text:
I had hoped that the billion-dollar startups of online car sales like Carvana and Vroom would utterly quash megamall car dealerships forever. In fact, the big brick-and-mortar dealers seem to be surviving just fine.
This popped up on my radar from a somewhat troubling Automotive News headline declaring that startups were displacing small car dealerships, taking out the little guys while the most bloated big lots weathered the storm. “Smallest dealers pressed as online startups reshape used market,” Automotive News declares, citing a JP Morgan analyst:
“A lot of smaller independent used retailers, or independent franchise dealers, they are the ones that are likely to suffer the most because they don’t have the capital or the relationships or the bandwidth to invest in the move towards digital,” said Rajat Gupta, auto retail analyst with J.P. Morgan.
Certainly, this sounds like a potential problem for independent dealers in the future. The rest of the article lays out, however, that we have a long way to go if we have any hope of online sales genuinely displacing any dealerships anytime soon.
I knew that Carvana had already made its founding father-and-son duo billionaires. I didn’t realize that they were accounting for just a fraction of a percentage of America’s car market. Per AN:
J.P. Morgan analysts predict that 12 percent of all used-vehicle sales will happen online by 2030 vs. less than 1 percent today. They expect Carvana to own the lion’s share of them — 35 percent.
At the same time, the used-vehicle market — with annual sales of $841 billion, according to Vroom and CarLotz — is wide open. Market leader CarMax controls just less than 2 percent of sales. Combined sales of Carvana, Vroom, Shift and CarLotz make up less than 1 percent.
Less than one percent! That’s unreal. I mean, it’s unreal for two reasons. The first is that it’s hard to believe that all of the hype, drama, attention focusing on Carvana, Vroom, and any other online car dealer plays against a backdrop of over 99 percent of all car sales still happening through traditional networks. Part of this is down to big marketing and general buzz-worthiness of buying cars in the Amazon age. Vroom had a Super Bowl ad, but more than that it struck a chord here in America.
I just thought the pandemic would have had more of an effect on us. Hell, I helped somebody sell a car on Vroom just the other week! I didn’t want anyone I knew dealing with any tire-kickers coming to their doorstep. In 2020, we all just bought and sold normal-ass trucks at normal-ass dealerships! My mind is blown.
The second aspect is that clawing up a fraction of a percentage of America’s unbelievably huge car market — the second largest in the world — is enough to make you a billionaire. Our appetite for cars is insatiable.


text:
The Luft-wafer: Ice cream cone named after Adolf Hitler on sale in India sparks anger in Germany
- Germans are outraged by treat named after Adolf Hitler
- Lack of Holocaust education in the country means the snack isn't shocking
- The ice cream cones are readily-available across India
- German newspaper Bild labelled the cones a macabre publicity stunt
Even for the most dedicated of ice cream lovers this sweet treat may prove a little hard to swallow.
Unbelievably a brand of ice cream cone is readily available in India which is named after Hitler.
It’s difficult to fathom what the Nazi leader may have in common with the crunchy snack, but Hitler’s name is splashed across boxes of the tasteless delicacy which is hawked across the country.
Scroll down for video
Not so sweet treat: A street-seller stands with his boxes of Hitler cones. Hitler's name and image are splashed across the boxes of ice cream cones, which are readily-available across India
Meanwhile the cold eyes of the killer stare out at ice cream customers from the side of the packaging.
In some instances he appears in cartoon form in a Swastika-shaped top hat with a jaunty red bowtie, which is somewhat at odds with his furious expression.
Other more sombre packages depict him in full military regalia with almost photographic realism, looking very out of place next to an ice cream that's almost as big as he is.
Macabre: A box of Hitler ice cream cones. German newspaper Bild has labelled the snacks a 'macabre publicity stunt', while Twitter users brand it 'tasteless!'
Out of place: Some boxes show Hitler in cartoon while others opt for photographic realism. But his furious eyes are completely at odds with the traditional party food
But all the boxes of cones have the notorious moustache on display.
A lack of Holocaust education in India means that people on the sub-continent know little about the Nazi leader, and consequently Hitler-themed pubs and restaurants are not viewed with outrage.
But back in the country that struggles to shake off his murderous legacy 70 years after his death, it is a different story.
Nothing wrong: A street-seller holds up a Hitler ice cream cone. A lack of Holocaust education on the sub-continent means that the brand is not offensive there
News of the Hitler ice cream cones provoked a furious response on websites calling for the brand to be withdrawn.
One spectator in Berlin, said: ‘There is taste and there is tastelessness. The people of India should be made aware of the terrible crimes committed by him.’
German newspaper Bild labelled the ice cream cones a ‘macabre publicity stunt’, while several Twitter users branded them ‘tasteless!’
Widely-available: Hitler cones in boxes tied to the back of a motorbike. The cones have sparked a furious response as images of the snack are circulated online, with some websites calling for the brand to be withdrawn.
Most watched News videos
- PM and Dutch PM stuck outside Downing Street
- 'Lady in red' who escaped Hamas: 'They were shooting at everyone'
- Pro-Palestine protesters chant & wave flags Chanel show in Manchester
- Devastated parents of boy killed in hit-and-run fight back tears
- Horrifying moment boss hoists man on JCB who tumbles into shredder
- 'Lady in Red' dons shawl worn during Nova festival massacre
- Anyone home? Prime Minister and Dutch PM stuck outside Downing Street
- Stripped and paraded Palestinians are captured by IDF
- Brisbane's tent city growing with ongoing house market crash
- Rodent hell: Terrifying rats climb walls and break into cars
- Woman hasn't worn bra in years and hits back at trolls who shame her
- Heartbroken father pleads to driver who ran over seven-year-old boy

domain: news


text:
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 30
By Eldar Janashvili - Trend:
The total export volume of Azerbaijan’s products through the 'Single Window' system in 2019 amounted to $140.4 million, which is 6.4 percent less compared to 2018, Trend reports referring to the Export Preview of country's Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications on Jan. 30.
In December 2019, export of products through the system amounted to $10.4 million.
Russia is a leader among the countries that import Azerbaijani products, the share of which amounts to 37 percent of Azerbaijan’s total export.
Beside the Russia, the top five countries importing Azerbaijani products are: Georgia - 18 percent, Ukraine – 8 percent, Turkey and Germany – 6 percent each, Uzbekistan – 4 percent, Poland and Switzerland – 3 percent each.
Among other countries importing Azerbaijani products through this system, two percent account for the US, and 13 percent for other countries.
Follow the author on Twitter: @eldarjanashvili


text:
China is unveiling a new supercomputer on Thursday that incorporates thousands of graphics chips and can reach a sustained performance of 2.5 petaflops, making it one of the fastest systems in the world.
IBM has refreshed its CloudBurst products for building a virtualized private cloud, adding configurations based on its Power7 processor on top of the x86-based systems it already offered.
Capgemini opened the doors on a new data center near London on Tuesday that it sees as a showcase for green design.
After dismantling the city's data center and moving it three times to avoid hurricanes, the IT team for the city of Altamonte Springs, Fla., decided to try a different approach. Instead of spending millions of dollars to build a facility that would k...
IBM is putting more energy in building computers that mix CPUs with specialized accelerators to diversify its servers and target specific workloads, an IBM executive said this week.
An emerging class of extremely low-power servers is helping Internet companies and hosting providers to slash their energy bills, and proponents say they could have a role in the enterprise as well.
Development around the original Cell processor hasn't stalled and IBM will continue to develop chips and supply hardware for future gaming consoles, a company executive said.
LAS VEGAS -- Vendors are increasingly trying to sell users on the idea that they need to stick RFID tags on IT equipment to keep track of it. Users are interested in this technology because they would much rather automate inventory tracking then go s...
HP this week rolled out new and enhanced products and services across its networking, security and computing portfolios designed to improve the performance and delivery of application services to businesses.
Intel will not position its Atom processor for the server market, even as some vendors are building servers around collections of hundreds of low-power Atom processors, a company executive said.
A server with 800 processor cores could ship next year with Tilera's next-generation 100-core chips inside, a company executive said Monday.
Hewlett-Packard has released new software to help customers move off of their aging HP 9000 servers and onto its newer Integrity systems.
Orange Business Services appears poised to become a cloud service provider using pre-integrated "VBlocks" from Cisco Systems, EMC and VMware.
Microsoft today released an updated version of its Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 that can tap into compute resources throughout an enterprise as well as a cloud computing system.
Oracle has announced new servers based on the Sparc T3 processor, a chip that began life at Sun Microsystems and which some said might never see the light of day.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 LG 65-inch UHD TV (65UF950T) review
- 2 Playing chicken with a Tesla Model S
- 3 Audi TT (2015) review: A smarter take on the sports coupe
- 4 Microsoft Lumia 640 review: Honouring Nokia's legacy
- 5 Apple Watch review: saving time
Join the Good Gear Guide newsletter!
Deals on Good Gear Guide
- Networking, Wireless & VoIP
Deals on Good Gear Guide
Latest News Articles
- Facebook to use all renewable energy in its next data center
- Google's self-driving cars are taking a road trip to Texas
- EMC sells Syncplicity to focus on core storage business
- OwnCloud's new encryption framework gives enterprises more flexibility
- Former attorney general calls Snowden deal possible
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
- CCInternal Communications ExecutiveNSW
- FTTechnical Sales Support Representative - The Worlds largest Search Engine!NSW
- FTAccount Manager - PR AgencyNSW
- FTSenior Account Manager - PR AgencyNSW
- CCInternal Communications AdvisorNSW
- FTPR & Corporate Affairs ManagerNSW
- FTMedia and Communications AdvisorACT
- CCSenior Drupal DeveloperNSW
- CCDrupal DeveloperNSW


text:
The Dominican Republic holds presidential elections Tuesday, but that isn't stopping the outgoing administration from forging ahead with its most coveted project: a high-tech industrial park.
President Leonel Fernandez expects to launch the Santo Domingo Cyber-Park in August, a center for assembling high-tech goods for export and, also, for developing software and Internet ventures.
Fernandez, a 45-year-old attorney and Internet enthusiast raised in New York, has been globetrotting to woo investors to the park, visiting Japan, Taiwan and Seattle among others.
In Seattle, Microsoft Corp. this spring pledged $15 million to help, including staff to advise engineers and entrepreneurs at the park's training institute. The software giant also said it may contribute to a $10 million venture capital fund to help finance start-ups at the park, Fernandez told reporters.
It may seem a stretch for a Caribbean nation best known for sugar, cigars and tourism to go high-tech.
But the new park builds on the Dominican Republic's 15-year success with industrial free zones -- duty-free sites with ample tax breaks that are dedicated to assembly and export. Nearly 50 Dominican free zones now employ more than 200,000 people and account for the bulk of the country's nearly $5 billion in annual exports.
Most of the zones assemble low-tech goods for sale overseas -- mainly clothing sold in U.S. stores. But some free-zone companies already do high-tech work -- making digital maps for companies in Europe, processing ticket data for American Airlines or handling back-office work for U.S. insurance companies.
In addition, the high-tech park caps Fernandez's push to boost education and Internet access in his nation of 8.5 million people, where an estimated 60 percent of residents live below the poverty line.
Since taking office in 1996, the government has added more than 800 new schools and nearly 5,000 classrooms, and it has installed computer labs in public high schools. This spring, the education ministry signed a $25 million contract with Dominican telecom company Tricom SA, partly owned by Motorola Inc., to provide Internet access at public high schools for five years.
"Our main goal is to close the gap between those who traditionally have had access to education and those who have not, and open new opportunities for present and future generations to grow up and face the challenges of the networked world," Fernandez said at a recent speech at the Center for Internet Studies at the University of Washington in Seattle. He visited to encourage the center to help at the high-tech park.
For Florida, the Dominican initiatives carry special weight.
Thanks to the free-zone boom, the Dominican Republic now ranks among Florida's top five international trade partners. Last year, Florida imported $2.4 billion in Dominican goods and shipped $2.2 billion there. Much of that business was apparel parts sent from the United States to be sewn at lower-wage Dominican factories and then shipped back as garments.
As Santo Domingo modernizes, trade should expand even further, analysts say. Florida's top exports are computers, electronics and, increasingly, professional services linked to high-tech business.
More immediately, however, attention is focused on the hotly contested Tuesday elections.
Fernandez would stand a good chance to win again based on his economic record, but is barred by recent law from seeking a second term. The Dominican economy grew 8.3 percent last year, its fourth straight year of growth topping 6 percent and the best performance among nations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Yet the president's centrist party, the Dominican Liberation Party, has failed to capture the momentum. Its candidate, Daniel Medina, ranks third in the polls.
Running out front is Hipolito Mejia, 58, of the social democrat Dominican Revolutionary Party. An agricultural entrepreneur, he vows to raise social spending and boost the priority of agriculture.
Polls give Mejia more than 40 percent of the votes. But he's still short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff, likely to be held in June.
That leaves hefty bargaining power with the second-ranked contender: Joaquin Balaguer of the Social Christian Reform Party, a seven-time president who is 92, blind and ailing, but a master at politicking. In 1996, Balaguer helped ensure Fernandez's victory by supporting Fernandez in a runoff against the election's top vote-getter from the Revolutionary Party.
All the contenders vow to continue work on the Santo Domingo Cyber-Park. The new president would take office in August, shortly after the inauguration of the high-tech center.
Doreen Hemlock can be reached at email@example.com or 305-810-5009.


text:
San Francisco Bay Area residents say the technology industry is hurting the middle class and the poor, while exacerbating the economic divide.
Joining the ranks of big donors like Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the Apple CEO says he intends to become a major philanthropist.
This year's Geneva auto show went to the stratosphere as a collection of the world's most exclusive cars, but also gave us two extreme hatchbacks, the Honda Civic Type R and the Ford Focus RS.
The beleaguered CEO of the struggling Internet pioneer delivers a "bold" strategic plan. She is cutting jobs, selling patents and real estate, and inviting would-be acquirers to speak up.
Technically Incorrect: A surprise song -- already a viral monster -- released exclusively on Tidal, shows Beyonce's admiration for the Microsoft co-founder.
The fan-favorite mode is coming to Halo 5 this month; here's how it's changed since you last played it.
The Handling Speciale (HS) option brings a wealth of updates to the car's underpinnings, with some aesthetic tweaks thrown in for good measure.
Watch the new trailer and read new details about the expansion here.
Between this and the partnership with GM, Lyft appears ready to bring the battle to Uber.
The drone made famous via attack from a great white shark has delivered a wealth of new information on the behaviour of these amazing predators.


text:
A new survey suggests more Canadians are planning to do some or all of their holiday shopping online this year.
A survey commissioned by FedEx Canada and released today found that 65 per cent of Canadians polled planned to shop online this year, while 55 per cent said they did so last year.
Six per cent of those polled said they planned to shop online this holiday season for the first time.
Participants in Ontario, Atlantic Canada and British Columbia were the most likely to shop online for the holidays, with 68 per cent of Ontario respondents and 67 per cent of the others saying they planned to avoid brick-and-mortar stores.
Saskatchewan, Quebec and Alberta had the lowest percentage of respondents who said they intend to shop online, ranging from 58 to 62 per cent.
The survey was conducted online from Oct. 5 to 7 and involved roughly 1,490 adult Canadians. The polling industry’s professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population
The Canadian Press
Not too many places here to shop at now that Sears is gone and only Walmart is left.
I only shop in the stores. I look around and see how many jobs are being lost because of automated machines and on line shopping and it makes me angry
This survey just brings home the declining patronage of malls and stores in general. Add to that the poor selection in this city coupled with the fact that we can shop over the border as well…and…I do not see much of a future for our local economy in retail.
Not to mention the media scaring the hell out of everyone with fake terrorist scares and spreading fear throughout the city with their crazy unwarranted headlines. (except for saultonline)
This was allegedly called in by an off duty opp who should have known better but did it anyway. Great way to draw shoppers downtown.
Comments are closed.


text:
Malesia Dunn, director of communications for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, said the action affected three Poligrip products: Super Poligrip Original, Ultra Fresh and Extra Care.
The company said it planned to reformulate the product without zinc.
Those products are used by an estimated 3.5 million households in the United States, she said.
In a consumer advisory on its Web site, the company said it had “become aware of potential health problems associated with the long-term excessive use of our zinc-containing denture adhesive products.”
The company added that the products were safe to use as directed, but that some consumers used excessive amounts.
The company, based in London, is being sued by people who say they suffered nerve and blood injuries from high levels of zinc intake from the products.
The company says 49 million Americans use dentures, or 22 percent of the adult population, and 29 percent of them use adhesives. Ms. Dunn said the Food and Drug Administration had been advised of the action and did not require removal of current products from the shelves.
The F.D.A. had no comment on the matter on Thursday.
In a statement, Glaxo said excessive use of the product over several years “may lead to the development of neurological symptoms and blood problems such as anemia Neurological symptoms may include numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms and legs, and difficulties with walking and balance.”
The company has another Poligrip product marked “Free,” which contains no zinc.


text:
Cedarburg's Wine & Harvest Fest is Finally Back
Its finally back! The Cedarburg Wine & Harvest Festival is back for its 49th year after a pandemic ridden 2020 caused it to be cancelled.
The 2021 Wine & Harvest Festival will look much like it has in the past, with juried artists lining the main street, a full food court offering a wide variety of delicious, festival-friendly food options (including the popular Harvest Apple Brat and Cranberry Turkey Wrap), a huge farmer’s market, fun contests and live music at a number of stages around town.
Because there are no admission gates for the free festival, festival staff is encouraging guests and vendors to use their best judgment when it comes to safety standards.
The fun-filled weekend will take place Saturday, September 18, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with extended hours to 8:30 p.m. at the Gruber Law Office Main Stage on Saturday night) and Sunday, September 19, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m
New this year is the Paramount Blues Bash, a two-day blues festival and beer garden within Wine & Harvest Festival, a 50/50 raffle, and a partnership with Takis, the national chip company, to distribute free bags of their new chips, Takis Waves.
To learn more about the festival and its daily schedules, visit Cedarburg Festivals Web Site
* Be in the know, subscribe to the Cedarburg Area Insider free daily email newsletter at Cedarburg Area Insider Web Site


text:
TOKYO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Augmented reality game "Pokemon Go" was released Friday in Japan, with enthusiastic players visiting all locations in search of virtual game creatures while government institutions and police warned about safety hazards.
The release of the game in Japan came about two weeks later than its debut in Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. earlier this month, where the game has been phenomenally popular, though it has also caused a number of accidents.
In Japan, where fans have been waiting anxiously, the release has sparked a frenzy. Just hours after the game's release Friday, people were seen engrossed looking at their cellphones and searching for virtual Pokemon creatures on the streets of Tokyo despite the rainy weather there.
In Osaka, a university student was reportedly rushed to hospital after falling downstairs while playing the game and losing a lot of blood.
In southwestern Japan, the city of Kumamoto has asked Nintendo Co., one of the developers of the game, to exclude the quake-hit Kumamoto Castle from the game's virtual map, after a man in his 20s was found trying to enter an off-limits area there.
The Japanese government's top spokesman Yoshihide Suga told a press conference Friday that he wanted gamers to "be careful not to enter dangerous zones and restricted areas."
The government has issued a nine-point warning a day earlier, calling gamers not to play the game while walking, particularly on railway platforms, or while riding a bicycle, and not to enter off-limits areas.
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority also said Friday that it has urged operators of nuclear power plants and other nuclear-related facilities to tighten security in order to prevent possible trespassers.
The smartphone game, jointly developed by Japanese firm Nintendo Co., its affiliate Pokemon Co. and American game maker Niantic Inc., has been released in over 30 countries by now.
The game has caused a number of incidents globally, including teenagers trespassing a nuclear power plant in the U.S. and people getting robbed while trying to catch virtual Pokemon creatures in secluded places.
Meanwhile, the success of the game has brought the stock prices of its developers to surge, with Nintendo's share price nearly doubled on the Tokyo market since the game's debut overseas.
TOKYO, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government has called on prospective players of the smartphone game "Pokemon Go" to avoid safety hazards and troubles as the game is expected to be launched in Japan soon.
Japan's National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity, a body under the Cabinet Office, has issued a nine-point warning full of illustrations on its website as well as social media Twitter and Line, warning against potential troubles over the online game. Full story
SYDNEY, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Australia's largest theme park, Dreamworld, has decided to cash in on the latest gaming craze by designing a special tour for Pokemon Go fans.
For the first time ever, the Queensland-based theme park will be holding an exclusive three-night tour starting this Friday for interested fans who wanna "go catch them all," after Pokemon had already sent punters "swipe crazy" during the day, Dreamworld chief Craig Davidson said. Full story


text:
In Mitsubishi’s 2022 results report, the Japanese have included a slide showing the company’s new products. Six of them will be released to the market this year. At first, you can wait for models about which there is already some information, and in the fourth quarter, various production versions of the concepts will see the light.
Among the already well-known debutants is the latest generation of the ASX crossover. It is a clone of the European Renault Captur with different nameplates (not to be confused with the Russian Kaptur). Also preparing for the premiere pickup L200. It will appear under the name Triton. It is expected that the “frame” will be based on the “trolley” of the very successful Nissan Navara. It is possible that we will see both cars in our country, because parallel imports continue to work.
But the Mitsubishi Delica Mini key car will bypass Russia, since this type of body is not popular with our citizens.
Toward the end of the year, we are waiting for the production version of the XFC concept. It will be a mini crossover. It will be followed by a new generation Colt and a restyled XPander.
Subscribe to the channel “Auto View”:


text:
“The reality is that when you’re in the Pinterest mindset, you’re actually interested in acquiring items, which is not what people go to Facebook for,” Bornstein said. “Facebook continues to be just a great customer interaction tool that gives us the real-time ability to dialog with our customer; it’s a big customer-service venue for us.”
Sephora jumped on Pinterest hard, mostly because its largely-female marketing team were enthusiastic early adopters. When the company re-launched its website in April last year, it was one of the first retailers to integrate the ‘Pin It’ button sitewide. Individual users share their lists of what Sephora products they love and why — rather than just a putting together a list of fashion products, they can use Pinterest to tell a visual story about why a certain eyeshadow is so great and seek to inspire others. And a dedicated resource on the Sephora digital team helps Sephora staff craft Pinterest strategies."


text:
E-commerce platforms must be registered within 2 months
BI Report || BusinessInsider
The country’s all e-commerce platforms will have to be registered with the Ministry of Commerce by the next two months to run the businesses properly.
The government came up with the decision during a regular weekly cabinet meeting held at the secretariat in Dhaka on Thursday.
While briefing the media after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam said if anyone wants to run e-commerce business, he or she will have to deposit a certain amount of money to Bangladesh Bank as security.
If any consumer is cheated by any e-commerce company, he or she will be compensated from the fund, he said.
The government made such a decision when hundreds of customers have been cheated by some e-commerce platforms like Evaly, Eorange, Dhamaka, etc.


text:
Creator’s album Tyler tops Billboard charts with record vinyl sales
Tyler, the creator’s 2021 album Call me if you get lost leading this week Billboard 200, an achievement that was fueled by record vinyl record sales after the album became available for physical purchase earlier this month.
Call me if you get lostwhich was released in June last year, sold 49,500 vinyls last week.
It’s the biggest sales week for a hip-hop album on vinyl since the data became available in 1991, according to Billboard.
Vinyls are only sold on Tyler’s website, Billboard noted, and are not available at major retailers.
In last week’s Billboard 200, which tracks the commercial success of albums, Call me if you get lost ranked 120th.
114,000. That’s the number of vinyls sold during the biggest vinyl sales week ever, in November 2021, when Taylor Swift released Red (Taylor’s version)according to Billboard.
Vinyl record sales have been on the rise for more than a decade, according to Variety and Billboard. Kid Cudi previously owned the hip-hop vinyl record, selling 41,500 records of The Man on the Moon 3: The Chosen One in December, according to Billboard. In 2021, vinyl sales revenue increased 61% from 2020 to $1 billion, according to data from the Recording Industry Association of America. The last time vinyl sales topped $1 billion was in 1986. Vinyl sales accounted for 7% of total music revenue in 2021. Although vinyl was more popular last year, CD sales also increased. In 2021, one in three albums sold was a vinyl record, according to MRC Data, Billboard reported.


text:
A new Federal Government-funded smart charger initiative aims to investigate how best to integrate electric vehicle charging into the national electricity grid, while helping increase the relatively low level of electric vehicle take-up.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $838,000 in funding to Origin Energy, to undertake an electric vehicle (EV) smart charging trial across the National Electricity Market (NEM).
Origin Energy will use the funding to launch an EV smart charging trial which will include the roll out of 150 smart chargers to fleet and residential customers in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.
A statement from Origin Energy said the smart chargers would be installed across residential, commercial and industrial premises of EV owners and fleets, where they would be remotely monitored and controlled via software. They’ll also be integrated into Origin’s existing platform for managing distributed energy.
A statement from ARENA said the $2.9 million program would look to “evaluate the benefits of and barriers to controlled smart charging, including improving understanding of EV driver behaviour, willingness to accept third party control and what incentives are needed to encourage future participation in charge management programs.”
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the Origin trial would help to demonstrate how the Australian electricity grid could successfully integrate higher numbers of EVs while limiting costly network expansion.
“As the uptake of EVs increases, it will be important to efficiently manage the charging of vehicles, to avoid potentially costly impacts on peak demand, associated network charges and grid security issues,” Mr Miller said.
“Smart charging enables charging at times when demand is lowest and electricity is cheapest, which reduces the burden on the network and the cost to the customer.
“It is well known that electricity costs much less than petrol in terms of powering cars and light-duty commercial vehicles.
“However, EVs provide additional economic opportunities for consumers through the potential of further reduced electricity costs from higher network utilisation, and possible revenue generation via technologies such as vehicle-to-grid technology which ARENA is also supporting.”
A statement from Origin energy said the smart chargers would connect to its Virtual Power Plant (VPP) platform, which enabled multiple devices to be orchestrated remotely using artificial intelligence with benefits for customers, such as lower running costs, as well as for wholesale energy markets and distribution networks more broadly.
It said the objective of the trial would be to improve the economics and appeal of EVs by shifting charging from times of the day when energy was more expensive to off-peak periods and when wholesale prices were low – typically when wind and solar were generating strongly.
“Transportation is the second highest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia, accounting for nearly 19% of emissions,” said Origin executive general manager Future Energy and Technology, Tony Lucas.
“EVs provide an opportunity to significantly improve Australia’s environmental performance, particularly if vehicles are charged using renewable energy.
“EV adoption is expected to increase significantly in the coming years with the price of new EV models continuing to fall and performance and range improving all the time.
“We hope this trial will help us understand how we can maximise the benefits to customers by offering products that reduce their EV charging costs, as well as how we can manage EV charging in a way that helps with grid and network stability.”
“Origin has developed a leading artificial intelligence orchestration platform, with a wide range of distributed assets, such as storage, residential air-conditioning systems, pool pumps and industrial coolers, already connected and continuing to grow.
“Using the platform, we will be able to remotely switch chargers on and off, or higher or lower, in response to changes in wholesale prices, with benefits for customers in terms of lower charging costs and the NEM as we can more efficiently manage demand and supply in the system.
“We want to get people thinking about EVs as more than just a car and saving on petrol, they will double as battery storage in the home and be connected to virtual power plants or used for grid stabilisation, all of which will significantly reduce payback periods and improve the economics of EV ownership for many Australians,” he said.
Origin will partner with Hyundai, Nissan, Custom Fleet, Schneider Electric, GreenFlux and Ausgrid and United Energy to deliver the trial.
Findings from the two-year trial will be made available to help the industry develop customer offers that improve the economics and appeal of EVs to Australian drivers, as well as deliver benefits to the broader energy market.


text:
A recent update to Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials is causing widespread problems for Windows users trying to scan systems for malicious files.
The glitch in Microsoft’s anti-malware is being reported by Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users.
As per German tech blog Borncity, the file scanning issues emerged after Microsoft released an update to the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine (MsMpEng.exe) on September 16 that brought it up to version 4.18.1908.7.
The engine ships with several Microsoft anti-malware products for consumer and enterprise customers, including Windows Defender, Security Essentials and Forefront. And unlike normal Windows security updates, which give users some choice over when they're installed, typically Windows Defender users don’t choose when the engine is updated because Microsoft deploys them automatically through an update manager.
The issue is affecting the 'quick scan' and 'full scan' options, with quick scans ending in seconds and only scanning between five and 64 files. Normally, thousands of files should be scanned in a process that takes around 30 minutes to complete.
But the bug means that Microsoft's anti-malware isn't doing the job it was intended for and as users point out, the software still displays a green tick mark and states the scan is 'complete', even though it's clearly not.
Readers of the AskWoody Windows-focussed blog have reported that both the full scan and quick scan quit menus after combing through just 29 files.
The same complaints are being reported on Microsoft’s Answers website and Reddit, where some users also complain about high CPU usage after installing the last Patch Tuesday update earlier this month, but that's a separate issue.
The Patch Tuesday update fixed a glitch with Windows Desktop Search causing high CPU usage, but the same fix also broke Windows Desktop Search in the process for users of Windows 10 version 1903, the newest release of Windows 10.
It's a similar story for the latest Windows Defender update. As Borncity notes, the KB4052623 update fixed a Windows Defender bug in the product's System File Checker (SFC) that Microsoft acknowledged in August, but didn't get around to fixing until this week. And now users are complaining the fix has caused new problems.
The Windows Defender bug comes at a time when Microsoft has been bragging about its higher protection ratings by antivirus testers, such as AV-Test and AV-Comparatives. A few years ago Windows Defender and Security Essentials rated poorly compared to Kaspersky, F-Secure, Norton and McAfee, but these days it's consistently at the top of the industry.
Microsoft claims these improvements are why today over half of all Windows users -- including Windows 10, Windows 7, and Windows 8.1 -- now actively use Windows Defender.
Update: Microsoft told CSO Online that it has now fixed the issue and that more details can be found at this page on its Answers forum.


text:
New GOQii RunGPS targeted at runners and joggers in the country. In fact, the company has signed up runners and doctors to offer expertise to the GOQii RunGPS smart band users
The US fitness technology venture,GOQii has recently announced the launch of RunGPS smart band in India.Its features a GPS tracker and integrated with ‘Marathon Coaching’ feature.The retailing price of the product will be Rs 4,999 in the country.
Vishal Gondal, Founder and CEO, GOQii stated that as per the recent ‘India Fit Report’, running has increased from 22 per cent in 2017 to 33 per cent in 2018 among Indians. GOQii ‘RunGPS’ will aid the players/users to run better towards a healthier lifestyle.
Targeted towards runners and joggers
The new smart band targeted at runners and joggers in the country. In fact, the company has signed up ace runners and doctors to offer expertise to the GOQii RunGPS smart band users.
It connects wireless via Bluetooth to GOQii iOS (ver 8.0 and above) or android app (ver 4.3 and above). The in built battery, once charged, will last for seven days in case of normal usage, and eight hours in GPS mode. GOQii will be available in GOQii store and Amazon India.
GOQii RunGPS smart band has six screens that can track distance, steps, calories burnt, pace and heart rate.It also capable of tracking activities and sleep patterns. It is powered with an integrated USB charger that can be connected to any power bank, adapter or laptop.
GOQii will be providing a three-month coaching program to users as well.


text:
China IT News
> News content
A picture shows Intel 2018-2020 road map: 14nm flagship, 10nm also waiting for a year.
time:2018/7/9 17:09:20 readed:147
China IT News APP
Recommended use China IT News APP
Download flyfish app to read news
open APP to read this news.
Please rate this news
The average score will be displayed after you score.
Do not see clearly? Click for a new code.
Intel development cycle slowdown in TSMC is expected to catch up from behind
Intel security vulnerability expansion: ARM A department admission, AMD zero risk
Intel 10nm three years of multiple exposure process is too difficult.
Intel Server Roadmap: 14nm vs. Two Years Glue Encapsulation
Forbes: AMD 7nm Process Leading Intel Comes First Shipment This Year
Tianhe two A supercomputing upgrade: domestic acceleration card to replace Intel performance almost doubled
Intel 10nm is blocked: a new server jump ticket to 2020
Father of AMD Zen quits Intel: Advance 10nm process
Intel reinvested $1 billion to boost 14nm capacity, but it won't work until the two quarter of next year.
Samsung announces 7nm LPP process into mass production Intel said 10nm is progressing well next year
Hot news this week
LETV Announcements: risk of stock being suspended from listing
Star selection is hard to become hungry "Tmall" but Ali wants to rebuild a US group.
The United States withdraws from the Universal Postal Union: small sellers of Chinese e-commerce are directly cleared.
Xu Bo, a former Netease executive with a net worth of 28 billion: Born 12 dolls, the reality version of polygamy
The Godson two generation released: domestic software and hardware development has never been so simple.
Amazon employees write anonymous letters: call for the sale of face recognition technology to the police
Google responds to EU sanctions, no longer forcing Android mobile phone manufacturers to pre install their applications.
Tmall double 11 revelry night announced the first batch of star lineup "new variety of variety" brand new upgrade
American university simulation against the speed of 238mph under the Wizard 2 drone and passenger plane collision
The US military's billions of big singles "default" Amazon? Giants such as Google are strongly dissatisfied
The most popular news this week
iPhone XS丨Note9 mutual 怼 Apple actually lost in this
The phone that meets the 5G standard has been dialed. Are you ready for the 5G mobile phone in the first half of next year?
IBM open source Mac@IBM plan code
Microsoft Photos Viewer now has an Iight theme on Windows 10
Dell Introduces New Latitude Rugged Laptop for the Worst of Conditions
NASA says Hubble Space Telescope is about to resume normal operations
Foreign media: iOS 12.1 will solve the "beauty door" of the new iPhone
The appearance of Xiaomi MIX 3 is revealed: the slide screen is fully equipped with 10GB of memory.
Motorola is the first major mobile phone manufacturer to work with iFixit to provide official repair parts
iPhone XR first batch media evaluation Best LCD battery life surprise


text:
- For Partners
- Science & Research
- News & Events
By Judy Blatman
As customers rededicate themselves to sports and active nutrition, supplement companies are looking beyond challenges at long-term opportunities.
Of all the challenges the sports nutrition market is facing in 2022, perhaps one of the most daunt-ing would be to start your own company during the roller coaster ride of an on-again, off-again, on-again pandemic. But longtime expert in the field, Robert Wildman, PhD, RD, CISSN, chair, Sports Nutrition Committee, American Herbal Products Association (AHPA; Silver Spring, MD), is trusting his gut—and the consumer. With more than 15 years in the industry, most recently with Dymatize, Wildman is also the author of four books on nutrition (including one specifically on sports and fitness nutrition) and the creator of a website where consumers can seek nutrition advice.1
With the launch of TYM Athletic Performance earlier this year, Wildman can add company founder to his list of credentials. With four finished products for sports nutrition available, Wildman sees his company as “part of a greater lifestyle performance for athletes and people who exercise seriously for better fitness and appearance.” His longtime expertise and relationships in the market enabled him to partner with companies focused on training—including American Barbell, NFL Alumni Academy, XPE Sports—for, as he puts it, “a more comprehensive offering for training, coaching, equipment, and nutrition.”
When asked if he has concerns about introducing a new sports nutrition company in this category at this time, he answers “Yes and Know.” Wildman explains that he understood the constraints on the supply side. But he also “knew the consumer wasn’t going anywhere.”
And if the category sales statistics are to be believed, he’s right. The consumer wasn’t—and isn’t—going anywhere.
There are a number of reports that point to estimated growth for the sports nutrition market, which has blossomed into a broader-reaching category known as active nutrition. For instance, ResearchAndMarkets estimated the global sports nutrition and supplements market at a value of $47.5 billion in 2021, with expectations that the market will achieve a CAGR of 7.9% from 2022-2027, reaching $74.2 billion by 2027.2 Grand View Research, meanwhile, reported that the global sports nutrition market size valued at $40.0 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.5% from 2022 to 20303, while Mordor Intelligence projected a CAGR of 12.5% during the forecast period 2022-20274.
But even with strong projections, there are still issues that the pan-demic highlighted for this category—and immediate, and potentially long-term, challenges that need to be addressed.
The most often mentioned of these challenges is the supply chain and what potential shortages will mean for the industry’s resilience and for consumers’ trust and wallets.
John Travis, principal technical manager, Certified for Sport, NSF International (Ann Arbor, MI), explains that “One of the biggest challenges the industry will face in 2022 is addressing the risk of the supply chain potentially limiting the availability of ingredients.”
To put it more bluntly, one company’s challenge is another company’s opportunity. Travis advises that supply chain issues could open the door for unscrupulous suppliers to sell sub-standard ingredients to unaware brands or manufacturers. “Those ingredients,” he says, “could be adulterated with cheap, innocuous substances or even substances that present doping risk or a risk to human health.” This highlights the need for thorough scrutiny when qualifying new suppliers and appropriate evaluation of incoming ingredients as a way to drastically reduce, if not eliminate, adulteration issues, he adds.
Mark LeDoux, chairman and CEO, Natural Alternatives International Inc. (Carlsbad, CA), says that “Working with primary suppliers and reputable producers of finished products has never been more necessary. The opportunity for product adulteration resulting in economic advantages to unscrupulous suppliers has never been higher, and producers and marketers of finished products need to redouble their quality-control assessments.”
LeDoux, who also serves as the chairman, board of directors, Natural Products Association (Washington, DC), urges companies to remain vigilant in testing both raw materials and finished products to avoid falling victim to product adulteration. He advises that partnering with legitimate companies that have done the science, follow the regulations (including for new dietary ingredients), and “have capacity along with a demonstrated track record to deliver when the finished products were promised” are important components for the health of the industry.
Supply chain issues may also potentially lead to price increases—and decreases in consumer trust.
Says Wildman, “The biggest challenges remain in [the] supply side of the business, and this is going to keep prices higher for consumers, at least for 2022.”
Larry Kolb, president of TSI Group Ltd. (Missoula, MT), agrees that pricing will continue to be an important factor—one which could result in additional challenges. “As many companies are striving to reduce costs while still providing quality products, [this] could also lead to the reduction of some functional benefits for some product formulations,” he says.
And Kolb addresses the potential concerns supply chain issues may have on quality and transparency. “Companies that are already vertically integrated could have an advantage here, as increasingly customers are looking for products that show origins that encourage trust.” He adds, “Products where the ingredients are sourced, formulated, and manufactured within a vertically integrated company help to provide trust and transparency, as well as cut down on some costs.”
Dan Force, vice president, marketing and innovation, Prinova USA (Carol Stream, IL), sums it up this way: “We’re perhaps in for a little bit of whiplash at some point in 2022. Everyone has aggressively been trying to push through supply chain challenges amongst growing demand. As lead times start to contract towards normal levels, stock levels are bound to rise. This could create a lull in ingredient demand mid-2022 that I believe will be isolated to the B2B side of the business, with consumer sales remaining strong.”
But supply chain and price issues aren’t the only challenges for this category. There’s talk about how the industry has morphed from a clientele of body builders and elite athletes to those who just want to enjoy a good morning jog or a yoga class but who can still be supported by products that, as Annie Eng, CEO, HP Ingredients (Braden-ton, FL), puts it, will satisfy their need to meet their own endurance and strength gains as well as recovery benefits.
Kolb, too, recognizes that the category evolution with its broadened demographics has changed the market completely. “It has not only changed who is buying these products and how the consumers would like to be addressed, it also changed the kind of ingredients that are being used,” he says.
The continued expansion in the category from body builders and elite athletes to sports and active nutrition certainly allows for marketing to a broader range of customers. The challenge is in how to reach and envelope those consumers into a now-larger playing field.
“A challenge that is an opportunity is to create products that resonate with active consumers who work out at home, outdoors, or at gyms/fitness centers,” says Eng. “The landscape of how we are working out is impacted dramatically by the pandemic.”
Eng views what she calls “this fluctuating, flexible fitness landscape” as one challenge that involves “formulating and marketing in a way that speaks to the more active-nutrition mindset” rather than only sports and athletic performance.
She explains the difference in psychographics, if not demographics, with these examples: “A middle-aged woman who is a competitive athlete will have different needs and goals than a middle-aged woman who enjoys being fit and healthy. Amateur male cyclists will have different needs and goals than their age counterparts who are more into defining their physique.”
And although fitness centers and gyms may be currently struggling, Eng does not believe a broadened approach of focusing on consumers with different needs, nor an emphasis on at-home fitness, will drive fitness centers and gyms out of business.
Quite the opposite. She is suggesting there is room for the market to grow with the right marketing strategies.
Kolb speaks to another audience consideration that presents a challenge: where consumers are purchasing their products. “Brick-and-mortar versus online sales is not a new challenge,” he says, “but continues to be an important part of the decision-making process for most companies. Getting in front of the right audience and having a strong differentiation strategy is now more important than ever.”
Elyse Lovett, MBA, vice president, marketing, Nutrition21 (Harri-son, NY), says that “One of the biggest challenges we see with sports nutrition products is formulation flexibility. Sports nutrition today, more than any other category, caters to a broad range of consumers that have varying product preferences, from supplements to foods to beverages. The ultimate win for any ingredient is the ability to flex its muscle in a variety of applications while still meeting consumer demands for vegan, non-GMO, and clean label.”
But there’s one more challenge—this one a lofty one—raised by Steve Fink, vice president, marketing, PLT Health Solutions (Morris-town, NJ), for this category, if not the whole industry. He says that “probably the biggest challenge is continuing innovation and the commercialization of truly groundbreaking ideas. They both take imagination and a lot of perspiration.”
Fink, a former law firm intellectual property attorney before becoming an executive in the dietary supplement industry—or, as he characterizes it, “before he saw the light”—believes that “One of the things that has made this industry so great was that up-and-coming brands with great ideas could emerge out of nowhere and take the industry by storm. If they were clever and resourceful, these brands could become giants in the industry. A lot of the biggest brands today were little up-and-comers yesterday. The pandemic has made it harder on the innovative, emerging companies. Without the ability to meet in person, these smaller companies might not have the resources to get their message out there. Little emerging brands that can bring evolution and revolution have a harder time.”
His solution? Create a big tent. Fink claims that, at PLT, “We love working with the industry leaders—but we also love working with startups and emerging brands.” And, he says, PLT has the internal resources to function as an innovation partner with established companies and the go-to-market capabilities and know-how to collaborate with emerging companies.
If there’s one thing that can go a long way in helping overcome the challenges of consumer trust in ingredients and finished products, it’s science.
In fact, a new report from ADM (Chicago) reporting on nutritional supplements found this: “When considering nutritional supplements, 59% of global consumers want to see scientific evidence supporting supplement efficacy.”5
Here are some of the recent studies that suppliers have shared.
“Last year was a very productive research year for Nutrition21,” says Lovett. Among the published studies in 2021 were three on its sports nutrition ingredients. “This research helped us add another layer of substantiation, which strengthened our communications and product development opportunities, particularly for gamers and active nutrition consumers, both of which are looking for impactful muscle, energy, performance, recovery, and cognitive health benefits,” she says.
The new research on the cognitive benefits of nooLVL, a patented complex of bonded arginine silicate with an additional optimized dose of inositol, demonstrated that nooLVL significantly increases cognitive performance in gamers after a single dose and within 15 minutes, according to a company press release.6 The research was conducted at Texas A&M University and published in Nutrients. The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted in 26 male and female experienced gamers who were randomly assigned to consume 1,600 mg of nooLVL or 1,600 mg of a placebo (PLA).7
The new study on Nitrosigine, Nutrition21’s patented complex of bonded arginine silicate, published in Nutrients, showed results that support its ability to enhance memory and cognitive function in healthy adults, according to a company press release.8,9
The double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study observed 16 participants, ages 18-28 years old, during two separate trials, each of which were approximately three hours in length. The results of the trials showed that immediate memory performance in the ingredient group significantly improved compared to the placebo group between trials.8,9
During the study, the introduction of Nitrosigine also maintained delayed memory scores in comparison to the placebo group ( for which delayed memory scores decreased); significantly increased the total RBANS scores, showing an 11% increase; and showed a 27% increase in memory scores.8,9
The third published study last year from Nutrition21 was published in the Journal of Exercise and Nutrition and, according to a company news release, demonstrated the benefits of Velositol, a pat-ented amylopectin-chromium complex, when combined with 15 g of protein for those who engaged in resistance training.10,11
The double-blind, active-controlled study included 35 recreation-ally active men who were randomized to one of three groups: 1) 2 g of Velositol plus 15 g of whey protein isolate, 2) 15 g of whey protein isolate alone, or 3) 30 g of whey protein isolate alone. The study concluded that the addition of Velositol to a 15-g dose of whey protein increased total squat reps, vertical jump power, and vertical jump height to a greater extent than when 15 and 30 g of whey protein were consumed alone.10,11
In February of this year, Gencor (Irvine, CA) issued results from a study published in The Journal of Dietary Supplements that supported “the safety and efficacy of supplementation with Tesnor in boosting testosterone levels in healthy young males.”12 Tesnor is Gencor’s proprietary blend of two herbal extracts, cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao) and pomegranate peel (Punica granatum).12,13
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study divided the 120 male participants ages 21-35 into three randomized groups over the span of 56 days: 1) placebo, 2) Tesnor (200 mg), and 3) Tes-nor (400 mg). As part of the trial, subjects were directed to engage in 40 minutes of aerobic exercise four days per week, maintain their regular diet, and refrain from consuming any nutritional supplements or energy drinks with ergogenic benefits.12,13
Results showed that the high-dose group saw significant increases in total testosterone and luteinizing hormone, compared to baseline. Post-trial, this same group demonstrated significant improvements in hand grip strength and mid-upper-arm circumference.12
PLT is expected to soon announce results of a 2021 unpublished clinical trial on its proprietary ingredient Slendacor Weight Management Complex. Following a previous published clinical trial14 on the ingredient, which launched in 2017, the combination of clinical work on Slendacor will allow for claims and messaging related to non-stimulant calorie burning that make the ingredient “ideal for sports/active nutrition formulations,” Fink says.
He advises that the new study measured resting metabolic rate in 60 healthy, but overweight, women and men who were supplement-ed with a single, daily 900-mg dose for seven days of the ingredient or a placebo. The study also measured heart rate, blood pressure, and mood. According to Fink, Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) and calorie burning increased significantly from baseline on day 1 and on day 7; the ingredient group showed an increase in REE of up to 15.2% compared to placebo. Fink reports that the ingredient group did not experience heart rate or blood pressure increases during the study, indicating that the ingredient did not show stimulant activity.
In 2021, TSI Group shared results of an unpublished, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging crossover study on Peak ATP, its patented form of adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) disodium. Conducted by researchers at Brazil’s Federal University of Piaui, the study included 20 recreationally trained men in their late 20s. The benefits of 100 mg, 200 mg, and 400 mg of orally administered Peak ATP as a premix powder were evaluated.15
Results showed that a single 400-mg dose of Peak ATP improved lower-body resistance training performance and energy expenditure, increasing the number of set 1 repetitions by 13%, numerical increases in total repetitions by 7%, and total weight lifted by 6%. A dose of 200 mg numerically increased set 1 repetitions by 6%. The 100-mg ATP group saw no improvements over placebo. However, subjects taking 100 mg and 400 mg of ATP saw the lowest perceived exertion, while those taking 200 mg experienced the highest perceived exertion.15
“These results confirm the immediate benefits of Peak ATP for athletes, weekend warriors, and everyday exercisers,” said Kolb in a press release. “This [ingredient] is crucial to helping everyday people exercise harder and more frequently as they pursue their long-term wellness goals,” he added.15
HP Ingredients reported on results from a trial on LJ100 tongkat ali, published in Andrologia last year, that showed the ingredient “was able to increase testosterone even in healthy young men when consumed in high doses,” says Eng. “[The results showed] significant increases in testosterone (14%) and free testosterone (34%) were recorded after two weeks,” she adds. The placebo-controlled, double-blind study had 32 healthy young men (average age 24.4) consume either 600 mg LJ100 or a placebo daily for two weeks.16
New research published last year in The Journal of Nutrition showed that 500 mg/day, for a 12-week period, of Cognizin, Kyowa Hakko’s (New York) branded form of citicoline, improved over-all memory performance, especially episodic memory, in healthy older males and females with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI). The findings suggest that regular consumption of citicoline may be safe and potentially beneficial against memory loss due to aging, according to a company press release.17,18
A total of 100 healthy men and women between ages 50 and 85 were evaluated as a part of the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were randomized to receive either a 500 mg/day dosage of citicoline or a placebo, with memory functions assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention using standardized computerized tests.17,18
Maria Stanieich, marketing manager, Kyowa Hakko, adds that “There’s considerable demand for memory-focused ingredients for all ages, encompassing the aging population and e-gamers—and as stress and mood are the top health concerns among Gen Z and millennials, Cognizin is not just a performance ingredient but a nutrient for the brain that improves cognitive decline over time.”
A lot of energy is driving the sports nutrition market, and there are likely as many trends to watch as challenges to overcome. PLT Health Solutions’ Steve Fink says, “This is one of the most exciting times I can remember in my nearly 20 years of working in the sports/active nutrition field.”
For starters, TSI Group’s Larry Kolb goes right to the sweet spot for the supplement industry: immune health. He notes that the strong link between muscle health and the immune system “will provide further growth for this category.”
For TSI’s own branded ingredients—myHMB, PeakATP, and Hobamine—says Kolb, the company is focused on “researching effective synergistic combinations of our ingredients.” For instance, he reports that “co-administering myHMB and vitamin D resulted in clinically validated greater increases in strength.”
For PLT’s Fink, it’s the trend “toward more complex, multi-benefit sports/active formulations that is bringing benefit packages to products that are better targeted to use occasion and consumer wants.” Specifically, he’s pumped about benefits like cognitive and focus support, joint and muscle recovery, weight management, and original approaches to energy profiles being built into formulations for the category.
According to Fink, some of these are new trends that didn’t exist five years ago. PLT is relying on the category’s expansion to active-lifestyle consumers to further popularize its branded ingredients, such as Dynagenix Muscle & Joint Formula and RipFactor Muscle Accelerator, both launched in 2020.
In development discussions that PLT is having with sport- and active-product companies, Fink says, “We’re seeing both reformulations and totally new concepts being developed. These discussions cover traditional types of sports products, like preworkouts, but we’re also seeing products targeting everyday active people.”
Perhaps one of the most buzzed-about trends is how adding cognitive-function ingredients will impact the category. Kolb, for one, believes that esports is a category in sports nutrition that will provide substantial growth for the overall market.
Nutrition21’s Elyse Lovett is here for it. “We believe there will always be a strong focus on the physical component of sports nutrition. We also see mental fitness starting to emerge as an attractive benefit in products, hence the launch of nootropic ingredients in the last few years. The latter has risen to prominence during the rapid growth in esports, but it will likely transcend to other professional sports where focus, reaction time, and memory are crucial for performance benefits like they are in the gamer space.”
With its nootropic ingredient, nooLVL, Nutrition21 has good reason to view this as a positive trend. According to Lovett, this branded ingredient has resonated with gamers due to its ancillary benefits for both gaming performance and cognitive health.
PLT, too, is on board with this movement. Its branded ingredient Zembrin (Sceletium tortuosum) is clinically demonstrated for supporting calm focus and alert serenity, says Fink. Whether the trend is or isn’t related to the pandemic, Fink’s not sure. But he claims that “across the industry, ingredients that promote focus, reduce stress, and improve mood are finding their way into formulations” for the sports and active nutrition category.
Maria Stanieich says Kyowa Hakko’s Cognizin is backed by clinical trial data to support mental focus, recall, and overall cognitive health, which she says are areas of innovation that consumers will seek in 2022. “As many individuals are dealing with ongoing post-pandemic stress, brain fog, and simply burnout, addressing cognitive health is a real opportunity for new product formulations,” she adds.
For SRCarnoSyn beta-alanine, the advanced delivery form of Natural Alternatives International’s signature, well-established and -researched, patented ingredient CarnoSyn, Mark LeDoux says, “We have identified several healthy aging and wellness functions that are beyond sports nutrition…[however] we are working on more applications that are suitable for the elite or specific market of sports nutrition as well.”
As consumers’ expectations for transparency rise, says PLT’s Fink, there is a greater interest in the use of proprietary, branded ingredients in formulations. “This trend is a response to some pretty interesting shifts in consumer attitudes,” he says.
According to Fink, “Origin stories are incredibly important. Consumers want to know where the ingredient is coming from, how it’s made, what the science says, and whether it is sustainable and socially responsible.” You often can’t offer this type of information for non-branded ingredients, but branded ingredients can help build trust and overall brand loyalty, he adds.
Stanieich agrees. She says that companies that are thinking ahead in innovation will have an advantage working with branded ingredients, such as those from her company. She references 2021 survey results from two organizations, the Council for Responsible Nutrition and Ingredient Transparency Center, which, she says, “revealed supplement users prefer branded ingredients two times more than the generic ingredients.”
“Many of our customers are starting to tackle sustainability,” says Pri-nova USA’s Dan Force. In response to those requests, he advises that Prinova is leveraging ingredient technology and sourcing. For example, Force shares, “Our plant-based protein portfolio, which is suitable for sports nutrition formulations, offers options for brands looking to meet needs for healthier eating, flexitarian diets, and reduced environmental impact. We now offer a barley protein isolate that is produced from the ‘spent grain’ from beer production.” He adds that this product can be marketed to consumers as “‘upcycled’ and carries a substantially lower carbon footprint than even pea protein.”
Maggie McNamara, marketing director, Gencor, says, “The idea of sustainable nutrition is not lost on consumers today and is more important than ever.” She believes that the sports nutrition sector “is going to have to quickly embrace this megatrend, as there is just no getting around it.”
“As consumers are becoming more ethically and environmentally aware, brands need to take into account these consumers’ needs and demands when producing and delivering sports nutrition products,” states McNamara. She adds that Gencor believes that “quality begins on the farm.”
Kolb says that “protein is by far the largest individual ingredient in sports nutrition, and the rise of renewable plant proteins, which have compositional shortcomings in comparison to animal proteins, created an opportunity for TSI’s branded ingredient myHMB. Adding myHMB to soy protein, for example, has been shown to significantly increase the muscle-health benefits of this specific plant protein.”
Lovett believes 2022 will reveal some interesting protein trends. “While using high payloads of protein in sports nutrition formulations has been the standard for years, particularly in nutrition bars,” she says, “this can cause sensory issues for finished products. Fortunately, there is a way to support the power of protein in products by using ingredients that can optimize their function while using less protein. This helps formulators preserve an ideal taste and texture profile that is more appealing to a broader range of consumers.”
Robert Wildman advises that great strides have already been made to improve sensory and functional aspects in plant-derived proteins, and he expects to see more plant-based recipe alternatives to animal-derived ingredients. “Also, I think we will continue to see more innovation in synergies like protein and probiotics, as well as subfractions of proteins such as alpha-lactalbumin from whey,” he notes. TYM Athletic Performance’s finished products include ProTym, a hydrolyzed whey protein isolate powder.
HP Ingredients is bucking a trend in expecting movement back to pill popularity, based on one word: convenience. Says Annie Eng, “We think that a ‘return to’ capsules and tablets will become more prominent”— not necessarily for the dedicated sports nutrition enthusiast but rather for the new psychographic encompassing the active-lifestyle consumer.
She explains that “powders and stick packs need to be mixed and shaken up. But with pills, [you] just swallow in a second.” Eng suggests this appeals to a target market that “doesn’t isolate his or her workout goals from the rest of his or her life.” Instead, she says, it’s a 24/7 mindset, and quick convenience is prized. The company’s branded ingredient LJ100 is an excellent fit not only for powders but conveniently also for capsules and tablets, she adds.
One trend is moving in a downward direction—and in this case, that’s truly a good thing: doping.
There may have been a collective sigh of relief from the supplement industry with the closing of the 2022 Winter Olympics, because while there was a doping scandal—and it was a doozy—this time there were no dietary supplements either implicated or scapegoated (at least not when this article went to press).
For the supplement industry, the change in the conversation around doping revolves around a number of things: education, partnerships with athletes, and, to the extent possible, with organizations like USADA, WADA, and other sports-governing bodies, third-party certifiers, and companies that embraced those sports certifications. NSF is one of those companies who made a difference.
NSF’s John Travis says, “There is definitely more awareness now around anti-doping and the risks athletes face daily when using supplements. Ten years ago, an athlete found guilty of doping was often considered a victim of the system. Now, it’s widespread for such an athlete to be ostracized by their peers.”
Travis credits the industry, in part, advising that “most reputable brands are now aware of the role supplements have played in some anti-doping offenses and are more sensitive to athletes’ needs for products that won’t cause them to run afoul of any anti-doping rules.”
Gencor announced early last year that Levagen, its branded version of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), received the Informed Ingredient certification for absence of WADA-prohibited substances from LGC, the UK’s designated National Measurement Institute for chemical and biomeasurement.19
TSI Group’s myHMB also had news on the verification front, announcing last December that its β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate mono-hydrate ingredient (myHMB) is now USP-verified, making it the only USP-verified HMB ingredient on the market. “This is a significant way for TSI to differentiate the quality of myHMB from other HMB products. It’s one thing to say that the ingredient you’re producing is better than any other manufacturer’s; it’s another to have such a highly respected third party verify that what you are doing meets their strict standards,” commented Kolb in a press release.20
Despite the progress in this area, the industry needs to remain vigilant. Says Travis, “Third-party certifications such as NSF Certified for Sport meet the growing need from athletes for clean products and the desire from brands to deliver them. We benefit everyone involved by serving the trusted role of conducting certifications as an independent third party.”
1. TheNutritionDr.com website. https://www.thenutritiondr.com/
2. ResearchAndMarkets report. “Sports Nutrition Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027.” Published January 2022.
3. Grand View Research report. “Sports Nutrition Market Size (2022 -2030) By Product Type, By Application, By Formulation, By Consumer Group (Age Group & Activity), By Distribution Channel, By Region, and Segment Forecasts.” Published January 2022.
4. Mordor Intelligence report. “Sports Nutrition Market — Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022-2027).”
5. Grebow J. “2022 Consumer trends: People will still turn to dietary supplements, nutrition for preventative health in 2022.” Nutritional Outlook. Published February 8, 2022.
6. Press release. “New Research Published in Nutrients on Nutrition21’s Esports Nootropic Ingredient, nooLVL®.” Posted November 3, 2021.
7. Sowinski R et al. “Effects of inositol-enhanced bonded arginine silicate ingestion on cognitive and executive function in gamers.” Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 11 (October 24, 2021): 3758
8. Press release. “University of Arkansas Publishes a New Study on the Cognitive Benefits of Nutrition21’s Sports Performance Ingredient, Ni-trosigine®.” Posted December 21, 2021.
9. Gillis JL et al. “Acute inositol-stabilized arginine silicate improves cognitive outcomes in healthy adults.” Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 12 (November 26, 2021): 4272
10. Press release. “New Research Confirms Velositol® as a Powerful Sports Nutrition Ingredient.” Posted July 27, 2021.
11. Ziegenfuss TN et al. “Effects of an amylopectin-chromium complex plus whey protein on strength and power after eight weeks of resistance training.” Journal of Exercise and Nutrition, vol. 4, no. 3 (2021)
12. Krawiec S. “Recent study shows that proprietary herbal blend from Gencor may boost testosterone levels: Natural Products Expo West 2022 Preview.” Nutritional Outlook. Published February 17, 2022.
13. Sreeramaneni PGA et al. “A proprietary herbal blend containing extracts of Punica granatum fruit rind and Theobroma cocoa seeds in-creases serum testosterone level in healthy young males: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study.” The Journal of Dietary Supplements. Published online February 6, 2022.
14. Dixit K et al. “Efficacy of a novel herbal formulation for weight loss demonstrated in a 16-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with healthy overweight adults.” Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, vol. 20, no. 11 (November 2018): 2633-2641
15. Krawiec S. “Recent Study Shows 400 mg Dose of Peak ATP Supports Exercise and Performance, Says TSI Group.” Nutritional Outlook. Published November 22, 2021.
16. Chan KQ et al. “The effect of Eurycoma longifolia on the regulation of reproductive hormones in young males.” Andrologia. Published online February 9, 2021.
17. Press release. “New Research Suggests Kyowa Hakko Bio’s Cognizin® Cit-icoline Aids in Memory Function.” Posted July 2, 2021.
18. Nakazaki E. “Citicoline and memory function in healthy older adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.” The Journal of Nutrition, vol. 151, no. 8 (August 7, 2021): 2153-2160
19. Marrapodi A. “Levagen+ receives Informed Ingredient Certified Certification from LGC.” Nutritional Outlook. Published February 23, 2021.
20. Krawiec C. “TSI Group’s myHMB Ingredient Is Now USP-Verified.” Nutritional Outlook. Published December 21, 2021.
Source: Nutritional Outlook


text:
Isis Mobile Wallet may have developed somewhat of a bad rep around these parts because it was the carrier-approved NFC payment alternative to Google Wallet, but no matter how many negative insults a few tech geeks have lobbed at it over the past few years, nothing has shaken the company quite like what the acronym ISIS is more commonly associated with these days - the militant group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The force has swept across parts of both Middle Eastern countries, expanding its reach with the use of violence against civilians and government forces alike.
We tech journalist don't have to wade far into the waters of international politics to convey just how unwanted of an association this is for a mobile payments company that merely wants to help you spend money by tapping your phone against things. As potentially threatening as that may be to pre-existing forms of spending money (emphasis on "potentially" here), it's far from terrorist activity. These folks aren't out to actually hurt anyone. Heck, Isis doesn't even threaten Google Wallet quite like it used to.
The company hasn't announced a new name just yet. Be on the lookout for it to arrive in the coming months.
From our inception, our vision has been simple: Use the power of the mobile phone to help consumers find a safer and better way to shop, pay and save.
Four years ago, we went in search of a brand that could embody this vision. We wanted a name that brought to life our company and our values. Above all, we wanted a brand that captured the simplicity of our mobile wallet experience. We chose Isis.
Recently, we have observed with growing concern a militant group whose name, when translated into English, is Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – often referenced by the acronym ISIS.
The ISIS militant group has been linked to sectarian violence against civilians and government forces in Iraq and Syria.
However coincidental, we have no interest in sharing a name with a group whose name has become synonymous with violence and our hearts go out to those who are suffering. As a company, we have made the decision to rebrand.
Changing a brand is never easy, but we know this is the right decision – for our company, our partners and our customers.
We are actively working on a new brand, and I’ll share more with you as our journey progresses in the coming months.
In the meantime, we remain committed to growing the mobile payments ecosystem, and advancing our mobile wallet. Our focus on delivering a great product and platform to our customers hasn’t changed.
Please accept my sincere thanks for your support and dedication to our vision. And, I thank you in advance for your continued support and understanding as we work through this transition.
–Michael Abbott, CEO of Isis


text:
Resumption of public service and special arrangement of Consumer Advice Centres
Consumer Advice Centres located in Tsim Sha Tsui, North Point, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan have resumed normal service.
To reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19, social distancing and other precautionary measures will be implemented at our Advice Centres.
Visitors are required to:
- Make prior appointment for service by calling the hotline 2929 2222;
- Wear surgical face masks and take a body temperature check before entering the Centres;
- Wait in a designated waiting area in order to reduce social contacts with other visitors.
(Notes: Visitors may experience a longer waiting time because of the precautionary measures.)
Rebound in Consumer Complaints – Rise in Online Purchases & Vaccinations Related Complaints Advocacy for Mandatory Cooling-off Period Building a Friendly Consumption Environment for the Elderly
Consumer complaints received by the Consumer Council rose by 5% last year, from 24,881 cases in 2017 to 26,165 cases in 2018, of which complaints against the service sectors climbed 11% to 15,453 cases, representing 59% of the total complaints, whilst complaints against goods dropped 3% to 10,712 cases, accounting for 41% of the overall complaints.
This was the first rebound in the number of complaints since 2014 triggered largely by a 3.5 times increase in vaccinations related complaints. Equally worrisome was the 5% rise in complaints about sales malpractices to 3,718 cases, which was the highest in recent years. The rapid growth of online shopping gave rise to transaction disputes, including inaccurate descriptions of goods, late deliveries, and cash-on-delivery issues with 4,982 cases recorded, representing an increase of over 1,000 cases. The increase showed that the problems arose at every stage during the online sales transaction and the situation had been deteriorating, requiring immediate attention. Besides, ever since the Council named and reprimanded 7 drugstores in 2015, coupled with the Customs and Excise Department strengthened its enforcement actions, the malpractices in the trade were generally contained. However, complaints leveled by tourists against retailers of ginseng, dried seafood delicacies and Chinese herbal medicines rose a significant 45% year on year, showing a sign of relapse of the problem.
The Council published a report last year advocating the introduction of a mandatory cooling-off period for 3 industries, namely the beauty, fitness and time share services with prepaid contracts, as well as unsolicited contracts and distance contracts so as to enhance consumer protection and reduce financial loss to consumers stemming from unscrupulous trade practices. Earlier this month, the Government published a public consultation paper on the cooling-off period. The Council is studying the proposals and will submit its views to the Government for its consideration. The Council calls on consumers and the various trade sectors to actively take part in the consultation and put forward their views in that regard.
5 Top Complaint Categories
Telecommunication services remained the trade sector attracting most complaints, with 2,796 cases recorded in 2018 but still it showed a decrease of 13% when compared with that of last year. There were fewer complaints in most areas but complaints about long-distance calls still showed an increase. The Council believes that the enhanced understanding of consumers about telecommunication services, coupled with the measures taken by the telecommunication companies to mitigate disputes arising from shocking bills should have helped reduce complaints on price dispute by 14% year on year.
Complaints against vaccination services surged rapidly last year that rendered medical services to become the second-highest complaint category. Complaints involving vaccines accounted for nearly 90% of this complaint category. The Council once again appeals to medical organisations providing vaccination services to ensure adequate supply of the vaccines before collecting payments from consumers. The Council will continue to closely monitor the situation.
Travel related complaints were the third-highest category with 2,347 complaints recorded, representing a decrease of 6% year on year. The decrease was mainly attributed to the reduction in complaints relating to air tickets and airline services. Nonetheless, there was an increase of 65% in complaints against hotels. The closure of a travel agency during the year also gave rise to dozens of complaints.
Complaints about electrical appliances ranked fourth with 1,832 cases recorded, showing an increase of 12% when compared with that of last year. Complaints increased in nearly all types of appliances, involving mainly product quality, sales practices and late delivery. Also on the rise were complaints involving some small domestic appliances, such as heaters, air purifiers and electrical sockets. Though they made up only a small fraction of the overall complaints of this category, these complaints mainly involved issues of product safety and quality which consumers must not overlook.
In the fifth place was food and entertainment services related complaints that rose by 25% to 1,464 complaints. The increase was mainly due to complaints relating to the sales of admission tickets and souvenir items of public performances that rose by 3.5 times in last year.
The upsurge in tourist complaints was due to inadequate supply of HVP vaccines to meet the demand. As the vaccines require 3 inoculations to become most effective, some service providers were unable to complete the whole course of inoculation, despite their customers had already paid the full amount for the services. As a result, the Council received over 2,000 complaints which were almost 4 times more than the previous year and accounted for almost all the increase for this complaint category.
It was noteworthy that over 90% of these vaccination related complaints were lodged by Mainland visitors that contributed mainly to the 93% rise in the overall complaints lodged by Mainland visitors. However, there were still other reasons causing such upsurge. Complaints about the purchase of ginseng and dried seafood delicacies, and Chinese herbal medicines had gone up 52% and 18% respectively, reflecting the malpractices from drugstores targeting at visitors showed an obvious sign of relapse.
The Council had named 7 drugstores/medicines shops for unscrupulous trade practices several years ago. Some of these shops subsequently closed down but other notorious traders continued to employed unscrupulous sales tactics detrimental to the interests of both visitors and local consumers. The Council has been keeping a close eye on the situation since the recent opening of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge and the High Speed Rail, as well as the consequential rise in Mainland visitors to see if visitors related complaints will continue to surge. The Council stresses that tourism is an important economy pillar of Hong Kong, so if complaints from visitors continue to rise unabated, it will not only adversely affect the local retail industry but will also tarnish the reputation of Hong Kong as a “shopping paradise”.
Online shopping has been a way of life for consumers as reflected from the complaints made with the Council. In the past year, complaints relating to online shopping increased significantly by more than 25% to 4,982 cases. As in the previous year, travel matters were the most common type of online shopping complaints, accounting for 1,349 cases or nearly 30% of the overall online shopping complaints with booking of air tickets and hotels being the most common ones. Following closely were complaints relating to food and entertainment services, which increased near a double to 404 cases of which most were mainly related to ticket sales for public performances.
Regarding the nature of the complaints, late delivery (27%) and sales practices (13%) recorded increases of over 30% and 50% respectively. Of particular concern was the continuing rise in complaints concerning cash-on-delivery payments, which rose by 115% year on year to 189 cases. Many complainants found the goods delivered were not the same brand or design as they had ordered, and there were also many complaints about discrepancies in quality and quantity. Given that customers receiving the goods had to sign before opening the package, even if they found the goods different from what they had ordered, pursuing the matter with the courier invariably proved futile. Furthermore, as the traders involved in these sorts of complaints usually promote their products on social media without providing any address or telephone number, consumers generally found it extremely hard to seek redress.
Hong Kong people love to travel so travel related complaints were on the rise in recent years. However, in last year a drop of 6% to 2,347 cases were recorded. In the year before, the upsurge in complaints was triggered by the sudden cancellation by an airline of many flights on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holidays. As there were no such incidents happened last year, complaints about air tickets and airline services dropped.
Conversely, there was an increase 166 complaints about hotel bookings of which most involved consumers arriving at their destinations to find that their booking could not be honoured due to discrepancies in the information they had provided during the booking. Consumers are reminded that in recent years there has been a proliferation of websites operating in the name of sharing economy to provide short-term lease of residential units to travelers. In some places, this kind of leasing may be illegal and in the absence of any protection for consumers, it is difficult to seek redress should any dispute arise.
Looking Back and Forward
In last April, the Council published “A Report to Advocate Mandatory Cooling-Off Period”, to which the Government has responded positively. In mid-January 2019, the Government launched a 3-month public consultation on statutory cooling-off period for beauty and fitness services consumer contracts, and is targeted to submit a Bill to the Legislative Council in 2019/20 for deliberation. The Council looks forward to the active participation of all sectors in the consultation, leading eventually to a cooling-off regime suitable to Hong Kong.
During the year under review, the Council named the beauty centre “Pretty Beauty” for a number of undesirable sales practices, including inducements to entice prospective customers to sign a contract, high-pressure sales tactics for costly treatments, misleading contract terms and charges, and even refusal to provide redress to consumers with mental incapacitation. The Council hopes that the naming sanction will effectively stop the company from engaging in these malpractices, and deter others in the industry from employing similar malpractices, and that, together with the provision of a cooling-off period, it will eradicate malpractices in the trades concerned in a long run.
3 Reports Released during the Year
In October, the Council published a report titled “Risk or Opportunity – A Study on Building an Age-friendly Consumption Environment”, pointing out that while elderly consumers have substantial consumption power, there are limited choices of products suitable to them in the market, and their diminished physiological and cognitive abilities make them susceptible to unscrupulous trade practices. The Council hopes that the findings of the report will arouse public concerns on elderly consumers, and turn the drawbacks of our ageing population into a potentially enormous opportunity for a vibrant silver hair market.
Young people are the most important human capital for the future development of Hong Kong. In June last year, the Council published a report titled “Are Students Protected? An In-depth Look Into Overseas Education Advisory Services”, which revealed that many so-called “consultants” that provided education advice services were indeed acting as the agents for overseas education institutions, so they might not truly be working on behalf of consumers to help them make the right choice. The report also uncovered the lack of information transparency in the industry, and the absence of contractual obligations for the advisory services, which greatly hampers consumers’ efforts to seek redress.
Following the Memo of Understanding signed with the Korea Consumer Agency in 2017, the Council and the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan jointly signed another memorandum of understanding to establish an information and complaints exchange mechanism that seeks to resolve consumer complaints that remain unsettled due to geographical, language or jurisdictional barriers.
The year under review also saw the publication of Issue 500 of the Council’s CHOICE magazine. To commemorate this historic occasion, the Council specially designed a time capsule containing the wishes and expectations of various strata of society and it will be unsealed upon the publication of Issue 600.
The Consumer Council Consumer Services Centre, located in Tsim Sha Tsui, was re-opened for operation in December 2018. The centre consolidates the resources of the Complaints & Advice Division by expanding the area for handling consumer complaints, and accommodating more complaint staff to boost the efficiency and capacity in complaint handling service.
The year 2019 is a milestone that marks the Council’s 45th anniversary. The Council will continue to perform its duty with tenacity and move forward with the times to resolutely safeguard consumer rights and interests. In the year ahead, the Council will continue to oversee the progress of the legislative process for the cooling-off period in a hope that the new Ordinance can be put into place and implemented to enhance consumer protection.


text:
Luxury footwear and accessories designer Paul Andrew was honored at the 2016 CFDA Awards with the Swarovski Award for Accessory Design. Monday night’s ceremony, which took place at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom, recognized the best and brightest in the fashion community.
Andrew was nominated alongside fellow designers Gigi Burris and Aurora James. The designer, who released his debut collection in 2013, recently announced he would make his first foray into men’s footwear starting this fall.
The evening’s Womenswear Designer of the Year honors went to Marc Jacobs, presented by Claire Danes. The award for Menswear Designer of the Year was presented to Thom Browne by Alexander Skarsgård. Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel for Mansur Gavriel took home the Accessory Designer of the Year Award, presented by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. Beyoncé was presented the Fashion Icon award by CFDA Chairwoman Diane von Furstenberg.


text:
The total non-oil export earnings by Nigerian exporters increased by 72.9 per cent to $987.10 million at the end of the fourth quarter last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said.
This, according to the bank, also reflected an increase of 65.6 per cent above the level in the corresponding quarter of 2011.
The CBN said this in its economic report for the fourth quarter of 2012, posted on its website Tuesday.
However, the apex bank attributed the development largely to the significant rise in the export of food, agricultural products and industrial sector during the quarter under review.
A breakdown of the proceeds in the review quarter also showed that industrial products, manufactured products, agricultural products, food products, mineral and transport earned $380.3 million, $189.5 million, $186.2 million, $168.9 million, $62.2 million, and $0.7 million respectively.
Also, the share of industrial products, manufactured products, agricultural products, food products, mineral and transport in non-oil export proceeds were 38.5 per cent, 19.2 per cent, 18.8 per cent, 17.1 per cent, 6.3 per cent and 0.1 per cent in that order.
According to the banking sector regulator, total federally-collected revenue during the fourth quarter of 2012 stood at N2.413 trillion, representing a decline of 0.4 and 13.3 per cent below the proportionate budget estimate and the level in the preceding quarter of 2012, respectively.
It also revealed that at N1.824 trillion, gross oil receipts, which constituted 75.6 per cent of the total revenue, exceeded the proportionate budget estimate and the receipts in the corresponding period of 2011 by 9.9 and 151.2 per cent, respectively, but declined by 5.8 per cent below the receipts in the preceding quarter.
The rise in oil receipts relative to the proportionate budget estimate was also attributed to the improvement in the receipts
"At N9.098 trillion, foreign assets (net) of the banking system increased by 10.1 per cent at the end of the review quarter, compared with the increase of 9.9 per cent at the end of the preceding quarter," CBN said.
The development was attributed, largely to the 16.6 per cent increase in CBN's holdings of foreign assets which more than offset the 12.2 per cent decline in Deposit Money Banks' (DMBs) holdings of foreign assets during the review period.