
“We are excited about being here in Hutto and part of the community,” co-owner Andrea Cole said. “That is really important for us.”
Cole said she is originally from Utah and came to Hutto with her husband. In 2010 the couple bought Pink Penguin, and Cole said they have been enjoying the frozen yogurt business.
Customers can choose from eight flavors and about 50 toppings at a time, Cole said.
“We have about 50 flavors [total], and I switch every three to four days,” she said.
Chocolate, French vanilla, strawberry and sorbet are always available; the other flavors change, Cole said. She said she posts the daily flavors on the shop’s Facebook page.
“We use [suppliers] that have probiotics in their products,” Cole said. “They are healthy. So a lot of people that have tummy issues can eat [Pink Penguin’s frozen yogurts] without having those issues.”
Frozen yogurt contains less fat than ice cream, Cole said, and some flavors are fat-free. Some people prefer the natural ingredients and lower fat content of frozen yogurt compared with ice cream, she said.
Customers’ favorites at Pink Penguin are cake batter, cupcake and red velvet cake, Cole said.
“I would definitely try the cake batters and the sorbet,” Pink Penguin employee Micah Randall said.
The sorbet comes in seven flavors, including Valencia orange, watermelon or kiwi-strawberry, which is gluten-free and a children’s favorite, Cole said. She said the shop earns about a quarter of its sales from sorbet.
Randall said her favorite frozen yogurt combination is the pink lemonade sorbet with Nerds candy as the topping. Randall said she has worked at Pink Penguin for a year and enjoys that it is a family-friendly shop and welcoming to everyone.
“It really has a homey feel here,” Randall said.
Cole said the main customers are teenagers and families. The shop has faithful customers, she said, and she gets to see certain families on a regular basis.
In addition to frozen yogurt, Pink Penguin sells novelty items, such as Pink Penguin chalkboards, penguin lucky charms, stuffed animals and toys.
409 W. Front St., Hutto. 512-846-1441
Hours: Sun.-Thu. noon-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. noon-10 p.m.


text:
Web ad giant DoubleClick
again topped pro forma earnings expectations, but also again posted a net loss — and lowered next quarter’s revenue estimates.
Revenues for the New York-based firm totaled $83.7 million, leading to a net loss of $6 million, or $0.04 per share. Last quarter, revenues topped $96 million, while DoubleClick posted a net loss of $64 million, or $0.48 per share. (That loss was due to a $65.7 million one-time, non-cash charge.)
On a pro forma basis, the firm posted income of $1.4 million, or $0.01 per share, slipping slightly from last quarter’s $1.6 million, or $0.01 per share. That’s an improvement over its earlier guidance and Wall Street consensus, which had expected a pro forma loss of $0.04 per share for the quarter, according to Thomson Financial/First Call.
“This quarter we once again made great strides in building a long term profitable and successful company,” said DoubleClick Chief Executive Kevin Ryan.
DoubleClick’s technology division contributed to about $50.4 million of the company’s quarterly revenue, though the unit’s revenue — like that of its other divisions — dropped slightly from last quarter due to seasonal conditions, executives said.
Meanwhile, the company’s Data division, which consists of offline co-op database Abacus Direct, posted revenue of $18.2 million.
Revenue from DoubleClick’s Media division totaled $16.3 million. The company said gross margins improved in its North American ad network through better management of publisher relationships and an emphasis on direct marketing dollars.
Next quarter, DoubleClick gave guidance for revenues of $77 million to $82 million — below the Street’s expectations of $89.6 million in revenue. That’s due to expectations of flat performances from two of its three divisions, and lowered revenue for its Media unit, between $11.5 million to $13 million.
On a per-share, pro forma basis, the company said it expected to post between a penny loss to a penny in profit, in line with analysts’ predictions of a breakeven quarter.
Despite the flat predictions, executives pointed to DoubleClick’s growth in gross margins to 61.7 percent, from 57 percent a year ago as evidence that the company is streamlining operations in preparation for a rebound in the online advertising market.
“The disciplined choices of the last year are bearing fruit on the bottom line as gross margins came in the highest in DoubleClick’s history, capital expenditures were tightly managed, and operating expenses were down 37 percent versus last year,” said Chief Financial Officer Bruce Dalziel. “I am very happy to see the successful culmination of our efforts to manage costs across the board. Incremental revenue should be highly accretive for us going forward.”
DoubleClick also said it had $745 million in cash and marketable securities remaining at the end of the first quarter.