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Mastertronic to publish Richard And Alice on Steam
Mastertronic has announced that they are to publish the curious indie adventure, Richard And Alice on Steam.
The game was created by two former games journalists Lewis Denby and Ashton Raze and tells the story of an interesting futuristic prison in a post-apocalyptic world plagued by years of heavy snowfall.
“It's a great thing to see Richard & Alice heading for Steam,” said Denby. “This is a game we decided to make because we wanted to explore character stories in video games, and the original plan was for a small free game we could bash out and move on from. That we're here now, writing quotes for the Steam release PR campaign, is quite something!”
“I am very excited to see Richard & Alice on Steam, because it meant I got to design trading cards and emotes,” Raze added. “This was a lifelong dream of mine, and finally that dream became a reality. The game being on Steam in itself is exciting but TRADING CARDS! Seriously. The achievements were right fun too. You'll not find things like this in a novel.”
Richard And Alice will be heading to Windows PC, via Steam, really soon.
- Resident Evil HD remake gets its first trailer
- Capcom working with Dimps on a what is probably Street Fighter V
- New Titanfall update adds Titan-free combat gameplay mode
- OnLive coming to Philips' new range fo Android-powered smart TVs
- Explore the rest of the solar system with Google's Destiny Planet View
- Dead Or Alive 5: Last Round coming to next-gen consoles
- Voting opens up for GamesAid's charity of 2014
- Nintendo promising a good 2015 with Zelda, Star Fox and Splatoon coming to Wii U
- Warframe comes to Xbox One today


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The harvest in the Cava region has been over now for nearly a month. The grapes have been picked, the equipment has been packed away for another year and first fermentation finished. You’d think that was it but, there’s still a lot to be done to make sure that the 2017 fizz from the north east of Spain reaches your glass.
It’s amazing how much harvest conditions affect the wines that we drink. And in regions like cava, where producers are looking for consistency of style and quality that will keep consumers coming back for a bottle of their brand, vintages like 2017 can be a challenge.
As with much of Europe this year, the harvest in the DO Cava has been severely affected by low levels of rainfall during spring and very hot, dry conditions in the June, July and August.
As a result of the hot summer weather the vintage started almost two weeks earlier than normal, during the first and second weeks of August and in many cases will be finished by the end of September. Fast and furious picking was the order of the day to ensure optimum ripeness and avoid over-maturity whilst retaining good levels of acidity that are so important in the ageing of quality cava.
Overall, it is anticipated that the 2017 yields will be down by as much as 10% in comparison with last year, which is quite a big reduction on average yields in a normal year when you consider that 2016 was down between 15-20%. Macabeo and Xarel.lo, Cava’s staple native varieties, were particularly affected by this shortfall.
Less volume, of course, means that there will be pressure on grape prices which, inevitably will mean that prices might have to rise when these wines come on top the market in 2 years’ time. The upside, however, is that the grapes were extremely healthy and concentration is high and so the Cava’s from 2017 will be intense, aromatic and delicious to drink.

domain: news


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Bay Area startup, Citizens Reserve, has made a goal of digitizing the supply chain by launching the Alpha version of Suku, a supply chain as a service platform built on blockchain last fall. However, the company is now partnering with Smartrac as a key identity piece for the platform.
Tech Crunch reports that the companies will use RFID to track products from field or factory to market. The partnership will work to solve a crucial piece of digitizing the supply chain and provides a way to trace products and ensure their provenance.
One of the major selling points for blockchain is that it helps prevent fraud as anyone that has access to the technology has an irrefutable digital identity. Citizens' platform will not only provide a traceable digital record, but it will also have additional benefits such as reducing theft.
The partnership with Smartrac is just one way to help build an identity mechanism for the Citizens Reserve solution, Tech Crunch reports. The company is also working on other partnerships to help solve other problems like warehouse management and logistics.


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Time to abandon 40nm and larger
While TSMC makes about a quarter of its cash from chips which use technology so old that they are steam driven, it has had enough and is "strongly encouraging" its customers on its oldest (and least dense) nodes to migrate some of their mature designs to its 28 nm-class process technologies.
Decides to be extra nice to select unpaid support staff with "white glove" service
Fruity cargo cult Apple has discovered that being an arse to its support partners might not be such a good idea and instead its is copying a "white glove service" that Microsoft has been doing for 20 years.
Yes, you can install Windows 11 on older machines
Microsoft’s restrictions on devices that could run Windows 11 are seen as a major pain. Most users on older PCs see the “this PC doesn’t currently meet the minimum system requirements to run Windows 11” message.
It nicked FPGA SoC chips that use ALM and my other acronyms
Japanese boffin Masahiro Iida is incandesnant with rage that Intel has borrowed his idea for Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and System-on-Chip (SoC) chips that employ Adaptive Logic Modules (ALM).


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The Forbes JUST 100 recognizes companies doing right by all their stakeholders – workers, customers, communities, the environment, and shareholders – as defined by the American public
DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)– VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories, today announced that it was named one of America’s Most JUST Companies for its commitment to serving its workers, customers, communities, the environment, and shareholders.
Through vigorous, objective analysis, the Forbes JUST 100 evaluates and celebrates U.S. corporations that outperform on the issues that matter most to the American public – like paying a fair wage, upholding human rights across the supply chain, investing in worker training, acting ethically and with integrity, cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace, protecting worker health and safety, providing good benefits and work-life balance, and more. By striving to meet the needs of all stakeholders, JUST 100 leaders demonstrate that profits and purpose go hand in hand.
“Across VF and our portfolio of brands, we work every day to leverage our business in ways that have a positive impact on people and the planet,” said Steve Rendle, VF’s Chairman, President and CEO. “It’s an honor to be recognized as one of America’s Most Just Companies by Forbes and Just Capital. This recognition confirms our belief that purpose and profit are mutually reinforcing forces that enable environmental and socially responsible business success for the benefit of shareholders and stakeholders alike.”
The annual Rankings evaluate the 1,000 largest public U.S. companies across 19 issues, identified through the most comprehensive surveys ever conducted on public attitudes toward responsible corporate behavior, engaging 4,469 American respondents in 2020 and over 110,000 total participants over the past seven years.
JUST Capital expanded this year’s methodology to capture 38 COVID-19 specific data points from their COVID-19 Corporate Response Tracker. The new analysis includes hourly wages increases, paid sick leave, and healthcare benefits for furloughed employees (Workers); payment deferrals, price cuts, and services for vulnerable groups (Customers); cash or in-kind donations to support community relief (Communities); and CEO, or executive, pay cuts (Shareholders).
“Now more than ever, business leaders have the chance to spark lasting systemic change within their companies and across society,” said Forbes Senior Editor Steven Bertoni. “The companies in this year’s JUST 100 show that we can face the twin tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial inequality and continue to improve our actions and refocus our missions to do better, and be better, for all stakeholders.”
Compared to their Russell 1000 peers, companies in the JUST 100 on average:
- Pay their median workers 18% more.
- Are 4.3 times more likely to have conducted a gender or race/ethnicity pay equity analysis.
- Are 5.6 times more likely to have set diversity and inclusion targets for their workforces.
- Are 12 times more likely to disclose they have conducted a human rights audit within their supply chain.
- Gave 6 times more to charitable causes as a percentage of their pretax profit.
- Were 140% more likely to have offered price cuts to customers during the pandemic.
- Were 92% more likely to have shifted to or prioritized the production of products to support the fight against the pandemic.
- Use 123% more green energy.
- Emit 86% fewer tons of PM 2.5 emissions into the atmosphere.
- Had 56% higher total shareholder return over the past five years.
- Had a 7.2% higher return on equity.
“In the face of a global pandemic, economic recession, and national reckoning with racial injustice, the American public is demanding more from our corporate leaders than ever before,” said Martin Whittaker, CEO of JUST Capital. “The companies featured in the 2021 JUST 100 list have stepped up in service of their workers, customers, and communities this year while delivering long-term value to shareholders.”
Both the Forbes JUST 100 and the Industry Leader list will be featured in the November issue of Forbes, with additional stories at www.forbes.com/just100 and a comprehensive interactive ranking and benchmarking platform at www.justcapital.com.
About VF Corporation
Founded in 1899, VF Corporation is one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies connecting people to the lifestyles, activities and experiences they cherish most through a family of iconic outdoor, active and workwear brands including Vans®, The North Face®, Timberland® and Dickies®. Our purpose is to power movements of sustainable and active lifestyles for the betterment of people and our planet. We connect this purpose with a relentless drive to succeed to create value for all stakeholders and use our company as a force for good. For more information, please visit vfc.com.
The defining voice of entrepreneurial capitalism, Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 160 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE events, custom marketing programs and 40 licensed local editions in 70 countries. Forbes Media’s brand extensions include real estate, education and financial services license agreements. For more information, visit the Forbes News Hub or Forbes Connect.
About JUST Capital
The mission of JUST Capital, an independent nonprofit, is to build an economy that works for all Americans by helping companies improve how they serve all their stakeholders – workers, customers, communities, the environment, and shareholders. We believe that business and markets can and must be a greater force for good, and that by shifting the resources of the $19 trillion private sector, we can address systemic issues at scale, including income inequality and lack of opportunity. Guided by the priorities of the public, our research, rankings, indexes, and data-driven tools help measure and improve corporate performance in the stakeholder economy. To learn more about how data-driven insights are creating a more just future for capitalism, visit: www.JUSTCapital.com.
About the Methodology
Since 2015, JUST Capital has surveyed 110,000 Americans – representative of the U.S. adult population – including more than 17,000 in 2020 alone. Survey work consists of both qualitative focus groups and quantitative surveys. The 2020 Annual Weighting Survey, conducted in partnership with The Harris Poll and NORC at the University of Chicago, includes responses from close to 4,500 respondents. JUST Capital then tracked and evaluated 931 companies across five stakeholders, 19 issues, and 336 unique data points to produce the ranking model that drives America’s Most JUST Companies, including the JUST 100 and Industry Leader lists. This selection of companies draws from the Russell 1000 Index, which represents over 90% of the U.S. stock market value.
Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Communications
Source: VF Corporation
Released October 14, 2020


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Kenyan carrier Safaricom is trialling an NFC card with university students that enables them to make payments with a tap at any contactless terminal using their M-Pesa mobile money accounts. The cards, called Blaze M-Pesa, are being issued free of charge to “thousands of students,” Business Daily Africa reports. “The students can already make payments at several businesses at the Thika Road’s TRM Mall.” Safaricom began trialling NFC M-Pesa cards with its staff in July 2016. Reports emerged in March 2014 that Safaricom was working to add NFC to its M-Pesa service.
- Lloyds to let customers set own contactless transaction limit
- Emirates NBD records 34m contactless transactions during eight-week rewards programme
- Monzo lets customers link virtual debit cards to funds ring fenced for specific types of expenditure
- CBA: 80% of digital wallet payments in Australia made from Apple devices
- Aldi tests checkout-free technology at London store
This article is more than four years old


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Apple has reportedly offered to purchase Loewe AG, a German manufacturer and distributor of high-end televisions, reports AppleInsider.
Apple's offer has not yet been accepted; however, their source claims that Loewe "has been advised by its financial advisor to accept the offer and a final decision is scheduled to be announced internally before 18 May 2012."
This person said Apple is confidentially offering 87.3 million euros (about $112 million U.S.), a slight premium over the firm's last closing share price of 4.519 euros (giving it a market cap of 58.79 million euros or $76 million U.S.). Loewe's primary shareholders currently include Sharp (28.83 percent) and LaCie (11.17 percent).
Rumors of an Apple branded television have long existed. Just yesterday it was reported that Foxconn Chief Terry Gou said his company is making preparations to manufacturer the device. Foxconn also entered into a partnership with Sharp for a LCD panel plant in Sakai-city, Osaka, Japan.


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(Reuters) - Tennis’s governing bodies and the organisers of the four Grand Slams said on Tuesday they will raise over $6 million (4.8 million pounds) to help players affected by the sport’s current shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PARIS (Reuters) - French insurer AXA AXA.PA said on Tuesday that the coronavirus crisis would have a material impact on its 2020 earnings and said that it could face around 500 million euros in claims for events cancellations.
May 5th, 2020viaBBC News - Coventry & Warwickshire
Some sheep farmers have said they are facing difficulties as coronavirus has left them unable to bring over shearers from Australia and New Zealand. One shearing firm said it had given up a quarter of its work because it had been unable to bring in foreign staff.
Social workers are bracing for a surge in referrals of vulnerable children when schools re-open again as abuse and neglect suffered by youngsters in their homes goes unnoticed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Prof Neil Ferguson has quit as a government adviser on coronavirus after admitting an "error of judgement". Prof Ferguson, whose advice to the prime minister led to the UK lockdown, said he regretted "undermining" the messages on social distancing.
This paper aims to provide an overview of how the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the wider containment efforts is expected to impact upon the UK Labour Market; providing some of the practical challenges that ONS are likely to face.
Aims to provide an overview of how the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the wider containment efforts is expected to impact upon UK gross domestic product (GDP) in theory and provides some of the practical challenges that National Statistical Institutes are likely to face.
This article sets out our plans for data collection, compilation and publication of our various prices statistics following the implementation of social distancing policies and movement restrictions, brought into effect on 23 March 2020, as a result of the COVID19 pandemic.
Dominic Watkins, Head of Consumer at global provider of integrated legal and business services DWF, comments on the latest ONS retail sales figures for May 2021, which shows that retail sales volumes declined by 1.4% between April and May 2021 whilst in comparison with February 2020, online retail sales in May 2021 were 58.8% higher and in-store sales were 1.3% lower.
In recent times, we have witnessed the power of collective action in effecting change in the face of extreme adversity and as we re-build our businesses and workplaces there is a greater awareness of the need to focus on 'building back better'. Hear Caroline Colliston's thoughts on how we can build back sustainably.
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Editor’s note: Brian Armstrong is the co-founder and CEO of Coinbase, a leading consumer, merchant, and developer platform for Bitcoin purchasing, selling, and payment acceptance. Follow him on Twitter.
Mt.Gox is gone. The one-time biggest Bitcoin exchange closed its doors this week and filed for bankruptcy this morning. Questions about the future of Bitcoin have once again been up-leveled to the headlines of nearly every major media outlet.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a string of issues in the Bitcoin space, from the transaction malleability bug that ultimately closed Mt.Gox’s doors to a corresponding distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that delayed transfers on multiple exchanges and services. These attacks, along with recent phishing scams and money-laundering arrests, have cast doubt on the Bitcoin space and caused consumer panic — which is fair.
But what hasn’t been communicated well is how those who are truly invested…
View original post 1,371 more words


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007 is famous for his high-speed car chases, high-tech gadgets, and intense fight scenes; traits that aren't exactly environmentally-friendly. In the next James Bond film, however, we might actually see the legendary (but fictional) British spy 'go green' after British media outlets reported that Bond is set to drive an electric Aston Martin for the upcoming 25th Bond film.
Teports say that Bond will be behind the wheel of an Aston Martin Rapide E, the company’s first all-electric vehicle. The brand first previewed the Rapide E as a concept back in 2015 and later confirmed it for a limited production run of 155 units. The electric Aston Martin is expected to make its debut later this year.
According to British newspaper The Sun, it was the film’s director, Cary Joji Fukunaga, who pushed for the British spy to be in an electric vehicle for the upcoming film. Furthermore, it states that an insider described the director as a real 'tree-hugger'.
Considering how Bond is always equipped with the most advanced, state-of-the-art gadgets and drive the best car available all the time, it wouldn’t be surprising if 007 does end up driving something more modern like an electric car. We can presume the Rapide E will come with some unique gadgets the British spy could use against the baddies.
As for the Rapide E, it is expected to be powered by an 800V, 65kWh lithium-ion battery pack and powers two electric motors producing 610 PS and 950 Nm torque. However, the only problem with the electric Aston Martin is the range, which is currently rated at around 320km. This means Bond would have to find someplace to charge after a long drive.
The upcoming Bond film has a tentative release date of April 2020. Filming is set to begin this year.


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Tire’s Warehouse taps Tagliaferri for expansion
Tire’s Warehouse Inc. (TWI) announced it has hired Gino Tagliaferri for the position of manager, Commercial Sales & Marketing, a newly created position that will be instrumental in the growth and expansion plans of TWI.
Tagliaferri has extensive experience in the commercial tire business with posts at China Manufacture Alliance LLC and CMA Inc., which included national implementation of commercial tire sales programs.
For the past nine years he was the regional sales manager for American Pacific Industries, which is the exclusive U.S. importer of Gladiator Tires.
“Gino is an integral member of our commercial sales team, and this addition takes us another step closer to our overall expansion plans,” says Dan King, president of TWI.
“We are already a dominant force in the consumer products segment and with over 60 delivery trucks and 400,000 square feet of warehouse space, TWI is primed to provide the best service for our commercial customers as well.”
"TWI sets the bar high for tire distributors across the U.S.”, says Tagliaferri. “I look forward to the development and growth in the commercial business, and helping to take TWI to the next level.”
For more information visit www.tireswarehouse.net.


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Schedule reliability Headlines
News / North American rail operators put profits before customers, claim shippers
North American rail operators have been accused by shipper organisations of putting Wall Street analysts before ...
News / Carrier reliability reaches new nadir in Q1 as premium services gain ground
Ocean carrier schedule reliability is heading towards a new two-year low point, opening the way ...
News / K+N unveils 'unique' Sea Explorer service to broaden customer choice
Shipper demand for visibility has seen Kuehne + Nagel launch the Sea Explorer service – a “comprehensive” overview ...
News / OOCL tops ocean carrier reliability chart, with Yang Ming taking wooden spoon
Hong Kong container shipping line OOCL has been named as the most reliable carrier by SeaIntel ...
News / APL offers 'money-back' guarantee on premium transpacific service
CMA CGM subsidiary APL has launched a premium service it says will “promise equipment and vessel ...
News / Shippers face soaring rates as they battle for alternative space after Hanjin collapse
Shippers are starting to feel the heat from the collapse of Hanjin Shipping as container ...
News / OOCL leads the pack as reliability becomes key to container line marketing strategy
Ocean carriers are focusing on better schedule reliability and faster sailing times as selling points ...
- 1.New EC rules on working conditions may make truck driving more attractive
- 2.Analysis: has DSV got a new M&A deal up its corporate sleeve?
- 3.Truck driver shortage crisis now spreading across the whole of Europe
- 4.Moody's downgrades Maersk's credit rating amid fears for box shipping sector
- 5.Maersk aims to cover itself with an alternative to cargo insurance
- 1. incognito james on HGV driver shortage is 'a ticking time bomb' for UK logistics sector, say MPs
- 2. firstname.lastname@example.org on FMC to standardise container detention and demurrage across the US
- 3. Steve Webster on Truck driver shortage crisis now spreading across the whole of Europe
- 4. Steve Webster on HGV driver shortage is 'a ticking time bomb' for UK logistics sector, say MPs
- 5. GFERRULLI@GLOBALLOGISTICSANDTRANSPORT.COM on FMC to standardise container detention and demurrage across the US


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“No previous ad recession has put household media names at risk like this one has, from local newspapers to high-street magazines to national TV channels”.
Separately, Mark Sweney at the Guardian paraphrases Smith to suggest that ‘dozens of magazines and newspapers that are household names’face a ‘lethal threat”.
Dozens of household names? I wonder. The key words here, of course, ‘at risk”. In part, your perception of risk depends on your context. Certainly, the context surrounding WPP — parent company of Group M — has deteriorated lately.
Whatever the reason, Group M’s market forecasts have also deteriorated rapidly. In December, the agency was predicting that UK media investment (a posh expression for advertising) would decline by 5% during 2009. By March, this had been revised downward to -10%. Last week’s forecast was for a -14% decline.
Earlier this year, I criticised media agencies for their habit of talking up the ad market with unrealistic forecasts. So emphatically has Group M caught up with the real world that I’m starting to wonder whether the agency is erring on the side of bearishness.
In any event, as we approach the year’s mid-point, here’s what Group M is predicting for advertising in various media:
B2B magazines: -15%
Consumer magazines: -20%
National newspapers: -18.6%
Regional newspapers: -31.9%
B2B magazines: -10%
Consumer magazines: -9%
National newspapers: -8.7%
Regional newspapers: +1.1%
These figures are pretty grim. In advertising terms, Group M — a vast agency network that claims to handle 17.5% of world’s advertising — knows that of which it speaks. Its corporate parent WPP, noted steeper YOY percentage ad declines across its business in April than during Q1. In his report, Smith suggests that advertiser demand will “remain weak this summer”.
In consumer magazine publishing, Smith is expecting ‘decision time on viability for the weakest’brands during Q409. More widely, he suggests that end-of-year ‘mergers, restructures and closures’loom for ‘secondary and tertiary media brands”. He also predicts real trouble in commercial TV.
A slightly different view — not necessarily contradictory, but very different in tone — arrives courtesy of Publishing Futures 2009, a recent survey of 187 UK publishing companies put together by Wessenden Marketing, Wide Area and InPublishing Magazine.
Paid Content wrote up this survey on its release in late May, so I’m not going to repeat that exercise. What I will do, though, is emphasise how variable the impact of this recession has been across sectors and markets.
The Futures sample includes all sorts of publishers, including consumer magazine publishers and their B2B counterparts as well as regional and national newspaper publishers. As the authors admit, the self-completion methodology ‘will bias the sample towards the more successful and proactive companies who will tend to outperform the industry averages”.
Fair point. But even allowing for some positive bias, the Futures survey provides a timely reminder that ad revenues aren’t everything.
Company turnover: Almost half of respondents (44%) say that revenues are currently growing in YOY terms. 16% say turnover is static. 40% say that it’s declining. Only one-fifth of the sample suggests that turnover is declining by 10% or more YOY.
Profitability: If you thought that the entire publishing was heading towards zero profitability, think again. Only 21% say that their company’s ‘bottom line profit as a percentage of turnover’is currently zero (break-even) or less (loss-making).
Print-based display advertising: 48% say that this revenue stream will grow, or remain static during the next 12 months. (It should be said that only 16% opted for growth; 32% suggested ‘static”.)
Online display: 62% say online display revenues will grow during the next year. 23% say these revenues will remain static.
Staff numbers: 54% forecast that staff numbers will hold steady during the next year. A further 20% say that numbers will growing ‘slowly’or ‘rapidly”.
I guess it’s possible to accept these numbers — and hold the belief that this recession will be ‘lethal’for some. The important point suggested by Publishing Futures is that this industry (like most others) is all over the map in terms of revenue, profitability and the transition from print to online.
The devil will take the hindmost. He always does. But how many? In this respect, WPP’s sudden move to the dark side of the debate is a worry.
Email firstname.lastname@example.org to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog


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Plans for a massive renovation of the historical Cambrian Park Plaza shopping center are taking a new direction to include public art and more pedestrian and bike friendly amenities.
“It is substantially different from the original proposal,” said Councilmember Pam Foley whose district includes the 17-acre shopping center famous for its carousel display. Foley met with the developer — Weingarten Realty — and city officials last month to discuss the project after months of negotiations leading to changes to the development plan, based on community feedback.
“I think the community will be happy,” she added.
Foley told San José Spotlight that changes will include more open space, incorporating Cambrian Park Plaza’s history into the future development, better bike and pedestrian access and public art pieces, among other adjustments. Based on community feedback, the next iteration of the project should also balance residential density with mixed-use buildings that house residential uses atop retail stores.
The new design will allow passersby a better peek inside the development, coupled with a central promenade and a more cohesive site design which all lend themselves to more of a “main street feel,” Foley said.
The lawmaker had previously voiced concern about residents venturing to Campbell or Los Gatos for the downtown experience and hopes the re-imagined project will keep the community’s dollars in the district. In May, she sent a letter to the developer calling for a more walkable, vibrant and captivating Cambrian Park Plaza with a more “sophisticated” level of integrated uses while featuring its historical carousel, murals and rose beds.
She also suggested the developer explore decreasing the number of townhomes for more open space, increasing the open space footprint from 1.5 acres to 2 or 3 acres with a less secluded park.
The new plans are not yet available, but Foley detailed the negotiations with developers in various posts on her blog. The developers have been cooperative, Foley said, and open to creating a “centered place for all ages to enjoy.”
“I came away from this meeting today feeling that the developer heard loud and clear what we had to say and that they were working to incorporate as many of our requests as possible into their new design plans,” she posted in November following a meeting with the developers.
Weingarten, the developer, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Longtime business owners have expressed worries about a lack of retail space in the new design. The developer initially proposed a six-story hotel, town square, park,115,000 square feet of entertainment and retail space, senior assisted living, townhomes and apartments.
De Tagle Jewelers owner Alfonso de Tagle has remained in the plaza for nearly four decades but de Tagle, who is also a member of the Friends of Cambrian Park Plaza group, says he knows his business won’t keep its home once the renovation begins. Already, he says, retail is being squeezed out and replaced by things like workout centers, learning academies, daycare and pet adoption.
When he received word from Foley last month about the new plans, de Tagle says he knew it would at least buy them more time.
“It makes me feel more optimistic in the sense that we’re going to be here a little longer,” he said. “We have no voice for what they do or say at all.”
Foley said she understands the redevelopment and fate of the nostalgic plaza remains a fear for existing tenants.
She added that the developers have not yet re-submitted plans for the plaza to City Hall because they’re penciling out the financial aspects of the plan. “It took them a long time because they had to really be thoughtful,” Foley said. “(They have to decide) does it make financial sense for our investors?”
In order to maintain its “signature project” status, which is a development within an Urban Village area that advances transit-friendly communities, the redesign must include a certain mix of housing, commercial space and employment opportunities. The developers are committed to keeping the signature carousel in the design but it remains unknown exactly how it will be incorporated.
Once the revamped plans are submitted early next year, Foley expects a slew of public community meetings to follow.
Contact Carina Woudenberg at [email protected] or follow @carinaew on Twitter.
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South Korea’s leading container carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. (HMM) will become an official member of the world’s major vessel-sharing group The Alliance from 2020 to 2030, a face-moving move for the Korean industry after the collapse of the country’s largest maritime name Hanjin Shipping.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and HMM announced Monday that the Korean shipper will become the fourth member of The Alliance, one of the world’s top three shipping alliances, joining Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd, Japan’s Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Taiwan’s Yang Ming Transport. HMM’s entry will increase the alliance’s shipping capacity from current 4.09 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) to 5.09 million TEU.
The container carrier will receive 12 vessels with 23,000 TEU in the second quarter of 2020 and eight 15,000 TEU containers in 2021. It plans to operate the ships immediately after delivery to accelerate its management normalization efforts. The Oceans ministry expected that The Alliance’s share of operation would grow to more than 30 percent when HMM deploys the large-sized carriers in the Asian-North European route.
As a member of the alliance, HMM is also expected to rapidly expand its share in the global shipping industry, a move that would help restore Korea’s damaged reputation as a leading shipping nation following the bankrupt of the country’s largest container carrier Hanjin Shipping in 2016. Hanjin Shipping was the world’s seventh largest container shipper at the time.
HMM has been a strategic partner of 2M Alliance since April 2017 when its full membership was denied due to its liquidity problems amid industry-wide slump. The company has been in talks with major shipping alliances since the second half of last year as the partnership will be expired in March 2020. It said it picked The Alliance because it made the best offer. Its full membership status will take into effect from April 2020.
By Chun Gyug-woon and Choi Mira
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]


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Your comic lover and owner of an iOS device? Do not miss this one application.
Marvel Comics tried to offer around 13 thousand popular comics in an application called Marvel Unlimited.
Quoted from Slashgear, Friday (3/8), the user will be given the freedom [...]
Among other things, failing to hide bank accounts.
Millions of Android app users, according to a research, be lured to reveal personal data.
The researchers tested 13,500 Android apps and found nearly 8 percent failing to protect his bank account and [...]
Kim Jong Il reportedly often inject himself with the blood of virgin teens to slow down the aging process.
The younger human blood has long been believed to be a drug life. One of the people who know to believe it was the late North Korean leader Kim [...]
Two more top-tier titles that are ready to enliven the new Microsoft console, Xbox One, namely Battlefield 4 and Watch Dogs.
Quoted from IGN, Wednesday (22/5), specifically for Battlefield 4, DICE as a developer of the game will use the Frostbite 3.
ASUS recently launched the newest whiz graphics card designed for small form factor PCs.
GeForce GTX 670 DirectCU Mini Series can be used for mini-ITX motherboards.
GTX 670 DirectCU Mini has a dual-slot with a length of only 17cm with NVIDIA GTX 670 [...]
From Windows 8, until Outlook.com and Windows Phone 8, Sinofsky gave the main color on the recent changes in Microsoft.
Less than a month after the launch of Windows 8 operating system, President of the Windows Division at Microsoft, Steven Sinofsky, [...]
Women eighteen origin Saratoga, California, Eesha Khare managed to make a supercapacitor that can charge a cell phone in just between 20 to 30 seconds.
Through this work, Eesha also won about 500 million dollars from Intel in the Intel International [...]
The wait is over, this month, the new Bluetooth device is finally released, so what can we expect from this new device ? Well, as for the design, the new Divoom Voombox outdoor as the name suggests is specifically designed for outdoor uses. It also comes [...]
Linux developers, Canonical, claims a new version of Ubuntu 13.04 or so-called Raring Ringtail more efficient.
According to the Canonical claim, Raring Ringtail has improved performance. Among other uses fewer resources, faster boot times, lower [...]
This week, modifier application to be like a cartoon face or an application iMadeFace in the 4th position popular iPhone apps in iTunes. IPhone users is being fond iMadeFace. So what’s so special?
On the iTunes page, iMadeFace claimed as the number [...]
BlackBerry, formerly known as RIM, decided not to sell latest BlackBerry 10 smartphone in Japan.
“Japan is not a major market for the BlackBerry,” said the company recently announced that BlackBerry Q10 and Z10.
Quoted from Cnet, Friday [...]


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UPS expects to hire over 100,000 seasonal employees to support the anticipated annual increase in package volume that will begin in October 2020 and continue through January 2021.
“We’re preparing for a record peak holiday season. The COVID-19 pandemic has made our services more important than ever,” said Charlene Thomas, Chief Human Resources Officer.
“We plan to hire over 100,000 people for UPS’s seasonal jobs, and anticipate a large number will move into permanent roles after the holidays. At a time when millions of Americans are looking for work, these jobs are an opportunity to start a new career with UPS,” added Thomas.
The company is filling full- and part-time seasonal positions – primarily package handlers, drivers, driver-helpers, and personal vehicle drivers – by offering competitive wages across multiple shifts in thousands of locations across the country.
Over the last three years, about 35% of people hired by UPS for seasonal package handler jobs were later hired in a permanent position when the holidays were over, and about 123,000 UPS employees – nearly a third of the company’s U.S. workforce – started in seasonal positions.
UPS Surcharges For Big Shippers
UPS is also adding additional surcharges for big shippers during this time to offset the costs associated with the expected unusual increase in demand this year due to COVID-19.
Some large shippers such as Amazon and Target may see surcharges of $3 for ground shipments and $4 for air shipments going to residential addresses.
2020 Holiday Season
The 2020 holiday season will be like no other before as more consumers have already shifted to buying more items online.
Some industry folks believe there could even be a bidding war for warehouse and logistics workers this fall as more companies are expecting a surge in online orders with less in-person shopping.
Long term, it seems some large mall spaces are turning into fulfillment operations as landlords look for ways to overcome retail losses while trying to solve a shortage in urban warehouse space for online commerce operations.
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It’s all about wine, beer and celebrity chefs at Mohegan Sun this weekend. The 12th annual Sun WineFest gets underway on Friday and continues through Sunday.
Guests will be able to sample more than 1,000 varieties of wine and beer. If you’re a foodie, you won’t be left out. You can sample signature dishes from several regional restaurants.
On Friday, there will be a bourbon tasting from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. You can also sample cigars and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $90.
The grand tasting scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday is already sold out. It will include demonstrations by celebrity chefs, including Todd English.
From noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, there will be an Elite Cru tasting, where you can taste vintages from around the globe and meet the winemakers.
From 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., watch celebrity chefs prepare their signature dishes at live cooking stations, paired with premium wine or beer. Tickets are $200.
On Sunday, there will be another grand tasting event, from noon to 5 p.m. For $70, you can taste more than 1,000 wines and beers, as well as some spirits. You can also watch demonstrations for celebrity chefs.
Are you going? Send your photos to us at email@example.com.


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Realme has displaced Samsung to emerge as India’s second-biggest smartphone brand with a market share of 18%, according to Counterpoint Research data.
The Chinese vendor, the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand, claimed the position within just three years of inception. Realme is also the top brand on Flipkart, with a 52% market share, and was among the top two online brands with a 27% share.
According to Counterpoint Research data, the Indian smartphone market grew steadily in October. Xiaomi, with 20% market share (including 2.7% share for spin-off Poco), came out on top. Following Realme were Samsung and Vivo with 16% and 13% share, respectively.
Realme India CEO Madhav Sheth said: “This rapid growth is a testament to the brand and evidence of our consumers’ love for us.”
“We have always focused on bringing the best of technology to our consumers with cutting edge technology and trendsetting designs, and we have been delivering on it successfully. 2021 has been a year of milestones for Realme and this win is another feather in our hat.”
Realme disrupted the Indian smartphone market since its inception, targeting the budget segment, and its achievement compliments the company’s grasp and popularity among consumers.
The company said the continued momentum could put Realme at the top of the pecking order as the country’s top independent smartphone brand in 2022.
Sheth said: “With our ‘Dare to Leap’ spirit and individuality, we will continue to challenge the existing status quo and prove leadership time and again. Our aim for 2022 is to be the No. 1 smartphone brand in India, and this milestone is just another stepping stone to realise that vision.”
Realme hit 100 million cumulative global shipments earlier this year and also achieved the landmark 50-million-unit total shipment mark in India in Q2.
The Chinese vendor also became the world’s sixth largest smartphone brand in Q2.


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Kris Jenner flashes legs in preppy striped yellow dress during Malibu lunch date with Corey Gamble
The matriarch of the Kardashian/Jenner dynasty knows a thing or two about making a splash.
And on Wednesday Kris Jenner, 62, did exactly that when she stepped out for a lunch date with boyfriend Corey Gamble, 37, at the trendy Nobu Restaurant in sunny Malibu.
Head after head turned when the Keeping Up With The Kardashians momager strolled in with her toyboy and walked to their table, which came complete with an incredible oceanside view.
Making an entrance: Kris Jenner and her beau Corey Gamble were spotted at Nobu Restaurant in Malibu on Wednesday
Corey appeared to be very attentive as he kept a close hand on Kris nearly every step of the way.
Keeping up with her penchant for youthful looks, Kris wore an orange and white striped dress that was the epitome of summertime style.
The loose-fitting number was equal parts casual and conservative but added a touch edge to it with it's frilly garment design that went down the front and around the neckline.
The piece was cut above the knees, showcasing her toned legs to full effect.
Scenic: Kris and Corey turned heads as they walked to their oceanview table
Kris paired it with thin-heeled white-strapped pumps and accessorized with big-framed sunglasses and a stylish black purse.
Cory went with a well-kept casual look in white cargo shorts with a blue polo-style shirt and navy blue sneakers.
He too rocked dark sunglasses to help keep that Southern California glare out of his eyes.
Kris and Corey have reportedly been dating since October 2014.
Chivalry isn't dead: Corey kept a close hand on his lady during their lunch date
Summer style: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star looked youthful in her orange and white dress; Corey went the casual route in cargo shorts and a polo shirt
Happy couple: Kris appeared to be a great mood as she flashed a consistent smile during their lunch date
Being the consummate momager to her kids, Kris also found time on Wednesday to stop by daughter Kylie's launch of her latest makeup collection at an outdoor mall in Los Angeles.
She then promptly shared some photos of her out front of the pop up shop bearing Kylie's name.
'At the @kyliecosmetics pop up shop today at @westfieldcenturycity!,' she wrote in the caption. 'It looks so incredible!! Everyone stop by to be the first to shop Kylie’s birthday collection before it launches online on August 6! #Kylie Cosmetics #Birthday #PopUp #ProudMama.'
Kylie debuted her cosmetics company Kylie Lip Kits in 2015 and renamed the wildly successful venture Kylie Cosmetics in 2016.
She launched her first pop-up shop in December of 2016.
Showing support: Kris also stopped by Kylie's launch of her new makeup line at her pop up shop in LA
The momager: The 62-year old helps manage all of her children's business endeavors
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Happy Wednesday, everyone.
There was a ton of Apple-related news yesterday because they had their earnings announcement. I’ve compiled some of the most interesting Apple stories here:
Apple shares soar after surprisingly strong third-quarter earnings
Reuters reports that Apple’s stock surged 6 percent to an all-time high in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the company reported better-than-expected sales and profit.
Apple reported higher iPhone sales and iPad sales in the third quarter, which surprised analysts.
And some other Apple highlights:
Instagram: People spend more time on our app than Snapchat
One of the biggest business battles of our time is the war of social media giants.
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, took a dig at Snapchat on Tuesday by disclosing user data that indicates its app is more popular than Snapchat.
Recode reports that Instagram says that its users under age 25 spend 32 minutes a day on Instagram and users over the age of 25 spend more than 24 minutes a day on the app.
Both numbers are bigger than what Snap, the owner of Snapchat, disclosed back in February.
Facebook is developing a video chat device
Facebook is developing a large touchscreen device that has a wide-angle camera, microphones and speakers that is designed to be used at home.
The Verge reports that this concept sounds “very similar to the Echo Show that Amazon released.” Their report notes that Facebook’s video gadget will have a larger screen than the Echo Show.
Etsy is under pressure to act more like a retailer, less like a tech startup
The Wall Street Journal has a pretty good read on Etsy, an online seller of vintage and handmade goods that is struggling with slowing sales. A new CEO has cut costs and is trying to revive sales.
Here’s a key passage from the story:
Several people familiar with Etsy’s thinking say the company has grappled with the expectations of public markets and failed to prioritize its marketplace, which now accounts for less than half of its revenue. Since 2015, Etsy generates most of its money from providing add-on services to merchants, such as shipping labels and advertising. Shares shot above $30 in their first day of trading in April 2015 but soon crumbled and have been trading below the $16 IPO price for about the past two years.”
News on Open Source is free and unlimited. Access to the rest of 512tech.com comes with an American-Statesman digital subscription, which also includes myStatesman.com and the ePaper edition. Subscribe at statesman.com/subscribe.


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Jigsaw24 is partnering with SentinelOne to deliver products and fully managed services to enterprise customers. Their partnership combines Jigsaw24’s 30 years’ experience deploying Apple devices at scale with SentinelOne’s comprehensive feature set – which includes ahead of its time AI-powered prevention, detection, response, and threat hunting across user endpoints, containers and cloud workloads. It means that UK businesses can be assured that their corporate, client and colleague data will remain secure no matter which business model they follow into the future.
“Apple devices are increasingly popular in enterprise, and with remote and mobile working becoming more commonplace, ensuring devices are secure is essential,” said Luke Bexon, Senior Business Manager at Jigsaw24. “We want to make sure our enterprise customers feel confident and secure in the knowledge that their staff are receiving the absolute best protection and support available.
“SentinelOne meet our stringent requirements for a macOS endpoint security solution, with a feature and functionality set that put it far ahead of the industry as a whole. Their strong commitment to the Apple ecosystem, dedicated Apple security researchers and alignment with Apple’s release programme all offer significant advantages to our customers. Working with them will help us overcome the security challenges holding back OS adoption.”
“We’re delighted to announce our partnership with SentinelOne,” said Jigsaw24’s Head of Vendor Alliances, Tim Strand. “As the leading Apple Partner in the UK, this partnership will enrich our endpoint security offering for both Mac and iOS customers alike! We’ve been delighted with their investment with us so far and look forward to our mutual success moving forward.”
Read the latest edition of PCR’s monthly magazine here:
Like this content? Sign up for the free PCR Daily Digest email service to get the latest tech news straight to your inbox. You can also follow PCR on Twitter and Facebook.


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Netflix Chose Downtown Norman In Oklahoma For One Of Their Holiday Light Displays And It’s Magical
Sooner magic is strong this year in Norman and not just because of football. The magic of Christmas can be found all around Downtown, in part, thanks to Netflix. As a way to give back and spread some holiday cheer this year, Norman picked a handful of cities to decorate with lights and Norman was one of the lucky chosen ones. The lights are now up and can be found along East Main Street, along with several cozy shops, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: onlyinyourstate.com/nominate


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BRUSSELS — British and European regulators threatened to crack down on Google and Facebook parent Meta over an agreement for online display advertising services, saying Friday that the deal may breach rules on fair competition.
The fresh scrutiny in Europe, which has pioneering efforts to rein in big technology companies, strikes at the heart of Google’s business — the digital ads that generate nearly all of its revenue.
In the “ad tech” marketplace bringing together Google and a constellation of online advertisers and publishers, the company controls access to the advertisers that put ads on its dominant search platform. Google also runs the auction process for advertisers to get ads onto a publisher’s site.
The European Union’s top competition watchdog opened an antitrust investigation into a 2018 pact for Meta’s Audience Network to participate in Google’s Open Bidding program.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said the deal, which Google internally dubbed “Jedi Blue,” may be part of efforts to exclude ad tech services that compete with Google’s Open Bidding program to the detriment of publishers and consumers.
Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority announced a parallel investigation into the agreement, which is also the focus of a state-led antitrust lawsuit against Google that’s before U.S. courts.
Google said the “allegations made about the agreement are false,” calling it “a publicly documented, procompetitive agreement” enabling Facebook to participate in its Open Bidding program, along with dozens of other companies.
Meta said the “non-exclusive bidding agreement with Google, and the similar agreements we have with other bidding platforms, have helped to increase competition for ad placements.” Meta said it would cooperate with both the EU and U.K. inquiries.
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said that if the investigation confirms the watchdog’s suspicions, “this would restrict and distort competition in the already concentrated ad tech market, to the detriment of rival ad serving technologies, publishers and ultimately consumers.”
The European Commission said it intends to “closely cooperate” with the U.K. competition authority on the investigation.
The watchdogs are looking into both the ad bidding agreement and whether Google abused its dominant position in the online ad market.
“If one company has a stranglehold over a certain area, it can make it hard for startups and smaller businesses to break into the market — and may ultimately reduce customer choice,” the U.K. watchdog’s chief executive, Andrea Coscelli, said in a statement.


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But the globally successful app has been causing trouble between the USA and China for some time now. The American government is afraid that Bytedance’s user data, which is extracted from the app, will end up in the hands of the Chinese government. Therefore, the US government issued an ultimatum to the company in mid-August 2020: If TikTok’s US business has not been sold to a US company by September 20, the app should be completely banned in the US. U.S. President Trump had justified this major decision with his concern to protect the user data of around 100 million American citizens from the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok and Bytedance argued in vain that data of US users would be stored in the USA and not in China. Bytedance has even filed a lawsuit against the upcoming ban on Trump. The rumor remains very strong that there is actually a political power struggle in the dispute over TikTok. Observers assume that the real reason for the American government is to slow down the exponential rise in the digital world. Incidentally, the White House is putting pressure not only on TikTok, but also on other Chinese companies such as the messenger service WeChat and the drone and camera manufacturer DJI. All three groups are extremely successful Chinese companies in the digital sector.
Microsoft was previously considered a favorite for the purchase of TikTok. But the US company is now out of the race. The exact reasons are unclear. The only known fact is that the TikTok parent company Bytedance has ruled out a sale to Microsoft. After the rejection for Microsoft, the Wall Street Journal, the news agency Bloomberg and the TV station CNBC reported shortly afterwards that Bytedance is now negotiating with the software company Oracle and is now considered the new favorite. Oracle Corporation is a US software and hardware manufacturer with headquarters in Redwood City, California. The retailer Walmart has also submitted an offer to the Chinese group. Due to the current negotiations with Oracle and Walmarkt, the sales deadline was postponed by the US Department of Commerce by one week. Trump has already announced his agreement in principle for both institutions. However, the final agreement still requires his approval until everything is finally decided. But the Chinese government also has a say here. There is certainly no deal yet, so it remains exciting. Interestingly, even the Chinese media report that Bytedance is no longer considering selling TikTok to a US company.
Ultimatum To ByteDance – TIME IS running out
Nevertheless: TikTok had 90 days from the announcement to sell the app for the US business. A court in Washington now suspended the announced download stop with a temporary injunction. This gives TikTok time until November 12 to secure its future in the USA. The judge rejected TikTok’s motion to take action against the threatened complete shutdown of the app in the USA from November 12. We are very excited about the further development of this app in the U.S. and about the upcoming decisions and their impact on the U.S. and perhaps therefore worldwide market.


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Three years ago today, I posted “Virus crisis: Ten ways China’s wine trade is hurting” and explained how COVID had already led to slashed flights, travel restrictions, canceled fairs, closed restaurants and bars, falling sales and more. We thought it was bad in February of 2020: we didn’t realize how much more shit would hit the fan. (Spoiler: a lot.)
In a newsletter earlier this week, I wrote about how the last three years hurt various parts of China’s wine trade. It wasn’t a comprehensive piece, more a brief look at niches like importers, trade show organizers, consultants, on-trade and local producers, with an example or two for each. Here is that piece. Along with a personal case at the end.
Postponements came fast and furious in 2020, starting February 4 with the biggest of all, the huge annual Chengdu fair (Tang Jiu Hui), which pushed back its March date indefinitely. Organizing fairs fast became a nerve-wracking affair given how often the COVID status and rules of individual districts, cities and regions / provinces shifted, with the situation sometimes rapidly changing on a daily or even hourly basis.
For example, Shenzhen-based Wine to Asia held its first show in late 2020, then postponed four straight times due to COVID—the next show is now set for May. And even three months ago this week, big fairs like InterWine Shenzhen and ProWine Shanghai were being postponed.
It’s fitting the Chengdu fair bookended the COVID era. Its 2022 show got pushed to mid-November and upset many people. Some flew to Chengdu in advance to do quarantine while others arrived later to find confusing testing rules, all while the possibility loomed that the COVID wave sweeping the country might complicate all of their efforts to get home. Some avoided that stress by staying away and writing off the booths they rented as a total loss. This last major fair of the zero-COVID era truly symbolized the times.
Restaurants, bars et al faced shifting demands these past three years, from monitoring who could enter (with temperature and health kit checks the norm) to reducing maximum customer capacity to outright closing during outbreaks. Some tried to keep cash flowing with measure like boosting delivery services, including with wine, but that rarely came close to covering costs.
Even when allowed to seat guests, venues faced major problems. Customers who were hesitant to dine out. Logistical issues in terms of getting key supplies. Staff shortages as employees got sick with COVID and / or got quarantined in compounds or dormitories that had a positive case. Among many others.
For the wine trade, there were also major losses due to restrictions on banqueting–all of those boozy business, holiday and personal gatherings that are a key driver of sales.
IMPORTERS & DISTRIBUTORS
COVID meant logistics nightmares as importers struggled to get wine into and around China. Those able to actually secure ocean shipping faced rising costs and long delays.
And getting that wine to China didn’t mean the coast was clear as potential delays at entry points always loomed: that could mean anything from having to keep reefer containers powered indefinitely to having your wine available too late for a lucrative holiday sales period.
(One stunning case was the port at Ningbo, among the world’s busiest, which was shut down due to one COVID case and ultimately created a massive backlog.)
Logistics issues go all the way to ground level. Take the tales of two importers during Shanghai’s multi-month lockdown.
One got quarantined: unable to escape his apartment let alone get to his warehouse, he made no sales despite rising demand for wine from consumers stuck at home. The other stayed out of his apartment and lived in his shop, where he had access to his stock and was extremely busy carting wine deliveries to those parts of the city that allowed it.
Everyone from educators to writers and critics to flying winemakers felt the impact of COVID in China. For example, wine consultants from overseas faced quarantines upon entry—a minimum of 21 days at one point—and then possibly more depending on where they headed to in China. Many ended up staying abroad and relying on phone calls, video calls and emails, with their local partners being pushed quickly along the learning curve.
Beyond the obvious crisis of falling wine sales in China, local producers faced other problems. COVID outbreaks at times led to shortages of workers for tasks like pruning and burying / uncovering vines. To difficulties getting supplies such as bottles and barrels delivered. And to some winemakers and staff being locked down at wineries, or locked out of them, including during vintage. (After the month-long quarantine in his winery finished, one winemaker told me, “Finally, I can take a bath.”)
There were also periods when going out to do promotion or hosting tourists and trade people was difficult if not impossible. This impacted visitors, too. On my last trip to Ningxia, I spent much time dealing with PRC tests: six tests in four locations using three online health kits in nine days.
THE ITALIAN JOB
I’ll finish with an Italian wine trade professional who returned to China last October. He said planning his route back felt like figuring out the trajectory for launching the James Webb telescope into orbit. But it’s what happens after he gets through all the checkpoints and COVID tests and is settled in his quarantine hotel to start a seven-day stint that is so stressful.
“Tired, all messed up and with no food for like 8 hours, I took a shower and crashed in bed at 2 AM,” he writes. “In the morning, another PCR test and in the afternoon, while I was doing a conference call with the office, they called me saying I have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and telling me, ‘You need to pack everything NOW and go to the hospital immediately!!!’
Forced to wear a hazmat suit and have his luggage disinfected, he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, to a room with two strangers who had been there 10 and 18 days respectively. And then locked into the room, a rusty door sealing them off from the world.
“We are locked inside a room, three positive asymptomatic people, with little if no air ventilation.”
He explains the stress of the situation, from break-of-dawn PRC tests and room disinfecting — the smell of ammonia in the morning — to roommates maniacally pacing or shouting on telephones to having no idea when he will be released. He also explains about dealing with life’s necessities, like laundry–he took it into the shower with him and did it by hand there. And of trying to squeeze in work and, even harder, sleep. He was released after 17 days.
It’s worth reading his three-part story here, here and here. Plus, this post six weeks later, when he noted that had he returned to China a little later, none of it would have happened, as the rules and regulations were reversed.
“We take freedom for granted: freedom is a fragile thing,” he writes. Indeed.
Sign up for my free newsletter here. Also follow Grape Wall on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And see sibling sites World Marselan Day, World Baijiu Day and Beijing Boyce. Good content takes time and resources. If you find Grape Wall useful, please help cover its costs via PayPal, WeChat or Alipay. Reach Grape Wall via grapewallofchina (at) gmail.com.


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As the landscape of a post-pandemic world becomes clearer, mergers & acquisitions are starting to pick up.
For instance, PayPal, Pfizer, and Zoom are just a few companies that have completed multi-billion dollar deals recently. There’s also been a flurry of IPO activity, as numerous startups look to cash in on their recent successes.
The biggest so far has been the Wise IPO. In July 2021, one of the world’s largest private money transfer firms went public, achieving a market valuation of 11 billion USD (8 billion GBP).
And as we move into Q4 2021, more firms in the international money transfer industry are set to add to the fireworks. Since August 2020, money transfer giant Western Union has been open about acquiring smaller international money transfer companies. The IPO front may be active as well, with Remitly setting its IPO terms recently.
Overall, though, the industry is about to get less crowded.
Recent Consolidations a Continuation of an Ongoing Trend
Acquisitions of international money transfer companies aren’t anything new in international business. While the industry has exploded in size throughout the 2010s, larger concerns have absorbed smaller firms during this period.
Euronet is a prime example of this. Throughout the 2010s, this corporation has been one of the highest-profile buyers in the international payments space. In May 2014, they acquired HiFX, a well-established payments provider in the UK.
And a year later, they made an even bigger splash by purchasing XE, one of the internet’s top currency exchange authorities. Lastly, in 2019, Euronet took HiFX’s foreign exchange tools and folded them into XE, turning the brand into an even more powerful force on the FX scene.
Mergers and acquisitions will only pick up momentum moving forward. With global interdependence greater than it ever has been, demand for international payments will only grow. But at the same time, this increasingly crowded market will make it harder for smaller firms to stand out.
These two trends will motivate larger firms to grow via M&As, and smaller firms to sell.
Expect a Wave of Money Transfer IPOs in 2021
The Wise IPO may have stolen all the headlines, but they’re far from the first money transfer operator to go public.
Now, everybody already knows about Western Union and Moneygram. But these firms, who have more than a century of existence between them, are part of the financial establishment. In other words, they charge fees that make them largely indistinguishable from the banks.
Meanwhile, the new generation of international money transfer companies is starting to come of age. For example, OFX, an Australia-based firm, started trading back in 1998. Then, in 2013, they launched their IPO, offering shares on the Australian Securities Exchange.
World First, a money transfer provider now owned by Chinese-controlled Ant Financial, was almost part of a massive IPO last year. However, those plans were put on ice by government regulators after CEO Jack Ma criticized Chinese Communist Party officials.
Despite that setback, though, the 2020s are looking ripe for IPOs. Just as with increasing M&A activity, increasing global interdependence is creating a fertile marketplace for well-built international money transfer companies.
So, who should we expect to get in on the action? Of all the firms out there, Moneycorp and Currencies Direct are prime candidates, and are owned by a pair of private equity firms – The Bridgepoint Group and Corsair Capital, respectively.
If Remitly does well in their impending IPO, these firms will be more inclined to get in on the feeding frenzy. Both Moneycorp and Currencies Direct have served millions of customers since the 1990s. If they go public, we won’t be shocked if both achieve eight to nine-figure valuations.
Money Transfer is Becoming an Extremely Competitive Space
Money transfer firms that aren’t Wise are starting to feel the heat. As bigger international money transfer companies increase their presence in the marketplace and smaller startups crowd it, profit potential is shrinking.
For smaller international money transfer companies, it’s not enough to move money these days. If they don’t excel in a specific international payments sub-niche, bigger players will consign them to an ever-shrinking slice of market share. That was the reality HiFX faced before EuroNet acquired and merged them with XE.
Through HiFX’s 20-year track record of providing excellent service, they demonstrated their worth to the international business community. Now, their technology forms the backbone of XE Money Transfer.
Or take WorldRemit as another example. An upstart in the cash agent remittance space, this firm offers massive savings on fees and vastly better customer service in developing countries.
Then, there are the white-label money transfer operations. Taking advantage of ready-made infrastructure offers by giants like Moneycorp, media organizations like CNN and the Guardian now offer their readers international payments and transfers.
All this is putting pressure on smaller startups to diversify their specialties further. But, unfortunately, the odds of becoming a Wise is getting narrower by the day. So instead, up-and-comers will enjoy better results by becoming good at a specific aspect of the money transfer process.
The Long-Term Bull Case for International Money Transfers
But despite ramped-up competition, the outlook for the international payments industry looks bright. Observers shouldn’t allow the pandemic to cloud their vision – despite vast reductions in travel, the international business world is more interdependent than ever.
The genie is out of the bottle. The world’s manufacturing infrastructure has mostly moved offshore, and it’s staying there. At the end of the day, massive cost savings will overrule populist rhetoric. Why make goods at home when you can spend a tenth on labor by going offshore?
Even with increased shipping costs (and occasional quality issues), the savings offered by offshore workers is immense. So as online business and e-commerce continue to grow, demand for overseas vendors will increase in lockstep. And as it does, so will the demand for affordable international payments and money transfers.
This growth in international prosperity is also driving an increase in travel. In many countries, the middle class is expanding, and as it does, they’re going on vacations abroad. People in developed countries are also travelling more, as growth in low-cost carriers is driving airfares downward. Of course, before these folks cross borders, they’ll want travel cash at a better rate than their banks are giving them.
And as wealthier travellers head abroad more, they are getting more interested in overseas real estate. With politics growing unstable and remote work being easier to perform abroad than ever before, having a second home in a second country is becoming increasingly desirable.
Once the international business community works out the kinks of living in a COVID-endemic world, these trends will drive the international money transfer industry to new heights.
What’s the Near-Term Outlook for Money Transfer IPOs/M&As?
With the above trends in mind, what can we expect to see in the short term for IPO and M&A activity? As mentioned earlier, Remitly Global is the next high-profile international money transfer firm likely to go public.
But apart from them, no other money transfer provider has thrown their hat into the IPO ring. As stated earlier, though, international money transfer companies like Moneycorp and Currencies Direct are well-positioned to go public, should they choose to do so.
What about M&As? For the past year, Revolut has openly stated that it has intentions to buy smaller international money transfer companies that could complement its operations. But while they have hired staff with experience in M&As, they have yet to pull the trigger on any moves.
Perhaps there is still a bit of international business uncertainty due to global Delta outbreaks. But as vaccinations pick up steam and the current COVID waves subside, it’s likely IPO/M&A activity will pick up further.
The Globally Mobile Need Money Transfer Solutions
There’s no going back. Despite the hiatus of the past couple of years, the world remains an internationalized place. And, as the world slowly emerges from this pandemic, money inflows and outflows between nations will only pick up speed.
As they do, travellers, international business owners, and everyday people will be looking for cost-effective money transfer solutions. Because of this, there is plenty of cash to be made by pursuing IPOs, acquisitions, and mergers. We’re bullish on activity in this area.


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A STOURPORT-based travel professional mixed with celebrities as she joined colleagues from across the globe to celebrate the success of their business’s growth.
Jan Buchan, one of more than 1,200 travel agents worldwide who run their own business with the support of Travel Counsellors, was invited to attend the company conference at Liverpool’s BT Convention Centre.
Ms Buchan was joined by more than 500 fellow Travel Counsellors from seven countries at the event, which began with stand-up by comedian Jason Manford.
Other stars included tenor Russell Watson and singer Alesha Dixon. It was hosted by TV presenter Amanda Lamb.
Among guest speakers was the founder of international lingerie brand Ultimo, Michelle Mone.


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University of Minnesota researcher Seth Wannemuehler wants to make the kiwiberry Minnesota’s next big fruit. The first step: explaining what a kiwiberry is.
The green berries — a close cousin of the kiwifruit — are completely hairless, approximately the size of a ping pong ball and ready to pop in your mouth, similar to a grape. But Wannemuehler said kiwiberries’ taste is what truly sets them apart: a range of sweet, tart and tropical flavors that are ripe for the mass market.
Kiwiberries are among several delicious projects underway at the University’s fruit research program, a collection of about a dozen researchers who breed, produce and improve fruit in Minnesota. From creating new varieties of apples — like the recently released First Kiss — bumping up berry production and breeding grapes suitable for the Minnesota climate, fruit researchers at the University carry on a flavorful tradition that’s been cultivated over generations.
Kiwiberries are a relatively new addition to the program. This June, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture gave the program over $91,000 to develop and breed kiwiberries as a commercial crop that could land on grocery store shelves in the not-too-distant future.
But, most Americans aren’t familiar with kiwiberries. The limited supply of U.S.-produced kiwiberries typically come from the West Coast. Wannemuehler is hoping to change that.
“In this day and age, people are more and more interested in what fruits are outside the apple-banana-orange supermarket kind of fruits,” Wannemuehler said. “One of my overall lifetime goals is to try to work to create more diversity in the marketplace for fruits.”
There’s also a more selfish reason. Wannemuehler, like many in the fruit research program, has something of a sweet tooth for new fruits like the kiwiberry.
A long road to good fruit
For apple breeder Jim Luby, the mission of the fruit research program is straightforward.
“Our overarching goal is basically getting good fruit for people to eat,” said Luby, one-half of a duo behind popular apple varieties such as the Honeycrisp.
The fruit research program, which helped develop the state’s reputation for apple breeding and introduce wine-growing to the region, is a lucrative venture. In the past three decades, fruit research has brought in over $27 million in revenue, with the large majority coming from apples.
But Luby said creating the perfect fruit can take time. Researchers essentially play matchmaker: cross-breeding plants over and over again until they have the perfect result — a sweet, crisp apple, a big red strawberry, or in the case of kiwiberries, a tropical tasting fruit that can grow in Minnesota.
Luby said new apples varieties, for example, can take 20-plus years to create; berries and grapes are closer to 10 or 15 years.
Researchers say one of the most important processes is breeding plants that can withstand the state’s cold weather while still producing good fruit.
“Cold hardiness is something of course that’s still important in Minnesota,” Luby said. “There’s not much difference between us and the North Pole when it all freezes over here.”
For many in the program, that challenge is part of the fun.
“While it’s challenging to grow fruit here because of our particular climate, it’s possible,” said Nathan Hecht, a researcher working on increasing strawberry production through natural pollinators.
Hecht said there’s growing demand for locally produced fruit in Minnesota.
“Our responsibility is to provide those resources and do that research so its possible to grow fruit productively here,” he said.
Breeding generations of researchers
Many in the fruit research program have been doing this work for a long time; Luby has worked at the University since the early 1980s.
But new generations of researchers are essential to ensuring the program continues to bear fruit, said Emily Hoover, head of the University’s Horticultural Science Department.
“[Researchers] are probably not going to see everything that they’ve done to fruition,” Hoover said. “I find people who grow fruit to be really interesting individuals who have a commitment to the long term viability of agriculture.”
Luby and Hoover, who are also married to one another, said the program is intergenerational by nature.
“We’re getting toward the end our careers and we hope to leave it full for the next generation of breeders,” Luby said.
Wannemuehler, a Ph.D. student, is one of those young researchers.
He said he wants to create a kiwiberry variety that’s cold-hardy, delicious and grown throughout Minnesota. But it will likely take several years before kiwiberries are ready for the groceries shelves — Wannemuehler’s ideal kiwiberry may take over a decade.
Wannemuehler said his role may end up being small, but it remains important to the overall mission: making fruit more delicious for Minnesotans.
“Aspirationally, I would love if through my research I could help kick off a revolution,” he said. “I see myself as someone laying the groundwork.”


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Good news for Christmas Eve boozers, after Budweiser stepped in and offered to pay for cabs home for the entire country.
The beer firm is paying for free rides, up to the value of £15, to new and existing users of Uber.
“We’ve run a lot of responsible drinking campaigns in the past, but for 2016 we wanted to take our commitments to the next level with an initiative of epic proportions that would really have an impact,” said Steph Okell from Budweiser UK.
“If we can deter people from getting behind the wheel after drinking this Christmas, we’ll consider the campaign a success.”
The company has launched the campaign to follow its new advert, in which Hollywood star Helen Mirren issues a warning to drink drivers.
The advert features the star of The Queen urging drivers not to "be a pillock" by getting behind the wheel while drunk.
Jo Bertram, Regional General Manager of Uber in the UK, said she was "excited" to be partnering with Budweiser for their Christmas campaign.
She said: "This initiative is a huge step towards addressing drink driving in the UK, and we are proud to be part of it."
And it's a campaign that could prove incredibly useful.
Figures obtained by Confused.com show that drink driving conviction peak every year in December, as Christmas drinks combine with reduced public transport.
“One drink at a Christmas party could put someone over the limit, and simply not feeling drunk isn’t a guarantee you’re sober enough to drive.
"Alcohol tolerance depends on a number of factors including the person’s age, weight and metabolism, so a breathalyser result can vary massively from person to person,” said Amanda Stretton from Confused.com
“We want drivers to enjoy themselves this Christmas, so we’d encourage them not to ‘chance it’. Pre-arranging lifts and taxis will ensure motorists’ holiday plans aren’t scuppered by a driving ban and a night in the cells for the sake of a drink.”
So how do I get my free ride home?
The first thing you need to do is head here and enter your details.
Once you've done that, Budweiser says it will send out a discount code to you via email at 4pm on Christmas Eve.
Then, if you're booking an Uber between 4pm and 11:59, open the menu on the left hand side; hit “Payment”; select “Add Promo/Gift code”; enter the code and tap “Add”.
You are entitled to £15 off your journey.
As long as your journey finishes by 1,30am you'll get the discount.
The offer is available on uberX - the lower-cost option - and available to both existing and new Uber users.


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A racy new image has helped an established Birmingham cycle parts manufacturer conquer new markets.
Clarks Cycle Systems - set up more than 60 years ago to make nuts and bolts for BSA - is riding high after the revamp helped to give its mountain bike products better shelf appeal.
Operating from a new factory base on the Long Acre Trading Estate in Aston, Clarks has created 20 manufacturing jobs to support its expansion into emerging markets.
Managing director Tony Wright decided on the new approach after approaching Business Link in the West Midlands.
In addition to the image facelift, the business support organisation has also offered the company help to develop a new website.
The expansion has seen the company establish a base in China, where most mountain bikes are now made, to ensure strong repeat business. The new base means parts can be delivered direct to the manufacturers.
The company now supplies parts to 80 different countries worldwide.
Business Link adviser Keith Dunton, a specialist in diversification projects, listened to what Clarks wanted to do and then pointed the company towards Birmingham-based design house Tomorrow People.
The designers have created the company's new eye-catching image, which is specifically tailored to appeal to the younger market.
The repackaged mountain bike parts, including cables, pads and a new hydraulic braking system, are already lining the shelves of stores such as Halfords and Fishers.
Mr Wright said he was pleased with the revamp and that he was already seeing an upturn in sales as a result of the new brand identity.
"We produce some very up to date technology here in Aston but our company was suffering from a rather staid image for one serving such an extreme sport," he said.
The help of Business Link and Keith Dunton in particular, had been invaluable, he said. "He helped us to develop both the website and new packaging and, thanks to our new image, we hope to continue supporting people on a global scale.
"All bikes are made in Asia nowadays and by acting as an original equipment manufacturer in China, we are generating our own aftermarket," said Mr Wright.
Parts are endorsed by double world champion Fabien Barel and biking enthusiasts can follow his progress through a new weblog linked into the company's Mr Dunton said: "Tony has a fantastic vision for the company, and has built up a tremendous team with a can-do attitude, which is evident the minute you step into the business.
"The support we have provided has allowed them to build on and explore their current market share, which importantly has kept their Birmingham manufacturing site in good shape."
"We are still amongst the best in the world for our innovation and I'm delighted that 20 jobs have been secured as a result of the recent growth. In essence, Clarks sets an example for others to follow," he added.
By 2010, Business Link will have helped 70,000 businesses every year with basic information, with a further 16,000 receiving intensive support from experienced advisers. This level of support is expected to generate a £400 million improvement to the economic performance of the West Midlands.


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2005 Frankfurt Show Preview, Part II by Henny Hemmes (8/15/2005)
Volvo C70, Lambo Gallardo Spyder and Peugeot coupe.
His clothes are elegantly tailored, the jacket draped across his shoulders, Roman style. A pair of dark, wraparound sunglasses shelter hazel eyes from the
Based in the Modenese suburb of Sant’Agata Bolognese, the 43-year-old supercar maker has long lived in the shadow of its nearby rival, Ferrari. Since signing on as CEO last January, Winkelmann has been searching for ways to shift the spotlight to Lamborghini. Whether he succeeds will depend, in large part, on how much support the Italian automaker gets from its German parent, Audi. The Volkswagen AG subsidiary acquired Lamborghini in 1998.
Winkelmann was in Pebble Beach, California, this month, for the annual Concours d’Elegance, an event Lamborghini used as backdrop for the debut of the automaker’s radical new show car. In a wide-ranging conversation with TheCarConnection.com Publisher TCC Team, Winkelmann spoke about what’s in store for Lamborghini, including possible production plans for the Concept S.
TCC: You were comfortably ensconced in
Winkelmann: Audi called and asked me if I’d like to do it. They needed a marketing expert and wanted someone who understood both the German and Italian mentality. Frankly, for me, it was a dream come true. This lets me run a company, 360 degrees, everything from marketing to manufacturing.
TCC: How important is Audi’s support?
Winkelmann: “Without Audi, Lamborghini couldn’t exist. They bring money and technology. Audi is becoming a more sporty brand because they are investing more in technology — technology that Lamborghini (otherwise) couldn’t afford. We can benefit from these huge investments, but we must maintain the huge discipline that is the pillar of what Lamborghini stands for. Lamborghini is uncompromising, extraordinary — and Italian.
TCC: How is Audi’s investment paying off?
Winkelmann: Lamborghini is 42 years old. For the first 40 years, we never sold more than 250 cars. In 2003, it rose to 1300 and last year 1600. We have decided to stay at the same volume this year.
Winkelmann: For one thing, we’ve had to deal with the image and awareness of the brand. But we also have to deal with (building) a support network. Back in the 1960s and ’70s, dealers would come to the factory to pick up cars. Now we need a modern network. We grew our dealers from 65 to 80 last year, but Ferrari has over 200 worldwide.
TCC: But eventually, don’t you need to grow more? Wouldn’t you like to be as big as Ferrari?
Winkelmann: We don’t need to grow to Ferrari’s numbers, but we do have to grow. The balance between low volume, high image, and (strong) economic results is a triangle that is tough to maintain. With the launch of the Spider next year, we will reach about 2000 units in 2006. Not only in existing markets, but new markets like
TCC: There’ve been a lot of new players entering the ultra-luxury segment in recent years, like Maybach, or expanding their presence, such as Aston Martin. What does that mean for a company like Lamborghini?
Winkelmann: The market for high-lux is definitely growing because there are more manufacturers — and collectors. Our cars are often the fifth or the tenth or even the twentieth in a garage. But people are not just buying something good looking and fast. They now want quality, for sure. The average mileage for a Gallardo is a lot more than for the Murcielago, sometimes 20,000 miles a year, because owners are driving it every day. That’s a big change for Lamborghini.
TCC: Ironically, hasn’t that required you to give more content in a lower-priced car — the Gallardo — than one would normally expect in the top-line Murcielago?
Winkelmann: We’re offering luxury and comfort packages, navigation, rearview camera. But we have also had to stick to our roots.
TCC: I’ve heard it said that Lamborghini really isn’t in the automobile business.
Winkelmann: We are selling luxury. If you look at our cars, they are not something you need. It is irrational. We have to market to people in the luxury world. That is one reason we are here (in
TCC: You’re also using the Concours to show off the Concept S prototype. Any plans for production?
Winkelmann: We want to see what the reaction is and then we will decide by the end of September whether to build a limited series of this car. The initial reaction, by the way, has been strong.
TCC: People are using the word, “radical,” to describe the Concept S, but to us, something like Porsche’s Cayenne SUV would be truly radical.
Winkelmann: Actually, we like to say the Lamborghini LM2 was the first super SUV. And then there was the Espada 2+2. So if we decided to do these body styles again, we would hope people would accept them as true Lamborghinis. But at the moment, we are not planning other models.
TCC: Soaring fuel prices are finally beginning to impact car sales, according to analysts. Your cars may not be big, but they aren’t exactly fuel-efficient, either. Any concerns?
Winkelmann: So far, fuel prices are not affecting us. But it’s not the money that’s the issue, but social stigma. If super sports cars are not seen as coherent with (society), that could be a problem.
TCC: Finally, let’s turn to racing. Unlike Ferrari, Lamborghini has never been big on motor sports, but we hear that might change soon.
Winkelmann: If you look back in our history, (founder) Ferruccio Lamborghini said we didn’t need to go racing because our cars speak for themselves. For the time being, we’re not planning to enter racing, but we are looking carefully at what kind of championships we would join if we did enter. We will see next year.


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Rachel Bilson's Engagement Ring: FIRST LOOK!
After days of covering up her left hand, former O.C. actress Rachel Bilson shows off her engagement ring as she does some grocery shopping at the Mayfair Market in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon (February 23).
JJ previously reported that Rachel, 27, and Hayden Christensen, 27, were engaged over the holidays.
CONGRATS Rachel – the ring is beautiful!
15+ pictures inside of the first look of Rachel Bilson‘s engagement ring…


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Ag Secretary: U.S.-China Phase One trade negotiations progress
The U.S.-China Phase One Economic Trade Agreement that commenced Feb. 14 continues to be expanded with new protocols for California nectarine exports, lifting a ban on beef and beef products from animals over 30 months of age, and updating the list for exports of dairy, infant formula, seafood, fish oil and fish meal.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue made the announcement on Tuesday (March 10) as much of the world continues to react to the Coronavirus threat that has gripped China, Iran and Italy and is unfolding in the U.S. creating a widespread fallout in the financial markets in recent days.
“These implementation measures are promising steps showing that China is taking steps to fulfill their purchase commitments,” Perdue said. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this agreement will produce positive gains for the entire economy, especially our agriculture sector. We look forward to China continuing to achieve their commitments in future months.”
Perdue said China’s new tariff exclusion process went into effect on March 2 and importers can now apply for exclusions from retaliatory tariffs.
While the U.S. agriculture industry is pleased to see more access, he said, in the short-term exports overall are hindered as ports of entry in China remain backlogged over the COVID-19 epidemic that crippled much of China’s logistics industry through February.
The backlog is reportedly starting to clear in some areas, but there are still logistics obstacles getting products into and distributed around the country.


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Becoming a cashless country brings numerous consumer benefits to the UK, but the country is not ready to say goodbye to cash yet.
Cash is no longer king. The UK is accelerating towards a ‘cashless society,’ due to the popularity of contactless cards which now account for over half of all card transactions.
The surge in cashless payments has led to banks closing ATMs and branches, which is in turn accelerating the shift from cash to cards. The volume of cash being withdrawn from cash machines is falling fast, while data from UK Finance indicates that customers are substituting cash for cards – even for low-value purchases. GlobalData’s 2018 Consumer Payments Insight (CPI) Survey revealed that over three quarters of respondents prefer card payments over cash.
With contactless comes cashless
Furthermore, 64% of respondents agree that contactless payments are more convenient than cash and other cards. This additional spending, coupled with the availability of cheap POS and mPOS terminals, makes accepting electronic payments attractive for merchants of all sizes, in spite of the fees associated with doing so.
One of the biggest drivers of the contactless revolution in the UK was the technology’s adoption by Transport for London.
As of 2018, 17 million tube and rail journeys across London are now paid for with contactless cards or mobile devices each week. The convenient contactless payment method was also launched on buses, and more than 1.7 billion journeys through contactless payments have been made across the capital.
This implementation shows the material benefits of a cashless society, most notably shortening queue times at ticket machines as well as reducing cash handling costs for merchants. Londoners and visitors have recognised contactless payments as the ‘norm’ and contactless usage has grown quickly, from everyday use for transit to everyday use for payment generally. Yet despite the contactless boom in London, many rural areas lag behind in terms of contactless adoption and usage.
Consumers in general want the quickest and easiest way to pay, and the industry is only too happy to accelerate the shift to a cashless society. Yet there is a real danger of exclusion if cash is eliminated entirely.
In particular, the reduction of ATM networks has a negative impact on rural communities that rely on cash, and the reduction of cash in local economies can hit small businesses hard, despite the easy availability of POS terminals. People on low incomes are also at a disadvantage if they only have access to contactless payments, as cash is more inherently suited to budgeting, as well as being the only tool accessible to some consumers.
Contactless cards provide numerous benefits for consumers in terms of the speed and convenience of payments, while benefiting businesses by boosting sales. However, given that there are certain segments of the UK that rely on cash, the UK will not entirely be a cash-free society in the near future.
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