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The celebrations start on Friday, January 27 and run till Sunday, January 29.
It is the Year of the Rooster and there are more festivities than ever this year.
Liverpool is home to one of the largest and oldest Chinese communities outside of Asia - so Liverpool go all out for Chinese New Year.
What’s the full timetable?
Across the three days there will be light projection shows, an augmented reality trail, firecracker displays, dragon and unicorn parades and much more.
The main Chinese New Year celebrations take place on Sunday, January 29 and start at 11pm at Great George Square.
There will be street performers, parades, art installations and a Chinese food market.
For the full timetable across the three days visit the link here.
Are there any road closures?
The Chinese New Year celebrations are huge - especially on Sunday.
With a big event including parades, firecrackers and much more there are also a lot of road closures.
A full list of road closures can be found here.
Alternative routes and traffic diversions will be arranged during the event and all closures will be signed and staffed for the duration of the event.
What can you expect?
If you’re not sure what to expect from this year’s Chinese New Year event we have a sneak peek for you.
From the Chinese lion dances to the light projections in Chinatown.
Chinese lucky lions paraded through the city centre last week to get people in the mood and to spread the word about the Year of the Rooster, check it out here.
Or if you’re excited for the special light projection show, watch a sneak preview of the illumination show you can see over the next three days here.
What's the weather going to be like?
If you were holding out for sunny weather you might be disappointed.
The forecast for the weekend doesn't look very good and we recommend you wrap up. Find out more by clicking the link below.
What are the best chinese restaurants in Liverpool, Wirral and Beyond?
Chinese New Year is the perfect time to celebrate with a meal at one of Liverpool’s top Chinese restaurants.
Liverpool is home to one of the oldest Chinese communities outside of Asia - so it’s safe to say our Chinese restaurants are top notch.
Whether you fancy a trip out to a restaurant or a take-away, there are plenty of Chinese restaurants in Wirral.
If you’re from St Helens and fancy trying out a new Chinese restaurant - or simply don’t know where to start, we have you covered.


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Materials technology group Ceram has announced that it is changing its name to Lucideon as of 1 February 2014. The new name has been introduced to reflect the group’s expanding portfolio, bringing together its acquired businesses under one identity. In addition to the name change, the UK-based group’s companies, which include US-based testing and analysis firm M+P Labs, will also undergo rebranding with a new logo, signage and website.
“The name change will help bring all of our operations together under one identity and give us a strong base to move forward,” said Chief Executive Tony Kinsella. “As the group has acquired new interests, the range of different company names has become confusing for our clients. So we have come up with a single identity that will incorporate all of our businesses and which will reflect what we stand for as an organisation – independence, accuracy, creativity and responsiveness. The change will also help us to offer customers an even wider range of services.”
Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/07012014/ceram_annnounces_change_in_name_565/

domain: news


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From a statement by Procomer:
Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 of the European Commission, establishing specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III of Regulation (CE) No. 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and Council will apply from 1st December 2012, with exceptions.
The Annex to that Regulation lays down the specifications for food additives, including colors and sweeteners listed in Annexes II and III of Regulation (EC). 1333/2008. Therefore directives 2008/60/EC, 2008/84/EC and 2008/128/EC will be repealed as of December 1st, 2012.
The above will apply from 1st December 2012. However, the specifications in the Annex for steviol glycosides additives (E 960) and basic methacrylate copolymer (E 1205) will apply from the date of entry into force of the ruling (twentieth day following its publication).
Source: International Trade Office (Costa Rica)
Everything about food exports in Central America.
Top exporters - Quantities, amounts and prices.
More on this topic
Current consumption in the European market has reached $65 million and is still growing, estimated to reach $200 million in 5 years.
A statement by PROCOMER reads:
The market for coconut water in the European Union has an estimated value of USD 65 million, and according to projections, anticipated sales could reach $200 million over five years but there is no intensive advertising or marketing being undertaken.
Exporting firms will be helped in the processes to be followed for export to Europe under the AA agreement.
From a press release issued by the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala (Mineco):
As provided for in the Association Agreement with the European Union- AA - , the governments of the member countries are responsible for preserving the origin of the products exported, for this reason the Ministry of Economy, through the Directorate of Foreign Trade Administration - DACE - has created a streamlined and efficient mechanism to support Guatemalan exporters wishing to ship products to the European - EU, as well as supporting them with training on obtaining EUR.1 circulation certificates.
The Council of the European Union has approved Guatemala's application to the trade pillar of the Association Agreement with Central America.
From a press release by the Government of Panama:
The Council of the European Union met today at its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and confirmed the implementation of the Trade pillar of the Association Agreement between this institution and Guatemala starting December 1st.
The 6,330 tons are part of the quota of 8,110 for 2013 negotiated under the framework of the Association Agreement with the European Union.
"Costa Rica is entitled to a quota of 19,464 tonnes, but for 2013 it is 8,110 tons, because the CAAA did not come into effect until October 1st," said Edgar Herrera, executive director of the Agro-Industrial Sugarcane League (Laica) .


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License! Global explores the opportunities and challenges of the Japanese licensed consumer product market.
Carte Blanche Group has signed a global licensing deal with Ashleigh Butler and Roar Global to develop the Pudsey the Dog brand.
U.K. company Coolabi Group has secured six new licensees for CBeebies' long-running animation series, “Clangers.”
Temple Street Productions has brought on Striker Entertainment as the worldwide (excluding Canada) licensing agent for its hit TV series "Orphan Black."
Imira Entertainment has taken worldwide distribution rights (excluding Austria and China) for the live-action series "Austrian Tom Turbo" (188 x 26).
Viacom has licensed some of its Nickelodeon shows to third-party stations across Europe this summer.
U.K. trade distributors John Hornby Skewes and Nickelodeon will launch a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles musical instruments line in the fall.
Discovery Consumer Products has renewed its longstanding direct-to-retail partnership with Toys 'R' Us U.S. and Toys 'R' Us Australia.
Pop icon Britney Spears is planning a line of sleepwear apparel called The Intimate Britney Spears with retail partner Change Lingerie.
The U.K.'s Institute of Contemporary Arts and Polka Children’s Theater are planning special events to celebrate the 100th birthday of Moomin creator Tove Jansson.
SmileyWorld, OuiDo! Productions and international brand manager PGS are teaming up to launch an original, animated TV series for kids 4- to 7-years-old featuring the Smiley brand.
Plain Lazy has teamed up with TV personality Cathy Hobbs to bring its brand to the U.S.
The University of Oxford has partnered with Science4you for co-branded science kits in Europe.
Trinity Mirror has appointed Lisle to develop a U.K. merchandising program for the comic strip character Andy Capp.
Performance wear brand Aertex is celebrating its 125th anniversary and looking to licensing for the next 125.
The Pokémon Company International is getting into the interactive figure game with its new digital launch.
TF1 has picked up Saban Brands’ “Julius Jr.” and TF1 Licences will serve as the brand’s licensing agent in the region.
Hugo Games has released its latest app featuring the classic character Hugo the Troll, while Limo Licensing works to grow the brand.
Hoho Rights will launch its new girls’ fashion brand Mimi & Bibi at Brand Licensing Europe in London this October.
The BBC’s celebration of Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary will culminate in The Day of the Doctor.
Zodiak Kids has signed a series of new partners for the Mister Maker brand in the U.K.
©2014 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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“It won’t get you large!” was the tagline of Kristin Bell’s CBD skin-care manufacturer, Content Dance, which introduced much less than two and a fifty percent a long time ago. The brand is now shutting down as its mum or dad corporation shifts its focus to items that promise the actual opposite.
“The undesirable news is that this really is the very last dance, because the Delighted Dance products that you have occur to really like are becoming discontinued on our web page, as of January 27, 2023,” explained an announcement on the brand’s Instagram. Initial released in Oct 2020 by CBD edibles and skin-care label Lord Jones, in partnership with Bell, Joyful Dance was intended to be an obtainable entry level into hashish for suburban moms wary of true weed. But as guardian business Cronos Group’s most modern financial report details out, the legitimate hashish desire lies in edibles — with precise THC in them.
The enterprise announced in its Q2 2022 final results that it was realigning with a “phased exit of the wholesale attractiveness group to concentration the portfolio on grownup-use products formats inside the immediate-to-shopper channel.” That involved layoffs in sales and internet marketing in the U.S.
This phased exit also indicates the discontinuation of Lord Jones from Sephora, where items are no extended obtainable on the internet. Pleased Dance, meanwhile, experienced been stocked at CVS and Ulta Attractiveness, the latter of which responded with crying emojis to the Instagram post asserting the brand’s shutdown.
Curiosity in CBD and CBD beauty are on the drop. In accordance to knowledge from Spate, Google lookups for CBD are down 61% 12 months-more than-year. Pores and skin-care relevant CBD searches have reduced by 86.9%.
Splendor makes this kind of as The Feelist and Wldkat started phasing out CBD from their pores and skin-treatment solutions in 2021. A look for for CBD pores and skin care at Sephora now turns up a total of 12 goods from 5 manufacturers: Saint Jane Natural beauty, Prima, Herbivore, Flora + Bast and Ellis Brooklyn. Sephora declined to comment for the tale.
“In terms of the elegance industry, CBD has not been received the way we all considered it would,” said Wldkat founder Amy Zuzunegui, who’s pivoted from CBD to mushrooms in her brand’s pores and skin-care substances. “Go back a number of several years to 2018-2019, and most anyone considered [CBD] was an component that would choose off — not only for the reason that it was new and trendy, but also mainly because it does good issues for the skin.”
She pointed out that using CBD out of the brand name was specially valuable for company thanks to the U.S. regulatory setting, which has intended big-box merchants like Concentrate on won’t stock the ingredient. Taking away CBD authorized the brand name to be stocked at Focus on, and cut fees in other ways. Payment processing, for example, is far more expensive on DTC web pages with CBD solutions, and not all banking institutions work with businesses that sell CBD.
The stigma of CBD stays between many U.S. people who are careful about cannabis, said Zuzunegui, who usually fielded inquiries about no matter whether her model would get people today significant — the frame of mind that had also sparked Bell’s Joyful Dance tagline.
But it turns out that hashish fanatics do in fact want products and solutions that will get them superior. Cronos Group’s “adults-only” products and solutions refer to the THC gummies under its Spinach brand, which can lawfully be marketed nationally in Canada.
In the U.S. market place, the situation depends on improved legalization, the place rules on the two THC and CBD range from state to condition.
“We are also refocusing the U.S. organization to prioritize hero SKUs though leaning into adult-use merchandise formats and concentrating on the immediate-to-shopper channel. Though early in the repositioning of our U.S. small business, we are assured the new method will increase our bottom-line even though sustaining brand name fairness that we can leverage into cannabinoids past CBD, and in the U.S. THC market place at the time polices permit,” mentioned Cronos Group’s Q3 2022 fiscal report.


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Met gala 2022: New York Updates
Met gala 2022: New York Updates:
Who doesn’t know about the world-famous fashion night, the Met Gala night, Hollywood actresses, and many other celebrities unveiling their several outfits in front of us? And this Biggest Fashion night started in New York. In the lavish parade, all big celebrities from the music world, Films, fashion, and sports showcased their stuff in the Met gala show. This show had to behold in the 2020 autumn, but due to this pandemic coronavirus, it was canceled, and now finally it is happening.
We know about the Met Gala show; this is called Biggest Fashion night. For this, a theme has to be set and everyone comes dressed up according to that theme only. The theme for the year 2022 is Gilded glamour. Many people didn’t like this theme and they are poking fun at this theme.
One of the Met Gala attendees, dressed up like a chic laborer reminds us of an homage to the immigrant workers. Former Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also reached there as a guest. She was attending this show for the first time in these 20 years.
Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and most popular comedian Pete Davidson came together in that show yesterday night. Star couple Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively reached together and they were looking simply amazing together.
Designer Donatella and singer Cardi B were found together wearing golden outfits yesterday night. Model Emily was looking very colorful in her beautiful colorful outfit. Indian socialite and business personality Ms. Natash. a Poonawalla was looking amazing on the red carpet in her golden outfit.
The Cost of tickets is appx $35000 and the cost of tables is $300,00iser attendee.
The exhibition 2022
Met Gala for this year, 2022, is going to be hosted by 4 hosts, their names are- Regina King, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel. Every year, the Met Gala is organized by Vogue haute couture, it’s a very popular magazine.
The exhibition always follows a specific theme every year, and its guests are supposed to dress up according to that dress code only, but it is not compulsory. This show includes a cocktail party and is followed by dinner. And during this cocktail time, all the attendees are supposed to run on the red carpet. Every attendee starts preparation for this, as soon as they come to know about its theme and everything. They all are always very excited to attend this with pump and show.


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SAPhotog / Shutterstock.com
Campbell Soup Company has sold its international baked snacks division, Kelsen Group, to a Ferrero affiliate for US$300 million.
In a press release issued Friday, Campbell said the Kelsen-Ferrero deal would allow it to reduce debt. The food and beverage maker made the same comment earlier this year when it sold its Bolthouse Farms business to Butterfly Equity for $510 million.
Kelsen produces such brands as Kjeldsens and Royal Dansk, and in the last 12 months reported net sales of approximately $157 million. The company has approximately 400 employees. It is part of Campbell International, which also includes Arnott’s biscuits, Campbell’s simple meals businesses in Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan, and manufacturing operations in Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Campbell said the process to divest the remainder of its international unit, including Arnott’s, is proceeding.
"The sale of Kelsen Group supports our strategy to focus on North America where we have iconic brands and strong market positions, while reducing debt," said Mark Clouse, Campbell’s president and CEO, in a statement. "Selling Kelsen separately from the rest of our international business generates the greatest possible value for Campbell."
Ferrero, meanwhile, has been busy buying up brands. Little over a year ago Ferrero paid Nestlé $2.8 billion for its chocolate and candy brands, including SweeTarts, Nerds, Butterfinger and Crunch.
Earlier this year, the maker of Nutella purchased Kellogg's Keebler, Mother’s and Famous Amos cookie brands, as well as its fruit-flavoured snack, pie crust and ice cream cone businesses for $1.3 billion.


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Shares of DRAM-maker
vaulted up 8% in Tuesday trading as market research firm Gartner declared a recovery under way in the PC memory market.
The company, which ranks second in the global DRAM (dynamic random access memory) market, tacked on $1.03 to $13.79 in late-afternoon trading. Shares of No. 3-ranked
traded up 43 cents, or 3.4%, to $13.17.
Tuesday morning, Gartner forecast that global sales of DRAM, a type of memory used in PCs, will post year-on-year growth of 22% this year to $18.9 billion. In the third quarter, the market is projected to grow 38%, to $5.1 billion.
But Gartner took care to describe the upturn as tentative. The rebound has occurred not because of greater demand for memory, said the firm, but rather because memory makers finally have been able to bring excess supply back into line.
Helping matters, No. 1 vendor
(which currently controls about 28% of the market) decided to cut back on production of DRAM in favor of another type of memory known as NAND flash, which is used in digital cameras.
"Stabilizing prices and lower inventories alone do not constitute a recovery in the DRAM industry, but these factors combined, and the positive sentiment in the DRAM industry, point to the possibility that the DRAM industry recovery has, at long last, begun," said Andrew Norwood, principal analyst for Gartner's semiconductor research group.
Prices of memory started stabilizing in the second quarter of this year and are expected to rise 20.5% in the third quarter to $5.55 for 256 Mb of memory, according to Gartner.
DRAM trades on the spot market for about $4.70 now, up from its February lows in the $3 range, says research firm iSuppli.
But not everyone agrees with Gartner's take on the near-term outlook for DRAM makers. Nam Hung Kim, senior analyst at iSuppli, calls Gartner's forecast for 22% growth "optimistic." His firm is forecasting growth of only about 6% or 7% this year.
After rising for two months, DRAM prices actually have declined over the past couple of weeks, says Kim. "Spot traders are expecting a second-half recovery, but a few have lost their confidence and cashed out their inventory in the last two weeks," he explains.
Kim agrees the market is in recovery mode. "Usually, DRAM prices are pretty good in the second half and this year the PC market looks good." But he doesn't expect a dramatic upswing. iSuppli projects that PC unit shipments will grow by 10% this year.
Gartner likewise cautioned that the current rebound is a fragile one. "We have been here before, and if the DRAM vendors become greedy and increase production, the industry will quickly swing back into oversupply and prices will crash," acknowledges Norwood.
While the rebound in the DRAM market comes as welcome news to investors in the area, firmer prices stand to hurt PC makers.
lately have been the focus of some concern among analysts worried that margins at hardware makers could take a hit, because the costs of components such as memory have stopped declining as rapidly as in the past.


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May 5, 2022
Lina Kennedy is the president and CEO of Alexandria Professional, a worldwide leader in body sugaring epilation.
Lina was forced to grow up fast while supporting her alcoholic father at the age of 11. She was told to marry a millionaire but she chose to become one instead.
Today she’s known as the Sugar Queen and founder of Alexandria Professional®, a multimillion-dollar beauty brand with products sold in over 30,000 salons across the world.


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Galaxy digital makes its debut following q1 loss novogratz cryptocurrency-focused merchant bank galaxy digital lp will be available [. (glxy) started trading on the toronto stock exchange. About galaxy digital capital management lp. Bloomberg, in collaboration with galaxy digital capital management lp, an eminent digital asset management company founded by michael novogratz, today launched the. Mike novogratz, a very successful hedge fund manager, formerly of goldman sachs, famously poured $300 million into galaxy digital. The index is designed to track the performance of the largest, most liquid portion of the cryptocurrency market. Coindesk is an independent operating subsidiary of digital. Yesterday, cryptocurrency-focused merchant bank galaxy digital holdings ltd. The index is designed to track the performance of the largest, most liquid portion of the cryptocurrency market. Companies that accept the cryptocurrency or its competitors as collateral for cash loans usually demand much larger buffers to ensure. New york – bloomberg, together with galaxy digital capital management lp, a. Galaxy digital, the cryptocurrency merchant bank created and owned by cryptocurrency investor mike novogratz, has acquired former goldman sachs executive director.
Tying together the largest cryptocurrency exchanges on a single interface, caspian has. ” novogratz told the. The stock lost a lot of momentum. Despite the downturn in cryptocurrency value, a us crypto custody service is getting an astonishing $15,000,000 in funding from goldman sachs and galaxy digital. Mike novogratz, founder of crypto bank galaxy digital, expects the prices of cryptocurrencies to “start moving again next year. Com - galaxy digital’s mike novogratz: cryptocurrency markets will ‘flip next year’ - crypto news | cryptocurrency related | crypto coins | blockchain. Cryptocurrency merchant bank galaxy digital ventures will begin trading on the toronto stock exchange (tsx) on august 1, founder michael novogratz told bloomberg on. Galaxy digital, first coin and bradmer pharmaceuticals announce business combination and establishment of blockchain, digital asset and. The cryptocurrency merchant bank, galaxy digital, created by early cryptocurrency proponent mike novogratz, went live on the tsx today after months of delay. Fidelity digital assets, the new cryptocurrency custody and trading platform developed by fidelity investments, has secured its first client, galaxy digital. Cryptocurrency merchant bank galaxy digital ventures will begin trading on the toronto stock exchange on august 1. In a new interview, galaxy digital ceo and former goldman sachs partner mike novogratz says the cryptocurrency market will “flip next year.
Michael novogratz is the ceo of galaxy digital. Galaxy digital ceo mike novogratz said cryptocurrency prices have found a bottom, noting that “markets like to retrace to the breakout. Mike novogratz unveils plan for cryptocurrency ‘merchant bank. New market measure will provide transparent benchmarking for cryptocurrency investors. Galaxy digital, first coin and bradmer pharmaceuticals announce business combination and establishment of blockchain, digital asset and cryptocurrency platform. Samsung is working to make the galaxy s10 everything to everybody, as trademark registrations indicate plans to develop a cryptocurrency. Mike novogratz is the latest member of the crypto community to. Mike novogratz’s merchant bank, galaxy digital has once again snatched a banker from goldman sachs, further increasing the number of wall street executives. Billionaire investor, bitcoin bull, and founder of crypto merchant bank galaxy digital holdings ltd. Novogratz's predicted that cryptocurrency market cap remained below $800 billion is quite plausible since a loss of $134 million was faced. He has increased his stake in his crypto-centric company, galaxy digital, to 80%. Mike novogratz’s cryptocurrency and blockchain-focused merchant bank galaxiy digital has plummeted on its first day trading on toronto’s tsx venture exchange. The leading cryptocurrency bitcoin has enjoyed some significant rally that has seen its price spiked up over $300 from its recent low. Galaxy digital as a full service, digital assets merchant bank. Cryptocurrency supporter michael novogratz starts cryptocurrency merchant bank: galaxy digital. Bloomberg and digital asset manager galaxy digital capital management have launched an index that tracks the performance of ten cryptocurrencies traded in us dollars. Cryptocurrency merchant bank galaxy digital will begin trading on the toronto tsx venture exchange this week. Michael novogratz is doubling down on his fund despite the massive cryptocurrency sell off as of. The founder of galaxy digital, mike novogratz. Mike novogratz, ex-goldman sachs partner and founder of galaxy digital, has said that he expects cryptocurrency to “flip next year” in an interview published by. However, there are many cryptocurrency developments being pursued by major players in the market. Telling prospective investors that your cryptocurrency merchant bank lost more than $130 million during a single quarter is not the optimal way to market your firm on. Galaxy digital lp is a full service. Galaxy digital will be going public on toronto’s tsx venture exchange on august 1st, marking one of the first ever public cryptocurrency merchant banks. Bloomberg and galaxy digital capital management launch cryptocurrency benchmark index new market measure will provide transparent. Bloomberg, novogratz’s galaxy digital launch cryptocurrency index michael novogratz’s galaxy digital capital management has partnered with. Galaxy digital asset management announced the launch of the bloomberg galaxy crypto index in partnership with bloomberg. Bitcoin bull mike novogratz has doubled down on crypto. Last december, michael novogratz, head of galaxy investment partners, announced that he will be postponing his plans to set up what is said to be the largest. Bitcoin bull mike novogratz and his galaxy digital crypto merchant. Bloomberg has partnered with galaxy digital capital management to track the performance of the largest, most liquid, part of the cryptocurrency market. Mike novogratz sees galaxy digital crypto hedge fund. The first cryptocurrency-powered financial institution galaxy digital reported a loss of $ 134 million in q1 of 2018, mainly due to the devaluation of crypto assets. Galaxy digital holdings, a cryptocurrency merchant bank owned by former goldman sachs macro trader mike novogratz, has revealed that it lost $41 million in the third. Flowing days of resurgence in the crypto markets, digital asset investment company galaxy digital announced to its clients that short rebounds. The founder of galaxy digital capital management lp is joining forces with bloomberg lp to start an index for the cryptocurrency industry, according to a statement. Billionaire trader and former hedge fund manager mike novogratz has successfully raised $250 million to finance the launch of galaxy digital, a cryptocurrency. Mike novogratz’s galaxy digital, a cryptocurrency and blockchain focussed merchant bank – has posted a loss of $134 million for the first quarter of 2018. This article was originally posted on cointelegraph – an independent publication covering cryptocurrency, the blockchain, decentralized applications, the internet. This partnership aims to help ‘drive the institutionalization of cryptocurrency markets’. Top 10 crypto funds, digital asset fund assets under management. Cryptocurrency merchant bank galaxy digital holdings reported a loss of $76. Galaxy digital - world's first cryptocurrency bank the fanaticism towards digital currencies has certainly propelled the establishment of crypto-based economic. Billionaire and ex-fund manager mike novogratz is going to constitute a cryptocurrency "merchant bank" with the aim to list galaxy digital on the tsx venture exchange. Samsung, the electronics industry giant is planning to integrate cryptocurrency cold wallets in its upcoming mobile phone galaxy s10 according to adnan farooqi. In thursday’s edition of the daily, we cover a new task force established by the state of new york to explore the cryptocurrency market and its. 65 million for the third quarter, as it was weighed down by persistently low digital asset. Galaxy digital’s mike novogratz: cryptocurrency markets will ‘flip next year’ mike novogratz, ex-goldman sachs partner and founder of galaxy digital, has said. Multinational financial services powerhouse fidelity has launched fidelity digital assets, a new 'full-service' platform for institutions focused on cryptocurrency. Editorial team is a gracious group of giving cryptocurrency advocates and blockchain believers who. Bloomberg, novogratz’s galaxy digital launch cryptocurrency index.


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Nova Scotia Sets Prices for Weed, but Says Supply Will Be Limited at First
The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation has set its initial prices for cannabis — but says it will have less than 40 per cent of requested quantities on hand when the drug is legalized for recreational use on Wednesday.
The corporation says it had expected to offer 300 products representing 78 strains, but has been reduced to 97 products representing 52 strains due to supply problems it says are being experienced nationwide.
Cannabis will be sold at 12 locations across the province under three categories: Value — priced at between $6.33 and $8.49 per gram; Core — sold at between $9.00 and $10.98 per gram; and Premium — priced at $10.99 per gram and above.
– Read the entire article at Financial Post.


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Artesian Builds, a PC building company that recently entered bankruptcy, will see nearly $1 million of remaining inventory auctioned off to pay off its debts.
As reported by PC Gamer, massive amounts of various PC components such as motherboards, RAM kits, fans, pre-built PCs, coolers, CPUs, and GPUs are due to be sold today at an auction.
There will be two batches of parts that are up for grabs, which will be sold to the winning bidder on Zoom. Both of these lots are required to be sold via a combined purchase — anyone participating in the auction will need to make a bid in increments reaching $5,000 or more.
As a result, PC Gamer highlights how, naturally, the general consumer market will be turned off by the high prices, but there are other PC building firms that could be involved in the auction.
Included within the sale are some of the following items:
- 43 partially built PCs
- 413 cases
- 360 CPUs
- 359 PSUs
- 219 RAM kits
- 283 coolers
- 167 SSDs + HDDs
- 59 graphics cards (such as the GeForce RTX 3060)
- 346 motherboards
In total, the value of the inventory currently held by Artesian Builds is believed to be worth $917,595. Apart from the aforementioned PC parts, office equipment and other tools have been added to the auction. For reference, the company had around 50 employees working for it.
Elsewhere, it was confirmed that a huge amount of customer orders have not been fulfilled because of the abrupt end to its operations. Confirmed by a filing in California due to the bankruptcy procedure, the company’s final balance sheet lists about $1.37 million in unfulfilled orders.
A former Artesian Builds employee told PC Gamer that there are at least “hundreds” of outstanding orders for gaming PCs. Customers who have yet to receive their system had little to no success in receiving a refund, with one customer confirming his son ordered a $5,100 PC in December 2021.
In order to resolve the case, the customer ultimately decided to file a dispute with their credit card company, which appears to be the path that many others opted for based on the Discord server for Artesian Builds.
All of the items that will be sold today at auction will be claimed directly by Artesian Build’s creditors, which will then be distributed to the likes of secured creditors and unsecured creditors.
A raffle livestream from Artesian Builds owner and CEO, Noah Katz, which was covered extensively throughout the media due to the controversial nature of the stream, was followed by the company officially filing for bankruptcy in April 2022.
Former employees suggested to PC Gamer that the inexperience of Katz as a CEO could be one of the main reasons the PC building firm took a turn for the worse.
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Visit California, the state's non-profit organization to promote travel, is inviting dreamers to discover its state. Following an inspiring BrandLab workshop, it created The Dream365 Project, an initiative that showcased the many opportunities for relaxation and enjoyment available in California. Dream365's launch included a 24-hour takeover of the YouTube masthead as well as a rollout of video content in both Lightbox and TrueView ad formats. The inspirational videos helped increase California travel search volume on Google by 21%. The campaign truly gave the organization a solid foundation on which to build future promotions.
Generate awareness and consideration for the California brand and create incremental travel impact with a limited budget across key global markets
Took over the YouTube masthead for 24 hours and featured a new video each hour
Broadened the reach with Lightbox Ads
Created downstream impact on consideration and intent to visit California with TrueView ad
7% lift in consideration and 17% lift in likelihood to visit California
21% increase in California travel search volume on Google
Website visitation lift two days after the YouTube takeover: 306% in U.S., 165% in Canada and 920% in U.K.
Keeping California top-of-mind as a travel destination
Visit California is a nonprofit organization that partners with the state’s travel industry to keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. Visit California has operated with a fixed $50 million budget for the past several years. Consequently, continuing to grow visitation to the state depends on efficiently expanding Visit California’s global content marketing strategy through hard-working content marketing initiatives and partnerships.
Google BrandLab: Learning about content’s role in digital
In early 2013, Visit California and its agency of record, MeringCarson, attended a BrandLab workshop to gain insight into how global brands are innovating in content marketing and to take the organization’s own content strategy to the next level. BrandLab is Google’s innovation center where brands learn how to unlock the latest digital tools to engage customers and grow their businesses.
“Our biggest takeaway was content’s role in digital,” says Traci Ward, Visit California’s director of consumer marketing. “We went through case studies, seeing what bigger brands were doing—looking at the content ecosystem beyond just created content.” With their visit, the vision for Visit California’s next campaign was starting to take form.
The Campaign: The Dream365 Project
Fast-forward one year. On February 28, 2014, Visit California used YouTube to launch The Dream365 Project, an ongoing initiative to amplify content-centric digital brand activity and inspire people worldwide to dream big every day of the year. The global launch, dubbed “24 Hours, 24 Dreams,” featured a new video every hour for 24 hours through the YouTube masthead in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. The videos were aimed at showcasing, inspiring and celebrating California dreamers with their iconic and off-the-beaten-path experiences statewide.
“Each piece of content is reflective of somebody’s dream,” says Ward. “Some pull at the heartstrings, some are more quirky, but they’re all about people who have gone on to do something that manifested in California.”
The campaign included the 24-hour YouTube masthead takeover, and released different combinations of video content with Lightbox Ads, rolling out full videos in TrueView and serving up video-specific banners across the Google Display Network. “YouTube is the biggest video platform out there,” says Ward. “From a sheer eyeballs perspective, there really isn’t another choice that could’ve done what YouTube was able to deliver.”
The campaign features some of the Golden State’s biggest dreamers, including professional skateboarder Bob Burnquist, artist David Garibaldi and chef Ludo Lefebvre. To showcase the state’s abundance and variety, Visit California employed several tactics and assembled a robust collection of content. First, MeringCarson leveraged past production efforts to develop and produce original content. From there, multiple tactics were used to activate the creative community for custom content—from established YouTube creators, such as SoulPancake, to crowdsourcing companies like PopTent. Finally, the team curated existing YouTube content that showcased the California spirit.
Measuring campaign performance and success
The ultimate metric, however, is whether this content inspires travel to California—and the results speak for themselves. High awareness and engagement levels led to a 17% lift in likelihood to visit California and a 7% lift in consideration to visit in the next 12 months.1 The campaign achieved a 21% increase in overall California travel search volume on Google during the week of the launch compared to the year before,2 exceeding the prior week’s year-over-year growth by 1.5 times. Two days after the masthead takeover, viewers exposed to the Dream365 masthead visited the visitcalifornia.com site 306% more often than unexposed viewers in the United States, 165% more often in Canada and 920% more often in the United Kingdom.3
The campaign also showed the broad reach of Visit California’s digital presence—136.6 million impressions in one day, with a total of more than 2.5 years’ worth of content watched. It reached a click-through rate of 0.28%—exceeding the average across all industries, including entertainment. The interaction rate was 13.1%, nearly seven times the industry benchmark. Results also aligned nicely with Visit California’s overall target audience—75% of the views on Visit California’s YouTube channel were from users over 25 years of age.
As a bonus, the viral nature of the content has boosted reach and attracted media attention. The video featuring skateboarder Bob Burnquist and a ramp floating on Lake Tahoe has been watched more than 800,000 times, and it continues to rack up thousands of impressions in earned media coverage, including a high-profile placement on ESPN.
Moving forward with a proven platform
The months to come will focus on sustaining this momentum through a digital paid media program combined with owned and earned activity, allowing elevated exposure for the initial suite of videos, driving additional consumption of Visit California’s video content and fostering greater content engagement.
“This is probably the best-received campaign we’ve ever launched from an attention standpoint,” says Ward. From a corporate brand perspective, “the B-to-B pickup has been huge.”
Having achieved a solid proof of concept, Visit California now has a foundation upon which to build. To consistently fuel the channel with content, the organization is working on an active management plan. “These 24 pieces of content are good for a while,” notes Ward, “but as we move forward the goal is not to have to kill ourselves to do content like this but rather to have an ongoing plan in place to deploy, learn from and react to content.”


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Ubisoft warns millions of video gamers of hack attack
Ubisoft has suffered a security breach and is warning account holders that details have been compromised.
The video games publisher said that user names, email addresses and encrypted passwords had been "illegally accessed", but that subscribers' debit and credit card details remained safe as it did not store them.
The firm said it had 58 million people on its database at the time of attack.
It said it did not believe the attack was related to earlier breaches.
Last year the firm had to release an emergency patch after it discovered a security hole in its Uplay web browser add-on could have allowed cybercriminals to run malware on computers that had installed it.
Then in April it temporarily halted sales of PC video games after hackers discovered a way to download software from its online store without paying and stole a copy of a title it had yet to release.
"We are recommending all our users change their passwords," the firm said in a statement.
"We also recommend that you change your password on any other website or service where you use the same or a similar password.
"Ubisoft's security teams are exploring all available means to expand and strengthen our security measures in order to better protect our customers. Unfortunately, no company or organisation is completely immune to these kinds of criminal attacks."
France-based Ubisoft is best known for its Assassin's Creed, Just Dance, Splinter Cell and Far Cry franchises.
Gamers buying its titles for PCs are often required to register an account with the firm as an anti-piracy measure, while console owners are encouraged to do so in order to log "achievements" which can be used to unlock bonus content.
The attack comes two years after the biggest video games industry breach to date - a hack attack on Sony's PlayStation network that resulted in millions of subscribers' passwords and credit card details being leaked online.
The firm was later fined £250,000 by the UK's Information Commissioner's Office, which criticised the Japanese company for failing to have up-to-date security software.


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The recent Bell Canada data breach might not have contained any compromised financial information, but it could still create “stepping stones” to more serious cases of fraud and espionage, according to a cybersecurity expert.
On Tuesday, the company alerted customers that the information of “fewer than 100,000” users was illegally accessed by hackers. The RCMP announced it had opened an investigation.
Bell, Canada’s largest telecommunications company, said that while names and email addresses were accessed — as well as phone numbers for some users — no banking or financial information was compromised.
The potential danger to the company’s customers is apparent, according to Jon Lindsay, an assistant professor in digital media at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs.
“They’re going to be potential victims of more sophisticated spam and phishing messages, because the more you know about somebody the more you can tailor the lure to that particular person,” Lindsay told HuffPost.
“Maybe you make something that looks like a Bell bill, and [customers] would be more likely to give their credentials or input their credit card information to it.”
The compromised information creates an “indirect vulnerability,” Lindsay added.
“It could just be used as a stepping stone for further fraud or even espionage,” he said.
This is the second breach at the company in eight months. Last May, Bell announced that 1.9 million email addresses and around 1,700 names and phone numbers were illegally obtained by hackers. A spokesperson for the company told HuffPost the two incidents are not connected.
Read the original story over at Huffington Post Canada.


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NEW YORK - Nov. 11, 2012 UniMac®, a leading provider of on-premises laundry equipment, announced today that OPTidry™, over-dry prevention technology (OPT), is now available on stack tumblers. The technology allows hotel laundry managers to reduce labor, energy and linen replacement costs associated with over-drying.
Over-drying occurs when tumble dryers run longer than needed because they cannot detect when linen has reached its optimal dryness level or when staff uses incorrect cycles. This decreases throughput, uses excessive energy and causes linens to deteriorate faster.
OPTidry over-dry prevention technology is an industry-exclusive, cutting-edge innovation that connects sensors located within the lifters to UniMac's revolutionary rotary transfer switch to offer unmatched levels of accuracy. The result is a pinpoint dryness reading throughout the entire load, which allows the machine to automatically shut off once dryness levels have been reached, eliminating the costs associated with over-drying.
This breakthrough technology can help on-premises laundries save up to thousands of dollars a year in expenses.
Seventy-nine percent of commercial laundry distributors and managers believe that on-premises laundries over-dry an average of eight minutes per cycle, according to a recent survey. This amounts to hundreds of wasted dollars in utility costs and thousands of dollars in wasted labor a year. In addition, linens experience 31 percent less fiber loss when over-drying is eliminated.
"We've seen how well our customers have responded to OPTidry on our single-pocket tumblers and are excited to now offer the technology on our stack machines," said Bill Brooks, North American Sales Manager, UniMac. "UniMac's machines have the lowest cost of ownership on the market due to advancements such as OPTidry. Our customers can rest assured their machines are built to be reliable and durable, and will provide outstanding performance for many years to come."
OPTidry is now available on UniMac stack tumblers in 30- and 45-pound capacities.
Product information: 1-800-587-5458
Media contact: Public Relations at email@example.com or by calling 414.224.0210.
UniMac provides a full line of heavy-duty industrial equipment for the commercial laundry industry. As key players in the success of on-premises laundry facilities, UniMac commercial laundry equipment continuously achieves high levels of efficiency, quality and durability. And with in-house financing available from UniMac Funding, the company offers the premier solution for business owners and managers that need financial services to support their on-premises laundry operations. UniMac is a division of Alliance Laundry Systems LLC, Ripon, Wis., a leading global manufacturer of commercial laundry products and provider of services for laundromats, multi-housing laundries and on-premises laundries. To learn more, visit http://www.unimac.com.


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By Jof Enriquez,
Follow me on Twitter @jofenriq
Zimmer Holdings Inc. will purchase Biomet Inc. in a deal worth $13.4 billion. The merger of the two rivals will create the second-largest company in the burgeoning $45 billion market for orthopedic and dental products, behind market leader Johnson & Johnson, according to a Bloomberg report.
Under the terms of the deal, Zimmer will pay $10.35 billion in cash and $3.0 billion in common stock, while also assuming Biomet’s outstanding debt. Upon closing, Zimmer stockholders are expected to own 84 percent of the new company, while 16 percent will be held by Biomet shareholders.
The transaction is the fifth largest medical device industry transaction in the past decade, and the largest since J&J purchased Synthes for $19.7 billion in 2012, according to Bloomberg. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2015 after clearing regulatory hurdles, including antitrust laws, and EU regulations.
Partially spurred by implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s medical device excise tax, some companies in the medical device industry are looking to scale up. “We’re going to have the resources to invest in a way that won’t be affected by that tax,” David C. Dvorak, Zimmer’s CEO, said in an interview with the New York Times.
The combined company is expected to save $135 million in the first year and $270 million by the third year, when Zimmer and Biomet will be fully integrated. Zimmer said the acquisition will provide better future financial flexibility, including achieving stable dividend of 15 to 20 percent of net income after closing the deal.
"This is a milestone combination that brings together two highly complementary organizations and is consistent with our mission to lead the industry in delivering value to healthcare providers, their patients and stockholders," Dvorak said in a press release. “We believe that current demographic and macroeconomic trends affecting the healthcare industry will reward companies that successfully partner with other key stakeholders to improve patient care in a cost-effective manner.”
“This will give Zimmer some leverage when they go to hospitals, and help them compete,” Jason McGorman, an industry analyst, said in a telephone interview by Bloomberg. “They get a little more in terms of products in other areas, like sports medicine, extremities and trauma, where Zimmer has less exposure.”
In a conference call discussing details of the merger and Zimmer’s Q1 2014 results, Zimmer CFO Jim Crines reported total revenue of $1.161 billion for the first quarter of 2014, a 3.2 percent rise from the same period last year, while adjusted net earnings increased by 7.2 percent to $258.1 million year-on-year.


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$HPE announced its plans for a spin-off and merger of its non-core software assets with Micro Focus in a transaction valued at approx. $8.8Bil. $HPE and Micro Focus also announced plans for a commercial partnership naming SUSE as $HPE's preferred Linux partner.
$GOOG’s Waymo accuses Uber of stealing its intellectual property. Startup Otto, which was recently acquired by Uber, also named in the lawsuit. Stage set for another dramatic legal battle!
We all knew $VALE CEO Murilo Ferreira was going out soon, but now I hear he has no idea who will succeed him!
$JCP, another traditional retailer that just shocked us with its biggest number of store closures.


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Payment gateways and mobile wallets are planning to spend up to $100 million (about Rs 600 crore) on multi-media advertising campaigns in 2015 as they seek to gain consumers’ trust amid robust growth in India’s mobile and internet penetration, and a boom in the country’s e-commerce sector. According to industry experts and media agencies, online payment solution provider PayUMoney will roll out a multi-media advertising campaign in the next few weeks. They said the company is spending more than $10 million only on the campaign meant for television and that this figure is a fraction of its overall advertising and marketing budget for the year. PayUMoney has signed Leo Burnett as its creative agency and Mindshare as the media agency. Nitin Gupta, co-founder & CEO of PayU India, which owns PayUMoney, refused to disclose the budget for the ad campaign but said “Payment gateways and mobile wallets are where e-commerce was two-and-a-half years ago. All companies are expected to up their advertising and marketing spend to gain the consumers’ trust”. Noida-based mobile commerce company Paytm is also planning to spend “heavily” on advertising this year, an industry expert said on condition of anonymity. This will follow the Rs 100-crore advertising and marketing campaign that the company had rolled out in July. “We have been spending some good amount on advertising in the past few months,” Amit Lakhotia, vice-president at Paytm said, adding that the advertising budget for this year will be split between acquiring new customers and pushing for repeat usage by existing customers. Mobile wallet provider Oxigen, which had spent $2 million on advertising and marketing last year, plans to raise this budget to $5-10 million this year. “Most of our advertising and marketing spend is spent on creating awareness among customers,” said Pramod Saxena, CMD at Oxigen.
According to a May 2014 report by Internet and Mobile Association of India, Payments Council of India and IMRB, the digital payments industry in India was expected to grow 40% year-on-year to Rs 1,200 crore by the end of 2014. The industry was pegged at Rs 85,800 crore in December 2013. While digital advertising will remain a top priority, most companies plan to go aggressive on traditional media too. Experts say that after the boom in e-commerce, this is the natural progression for payment gateways and mobile wallets, which are a derivative of e-commerce.
“It is important for these companies to create audience and build brand image, which generally comes from advertising though traditional media where huge budgets and increased ad spends come in,” said Hari Krishnan, managing director, ZenithOptimedia India. Karthik Ananth, director at globalisation and market expansion advisory firm Zinnov, said, “Most of these ad dollars are coming from investments that venture capitalists are making rather than from revenues generated from the business itself. This means the companies have to scale up rapidly enough”.
"Following the transaction, majority Indian ownership will create the regulatory space to even convert the operations into a B2C entity. It will provide a better shopping and pricing experience. But it's a call that has to be taken," said a source familiar with the transaction.


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The Nikon D850 has proven to be a tremendously popular camera, so much so that it's been very difficult to get one's hands on it. Thankfully, it's now back in stock at B&H, and you can order it for immediate shipping now. The D850 is an excellent all-around choice, and we were big fans of it in our real-world review.
This past Tuesday, Apple announced the new Mac Mini, MacBook Air, and iPad Pro models. Both the Mac Mini and MacBook Air have seen major bumps in their specifications, while the MacBook Air has also gained a Retina display. The iPad Pro has received a major power bump along with a more refined design and newly designed Apple Pencil. All models of the Mac Mini, MacBook Air, and iPad Pro are now available for preorder, with shipping beginning next week.


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Baybars Altuntas of Turkey invited by President Obama to give a speech at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya
ISTANBUL – Baybars Altuntas of Turkey has been invited by the President Obama to give a speech at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya. The White House extended the invitation of President Obama to Baybars Altuntas last week.
Baybars Altuntas was one of the invitees of President Obama in 2010 in the first GES in Washington DC. He was given a personal audience by President Obama before the summit started. Altuntas has been recognized by the European Trade Association of Business Angels (EBAN) and received the Best Individual in Europe Globally Engaging with the World Entrepreneurial Ecosystem award in both 2014 and 2015. Altuntas is the Vice President of EBAN, President of TBAA – The Turkish Trade Association for Business Angels & Early Stage Market Players and Ambassador of the World Entrepreneurship Forum to Turkey & South East Europe.
Launched by President Obama in 2009, GES brings together entrepreneurs and investors from across Africa and around the world annually to showcase innovative projects, exchange new ideas, and help spur economic opportunity. The 2015 GES agenda will focus on generating new investments for entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on women and youth. Since 2009, GES has emerged as a global platform connecting emerging entrepreneurs with leaders from business, international organizations, and governments looking to support them. This is the first time GES will take place in sub-Saharan Africa.
Global Entrepreneurship Summit
President Obama elevated entrepreneurship to the forefront of the United States’ engagement agenda during a historic speech in Cairo in 2009. Since 2010, when the U.S. hosted the first Summit in Washington, D.C., GES has expanded to a global event, subsequently hosted by the governments of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Morocco. The 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 25-26. It will be the sixth annual gathering of entrepreneurs at all stages of business development, business leaders, mentors, and high-level government officials. The established tradition demonstrates the U.S. Government’s continued commitment to fostering entrepreneurship around the world.
Committing to a Bold New Goal to Spark Global Entrepreneurship
Bringing together the U.S. Government’s most exceptional entrepreneurship programs, the United States will spark $1 billion in new private investments over the next three years for entrepreneurs worldwide, including social entrepreneurs. Half of these investments will be generated by women and young entrepreneurs. In addition, the United States is issuing a call to action to other organizations, companies, and countries to build on this goal. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation already pledged its support to this effort, announcing that the new Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) would generate additional investments for entrepreneurs.
Expanding Entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa
Through the Middle East and North Africa Investment Initiative, the U.S. government is launching new partnerships with the Shell Foundation in Iraq to provide financial and practical support to small and medium sized businesses run by entrepreneurs. In Lebanon, through a new partnership with Berytech, the U.S. government will provide early capital and advice for entrepreneurs, as well as mentoring, business networks, and other support as they grow and create even more jobs and economic activity.
As announced by the Vice President, the United States and Volvo are partnering to establish a training academy for entrepreneurs in Morocco. The academy will train 150 students each year from Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, focusing on maintenance of industrial and commercial equipment. Training will also include technology and general business skills to prepare graduates to enter the modern workforce – either employed by local or multinational companies like Volvo, or as entrepreneurs running their own businesses.
Enhancing Networking and Resources for Entrepreneurs
To deepen engagement and networking among entrepreneurs, GIST has partnered with nine investment, entrepreneurial, education, and corporate organizations to create GIST Net (www.gistnetwork.org). This global, user-driven online platform will connect science and technology entrepreneurs in emerging economies and provide them with the ongoing resources and mentorship they need to collaborate, seek funding, and grow their businesses.
About Baybars Altuntas
Baybars Altuntas is a global entrepreneur, best-selling author, angel investor, columnist, star of the Turkish version of the television show Dragons’ Den, President of the TBAA – Business Angels Association of Turkey, President of Deulcom International, Vice President of the European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds, and other Early Stage Market Players (EBAN), and the World Entrepreneurship Forum’s Ambassador to Turkey and South East Europe.
He has been recognized by the European Trade Association of Business Angels (EBAN) and received the Best Individual in Europe Globally Engaging with the World Entrepreneurial Ecosystem award in both 2014 and 2015.He is the Ambassador of the World Entrepreneurship Forum to Turkey & South East Europe.
He was interviewed by CNN International about the GES after his meeting with President Obama in 2010.


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The Financial Services Innovation Act will again be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The legislation aims to foster innovation in financial services by establishing federal regulatory sandboxes that let entrepreneurs test new products and services while ensuring consumer protections, according to the release.
“Budding FinTech firms currently operate in fear of heavy-handed penalties brought down by regulators that have failed to work with Congress to provide clear rules of the road,” McHenry said in the release. “That’s why I’m reintroducing the Financial Services Innovation Act.”
This legislation would give these firms a chance to “test legal and regulatory waters” before taking new offerings to market, McHenry said.
It would require federal regulators to create Financial Service Innovation Offices (FISOs) within their agencies and allow companies to apply for agreements with these FISOs to be able to offer new products and services under an alternative compliance plan, per the release.
The legislation would also create an entity that would ensure that agencies share information and data on petitions, work with state regulators to provide information and advice to the public about financial innovations, and report on existing regulations that pose barriers to innovation, competition and improvements in financial products and services, the release said.
“Innovators have long flocked to American markets because we strike the right balance between fostering innovation and consumer protection — this bill will help ensure the United States continues to lead the world in financial innovation,” McHenry said in the release.
McHenry previously reintroduced the Financial Services Innovation Act in 2022, saying that it would in part require federal regulators to foster innovation.
The bill has in the past been opposed by some consumer advocacy groups that said it would allow financial services companies to market “risky new products.”
In an October 2023 letter addressed to McHenry and Rep. Maxine Waters, ranking member of the HFSC, 18 such groups said: “Creating these regulatory ‘sandboxes’ for companies would force agencies to shirk their statutory duties to enforce the law and protect consumers and instead prioritize allowing risky and unproven products into the marketplace before they have been fully evaluated to ensure that they comply with the law and are safe for consumers to use.”


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CredPal has raised US$15 million in funding to expand its consumer credit offerings in Nigeria and scale across Africa. Launched in 2018 by Fehintolu Olaogun and Olorunfemi Jegede, CredPal is a consumer credit platform that gives buyers the freedom to buy now and pay later, and helps merchants acquire more customers to increase sales. The startup has over 85,000 active customers and over 4,000 onboarded merchants and has now raise debt financing and a bridge round totalling Additionally, the funds will support the company’s expansion across Africa, starting with Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, and Cameroon. The announcement also coincides with a new partnership with Airtel Nigeria to foster digital inclusion by allowing low and middle-income earners across Nigeria to access BNPL services to own smartphones and broadband modems. “We are delighted to have the support of our investors and partners as we complete this fundraise. Our commitment to better credit facilities for African consumers and helping sellers grow their sales is getting a huge boost with these latest milestones,” said Fehintolu Olaogun, CredPal’s CEO and co-founder. CredPal Pay serves as a point-of-sale infrastructure that enables BNPL through various means – a credit payment link, checkout plugin, QR codes, and a transaction management system. This suite is redefining the point-of-sale experience for online and offline merchants as well as consumers.
SOURCE: DISRUPT AFRICA


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July 28, 2011 |
WASHINGTON: Although Indo-US ties are on a positive trajectory, India remains a difficult place to work, with employees of the American mission there facing "health and security risks , including the threat of terrorism," says an official report. "US diplomats' access to Indian officials is tightly controlled. The process by which the Indian government coordinates contacts internally can at times be an obstacle to broadened...
March 5, 2014 |
Shopping online using credit cards is becoming increasingly popular as it makes life way and due to the diversified options available. Be it an e-commerce transaction, booking tickets online or availing a service, online transactions has its intrinsic advantages of saving time and convenience. But there is also a fear of data associated with this, as a lot of third party websites and cookies are actively stealing user information silently leading to security risks. Taking some...
February 27, 2004 |
MUMBAI: Rolta India Ltd said that the company on Friday held a technology seminar on RoltaSecure ? eSecurity services ? that helps organisations identify security risks/threats by using a proven and continuous security management process. RoltaSecure provides organisations with the knowledge and tools to recognise vulnerabilities develop counter measures and perform ongoing assessments.
March 20, 2004 |
WASHINGTON: With as many as three million software industry jobs poised to move offshore by 2015, the US industry needs to protect itself against potential security risks, including economic espionage, the Chairman of the National Intelligence Council has warned. "While outsourcing of business functions is a growing trend that helps firms cut costs, it also brings potential security risks--particularly when outsourcing involves entities owned and operated abroad," Robert L...
May 20, 2014 |
BEIJING: China today said it will forbid the use of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system in new government computers to minimise security risks, as the software giant last month ended support to Windows XP. All desktops, laptops and tablet PCs to be purchased by state organisations must have operating systems other than the Windows 8, according to an online statement issued by the Central Government Procurement Centre. The move only targets computers used by government...


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NEW YORK — Polo Sport is poised to take advantage of a year of big international sporting events — from the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, to the World Cup in soccer in the U.S. — with an advertising campaign full of bronzed, muscled athletes.
The division of Cosmair unveiled its advertising strategy for the new men’s fragrance and skin fitness line this week, and the backbone of the roughly $13 million ad campaign is a $5 million to $6 million TV effort, according to Camille McDonald, vice president of marketing.
The 30-second TV commercial will air in 54 markets, almost double the 30 markets that televised the Safari for Men commercial in 1992.
The commercial premiered last week in several Southern and New England markets. Additional week-long flights will continue through February and March to coincide with Polo Sport’s launch in 1,400 doors. Lauren will do a follow-up hit in nine markets in April and in 27 markets for Father’s Day in June.
Directed by Bruce Weber, the spot features a fast cut of exuberant athletes — diving, swimming, skiing, etc. — interspersed with a couple of product shots.
Although it will not air on Olympic broadcasts, the campaign is breaking in most markets around the time of the Olympics, which begin Feb. 12, and it plays up the red, white and blue theme of the products’ packaging.
“Our advertising needs to be fun, to be very visually exciting,” McDonald said.
Jack Wiswall, senior vice president and general manager, said TV is an important part of the campaign because Polo Sport “crosses over all demographics. We think it has very wide-ranging appeal.”
McDonald added that Polo Sport draw men who like to fancy themselves athletes even if they’re not.
With Polo Sport, Lauren is attempting to ease more men into prestige skin care with its 10-item Water Basics line. The problem-solution line features, for example, a 2-in-1 shampoo and body cleanser convenient for the gym, and the products are easily portable.
McDonald noted, however, that the company has been careful to use the term “skin fitness” instead of “treatment,” a word that can turn men off.
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While ancillary products typically account for 10 to 15 percent of men’s fragrance sales, McDonald said Lauren is projecting Water Basics will do 25 percent of Polo Sport’s business. She said initial reaction in Lauren’s Polo Sport store, where the scent was launched in the fall, has pushed Water Basics’ share to about 30 percent. Sources have estimated Polo Sport will hit $65 million in retail sales this year.
To communicate the fact that Polo Sport is a both a fragrance and a body line, McDonald said the company will run 40 million to 50 million scented strips from February through December.
On the front of the full-page scented strip is an Irving Penn photo of the cobalt blue fragrance bottle under the headline “The Fitness Fragrance by Ralph Lauren.” On the back is a Penn photo of the Close Shave Foam and the Face and Body Sports Cream with the headline “The Skin Fitness Collection by Ralph Lauren.”
The print campaign, which McDonald said will cost a total of about $6.5 million, also will include seven-page ad sections featuring the product shots; Weber photos of a Laurenesque gentleman-sailor, the torso of a man after a workout, a montage of athletes, and, unusual for the company, a page of text describing the philosophy of the line.
“It’s Olympian and heroic, but it’s also in your backyard,” McDonald said.
In addition, Lauren will run gatefolds, three-page ads and two-page spreads in Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Self, Vanity Fair, New York Times Magazine, GQ, Esquire, Men’s Health, Outside, Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition and various regional magazines.
With magazines such as Details, Seventeen and Rolling Stone, McDonald said, “We’re going younger than we normally do.”
The campaign will use $1 million of newspaper co-op ads, and the company will distribute 7 million towlettes, vials and other samples of Polo Sport.
In stores where Polo Sport will be available at self-service units in addition to the men’s fragrance bar, Lauren is planning a series of appearances by members of local sports teams, including the Houston Rockets basketball team and the Colorado Rockies baseball team.


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City of Monroe introduces Hometown Holiday Lights initiative
The City of Monroe is looking to liven up its downtown this holiday season with a new "experiential marketing" program.
Monroe's Hometown Holiday Lights (HHL) initiative invites individuals, local businesses and corporations to sponsor large exterior holiday lighting elements that will be displayed in and around Loranger Square, the site of the city's annual tree lighting ceremony. The program is being facilitated by the city with the support of the Downtown Development Authority.
New elements will be unveiled each year at the tree lighting ceremony, which this year takes place on November 19. Sponsorships are broken up into tiers, with both a local and corporate tier system available that allows sponsors to select their level of commitment. All sponsorships are good for five years.
All contributed funds will go towards the acquisition of lighting elements and displays. The contributions themselves are 100 percent tax deductible.
Monroe's Director of Communications, Jody Egen, said that the goal of the program is to give both residents and non-residents a festive reason to visit downtown Monroe each holiday season, thereby creating foot traffic for the businesses in the area.
"We wanted to kind of create an experiential marketing opportunity for investors that want to have their corporation represented downtown," Egen said. "(We wanted) to continue to draw people back to see what new elements have been brought into the community. We're not trying to replicate a Rochester Hills, or a Frankenmuth or anything like that, but to bring some holiday spirit downtown."
Egen said that several sponsors have already committed to elements for the 2021 holiday season, to the tune of about $26,000.
"A couple of big pieces have been ordered," she said. "Of course, we have to order those things right away. I'm not going to spoil what they are, but there are some that are in the 11-foot category that are going to be placed around Loranger Square for now, and then branching out throughout the downtown area."
The city's hope is that this initiative inspires even the local businesses who do not choose to participate to set up or expand their own lighting displays.
"I know we have several local businesses even outside the downtown districts that really do an excellent job with their holiday lights," Egen said. "This is a brand new program this year, and we hope to build on it every year... We're really excited about this.
"We feel we've had really good feedback so far. A lot of people are pretty excited to participate, and we think this will be a really good start this year."
Councilwoman Kellie Vining expressed enthusiasm about the program, saying "it adds to what we've been talking about over the years of the city working with private and other public entities, nonprofits and whatnot."
"My brain is just going right now, because this could be moved from holiday lights to all sorts of events throughout the year," Vining said. "This is really exciting, and I can really see how this can be expanded for businesses and the city to work together to build our downtown."
For more information about HHL, visit https://www.monroemi.gov/.


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Nintendo will be showing off some new gameplay footage of their upcoming title, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
The Game Awards producer, Geoff Keighly tweeted out a picture containing the announcement late yesterday. At this time, there are no details on what exactly will be shown, except that it will provide “an exclusive look” at the game.
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) November 28, 2016
Rumors of Breath of the Wild’s release date have been growing rampant over the past weeks, indicating that the game has been delayed until June, thanks to a release date mention from a retailer. Nintendo has yet to speak about the game’s exact release date, but perhaps we will hear more information regarding this on Thursday during the Game Awards.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild releases for the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo Switch in 2017. The Game Awards 2016 kicks off on December 1st.


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Dubai: Apple and Tim Cook have done their bit for data privacy – by giving users a direct say in the if and how those details should be used. By raising the pitch on privacy, Apple has also managed to cast an unwelcome spotlight on how such data is used by other tech giants. (As Facebook’s new avatar, Meta will have to keep giving its interpretation of where user privacy starts and ends.)
Whatever be the case, there is this constant need to better manage how all that consumer data can be collected and dissected. The German ‘market intelligence’ firm GfK knows a bit about playing in this space, because consumer data is the currency it deals in. Gulf News spoke to Nacho San Martin, regional Managing Director at GfK, about where the company stands on the data-divide and whether AI can help sort out matters.
Much of the new consumer data is generated from social and digital media exposures. Do you think consumers are in the mood to offer more of themselves going forward?
Consumers are becoming intentional about what types of data they share—and with whom. However, if a product or service offering is critically important to consumers, many are willing to set aside their privacy concerns.
As consumers become more careful about sharing data, and regulators step up privacy requirements, leading companies are learning that data protection and privacy can create a business advantage. Besides, privacy regulations are evolving, with a marked shift toward protecting consumers.
The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation enacted by the EU), for example, gives consumers more choices and protections about how their data are used.
At some point, global tech will have to narrow what sort of data they make available about their users. Will that impact finding out more about consumer preferences?
Rightly so, companies want to know what drives consumer preferences. Interestingly, AI insights uncover new correlations and hidden connections. Using AI to fully map the customer journey helps businesses understand what drives purchases, the expectations of different demographics, and how customers perceive brands.
Brands must see their customers in three dimensions. This means combining insights that tell us what people are doing (quantitative and sales data), why they are doing it (qualitative and attitudinal data) and identifying all the major influences that also impact people’s purchasing decisions (personal values, income, life stage, lifestyle, and more).
As regulators step up privacy requirements, leading companies are learning that data protection and privacy can create a business advantage
Why do you want to get in AI into what should be a straightforward analysis of human insights?
The art is balancing human experience with data science, resulting in knowledge at speed. We believe that the path to future-proofing business starts by combining instinct with AI-powered predictive analytics — leading to more 'a-ha moments' companies can act on, shaping decision-making, and empowering them to decode the future.
It also gives us the confidence we need to move at speed in a competitive market. GfK’s AI-powered platform – gfknewron - delivers not just descriptive data but actionable recommendations using a blend of quality data sets, advanced machine-learning technology, and expert modelling.
Won’t consumer biases show up in AI-created insights in much the same way as what’s learnt through human interaction?
For AI to transform the world, it needs to be trusted and it takes careful planning to strike the right balance between AI insights and human expertise. Human-centric AI insights enable companies to drill down to a granular level with specific questions about purchasing decisions, predict customer demand, and anticipate emerging market trends.
AI should empower humans, not replace them. The AI in our gfknewron tool does just that. As a predictive insights and analytics tool for businesses, gfknewron harnesses the data available, including our own customer and market data, and use it to project and predict future scenarios. It explains the evidence behind the recommendations and is transparent about how it works, so you can trust the insights generated.
It’s built to be a companion to humans in the decision-making process.


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SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket today during a 30 second window at 6:32pm EDT. Onboard is NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) designed to find exoplanets. SpaceX said this morning there’s an 80 percent chance of launching today. Following the launch,
Humanity is about to return to the hottest planet in the solar system. BepiColombo is a mission to Mercury conducted jointly by the European and Japanese space agencies, due to launch in just a few hours aboard an Ariane 5 rocket. But while there's just the one launch, there are two spacecraft.
Recent reports that Softbank may take a majority stake in WeWork has added fuel to the already hot market for start-ups in the workspace and property tech sectors. One of the more compelling companies that stands to benefit from this trend is New York-based Convene.
Hotels can be pricey, and and travelers are often forced to leave their rooms for basic things, like food that doesn’t come from the minibar. Yet Airbnb accommodations, which have become the go-to alternative for travelers, can be highly inconsistent. Domio, a two-year-old, New York-based outfit,
Henrique Dubugras Contributor Share on Twitter Henrique Dubugras is the founder Brex, the billion-dollar corporate credit provider for startups. When I think about my experience as an immigrant and entrepreneur in Silicon Valley,
Alumni Ventures Group is investing upwards of $200 million a year in tech startups. Has anyone noticed?
A decade ago, it was almost inconceivable that nearly every household item could be hooked up to the internet. These days, it’s near impossible to avoid a non-smart home gadget, and they’re vacuuming up a ton of new data that we’d never normally think about.
Sony’s live TV streaming service, PlayStation Vue, announced this week it has become the first U.S. pay TV provider to integrate with Apple’s TV app. Until now, Apple’s TV app has featured content from both free and paid on-demand streaming apps like Hulu, Prime Video, HBO NOW, PBS Kids, The CW,
Sony promised an ‘ultra low-light camera’ during its Mobile World Congress press conference back in February. The off-hand announcement was intended to throw a bit of shade at Samsung’s recent flagship,
Domino’s will now deliver your pizza to the beach – well, sort of! Or the park, the sports field, that one gas station down the road, or some notable landmark in your city where it will be easy for your delivery driver to find you, among other places. The company announced today the launch of […]
Porsche is planning a Supercharger-like network of fast charging stations at dealerships and highway locations across the US. There will be at least 500 by the end of 2019 according to Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Porsche Cars North America, speaking to Automotive News.
Gameloft is a popular mobile gaming developer with lots of popular titles under its name, not just on iOS and Android, but also on the Windows Phone and Windows Store platform. Just recently, Gameloft rolled out the brand new game called World at Arms to Windows Phone 8,
很多团队从传统开发模式向敏捷开发过度时都会遇到很多的问题，其中最主要的问题就是文档的编制。以什么目的去编制？什么时候编制？怎么去编制？本文将为您回答这些问题，介绍敏捷文档编制的路线图。 By Ester F.
The first scripts for The Walking Dead companion series must have been really, really good, because AMC just picked up two seasons of the still unnamed series, the network said MondayThe first six-episode season will debut late this summer and the second season will air next summer,


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iPad Mini 2 Production Delayed?
AppleInsider reports today on a new story from DigiTimes about Apple’s iPad production plans for the rest of the year. According to DigiTimes’ sources in Apple’s Taiwanese supply chain, the fifth-gen full-sized iPad is on schedule for a third-quarter release, with production due to start in July/August. Initial shipments for the iPad are expected to reach 5 million by the end of September. This fifth version of the iPad is expected to have thinner bezels and to be even slimmer than ever before, basically making it more like a bigger version of the iPad mini! As far as Apple’s smaller iPad is concerned, DigiTimes says that production has now been pushed back to November of this year, for a possible release in Q4. There are several reasons put forward for the start of production being delayed, with AppleInsider saying that it could be due to Apple wanting to stagger the release of the two iPad variants, so that the iPad mini does not cannibalise sales of the full-sized iPad as it did last time. Or, it could simply be that the supply chain cannot cope with building two new iPads at the same time. Only time will tell!
Source: Rumor: Apple to start next-gen iPad production in July, iPad mini in November


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Tap the alarm, roll out of bed and fire up the laptop. Next workday, repeat. Such convenience is only a dream for vast segments of the labor force, whose commutes during the pandemic have grown more dangerous and difficult.
Recent developments attest to the worsening choices available to many segments in our remarkably diverse workshop trying to get to their jobs. Pace Suburban Bus has suspended 73 routes, many catering to the service and hospitality sector.


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Last night’s ABC 4 Corners report ‘
’, by investigative journalist Sarah Ferguson, was a heart-wrenching look at garment factory workers in Bangladesh in the most appalling conditions.
After its screening, the terms boycotting, shunning and shaming were being hurled around on social media, with cries for 'justice' for oppressed workers.
Though the gruelling conditions these labourers were forced to toil in are shocking, and do demand action, I believe boycotting the affiliated brands is not the answer.
Yes, without a doubt their actions are shameful and showed a disturbing lack of human compassion - but by boycotting these brands, we are placing a halt on the income of
3.5 million garment workers in Bangladesh
, most of whom are young females, providing for large families. The situation is a moral conundrum.
An Oxfam Australia
released yesterday explains that almost 70 per cent of Australians would pay more for their clothes if they knew overseas workers were paid a decent wage and that garment factories had safe working conditions.
Bangladesh is the new mecca of cheap labour; they are in fact some of the lowest paid workers in the world.
Exports are set to triple by 2020.
One European buyer summed up the situation very neatly:
"It's price, price, price, price, price and profit".
You can also read that as
cheap cheap cheap and cheap.
Conditions are worsening in a bid to keep up with demand for cheap clothing production, which in Bangladesh has quadrupled in the last decade. Since 2008 there has been an extraordinary
in Australian buying from Bangladesh.
We, as the consumers, are part of what's driving the boom. In our disposable world, we continue to buy cheap clothes with a disregard for the product, because there’s no value attached to it.
Jo Kellock - CEO of the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries Australia said the following in an interview with Craft Australia, 2011 -
‘Last year Australia purchased one billion units of clothing and 90% of this was imported. This happens because it can be delivered faster and cheaper. However, this faster, cheaper, easier model is not sustainable..’
In Australia Women spend double the amount of money on clothing than men.
Fast Fashion is not sustainable for the environment, for positive action on dangerous climate change or for the millions of people caught in the network.
There is no quick fix. However, as individuals, we do have an incredible power to affect change. We affect change through the choices we make and through what we spend our money on. Every time we spend our money we are voting for the kind of world we want to live in.
Research from Oxfam highlights that 83 per cent of Australians surveyed want clothing retailers to stop being so secretive. Knowledge and research are great weapons of defence – but we also need to start valuing those things that we purchase and take action to move away from the throwaway mentality.
Natalie Isaacs, Founder, 1 Million Women
We are daughters, mothers, sisters and grandmothers getting on with practical climate action to live better for us and the planet. Join the movement at
If you missed the report last night, you can find it by


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The social media giant made this announcement in a statement issued on Thursday where it disclosed that the charge will apply to those buying ads for businesses or personal purposes.
The statement reads, “Due to implementation of a value-added tax (VAT) in Nigeria, Facebook is required to charge VAT on the sale of ads to advertisers, regardless of whether you’re buying ads for business or personal purposes,” the statement reads.
“All advertisers with a business country of Nigeria will be charged an additional 7.5% VAT on advertising services purchased beginning 1 January 2022.
“If you’re registered for VAT and provide your VAT ID, your VAT ID will show up on your ads receipts.
“In the event that you’re entitled to recover the VAT, this may help you recover any VAT you paid to the Nigerian tax authorities if you are a VAT registered business in Nigeria.”
Facebook (now META) is the parent company of Instagram, FB Messenger, and Facebook social media channel. The new 7.5 per cent VAT charge will also apply to adverts on Instagram.
KanyiDaily recalls that Facebook Chairman and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that the social media giant changed its name to META, saying it will reflect the company’s efforts on rebranding its future operations.
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The government is to delay a ban on multi-buy deals for junk food and pre-watershed TV advertising.
The Department of Health said the plans would be deferred for a year while officials assessed the impact on household finances as families struggle with the increasing cost of living.
It said curbs on junk food placement in stores would still go ahead in October.
But health campaigners have accused the PM of “playing politics” with children’s health.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the planned ban on “buy one get one free” (Bogof) deals for food and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) as well as free refills for soft drinks, would be put on hold for 12 months, until October 2023.
Junk food: Ministers to delay ban on multi-buy deals
Plans to restrict TV advertising of junk foods before the 21:00 GMT watershed and paid-for online adverts are also being paused for a year and will not come into force until January 2024, the department added.
Laws requiring large restaurants, cafes and takeaways to list calories on their menus came into force last month.
Public health minister Maggie Throup insisted the government remained committed to tackling the issue of childhood obesity.
“Pausing restrictions on deals like ‘buy one get one free’ will allow us to understand its impact on consumers in light of an unprecedented global economic situation,” she added.
‘Rising prices harder on money than the pandemic’
Recession fears grow as rising prices hit spending
Why is the cost of living going up?
However, health campaigners have criticised delays to the plans, and accused Boris Johnson’s government of failing to tackle childhood obesity.
Prof Graham MacGregor, a cardiologist at Queen Mary University of London and chairman of Action on Sugar, said the delays contradicted the government’s “levelling up” agenda.
“Boris Johnson could have left a legacy of being the first prime minister to address obesity in a meaningful way, particularly in restricting advertising and promotion of unhealthy food which were his flagship policies,” he said.
“Instead, he has given in to his own MPs, and an aggressive food industry, who, ironically, were starting to comply with these new policies.”


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The pandemic caused many gym chains to temporarily close their doors, and several to seek help for overwhelming debt. For some, plans for the current calendar year remain in flux.
This article is based on corporate postings and accredited media reports. All linked information within this article is fully-attributed to the following outlets: ClubIndustry.com, National Health and Fitness Alliance (NHFA), Exercise.com, Sports-Net.org, The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo.com, 24HourFitness.com, and Franchise Chatter.com.
According to an August, 2021 article from ClubIndustry.com, entitled “22 Percent of Gyms Have Closed, $29.2 Billion Revenue Lost Since COVID-19 Hit,” health club jobs assumed a major fall.
As excerpted from the article, which references the National Health and Fitness Alliance (NHFA): Revenue loss was no doubt a contributing factor in 22 percent of health clubs and studios permanently closing since 2019. With the temporary closures and the subsequent permanent closures of health clubs and studios, about 1.5 million people lost their jobs in the industry, according to NHFA. That equates to 47 percent of jobs in the industry.
As to the majority of of U.S. gyms, most have continued to see their share of business declines, as we will see. Though many patrons have returned, making up for lost memberships have remained a challenge.
A May, 2021 article published by Exercise.com listed the most financially successful gyms in the United States to that time. The list included LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, and Anytime Fitness, among others.
Let us examine the recent financial conditions of each.
A November, 2021 article from Sports-Net.org, titled “Is LA Fitness in Financial Trouble?” stated: The company faced a liquidity crunch as 2020 ground on, and Moody’s cut LA Fitness’ credit rating after a surge of Covid cases forced management to shut gyms in California and Arizona a second time. Those states generate more than 20% of the company’s total revenue, Moody’s wrote.
Moody’s for those unaware, is utilized as a research tool for credit reportage. In late 2020, LA Fitness secured a $300 million dollar loan from the government’s Main Street Lending program, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company continues to work with its creditors on its remaining debt.
In 2022, LA Fitness has not announced any plans to permanently shutter, though individual locations — such as a stalwart in downtown Evanston, Illinois — are closing for various reasons, in this case per a March, 2022 piece from EvanstonNow.com. See here.
24 Hour Fitness
In January, 2021, ClubIndustry.com shared positive news. In its article titled “24 Hour Fitness Emerges From Bankruptcy,” the site stated: 24 Hour Fitness filed for bankruptcy on June 15. The company now has an optimized cost structure and leaner balance sheet after eliminating $1.2 billion of funded debt, according to the announcement. A new board of directors has been appointed in conjunction with the emergence from Chapter 11 to help 24 Hour Fitness navigate through the next phase of its strategic plans.
From all indications, the company is continuing its upswing. Its website tells the tale, in a letter to its members.
According to FranchiseChatter.com, Anytime Fitness is a healthy company.
As excerpted from the website’s 2021 status report on the entity: Anytime Fitness ranked No. 30 on Entrepreneur’s 2021 Franchise 500 list.
Specific revenue statistics can be attained on the Franchise Chatter website.
For further information on the aforementioned clubs, including current financials and history, visit their websites or Wikipedia pages. For other gyms that have filed for bankruptcy protection, including the iconic Gold’s Gym, see Yahoo.com article here.
Our largest fitness chains by and large are remaining in business, though for most there are still moves to be made before they can be considered safe from pandemic-era business downturns.
In a followup article, we will examine Crunch Fitness and Equinox.
Thank you for reading.