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Record high demand from customers at Danish-based European top-10 electronics manufacturer GPV drove double-digit growth in both revenue and earnings in H1 2021. The electronics industry and other industries continue to struggle with the global shortage of materials which has also challenged GPV. However, through strategic control of procurement, production, sales, combined with close communication and a high degree of transparency, GPV has been able to support its customers in the best possible way. Meanwhile, GPV has experienced a record order intake and is investing significantly in expanding capacity to meet the growing demand. GPV maintains its sales guidance at DKK 2.9-3.0 billion and raises its EBITDA guidance for the year to DKK 260-300 million.
Today, the international electronics manufacturer GPV presented its interim financial report for Q2 2021, announcing record top and bottom-line results for the first half year. The electronics manufacturer recorded revenue of DKK 1,504 million in H1 2021 against DKK 1,355 million in the same period last year which amounts to an increase of 11 per cent. Adding to the positive results, total earnings (EBITDA) reached DKK 152 million against DKK 108 million last year. CEO Bo Lybæk and the executive management are very pleased with the performance:
“Early 2021, we experienced a strong increase in demand. This development continued well into the second quarter, and we’ve now delivered our best first half-yearly financial report ever. We’re naturally very pleased with the results, and I would like to thank all our employees for their skilled and motivated efforts. The material supply situation has been difficult to manage and still is. On a daily basis, we have to stir, adjust, and coordinate with all our sites across the organisation, and it’s now more crucial than ever to secure that procurement, production, sales, and delivery work closely together,” he explains.
GPV has launched several initiatives to mitigate the effects of the current global shortage of materials and the ensuing logistical challenges. On a weekly basis, executive management meets with the local management teams at the group’s largest sites to support and facilitate steering, share knowledge, and to coordinate how to distribute the scarce resources of materials and capacity as optimally as possible.
GPV is also successfully supporting the redesign of products. If a product cannot be produced due to a lack of materials, GPV helps with the redesign and production of a customer’s products or introduces alternative components in close collaboration with customers. When successful, this gives the customers a significant competitive advantage:
”We’re currently in a situation where our customers are often forced to think about redesigning specific components because of the material supply situation. When that happens, we help them redesign or find full-fledged alternatives and available components so we can secure production. In short, when we reduce one of our customers’ current biggest challenges, this reflects positively on us in terms of goodwill and growth,” remarks Bo Lybæk.
While last year’s growth at GPV was primarily driven by the MedTech segment, the increasing demand in the first half of 2021 was driven by the group’s three other main segments, i.e., Instruments & Industry, CleanTech, and Transport. The global economy is steadily recovering in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and that has made GPV increase capacity at several of its factories. Today, GPV has production sites in Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, and Mexico, and in the first half of 2021 alone, GPV has implemented two new full SMT lines and two new THT lines at its Thai Electronics site. Two similar lines are expected for delivery and operation at our sites in the second half-year of 2021. Meanwhile, the capacity at existing SMT lines in Slovakia, Sri Lanka, and Mexico has been expanded in recent months.
On the longer term, the capacity is to be expanded at several of GPV’s factories. GPV has initiated the construction of a new and bigger factory in Sri Lanka as a replacement for the existing Electronics factory which will be completed end of 2022. Early 2022, GPV also begins the construction of a new Mechanics site in Thailand which will be completed in the beginning of 2023:
“Due to our long-term growth strategy, we have continuously scheduled capacity expansions. This now results in great advantages where more companies wish to invest in e.g., new SMT lines. The first lines have already been set into operation, and the next have been ordered. It has been a strategic move to invest, as we did not want equipment blocking to keep us from meeting the high demand from our customers, and I strongly believe that this will continue to give us an advantage in the long run,” explains Bo Lybæk.
He also stresses, however, that several significant elements of uncertainty will continue at least into the second half of 2021. At the moment, the shortage of materials is most prominent, but also the following increase in material prices has proven to be a challenge. There has been a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in many parts of Southeast Asia, which risks further worsening and prolonging the challenges, but production is not affected:
“We’re monitoring the situation closely and are in close dialogue both with our sites and individual customers. Everyone is aware of the situation, so we try to be transparent to make it easier for us to react as quickly as possible. All things considered, I’m optimistic and believe that we’ll come out stronger from this unique situation that we and the rest of the industry have been put in,” he concludes.
In light of the positive development, GPV still expects full-year 2021 revenue in the DKK 2.9-3.0 billion range and raises its EBITDA guidance to the DKK 260-300 million range.


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The Chula Vista (Calif.) Fire Department and the St. George Fire Department in Baton Rouge, La., currently are testing’s FHinspector application for iPad. The application, which was introduced at Fire-Rescue International in August, improves a department’s ability to conduct inspections and track relevant data, such as building details, evacuation plans and hydrant locations, according to ACS Vice President Sanjay Kalasa. The software costs about $500 on top of the cost of the iPad.
“It boosts efficiencies for sure, and it ensures that occupancies aren’t missed,” Kalasa said.
While confident that the software will do everything that a fire department needs it to do regarding inspections, Kalasa said that concerns exist regarding the iPad’s ruggedness. “Even though we’re using an Otter case, it’s not a Toughbook,” Kalasa said.
“Our customers are wondering how reliable it will be in the field. That’s what this beta test is all about. We want them to play with it, and then we’ll see. If it holds up in the field, then we’ll have a pretty good product on our hands.”
Kalasa added that the company is working with several vendors on strap options that could be used with the iPad. “We’d like something similar to the radio strap, which they’re used to, so it’s off their shoulder, but when they inspect they can pull it up, and then let go of it when they’re done,” he said. “Without a strap, I’m concerned that they can easily drop this thing.”
The company expects to release the results of the beta test sometime around the first of December, but already it has learned something, Kalasa said.
“St. George had a good idea. If you want to take advantage of the platform’s mapping function, you need Internet access. We can put a wireless card into the iPad at extra cost, but St. George pointed out that almost every fire truck has a mobile data terminal,” Kalasa said. “So they’re going to install a Mi-Fi card that will let them operate not only the MDT, but also up to four iPads, which will make company inspections much more efficient.” The device is a small, portable wireless router that effectively turns the apparatus into a hotspot.
Kalasa said the company would be ready when the much anticipated Android tablet finally emerges, perhaps as early as January. “Our software is platform agnostic,” he said. Further down the road, the company hopes to expand the software into other areas, such as training and electronic patient-care reporting.
“We want to look at everything a fire department does and see whether it’s applicable to the iPad,” he said.
Kalasa acknowledged that moving into the emergency medical arena would present some challenges. For instance, how would the iPad hold up if it were exposed to airborne pathogens? But compliance with HIPPA regulations wouldn’t be a problem, he said.
"First, we have built encryption into the software, so any data that would be transmitted is protected,” Kalasa said. “Also, the iPad not only is password-protected, it also has a feature that wipes the computer clean after 10 authentication attempts. It becomes just like a brand new iPad.”

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NEW DELHI: The government is set to target misleading advertisements since the “self-regulation” by advertisers has not happened in a manner in which it was envisaged. While misleading advertisements related to food items are likely to be the priority, a new mechanism to deal with this menace will also target health, housing, education and agriculture sectors.
As per the plan, both print and audio-visual advertisements will be under scanner and there is also a proposal to check the misleading hoardings.
Sources said at a meeting called by the consumer affairs department last week, a proposal was mooted to have a “subgroup” having members from the government departments, NGOs and consumer issues experts that can receive complaints, identify the misleading aspects and suggest action. This mechanism would be a stop-gap arrangement until a Consumer Protection Authority
The authority has been proposed in the draft amendment of Consumer Protection Act. “While the authority will have the power to take cases suo motu and will have the mandate to take strict action against the misleading advertisers, we can’t allow the consumers to be misled,” said an official.
Some of the participants in the meeting said Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
) has prepared advertising standards for food items. One of them said, “This can come handy to set the standards for food items related advertisements.”
Professor Ashok R Patil, chair on consumer law and practice at National Law School of India University, Bangalore, said at present each sector has a regulatory authority and a couple of laws related to the misleading advertisements or unsafe trade practices exist. “But hardly these are enforced. Once the sub-group establishes the misleading advertisement, it can ask regulators to take necessary action against the advertisers as per law,” he said.
Sources said some of the experts are also of the opinion that the misleading advertisers must be made to pay penalty and publish or broadcast a “counter advertisement” to neutralize their earlier act.


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Breweries represented at the seventh annual East Kootenay Beer Festival will serve up a liquid buffet at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort on Saturday, June 16th.
Ainslie Machan, special events coordinator for the resort, said via email that last year’s hoppy event featured 16 vendors and more than 60 varieties of beer and cider to sample.
“This event is a great opportunity for guests to come and try a wide range of craft beers and ciders from across British Columbia and Alberta with live music and beautiful mountain views,” she said.
The outdoor festival takes place at Fairmont Hot Springs Ski Resort, where Ms. Machan expects to see 500 hundred guests enjoying themselves and discovering new favourite beverages.
The event sells out every year, she said, adding that the majority of the festival guests return from one year to the next and bring their friends.
Guests can look forward to sampling offerings from Arrowhead Brewing Company, Over Time Beer Works, Big Rock Brewery, Fernie Brewing Company and more.
While the tasting event will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Ms. Machan said the festivities will continue into the evening with an after-party.
The East Kootenay Beer Festival takes place the day before Father’s Day, making it “the ideal Father’s Day gift for the beer-drinking dad in your family,” she said.
Tickets for the festival are $59. They include a punch card for 25 sample-sized portions to satisfy any and all beer connoisseurs. Guests will be able to purchase additional punch cards if they’d like.
Tickets and shuttle bookings are available by calling Fairmont Hot Springs Resort at 1-800-663-4979 and selecting option number one.
While the event draws both locals and visitors, Ms. Machan said most guests book weekend packages and plan to spend the night. That way they can enjoy themselves, the festival and the resort amenities while taking care to drink responsibly.
“If you are looking for a good time with great tasting cold beer, delicious food and live music, this memorable festival is the event for you,” she said.


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Recent court cases and federal investigations provide growing evidence that counterfeit drugs are getting onto pharmacy shelves and into the hands of consumers.
The Food and Drug Administration may spotlight the issue as early as this week when it issues a draft plan that is expected to call for sweeping changes in the way drugs are packaged and distributed. "We still think that the integrity of the American drug supply is very strong," says John M. Taylor III, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. But he adds that the agency has noted an increase in the number of counterfeit-drug cases, and "to the extent it's a trend, it's alarming to us."
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Cott Corp. said Tuesday that Wal-Mart had given notice that it would reduce U.S. shelf space for Wal-Mart's private-label carbonated soft drinks, including Sam's Choice, which would be "significant" to Cott's business plans.
The Canadian company, which makes the Sam's Choice drinks for Wal-Mart, its biggest customer, said it was negotiating space allocation with the giant retailer, and that Wal-Mart didn't mention space reduction for Sam's Choice Water.
Shares of Cott lost nearly 20 per cent of their value on Monday in the wake of a report in the industry newsletter, Beverage Digest, saying Cadbury Schweppes was likely gaining Wal-Mart shelf space for its Royal Crown and Diet Rite brands, at the expense of Sam's Choice.
Cott, which posted a steep fourth-quarter loss earlier this month, said Wal-Mart's 2008 merchandising programs have not yet been determined.
Its shares closed down 99 Canadian cents, or 19.8 per cent, at $4.00 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday. Cadbury shares were little changed at 583 1/2 pence on the London Stock Exchange Tuesday.


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Interim Apple CEO Steve Jobs presented a keynote address at Seybold Thursday, and asked publishers--a key, but failing market for Apple--to simply trust him for a few months while he turned Apple around.
"In a way, you guys are our board of directors," Jobs told the audience.
"We're going to be kicking ass, \[so\] trust me for a few months." Jobs told of his plans to streamline Apple's product line while focusing on key markets. He has formed a team to focus on design and publishing as well.
During his keynote, Jobs paraded industry supporters who voiced their love of Apple and its leader. Having the leaders of Adobe, Macromedia, and Quark share the spotlight made for an interesting comparison to Bill Gates' solo address from the day before. Gates' Windows-oriented keynote had included subtle jabs at Apple and its users


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Got steak? Bloomin' Brands stock sizzles in debutAugust 8, 2012: 11:58 AM ET
It's not a home run for Bloomin' Brands or its private equity parents, Bain Capital and Catterton Partners. Bloomin' Brands' underwriters cut the size of the offering to 16 million shares from 21 million, and dropped the IPO price to $11 from a range of $13 to $15, in an effort to drum up investor demand.
The strategy seemed to be working. By late morning, the restaurant chain's shares were trading above $12.
In 2006, Bain Capital and Catterton Partners spent $3.2 billion to take Bloomin' Brands, then known as OSI Restaurant Group, private before jumping on a growing IPO bandwagon.
Investors and IPO analysts said they're somewhat wary of both Bloomin' Brands and fast food chain CKE, which is set to debut Friday, because of their heavy debt loads.
Bloomin' Brands is saddled with $1.5 billion of debt, but it still managed to book a $100 million profit on $3.8 billion of revenue in 2011.
Francis Gaskin, president of IPODesktop, said restaurant chains that have fared best as public companies are those with good growth trajectories. That could prove challenging for both Bloomin' Brands and CKE, owner of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, which already have more than 1,000 and 3,000 stores respectively.


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"The family business has gone through many different minimum wage increases through different economic times, and we've supported that," said Romero. "This time it's been a lot different because the economy has been so bad."
Romero says the hike came at the worst possible time for the business with an already sluggish economy, as people cut back on eating out and venders upped their prices for food and fuel.
To stay afloat El Charritos is cutting back too. They have slashed hours now closing at 2 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays to cut back on operating costs. El Charritos has also chosen not to fill six positions and say things could get worse.
"It's a little scary," Romero added. "The last thing we want to do is raise prices for our customers, but we might be forced to do that."
Even the most loyal customers like Hogeland and his family who eat at the restaurant once a month say that would hate to see that happen, and they feel bad for the owners.
"There's good and bad with it," he said. "It is to help the economy, but it also takes down some of these ma and pa stores. It's unfortunate."
Owners at El Charritos say they employ about 50 people.
They are waiting for next month's books to come in before cutting back any more.
Now one Bernalillo County Commissioner will introduce a proposal to raise the minimum wage in the county too.
No word on the when the commission could possibly vote on that proposal.
Copyright 2014 KRQE TV. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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New Mexico is located in the southwestern region of the U.S. Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, New Mexico has also been part of Imperial Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory.


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According to a Reuters report, Volvo acquired a 13.5 percent stake in Zenseact from ECARX. The acquisition makes Volvo the full owner of Zenseact with a total of 100 percent share ownership.
“Zenseact will continue to survive and operate as an independent company,” said Volvo Cars.
Volvo added that ongoing collaboration discussions between Zenseact and ECARX will continue as planned, despite the Swedish manufacturer taking ECARX’s stake in the software company.
Zenseact received a strategic investment in 2021 from ECARX requesting a 15 percent shareholding.
Zenseact has reached an agreement with Luminar Technologies in 2021 to offer other automakers a combination hardware-software system.


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Yokohama Tire to increase tire prices
Lauren Heartsill Dowdle | November 22, 2010
Yokohama Tire will increase prices on its light and medium commercial truck and off-the-road tires in the United States, effective Jan. 1, 2011. The adjustments are due to continued increases in the cost of raw materials and energy-related expenses.
Commercial tires will increase by up to 6 percent, while OTR (bias and radial) will increase by up to 5 percent. There will be in-line adjustments, as well, which will be announced at a later date.
For more information on Yokohama’s product line, visit yokohamatire.com.
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Westlake Village, CA (PRWEB) April 29, 2016 -- Natren, Inc. recently sent representatives to the Greater Philadelphia Pet Expo to promote their animal line of probiotics, Petbiotics™, as they fondly call them. As animal lovers, they were deeply moved to see the large turnout of animal rescue groups networking for their non-profit organizations. Animal rescues across the nation face huge hurdles rescuing animals in distress, saving them from harm and disease, providing treatment for their health conditions, helping to reunite lost pets and finding homes for those in need. It is tireless and often thankless work, but the end result changes the life of the animal forever and brings so much happiness to pet-loving families across the nation. Seeing how hard these groups were working to improve the lives of these animals inspired Natren to come up with a new program specifically designed to benefit both the animal rescue organizations and especially the animals they serve.
Natren introduced probiotics to the health food industry and launched the probiotic category in the United States in the early 1980’s. They research, test and cultivate all of their strains in a state-of-the-art laboratory, pharmaceutical grade facility located in Westlake Village, California. Many people are surprised to learn that one of the most well-known probiotic species, Lactobacillus acidophilus, is also found in the gastrointestinal tract of dogs, cats, and even chickens, just to name a few. Recent veterinary research has shown that dogs with acute diarrhea showed low bacterial diversity in their guts, it stands to reason, that supplementing with a probiotic can help increase the levels of good bacteria and aid their digestive health. Probiotics have also been studied in dogs with dietary sensitivities and were shown to help stabilize the gut and improve the health of these sensitive pets.
Giving shelter pets’ a quality probiotic can improve digestive health and strengthen their immune system just like in humans. Natren believes that every pet should be receiving these valuable beneficial bacteria and they’ve started their new Charitable Donation Program to give new pet parents special pricing that also generates money for the animal rescues.
The new, and innovative program, will allow shelters and health-conscious pet owners to purchase their premium, quality Petbiotics™ at a special discount. Referrals from the rescues, purchased directly from Natren, will result in a 15% donation, of the purchase price, back to the animal rescue. This program means the new pet owner saves money and they make a donation back to the animal rescue while doing so - - it’s a really neat win-win program. Natren is also offering marketing materials explaining the program free of charge to any interested animal rescue group.
Natren, Inc. probiotics are grown and manufactured in a pharmaceutical grade facility located in Westlake Village, CA. Our mission statement: Natren is driven to produce the highest quality probiotic supplements, setting a global standard of excellence in quality and reliability. Natren is committed to emphasizing, through education, the importance of daily probiotic supplementation.
Faryn Kapala, Natren Probiotics, http://www.natren.com, (805) 371-4737 Ext: 2150, [email protected]
SOURCE Natren Probiotics


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Gold price reclaims Rs 26,000-mark in futures trade
Zee Media Bureau
Gold prices reclaimed Rs 26,000 level by rising Rs 26 to Rs 26,008 per 10 gram in futures trade Tuesday as some of the market participants enlarged their positions amid a better trend overseas.
At the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold for delivery in October was up by Rs 57, or 0.22 percent, to Rs 26,133 per 10 gm in business turnover of 33 lots.
The metal for delivery in August contracts moved up by Rs 26, or 0.10 percent, to Rs 26,008 per 10 gm in a turnover of 509 lots.
Analysts said the rise in the gold prices was at futures trade was mostly in line with a firming trend overseas on speculation that price declines after a rally in equity markets may spur purchases.
Shiv Shrivastava, MD & CEO, IGuru Research opined gold prices may face an upward push and see a range of Rs 25,750- Rs 26,500 per ten grams in the coming week.
Gold in overseas markets, which normally set price trend on the domestic front, quoted up by USD 0.80 or 0.06 percent at USD 1,252.80 an ounce, after moving in range of USD 1,251.50- 1,257.30 per ounce.
Meanwhile, gold prices rose by Rs 85 to Rs 27,185 per ten gram at Delhi bullion market as buying activity picked up at prevailing level amidst a firming global trend.
Silver also traded higher by Rs 250 to Rs 41,000 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units.
With agency inputs


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Filed under: Investing
At a press event in San Francisco recently, Samsung revealed a prototype of the Simband -- a wearable device that can track biometric data, such as heart rate, body temperature, oxygen levels, and hydration. That's a big step up from most fitness bands, which monitor simpler information like steps taken and calories burned. The Simband can also be charged from a small battery pack that clips to the device, so it doesn't have to be removed while charging.
Unlike Samsung's consumer-facing Galaxy Gear and Galaxy Gear 2 smart watches, the Simband is a flexible, open platform that can be modified by other companies for various needs. The device is modular -- meaning that its sensors can be swapped out by third-party manufacturers to create customized wearable devices.
The Simband's sensors. Source: Samsung
The health data from the Simband platform can be delivered, through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, to other apps, gadgets, and services via Samsung's online service SAMI (Samsung Architecture Multimodal Interactions).
What does Simband mean for Apple?
Many industry watchers consider Samsung's Simband to be a preemptive strike against Apple , which is expected to launch Healthbook, a new health-tracking app, in iOS 8. Healthbook will reportedly capitalize on the motion-sensing features of the new A7 chip, which debuted in the iPhone 5S, and possibly interact wirelessly with the company's long-rumored "iWatch".
Both Apple and Samsung have been rapidly expanding in the medical device industry. Apple has held meetings with the FDA and hired major talent from medical device and sensor companies. Samsung acquired several medical imaging companies and launched GEO, its own line of imaging equipment, last March. Samsung then confidently claimed that it would become one of the world's largest medical equipment companies by 2020, with $10 billion in annual revenues coming from medical devices.
But Samsung doesn't plan to sell the Simband to consumers. Instead, it will license it as a reference design to other manufacturers. That's a play straight out of Google's playbook -- rather than face Apple head-on in smartphone hardware, Google released its open source OS, Android, to divide and conquer the smartphone market.
In other words, individual companies licensing Simband technology might only claim slivers of the market on their own, but Simband as a platform -- like Android in smartphones -- could become the dominant platform in wearables, thanks to its modular flexibility.
What does Simband mean for Nike?
Nike's popular FuelBand fitness trackers could also be threatened by the Simband.
Nike, Jawbone, and Fitbit currently use proprietary technologies that are not compatible with one another. If the wearables market gets flooded by new competitors licensing Samsung's Simband technology, these three companies would end up with proprietary tech in a market dominated by a single standard -- similar to how BlackBerry lost the smartphone market to a fragmented universe of Android smartphones.
The other problem is that licensing technological architecture -- such as ARM Holdings' mobile processors, Qualcomm's hardware templates for smartphones, and Google Android -- results in the production of cheaper, easier-to-manufacture devices. Thanks to those licenses, lower-end Android smartphones can cost less than $200 unlocked -- a third of the price of the original 8GB iPhone, which launched at $599 in 2007.
We can see similar demand in the fitness band market. Some consumers were notably disappointed when Nike's $150 FuelBand SE did not include a previously rumored heart rate monitor. A competing product from Adidas, the miCoach Smart Run, included a heart-rate monitor but cost $399 -- which made it impractically more expensive than mid-tier smartphones, high-end tablets, and low-end laptops.
If Samsung's Simband gains a foothold with wearable makers, cheaper fitness bands with comparable features to higher end devices will arrive -- just as cheaper Android phones and tablets eventually started matching the specs of higher-end Apple devices.
The Foolish takeaway
In conclusion, Samsung seems to have learned that tackling the consumer wearables market head-on with devices like the Galaxy Gear is the wrong approach. After all, why release a single device when it can provide the foundation for many more?
According to research firm Canalys, the smart bands market -- which includes smart watches and fitness bands -- is expected to grow 350% year over year to 8 million shipments worldwide by the end of 2014, hit 23 million units by 2015, and top 45 million units by 2017.
To capitalize on that whopping growth, investors should follow these wearable devices closely and see which company's approach will come out on top -- Apple's Healthbook for iOS devices, simpler fitness bands from Nike and Jawbone, or Samsung's modular Simband.
Leaked: Apple's next smart device (warning, it may shock you)
Apple recently recruited a secret-development "dream team" to guarantee its newest smart device was kept hidden from the public for as long as possible. But the secret is out, and some early viewers are claiming its everyday impact could trump the iPod, iPhone, and the iPad. In fact, ABI Research predicts 485 million of this type of device will be sold per year. But one small company makes Apple's gadget possible. And its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors. To be one of them, and see Apple's newest smart gizmo, just click here!
The article Samsung: Disruptive Health Care Tech Coming to Your Wrist originally appeared on Fool.com.Leo Sun owns shares of Apple and Google (C shares). The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Google (A shares), Google (C shares), and Nike. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Google (A shares), Google (C shares), Nike, and Qualcomm. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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On European roads
5 December 2021
It is estimated that in Poland there is already a shortage of approx. 120 thousand drivers. Why is this happening? What can we do?
The logistics industry is facing many challenges, among which the biggest one is currently the shortage of drivers.
This situation is worsening dramatically, bringing many negative consequences.
On European roads, one in three trucks comes from Poland and even those trucks from other countries are often driven by Polish. This job is currently done by approx. 300 thousand people. What will happen if this number decrease? What could the shortage of drivers lead to? Do logistics companies have a plan? Does anyone have a solution for this situation?
According to the International Transport Union (IRU), in 2021 the lack of professional drivers in Poland represented the 17%.
Each of us, not just those working in the logistics sector, will be affected by this negative trend.
The end user will pay more and wait longer for their ordered goods. This will also affect other sectors, since transport is the lifeblood of other industries in the economy. The consequences will therefore be perceived wherever road transport is used. It should be remembered that currently around 80% of freight transport is carried by road.
The introduction of autonomous trucks is becoming more realistic and necessary day by day.
Specialists from many renowned automotive companies have been working for years on a technology that will enable the introduction of autonomous tractors on the roads of Europe.
Observing the changes in international markets, including the transport industry, and the incredibly rapid technological development, the introduction of autonomous transport vehicles is not a very remote scenario. However, it will not happen in the next few weeks.
Therefore, the topic of drivers, who will not be replaced by new technology and autonomous cars, is extremely important. Autonomous cars will require human supervision for many years – they will be able to support workers, but not fully replace them. The changes will be introduced slowly, on a small scale, in selected European Union countries and with maximum caution.
Drivers are therefore and will continue to be a very important pillar in the transport industry for a long time to come.
Unfortunately, it must be remembered that quick and emergency solutions in the transport industry do not exist, and only consistent, long-term changes in the working conditions of drivers can improve this situation.
Basic factors influencing drivers’ decisions to start working as a driver are:
remuneration, its regularity
working conditions, contract
technical condition of the vehicle
constant contact and good relations with the employer
support from the employer
no additional duties (e.g. unloading, loading)


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European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said policy makers aren’t convinced a recent pickup in inflation will be sustained, and asked German savers to be patient as they clamor for higher interest rates.
President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t take office until Friday, but he is already forcing India’s mammoth $108 billion technology outsourcing industry to rethink hiring practices in the U.S., its largest market.
Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen’s former chief executive, denied having any personal knowledge of the German car maker’s diesel-emissions cheating in his first major public appearance since the scandal broke in September 2015.
Costco, the warehouse retail giant, began selling golf balls last fall under its Kirkland Signature brand. The balls instantly ranked among the cheapest on the market, but by some accounts, they perform like rivals that sell for more than twice as much.


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Tata Motors has dropped plans to introduce the Bolt Sport, but will instead launch a hot-hatch variant of the Tiago. Tata's plan to drop the Bolt Sport, which was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo, seems to be a good decision, as the sales numbers for the Bolt hatchback don't paint a pretty picture.
The Tiago, on the other hand, seems to be flying off showroom floors, with 5,000 cars being sold in July, making it the best-selling car in the Tata lineup in India.
The new Tiago Sport will be powered by a turbocharged version of the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder Revotron petrol engine found on the current Tiago. The turbo petrol engine is currently being developed for the Nexon compact SUV, and will produce around 104bhp in the SUV.
However, with the faster Tiago Sport expected to compete with the likes of the Fait Punto Abarth and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS, the turbocharged engine is expected to produce in excess of 120bhp in its bid to capture the hot-hatch market in India.
Apart from the new turbocharged engine, Tata will fit the new Tiago Sport with lowered suspension along with stiffer damping. An aggressive looking body kit will help differentiate the Sport, from the normal Tiago in terms of looks.
Via - Autocar India


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A demo drive of an electric buggy was held on the zoo compound here on Friday. Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar conducted the demo drive of the buggy, which will soon be introduced in the Zoo. Zoo authorities are planning to purchase around four buggies.
Anil Kumar, accompanied by other zoo officials, drove the vehicle in the zoo on Friday morning. The electric buggy can accommodate minimum 20 persons. “The demo drive of the buggy was successful. We are in touch with the manufacturing company regarding the price and other details. A report will soon be submitted to the government. A decision on the number of buggies to be purchased will be made only after the government approval. Currently, we are planning to buy four buggies,” Zoo director K Udayvarman said.
The buggy was introduced after Minister for Zoo and Museums P K Jayalakshmi got complaints against the zoo being unfriendly for differently-abled persons. “Not just differently-abled, others too can use this facility,” Udayvarman said.
Spread over 35 acres, the zoo, one of the oldest in the country, is set for a major makeover with suggestions from the Central Zoo Authority.


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Ralph Pucci, AS’76, has never been one to follow the crowd.
Over the past 39 years, he has transformed mannequin design into high art, gaining international acclaim for his unique combination of business savvy, artistic vision, and genre-bending collaborations. His designs have consistently anticipated and defined society’s perception of female beauty, and for the past five months, his work has been the subject of an exhibit at Manhattan’s Museum of Arts and Design.
“When everyone else zigs, Ralph zags,” says exhibit curator Barbara Gifford. “His decision to collaborate with artists from other disciplines throughout his career was a vintage Ralph move.”
Back in the 1980s, at a time when mannequins functioned as glorified clothes hangers, Pucci began working with top illustrators, muralists, interior decorators, and fashion designers to transform mannequins into his own brand of avant-garde sculpture.
In 1993, he teamed up with fashion designer Ruben Toledo to create Zen Zen, a graceful but rail-thin mannequin that captured the cultural shift from statuesque supermodels, to the waif-like zeitgeist embodied by the model Kate Moss. Seven years later, he collaborated with muralist Kenny Scharf to create Swirly, a one-eyed mannequin with a pointy curl of hair that captured a playfulness that had been absent in the fashion world.
Pucci is credited with redefining mannequin design worldwide, but to fully appreciate his iconoclastic career, you have to understand the state of the mannequin business when he arrived on the scene in 1976.
Ralph Pucci International—which now occupies three floors and 48,000 square feet of prime Manhattan real estate—began as a mannequin-repair business run out of the basement of his parents’ New York home. The year was 1954—the year Ralph was born—and his father was looking for a business to replace his night-shift job at the post office.
“My father would drive his Pucci Mannequin Repair truck from department store to department store picking up broken mannequins. He’d fix them at my grandfather’s plaster shop and my mother, who was a very fashionable lady, would do all the wigs and makeup in the basement,” says Pucci.
During the next 20 years, his parents built the business, moved to the suburbs, and eventually opened their own small mannequin factory in Manhattan. In 1972, Pucci left his suburban New York home for Northeastern and got his first real taste of city life.
“In my first week on campus, I saw Charlie Mingus at a jazz workshop and Lou Reed at Symphony Hall. The whole artistic world was exploding right in front of me.”
When Pucci returned home in 1976 after graduation with a journalism degree, he helped out in the family business while he looked for a job in advertising. It didn’t take long for the creative, ambitious son to begin pushing the boundaries of the industry.
“My parents ran a mannequin company that was very safe,” he says. “They weren’t trying to blow the world off its feet. But maybe I was.”
In 1979, frustrated by the stiffness of typical department-store mannequins, Pucci, an accomplished high school athlete, developed and marketed a line of action mannequins for the new trend toward active wear. In a move that he would repeat dozens of times over the years, Pucci captured the mood of the times. His mannequins became a sensation at Macy’s in San Francisco, a city that was the hotbed of the cultural revolution.
“People were walking off the street to see the mannequins,” recalls Pucci. “That had never happened before.”
“All the other mannequin houses were making these elegant, ladylike mannequins with wigs and makeup. I have always believed that you need to do something different—you have to go your own way. That success in San Francisco gave me the courage to try different things,” he says.
The Olympian Goddess
Five years later, when Barney’s New York wanted a new mannequin for the opening of its new Manhattan department store, Pucci teamed up with Andrée Putman, one of the hottest interior designers in Paris. The result was the Olympian Goddess, a stunning gold mannequin of Amazonian proportions with broad shoulders, a powerful stance, and an art deco face.
While mannequins of the time were a size 2, the Olympian Goddess was a statuesque 4/6.
“Andrée didn’t know anything about the mannequin industry. She didn’t know anything about the rules, so she broke all the rules,” says Pucci. “She was free and uninhibited.”
The Olympian Goddess, which captured the essence of the 1980s movement toward more confident and empowered women, debuted at a party in Pucci’s SoHo loft attended by more than 1,000 fashion designers, artists, and department store bigwigs. Andy Warhol showed up unexpectedly with several of his artist friends and created a sensation by signing T-shirts and body parts of the star-struck guests.
The party made Page 6 of the New York Post, and the Olympian Goddess was the talk of the town. Ralph Pucci was a New York sensation.
“This made the picture very clear to me—I was always going to work with new, fresh talent. I loved working with these people because they were very creative, they were willing to take chances, and they weren’t afraid to fail,” he says.
The birth of Ada
The list of trend-setting mannequins goes on and on, including a size 16 mannequin named Birdie. But one of Pucci’s favorites is an eccentric specimen named Ada, inspired by
the playful children’s book illustrations of Maira Kalman.
“I read Kalman’s children’s books to my kids over and over again, and then one day the light bulb went off,” says Pucci. “I called Maira and asked if she wanted to turn her characters into a line of mannequins.”
Pucci is proud of this series because it went so strongly against the minimalist trend that dominated department store displays in the mid-1990s. Following the lead of designer Calvin Klein, department stores had adopted stark and intimidating displays intended to appeal to wealthy customers.
“It struck me as all wrong—maybe not for Calvin Klein, but certainly for department stores,” says Pucci. “The message was ‘do not touch me, do not enter—how dare you?’ Maira’s designs were the opposite. She made people smile with her quirky characters. She was fun. She made people want to go in and touch things.”
Pucci recalls being warned over and over that his unusual line of new mannequins would never sell. The naysayers couldn’t have been more wrong.
“The whole world bought them,” he says. “Ada was in stores across the U.S., in Europe, and in Australia. It was a gigantic success. It reinvented the mannequin world for the next three or four years. We really went where everyone wasn’t.
“That’s my philosophy—go where people are not going.”
Photos: Jorg Meyer / Museum of Arts and Design


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Posted Wed Sep 19, 2007 at 04:55 AM PDT by
In its second Harry Potter-related announcement in as many days, Warner Home Video has added stand-alone editions of each the first four films in the franchise to its next-gen release plans.
As we've previously reported, the studio is rolling out the high-def red carpet for the boy wizard on December 11, with a dual-format release of both 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,' and a limited edition giftset, 'Harry Potter Years 1-5.'
But while at first it wasn't clear whether or not Warner would make stand-alone editions of the first four 'Potter' flicks available on HD DVD and Blu-ray, the studio has now confirmed that indeed each of the earlier films will see individual high-def release alongside the giftset and 'Order of the Phoenix' on December 11.
Tech specs are still TBA, but Warner says supplements on the stand-alone editions will mirror those included on the individual movie discs in the box set, including audio commentaries, multiple featurettes, deleted scenes and more. Additionally, each of the stand-alone Potter releases will also contain a set of four trading cards specific to the title purchased.
List price for the individual Blu-ray and HD DVD releases will be $29.98 a pop.
Meanwhile, in other 'Potter' news, Warner has released full details on what will be included in that second bonus content disc that will be exclusive to the 'Years 1-5' giftset.
Although we learned yesterday that the bonus disc would contain "more than three hours of all-new content," it turns out that that content is comprised entirely of a series of previously-broadcast TV specials, including four separate "HBO First Look" specials, and two ITV/Granada specials (the full list of included TV specials can be read here).
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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Today, an anonymous hacker released a torrent file on 4chan, enabling users to download the full source code of the Twitch platform, as well as data on the earnings of people who stream on it. The leak - if you can call it that - is to "cause more disruption and competition among online video uploaders" because "their community is one big toxic cesspool."
VGC confirmed the credibility of the data. Twitch's owners are supposed to be aware of the problem, as the protocol breach was supposed to have occurred on Monday, but so far they have not responded in any way. Which is surprising when we see what exactly is supposed to be in those 125GB of data:
- Twitch's entire source code, including comment history "going back to the early days";
- Reports on creator payouts from 2019 to 2021;
- Data of the mobile, PC and console versions of Twitch;
- Proprietary SDKs and internal AWS services used by Twitch;
- "Any other property that Twitch owns," including data from IGDB.com and CurseForge.com;
- As-yet undisclosed Vapor platform from Amazon Game Studios, which is intended to be a competitor to Steam;
- Twitch's internal "red team" pentesting tools;
- Encrypted user passwords (this has not been fully confirmed, but it is recommended to enable two-step authentication).
Particularly dizzying may be the paychecks of popular streamers such as Asmongold, Ninja, pokimane and Amouranth. Take a look at the top 100.
What's more, the anonymous hacker said that this is only the first part of the data. However, we do not know what else was in his possession, or how the Twitch owners will react to all this.


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Texas expected to lead nation in restaurant sector in 2013
Texas’ economy is one of the strongest in the U.S., and its restaurant sector is no exception.
The Texas Restaurant Association said Dec. 11 that the National Restaurant Association’s 2013 Restaurant Industry Forecast projects Texas will be the leading state for sales growth in the sector next year.
Sales in the state are expected to grow 5 percent year-over-year to $40.8 billion. Nationwide, the industry is expected to grow 3.8 percent next year, the fourth consecutive year of real sales growth for the industry, according to the national association.
While Texas’ restaurant employment is expected to see a slight bump to 1.07 million next year, it is projected to grow nearly 16 percent over the next decade to almost 1.25 million employees statewide.
“Crossing the $40 billion mark in projected sales is a significant milestone. While we will always be Main Street in our business model, the Texas restaurant industry’s collective might makes us one of the largest economic engines in the state,” Texas Restaurant Association CEO Richie Jackson said in a Dec. 11 statement. “With over 1 million employees we employ one out of 10 in the workforce and generate substantial tax revenues to both state and local government in the form of sales and property tax.”
Olivia Pulsinelli is the web producer for the Houston Business Journal's award-winning website. Follow her on Twitter for more.
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Meta seems to be testing a brand new livestreaming platform that would rival Twitch.
The new product, known as Super, would let customers host interactive livestreams for advert income. The undertaking continues to be in comparatively early levels, having been examined with fewer than 100 creators, however has been in steady growth since 2020.
A Bloomberg report from two years in the past characterised the platform as akin to Cameo, the service that permits individuals to pay celebrities for customized messages and interactions.
Creators would have additionally been capable of promote merchandise or different merchandise alongside the livestream.
Meta is presently permitting creators to request entry on to the location, which will probably be separate to Instagram, Facebook, or any of the opposite merchandise that the social media big presently has, a spokesperson advised Insider.
“It’s a standalone project,” the Meta spokesperson mentioned about Super. “Right now, it is net solely.
“They have been testing it very quietly for about two years. The end goal is ultimately creating the next standalone project that could be part of the Meta family of products.”
The platform has gone through different iterations as Meta looks to monetise it, including a potential sponsorship model, the spokesperson said. Fans would be able to pay for extra features in the streams, and leave tips.
Creators would keep 100 per cent of the revenue earned from this system, avoiding any criticism that would be levied at Meta for taking too hefty a cut of revenue, as has happened in the past.
Meta has paid creators between $200 and $3,000 to use the feature for 30 minutes, according to Insider.
This news comes as Meta reports its first ever drop in revenue amid a looming global recession.
The company issued a gloomy forecast for its third-quarter, with revenue expected between $26bn and $28.5bn – lower than the $30.52bn analysts had expected.
The company also reported mixed results for user growth, with monthly active users on Facebook only increasing by one per cent at 2.93 bn.
Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has been critical of staff during this period. “Realistically, there are probably a bunch of people at the company who shouldn’t be here,” he told employees.
“Part of my hope by raising expectations and having more aggressive goals, and just kind of turning up the heat a little bit, is that I think some of you might decide that this place isn’t for you, and that self-selection is OK with me.”


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KUALA LUMPUR, 4 March 2020 – AmBank has introduced bespoke Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) powered by DuitNow to facilitate Rakuten Trade’s online acquisition and on-boarding of new customers.
This initiative showcases cutting edge and innovative services that are made possible by DuitNow, which the banking industry rolled out at the end of 2018. The DuitNow platform is a catalyst and enabler for innovation in e-Payments.
This will bring significant enhancements to the existing customer acquisition process for businesses, in particular stock broking, insurance, and unit trust managers in the country.
“With consumers today being increasingly digital savvy, speed and convenience is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Online customer acquisition and on-boarding has become crucial for seamless customer experience and speed. AmBank Group is proud to be pioneering this innovative, bespoke solution via AmBank APIs powered by DuitNow. We will continue to spearhead digitalisation initiatives that help businesses transform and improve.”
Dato’ Sulaiman Mohd Tahir, Group Chief Executive Officer, AmBank Group
“AmBank is thrilled to partner with Rakuten Trade, the first full-fledged online equity broker in Malaysia. This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to embracing digital advances in the banking industry. We will continue to innovate to deliver outstanding customer experience,” said Raja Teh Maimunah Raja Abdul Aziz, Managing Director, Wholesale Banking, AmBank Group.
“This initiative showcases cutting edge and innovative services that are made possible by DuitNow, which the banking industry rolled out at the end of 2018. The DuitNow platform is now a catalyst and enabler for innovation in e-Payments, delivering a quantum leap in value proposition and convenience for consumers and businesses,” said Peter Schiesser, Group Chief Executive Officer, Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet), which operates DuitNow.


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Apple to pay up to $500M in settlement, Twitter tests disappearing content
This is CNET and here are the stories that matter this week.
Apple has agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle a class action law suit that accused the tech giant of slowing down older iPhones in order to encourage people to buy the latest The most expensive model of the phone.
Apple faced a wave of backlash after acknowledging in 2017 that its IOS software slowed down the performance of some older iPhones.
At the time, Apple apologized for its lack of transparency and And offered battery replacements.
Facebook is backing out of the South by Southwest conference and festivals because of coronavirus concerns.
A move that comes shortly after Twitter announced it won't be at the massive cultural event either.
Quote, due to concerns related to coronavirus, the company and employees will not be participating in South by Southwest this year.
Facebook spokesperson said on Monday, the news also hits as Twitter is now encouraging its employees to work from home to avoid the spread of the virus.
And finally, Twitter said Wednesday that it's testing a feature that will let users post text, photos and video vanish in 24 hours.
A tool meant to encourage people to feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts online.
Sharing disposable content is popular on other social media sites like Snapchat and Facebook and Instagram, so it isn't surprising Twitter is giving it a try.
You can stay up to date with the latest by visiting CNET.
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There are a few businesses doing well amid the coronavirus lockdowns. From John McNellis at wolfstreet.com:
Landlords already know this: People are getting more toasted than Wonder Bread
Happy Hour starts at 3 o’clock. Tenants selling reality-relief are killing it. I called a number of retailers to double-check my desultory anecdotal evidence. One, the owner of a first-rate supermarket chain, said his alcohol sales are up 25 percent since March. That came as no surprise, but the identity of his best-selling beer — Corona — did.
Along with half of America, I assumed that Corona was destined to become the Adolph of beer labels. Wrong. Drinkers love it — some think calling a hangover a “corona virus” is funny. This merchant said the only limitation on his Corona sales was lack of inventory. Neither he nor any other seller of liquor is asking for any rent breaks.
I called a major beer distributor in the Central Valley. Same story. Up 25 percent across the board. Any brand outselling the pack? “Honey, anything selling in a can or a bottle, our customers are buying it.”
Alcohol is easy to vet, sales are reported — no one’s cooking moonshine in their backyards. Marijuana? Let’s just say the numbers are a little cloudy. Without getting lost in the weeds, the big picture looks like this: Recreational marijuana (“rec”) consumption is up considerably this year, but precise numbers are hard to come by. Point of sale numbers for California’s legal rec were up 29 percent for the month of August.


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Google Pixel 6a Cases Leaked, Tipped to Match Each Colour Option
Google Pixel 6a Cases Leaked
Google Pixel 6a was launched earlier this year and is due to go on sale next month. Ahead of that, purported official cases for the smartphone have been leaked by a tipster.
The Pixel 6a looks a lot like the Pixel 6, however, it differs from the phone in terms of dimensions.
This suggests that Pixel 6 covers are not interchangeable with the Pixel 6a.
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The most affordable and watered-down handset in the Pixel 6 series was launched in Chalk, Charcoal, and Sage colour options.
The images of the alleged official Google Pixel 6a covers were shared by tipster Max Jambor. He shared images of a dark grey and a soft green covers.
As mentioned, these covers cannot be used with the Pixel 6 despite both models looking the same – as they have different dimensions.
The Pixel 6a cases also have raised edges to protect the device from scratches and drops.
Google Pixel 6a price, specifications
The Google Pixel 6a price in India is claimed to be close to Rs. 40,000 and the phone could be speculated to be available for purchase by the end of July through Flipkart.
In the US, the phone is priced at $449 (roughly Rs. 35,100) for the lone 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant.
Launched at Google I/O 2022 in May, the Google Pixel 6a will go on sale on July 21. It sports a 6.1-inch full-HD+ (1,080 x 2,400 pixels) OLED display Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
It gets an octa-core Google Tensor SoC and a Titan M2 security coprocessor. The phone comes with 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB of inbuilt storage.
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For photography, the Google Pixel 6a comes with a dual rear camera setup that includes a 12.2-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.7 aperture lens;
and a 12-megapixel secondary sensor with an ultra-wide-angle camera with an f/2.2 aperture lens. There is an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/2.0 aperture lens.
It comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication, and a 4,410mAh battery.


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Corporate Culture is holding a massive showroom sale to make way for new collections launching at Saturday in Design. All ex-showroom furniture will be reduced by 20-70%*. The sale is for THREE DAYS ONLY from Friday 17 – Sunday 19 July 2009. Get along to get your hands on items from brands such as Fritz […]
July 10th, 2009
Corporate Culture is holding a massive showroom sale to make way for new collections launching at Saturday in Design.
All ex-showroom furniture will be reduced by 20-70%*. The sale is for THREE DAYS ONLY from Friday 17 – Sunday 19 July 2009.
Get along to get your hands on items from brands such as Fritz Hansen, Carl Hansen & Son, Kjaerholm Productions, Wogg, ICF, Offecct, Fantoni and Bulo.
*Sale excludes Lighting, Anniversary and Limited edition, rugs and accessories.
Don’t forget to visit Corporate Culture at Saturday in Design from 31 July – 1 August 2009 in Sydney.
FRIDAY 17 July: 8.30am-5.30pm
SATURDAY 18 & SUNDAY 19 July: 10am-4pm
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
With the help of Buro’s range of soundproof pods and ergonomic chairs, private offices are evolving into spaces that balance privacy with the need for collaboration and flexibility.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Australian company Tomako is focused on supplying the commercial sector with a product range that covers office, boardroom and leisure applications.
Celebrating its 10th year, Reece’s Bathroom Innovation Award (BIA) is back in 2015 and bigger than ever. Ahead of this year’s search for the most innovative new products, the judging line-up has been announced and is the most impressive yet.
In recent years, local manufacturers and makers have played a large part in helping architects, designers and the public customise fitouts and produce bespoke furniture and product. We chat to Savage Design about facilitating this move towards customisation.
‘Interface: People, Machines, Design’, the upcoming exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum, will celebrate the design and technology we have come to love. Stephen Lacey speaks with curator Campbell Bickerstaff about the common threads that connect some of the last century’s most iconic and widely-used designs.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
The Indigenous design and strategy agency is launching its latest aircraft design with Qantas, the sixth iteration of a longstanding partnership.
In a veritable feast of recycled material, modular efficiency and functional flexibility, Studio Edwards has designed a zero-waste workplace for Today Design.
Melbourne Art Fair brings the high energy each year and this 17th edition is marked by a mammoth program of showcases, activations and satellite presentations.


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Everybody loves to read a book. Curl up in a corner in a warm blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and dive into another world that keeps you engrossed until the last full stop. Taking the love for books forward, today marks the celebrations of World Book Day that is celebrated by UNESCO on April 23. On this day, UNESCO and book lovers pay tribute to iconic literary figures including William Shakespeare, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Miguel Cervantes who died on this day. The day came to being in 1995 at the UNESCO General Conference in Paris that honours authors and books worldwide.
The official website describes this year's theme as, "The 24th edition of World Book and Copyright Day will celebrate literature and reading while focusing particularly on the importance of enhancing and protecting Indigenous languages. As a vector of knowledge, books bring people together around a story and a common heritage while revealing their specificities through different cultures, identities and languages. The focus on this topic is fully in line with the celebration of the International Year of the Indigenous Languages."
These ten beautiful quotes will definitely make you want to pick up a book today.
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO said, "In these turbulent times, books embody the diversity of human ingenuity, giving shape to the wealth of human experience, expressing the search for meaning and expression we all share, that drive all societies forward. Books help weave humanity together as a single family, holding a past in common, a history and heritage, to craft a destiny that is shared, where all voices are heard in the great chorus of human aspiration."
Happy World Book Day!


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Google sees itself as the cloud leader in five years
When Alphabet (GOOGL) reports its 2Q17 earnings on July 24, one of the areas investors will be focusing their attention on is the progress in the company’s cloud computing business. Though it has been subdued by Amazon.com (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT) in terms of market share, Alphabet’s Google is one of the notable cloud infrastructure vendors, according to Synergy Research Group.
Alphabet doesn’t break out its cloud sales, but it believes it could beat Amazon to become the world’s largest cloud infrastructure vendor in the next five years. Amazon generated $3.7 billion in revenue from its cloud division, AWS (Amazon Web Services), in 1Q17, which represented a 42.0% YoY (year-over-year) rise.
Alphabet bundles its cloud sales in a segment reported as Google Other revenues. The company reported revenues of $3.1 billion in this segment in 1Q17—up about $1.0 billion YoY.
Google shifting tactic in cloud competition
Alphabet’s cloud business will be on the radar of many investors as it reports 2Q17 earnings, mainly due to Google’s comments about its cloud strategy. Google earlier this year suggested that it doesn’t see itself joining rivals Amazon, Microsoft, and Oracle (ORCL) in cloud computing pricing wars (QQQ) (XLK).
Instead, Google wants to compete on the basis of service quality and portray itself as the go-place for cloud services related to data analytics and artificial intelligence.
As such, investors will be watching Alphabet’s 2Q17 results for hints if this strategy is working.


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Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. BidaskClub upgraded Wendy’s from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 21st. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on Wendy’s from $18.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 18th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Wendy’s from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Thursday, April 26th. Oppenheimer began coverage on Wendy’s in a research report on Monday, March 19th. They issued a market perform rating on the stock. Finally, Wedbush restated a buy rating and issued a $20.00 price objective on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $17.72.
WEN opened at $16.33 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.00. The firm has a market cap of $3.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.98, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.76. Wendy’s has a one year low of $13.57 and a one year high of $17.75.
Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 21st. The restaurant operator reported $0.11 EPS for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.12 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $309.25 million for the quarter. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 23.01% and a net margin of 14.55%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.08 EPS. equities analysts anticipate that Wendy’s will post 0.56 earnings per share for the current year.
Wendy’s declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Thursday, February 15th that allows the company to buyback $175.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the restaurant operator to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 15th. Investors of record on Friday, June 1st will be given a dividend of $0.085 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 31st. This represents a $0.34 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.08%. Wendy’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 79.07%.
In other Wendy’s news, Director Emil J. Brolick sold 540,540 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.14, for a total transaction of $9,264,855.60. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,371,835 shares in the company, valued at $23,513,251.90. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Gunther Plosch purchased 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 7th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $16.62 per share, with a total value of $83,100.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief financial officer now directly owns 25,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $415,500. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have sold 9,434,832 shares of company stock worth $155,809,973 over the last quarter. 23.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in WEN. OppenheimerFunds Inc. increased its stake in Wendy’s by 199.0% during the first quarter. OppenheimerFunds Inc. now owns 3,230,037 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $56,688,000 after acquiring an additional 2,149,630 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in Wendy’s by 26.8% during the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,122,035 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $116,944,000 after acquiring an additional 1,507,055 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its stake in Wendy’s by 70.1% during the fourth quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,794,882 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $45,892,000 after acquiring an additional 1,152,200 shares during the last quarter. Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. increased its stake in Wendy’s by 242.6% during the first quarter. Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. now owns 1,356,126 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $23,800,000 after acquiring an additional 960,287 shares during the last quarter. Finally, RWC Asset Management LLP acquired a new stake in Wendy’s during the first quarter worth about $12,285,000. Institutional investors own 80.08% of the company’s stock.
The Wendy's Company, through its subsidiaries, operates as a quick-service restaurant company. It is involved in operating, developing, and franchising a system of quick-service restaurants specializing in hamburger sandwiches. The company's restaurants offer a range of chicken breast sandwiches, chicken nuggets, chili, French fries, baked potatoes, salads, soft drinks, desserts, and kids' meals.
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Textile major Arvind Ltd is eyeing Rs 1,400-1,500 crore in revenue from its retail business by next financial year, a top company official said on Friday.
Textile major Arvind Ltd is eyeing Rs 1,400-1,500 crore in revenue from its retail business by next financial year, a top company official said on Friday. "We are looking at a turnover of Rs 1,400-1,500 crore by March 2014 from retail activity," Arvind Ltd, head-retail (EBO), PS Rajiv said.
"The retail business of Arvind Ltd comprises retail stores under the name Arvind Stores and fabric business, which currently generates revenue of around Rs 680 crore," he said.
The company also owned several other retail stores and brands through its subsidiary Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd. "Currently, we have 73 Arvind Stores which would go up to 100 by March and by next year it will increase to 240," Rajiv said. "These retail stores will generate revenue of Rs 400-500 crore by FY14 and rest would come from the fabric segment," he said.
"Nearly 80 percent of our stores are located in tier-II and -III cities as the business model fits better in these cities and around 95 percent of the stores are already profitable," Rajiv said. "The company is a manufacturer and retailer of premium denim and cotton fabric, where 60 percent of the revenue from the fabric business comes from export and going foward the share is expected to be 50:50," he said.


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Inflation is increasingly weighing on retailers with recent months seeing food prices climb year on year, as higher operating costs begin to be passed on to consumers. According to recent data from market research firm Kantar around £15 was added to the average monthly shopping bill in December. Reporting its results over the Christmas period though Aldi reaffirmed its commitment to being the UK’s cheapest supermarket and offering the lowest grocery prices to shoppers in 2022. Aldi UK CEO Giles Hurley said: “As we look ahead, the top priority for most families this year will be managing their household budgets in the face of rising living costs.
“As the cheapest supermarket in Britain, Aldi will always offer the lowest prices for groceries, no matter what, and continue to support our British farmers and producers.”
Susannah Streeter, Senior Investment and Markets Analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown predicted: “Discounters like Aldi should continue to benefit from the income squeeze, with shoppers tempted to seek out cheaper products and downscale from more expensive brands.
“Aldi is clearly gearing up for that shift, guaranteeing the lowest grocery prices in 2022.
“There is a risk that could come at a hit to margins, given higher input costs so keeping volumes high will continue to be the driving force in the months to come.”
The supermarket saw record sales over Christmas, up 8.1 percent in December on pre-pandemic levels.
According to Kantar, Aldi was the only supermarket to grow its sales in December.
The company reports more than 43 million mince pies, 21 million pigs-in-blankets and 118 million Brussels sprouts sold with more than 5.5 million bottles of sparkling wine going to Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Mr Hurley said: “Our premium Specially Selected range notched up its highest ever sales.
“We saw strong demand for our award-winning beers, wines and spirits.
“Stand out popular products included our Specially Selected Exquisite Chesham Bronze Turkey as well as our English Sparkling Wine.”
Kantar’s annual consumer survey also named Aldi’s Christmas advert, featuring mascot Kevin the Carrot, as the most effective of the year.
The advert featured footballer Marcus Rashford whose campaign on child food poverty the supermarket has supported.
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Aldi is now eyeing expansion this year with plans to create 2,000 new jobs in 2022 and invest £1.3bn over the next two years.
This will include opening 100 new stores as well as new distribution centres and upgrades to existing stores.
Workers will also be getting a pay rise with wages increasing to a minimum of £10.10 an hour nationally or £11.55 for those inside the M25.


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Nili Lotan doesn’t hold fashion shows. She tried one only once, years ago, after she won a magazine competition that paid the costs. “I didn’t think it really contributed to my success,” says the New York-based designer, talking to Vogue Business about her fast-expanding, eponymous sexy-chic label.
Instead, she invested in retail early on, opening a shop above her atelier on tiny Duane Street in Tribeca in 2006. “I opened a store with $20,000. That generated $250,000 in two months.”
After some lean seasons, New York Fashion Week is looking to return with vigour. In conversation with three of the city’s emerging designers, Vogue Business explores how they are developing their businesses.
In the noisy world of fashion, it’s easy to imagine that famous brands are the most successful. Splashy catwalks and advertising budgets generate name recognition and social media chatter, and they’re often seen as essential elements to building a fashion label. However, Lotan’s path suggests there are savvy ways to build a substantial fashion brand with a tighter rein on business strategy and expenses.
Lotan, who expects her 18-year-old label to generate $100 million in revenue in 2022, is an example of an entrepreneurial designer who has guided her eponymous label by instinct, often rejecting fashion industry norms for marketing, production and brand positioning.
“She’s chartered her own course,” says Daniella Vitale, former chief executive of Barneys New York, which carried Nili Lotan until the retailer closed in 2020. While Barneys stocked most of the world’s most famous fashion brands, Nili Lotan was its No. 2 selling apparel brand after The Row, she says.
“She was not interested in the fashion show, not interested in becoming a member of something,” recalls Vitale, who is now chief executive of Salvatore Ferragamo for North America. “She didn’t care about seasons. We had (her) cashmere, leather, shearling 12 months a year and we sold it. She didn’t care about age. Her customer is 65 and her customer is 25. She had the balls to do that and a lot of designers don’t.”
Entrepreneurship and pricing
Lotan, 64, who grew up in Israel in an entrepreneurial family (her father was a real estate developer), launched her label in 2003 after working as head designer for Ralph Lauren and Nautica. She began by offering six elevated-basic pieces — three trousers, a top and two jackets — made with fabric from a single Italian mill. The items were cut-and-sewn in New York, then garment dyed. That gave her plenty of flexibility with the colours that she worked on, making her designs difficult to copy.


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Recent high profile hacks on websites and online networks of large organisations have resulted in Brits feeling concerned about the threat of hacking, and calling for businesses and government to take firmer action.
According to a new report released by Professor Majid Yar, leading cybercrime expert from the University of Hull, commenting on the results of a survey by PC Tools, 97% of Brits believe online hacking is an issue we, as a society, should be worried about.
Britons condemn hackers
Recent large-scale security breaches by rogue individuals and cybercrime collectives that resulted in millions of UK internet users’ personal and financial details being compromised, have driven the nation to a state of concern and discontent.
Based on the survey results, one in five Brits has lost trust in large organisations and approximately one in six of respondents are disappointed by how the police have handled this public threat.
Although a number of these attacks have been attributed to ‘hacktivist’ groups, who claim their motivation behind this activity is to champion a political or social cause, nearly all Brits disapprove of this particular form of cybercrime.
Hacking never justified
According to the report, 40% of respondents argue that hacking is never justified, regardless of the motive or whether personal details are disclosed.
Around two-thirds believe hackers are criminals, over half of respondents feel they are dishonest, and one-in-three Brits believe them to be antisocial.
Only a small minority - less than 5% of respondents - consider hackers to be revolutionary or heroic, suggesting that in spite of the ambitions of ‘hacktivists’, their means of accessing information and the consequences to innocent internet users leaves them with diminished support for their cause.
Britons divided on a solution to hacking
Opinions on strategies to reduce hacking are divided, with 40% of Brits believing that tougher penalties for convicted hackers is the solution, whilst almost the same number argue that those with an aptitude for technology should be channelled into legitimate activities to help foster positive use of these skills.
Some respondents felt that the responsibility lies with those organisations holding personal information on their customers, with 39% urging businesses to invest in better security - or even encouraging companies to run reward schemes where ‘grey hat’ hackers receive payment for identifying security vulnerabilities in their system.
Commenting on the findings, author of the report, Professor Majid Yar, explains: "The tougher penalty approach has its flaws.
"In reality, very few members of the public actually know what the penalties are for those convicted - which in the UK is up to 5 years in prison - or how few hacking incidents actually ever lead to arrest and conviction, since it is so difficult to identify those responsible.
"The most viable way to protect computer users from hacking are: better security, technological counter-measures and user precautions."
Richard Clooke, Worldwide Review Program Manager at PC Tools, added: "These survey results show that people are no longer prepared to sit back and become targets for cybercriminals. It is important we don’t allow hackers to prevent us from enjoying our digital lifestyle.
"A simple step such as ensuring internet security software is up to date, as well as using strong unique passwords for each online account and checking the authenticity of a site before making an online transaction helps protect personal privacy and ensure people don’t become victims of cybercrime."


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Synopsis The Brazilian government is studying whether to regulate Internet platforms with content that earns revenue such as advertising, its secretary for digital policies, Joao Brant, said on Friday. Getty Images The Brazilian government is studying whether to regulate Internet platforms with content that earns revenue such as advertising , its secretary for digital policies, Joao Brant, said on Friday. The idea would be for a regulator to hold such platforms, not consumers, accountable for monetized content, Brant told Reuters.
Another goal is “to prevent the networks from being used for the dissemination and promotion of crimes and illegal content” especially after the riots by supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia in January, fueled by misinformation about the election he lost in October. Brant said President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government also intends to make companies responsible for stopping misinformation, hate speech and other crimes on their social media platforms. Platforms would not be held responsible for content individually, but for how diligent they are in protecting the “digital environment,” he said in an interview.
Brant did not detail what the regulatory body would look like, but said the government wants to regulate monetized content and prevent the platforms from spreading misinformation. “What the body would do is monitor whether the platforms are fulfilling their obligations well, and not deal with individual content published by users. That must be up to the courts,” he said.
Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Brant did not specify the role the judiciary would play in fighting misinformation. Any proposal would require changes to the regulatory framework in the 2014 law known as the “Marco Civil” that governs the Internet in Brazil and protects the rights of users. The law’s Article 19 exempts platforms from legal responsibility “for damages resulting from content generated by third parties”, unless there is a specific court order for the removal of the content.
For Brant, the current framework “generates an incentive for platforms not to take care of the public space of debate. ” The absence of accountability for content that is promoted, monetized or presented as advertising must be reconsidered, he said, adding: “For them to have zero responsibility for that content is very bad. ” Brazil’s Supreme Court has been discussing the constitutionality of Article 19 since 2017, based on a lawsuit filed by Meta Platforms Inc Meta, owner of Facebook and WhatsApp.
Meta questioned its responsibility for removing content without a court decision in a case involving a fake Facebook profile. The court scheduled a public hearing on the issue for March 28. Don’t miss out on ET Prime stories! Get your daily dose of business updates on WhatsApp.
click here! Saturday, 18 Mar, 2023 Experience Your Economic Times Newspaper, The Digital Way! Read Complete Print Edition » Front Page Pure Politics Around the World Brands & Companies More Chandra Will Continue to Remain a Mentor and Guide Rajesh Gopinathan, the outgoing CEO of TCS, said he would “continue to have a great relationship” with Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, irrespective of whether “I am with the group or outside of it”, in an emphatic dismissal of all speculation surrounding his unexpected resignation on Thursday. TCS Considered 4, Unanimous on Krithivasan for Top Job The board of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) considered four internal candidates — including chief operating officer N Ganapathy Subramaniam — before choosing K Krithivasan for the top job at India’s largest software exporter, said three people familiar with the discussions at the board level. AG to DoT: Auction Preferred Way to Allocate Airwaves Auction remains the preferred way to allot a natural resource like spectrum, Attorney General R Venkataramani has told the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), officials aware of the matter said.
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In the month of December we reported that the LG Ally handset is expected to be updated by February 2011. Well, the wait is finally over as Verizon Wireless has announced a new software update for the LG Ally.
Owners who have been eagerly waiting can cheer since the updated Android 2.2 OS (Froyo) boasts of advanced enhancements and improvements. The security level is leveraged with various options like remote device wipe, device lock, password complexity and minimum password length. Bluetooth voice dialing displays the user’s verbal instructions and repeats them for utmost precision.
Long pressing the home keys will enable users to seamlessly swap between eight recently opened applications. The browsing experience is improved while the update also renders a revived contact directory which merges corporate and Google accounts. Besides LG Social Application, mobile buffs can access Amazon, Amazon MP3, Facebook and Thinkfree Office applications.
Hopefully, users will find this software update significantly advanced and useful.


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Google announced today the creation of a service, Google One Pass, which will allow publishers to set their own prices and terms for the sale of digital content. Eric Schmidt introduced this new service at Humboldt University in Berlin.
The service will be accessible through Android operating tablets, smartphones and websites with one email and password sign-on combination. One Pass will allow publishers to customize the methods of how they charge customers. This will include sales options of subscriptions, metered access, “freemium” content and the purchase of single articles.
According to TechCrunch, metered access is a model in which publishers can offer a certain amount of content or number of visits for free, but will be given the option to charge frequent visitors a fee. With One Pass, publishers host their own content and may upload a list of the content into the Google interface. From there, publishers must then insert a small portion of code into their website, and One Pass is ready to operate.
Publishers will keep 90% of their share, with Google taking the remaining 10%. Publishers will also have access to subscriber demographics such as names and email addresses.
The service also allows publishers to authenticate current subscribers. This way, customers don’t have to re-subscribe to publications in order to access them on their chosen devices.
Payment is handled through Google Checkout technology. One Pass also offers the option of payment in mobile apps that allow transactions which take the user out of the app to complete the sale.
Google’s One Pass is already on board with Media General, NouvelObs, Bonnier’s Popular Science, Prisa and Rust Communications. One Pass is available in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S.
Sarah Ohrvall, senior vice president of research and development for Bonnier, says, “We are thrilled with our new partnership with Google. With this solution, we are able to give consumers what they’ve been asking for – an easy, simple way to get Bonnier content through subscriptions and on various devices and websites.”
This announcement follows yesterday’s official launch of Apple’s new subscription app, which Popular Science will also utilize.


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Why CFOs need to be tech-forward, and yoga moves you can do at the office.
Tesla's Year-Long SEC Probe
From June 2016 to 31 May 2017, the SEC conducted a formal investigation of Tesla Motors that was squarely focused on the company’s Model 3. The probe focused on a report from a Golden Sachs analyst that went public just hours ahead of a $2 billion stock offering from Tesla in May 2016 and ended with no enforcement action recommended. Should Tesla have disclosed the investigation to investors?
CFOs Don't Fear Regulatory Change
From tax reform in the U.S. to financial reform in China and Brexit in the U.K., regulatory shifts pose a challenge for CFOs and other financial executives. Research shows, however that CFOs are feeling more confident — or, at least, less concerned with legislative changes — than they have been in the past. 50% of North American CFOs believe large companies will benefit the most from tax reform and 32% of European CFOs said they are more optimistic than pessimistic (the first time since Q1 2015 that CFOs were more optimistic about their financial prospects than they were pessimistic across all European countries, according to Deloitte).
Fortune Chronicles Best of Business 2017
On Fortune's list of the people, companies, trends, gadgets, hacks, and tweets that mattered most this year: Biggest net-worth increases, best quote, the biggest announced U.S. mergers, best market and the year's worst breaches.
The Technology Evangelist CFO
Boston Business Journal
CFOs and finance leaders must become more tech savvy to help drive innovation and organizational success. Being tech-forward and aware of the current and needed solutions across lines of business earns you a seat at the table to assist in the decisions rather than simply being the checkbook. Ultimately, CFOs need to do more than understand the concepts.
Combat Holiday Stress at Your Desk
Sitting at a desk can ruin your back and our phones are making it even worse. Combine poor posture, which effects your mood and ability to think as well as making you less assertive, with holiday stress, and your work could take a hit. A New York yoga instructor has some easy yoga poses that will give you a necessary break and will stretch and release the upper back, neck, and shoulders. And they can all be done in your office.


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Australian poker players have found themselves unable to access online poker giant PokerStars via their iPhones and iPads after Apple’s local App Store withdrew access to the popular mobile poker product this weekend. The poker purge has set off a blame game between Stars and Apple, with the poker company tweeting that “as far as we know” the action was part of a “’clamp down’ on mobile gaming” by local authorities.
However, an Apple spokesperson told News Limited that the Stars app – as well as a similar product from rival operator 888 – was pulled because it wasn’t compliant with Aussie online gambling laws. Apple’s move has yet to provoke a similar response from Google, as the Android versions of the poker apps are (for the moment) still available for download via Google Play. Meanwhile, helpful forum posters have suggested workarounds for devoted Aussie Apple fans that involve creating new accounts with the UK’s App Store.
In April, Greens Senator and confirmed gambling killjoy Richard Di Natale had publicly complained that Stars’ mobile app was in violation of the country’s Interactive Gambling Act (IGA), which restricts online gambling to sports betting only. There were hopes that proposed amendments to the IGA would have broadened the range of products available to online punters, but these efforts were shot down in March. Nick Xenophon, Di Natale’s senatorial partner in all things anti-gambling, has suggested certain social casino apps should also be banished to the digital afterlife.
PokerStars’ blog recently featured an online poker ‘heatmap’ tracing the global growth of the Texas Hold’em game over the past seven years. Not for nothing, but while countries such as Russia and China demonstrate ‘hot’ growth colors over the past few years, Australia remains a ‘cool’ blue. Check out the pretty color changes below…


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SocialToaster, a Baltimore startup, is doing something that's not terribly easy to do: it's monetizing social media distribution.
Here's how it works: If you're a brand or digital publisher, you use SocialToaster to register a bevy of "ambassadors", or "Super Fans", who get early access to your news and promotions. Here's the thing about these ambassadors: They're very socially connected, and they like to share online. A lot.
Brands with lots of loyal fans -- think NFL sports teams, for instance -- are using SocialToaster for high engagement with their fans.
Brian Razzaque, the CEO of SocialToaster, said that ambassadors are sharing publishers'/brands' messages anywhere from 60 to 74 percent of the time.
Imagine if your tweets were shared that often how much reach you'd have in a short amount of time?
The Baltimore Ravens are using SocialToaster to engage their fans in monthly social media sharing contests. See here: http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/RavensReps.aspx#st
So far, SocialToaster seems geared toward organizations with a marketing budget, and that want to do more in social media. Razzaque says that a user can set their own monthly cap and only spend up to that cap. SocialToaster's monthly pricing ranges from $79 (for small businesses) to $2,000 (for enterprise customers).
So why am I writing about SocialToaster now? Here are the five things you need to know about the company:
1. The company's big news last week was that it raised a nice round of capital, a series A round where they hauled in $1.975 million from a healthy network of investors. (Part of the money, $600,000, was a bridge note that converted to equity, Razzaque told me.) Last year, the company's sales were $300K. This year, Razzaque is projecting $2 million to $3 million -- and they'll be cash-flow positive in 12 months.
2. The company is located in the Stieff Silver building in Hampden, in Baltimore. But it's soon moving to nearby Clipper Mill, near the Woodberry Kitchen restaurant, and subletting space from G1440, another tech company, that's nearly three times bigger than its current space.
3. Razzaque: "One of our clients told us that with 60,000 ambassadors, we were more effective than their Facebook page of 20 million fans."
4. With the infusion of capital, Razzaque plans to grow headcount from 22 to 50 in the next 12 months. Much of the staff he needs involves client and technical support. Most of their tech development is done by in-house staff.
5. Razzaque's targeting media and entertainment industries, not just sports franchises. He'd like to see news organizations use SocialToaster to engage their readers more (locally, The Urbanite and SmartCEO are using it.) He said a "well-known major TV/entertainment brand" has signed up with SocialToaster and will be using the service in the fall as part of a nationwide promotion.