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In order to better address consumers needs in the growing online travel marketplace, Orbitz has named two everyday consumers, a marketing grad student and a corporate travel executive, to its Consumer Advisory Board.
Travel enthusiasts Monica Schneider, 24, a Minneapolis graduate student and Michael Hall of Milwaukee, 41, were selected from among hundreds of individuals who submitted essays describing “Why they are a perfect fit for the Orbitz Consumer Advisory Board”. Monica and Michael join the board of esteemed travel and technology experts who include:
—Con Hitchcock, well-known consumer travel advocate
—Richard Bryan, U.S. Senator (D-NV), retired, former Nevada Governor and Attorney General, “one of the Senate`s leading consumer advocates”
—Valarie D`Elia, recognized travel correspondent and broadcaster, host of “Travel with Val”
—Esther Dyson, Internet pioneer, author and Chairman of EDventure Holdings
—John Levine, author of the bestseller, The Internet for Dummies
“The Orbitz Consumer Advisory Board is a first in the industry and was created to be a touchstone to consumers,” said Jeff Katz, Orbitz chairman, CEO and president. “What better way to reach everyday travelers than to have Monica and Michael, true consumers in the marketplace, listening to what people are saying about our service and the online travel site experience.”
Advisory boards are becoming a popular resource for businesses according to Robert Calvin, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship and marketing at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. The boards provide the business with crucial perspective from the outside; in particular, a consumer board can alert the company to consumer preferences and online trends. They also can assist businesses in exploring new business options and technologies as well as providing personal and professional experience to situations that are new to members of the company`s management team.
“Orbitz is uniquely demonstrating its commitment to consumers by seeking impartial advice from travel and technology experts to create a superior travel site,” said Professor Calvin. “What is truly impressive is that Orbitz sought out and found actual consumers who are passionate about travel for the Advisory Board. Smart move considering consumers are the ones using the site, booking travel and spreading the word to friends, family and associates.”
Con Hitchcock, Chairman of the Orbitz Consumer Advisory Board, joined Jeff Katz in selecting Monica and Michael. Monica is starting graduate school this fall at the University of Minnesota, prior to this she had been working in Chicago doing marketing research and travels extensively visiting family and friends. Michael is the corporate travel manager for Johnson Controls in Milwaukee. He has lived in five countries on three continents. This, combined with “being born with itchy feet,” is what makes him an avid traveller.
Consumer Advisory Board members will meet quarterly, in person and via teleconferences, to discuss consumer feedback, site related issues, industry and online trends and consumer-oriented content. Additionally, Consumer Advisory Board members will participate in monthly email and chat room discussions with consumers to solicit ongoing feedback and report back directly to Orbitz senior management team.
Research indicates that consumers who book online search up to five websites because they are not confident that they are receiving all the available information. Reasons vary from comfort level and lack of familiarity to privacy and security. Board members will reach out to consumers to discover those key issues and work with Orbitz to develop solutions.


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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — This year’s Indiana State Fair theme is all about food, and their new creations certainly live up to it.
24-Hour News 8 took part in this year’s food tour, which featured stops at several locations across the grounds.
Those on the tour got to taste deep-fried peanut butter and jelly, Buffalo chicken gyros, and a pork burger with pineapple and peanut butter.
The dairy bar has two new items: the root beer float milkshake, along with the Mousetrap grilled cheese. The new grilled cheese sandwich features Texas toast, stuffed full of cheese.
These are just a few of the new creations fairgoers can get their hands on. “This is the year to come to the fair if you love fair food, or if you love food in general, and just want to get a better idea, just the variety of foods that are offered in the state of Indiana,” Sharon Smith, Indiana State Fair Commission communications manager, said.
But the fair’s not all about food — there’s also the new Subaru Skyride.
It’s a one-way trip that takes you across the fairgrounds. The ride costs $5 per trip and lasts seven minutes.

domain: news


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A Glimpse of The Future of Fashion at Myntra Tech Threads
In an evening full of fun, fashion, technology, culture and all things colorful, Myntra’s annual brand summit, Tech Threads, brought together over 250 leading domestic and global fashion brands to celebrate the business of fashion. The 2019 edition of Tech Threads witnessed eminent speakers discussing the future of fashion ranging from technology, evolving consumer behavior and creating supply chain efficiencies to transform fashion retail in India.
Making the evening more colorful was the fashion show and partner awards for the best brands in each category. Bollywood heartthrob and co-owner of leading activewear sports brand HRX, Hrithik Roshan created ripples with his energetic presence. He was there to launch the latest brand campaign focused on fitness for HRX.
Brand partners were given insights on how Myntra will continue to drive value by investing in a fashion specific supply chain, data-based fashion retailing and digitally powered brand building.
In his keynote address Head of Myntra Jabong, Amar Nagaram pointed out that Myntra is transforming the way India consumes fashion. He highlighted that Myntra’s unique selections, omnichannel approach, and data-driven insights are the essence of customer-centricity. The strong emotional connection that Myntra has with its customers, fashion expertise led content, and sustained engagement has transformed Myntra into the first voice of fashion in the country.
This year’s Tech Threads also saw a riot of colors through curated fashion shows for ethnic and western wear to showcase the new season collection, as well as a dance performance by Terrence Lewis, one of India’s leading choreographers.


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Intel und AMD sind die Platzhirsche wenn es um Prozessoren für Desktop-PCs, Notebooks und Netbooks geht. Smartphone-Hersteller hingegen setzen traditionell auf die ARM-Architektur. Warum das so ist, welche Prozessoren-Gruppen es aktuell gibt und wo die Unterschiede liegen, erklärt dieser Artikel. …mehr
Premium-Inhalt. Early this week, China launched an unmanned rocket--an over-1 million-pound rocket carrying the 17,817-pound spacecraft, The Shenzhou spacecraft had its rendezvous with the spacecraft on November 3. This docking marked a big step forward in space technology and travel for the Chinese.
Premium-Inhalt. On any given day, reader Stephen works with several different files in several different programs. His hassle is having to restart these programs and reload these documents every time he boots his PC:
Premium-Inhalt. The parent of Apple supplier Foxconn has broken ground on a new R&D (research and development) facility in Taiwan to produce what could be robots that will be used in the company's manufacturing facilities.
Premium-Inhalt. Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Android, is likely to ease the fragmentation of the operating system, some device executives said on Thursday.
Premium-Inhalt. Networking vendor, , has set out aggressive goals this year and is investing in more staff to help achieve its growth target.
Premium-Inhalt. Prime Minister John key is promising funding of up to $150 million over the next five years to establish a new organsiation to promote the hi tech industry.
Premium-Inhalt. The dream of Australia becoming an Asia-Pacific Cloud computing hub could become a reality, but hinges on having a well-designed regulatory and policy environment and overcoming cost challenges, a new report argues.
Premium-Inhalt. Microsoft and Google have never been BFF's, but the crew in Redmond really dialed up the trash talk against the search giant this week.
Premium-Inhalt. Just as Twitter daily users, it's and "Top People" features. When you perform a search on Twitter, it shows those items related to your search appearing above your results. Twitter hasn't rolled this out on all accounts yet (including my own), but it's something to watch for; both features will increase the .
Premium-Inhalt. As The O'Jays once so eloquently put it: "Money money money money money...monnnneyyyy." Whether it's bonuses to Apple execs, the company's new "EasyPay" retail system, a deal with another U.S. carrier, or an attempt to woo a content provider to the tablet, you can bet dollars to donuts that it's the dollars--not the donuts--that make the world go round. Those and the lasers, anyway. Oh, what the remainders for Friday, November 4, 2011 couldn't do with plenty of money and you.
Premium-Inhalt. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is to deploy a new contact centre solution to help the agency cope with an expected large increase in calls prompted in part by the launch of the carbon tax mid next year.
Premium-Inhalt. The controversy over satellite-LTE carrier LightSquared could prevent the U.S. Federal Communications Commission from filling two vacant seats if a U.S. senator follows through on a threat issued this week.
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Premium-Inhalt. This is both a triumphant and cautionary tale.
Premium-Inhalt. You didn't realize that Apple is changing its design philosophy, overhauling its entire product line and doing a massive redesign for the iPhone 5, which may actually already exist and is only waiting for decent LTE chips.
Premium-Inhalt. The robot apocalypse may not be here just yet, but we hear that phase one starts with robots that are able to climb walls. If that's the case, then we're one step closer to than I care to think about. Simon Fraser University (SFU) researchers have that can climb walls using an adhesive that mimics real gecko feet.
Premium-Inhalt. Lomo, the purveyors of Soviet-era film cameras, have already brought us of panoramas, fish eyes, burst shot action. Now they are now going into video Lomography. Meet the , a hand cranked 35-mm movie camera.
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Premium-Inhalt. This year's Telstra Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 18 was particularly significant for the telco.
Premium-Inhalt. Some Australian companies consider Cloud adoption more important than an updated information security strategy according to research conducted by consultancy firm, Ernst & Young.
Premium-Inhalt. Weekly Speller is an old-school app that does a straightforward job with spelling practice. Ron Swerdfeger created it for his own kids to use, and its bright colors and visually uncluttered look suggest that its natural audience would be children in the K-3 range. However, older students could use it, too, since the advantage with Weekly Speller is that users can add their own spelling lists to it.
Premium-Inhalt. Windows Phone 7 users who want to jailbreak their phones in a Microsoft-approved fashion can now download and install for $9.
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Premium-Inhalt. One of the things I like best about WordPress is the astonishing array of themes available to pick from. currently offers over 1,400 themes, and premium theme sites such as offer very polished themes for a reasonable fee (usually around $35). Many of these themes come with customization options, but I have yet to see one that is quite as customizable as WP PaintBrush.
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Premium-Inhalt. As tablets and smartphones are entering the workplace en masse, we on how they're handling the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend.
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Premium-Inhalt. The iPhone does many things well, but I find that it really excels at a pair of things--grabbing real-time data and letting you connect with other people. Those two strengths would seem to appeal to sports fans: After all, the only thing better than finding out that the Steelers are putting a hurting on the Patriots is to drop an instantaneous line to your buddy back in Boston, making sure he's well aware of New England's implosion.
Premium-Inhalt. Google is reportedly in early talks to offer cable television services to residents in . The new offering would be part of Google's one gigabit-per-second experimental fiber-to-home network currently being built in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and slated to go live by early 2012.
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Premium-Inhalt. Trust and corporate service company has picked Hong Kong for the building of its Asia IT hub.
Premium-Inhalt. Asia is now considered the top continent in the world for relaying over 50 percent of spam throughout the world, according to the latest research by Sophos, an IT security and data protection company.


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Frighteningly pink water dripped from the faucets of Onoway residents’ homes. Nearly 1,000 people were affected by the luminous water.
Most were unsure what to do. They didn’t know if it was poisonous or just fabulous.
Eventually, the mayor released a statement, apologizing for the mistake.
“We are still assessing what exactly happened but it appears a valve may have stuck allowing the potassium permanganate to get into our sump reservoir and thereby into the Town’s water distribution system.” -Onoway Mayor Dale Krasnow
Unlike the soda ash that turns this lake in Africa pink, potassium permanganate caused the tap water’s color. The substance is a relatively harmless additive used to remove bad taste and odors from drinking water all over the world.
(Note that a can of beer is essential to every Canadian’s morning hygiene.)
The water returned to normal within a few hours of everyone flushing their home’s water system, but residents were not amused.


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With a global television audience of about 4 billion expected for the Olympic Games being held this year in London, the UK has been busy showcasing itself as a tourism destination.
The promotional agency VisitBritain built a four-year marketing campaign around the Games. The drive, which began last year, is expected to cost more than £100 million (Dh580m).
Major sporting events provide a chance for cities and countries to promote themselves and attract more visitors. The Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix has helped to generate global exposure for the emirate, while Qatar's selection to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup has already increased global interest in the tiny country. Qatar has also put in a bid to host the Olympics in 2020.
But to reap the full tourism benefits of such events, a long-term approach is required, and a careful strategy has to be put in place, experts say.
"It's seizing the chance while we're in the world's spotlight over the summer to get us back on the map," says Chris Foy, the head of the 2012 Games unit at VisitBritain.
The tourism board's target is to generate an extra £2 billion of visitor spending by 2014 from the Games. The tourism board believes its four-year campaign around the Olympics will attract 4 million additional visitors to Britain.
The campaign includes international television advertising, street art and posters in major cities. The effort uses the Olympics as a springboard to promote Britain's tourism attributes, including its heritage, shopping opportunities and countryside.
VisitBritain has even recruited the British-Emirati film director Ali F Mostafa, best known for City of Life, as an ambassador. He has directed and produced a short film talking about his views on Britain as part of this role.
One of the key points in marketing a destination connected with the Olympics is to focus not only on the two-week event, Mr Foy says.
"The growth comes afterwards. If you look at any Olympic host country, the gains come once the Olympics, or the World Cup, or whatever big event it is, [is over], if the marketing is managed well, that is," he says. "You stand to attract more visitors afterwards rather than necessarily during the actual event.
"That's the kind of strategy we have, in effect to use the Olympics as a global advertisement for Britain. It's not just about driving visitors this year. It's about seeing a dividend in 2013 and 2014 as well."
He concedes that there have been mixed results in terms of long-term tourism benefits for countries hosting major sporting events, but he highlights some positive case studies.
"Australia really used the Sydney Olympics to really reposition the whole brand of Australia," Mr Foy says. "It had this sort of Crocodile Dundee image, slightly outdated, and they used the Games to show a very modern and a much more accessible Australia, and it put them in a much stronger position as a tourism destination after the Olympics.
The World Cup in Germany in 2006 equally changed people's minds about Germany and pictured a much more modern image of Germany."
Analysts say there are lessons for countries in this region from such approaches to the tourism marketing of major events, which should be weighed against other considerations.
"The thinking should be more strategic in nature," says Ian Michael, a professor of marketing at Zayed University in Dubai. "Studies have indicated that a tourism event - the larger the better - for example Fifa or Olympics, plays a positive role in showcasing the destination and helps in building brand awareness and eventually brand equity for that destination," Prof Michael says. "Before, during and especially after the event, the nation should showcase the destination."
But the costs of hosting these events run high.
"On the flip side, cities and nations have had to grapple with heavy debts, like Greece and South Africa [did], to create infrastructure for huge events like the Fifa World Cup and Olympics," Prof Michael says.


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Who Wore It Best? Every Jeopardy! Contestant, According to This Twitter User
Jeopardy! and fashion commentary are not often mentioned in the same breath, but the two go hand in hand for one of the show’s longtime fans: Lilly Nelson.
Since last fall, Lilly, a fabric business owner and school cafeteria worker based out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been serving up daily Jeopardy! fashion commentary, reviews, and analysis to her Twitter followers using the handle @OneEclecticMom.
As a fabric fanatic and lover of learning, Lilly has always been fascinated with unique prints and textiles, especially those that incorporate science and nature. For years, the mom of two said she would notice if a Jeopardy! contestant wore “a space print or something” during their game.
“Every once in a while somebody would wear a galaxy print shirt,” Lilly said. “I would go online to see if I could find their Twitter, to see where they got that shirt from.”
During Matt Amodio’s epic run, Lilly came across a video compilation that inspired her to create her first Jeopardy! fashion review Twitter thread.
“Glad somebody made this video of @AmodioMatt’s first 28 #Jeopardy appearances because I’ve been dying to analyze his capsule wardrobe,” Lilly tweeted.
“I had noticed he was kind of wearing a lot of the same shirts but doing it in different patterns,” Lilly explained. “So, I made a spreadsheet and a column for each shirt. I figured out how many times he wore each shirt, and I posted this on Twitter.”
At the time, Lilly did not have many followers on the social media platform, so she didn’t think much of the thread. Little did she know her tweets and posts on a popular Jeopardy! subreddit had caught the attention of several fans, contestants and Matt himself.
“Matt saw it,” Lilly recalled. “I was like ‘this is so weird, I’m paying so much attention to your clothes.’ And he was like ‘no, it’s not weird. It’s flattering.’”
While fashion commentary is often subjective, Lilly incorporates data analysis from the games into her reviews.
“It was less about how much I liked the outfit and more about how many times he had worn this outfit,” Lilly explained. “Like did he win a lot of money when he wore this outfit last time?”
On weeknights, Lilly spends about an hour taking screen grabs from the show and writing her tweets. She then compiles all the data she has gathered throughout the week and works up collages of the contestants and hosts on the weekends.
“Apparently this is a thing that people like,” Lilly said. “So, I just started doing it every day, doing the host and all three contestants. Being able to say something nice about them and what they decided to wear, and getting to know their personality by what they wore, it’s just really kind of a fun way of engaging with Jeopardy!”
Among the many player outfits she’s reviewed, there is one past contestant whose wardrobe Lilly is eager to do a deep dive in: Jeopardy! G.O.A.T. Ken Jennings.
“I’m dying to do Ken,” Lilly said. “I mean 74 straight games, there’s so much data there.”
When it comes to her favorite best dressed contestant, the title goes to 9-time winner, 2017 Tournament of Champions victor, and former guest host Buzzy Cohen.
"If we’re doing all-time, I’d have to put Buzzy Cohen at the top of my list," Lilly said. “I love when contestants make a splash with something out of the ordinary.”
As a fan of the show who has admittedly taken the Anytime Test almost every year since it became available online, Lilly has put a great deal of thought into what she would wear if she ever made it on as a contestant.
“My first outfit would probably be a galaxy print if they let me get away with it,” Lilly said. “I [also] have a really cool fabric that is a reproduction of an actual map from like the 1500s… I’d find some way to wear that, maybe under a sweater because I’m obsessed with it.”
But for now, Lilly’s Twitter account is keeping her busy. Previous contestants have even slid into Lilly’s DMs to request retroactive reviews of their outfit selections — a request that the self-proclaimed Jeopardy! fashion connoisseur is always happy to oblige.
“I did not know I was at this level of fame, but apparently I am,” Lilly jokingly said.


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SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Kia Corp., South Korea's second-biggest carmaker, said Thursday it will launch the pure electric high-performance model EV6 GT in the domestic market next week in a move to beef up its EV lineup.
The EV6 GT comes with a 77.4 kWh battery pack and can travel up to 342 kilometers on a single charge. It can accelerate from zero to 100 km in only 3.5 seconds, the company said in a statement.
The company said the EV6 GT will be the "fastest car" among passenger vehicles manufactured in the country so far.
Kia plans to release high-performance GT versions of its upcoming all-electric models to woo customers.
The EV6 GT is equipped with Hyundai Motor Group's dedicated EV platform called E-GMP. It is being sold at 72 million won (US$53 million) after tax breaks.
Other models with the E-GMP platform include the Hyundai IONIQ 5, the Kia EV6 sedan and the Genesis GV60 SUV. Hyundai Motor sells vehicles under Hyundai as well as the independent Genesis brand.
S. Korea mistakenly fires machine gun near border with N. Korea
S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases fall below 20,000 ahead of lifting of indoor mask mandate
(LEAD) N. Korea rejects alleged arms trading with Russia, warns of 'undesirable result'
(Yonhap Interview) NATO chief calls for stronger security ties with S. Korea to address China, other global challenges
Japanese teen romance film attracts 1 mln Korean viewers for 1st time in 21 yrs


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This year, UK private-sector employers are planning to give staff a basic annual pay leap of 2…
German economy dodges recession
In the final quarter of 2018, the German economy stalled, narrowly dodging recession because the fallout from global trade clashes and Brexit threatened to heavily impact a decade-long expansion in the EU’s number one economy.
GDP in Europe's leading economy was intact for the quarter, as the Federal Statistics Office informed on Thursday. By the way, a Reuters survey had foreseen a 0.1% leap.
German businesses are grappling with a decelerating global economy as well as trade clashes triggered by American leader. Moreover, there’s a high probability that the United Kingdom will abandon the European bloc in March on the terms of its withdrawal without an agreement.
With surge intact in the fourth quarter, the German economy dodged recession in the form of two or more consecutive quarters of contraction having dived by 0.2% in the third quarter.
The German economy rallied at its weakest tempo for five years last year. Surge is anticipated to dive further to 1% in 2019, and Germany experiences a budget shortfall of nearly 25 billion euros by 2023.
The fallout from the trade disputes as well as fears about Brexit are putting pressure on business confidence that keep slipping for the fifth month in a row.
Morale is also being suppressed by weaker demand for German services and goods in the euro zone, China as well as emerging markets.
Moreover, the German cabinet is concerned that technological innovation along with the acquisition of German industrial know-how by foreign, especially Chinese businesses could affect the manufacturing base on which much of Germany's prosperity is based.
The previous week, Peter Altmaier, the country’s Economy Minister told that the cabinet might take stakes in major domestic companies to avert foreign takeovers. From his point of view, such a move is required to safeguard the country’s prosperity.
The UK’s key inflation rate rallied in February, although stayed close to January's two-year minimum, assisting customers to preserve their spending power even as Brexit was still uncertain…
The Monetary policy committee of the Bank of England will vote on the level of interest rate and release its monetary policy summary on March 21, at 14:00 MT time.
Did Bitcoin manage to recover and what was the hottest news in the crypto and blockchain world? Read and find out!
On Monday, Asian stocks traded mostly higher, with Shanghai bucking the trend because centrist Emmanuel Macron fully matched opinion survey hopes and left anti-EU far-right nominee Marine Le Pen behind…
Japan's March real wages went down at the fastest pace in nearly two years, weighed by minor nominal pay lifts as well as a moderate ascend in consumer prices, thus posing a setback for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's tries to revitalize the Japanese…


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DaimlerChrysler UK is to slash its internet security costs by 25% by adopting a new security platform from Sophos.
The car company, which is responsible for the distribution, sales and marketing of Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Mitsubishi Canter, Jeep and Dodge cars in the UK, is protecting e-mail traffic at its nationwide dealerships using Sophos's new ES4000 e-mail security appliance and anti-virus and anti-spam software.
DaimlerChrysler said the solution is set to substantially reduce administrator and network overheads - saving the company an estimated 25% on operating costs within three years.
DaimlerChrysler said that with 460 retailers of its products across the country, each with a localised website that contains contact information, cyber criminals can easily access employees’ e-mail addresses.
Robert Cox, messaging service team leader at DaimlerChrysler, said, “We wanted a single-vendor solution. Sophos’s combined hardware and software products work together - requiring minimal maintenance on our part.
“Unsolicited e-mails are no longer a problem for us.”
More than 2,500 users at DaimlerChrysler are now benefiting from the deployment.
Vote for your IT greats
Who have been the most influential people in IT in the past 40 years? The greatest organisations? The best hardware and software technologies? As part of Computer Weekly’s 40th anniversary celebrations, we are asking our readers who and what has really made a difference?
Vote now at: www.computerweekly.com/ITgreats


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“Coordination and even vertical integration between manufacturers and their suppliers is driven largely by consumer demand for consistent product quality at the lowest possible price,” AMI President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle noted. “This is the way business is done today – and the meat industry is no exception.”
Although the packer ban was defeated when proposed as an amendment to the 2002 Farm Bill, the issue has attracted renewed attention for Members of Congress in both houses. In its testimony AMI detailed its rationale for opposing a measure that would undermine the many benefits both industry and consumers have enjoyed as a result of both packer control of livestock, as well as the cooperative agreements between producers, feeders and packers responsible for positive changes in product quality.
AMI argued that the industry’s transactions with its producer-suppliers are already heavily regulated.
“There is no other sector of the U.S. manufacturing or service economy in which the federal government plays such a watchdog role regarding raw material suppliers as it does with meat packing,” said Boyle said. “Yet, ironically, despite daily government oversight of our business transactions with livestock producers, we have to debate whether meat packers should receive additional scrutiny, enforcement or business restrictions in order to protect or benefit livestock producers.”
Boyle noted that the meat industry’s business practices are governed nationally by the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, the Robinson-Patman Act, the Agricultural Marketing Act and the Uniform Commercial Code, as well as the Packers and Stockyards Act that prohibits packers from engaging in unfair or deceptive business practices that disadvantage livestock suppliers.
Among the benefits of packer ownership and control of livestock are the following:
- Exponential growth in meat exports to meet the “robust global appetite for U.S. meat and poultry products.”
- Improved communications throughout the meat chain among retailers, packers and producers, resulting in clear signals from consumers back to producers, so they can deliver the type of livestock yielding the meat products most in demand.
- Increased coordination among all segments to improve herd management and optimize livestock delivery, essential components in producing a leaner, more competitive product.
- Increased use of contracting and creative risk management plans to reduce the volatility inherent to farming and ranching for livestock producers.
- Contracting options, marketing agreements and other arrangements that allow younger producers access the capital necessary to enter the livestock production business.
“Over the last three decades, Americans have benefited from increasing meat industry efficiency that has made meat more affordable, abundant, convenient and varied. Each year, consumers spend less of their disposable income on meat and poultry. Today, that number stands at 1.9 percent, compared to 4.1 percent in 1970. This is a trend of which we are proud – and one that provides consumers a distinct benefit. We should not rush to undo the foundations of this success without understanding the ramifications for everyone involved,” said Boyle.
AMI represents the interests of packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal and turkey products and their suppliers throughout North America. Together, AMI's members produce 95 percent of the beef, pork, lamb and veal products and 70 percent of the turkey products in the U.S. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute provides legislative, regulatory, public relations, technical, scientific and educational services to the industry. Its affiliate, the AMI Foundation, is a separate 501(c)3 organization that conducts research, education and information projects for the industry.


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With an expansive botanical backdrop in Doha’s historic ‘oasis’ district, Al Messila is visually dramatic and equally inspiring.
Sensei x Four Seasons‘ new all-inclusive hotel will focus exclusively on wellness retreats. Today’s luxury traveller wants: an
An increasing number of travelers are seeking to unwind by connecting to nature while enjoying luxury: Glamping Market
Demand for ‘healing’ crystals is soaring – but many are mined in deadly conditions in one of the world’s poorest countries. And there is little evidence that this billion-dollar industry is cleaning up its act.
By Tess McClure
Six Senses, one of the world’s leading operators of luxury hotels, resorts and spas, is daydreaming about the
Talise Spa, the luxurious wellness retreat at Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa. There are few sights and


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Some parents are also annoyed at the lack of information that is available. However, we decided to take a look at the Similac website, and it seems as though they have now started to offer more information on this worrying recall.
According to one article on KCCI Des Monies, one parent noticed that her five-month old child was having issues his tummy.
We are not certain how much truth there is to this report, as Abbott has said in the past that they have not had any reports of illnesses due to their Similac formula.
For those of you who are worried if your baby formula is affected by the recall, Alan Ng has given information on how you can download the lot numbers. When the recall was first announced the Similac Lot Numbers page faced huge demand and crashed, but things are now up and running.See also:


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In a couple of months from now, Manchester’s The 1975 will be releasing their third record, ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’, which is one of the most anticipated releases of 2018.
Alongside the pre-orders for the release becoming available, the band have also announced dates of a headline tour across the UK in January to kickstart their 2019.
You can find all of the band’s forthcoming UK tour dates listed below.
JANUARY 10 – DUBLIN, 3Arena
JANUARY 12 – GLASGOW, SSE Hydro
JANUARY 14 – CARDIFF, Motorpoint Arena
JANUARY 16 – BRIGHTON, The Centre
JANUARY 18 – LONDON, The O2
JANUARY 21 – EXETER, Westpoint
JANUARY 23 – BIRMINGHAM, Arena
JANUARY 24 – MANCHESTER, Arena
JANUARY 25 – SHEFFIELD, FlyDSA Arena
Tickets for all dates of the tour are on pre-sale from September 18th 2018 for those who pre-order the band’s forthcoming album ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’ from the band’s official website (here) before 12:00PM on that date.
Tickets will then go on general sale from 9:00AM on September 21st 2018 and can be purchased online from the band’s official website (here).
The band’s new album, ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’, is out on November 30th 2018 through Dirty Hit Records/Polydor Records.


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Just a quick reminder about upcoming free webinars this April, a benefit of being an EHS Daily Advisor subscriber. Here is a round-up of this month’s events.
Tag: Free Webinar
September is National Preparedness Month. This month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is encouraging businesses and individuals to make a plan for staying safe during different types of emergencies. Today we’ll look at FEMA’s recommendations for facing a power outage. When the power’s out, your business and your workers may face hazards that they […]
Small businesses accounted for more than 60 percent of net new jobs created between 1993 and mid-2013 in the United States. In recent years, very small firms—those in the 20- to 499-employee category—have led job creation. But they face compliance challenges. Here are some resources that can help small businesses play up. The primary challenge […]
Small business fuels the American economy. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) defines a “small business” as an independent company with fewer than 500 employees. According to the SBA, there are about 28 million such companies, which represent about 49 percent of private sector employment. Being a small business shouldn’t keep you from thinking big […]


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By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
A lack of coordination with meat packers is often a bigger barrier to success for "local" livestock producers than insufficient slaughter capacity, a new study finds.
Small livestock producers hoping to sell their meat locally often see a dearth of nearby slaughterhouses as a major obstacle, but they often don't generate enough animals to justify new facilities, according to the USDA study.
Even a very small, 2,000-square-foot slaughter plant with limited services would need to process about 460 cattle a year just to break even, the study said.
Since poultry slaughter generates less revenue, that would be the equivalent of about 77,000 birds a year, the study said.
Unless a facility can count on local farmers to supply such numbers of livestock on a consistent basis, it won't pencil out economically, said Lauren Gwin, a research associate at Oregon State University and one of the study's authors.
"These are complicated manufacturing facilities, even the small ones," Gwin said.
Processors may also face the problem of being overrun by demand during certain seasons, when many local farmers have animals ready for slaughter, but then not enough to cover costs during slow months, the report said.
With uneven cash flow, it's hard for processors to justify employing skilled laborers year-round, which can diminish the quality or type of services they can offer to producers, the study said.
Gwin said she hopes the study will serve as a "reality check" about the viability of slaughterhouses and offer ideas about how to improve the relationship between farmers and processors.
The report includes case studies of several successful processors from across the U.S. and finds that many share similarities, such as having "anchor" customers who provide a steady supply of livestock through the year.
In some cases, processors become their own "anchor" clients, by buying livestock, processing it and selling the meat under their own brands, the report said.
Scheduling is also crucial, said Gwin.
The Island Grown Farmers Cooperative in Washington is mostly known for its mobile slaughter unit, but the key to its successful system is cooperation among farmers to keep the facility busy, she said.
"They make it work year after year," Gwin said.
Distance to slaughter is seen as an impediment for farmers, but the realistic solution may be aggregation of livestock and better communication among farmers, rather than new slaughter facilities, she said.
Farmers can arrange to pool resources to ship livestock and pick up meat at one time, instead of everybody performing such tasks independently of one another, Gwin said.
"It takes a lot of organizing, but it can be done," she said.
To read the USDA study, go online to www.ers.usda.gov, then click on the "Publications" link at the top of the page. Open the file named "Local Meat and Poultry Processing: The Importance of Business Commitments for Long-Term Viability."


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Swift expressed unhappiness about Fey and co-host Amy Poehler in interview
Jason Bateman previews what's in store for hapless family head
Director was addressing use of the slur in 'Django Unchained'
Actress gets personal in accepting lifetime achievement award
The stars' style choices at the film and television gala
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler deliver as co-hosts
The awards show's best, worst and weirdest incidents over the years
Appearance will be her first since giving birth last fall


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The Fixed Point event trailer is out now – what does it mean for the Dolls?
Day: January 6, 2023
The Genshin Impact 3.4 update is coming soon, but what’s new?
Razer and Verizon have just announced that the exciting Edge Handheld is due to hit the shelves very shortly. The Razer Edge 5G release date is set for… Continue reading
Are you looking for the best Android PS2 emulator? Good news, we spent two hours writing this up!
Want to play Nintendo Switch games on mobile? This is how.


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It’s no surprise that the treatments performed most by dermatologic surgeons have some of the highest satisfaction ratings.
Rolling Meadows, IL (PRWEB) October 01, 2013
Consumers prefer dermatologists over other physicians when seeking a cosmetic procedure and specifically choose dermatologic surgeons in nine of 10 treatment categories, according to survey data from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
The first-ever ASDS Consumer Survey on Cosmetic Dermatologic Procedures asked more than 6,300 consumers in a blind online survey for their opinions on cosmetic treatments in general and ratings for 10 specific procedures – from wrinkle-relaxing injections and body sculpting to laser hair removal.
Consumers say they prefer dermatologists over other physicians for wrinkle-relaxing injections; injectable fillers; chemical peels; microdermabrasion; varicose and spider veins; laser hair and tattoo removal; and various ultrasound, laser, light and radiofrequency treatments.
Only in body sculpting procedures did consumers list a preference for another medical specialty – in this case, plastic and cosmetic surgeons – over dermatologists. ASDS members, however, have pioneered and/or specialize in several minimally invasive body sculpting procedures such as tumescent liposuction, cryolipolysis and laserlipoysis.
Consumers also say they prefer dermatologic surgeons to dermatologists in nine of the 10 procedure categories. Laser hair removal – the only treatment category dermatologic surgeons were not the top choice – was performed more often by spa personnel, office staff and other physicians and also had the lowest satisfaction rate of all 10 procedures.
“Consumers know what we’ve been saying all along – ASDS members are the skin experts,” said ASDS President Timothy C. Flynn, M.D. “A non-invasive procedure is still a procedure and should only be performed by a properly qualified and trained dermatologic surgeon. It’s no surprise that the treatments performed most by dermatologic surgeons have some of the highest satisfaction ratings.”
The ASDS Consumer Survey’s findings echo those of a study published in the September issue of Dermatologic Surgery that examined 16 years of cosmetic procedure data. The study determined that not only are minimally invasive cosmetic procedures in greater demand than ever, but also that dermatologists are performing an increasing share of them.
Researchers found that from 1995 to 2010, consumers underwent an estimated 35.5 million cosmetic procedures (an average of 2.2 million per year), running the gamut of available treatments – from wrinkle-relaxing injections to major plastic surgery procedures to chemical peels. Dermatologists performed 12 million cosmetic treatments in that timeframe, with another significant portion of the total identified as plastic surgery procedures.
The type of cosmetic procedures being performed also has changed. Wrinkle-relaxing injections have experienced the most growth, increasing from 2 percent early in the study period to nearly half (49 percent) of all treatments in 2007, researchers reported in “Cosmetic Procedures Performed in the United States: A 16-Year Analysis.”
Increasing consumer demand for cosmetic procedures and the wider spectrum of physician and non-physician personnel performing them, however, raise important training and safety implications, the researchers suggested. While patients typically consider “minimally invasive” cosmetic procedures as having less discomfort, adverse side effects and down time, this is only true when the procedure is performed or supervised by an experienced physician, the researchers said.
The ASDS Consumer Survey found its own evidence of increasing consumer demand, reporting that three in 10 respondents are considering undergoing a cosmetic treatment.
“Today’s patients are very consumer savvy,” Dr. Flynn said. “Not only are they increasingly seeking cosmetic treatments to reverse the aging process, but they are choosing the training and experience of ASDS members to perform those procedures.”
About the ASDS
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) is the largest specialty organization exclusively representing dermatologic surgeons who have unique training and experience to treat the health, function and beauty of the skin. ASDS members are pioneers in the field. Many are involved in the clinical studies that bring popular treatments to revitalize skin and fill and diminish wrinkles to the forefront. Their work has helped create and enhance many of the devices that remove blemishes, hair and fat, and tighten skin. ASDS members also are experts in skin cancer prevention, detection and treatment. As the incidence of skin cancer rises, ASDS members are committed to taking steps to minimize the life-threatening effects of this disease. For more information, visit asds.net.


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One of the biggest problems in developing hybrid cars is the pesky lithium ion battery. The technical problems associated with the Li-Ion battery have plagued manufacturers almost forever – whether it’s vendors selling notebooks or car companies attempting to green the planet.
Fuel cells held out a lot of promise but the hype surrounding these cunning devices has clouded the fact that they’re not really that viable for many applications.
Even mighty chip firm Intel has got all hot and bothered about Li-Ion batteries and fuel cells from time to time.
Now Hitachi – motto Inspire the Next – has come up with an idea which may turn the Li-Ion battery into a real cool cat.
According to Nikkei, Hitachi has created a Li-Ion battery with an output per kilogram of 4,500 watts. That’s 70 percent more than the batteries it’s currently churning out, and 50 percent more than a battery it will mass manufacture next year.
When can we expect to see this new and improved Li-Ion? Sometime after 2010, Hitachi promises.
The other good thing is that the battery will last 10 years, so will keep pace with the anticipated life of a hybrid car.


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This story appeared in Bank Digest.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proposing new federal consumer protections for the prepaid market. The proposal would require prepaid companies to limit consumers' losses when funds are stolen or cards are lost, investigate and resolve errors, provide easy and free access to account information, and adhere to credit card protections if a credit product is offered in connection with a prepaid account. The bureau is also proposing new "Know Before You Owe" prepaid disclosures that would provide consumers with clear information about the costs and risks of prepaid products upfront.
"Consumers are increasingly relying on prepaid products to make purchases and access funds, but they are not guaranteed the same protections or disclosures as traditional bank accounts," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. "Our proposal would close the loopholes in this market and ensure prepaid consumers are protected whether they are swiping a card, scanning their smartphone, or sending a payment."


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Eka Software Solutions, a leading provider of Commodity Trading and Risk Management software, has been listed in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India 2010 and Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific 2010 for the second year in a row. This is the second recognition of Eka’s powerful revenue growth and market success in the last several weeks, following Eka’s ranking on the India Fast Growth 25 by AllWorld Network.
The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India, a pre-eminent technology awards program, is a ranking of India’s 50 fastest-growing technology companies based on percentage revenue growth over three years. Now in its sixth year, the Technology Fast 50 India designation is sought by leading technology companies across India. It is the region’s most objective industry-ranking standard focusing on the technology field. It recognizes the effort and dedication of companies in all areas of technology, including information technology, “green tech”, telecommunications and biotechnology. Both public and private companies are considered for the list.
All eligible nominations in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India 2010 program automatically qualify for inclusion in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific 2010 program, which recognizes the 500 fastest growing technology companies in Asia Pacific.
“The Deloitte Tech Fast 50 India program has become a benchmark in the industry and these rankings help build credibility and attract potential business partners for the organizations featured in this list. I would like to congratulate this year’s winning companies. Like last year, the Software segment continues to be the top contributor but Internet and Media & Entertainment sectors have emerged as key sectors which have exhibited impressive growth compared to the previous year. Strictly going by the results we have witnessed this year, we may say that with the customers globally moving towards collaboration and infrastructure light models, a new breed of technology providers empowered by web2.0 & cloud-based services and 3G applications are emerging as a force to reckon with in India as well.” said P. N. Sudarshan, Senior Director, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Private Limited (DTTIPL).
“We are extremely honored and delighted to receive this recognition a second time in a row; Deloitte’s recognition is highly prestigious for technology companies. The industry recognition given to us is truly a result of the dedication and commitment of the Eka team and a testimony of our business model which is based on our domain knowledge and technology expertise in the Commodity Trading & Risk Management segment.” said Manav Garg, Founder & CEO, Eka Software Solutions.
About Eka Software Solutions
Eka Software Solutions is a market leader in software for global commodity markets. Our products and services help companies that buy, sell or trade commodities, manage the challenges of volatile markets and 24×7 global operations more efficiently. We do this by providing our customers best-of-breed functionality for physical trading, risk management, logistics, inventory, finance, compliance and business intelligence.We see ourselves as partners in our customer’s growth, working with them to improve operational control, increase profitability, accelerate growth and manage risks and exposures. This fact is aptly showcased with NASSCOM recognizing Eka in their EMERGE 10 list for 2009.
Today, Eka is a 200+ member strong team with offices in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Our clients, including leading names like Louis Dreyfus, Noble, Australia Wheat Board and CHS Inc,, are located across the world.
For more information please visit www.ekaplus.com


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The latest viral from Aussie underwear brand Teamm8. What a Feeling.
The Teamm8 Facebook page has been removed, again. This time the guys were up to 20,000 fans! Maybe their latest video had something to do with it, again…
Teamm8 are back on Facebook again – for how long though?
The latest new viral from Teamm8 Australia.
It was too hot for Facebook, and they censored it. Man Crush is, of course, aimed at the adult market. Here you go.


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Ford has shown off its latest electric vehicle, a compact SUV for the European market that wears a familiar nameplate. It’s called Explorer, and this new EV is based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform.
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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE release date, design: New leak reveals 5 color options ahead of rumored summer launch
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is one of the remaining mid-range phones anticipated to launch this year. While the South Korean tech giant has yet to officially confirm its release, the device has been appearing in many leaks that tech fans are convinced it is, indeed, in the pipeline.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE design and color options appear in new leak
Long-time reliable leaker Evan Blass shared a render of the Galaxy S21 FE, showing that the device would be released in five color options. Samsung likes to play with the names of its devices' color variants, but the leak does not mention them yet.
The new leak shows the Galaxy S21 FE would be released in light navy green, white, black, dark blue, and light violet. The image Blass shared also offers a peek at the upcoming device’s top, bottom, and side views. While the rear-facing camera bump looks similar to the premium Galaxy S21 series, the sides of the device suggest the FE version will not feature the Contour Cut camera.
Fans can recall that an earlier leak from another notable tipster, OnLeaks, has hinted at the Galaxy S21 FE having a conventional form factor. Despite the camera bump's new design, it appears to be attached to the back cover of the device instead of being a part of the main chassis.
The bezels on the display also look thinner than last year’s Galaxy S20 FE, but it remains to be seen if the actual Galaxy S21 FE sport this change. There is also no visible fingerprint scanner on any part of the device, suggesting that Samsung could bring back optical under-display sensor. A hole-punch selfie camera appears in its familiar location, while a USB-C port is placed at the bottom of the device.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE specs, release date: What to expect
The technical specifications of the Galaxy S21 FE are still mostly under wraps. It was reported last April that the upcoming phone will have the same battery capacity as its predecessor, which was 4500mAh. It is then possible that other battery-related features, such as 25W fast wired charging and 15W fast wireless charging to be included in the device.
Samsung is expected to host a summer Galaxy Unpacked event in August, where the Galaxy S21 FE could be announced. If other leaks were accurate, the device may launch alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3.


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Healthy December Sales = Best Year Ever
January 7, 2008 — A healthy 4,646 sales in December propelled 2007 sales to a record setting 93,193 sales, TREB President Maureen O’Neill announced today. “Year-end sales are up 12 per cent over last year and up 11 per cent over the 84,145 recorded during 2005, the Toronto market’s previous best-ever annual performance.”
On a year-over-year basis, prices rose seven per cent to $376,236 from last year’s $351,941. The annual time-on-market figure stood at 32 days versus 2006’s figure of 34 days, meaning that over the course of the past two years it has taken homes within the GTA barely a month to sell on average.
Breaking down the total, 1,756 sales were reported in TREB’s 28 West districts and averaged $357,711; 1,057 sales were reported in the 14 Central districts and averaged $531,366; 771 sales were reported in the 23 North districts and averaged $420,508; and 1,062 sales were reported in TREB’s 21 East districts and averaged $302,113.
City of Toronto
The City of Toronto (E-1 to E-11, W-1 to W-10, and C-1 to C-15) recorded 39,052 sales in 2007, up 13 per cent over the 34,404 recorded in the previous year. Prices averaged $415,041, up 10 per cent over 2006.
Source: TREB (Toronto Real Estate Board)


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News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services.
PS5 warning that only few game on £450 console as HUGE download sizes revealed
Fury as Amazon warns your PS5 and Xbox Series X pre-orders may arrive LATE
PS5 vs Xbox Series X ultimate showdown – which console is BEST for you?
Sony says more PS5 pre-orders will go live this week after launch day chaos
PS5 sold out almost EVERYWHERE – here's where you might still get one today
Will there be more PS5 pre-orders? Sony's latest console sells out in minutes
PS5 price LEAKED as fears of shortage for next-gen console grow
Best Black Friday Phone Deals 2020: What To Look Out For
You can get two FREE PS4 games this month – including Street Fighter 5 and PUBG
PS5 'will cost £450' – but there's a cheaper version on the way
Sony’s WH-1000XM3 headphones are £110 OFF – £120 cheaper than the XM4
Sony to road test self-driving car that goes from 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds
Sony creates first 'PS5 TV' with 8K and 120fps screens for next-gen gaming
PS4 owners can get FREE games to keep forever this month – including Call of Duty
Huge PS4 summer sale slashes price of games – including Resident Evil and Hitman


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Apple and Qualcomm head to court in San Diego Monday, in what could be one of the biggest US corporate lawsuits
Apple Chief Executivr Tim Cook is expected to give testimony in a four-week trial in a federal court in which the iPhone maker and four companies in its supply chain are suing Qualcomm for up to $27bn in damages for overcharged chip royalties.
Qualcomm, which has denied wrongdoing, is seeking at least $7bn in back-payments from Apple and its suppliers in addition to billions in damages.
The San Diego trial is the centrepiece of a lengthy dispute between the two companies that has sprawled across the US, China and Europe and may affect Apple’s ability to launch a mobile phone equipped for 5G, the next generation of mobile internet.
For Qualcomm, it “stands to shape the future of their business”, but it could also weaken Apple’s “bargaining power” and cost the iPhone maker billions.
The dispute began in 2017 after Apple told its manufacturers — who paid Qualcomm royalties and were reimbursed by Apple — to stop paying the chipmaker, on grounds that prices were too high. Apple and its suppliers argued that Qualcomm overcharged for royalties since 2013 and that the high fees on each phone containing its chips represented anti-competitive gouging.
Apple is also seeking $1bn in rebates it says Qualcomm withheld after a series of competition regulators opened investigations into its business model, and about $2bn in restitution for royalties.
The outcome of the trial is particularly significant for Qualcomm’s licensing business, which generated 64 per cent of the company’s total earnings before tax in 2018 on less than a quarter of total sales. If the case tips in Apple’s favour, other Qualcomm licensees are likely to question the rates they are paying, and the “future of the business model” could come under pressure.
Qualcomm’s share price has been volatile since 2016, as investors have grappled with uncertainty and declining licensing revenues prompted by the dispute. Potential damages alone could be more than four times the $5.7bn Qualcomm generated in net income in 2016.
If Apple wins on its licensing claims, that segment of Qualcomm’s business “would remain profitable.” Qualcomm might also face a “short-term hit” from having to repay licence fees.
But there are high stakes for Apple: it may be forced to pay hefty back-payments, while the dispute with Qualcomm has left it reliant on Intel, which has yet to release a 5G chip. If Apple’s 5G iPhone is delayed beyond its planned 2020 release, it may fall further behind in China in particular.
As the number one patent licenser by revenue worldwide, some of Qualcomm’s cellular IP is included in chips made by its rivals — which phonemakers must pay for. A win for Apple in San Diego could make it easier and cheaper to license Qualcomm’s technology and have a “pro-competitive impact on the industry as a whole”. That would be a boost to Apple if it wanted to design its own chips.


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As India gears up for an e-commerce revolution, China reveals how the explosive growth of this industry has created young millionaires whose success has lured millions more sellers online.
At a few minutes to 9 o’ clock on the night of November 10 last year, Shi Gengji, the 23-year-old son of a farmer in Yiwu, a trading town in JiangsuProvince an hour-and-a-half by train from Shanghai, posted a photograph of his personal shrine on Wechat.
In the picture, plates of fruit, sweets, cans of Redbull, and a pyramid of instant noodles were placed before a portrait of Jack Ma, billionaire founder of the e-commerce giant Alibaba and China’s richest man.
“God father, please bless me. We are fighting through the night to be famous overnight,” read the scrolls emblazoned above Ma’s portrait. The photo caption spelt out Shi Gengji’s task, “Will the sales volume of Singles Day match even half of last year?”
November 11, or Singles Day, is China’s answer to Valentine’s Day — except the Chinese version celebrates singlehood. In 2009, Alibaba copyrighted the term “Double 11”, and turned it into a spectacular celebration of online commerce. Shi specialises in selling garments and Singles Day, for millions of traders like him, is a make or break moment.
India’s e-commerce companies have learnt from Alibaba. This October, Amazon and Flipkart announced rival shopping festivals, pitting the former’s “Great Indian Festival Sale” against the latter’s “Big Billion Sale”. A fortnight later, Amazon announced a second round with the “Great Indian Diwali Sale”.
If Flipkart sold stuff worth about $300 million during the five-day Big Billion Sale, Alibaba processed merchandise worth $2 billion in the first hour and 11 minutes of 11/11 last year. The company cleared $9 billion when sales closed at 11 pm.
As India gears up for an e-commerce revolution, China reveals how the explosive growth of this industry has created young millionaires like Shi whose success has lured millions more sellers online. In 2014, the Alibaba group had over 350 million active users.
Shi’s WeChat suggests he did very well on Singles Day. In December he posted a screenshot from AliPay, Alibaba’s money transfer app, disclosing he had spent a little over 1.4 million RMB (approximately Rs 1.4 crore), with an ironic caption, “The Alipay of other people makes money, mine only spends money.”
There are photos of him trying on a Rolex and an Omega, captioned “Friends, does this suit me?” and of the keys to a new black Mercedes SUV. In May this year, he posted a photograph of American Express’s famed Centurion credit card with a concise and evocative caption, “There is no ceiling.”
In the first quarter of 2015, Chinese customers spent 631 billion RMB (Rs 6,31,000 crore) on online purchases — a 41 per cent increase over sales in the corresponding period last year.
This expansion is in stark contrast to sectors like real estate, manufacturing and exports. China’s leadership has called for a “rebalancing” of the economy away from manufacturing and towards consumption by Chinese consumers. E-commerce, they hope, shall accelerate this process.
E-retail in China is an unruly bazaar for everything from clothes and electronics, to live scorpions, soap made from human breast milk, and boxes of peaches — each fruit wearing a tiny pair of lace panties.
Three giant conglomerates — Alibaba, JD.com, and Tencent — continuously offer different ways to buy and sell. Each new service attracts thousands of young people who set up online stores in the hope of making handsome profits.
Tencent’s WeChat, for instance, is a mash-up of Whatsapp, Facebook, and Uber, with a Paypal-like money transfer service thrown in for instant trading.
Yet, as sellers flood the market, profit margins wither away until the next wave of innovation creates a retail channel. In the late 2000s, for instance, sellers claim profit margins on Taobao, Alibaba’s consumer-to-consumer platform, were as high as 30 per cent. Today, margins are between 10 and 15 per cent.
Yet, Shi, the young trader from Yiwu, is convinced there is still money to be made online. He has his hopes set on AliExpress, Alibaba’s new platform for small Chinese sellers seeking buyers abroad.
“The right choice of product and platform at the right time is more important than effort,” he said when we met in Yiwu. “AliExpress is like the Taobao of 10 years ago.”
Shi recalled he was watching TV one day when he chanced upon a lecture by Jia Shaohua, a professor at the state-run Yiwu Industrial and Commercial College who introduced the country’s first three-year e-commerce entrepreneurship programme. “I decided to study in his college.”
“If a school can only create employees, then it is a shame,” said Jia when we met in his office, “We need to create entrepreneurs who can create jobs for others.” E-commerce, Jia said, let students run their businesses out of their rooms with very little investment.
“Initially, Alibaba was only meant for large buyers and sellers,” Jia said, “Then Taobao came along, and our students could set up a business with as little as 200 yuan (Rs 2,000).”
In 2014, Alibaba group said online merchants like Jia’s students employed 9.7 million people, while logistics, marketing, consulting, operations outsourcing, and other professions employ another two million. JD.com claims to employ almost 50,000 warehousing and delivery people.
While these numbers are impressive, analysts caution it is too early to judge if e-commerce is creating new wealth or directing surplus production from China’s factories to its vast hinterland.
“The backbone of e-commerce is a logistics and distribution network that requires quite a sizable work force of couriers, programmers,” says Robyn Mak, an analyst who tracks the sector for Reuters Breaking Views, but the workforce is still too small to have a significant direct effect in raising wages and consumption.
“I think more likely e-commerce is greasing the wheels for consumption [by] making it easier to buy things like iPhones.”
Data from 266 cities, compiled by consultancy firm McKinsey, suggests that in 2011, e-retail may have increased household consumption by about 2 per cent. The increase in purchasing, the report said, was most evident in smaller towns where a wide assortment of products was not available in brick and mortar stores.
The e-commerce department in Jia’s college is housed in a grey non-descript building of classrooms, warehouses, and dispatch centres. In one room, a young man prepared to ship an $8 bikini to Brazil and $12 worth of “Grizzly Brand” grip tape for a skateboarder in the United States. In another, students worked feverishly on battered desktops to process orders from around the world.
Chinese online stores have a chat window to connect potential buyers with sellers, so all students learn business English, a course designed for the precise phraseology of global commerce: “Dear Friend, please specify the correct size and colour of the coat.”
Whiteboards in each room are scribbled with graphs and sales figures, and teachers introduce students by their sales performance. “This is Qui Kaixuan, he is 21 years old,” a teacher said of a tall, shy, young man, “Last month, his team made a profit of 70,000 RMB (Rs 7 lakh) selling car accessories.”
“Most schools want students to spend time in class; we want our students to grow their business,” Jia explained, “If a student gets a “Crown” seller rating on Alibaba, he is exempt from three courses.”
Shi Gengji, who was one of Jia’s star students, started by making daily trips to Yiwu’s Futian market — a vast, air conditioned labyrinth of 80,000 shops selling over 2 million different products. Buyers can source anything from oil paintings — bought by the container load for hotel lobbies around the world — to tiny USB-powered table fans that can be plugged into laptops to keep your fingers cool as your type.
The biggest challenge is selecting products on the cusp of going viral: trendy enough to create demand, but not so popular that the market is flooded with cheap, low-margin, varieties.
Alibaba rates its sellers on product quality and timely delivery, so it is important to keep stock to quickly capitalise on a passing fad. But sudden changes in fashion can bankrupt a seller stranded with stocks of unsellable items.
Shi resolved this inventory conundrum by offering to set up online shops for factories for a commission of between 5 and 8 per cent of their sales. This way, he doesn’t have to invest in buying his own stock.
At present, he runs accounts for six garment factories, including one manufacturing faux fur, in which he is a part investor. He employs over 100 people and his factory tailors its product mix to data from online sales.
“Sixty per cent of our customers are in China, the rest are across the world,” he said.
The better Jia Shaohua trains his students, the harder it is for each student to make money. Independent research says the number of active sellers in China’s e-commerce sector has reduced from 11.22 million in 2013 to 9.18 million in 2014 — suggesting that sellers are exiting the market faster than new ones are entering it. Young millionaires like Shi Gengji are clearly outliers in a market place where many are struggling.
“Only a third of the traders make good money,” says Xie Xu, a former graphic designer who set up his online store in 2009, “Taobao’s search engine places a lot of emphasis on sales, so each new shop tries to increase its sales by selling at a loss.”
Shop-owners treat these losses as advertising expenses and hope to raise prices when sales pick up. “But by then another new shop has opened, and is selling at even lower prices.”A surplus of sellers suits Alibaba, as the company charges merchants to advertise on its homepage, but news reports suggest the number of profitable stores on Taobao could be as low as between 3 and 10 per cent.
Initially, Xie and his wife had hardly any money, so they turned their living room into an office and their spare bedroom into a warehouse. To save money on models and advertising, Xie took photographs of his wife and daughter, nicknamed Baby Taotao, posing with different products.
“Some products cost less than a yuan. We made a little money on the shipping charges,” he laughed, “But your first priority is to show sales volume.”
In 2011, Xie decided to sell hats with a minimum price of 60 RMB (Rs 600), and gradually created a loyal client base for the 300 different types of hats on offer. In his new office-cum-warehouse on the outskirts of Yiwu, bonnets, bowlers, pork pies, trilbies, fedoras and panamas, are stacked on metal shelves arranged around a cluttered table and a set of photography lights.
Last year, he dismissed his only two employees to run the business with his young niece. He works till past midnight, and his wife has resumed working with a company to provide the family a stable income. “With so many stores, the only way to find buyers is to spend almost half your earnings on advertising on Taobao,” Xie said, “Obviously that affects your profit.”
This summer, Jia Shaohua and Shi Gengji addressed a crowd of government officials eager to replicate Yiwu’s e-commerce experiment in their own provinces.
Jia said Taobao had become too crowded to make money, but alerted his audience to the next big thing — WeChat.
WeChat, he said, was like atomic fission — each person advertised his products to his friends, who told their friends in an ever-expanding web for profit.
He spoke of a student who used his WeChat wall to organise a “Cute Baby Competition” that attracted thousands of followers who sent pictures of their babies. Now the student charges businesses to advertise through his account.
“I recently shared an article on my WeChat,” Jia said, “Teachers shared it, and so did their students. The article was shared 4 million times. Imagine a business that gets 1 Yuan from each share – that’s 4 million right there.”
Jia paused, and the crowd burst into rapturous applause.


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Rising Demand for EVs Will Disrupt Auto Manufacturing
The electric vehicle industry is expanding at a rapid pace. Growing consumer demand, investment from major automakers and improved EV infrastructure contributed to a record year for EV sales in 2021. It’s expected that 3.5 million vehicles will be sold this year compared to just 2.2 million in 2020.
While it’s hard to predict future sales numbers, many major firms forecast that EV sales will soon make up a significant portion of the auto market. This growth of EV demand is likely to significantly impact how cars are made and sold.
The most significant transformations are likely to happen in factories, where the differences between EV and ICE vehicles could reshape workflows and drastically reduce labor hours.
EV Simplicity Could Radically Transform Auto Manufacturing
Mechanically, EVs are much simpler than conventional vehicles. They do away with fuel engines, gas tanks and fuel injectors. They do not need valve train transmissions. Alternators and starters are replaced by AC/DC converters that down-step current from the main battery to keep the vehicle’s 12-volt lead-acid battery charged.
The implications of this change haven’t gone unnoticed by prominent industry organizations. In late 2019, United Auto Workers released a 44-page report on “the coming EV powertrain disruption” and the potential implications of a shift toward electric vehicle production.
To quote the report, “EVs are not simply a shift in consumer preference. They are a complete shift in the way we power vehicles. This could have disruptive implications for where and under what conditions vehicles are made.”
According to the report’s authors, the relative simplicity of electric vehicles is likely to reduce the labor hours necessary to manufacture new cars.
Existing employment in engines, transmissions, exhaust systems and fuel systems could be replaced by positions in batteries, electric motors, thermal management systems and crucial electronic components, like semiconductors. Training may be necessary to prepare workers for this changeover. Demand for existing skill sets may fall rapidly while demand for new ones quickly outpaces labor supply.
Safety practices at manufacturing sites may also need to change. High-voltage systems present new safety threats that manufacturers will need to account for. Employees may also require additional training in how to operate and work around high-voltage EV systems safely.
The amount of energy EV batteries can store may create problems in other ways, as well. When lithium-ion batteries ignite, they burn at extraordinarily high temperatures and can often be unpredictable. In tests conducted by the National Fire Protection Agency, battery fires required large amounts of water to put out and would sometimes reignite after being apparently extinguished. In one test, a lithium-ion battery fire ignited again 22 hours after being extinguished.
Battery fires at manufacturing plants are rare but have happened in the past. In 2013, Mitsubishi paused production of its all-electric i-MiEV hatchback after a battery fire at a Japanese manufacturing plant.
As EV production accelerates, manufacturers may need to adopt more sophisticated fire suppression systems capable of handling the intense flames li-ion batteries can produce.
Automaker Investment in EVs
It’s not clear when this transformation will truly begin to take place. A recent IHS Market report predicts that EVs will be 10% of the U.S. auto market by 2025. In some parts of the country — like San Francisco — EVs already account for more than 10% of auto sales.
Adoption seems to be accelerating. Earlier predictions by the Center for Automotive Research and other firms forecast that we wouldn’t see that level of EV adoption until the late 2020s.
The most significant barriers to consumer adoption — cost, range and EV infrastructure — are becoming less relevant as falling prices, improved battery technology and new charge station investment make ownership much more practical.
Even major automakers are beginning to invest heavily in the EV space — a sign that established businesses are expecting demand to pick up significantly and soon.
Major players include Ford, which has invested $11 billion in the EV space and has brought several vehicles to market so far, including the all-electric Ford F-150 and the Mach-E, the company’s electric Mustang SUV. GMC has invested heavily in EVs, with notable offerings including the Bolt, the Chevrolet Volt successor and the GMC Hummer EV.
Other market leaders, like Mazda, have plans to release EVs and plug-in hybrids sometime in the next few years. Automakers’ investment in the EV market makes these vehicles increasingly affordable.
Several startups and wildcards could also shift the direction of EV production and further accelerate widespread adoption. These companies plan for various EVs to come to market through the end of this year, including several new electric trucks. Deliveries of the Rivian R1T will begin in September, and Tesla expects to release its Cybertruck by the end of 2021. Startup Lordstown Motors and Nikola also have truck releases planned for the near future.
While the shift to EV production isn’t here yet, it’s safe to assume that the transformation will be here sooner than later. By the mid-2020s, we’re likely to start seeing major changes in how and where they are manufactured.
Ethical Sourcing of EV Components May Become Key Issue
The disruption to manufacturing caused by EVs could also have significant implications on automotive supply chains.
A crucial difference between EVs and conventional ICE vehicles is the raw materials each one needs. EVs depend on the water- and energy-intensive processes of lithium and cobalt extraction. Sustainable and ethical sourcing of these raw materials may become much more important. Supply chain oversight may be necessary to ensure the pivot to EVs doesn’t come with high environmental and human costs.
New practices, like manufacturer support for battery recycling, could also be essential in ensuring EV production doesn’t create new environmental or social challenges. Reuse of batteries and use of recycled materials in the manufacturing process may also be critical.
How Demand for EVs May Reshape Auto Manufacturing
The automotive industry may be on the verge of a major transformation. If EV adoption continues to accelerate, electric vehicles may make up 10% of all vehicle sales by as early as 2025. This growth in EV production would come with significant changes to how vehicles are manufactured. New skill sets would be necessary, and the total labor hours needed to produce cars may decrease significantly.
Major organizations, like UAW, are already preparing for significant disruptions to come — and investment in EVs from automakers like Ford and GMC suggests change may arrive sooner than later.
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SoftBank, Synchronoss and TBCASoft Partner on a Proof of Concept for an RCS and Blockchain-Based Mobile Payments Service
SoftBank Corp., a Japan-based telecom carrier; Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (SNCR), a global leader and innovator of cloud, messaging, digital and IoT products; and TBCASoft, Inc., an innovator of cross-carrier blockchain platform technology, today announced that they have partnered on a Proof of Concept (PoC) for a new cross-carrier mobile payments service based on the Rich Communications Service (RCS) global messaging standard and TBCASoft’s cross-carrier blockchain platform.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180911005882/en/
Synchronoss has delivered in Japan, a rich and secure multi-channel communications platform, which covers SMS, email and RCS. The platform launched earlier this year. TBCASoft has been working with SoftBank, under the Carrier Blockchain Study Group (CBSG) Consortium, to deliver a cross-carrier blockchain platform called CCPS (Cross-Carrier Payment Service), which facilitates global mobile payment services among global telecommunication carriers.
The three companies have successfully completed a mobile payments service PoC that is designed to allow users to make a range of in-store, mobile and digital purchases directly from their device. A mobile customer based in Japan, for example, can travel to the USA and make a purchase in dollars via RCS which is supported by SoftBank and Synchronoss. The RCS global messaging standard can also be conveniently used to send a payment. The flexibility of the CCPS blockchain API enables the recipient to use an RCS-based messaging app or legacy messaging service like SMS or mobile email, to receive person-to-person (P2P) money transfers through the RCS wallet app either in the same country or overseas.
Commenting on the announcement, Takeshi Fukuizumi, Vice President of Softbank Corp. said: “This RCS and blockchain based mobile payments PoC demonstrates the value operator-led services can deliver. Not only do we foresee our new mobile payment service empowering merchants to operate digitally, and at a scale that was previously only available to big brands, but it will also give our customers more flexibility when it comes to their purchasing and travelling habits.”
Also commenting on the news, Synchronoss CEO and President Glenn Lurie said: “Our PoC demonstrates how SoftBank is at the forefront in bringing to market new cutting edge technology through the use of blockchain as well as new RCS-based mobile services, which will disrupt the current messaging and payments market, creating new opportunities for customers, brands, and businesses – and which will also drive incremental revenue for operators from messaging. RCS messaging will become the foundation for a new, feature-rich marketplace for brands and merchants, both large and small, to interact with subscribers. With our expertise and global reach across multiple messaging platforms – not only RCS, but also email, IM, MMS and SMS, Synchronoss is ideally positioned to take advantage of this important new trend in mobile.”
“Increasing numbers of Communication Service Providers (CSPs) are turning to blockchain technology to support a growing range of new features and services – including secured clearing and settlement, personal authentication, and IoT applications,” said Ling Wu, Founder and CEO of TBCASoft. “In today’s digital economy, blockchain lets CSPs create new services and then extend them globally, beyond their established territories and markets, in a way that’s efficient and secure. The success of this PoC proves that our Cross-Carrier Blockchain Platform can help CSPs leverage common standards like RCS to deliver disruptive services to their customers.”
SoftBank, Synchronoss and TBCASoft will demonstrate this successful mobile payments service PoC at the Mobile World Congress Americas conference, which takes place from September 12 through 14 in Los Angeles, CA.
- ENDS -
About SoftBank Corp.
SoftBank Corp., a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp. (TOKYO:9984), provides mobile communication, fixed-line communication, and Internet connection services to consumers and corporate customers in Japan. Leveraging the innovative technologies of other SoftBank Group companies, SoftBank Corp. is also expanding into AI, smart robotics, IoT, FinTech, cloud security and other business sectors. To learn more, please visit www.SoftBank.jp/en/corp/group/sbm/.
About Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.
Synchronoss (NASDAQ:SNCR) transforms the way companies create new revenue, reduce costs and delight their subscribers with cloud, messaging, digital and IoT products and platforms supporting hundreds of millions of subscribers across the globe. Synchronoss’ secure, scalable and groundbreaking new technologies, trusted partnerships and talented people change the way TMT customers grow their businesses. For more information, visit us at www.synchronoss.com.
About TBCASoft, Inc.
TBCASoft is a U.S.-based company developing innovative blockchain technology specifically for telecommunication carriers. Its consortium-based blockchain platform enables telecommunication carriers to create innovative services for their subscribers under a more secure, robust, and efficient environment. TBCASoft is located in Sunnyvale, California, the center of Silicon Valley. To learn more, please visit TBCASoft at www.tbcasoft.com.
For SoftBank Corp.
SoftBank Corp. Corporate Communications (Japan)
For Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.
Brian Denyeau, +1 646-277-1251
CCgroup (North America and International)
Sarah Walker / Anais Merlin, +44 20 3824 9200
For TBCASoft, Inc.
TBCASoft, Inc. (USA)
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The Brewers Association (BA) laid off 23% of its staff last week “in order to maintain the long-term viability” of the national trade group, which represents the interests of small and independent U.S. craft brewers.
The BA announced the job cuts on its website Monday.
“We thoughtfully, carefully, and painfully weighed options to arrive at those decisions,” the BA said. “We believe these actions will help the association weather the storm at this time and to remain committed to its purpose — to promote and protect American craft brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts.”
The BA said it continues to work with the laid off workers “to help them navigate this transition.”
In addition to the job cuts, the BA said it has enacted tiered salary reduction for its management team, in addition to operational budget cuts made earlier in April.
Several craft brewing companies across the country have laid off or furloughed workers since mid-March when the novel coronavirus forced the shutdown of on-premise retail sales at brewery taprooms, tasting rooms, bars and restaurants in the U.S. Among those companies are Deschutes Brewery, Stone Brewing, Russian River, Great Lakes, Karl Strauss, Coronado Brewing, McMenamins, Founders and many others.
An early April survey conducted by the BA revealed the financial pressures COVID-19 is putting on the craft brewing industry, as 46.4% of respondents said their breweries would likely only stay in business for up to three months, 12.7% of respondents said they could stay afloat for another one to four weeks, and 2.5% of respondents said they were planning to close. Those results project that thousands of the 8,275 craft beer companies in the U.S will close their doors.
Last week, the BA and nonprofit fundraising organization Bottleshare established the “Believe in Beer Fund” to support breweries and state brewers guilds across the country that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The groups are currently accepting applications from those companies and guilds in need of financial assistance for payroll, rent and utilities through May 17th. Since launching four days ago, the fund has received $3,175 in donations from 39 people.
The BA was forced to cancel two of its signature events — the annual Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America and SAVOR — as well as the World Beer Cup competition earlier this spring due to concerns caused by the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. CBC was expected to draw more than 13,000 industry professionals to San Antonio, Texas, from April 19-22.
Tickets are still on sale for the BA’s next event, the American Homebrewers Association’s Homebrew Con, which is slated to take place June 18-20 in Nashville, Tennessee.


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Singtel Media appointed sole media sales distributor for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™
Offers advertisers airtime across Singtel, StarHub and Mediacorp platforms
Singapore, 27 April 2018 – Singtel Media today announced its appointment as the sole media sales distributor of advertising airtime in Singapore for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™.
In its role, Singtel Media will be the single touch point for advertisers, offering customised advertising solutions across Singtel, StarHub and Mediacorp platforms.
This is the first time that the three broadcasters are working together to bring World Cup to Singapore, giving marketers a unique opportunity to effectively showcase their brands and products to millions of viewers. Most group stage matches will be kicking off at primetime hours, allowing advertisers to reach as broad an audience as possible.
Mr Goh Seow Eng, Managing Director of Home, Consumer Singapore, at Singtel, said, “Singtel Media has already received strong interest from advertisers across the banking, insurance, F&B and consumer electronics sectors as well as mobile phone makers, reflecting the broad appeal that the World Cup has. We encourage advertisers to book their airtimes early to get maximum exposure across the Singtel TV, StarHub and Mediacorp platforms. We offer them elevated reach, flexibility and targeted solutions around the World Cup.”
All 64 World Cup matches will be broadcast on all subscription-based platforms including Singtel TV, Singtel TV GO, StarHub TV, StarHub Go and Toggle, while nine selected matches will be available on free-to-air channel Okto.
Ms Callie Ng, Head of General Business, StarHub said, “FIFA World Cup™ is the biggest sports event of the year and all eyes will surely be on it in June. The sheer scale of this marquee event, along with the combined reach of all three media platforms, makes this a unique proposition for media agencies and advertisers to get their messaging across to their audiences effectively.”
All three broadcasters are offering the 2018 World Cup to viewers at the à la carte price of S$94.16 until 22 May and S$112.35 thereafter, unchanged from the rates four years ago. The pricing was lauded by Singaporean football fans, who were bracing for a price hike.
Mr Parminder Singh, Chief Commercial Officer, Mediacorp, said, “The exclusive advertising partnership for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ across all major broadcast mediums in Singapore creates a unique opportunity for advertisers to optimise reach at the most cost effective rates. This is also an unprecedented occasion for brands to rally the nation behind a shared passion.”