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My interpretation of these event is confirmation that Adam Smith was correct: market place forces work to restore equilibrium in supply and demand. If cellphone carriers continue to sell handsets at less than cost or make them available only with odd restrictive conditions, then global marketplace forces will try to restore equilibrium. Challenging hackers with annoying restriction in software will only get them more interested in the same issue.
"AT&T Mobility, the nation’s largest mobile-phone carrier, alleges in a suit filed in Texas federal court that its GoPhones are being purchased in bulk and, after being unlocked, resold here and abroad -- including Latin America, Asia and the Middle East -- at a premium in violation of trademark law and other statutes."
Microsoft got in a similar mess a few years ago when it sold early Xbox game systems at less than the price of PCs even though they consisted of basically the same hardware. MS was surprised when users started modding them to function as a very cost-effective PC.
I hope the Federal government has better things to do with its time than to defend large corporations that market products inviting diversion to the gray market. The best defense is to unbundle products and services and sell them each at a fair price.
Ad for iPhone on wall in Shanghai
The NY Times seems to have confirmed the location of the millions of missing iPhones: China and other countries where Apple isn't selling them.
So it is reassuring that the American economy has found another product to export to China other than scrap steel and paper for recycling: made in China but "designed by Apple in California" iPhones!
"The answer now seems clear. For months, tourists, small entrepreneurs and smugglers of electronic goods have been buying iPhones in the United States and then shipping them overseas.
There the phones’ digital locks are broken so they can work on local cellular networks, and they are outfitted with localized software, essentially undermining Apple’s effort to introduce the phone with exclusive partnership deals, similar to its primary partnership agreement with AT&T in the United States."


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Chinese company Chocolate Agency is working on a concept e-paper slap bracelet. The accessory is made of a thin, flexible, high contrast screen that can display images. In addition, the length of the bracelet can be altered simply by adding magnetically attached extenders. This concept bracelet is powered by the body's natural movement.
E-paper technology is still at its conceptual stages but the possibilities for it to enhance existing personal technology such as MP4's, watches, GPS etc are seemingly endless.
E-Paper Slap Bracelet
lourdes sanchez bayas — May 3, 2008 — Tech
References: chocolate-agency & psfk

domain: news


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Cervejas de Mocambique, CDM or Beers of Mozambique, has launched the construction of a more than 2-million-hectolitre-ayear brewery at the cost of $180 million in the country’s Marracuene district, about 30 kilometres north of Maputo.
The Mozambican Minister of Industry and Trade, Ragendra de Sousa, on Friday, 7 December 2018, laid the first stone for the construction of a new brewery.
CDM, which already has three breweries in the country, is the local subsidiary of AB InBev, the world’s leading producer of beers.
The company says that the production at Marracuene will be highly efficient, and aligned ecologically with the most modern international practices and it is set to fend off competition from rival Heineken, which is the middle of building a $100 million brewery in the same area.
CDM’s investment It will also help AB InBev keep pace with demand in a market that saw growth over more than 20 percent in the first half of this year.
Ragendra de Sousa said the brewery, in addition to increasing the Mozambican GDP, would create 1,000 jobs during the construction phase.
CDM General Manager, Pedro Cruz, said the investment provides more modern equipment for beer production.
“This is without doubt the largest investment by CDM and by the beer sector in Mozambique since our foundation in 1995,” he said. CDM was created out of the privatisation that year of colonial era breweries.
The new factory, scheduled to produce its first batch of beers in the first half 2019, would give the world’s second-largest brewer a substantial presence in the southern African country, where annual beer consumption averages 11 litres per person.
The world’s major brewers have turned to emerging markets for growth because consumer spending in Europe is sluggish and the United States offers only limited expansion opportunities.
Source: Political Analysis


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It’s no secret that Apple believes augmented reality is the future. The company has made various investments into AR tech, and there have been rumors that they are working on a headset for the future. That future might not be too far off because according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, he claims that Apple’s AR headset could launch in the later part of 2022.
Kuo goes on to claim that the AR headset will feature a pair of chipsets, one of which is apparently based on the M1 chipset Apple launched for its Mac computers towards the end of 2020. One of the chipsets will be more powerful and will act as the main processor, while a lower-end chipset will be used to handle the sensor-related aspects of the device.
This will not be a pure AR headset, so don’t expect a Google Glass-like device just yet. Instead, it seems to be something of a mixed reality headset where according to Kuo, it will feature a pair of 4K micro OLED displays from Sony that will allow the headset to support virtual reality as well as augmented reality.
What’s interesting is that Apple plans to make this a standalone device that does not require a tether to other Apple products like the Mac or iPhone. It is unclear how much this headset could cost, but we have heard that it won’t come cheap and that it might be initially aimed at developers rather than consumers, but we’ll have to wait until 2022 to find out how true this report is.


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Rush Enterprises announced positive second-quarter earnings Wednesday, achieved revenues of $1.349 billion and net income of $29.4 million, or $0.72 per diluted share, compared with revenues of $1.204 billion and net income of $22.0 million, or $0.54 per diluted share.
During the second quarter of 2018, the company incurred an additional pre-tax charge to amortization expense and a charge to selling, general and administrative expense totaling of $10.7 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, associated with the upgrade and replacement of certain components of the company’s enterprise resource planning software platform (ERP Platform).
“We are extremely proud of our exceptional performance this quarter and our teams who worked hard to achieve it,” says W.M. “Rusty” Rush, chairman, president and CEO of Rush Enterprises. “Additionally, I am pleased to announce the approval of our first ever cash dividend this quarter, which reflects our confidence in the company’s future performance. Our strategic initiatives continue to have a positive impact on our financial results, which were further strengthened by widespread activity across the commercial vehicle market and strong general economic conditions.”
“As always, I’d like to thank our employees for their focus on our strategic growth initiatives, which continues to have a direct and positive impact on our financial results,” adds Rush. “Their endless hard work and dedication to our customers has made and kept us successful for more than 53 years and I believe it will keep us successful for many years to come.”
In the new truck sector, Rush sold 3,218 Class 8 trucks in the second quarter and accounted for 5.3 percent of the U.S. Class 8 truck market. The company also sold 3,474 Class 4-7 medium-duty commercial vehicles in the second quarter, an increase of 13 percent compared to the second quarter of 2017, and accounted for 5.3 percent of the U.S. Class 4-7 commercial vehicle market.
“Our new Class 8 truck deliveries were down slightly in the second quarter, primarily due to truck and component manufacturer production constraints. However, our new Class 8 truck deliveries are up 7.8 percent year to date as compared to the same time frame last year,” says Rush. “The healthy economy created significant activity in virtually all market segments and especially strong demand from over-the-road, construction and refuse customers.”
Rush adds the company’s used truck unit sales were up 18 percent during the same period, “and we continue to believe our inventory is well-positioned to support the market. The used truck market is strong, due in part to extended lead times for new Class 8 truck deliveries. We believe this will help stabilize used truck values and help lessen the impact of the large number of used trucks entering the market through the rest of the year.”
He adds, “We expect our Class 8 vehicle sales will accelerate through the second half of 2018, although manufacturer production capacity limitations could delay some deliveries into 2019.”
Additionally, aftermarket services accounted for approximately 64.8 percent of the company’s total gross profits, with parts, service and body shop revenues reaching $422.9 million, up 15.4 percent, as compared to the second quarter of 2017.
“Our strong aftermarket performance was driven by our strategic initiatives, particularly through additions to our aftermarket sales organization, focus on our all-makes and Rig Tough parts growth, and investment in technology and productivity improvements for our Parts operations. Our results were further supported by robust activity across the United States,” says Rush.
“We also added 300 technicians to our organization over the past year, significantly expanding our service capabilities throughout the country. Mobile technicians make up a significant portion of this growth, illustrating our abilities to serve customers no matter where and when they need us,” he adds.


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Drought in California, heavy rains in Spain and a growing appetite in China are pushing almond prices to record highs—bad news for sellers at Germany's traditional Christmas markets, where the candied nuts are a mainstay.
Rosemarie Pieczyk, who runs a busy roasted-nut stand at Frankfurt's Christmas market, sells candied almonds for €3 to €5 ($4.10 to $6.84) a bag. Even though the wholesale cost of almonds is up by between 30% and 70% since last year, Ms. Pieczyk says competition prevents her from raising prices.
"One of us can't sell for much more or much less than the other, and customers aren't willing to pay higher prices," she says. This year she paid more for almonds than in 50 years in business, she said.
It is the same all over Germany. From Cologne to Nuremberg, nut sellers at Christmas markets are shelling out much more for almonds, but hesitate to pass on the expense for fear of losing customers. Still, consumers probably won't be getting their toasty nuts for the same hot prices next year.
Fueling the price pressures is growing demand for almonds in China and other Asian countries. China's increasingly health-conscious middle class now eat almonds often as a snack, and imports have doubled over the past six years.
"I eat almonds because I know nuts are good for the health," says Liu Jin, a 32-year-old therapist in Beijing. "When I was a kid, there were no almonds, but I liked roasted sunflower seeds. I started eating almonds regularly in my 20s."
She often buys American almonds of the Chinese brand Orchard Farmer. A Ms. Guan from Orchard Farmer's purchasing department, who didn't give her first name, said that in the past year the price for importing almonds from the U.S. has increased by 5%-10%, and that the cost has been going up for the past five years.
Her experience mirrors that of the German Christmas-market vendors: "Although the raw material cost has gone up, we do not increase the retail price this year, because the competition is very fierce," she says.
Most of the sellers at German markets are bulk buyers of Spanish almonds, whose size and density are optimal for coating in sugar and roasting.
For candy and snacks, Germany's confectioners often choose California almonds, especially for products like the almond paste known as marzipan, used in holiday specialties.
Almonds from both regions are fetching record prices this year because of environmental hits.
Spain's almond-growing regions, which account for around 6% of global production, were pummeled by heavy rains this year, leading to a depleted yield.
"This has been a particularly small crop, a third of the normal harvest," says Pere Ferré, president of Almendrave, the Spanish Almond Board.
In California, where nearly 80% of the world's almonds are grown, production was also lower than expected.
"The biggest concern in California is our water situation," says Jonathan Hoff from Monte Vista Farming Company, a major almond handler.
"There are about 260,000 acres planted for almonds on the west side of the state, where they are experiencing significant drought," he says.
A dwindling number of bees available to pollinate the trees pose another problem in California. A syndrome known as colony collapse disorder has wiped out as much as 30%-40% of colonies, according to commodity analysts at Mintec. With fewer bees, farmers say, the cost of renting a hive has tripled to as much as $150-$200 per hive.
According to data from the Specialized Committee for Roasted Seeds and Nuts of China National Food Industry Association, the Chinese demand for Californian almonds is 94,428 tons in 2013/14, making China the biggest consumer of Californian almonds.
Demand from the Chinese market grew by 109% from five years ago, it said.
Outside China, the California Almond Board's targeted advertising in North America, the U.K. and France is also fueling hunger for the humble nut. And in South Korea, the group is experimenting with product placement on the TV drama "Heirs," a show about South Korean yuppies being groomed to enter family businesses. One of the character's families owns a California almond operation.
Mr. Ferré doesn't see any break in the rise of Spanish almond prices, with production being outpaced by demand, especially in years when crops are small.
Reiner Rudolph, a 40-year veteran of the nut trade who runs a stall at Germany's renowned Nuremberg Christmas market, says raw almond prices at the start of the year came in around 5.40 euros per kilo and now are up to 8.70 euros. He's worried about next year.
"There's no choice. I'll have to raise prices at least 50 cents if the cost of almonds goes past 10 euros a kilo," he said.
—Wang Fanfan in Shanghai contributed to this article.
Write to Caitlan Reeg at firstname.lastname@example.org


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The University of Nottingham has agreed a new partnership with Molson Coors Brewing Company UK & Ireland which will see staff at both organisations working more closely with each other in the future.
Molson Coors has a long association with the University of Nottingham, and has been involved in various collaborations in the past, including funding a PhD student whose research paper on flavour stability in beer was presented at the EBC (European Brewing Convention) congress 2015 in Porto.
Under the new agreement, Molson Coors will work with the University to support innovation and developing talented people through their MSc programme to enter the brewing industry.
One of the first initiatives will involve a funding award for full-time MSc Brewing Science students, covering 50% of their course fee, and giving them the opportunity to undertake a 3-month project at Molson Coors’ Burton brewery. The award will be given to up to two students every year for the next three years.
Future collaborative projects are also being explored, including research, student placements and guest lectureships which will help to further strengthen the ties between the University and Molson Coors.
In 80 countries
Molson Coors Brewing Company is the third largest brewer in the world, with a strong presence in three of the world’s largest markets; US, Canada, Europe, and Molson Coors International presence in nearly 80 countries.
In the UK & Ireland, Molson Coors has over 2,000 employees and breweries in Burton upon Trent, Tadcaster, Burtonwood, Sharp’s in Cornwall and Franciscan Well in Cork, Ireland. It has a diverse portfolio of owned and partner brands, including Carling, Coors Light, Staropramen, Cobra, Doom Bar, Rekorderlig, Bavaria and many more.
Speaking about the new partnership with The University of Nottingham, Roddy McEwan, Molson Coors’ European Brewing Innovation Director, said: “At the University of Nottingham, the quality and quantity of brewing research is extremely high. I am also impressed by the professionalism of their staff, it’s always a pleasure to work with them.
"Molson Coors can offer fantastic collaboration opportunities for staff and students to develop careers and meaningful links with the industry. We want to open our doors to the University of Nottingham, providing access to state-of-the-art facilities at our brewery in Burton upon Trent, the largest brewery in the UK.”
Ryan Keyworth, Director of Research and Enterprise, added: “It’s fantastic that Molson Coors and the University of Nottingham have agreed to work together even more closely in the future. When a forward-thinking business like Molson Coors teams up with academic experts and talented students, innovation is likely to happen.
This partnership is a ‘win-win’ for both parties - Molson Coors get access to cutting edge research expertise and academic thinking, and our staff and students get the opportunity to apply their ideas to the real world and access state-of-the-art commercial brewing facilities.”
For more information about working with the University of Nottingham, visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/servicesforbusiness
For more details about Molson Coors, visit www.molsoncoors.com
— Ends —
Our academics can now be interviewed for broadcast via our Media Hub, which offers a Globelynx fixed camera and ISDN line facilities at University Park campus. For further information please contact a member of the Communications team on +44 (0)115 951 5798, email email@example.com or see the Globelynx website for how to register for this service.
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in the 2017 The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide. It is ranked in the world’s top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and 8th in the UK for research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for four years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news…
About Molson Coors Brewing Company
Molson Coors Brewing Company is the world’s third largest brewer. The Company’s operating segments include Canada, the United States, Europe and Molson Coors International (MCI). The Company has a diverse portfolio of owned and partner brands, including signature brands Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Staropramen and Carling. Molson Coors is listed on the Dow Jones World Sustainability Index, the most recognised global benchmark of sustainability among global corporations. For more information on Molson Coors Brewing Company, visit the company’s web site, www.molsoncoors.com.
In the UK and Ireland, Molson Coors has over 2,000 employees and breweries in Burton upon Trent, Tadcaster, Burtonwood, Sharp’s brewery in Rock, Cornwall and Franciscan Well in Cork, Ireland. It has a market share of around 20% of the UK beer market and a portfolio that includes Carling, the UK's best-selling lager for more than three decades, Coors Light, the fastest growing beer in the UK top ten, Cobra, Grolsch, Doom Bar, Rekorderlig Bavaria, Blue Moon, Singha and many more.
For further information, contact the Molson Coors Corporate Press Office on 0207 025 6680 or email firstname.lastname@example.org


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“IN THE Internet business, profitability is for wimps. It means your business plan wasn't aggressive enough.” An entrepreneurial father's words to his incredulous daughter in the Doonesbury comic strip are only a slight exaggeration of business life in Silicon Valley. Not content with overturning old technologies, Internet start-ups seem bent on doing the same to the normal rules of corporate finance.
Their investors have paid the price. Internet companies have suffered more than most in the stockmarket's recent gyrations. Their share prices have fallen by a third from their peak in July (see chart). After a spate of new stockmarket listings of Internet companies in 1997 and the first half of 1998, the market has been quiet for several weeks now. That is why everyone is watching eBay, an online auction house that plans to go public as soon as next week.
Founded in September 1995, eBay does not auction its own merchandise, but serves as an electronic marketplace for private buyers and sellers. The listing has its risks: Yahoo!, the first site many users see when they get on to the Web, announced early this week that it will be launching a competing free service. If eBay lists successfully, other Internet start-ups will step forward, too. But if the offering fails or, even worse, is withdrawn, the pause in the rhythm of public offerings could become an embarrassing silence.
The company makes its money chiefly by taking a cut of between 1.25% and 5% of each auction. This formula seems to appeal to Net-heads. By June, the site had reached 850,000 registered users and held more than 500,000 simultaneous auctions of everything from Beanie Babies to baseball cards, making it the leader in its market.
What is more, eBay has found a way to create “stickiness” (Net-speak for customer loyalty)—a rare commodity in an online market in which competitors are only a click away. Buyers are encouraged to post comments about the behaviour of sellers. Those comments are added to a public “feedback profile”. Not only does this make eBay less risky for buyers; a good profile is also valuable to sellers, helping to prevent them from defecting to a rival.
The company's own feedback profile is not something to be ashamed of, either. Silicon Valley is desperately short of experienced managers, but in May eBay managed to attract as chief executive Margaret Whitman, a former general manager at Hasbro, a toy maker. eBay is the preferred auction service on AOL, the leading American online service. And Goldman Sachs is one of the underwriters of the listing.
Yet even if eBay's IPO is a success , it will not put Silicon Valley completely at its ease. That is because in one vital sense, eBay is far less risky than most Internet start-ups. Unlike them, it actually makes money: in the first half of this year its Web service, based in San Jose, California, made a net profit of $215,000 on net revenues of $14.9m, according to the company's prospectus.
A sound business model, strong market position, good management and a low cost of attracting and keeping customers might sound like the least that firms should offer potential investors. But it is a tall order for most of the dozen or so other Internet start-ups preparing for an offering. Investment bankers think that only a few of them are fit to go public. In particular, they say, those firms that depend on advertising on the Web will have a hard time convincing investors that they can be profitable.
If shareholders are loth to part with their money, more Internet start-ups will need to find a corporate buyer. The pace of acquisitions among high-tech firms is remarkable. More than 1,000 companies have been bought this year—12 times as many as have gone public, according to Broadview International, a bank specialising in mergers and acquisitions. In 1996, by contrast, there were only four times as many acquisitions as listings.
Yet again, the Internet risks becoming a victim of its own hype. The danger is that private investors, in particular, will turn their backs on promising start-ups such as eBay. In fact that would be as wrong-headed as the eagerness with which they snapped them up only a few months ago. As even Doonesbury might admit, not all Internet companies are dogs.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Net escape"
From the September 19th 1998 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition
Is the worst over for Mark Zuckerberg’s social-media empire?
Meet the small short-selling firm that picked a fight with a giant
What questions do technologies like ChatGPT raise for employees and customers?


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Member report – GroupM – Interaction 2017 Preview
Each year GroupM publishes its overview of the state of digital marketing and its implications for advertisers titled Interaction. In 2017 it’s challenging to discriminate digital marketing from all marketing. Consumers barely separate their digital and analog lives; little media is published in only analog form and enterprises infuse digital processes into every aspect of their organizations. The digital ink is in the water and it’s permanent.
This year’s Interaction Preview, written by global chief digital officer Rob Norman, outlines opportunities and challenges facing the digital media ecosystem in 2017, touching on subjects such as live video, the resurgence of audio, artificial intelligence and machine learning, AR & VR, transparency and fraud, fake news and the “duopoly.”
The report can be downloaded from the GroupM website here.


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How the FCC can better serve Indigenous communities with faster internet
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There's a program called "E-Rate" that subsidizes broadband data connections for schools and libraries. But libraries on tribal lands were excluded. Also, we'll get yet another wave of signs about where the economy is headed (and where it's most recently been) from profit and revenue reports for companies like Apple, Ford and General Electric — as well as the latest calculation of U.S. economic growth for Q3. And, AMC movie theaters are rolling out open captioning for those with hearing loss.
Segments From this episode
What's on deck for the next phase of earnings season this week?
Julia Coronado, founder and president of MacroPolicy Perspectives, says that macroeconomists are following the quarterly results of companies like Apple, General Motors and Coca-Cola (which all report this week, among others) "more than we used to because companies are navigating all of these pandemic-related disruptions and supply chain issues in real time. So we watch these earning reports to see how they're handling all of this." Also this week: the government's first calculation of how much the economy grew in the most previous quarter from July to September. Coronado says we're likely to see economic growth cool off a bit compared to the acceleration we saw in the first half of this year.
A change to the E-Rate program could help tribal libraries get online.
Open captioning is already common in videos on social media.


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KUALA LUMPUR: Gas Malaysia Bhd has set the average natural gas selling price for the distribution segment for the third quarter of July 1 to Sept 30 at RM30.03 per metric million British thermal unit (MMBtu) for Peninsular Malaysia.
This is an increase of RM3.18 from the RM26.85/MMBtu in the second quarter from April 1 to June 30.
The average natural gas selling price of RM30.03 includes the transportation tariff of RM1.19 per MMBtu, the legacy gas cost pass through of 62 sen per MMBtu and distribution tariff of RM2.05 per MMBtu as previously approved by Suruhanjaya Tenaga.
In a filing with Bursa Malaysia on Friday, Gas Malaysia said this revised selling price does not apply to the sale of natural gas for natural gas vehicle and liquefied petroleum gas supplied in gas cylinders or in bulk.
“The selling price revision will continue to contribute positively towards the financial position of the company for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2021, ” it said.


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Morgantown (West Virginia) Public Library now lets users access features through new app | News
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WV News) — The Morgantown Public Library System has launched its new app. Available for both Apple and Android devices, this new app makes it easier to renew, hold and find your next favorite book — right from your phone, officials said.
“We are always looking for ways to improve the user experience,” Corina Chang, marketing manager, said in a release. “After all, we want to make it as easy as possible for patrons to borrow our materials.”
The app features the ability for users to switch between accounts to keep track of multiple family members, view current checkouts and renew items, receive push notifications about your account, browse the catalog in a mobile viewing mode, place items on hold, view the library calendar, access digital resources — such as hoopla, Libby by Overdrive, and HeritageQuest — and get directions and view the library’s hours.
This app is a response to patrons increasingly using their mobile devices to access the library’s website and digital library.
“By offering a mobile-ready solution for on-the-go patrons, library staff hope to better serve their community by making it easier to put a hold on a book, participate in a library event, or access an online resource, such as an ebook or audiobook,” per a library release.
To incentivize more app downloads, over the next six weeks, the library is offering “resting book face” stickers and enamel pins for every downloaded app (while supplies last). More information about the offer can be found at mympls.org/app/bookface.


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Healthy, Instagram-mable and easy to enjoy on-the-go, smoothies and juices are a triple threat in the world of beverages. Tapping into these three consumer trends is key to the ongoing success of these colourful drinks, according to operators. “There’s the fun aspect of them,” says Kristen Kaethler, menu developer for Jugo Juice. “[Then] there’s the aesthetics of them, but we also get to punch it up with a little bit of health and wellness.”
Although operators say the Instagrammability of smoothies and juices has had a significant impact on their popularity, they agree quality beverages still prioritize ingredients and taste over camera-readiness. “When you’re using real, whole, beautiful, nutrient-dense fruit, that lends itself naturally to a platform like Instagram,” says Kate Taylor Martin, owner of Nutbar, a Toronto-based superfood snack café. “It’s a side benefit, but it’s never the intent to create food [just] for Instagram.”
Operators report smoothie and juice sales are highest in the summer, but a loyal following among health-conscious consumers makes for steady sales throughout the year. “They’re being enjoyed year-round,” says Taylor Martin. “But, as soon as the weather turns and there’s sunshine, our smoothie sales take the biggest jump.”
According to Dan Gelshteyn, owner of Toronto’s ELXR Juice Lab, the seasonality of smoothie and juice sales is tied more to shifts in the types of drinks consumers prefer. “Different products are popular at different times,” says Gelshteyn. “In the winter, people are looking for detoxification and are purchasing green juice to help with that. The fruit-forward and hydrating juices are more popular in the summer.”
While some might say juices have surpassed smoothies in popularity in recent years, Gelshteyn says the distinction between the two is about timing. “People find smoothies more filling,” says Gelshteyn, “but they feel the effects of juice a lot faster than smoothies, which have fibre and take longer to digest.” When consumers are looking for a meal or a snack, they often turn to smoothies; while juices tend to be the choice of those seeking a quick boost of nutrition and hydration.
Looking ahead to trends for 2019 and beyond, Fresh restaurants founder Ruth Tal predicts the use of medicinal mushrooms will continue to grow. “There was a day when people would think that was weird and now everyone is embracing it,” says Tal.
Taylor Martin recently introduced several varieties of medicinal mushrooms (chago, cordyceps, reishi and lion’s mane) as optional add-ons for Nutbar’s smoothies. “We’ve seen an increase in people both adding them and knowing about them,” she says.
Gelshteyn says ELXR is introducing a smoothie with a zucchini base in response to frequent requests for low-carb options.
“Especially in the U.S., a lot of places are starting to offer cauliflower and zucchini as a base,” says Gelshteyn, adding the trend is poised to make a bigger impact north of the border.
“Smoothies have become more exciting,” says Tal. “They’re not just about milk, banana and fruit anymore.”
Written by Jessica Huras


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Last night Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk teased that the company would show off its battery swap service this evening, and lived up to the promise with an impressive demonstration. Tesla owners will be able to pull into a battery swap facility with their charge is running low, and a staff member will swap out the low battery with a full one. The kicker here is that the swap is performed faster than it takes to fill an empty gas tank at the pump--less than 90 seconds. Owners don't need to leave their vehicles, and the service is priced to be competitive with gas station services. The first swap stations will cost about $500,000 to build, and will appear in some of the busier Tesla corridors, including I-5 in California.
Swapping will take 90secs. You'll never get out of your car. Return the pack on your journey back or keep it & we'll bill you the difference— Tesla Motors (@TeslaMotors) June 21, 2013
Check out the video after the break for the live demo, recorded from the crowd.
Tesla will be showing its new technology that allows Model S owners to swap battery packs in their vehicles as its design center in California on June 20th. CEO Elon Musk made the announcement on Twitter, reinforcing previous statements that Tesla would allow its customer to driver longer distances without the need to wait for the battery to charge at a Supercharger location.
We aren't sure if this applies to current Models S cards, or if this is a redesign that will be part of future models. Apparently, switching out the batteries takes just minutes--about the same amount of time that it takes an average car to be filled up with gas.
Live pack swap demo on Thurs night at 8pm California time at our design studio in Hawthorne. Seeing is believing.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 18, 2013
At the D11 conference, Tesla CEO Elon Musk just announced a major expansion to the Tesla Supercharger network. According to Musk:
"There's going to be a dramatic acceleration of the Supercharging network. By the end of next month, we'll triple the Supercharger coverage area. There's a map that'll go live tomorrow. By the end of this year, you'll be able to drive from LA to NY just using the Supercharger network. We're improving the density of Superchargers in well-traveled routes, as well as the overall coverage area."
This is huge, as there is always range anxiety for owners of vehicles that are 100% powered by electricity. Rapid expansion of Tesla's Supercharger network is essential to curbing that feeling. Tesla Model S owners using the Supercharger can go from 0% to 80% charged in 30 minutes. Of course, the Model S is a very expensive vehicle, but getting Superchargers in place for when Tesla expects to have a $30,000 range vehicle for sale (in about three years, according to Musk,) will go a long way towards buyer confidence.


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Pending home sales index falls
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in November, fell 2.6 percent to a reading of 87.6 from a strong upward revision of 89.9 in October, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
The index remains above the August and September readings and “indicates a broad stabilization,” according to the trade group. However, the November 2007 number was 19.2 percent below the November 2006 level of 108.4.
Over the next few months, existing-home sales are expected to hold fairly steady as indicated by pending sales activity, then rise later in the year and continue to improve in 2009, according to NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun.
“On the one hand, we have a pent-up demand from the four million jobs added to our economy over the past two years of sales decline,” Yun said. “On the other, consumers continue to wait for additional signs of market stabilization … A meaningful recovery in existing-home sales could occur as early as this spring, or it may be further delayed toward late 2008.”
The PHSI in the South rose 2.3 percent in November to 100.7, but is 19.8 percent below a year ago. In the West, the index slipped 2.1 percent to 86.6 and was 18.5 percent lower than November 2006. In the Midwest, it fell 4.1 percent to 82.1, down 18.6 percent from 2006. In the Northeast, the index dropped 13 percent to 70.1, 19.1 percent below 2006.
Wagner Lumber completes acquisition
Wagner Lumber, based in Owego, N.Y., has completed an acquisition of Afton, N.Y.-based Pomeroy Lumber, according to a report in the Binghamton (New York) Press & Sun-Bulletin.
The deal has been in the pipeline for some time but was stalled by a flood in 2006, according to the report. The acquisition will enable Wagner Lumber to expand operations and procure timber from all parts of the state.
Wagner Lumber, established in Owego in 1975, also operates Wagner Hardwoods in Cayuta, N.Y. The businesses employ about 200 people. Pomeroy operates a sawmill in Nineveh, N.Y., a location which will now be known as Wagner Nineveh.
Wagner has three additional locations, including Wagner’s Western Wood Yard in Friendship, N.Y.; Wagner Millwork in Oswego, N.Y.; and Wagner Hardwoods in Cayuta, N.Y.
KB Home rounds out rough fourth quarter, year
National home builder KB Home saw a net loss of $772.7 million in the fourth fiscal quarter, a deeper loss than the $49.6 million recorded in the same period last year.
Net revenue for the quarter was $2.07 billion, down 31 percent from $3.01 billion in the same period last year.
This decline reflected a 22 percent year-over-year decrease in new home deliveries to 8,132 in the fourth quarter from 10,386 in the 2006 fourth quarter, and a 12 percent year-over-year decrease in the average selling price to $247,800 in 2007 from $280,000 in 2006. During the quarter, the company took charges of $917.6 million for write-downs and tax expenses.
For the full year, the company saw a net loss of $929.4 million, swinging from net earnings of $482.4 million last year. Net revenue for the year was $6.4 billion, down 46.5 percent from $9.38 billion in 2006.
“The challenging market conditions we experienced through the first three quarters of 2007 continued during the fourth quarter,” said Jeffrey Mezger, president and CEO of KB Home.
Mezger listed several factors detrimental to KB Home’s business throughout 2007, including an oversupply of new and resale homes, increased foreclosure activity, heightened competition for home sales, reduced home affordability, turmoil in the mortgage and credit markets and decreased consumer confidence in purchasing homes.


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Existing home sales resumed their growth trend in September, with sales having risen for five of the past six months, the National Association of Realtors reported on Friday.
Existing home sales, which include single family houses, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 9.4 percent to an adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million units in September from 5.1 million in August.
Sales activity was at its highest level in more than two years since 5.73 million units were sold in July 2007, the Association said.
NAR’s chief economist Lawrence Yun attributed “much of the momentum” to people taking advantage of the government’s first-time buyer tax credit.
He was “hopeful” that the tax credit would be extended and expanded to more home buyers “because the rising sales momentum needs to continue for a few additional quarter until we reach a point of self-sustaining recovery.


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More than 100,000 workers in the German metals and electrical industries have staged walkouts across the country after labour union IG Metall rejected a wage offer for the 3.8 million employees it represents.
IG Metall union turned down an offer from employers for a wage rise of 2.1 per cent, saying it fell too far short of its demand for a 5 per cent increase.
"The 2.1 per cent over 24 months still keep workers on a restricted diet in favour of profits. Economic growth is ignored," said Knut Giesler, a regional leader at IG Metall in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, on Friday.
IG Metall union said on Thursday that warning strikes would continue into the coming week, adding that it would start 24-hour strikes if no agreement was reached by the Pentecost holiday in mid-May.
In the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, the home of car brands Porsche and Mercedes, more than 37,000 workers from over 150 companies joined walkouts on Friday, the union said.
Around 17,000 workers at companies including industrial group Thyssenkrupp and carmaker Daimler took part in industrial action in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Overall, nearly 110,000 workers joined the walkouts and participated in industrial action, IG Metall said.


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HiQ Racing Ahead
Last July Tyres & Accessories attended the opening of the completely refurbished HiQ outlet in Nuthall road, Nottingham. The reason for our visit to the East Midlands, and what set this particular occasion apart from the numerous store openings that take place each year, is that the revamped Nottingham store was representative of things to come at HiQ. The Goodyear Dunlop group chain of retail fast fit outlets, as we reported in detail within our September 2007 article “What the HiQ “Revolution” Looks Like, was embarking of a programme of standardising its brand image and expanding its nationwide profile considerably. Six or seven months later, these plans are still in their early stages, but with some 30 outlets already refurbished, definite progress has taken place.
The number of HiQ outlets nationwide as of February 2008 stands at approximately 120. The three-year plan unveiled last year is to more than double this number by 2010. By the end of this year 30 more outlets are anticipated to join the HiQ family, seven in the first quarter; a positive start to the company’s growth plans – and the drive to attract new franchisees is really only beginning to get underway in earnest. As HiQ managing director Neil Burrows said at the time of the Nottingham outlet opening, more than 100 franchisees are anticipated to come on board over the course of three years. An initial geographical focus was the North West and the area ringed by the M25.
These new stores will follow the pattern set by the £600,000 Nottingham outlet refurbishment, says Neil Burrows. “The Nottingham centre is the first realisation of the new HiQ concept and it encapsulates everything we are aiming to do in the industry.” He adds that, while many outlets currently may not meet the high standards set by this particular premises, the company’s three-year plans will see all existing outlets redeveloped.
However for HiQ it is not simply a case of laying out the welcome mat then sitting back awaiting prospective franchisees to beat a path to its door. The company is proactively using a number of means to increase its profile – both with the motoring public but also, more specifically, with those within the industry that may not be aware of the franchising opportunities now becoming available. An important vehicle HiQ intends using to get its name out there in 2008 is the British Touring Car Championships. Goodyear Dunlop’s relationship with the series dates back a number of years and the Dunlop brand name held title sponsorship for the 2006 and 2007 seasons. During these years the benefits of the association with the BTCC were readily apparent, and the decision was taken to use the considerable exposure offered by the BTCC to Hi-Q’s advantage.
“We re-launched HiQ last summer with a rigorous plan through to 2010 to grow our network and to invest in brand awareness for HiQ,” comments Goodyear Dunlop corporate communications manager James Bailey. “We had already realised through our Dunlop sponsorship of the BTCC that this series provides fantastic exposure – it is the only championship outside of Formula One that is broadcast prime time on ITV.” Bailey adds that, as Dunlop retains its position as exclusive tyre supplier to the series, a switch to HiQ title sponsorship in actuality provides the best of both worlds – the simultaneous exposure of the company’s product and service brands. And as a means of getting the HiQ name out there, BTCC title sponsorship is hard to beat. The ITV coverage, says Bailey, attracts around two million viewers for each round – 20 million a season. Added to the 250,000 or so who attend the races, this is a sizable audience by any standard. The company’s brand exposure through the BTCC is, and will continue to be, supplemented by an increased level of advertising.
The main focus for HiQ in the next two to three years is, says Bailey, to continue the success achieved by the Nottingham store and the company’s first new look stores. “We have already noticed an increase in sales at outlets fitted out with the new HiQ brand identity,” he comments. And, as previously mentioned, plans are already firmly in place to ensure the number of stores conforming to the new HiQ look and feel continues to grow.
“Our second focus is to look at areas on the map where opportunities for franchising and extending our presence exist,” says the corporate communications manager, adding that the Norfolk region and the corridor between Manchester and Liverpool have been identified as key regions for growth. Hi-Q is actively seeking investment in these areas.
The company views Hi-Q’s fleet business as an existing area of strength, one that has greatly benefited from business brought in through the Goodyear Dunlop brand. During 2008 Hi-Q intends as a matter of priority to strengthen the retail side of operations and, through greater brand awareness, attract more retail customers. HiQ is aware that franchised dealers have raised their standards in recent times, and if they wish to remain a market leader HiQ needs to in turn raise its own standards even further. As James Bailey concludes: “Although market research shows a positive view of the Hi-Q brand, we believe that greater exposure through television advertising and motorsport, combined with an increasingly standardised brand image throughout the UK, will take public awareness of the Hi-Q brand to another level.”


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MGP Continues its Direct to Consumer Trek with Launch of Rossville Union Master Crafted Straight Rye Whiskeys
A change in leadership at MGP Ingredients over the last several years has shifted part
A pessimist sees a rocks glass as half full, an optimist see a rocks glass
Dad’s Hat Rye founded their craft spirits distillery in 2010, started distilling in 2011 and
Throughout one’s life we’ve all played board games as a kid. Then there’s typically a
Rye whiskey, Bourbon’s spicy cousin, is making a roaring comeback according to a report released
A few drops of water can unlock a lot of complexity in your straight whisky.


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Ingenico has signed a strategic partnership with Binance to offer an in-store cryptocurrency payments with the first pilot deployed in France.
The partnership is a major step in the adoption of cryptocurrency payments. The solution, now available on Ingenico’s AXIUM payment terminals, is designed to accept more than 50 cryptocurrencies.
Currently, the majority of in-store cryptocurrency payment solutions require an additional device or the execution of an integration by the merchant, while this solution allows merchants to have an “all-in-one” device.
The partnership allows 120 million Binance users to pay in cryptocurrencies at physical points of sale. In addition, merchants can easily accept payments in cryptocurrencies, using Ingenico payment terminals, the largest base of payment terminals installed in the world, according to the company.
Binance is currently the only cryptocurrency company to be regulated in many countries, such as France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Dubai, Japan, etc. The partnership is expected to allow reach to a wider audience in regulated countries and have a significant impact on the future of in-store payments.
This cryptocurrency payment solution will first be deployed in France, as part of a pilot, with two catering (Le Carlie) and retail (Miss Opéra) merchants.
Cryptocurrency payments will also soon be deployed in Europe, in countries where cryptocurrencies and Binance have been regulated, thanks to the integration of Binance Pay into Ingenico payment terminals.
The partnership is broken down into several stages.
This first step will allow merchants to be paid in cryptocurrencies. In parallel, Ingenico and Binance are currently developing a crypto-to-fiat payment solution, which will be tested in Q2 2023, so that merchants can be paid in fiat currency.
“One of the major advantages of this partnership is that it offers companies a new approach to the market,” says Jonathan Lim, Director of Binance Pay and Binance Card.
“Their dominant position in the market and their innovative payment solutions allow us to accelerate our access to consumers, without having to create our own terminals or software.”
The post Binance and Ingenico begin cryptocurrency payments in France appeared first on Payments Cards & Mobile.


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Verizon divulges high data plans under 'Share Everything'
Coming on the heels of the wireless carrier putting a halt to unlimited data, the company reveals that high data plans are available topping off at 20GB for $150. by Dara Kerr Apparently Verizon Wireless has been offering users several high-GB data …
Bruised Mobile Carriers Fight Back at AppleWall Street Journal
AT&T Shared Data Plans: Are They Right for You?PCWorld
FAQ: Which carrier's shared data plan is better?Computerworld
PC Magazine -Apple Insider -Mashable
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News headlines from Australia and the world. The latest national, world, business, sport, entertainment and technology news from News Limited news papers.
Publisher: News Ltd
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SEOUL-- Samsung Electronics Co. is reviewing acquisition opportunities in various sectors, its top executive said Wednesday, as the tech giant seeks to expand its business and find a new growth engine.
"While it is hard to tell you when, due to uncertainties at home and abroad, we are looking at any target if it could help the company's sustainable growth and improve shareholders' value," Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee said during an annual shareholders meeting in Suwon, south of Seoul.
"We are not placing a limit on a type or a size (of an M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;A deal) and studying a variety of sectors, including artificial intelligence and 5G vehicle electronic components, for a possible new growth engine" he said.
But he declined to elaborate further, citing the confidential nature of the subject.
Samsung has been eying a new M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;A deal for years.
At the CES 2022, Han also said the company was extensively reviewing M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;A opportunities in various industries.
"We are moving faster than you might think. We are open to every possibility, and I think we can deliver good news sooner or later," he said at that time.
The last major M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;A deal of Samsung, the world's largest memory chip and smartphone vendor, came in 2016, when it acquired U.S.-based Harman International Industries, specializing in connected car solutions, for US$8 billion.
Asked if Samsung was mulling a withdrawal from Russia, Han said the company was "looking carefully" at the development of economic sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
"We will devise a number of contingency plans to minimize any impact on our business," he said, adding that the company will review additional humanitarian support for Ukrainians.
Samsung has temporarily suspended product shipments to Russia due to major disruptions in global logistics over the geopolitical unrest. But its TV factory in Kaluga, southwest of Moscow, is in normal operation, the company said.
The tech giant donated $6 million to support humanitarian efforts for Ukrainian refugees, including $1 million in consumer electronics products.
A record 1,600 individual shareholders turned up at the annual event in person Wednesday, jumping from last year's 900, even though the company made online voting and live streaming available amid record-setting COVID-19 cases.
The country's new daily virus cases surpassed 400,000 on Wednesday for the first time since the pandemic began, driven by the highly infectious omicron variant.
The number of individual investors at Samsung topped 5 million at the end of last year, more than double the 2.15 million tallied the previous year.
Some investors voiced their displeasure over the demand by Samsung's labor union for a hefty pay rise and incentives at a time when the company's share prices have been sluggish for months.
Unionized workers at Samsung demanded the company offer an annual salary increase of 10 million won (US$8,354) per employee and fully disclose its incentive system, among other things.
"I understand that labor unions are necessary but have also seen for a long time that they make excessive demands," one shareholder said. "I hope CEO Kyung Kye-hyun, who is about to meet the union members (for negotiation), works to enhance shareholders' value."
Others made detailed suggestions and comments on the company's chip business, such as how to improve the yield rates of below 5 nm semiconductor process nodes.
"We have gradually improved and stabilized the process, although it took time to ramp up capacity due to its complexity," Kyung said.
"We will optimize the manufacturing and improve the production to achieve both profitability and capacity," he said.
Separately, the company said it will invest 250 billion won ($221 million) to build its first refrigerator compressor factory in India.
Samsung's India corporation and the state of Tamil Nadu exchanged a memorandum of understanding Wednesday to build the plant in the town of Sriperumbudur, about 40 kilometers southwest of Chennai, the state's capital, the company said.
Source: Yonhap News Agency


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Mail Online users could soon be asked to pay to access a small amount of content each day under a new partial paywall model.
Most of the up to 1,500 stories published daily on the Mail Online website would remain free to access but a “freemium” paywall model could ask people to pay to read around ten to 15 stories per day, Press Gazette understands.
The new model would only apply to Mail Online users in the UK and would likely begin to be implemented in January.
The plan is understood to be based on German tabloid Bild’s model. Bild began charging for access to premium content in 2013 and has now reached more than 675,000 subscribers.
It is also a similar model to the The Independent, which puts certain in-depth stories and analyses behind a paywall under the Independent Premium branding, while also in the UK GB News began charging users for “exclusive analysis and opinion” last month.
The plan comes amid a backdrop of success at the Mail’s separate digital subscription product Mail+ as well as a difficult advertising market.
Although the online ad market is growing, the share of revenue going to publishers has plunged this year as all the growth has instead gone to tech platforms.
Mail Online is the most popular commercial news publisher online in the UK with a monthly reach of 25 million, according to Ipsos iris. Globally, Mail Online is the fifth most popular English language news brand globally (according to Similarweb) with 415 million site visits in October.
Lord Rothermere, who took Mail owner DMGT private two years ago, was in the running to buy The Telegraph until the Barclays managed to take back control with help from Abu Dhabi-backed investment fund Redbird IMI.
Rothermere told The Times last month he believed Mail Online could learn from The Telegraph’s profitable subscriber-first model. He said: “I would like to build a subscription part of the business. It would be different. I think we can carry on being mostly advertising, but we can also build a premium subscription product as well.”
Mail+ has become a “substantial” revenue stream for the publisher, Press Gazette’s Future of Media Technology Conference heard in September. It more than doubled its subscriber base in three years, reaching around 160,000 in total and 90,000 in digital-only – despite the Mail Online website carrying much of the same content for free.
It was subsequently relaunched and now includes a digital replica of the newspaper as well as puzzles, podcasts, video show Palace Confidential, and an ad-free experience. This means Mail+ carries all stories that are in the print editions, whereas Mail Online only uses the ones they feel work editorially for the website brand.
Press Gazette’s latest 100k club of English-language publishers with at least 100,000 digital subscribers put Mail+ in 30th place. The Telegraph, which has a hard paywall, was in 14th place with 670,000 digital subscribers.
Press Gazette editor-in-chief Dominic Ponsford summarised the advertising challenge for publishers last month: “While subscription-based businesses like Bloomberg and Dow Jones are still doing well, the vast majority of consumer media publishers are having a tough time… and that spells bad news for democracy and the public’s right to know because independent mass commercial news media is funded by advertising.”
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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So it turns out that Chuck Schumer is the least of Grubhub’s problems.
The Chicago-based company warned investors yesterday that the online food ordering and delivery business is slowing, and that its bet on expansion into hundreds of new cities with chain restaurants such as Taco Bell and KFC isn't as lucrative as executives hoped.
Shares closed down more than 43 percent today at $33.11 a share. Grubhub shares peaked at $146.73 on Sept. 11, 2018.
In a 10-page letter to investors, Grubhub said new customers aren’t ordering as frequently as earlier diners had in markets such as Chicago and New York, where it has come under fire from Sen. Schumer and other politicians for taking too big a slice of restaurants’ already meager profits. And new customers are less loyal.
The admissions fly in the face of Grubhub’s steadfast assurances that the economics of its business were holding up just fine against aggressive money-losing competitors such as DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Grubhub announced after markets closed yesterday that it missed analyst expectations for sales and profit, and it didn’t offer guidance for the coming year, fueling investors’ most pessimistic fears that competition is taking a bite out of Grubhub and that the economics of the business are weakening.
Analysts have been queasy about whether Grubhub’s margins in its core business of online food ordering got diluted and complicated by the logistics of delivery.
Grubhub confirmed those fears, saying, “What we concluded is that the supply innovations in online takeout have been played out, and annual growth is slowing and returning to a more normal longer-term state (which we believe will settle in the low double digits), except that there are multiple players all competing for the same new diners and order growth.”
The company added that “the easy wins in the market are disappearing a little more quickly than we thought. . . .We believe the next leg of growth will take place over time.”
What’s not clear is what the new normal looks like. Grubhub revenue grew 30 percent and gross food sales rose 15 percent in the third quarter. A year earlier, revenue grew 52 percent and gross food sales grew 40 percent.
After talking up the merits of restaurant deals with Taco Bell, KFC and, more recently, McDonald’s, Grubhub now is focusing on its core small and midsize customers. “The biggest enterprise brands don’t need Grubhub to bring them new diners in the same way independents and small chains do because they spend billions a year on developing their own brands. . . .Over 80 percent of our orders are generated by small-medium-sized businesses.”
Grubhub still says it can be the long-term winner. But in the short term it plans to step up investment in advertising, loyalty programs and discounts such as free delivery for big restaurant partners—all of which will eat into profits.
In an effort to double the number of restaurants on its platform, the company also says it plans to add “non-partner restaurants,” or those that aren’t paying Grubhub the traditional 15 percent commission it gets for orders. Grubhub has long derided other ordering platforms for the practice.
“This is an overdue admission by the company that they can’t just keep shrugging off competition,” said Tom Forte, an analyst at D.A. Davidson in New York. “It feels like we just entered a new chapter for Grubhub.”
Grubhub "has turned into a revenue deceleration story with compressing margins—all in the face of increased competition. Not a great recipe for success," Brent Thill, an analyst at Jefferies, wrote in a note to investors, Bloomberg reported.
CEO Matt Maloney says Grubhub has a long-term advantage over DoorDash and Postmates, which aren’t profitable. He’s betting that Grubhub, which is profitable, will win in the end.
“Everyone knows there is tremendous pressure on profits, and some of these private companies are going to be held accountable,” he told analysts this morning. “They’re going to have to spend a tremendous amount of money to keep up, just as their boards are demanding profitability. We see an opportunity to gain share. We’re going to go after that with everything we have.”
He’s willing to lose a few battles to win the war. But wars of attrition are long and brutal. Investors are retreating.
“What does winning the war mean at this point?" said Ygal Arounian, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. "What’s left? They used to have 30 percent margins. That just keeps deteriorating. To me the biggest question is: Can the lifetime value of customers ever be what it used to be?
''How long does the battle last? I suppose you have to give them credit for fighting back harder. It doesn’t mean this is the end of the fight. Who's to say SoftBank won't double down on DoorDash?"


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The past few years for the Indian telecom sector have been marked by regulatory challenges and tariff wars, which took a toll on the top line and bottom line of mobile operators. However, Aditya Birla Group?s Idea Cellular managed to weather the storm and emerge stronger as the country?s third-largest mobile operator by revenues and subscriber base, behind Bharti Airtel and Vodafone.
Idea?s success is evident by certain operational metrics. For instance, it?s the biggest beneficiary of the mobile number portability (MNP) scheme (that allows subscribers to change their operator without changing their cell number), till June 30. As per the data shared by telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Parliament in August, Idea showed a net gain of 95 lakh subscribers.
A JP Morgan report dated July 23 hailed Idea as the ?strongest operational play? in India?s telecom sector.
By adopting a strategy of prudent network expansion (especially in rural areas that were underserved by competitors), Idea has managed to emerge as the country?s third-largest telco with a 16.2% share of the market, from being fifth-largest in 2011 when it had an 11.21% market share.
The ?rural-centric? approach that Idea took while building its telecom network entailed bold bets like establishing a presence in regions where it was difficult to do business, such as Naxalite pockets in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
?We never followed the practice of a secular allocation of resources across geographies, and over-invested in pockets where there was no mobility coverage, like parts of Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh (west), Maharashtra; and in circles where there was just one operator like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh (east), Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana,? says Himanshu Kapania, Idea Cellular?s managing director.
This was part of a conscious effort by the company to not compete directly with other telcos like Bharti Airtel and Vodafone in regions where they were strong and where multiple operators were battling it out for market share, said Kapania.
A telecom sector analyst with a domestic brokerage said Idea?s strategy of moving into the Hindi-speaking belts of north and central India, which comprises around a third of the country?s population, helped it significantly increase subscriber base. ?They bought mobility at an affordable price and launched cheap handsets,? the analyst said.
Idea Cellular then built on this foundation and constructed a slew of retail outlets in rural areas to help serve those who were technologically illiterate. Till August, Idea had over 2 million retail outlets and 25,000 call centre executives attending to concerns faced by its rural customer base. ?We try to better the logistics of even fast moving consumer goods companies in the rural areas,? Kapania said.
The result of this strategy is evident in the fact that it is either better or rapidly catching up with competitors on key operational metrics.
Idea?s average revenue per user (ARPU), a key indicator of the telco?s performance, is just behind that of market leader Bharti Airtel. For the first quarter of fiscal 2015, Idea?s ARPU stood at R181, while that of Bharti Airtel stood at R202. Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications? (R-Com) ARPU was R136 during the same period.
Even when it comes to debt, which has been a cause of concern for Indian corporations across sectors over the past couple of years, Idea is the least leveraged among listed telcos. Idea?s net debt stood at R14,956 crore as on June 30, while Bharti Airtel had a net debt of R60,472 crore and that of R-Com stood at R40,223 crore. To be sure, while Idea and R-Com are largely domestic players, Bharti Airtel has built a significant international presence internationally by investing in continents like Africa.
However, while Bharti Airtel has presence abroad, notably in Africa, south Asia and channel islands, and has invested heavily at these locations, Idea Cellular and Reliance Communication?s operations are mainly domestic based.
Idea is now looking to leverage its rural customer base (largely consumers of voice services) for its latest data offerings. ?Our idea is to transform the life of consumers from being pure voice users to having an exciting, digital lifestyle,? Kapania said. He cited as an example the fact that a fifth of Facebook?s India users reside in the country?s hinterlands to demonstrate the potential for data services in the regions where Idea is strong. ?Many rural Indians who work in towns and cities today use Facebook and WhatsApp to communicate with friends and families,? said Kapania.
When it comes to data services, Idea?s rivals appear to have done better so far. Bharti Airtel?s total data user base in India rose 7% quarter-on-quarter to 58.07 million in last quarter of FY14. During the same time, Idea?s data subscriber base decreased from 25.25 million, from 25.52 million in the December 2013 quarter.
Idea Cellular?s focus on third generation mobile telecommunication technology (3G) has been quite effective, and its investments on the technology, along with its network optimisation, has been well aligned with its marketing strategies, said Kamlesh Bhatia, research director at Gartner Inc, who tracks the telecom sector closely. ?It is good for operators like Idea who are looking for opportunities to tap revenues beyond that of voice. We believe that the telecom industry is under-penetrated in terms of data consumption given the latent demand and demographics that can support a lot more growth, so operators need to continue to push, and Idea seems to be well positioned already,? Bhatia added.


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A female Tesla engineer is suing the EV automaker after claiming that it has a sexist work culture.
In the lawsuit, AJ Vandermeyden alleges that the company ignored complaints of discrimination and pervasive harassment. Additionally, Vandermeyden claims that she was paid less than the male engineers who she replaced and that her and other female engineers were not given promotions despite being as qualified as male employees.
The suit goes on to assert that Vamdermeyden’s bosses wouldn’t give her a promotion unless she met targets higher than those of male employee and that she wasn’t provided overtime pay or breaks when she was employed in a sales role. Additionally, she claims that she was harassed by “inappropriate language, whistling and catcalls” and was apparently punished for whistleblowing after raising her concerns about cars being knowingly sold with defects, reports Engadget.
In a statement, Tesla disputes the claims of the suit and says that an independent investigator determined the claims were unsubstantiated.
Tesla’s full statement issued to Engadget;
Tesla is committed to creating a positive workplace environment that is free of discrimination for all our employees. Ms. Vandermeyden joined Tesla in a sales position in 2013, and since then, despite having no formal engineering degree, she has sought and moved into successive engineering roles, beginning with her work in Tesla’s paint shop and eventually another role in General Assembly. Even after she made her complaints of alleged discrimination, she sought and was advanced into at least one other new role, evidence of the fact that Tesla is committed to rewarding hard work and talent, regardless of background.
When Ms. Vandermeyden first brought her concerns to us over a year ago, we immediately retained a neutral third party, Anne Hilbert of EMC2Law, to investigate her claims so that, if warranted, we could take appropriate action to address the issues she raised. After an exhaustive review of the facts, the independent investigator determined that Ms. Vandermeyden’s ‘claims of gender discrimination, harassment, and retaliation have not been substantiated.’ Without this context, the story presented in the original article is misleading.”


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Trend Tracker reveals a brand-new series of quarterly detailed industry reports, the first of which entitled ‘Emerging from COVID-19’ which is now out and available here https://www.trendtracker.co.uk/reports-data/ offering an option to purchase the report or start a monthly subscription to access this report and all future reports. The report contains extensive desktop research as well as contributions from its data and insight partners (Consumer Intelligence, Thatcham Research, the SMMT and Solera Audatex)
One of the critical areas of concern across the industry is the repair volume set against 2019 as a baseline. Trend Tracker monitors this through the unique data from their Data and Insight Partner Audatex and looks to predict the rest of the year.
Both April and May were 72% and 73% respectively vs. 2019, which will be a cause of concern for many in the industry. The ‘Emerging from COVID-19’ report highlights many impacts of COVID-19 which continue to change the market and the impact this is having on businesses.
It includes the results of a UK-wide survey encompassing more than 200 repair centres from right across the UK, the report chronicles the impact on capacity, revenue, people, and borrowings with only a third of the respondents not needing to increase their borrowings, leaving many needing the return of regular volumes of work from a year which has, so far, removed over three quarters of a million repairs.
Crucially, Emerging from COVID analyses this data, along with significant supporting research to consider what the future will hold.
HNW CLIENTS & WOKE FLEETS ARE THE FUTURE
The car repair sector took a big hit during the lockdowns, and continues to do so, as people give up on commuting and so reduce their mileage overall. Most of the traffic jams in the UK now occur on hot sunny days, or weekends, when everyone decides to drive somewhere nice, or visit family/friends. You will soon see this reflected in accident stats, it just takes months for the public sector to catch up on reality.
As secondhand car values rise, there will be more write-offs and fewer repairs when the inevitable happens. Why would an insurer bother fixing up a mildly shunted 2015 Astra or Ford Focus 1.6 when it’s less hassle to forget it and make a low offer to the customer? Plus you then own a selection of decent parts like the engine/transmission, electrics, brakes etc which can go some way to cancelling out that loss? It’s just business sense at the end of the day.
Then there are modern cars stacked with ADAS systems, cameras and tech – again, can be cheaper to write them off. Can be more convenient for the customer who just gets another lease car, maybe even a slight upgrade.
Let’s talk China for a minute, because it may well be the case that recycling nearly new vehicles for spares could resolve UK car industry spare parts shortages; ECU chips, sensors, alternators, catalysers, clutches – the list is endless. Just like the container waiting times.
We are now entering an era of wokeness, where driving for non-work purposes will be seen as some sort of climate crime. There are tough times ahead for anyone who doesn’t subscribe to the hypocrisy where Bill Gates can own six classic Porsches, but Joe Public has to use a bicycle to get to the Post Office. Car bodyshops that want to survive will have to target HNW clients, plus public sector fleet repair work, where hybrids and EVs MUST be repaired because well…public sector innit? Got to go green n all that. This will be the only way to ensure your business will stick around long term.


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BlackBerry-maker RIM is getting its ducks in a row ahead of the launch of BlackBerry 10, giving its app store a new lick of paint. Or at least, a new lick of, er, name.
From now on, RIM explains, BlackBerry App World will be known simply as BlackBerry World. RIM says the rebranding of its digital shop "reflects a shift in the type of things you can purchase from the store as we transition to BlackBerry 10 and beyond".
In other words, expect to see RIM cramming BlackBerry World with as many movies, TV shows and songs as it can lay claim to. Recentlythat -- the newest version of the BlackBerry operating system that debuts this month -- will launch with tens of thousands of apps, so all signs show that RIM is working to build a digital service to rival iTunes or Google Play.
The problem for RIM is the simply enormous headstart that both Apple and Google have enjoyed, which will make it beyond difficult for BlackBerry gadgets to gain any traction in the smart phone race.
Meanwhile, have you ever dreamed of a Nokia or Samsung phone running on BlackBerry software? No, us neither. But such devices could yet prove a reality, as BlackBerry chief Thorsten Heins is looking beyond the launch of BlackBerry 10, mulling over the possibility of licensing the new software to other manufacturers.
In an interview with German paper Die Welt, the boss of BlackBerry says licensing BlackBerry 10 is "conceivable", but notes, "Before you license the software, you must show that the platform has a large potential." Heins , saying, "You could think about us building a reference system, and then basically licensing that reference design, have others build the hardware around it."
What's the right path for ailing RIM? Stick your suggestions in the comments or on our Facebook wall.


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Brookshire's Deploys Cloud-based Exception Reporting
Brookshire Grocery Company (BGC) has deployed a new cloud-based exception reporting solution to reduce shrink and improve in-store operations of its 152 stores in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.
The grocer is using the Retail 20/20 system from Mount Laurel, N.J.-based Agilence. "We needed a powerful reporting application to get the most out of our data and a team to help us drive it," said John D'Anna, CIO for Tyler, Texas-based BGC. "After a six-month pilot, it was clear that Retail 20/20 was able to deliver a significant return on our investment."
Retail 20/20 is a cloud-based reporting solution that provides visibility into daily store operations to reduce fraud and operational inefficiencies. It was developed to provide users with a complete view of their business, empowering them to make informed decisions faster, to increase efficiency and improve profit margins across the enterprise.
"The adoption rate of Retail 20/20 has outpaced even our own expectations," said Russ Hawkins, CEO, Agilence, Inc. "Brookshire Grocery Company is another validation point of the success of our solution and team."


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Many large companies like UPS, Amazon and perhaps less well-known Alphabet (Google’s parent company) hope to deliver many of their goods by drone. With new adjustment to government regulation that dream is coming closer to reality.
The Federal Aviation Administration completed a new set rules governing small, remote drones. These new regulations could make way for increased commercial uses of drones. This includes delivery.
Some of these changes included allowing small, commercial drones to fly short distances over people and at night with out a special waiver. These same classifications of drones will also be permitted to fly over moving vehicles under some limited conditions.
Another change is that drone operators must have their remote pilot certificates on their person for display in the case they were challenged by authorities. The rules apply to drone operators who use their drones for work or business under FAA Part 107 regulation.
The FAA says some 1.7 million drones and 203,000 drone pilots have been registered under their department.
Near Charlotte, NC drones—large ones with 11-foot wingspan—fly over neighborhoods, an interstate highway and a reservoir as fast as 63 mph arriving at Huntersville Medical Center.
When the drone arrives its compartment door opens and a parachute equipped package drops gently to the pavement below. This happens about 10 times a day. And after dropping its package the drone returns to the hospital distribution center.
Novant Health operates 15 hospitals in the area. This includes Huntersville Medical Center. Novant has any number of delivery choices but decided to test drones as they believe it will prove useful in future heath crises.
As delivering medical supplies will be more challenging following natural disasters or political unrest the drones may offer solutions for delivering supplies to places conventional vehicles cannot reach.
The FAA gave Novant Health a temporary waiver so they and Zipline, the startup operating the drones, could fly drones over people and beyond the visual range of the person responsible for the drone. Zipline’s drones are autonomous but are monitored by a human being.
U.S. business have been slow adopters of drone delivery as needed regulation has yet to be set. The U.S. has more crowded and complex air space than places where drone delivery is legal.
Zipline has been around 2016 and began their journey in Ghana. As of now they say they have delivered more than 110,000 medical items.
Do you remember the cartoon show called “The Jetsons”? The people rode in a car in the air. Now there are some more personal drones almost ready for us to take flight. There will still need to be a lot of rules and regulations put in place before that can become a reality…
The company eHang in China has developed a personal drone. Watch as the CEO takes flight brought by Digital Trends:
The Victor crew loves drones! We found a cool little one. This drone is sleek little drone. The parts are modular and simply snap together, so if something breaks you can just replace that part. Another thing that makes this drone unique is you can print your own frame for it if you have a 3D printer!
The range is only up to 300 feet. It will live-stream video to your phone. It comes with expansion packs to change the rotors. Fly it upside down if you want. Control it via iOS, Android, or radio. Use the photo-editing suite and stream to social media.
You can preorder this drone on indiegogo for $175 plus shipping.
Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos recently revealed in a 60 minutes interview, it’s plan to try to deliver packages to those who live near fulfillment centers with drones. He called them “Octocopters” because of their having 8 legs. As of now, it still needs to pass FAA approvals. Amazon is calling this service “Prime Air” and hopes to have it available in 4-5 years.
Groupon has a tongue-in-cheek answer to the Amazon drone.
~ Jody Victor


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WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) to introduce legislation to protect babies’ lives by banning the sale of crib bumpers in the United States.
The Safe Cribs Act would also make it unlawful to manufacture and import crib bumpers, which are marketed as necessary for infant safety even though 48 babies have died as a result of suffocation attributed to them between 1985 and 2012, and 146 infants have been injured. While current recommendations advise parents to keep cribs bare to prevent sudden infant death syndrome, crib bumpers remain widely sold by retailers.
“Recognizing the risk these products pose to babies, Ohio took action two years ago to ban the sale of crib bumpers and help protect infants from suffocating while they sleep. I’m proud to join my colleagues in following Ohio’s lead by introducing legislation that would ban the sale of these products nationally, help keep babies safe while they sleep, and prevent future infant deaths,” said Brown.
Brown’s efforts have the support of Ohio health officials. Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts praised the introduction of Brown’s bill.
“Too many babies die every year from unsafe sleep environments due to crib bumpers and other items in a crib when babies are sleeping. Babies are safest sleeping alone, on their backs and in an empty crib, and this ban will help parents protect their babies from a tragic and preventable death,” said Dr. Roberts.
The legislation has also been endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Federation of America and Kids in Danger. In 2011, the City of Chicago became the first city to ban the sale of crib bumpers. Maryland and Ohio also banned the sale of these products in 2013 and 2017 respectively, with minor exceptions. The Senators’ legislation would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to enforce a ban nationwide.


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The Manitoba government is doing a special request for gloves to support its preparation efforts for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Manitoba government is urgently seeking the following items to support the province’s response COVID-19:
• nitrile gloves, and
• vinyl gloves.
The province is specifically looking to purchase gloves and other medical supplies from the health and wellness industry. Businesses such as dentist offices, salons, therapy clinics or all other groups that are no longer using personal protective equipment are asked to contact the provincial government immediately to fulfill this need.
The province announced the investment of more than $100 million to accelerate the pace at which Manitoba is procuring essential medical supplies and equipment, hotel capacity and other critical needs to help prepare for COVID-19, to add to the Manitoba Protection Plan.
Manitoba manufacturers or businesses able to provide supplies or prepared to re-tool and rapidly scale up production lines to develop products made in Manitoba to help in the fight against COVID-19 can go to the online submission form at www.manitoba.ca/covid19supplies . Once visiting the site, businesses should wait to be contacted by the procurement office.
Shared Health has also issued a call to businesses that have personal protective equipment on hand. If the supplies are in the original packaging, clean and in usable condition, and you are interested in donating the requested items, reach out by visiting https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/supply-donations/ . Drop-off locations exist across Manitoba in Winnipeg, Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, Winkler and Steinbach.
For accurate, up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, visit www.manitoba.ca/covid19 .


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Fashion Week officially opens at Atlantis
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Cuban duo Rolando Rius/Oscar Jimenez (Ryo) wows the IWFS crowd!
11/21/2014 8:22:33 PM
Jose Luis Gonzalez breathes new life into classic swimwear
11/14/2014 8:44:42 PM
Fashion Week officially opens at Atlantis
11/8/2008 12:00:00 AM
BY Alex Missick
Lights, camera, FASHION!
A dazzling array of cultural and Eco-Fashion designs adorned the Imperial Ballroom at the world-renowned Atlantis Resort for the Islands of the Worlds Fashion Week’s opening reception yesterday evening. The setting – a fashionista’s paradise tailored for everyone from the laid back to the sophisticate to enjoy – was a beaming catwalk clearly visible from every possible angle.
Highlighting the event was the work of Peter Ingwersen for the NOIR Illuminanti II Collection. Known for his attention to detail and focus on environmentally-friendly materials and processes within his designs, Ingwersen’s pieces captivated his audience.
Caribbean designers including Poshellé by Lisa Cordice of St Vincent & the Grenadines and Lisa Humes of the Bahamas, brought more of an island feel to the runway with their use of straw work, hemp, shells and natural products such as sea weeds and sea fans in their garments.
The event drew scores of Bahamians and international guests, many wanting to see what the rest of fashion week had to offer. And they got one heck of an experience.
The entire room glowed with hues of red, green and shades of blue. The runway was perfectly lit. Exquisite red velvet and wall-length drapes maintained a slick atmosphere as models and guests alike snacked on a delectable array of hors d’oeuvres during intermission.
For celebrity judge and creator of the NIKOLAKI clothing line, Nick Verreos, participating at IWFW has been a very exciting experience.
“The way the producers have done the runway, the lighting, everything is up to par to how you see it in the New York and LA fashion week,” said Verreos. “I’m very happy to see them up to standard like this.”
The show, however, was not without a few glitches. Getting the backstage back in order after the judging process for the Sustainable Eco Fashion Award was completed proved challenging. But according to Verreos, every fashion week has its bumpy starts.
“You just use this experience to clear out the bumps,” he said. “I think this is also a wonderful extension for the Tourism industry in the Bahamas. An event like this every year can take the Bahamas’ Tourism industry to a whole new level.”
IWFW founder, Owen Bethel said he is very delighted about the immense amount of media coverage this week, both local and international.
“That’s really what we needed and that’s what the designers would like,” he said. “It’s the international coverage that we need to make sure that the word gets out about Islands of the World Fashion week.”
Among the many media outlets, celebrities and locals alike, representatives from international media house Tempo, made themselves quite comfortable absorbing the cultural and fashionable atmosphere of the evening.
Tempo CEO Frederick Morton said he is very happy to be a part of IWFW and explained that the event will show the world that fashion has a place in the Caribbean.
“It demonstrates that we can do it just like the rest of the world and maybe even better,” he said. “Any group of people that is trying to bring forth Caribbean culture and fashion has my vote. We always have to spread ourselves around to make things happen.
“Fashion on Tempo seems to be the right order because we are fashionable people. We want to design for us with our own flavor and vibe and the world will come.”
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IWFW 2010 Opens Runway 1 in Grand Style!
11/11/2010 11:35:00 PM
Nassau, Bahamas: Sounds of goat-skinned drums permeated the halls of the British Colonial Hilton on Thursday, November 11, as dancers of “Silk &Steel” filled the runway with an ethnically-inspired routine, signaling the official opening of “Islands of The World Fashion Week” 2010. Scores of fashion enthusiasts were treated to a myriad of fresh, island-inspired prêt a porter and couture designs, through the talents of veteran and “runway virgins”, including first time attendees, David Rolle and Whitney Miller; both competing for the title of NextGen Designer. Rolle’s collection was dark and mysterious; a pleasant twist to social commentary as his models made their way down the runway handcuffed!
IWFW Makes A “Fruit-filled” Donation to Local Children’s Home
10/19/2010 10:22:07 AM
Nassau, Bahamas: On Thursday 14th October, 2010, the inclement weather placed a halt on the CD launch party planned by Mode Îsles Ltd, producers of “Islands of The World Fashion Week”. The unexpected rain however, proved to be a blessing in disguise, as it became the inspiration behind a generous donation of hors d'oeuvres donated to the Bahamas Children’s Emergency Hostel on Saturday, October 16, 2010. In preparation for one of the most anticipated events of the IWFW 2010 calendar, organizers were forced to postpone the launch of the “IWFW CD Vol.1”; the official runway music to be used in the “Islands of the World Fashion Week” international television debut. Mr. Kedar Clarke, Operations Manager of Mode Îsles Ltd, applauds the Bahamas Children’s Emergency Hostel for being gracious recipients of the gourmet treats and says charities like the hostel make major fashion statements through its commitment to youth and humanitarian efforts.
Mode Îles Ltd to launch “Islands of the World Fashion Week CD: Vol. 1”
10/12/2010 9:08:43 AM
Nassau, Bahamas: “Islands of the World Fashion Week” is more than an event, it's an experience! Mode Îles Ltd, producers of IWFW, is set to launch their first music compilation, “Islands of the World Fashion Week CD Vol. 1”, with an official CD release party at Bambu Nightclub on Thursday October 14th beginning at 8pm. As this pioneering event gets ready to hit the regional and international television medium, Mode Îles Ltd saw fit to create a mix of hits ranging from techno, R&B, Pop and house. Featured artists on this eclectic musical compilation hailed from countries like Trinidad, British Virgin Islands, Canada, U.S.A., Europe and The Bahamas. Radio hits from around the region like “Let Me Know” and “Push It”, are just some of the tracks that listeners can groove to. There is also “home grown” flavor on the compilation, with songs from “Sketch” and “TADA”.
"Runway to Fashion Week" winner to join IWFW 2010 Designer Line-Up
10/6/2010 1:21:42 AM
Nassau, Bahamas: The “Islands of the World Fashion Week” 2010 season is officially underway! On Sunday, October 3rd, scores of fashion spectators were engaged in the excitement and allure of the Mode Îles Ltd. produced, “Runway to Fashion Week”. This highly anticipated event, loosely based on American reality series “Project Runway”, was designed to engage and expose novice Bahamian designers to the wider fashion community; both locally and internationally. With 5 talented designers eager to win the coveted “top designer” title, only one emerged victorious!
IWFW local designer competition: “Runway to Fashion Week”
9/29/2010 12:59:16 AM
Nassau, Bahamas: With less than two months away until the biggest runway show to hit the Bahamian shores, Mode Iles Ltd, producers of the award-winning Islands of the World Fashion Week (IWFW), have created a designer competition for novice designers based in The Bahamas. The competition; “Runway to Fashion Week”, loosely based on America’s “Project Runway”, was created to involve local novice designers and gradually expose their talent to a larger market. The event will take place on October 3rd beginning at 5pm at Mario's Bowling and Entertainment Palace.
IWFW 2010 Announces International Guest Designers
9/21/2010 10:51:17 AM
Nassau, Bahamas: Mode Îles Ltd., organizers of the award-winning Islands of the World Fashion Week (IWFW), announced that the two International Guest Designers selected to present creations from their Spring/Summer 2011 Collection at the event are Jay McCarroll and Oliver Tolentino. IWFW will take place November 11th – 13th at the British Colonial Hilton. Jay McCarroll has distinguished himself as a talented designer as he became the first winner of the popular American reality series, Project Runway. He has gone on to become a celebrity designer, and has starred in the documentary feature film “Eleven Minutes” which recounts his rise to fame.
IWFW Designers of the Runway 2010
9/13/2010 3:39:28 PM
Nassau, Bahamas: Mode Iles, producers of the acclaimed “Islands of the World Fashion Week”, today announce the designer lineup for the IWFW 2010 show in November 11-13, to be held at The British Colonial Hilton. Including guest designers from the popular American television series, “Project Runway”, 18 talented, island-based designers, representing 9 island nations, will take to the runway in this year’s event.
Islands of the World Fashion Tour A Smash Hit In Chicago
8/23/2010 11:16:00 AM
Nassau, Bahamas - 23rd August, 2010: Islands of the World Fashion Tour, the most recent off-shoot of Islands of the World Fashion Week, made its second cross-country (USA) stop in the windy city, Chicago. The show, executed to a full capacity house of 300 persons, took place at the chic Loft on Lake facility in the renowned West Loop
Islands of the World Fashion Week Designer Call
7/19/2010 11:10:00 AM
Nassau, Bahamas: Mode Îles, Ltd., organizers of the award-winning event, Islands of the World Fashion Week, is announcing the third edition of their spectacular showcase of established and novice designers to the world's stage. The event will take place on November 11th- 13th in Nassau, Bahamas, exposing island-based designers to the international media and prospective buyer markets. This year promises to be even more beneficial to our potential designers as we've added a televised special/series, which will focus on the designers and events surrounding IWFW. The special will comprise of three segments, which will run parallel to the main event:
Islands of the World Fashion Tour: Chicago
7/15/2010 11:06:00 AM
Nassau, Bahamas: Mode Iles Ltd., organizers of the award-winning "Islands of the World Fashion Week", announces the second city of it's Islands of the World Fashion Tour: Chicago. With the success of the tour that commenced at the El Paseo Fashion Week in Palm Springs, California, in March of this year, President of Mode Iles, Owen Bethel is thrilled to once again showcase talent from island nations to the key populace of the fashion world.
Design & Development