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The ongoing pandemic has created a change in people’s relationship with technology, work, consumerism, and the world.
That’s why companies have had to shift their approach to innovation, design, and growth.
These days, people have a growing sense of agency over how they’re able to make purchases, re-enter the workplace, and relate to other people.
For example, according to a study, about half of the US population has stated that they’ve either already stopped, or are ready to stop purchasing as much apparel, footwear, and furniture in order to become more sustainable.
Additionally, consumption that’s driven by consumers’ values is continuing to rise all over the globe. In fact, products and services that are marketed to be sustainable tend to outperform their conventional counterparts across a number of categories.
That’s why companies should find a balance between sustainability and affordability, and innovate in that segment of the market.
At the end of the day, most consumers tend to do their best and find a balance between their basic needs and the good of the planet when trying to make the best possible purchasing decision.
However, at the front of the mind of businesses should be caring for others, which means both in terms of self-care, as well as caring for other people.
That’s why companies should be striving to create both challenges and opportunities for employees and consumers alike.
The responsibilities around caring for one’s self and others are going to continue to be highlighted and prioritized in the coming months, as over 70% of people these days consider wellness to be a core element of any brand’s strategy.
In order to build relationships with them that are based on trust, brands and corporations should not only state but also show how they are caring for their employees and consumers. A great example of this has been Unilever, which managed to adjust its communications strategy to highlight feeling instead of looking better.
The brand also removed the word “normal” from its personal care and beauty brand recommendations. Another instance is Nike, which has been coaching both its athletes and its customers on how important self-care is for everyone.
While consumers are changing their relationships with themselves, the people around them, and the rest of the world, companies are facing two big responsibilities.
The first one is taking care of today’s world, and the second one is building a sustainable future for the planet, society, and the companies themselves.
Additionally, the upcoming changes with the introduction of the metaverse are going to create an even bigger shift in digital behavior and culture.
Whether or not a company is successful in the metaverse is going to be based on how well it understands its consumers and how they exist in this new universe.
One of the defining elements of the metaverse is that people get the opportunity to present themselves however they like, which means they’re able to escape the limits of the physical world while spending time in the virtual space.
Those changes are going to be bringing even bigger shifts across consumer markets, and companies should start preparing for them before it’s too late.


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Free Fire Becomes Most Downloaded BR Game on Google Play Store with 1 Billion Downloads
Garena Free Fire has managed to gain a lot of popularity among gamers in India. Not just in India, but the game has managed to attract players from all over the world. The game has been downloaded by 1 billion users from the Google Play Store. It is now the most downloaded Battle Royale game on the app. It is now one of the most discussed topics among gamers. To help them out, here’s all the info on Garena’s Free Fire and some latest updates on it.
Garena Free Fire crosses one billion downloads on Google Play Store
Garena took to her LinkedIn account to share the news of becoming the most downloaded Battle Royale game on Google Play Store. The creators plan to celebrate it by launching a special in-game event for gamers. They will also be making other additions to their game to celebrate Free Fire’s fourth anniversary. Well, it is good to see a number of Battle Royale breaking records after their launch in the Indian gaming industry. With the relaunch of Battlegrounds Mobile India, Free Fire could definitely see some competition to dominate the Indian industry. games and esports. Keep in mind that Battlegrounds Mobile India has not been released for iOS users. A massive increase in the number of active gamers will certainly increase for BGMI after the launch of iOS.
Other than that, July is going to be a busy month for Garena. They will be hosting the Free Fire All-Stars event throughout the month of July. Keep in mind that they will also need to work on releasing a new update to bring their new special event to players. The All-Stars event kicked off on July 13 for Asian servers. This tournament is expected to run through August and cover other regions such as America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The game has also seen huge success becoming the highest grossing mobile game in India. This was after the Indian government banned PUBG Mobile and a number of other apps under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

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Shoprite’s Profit Jumps In Angola, Nigeria Despite #XenophobicAttacks
By Oladapo Okeowo with agency report
Shoprite, the multinational retail store, has reported a 15.5 per cent jump in its half-year profit, buoyed by sharp sales growth in Angola and Nigeria.
The South African business has seen its sales grow rapidly with other African countries accounting for more than one-fifth of the retailer’s total.
Shoprite reported diluted headline earnings per share of 460 cents for the six months to end-December in line with forecasts and compared with 398.2 cents a year earlier.
Sales in Angola surged 155 percent from a year ago, while Nigerian revenue jumped 60 percent.
The sales in Nigeria is more of interest considering the #XenophobicAttacks that has seen many Nigerians lose their lives and properties and the foreign exchange issues that have shot the prices of groceries up.
The country being in a recession and being affected by rising prices seems to not have negatively nor significantly affected the buying power of customers of Shoprite.
Nigeria and Angola are important growth markets for the retailer, but experienced a shortage of foreign exchange as oil revenues remained under pressure affecting economic growth.
However, Shoprite said it was able to fund its stock requirements from its external balance sheet and kept shelves stocked while many traders in the region struggled.
“It was exceptional growth and we must be cautious because to continue at 150 percent is unlikely,” Chief Executive Pieter Engelbrecht said in an investor presentation.
The business just scrapped plans to merge with Steinhoff International on Monday.
A merger with Steinhoff International would have created an African retail giant, but the plan was called off after minority shareholders complained that the proposed deal would offer little value for Shoprite.
Some analysts said there were no obvious synergies between the two businesses.


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GM and Ford said that sales in the US are still on pace to reach the best year since 2007.
“It’s inevitable there might be a slight, slight offset, but I think the positive factors” boosting auto demand “will overcome,” Ken Czubay, Ford’s vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service, said yesterday on a conference call.
As the US vehicles are the oldest on average in the region’s history, customers will continue to replace their aging cars by fuel-efficient models fitted with better technology features. Last month, light-vehicle sales in the US increased 3.7% to 1.19 million, matching the analysts’ estimates. Annualized sales rate also increased to 15.4 million from 14.5 million in 2012.
Ford’s February sales increased 9.3%, GM was up 7.2%, Toyota also increased 4.3% and Chrysler went up 4.1%. Yesterday, March 29th, President Barack Obama issued an order on spending cuts, according to which $85 billion will be saved in the following seven months.
“There’s a lot of discussion about Washington right now, but we still feel that the fundamentals are strong and are going to continue,” Kurt McNeil, vice president of U.S. sales operations, said yesterday on the company’s conference call.


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On Friday evening, luxury retailer Neiman Marcus admitted that it had suffered a data breach exposing customers' credit card information and that it was working with federal investigators to find out the extent of the damage. The company told security writer Brian Krebs that it was not sure how many customers were affected or now the hack was caused.Krebs, who appears to have unearthed news of the hack first, explains: “Earlier this week, I began hearing from sources in the financial industry about an increasing number of fraudulent credit and debit card charges that were being traced to cards that had been very recently used at brick-and-mortar stores run by the Dallas, Texas based high-end retail chain. Sources said that while it appears the fraud on those stolen cards was perpetrated at a variety of other stores, the common point of purchase among the compromised cards was Neiman Marcus.”
For its part, Neiman Marcus said in an official statement that its credit card processor alerted the chain in mid-Decemeber about “potentially unauthorized payment card activity that occurred following customer purchases at our Neiman Marcus Group stores.”
The retailer then contacted the authorities and hired a forensics firm to investigate. “On January 1st, the forensics firm discovered evidence that the company was the victim of a criminal cyber-security intrusion and that some customers’ cards were possibly compromised as a result,” Neiman Marcus continued. “We have begun to contain the intrusion and have taken significant steps to further enhance information security.”
The company also tweeted late last night, “We are taking steps, where possible, to notify customers whose cards we know were used fraudulently after purchasing at our stores.”
The breach comes only a few weeks after hackers made Target, well, a target, stealing data on 70 million customers and stealing information on some 40 million credit cards. The two hacks have not been linked in any way, although the timing of the two hacks is similar.


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Click For Photo: https://3c1703fe8d.site.internapcdn.net/newman/gfx/news/2018/packagesstor.jpg
Packages stored at Amazon's Spanish logistics center in San Fernando de Henares, near Madrid, ahead of the Christmas shopping rush in 2016.
Workers at Amazon's biggest logistics centre in Spain have gone on strike, a first in the country as they demand better pay and conditions, a union said Wednesday.
Ana - Berceruelo - CCOO - Union - AFP
Ana Berceruelo of the CCOO union told AFP the strike started Tuesday night, with 98 percent of employees in the warehouse in San Fernando de Henares near Madrid following the work stoppage which is expected to last until Thursday.
The logistics centre where workers prepare packages for clients in Spain and Europe is the country's biggest as well as the first Amazon opened there in 2012.
Amazon - Employees - People - Agencies - Site
Some 1,100 Amazon employees and 900 people employed by temping agencies work on site, according to the union.
"There is pretty much zero activity in the warehouse, we don't think orders will be taken," said Berceruelo.
She said Amazon had deviated some of...
Wake Up To Breaking News!


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On the Go with Joe for The Dougy Center Porsche Boxster Raffle
PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - The Dougy Center, an organization that helps grieving children and families, is raffling off a 2023 Porsche Boxster.
Each raffle ticket is $100 and only 2,500 tickets will be sold.
The winning ticket for the 2023 Porsche Boxster will be drawn on May 12 at the Dougy Center’s Reflection Benefit & Auction.
In addition, ticket holders will have the opportunity to win three $500 drawings. Drawings for the $500 cash prizes will be held at 2 p.m. on February 10, March 10, and April 10.
To purchase tickets for the raffle, click here or call the Dougy Center at 503-775-5683.
Copyright 2023 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.


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Samsung unveiled a new version of its NFC tag that can sing along the hot-new Galaxy S4. Just like that was the case with the original TecTile, this one also allows you to program specific commands when the phone touches the tag. Here’s the official pitch:
Samsung is introducing TecTile 2, an update to the original TecTile NFC programmable tags, which will be available in the coming weeks. TecTile 2 will use the current NFC technology on the market, allowing Samsung customers to further incorporate NFC into their daily lives and to use with the latest Samsung Mobile products and services, including the Galaxy S 4.
As industry standards continue to evolve, Samsung remains committed to meeting those standards and adapting its technologies if necessary. Samsung customers can also fully utilize TecTiles 2 with existing Samsung Mobile NFC-enabled Android smartphones currently in market.
NFC tags are still not widely used but we’re expecting this market to boom in the years to come, eventually making everyday mundane tasks a snap…


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There has been a bit of buzz floating around over the past few days regarding the announcement of an environmentally conscious handset Sony Ericsson is preparing to announce. As it turns out, tomorrow’s announcement is just the first in an upcoming line of green handsets from the JV. Beyond a new image of the first handset to fall under Sony Ericsson’s new GreenHeart line seen above, we’ve managed to confirm a few details. Firstly, as the name of the range might suggest, GreenHeart handsets will sport a variety of green features including electronic manuals (no paper manuals), less packaging, a minimum of 50 percent recycled plastics used in handset production and low power chargers. There is still little known about the handset pictured above that will be announced tomorrow, but we do know it features one touch access to common functions such as calendar, Google search, frequently used apps and more.
Interest piqued? We’ve also managed to get our mitts on an embeddable widget that will be home to the webcast of Sony Ericsson’s announcement. The stream will go live at 8:00am Eastern time tomorrow, June 4th. Hit the jump for a preview and come back around tomorrow morning to learn about Sony Ericsson’s new Earth-friendly GreenHeart phone straight from the horse’s mouth.


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A GIZO Livelihood Sector team has been established in Western Province to assist in the distribution of food supplies to communities in Gizo during a lockdown or an emergency.
Western Province Agriculture and Livelihood chief officer Sipuru Rove told Solomon Star Gizo today (Saturday 29th January) that his team already had the support of local producers from Kongu, Western Province Red Cross and Gizo Market Vendors Association (GMVA).
Mr Rove said Kongu producers will supply fruits, vegetables and root crops, the GMVA will sort the supplies, price them and Red Cross will distribute and sell them around Gizo communities.
“We are still working on finalizing our strategies on how we can get supplies and the distribution process,” Mr Rove said.
“These supplies will be sold to communities, they are not free.”
At the moment, he said they are focusing only on local produces.
However, he said they have also sent letters to businesses in Gizo to supply goods from their shops for this initiative but are yet to receive a response from them.
“We are only distributing local food as that has already been arranged but we are trying to arrange for local shop owners and business houses to also provide food items from their shops,” Mr Rove said.
He said transportation maybe a hindrance in ensuring food reached communities when requested but that is something they will need to look into.
“We will think for other options that maybe helpful for us,” Mr Rove said when asked about transportation.
Gizo is one of four areas in Western Province that is currently in lockdown. The other areas are Marovo, Noro and Munda. The lockdown will end at 6am Sunday 30th January.
By ULUTAH GINA
GIZO NEWS BUREAU


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IKEA, the well-known Swedish retail giant, was forced to shut its doors to customers for nine months due to the pandemic and local lockdowns across the UK and Ireland. As a business that has historically prided itself on customer experience, IKEA had to think and adapt quickly when the pandemic hit.
In this case study, Constantinos Mourouzides, CFO of IKEA UK&I, discusses the business strategy implemented by IKEA to ensure survival and growth in a volatile, uncertain year.
What were some of the key challenges you were faced with during the pandemic?
As a retail business, the pandemic had a huge impact on our organisation in three key ways. Firstly, it affected our operations. We had to close our stores for a total of nine months across both the UK and Ireland in 2020 and 2021 due to various lockdowns and government restrictions. As a retailer that has always relied on providing an in-store customer experience, our main point of contact with customers was immediately shut off when we had to close. Without a way of reaching us, we saw a huge decline in offline sales for the year.
However we also saw a 31 percent increase in digital sales which presented its own challenges. We had to innovate and think quickly in order to meet changing consumer behaviour. Although we were successful in coming together to provide solutions such as Click and Collect to meet customer demand, some waiting times were longer than usual for customers trying to get an item or speak to our support team.
Secondly, closing our stores also had a huge financial impact on our business. In FY20, we lost 10 percent of our sales compared to the previous year, going from £2.1bn in 2019 to £1.9bn in 2020. Visitors to our stores were down 21 percent due to closure, but we did see sales rise by 31 percent online compared to 2019, which helped to balance the scales. We also lost market share, as some of our competitors were allowed to remain open during the period of closure for retail.
Our third challenge was keeping our people safe. During the pandemic, everyone’s health and well-being was seriously threatened and as a business we had a responsibility to take care of our people first. We took the decision to close our stores shortly before the Government announcement in March 2020 and we transitioned to a work-from-home model quickly and relatively seamlessly. For those employees that couldn’t work from home, we introduced safe systems of working by implementing the necessary social distancing, one-way systems, temperature check-ins and self-isolation procedures.
What steps did you take to rise to the challenge and improve the situation?
As a business, we are lucky to have financial strength by being part of the larger Ingka group. As a result, we have been in a position to weather the financial loss during the pandemic and make larger decisions that will benefit us over the long-term.
One of the first decisions we made during the pandemic was to support our workers and communities. Despite making a 10 percent loss in 2020, we decided not to claim from the government and furlough our workers and instead pay them fully. In the same way, we also supported a lot of our main suppliers and worked closely with them to minimise the financial impact on their business. We did this by rearranging our contracts where we could and offering financial liquidity where possible.
We also partnered with RetailTRUST to launch an IKEA Covid-19 Emergency Fund which was available to any co-worker experiencing additional financial hardship as a result of the pandemic such as outstanding rent and mortgage payments or health and childcare costs.
A big portion of our decision-making revolved around reaching our customers in new, innovative ways. As our in-store avenue had shut down, we had to adapt quickly, rebuild processes and think agilely.
We did this in a number of ways. Firstly, we managed our costs and accelerated a lot of our plans, including Click and Collect to meet the 31 percent rise in demand in digital sales. Initially, Click and Collect was a very manual process that demanded a lot of time. However as the pandemic shifted how we worked and connected with our customers, it was incredibly important that we automated this as much as possible.
As such, we worked hard to streamline the process and turn our stores into local fulfillment centres and safe collection points for customers. We introduced a new system that monitored the availability of products across both our central warehouse or our stores. If the product was available from the store nearby, there would be a shorter lead time and which was more beneficial to the customer. We also decided to reduce our delivery price for doorstep deliveries.
Secondly, we completed a large digital development project in our Customer Support Centre. We implemented tools that could automate the requests that we knew our customers were asking. This freed up time for our contact centres as we experienced an increase in calls during the pandemic and customers also didn’t always have to speak to someone on the phone.
Finally, a big decision and focus of the last year and a half has also been our investment in sustainability. This has helped us to optimise our costs such as reducing energy and waste. They are smart investments that we have accelerated during the pandemic because, over time, they provide a big benefit. It also reduces our impact on the environment as a business, which gives pride to our people. It’s a win win all round.
Did you achieve your goals? What was the outcome?
In many ways, Covid accelerated our transformation and pushed forward a lot of things we already had planned.
Our communication as a board increased significantly from twice a year to twice a month during the pandemic. This was to encourage dialogue, make the necessary and difficult decisions and ensure that we were all synced on the direction of the business during the pandemic.
As a result, we were clear with our intentions and our communication to the finance and wider team in UK&I. We now have a stronger sense of togetherness and a solid platform for closely aligning ourselves with the urgent needs of the planet and its inhabitants.
Financially, although we lost market share in the offline part of our business, we gained it online. Our hope is that now we have reopened, we will regain market share offline again and maintain our online share, which will make us much stronger moving forward.
What are your key learnings? Is there anything you would have done differently?
Businesses must adopt a more agile way of working if they are to be prepared for the unexpected. CFOs must listen and understand the environment to make and change decisions and accept the fact that there is only so much you can scenario plan and predict.
Secondly, always go back to your values and your purpose as a business. At IKEA, we knew our people and our community was more important than extra profit and I think that’s an important approach to have as you cultivate a valuable workforce. Also, encourage a growth mindset. To see a challenge and take opportunities requires a growth mindset which I believe is vital if an organisation wants to continue to grow and progress, particularly in an uncertain and unpredictable environment.
A final key learning is that the pandemic really helped to remind us all how important life at home is and how we can create a better everyday life for people at home. We often think about the two weeks holiday per year that people take, but what’s more important is the fifty weeks we spend at home. It has been a great opportunity to come together to serve that notion, and I think it has brought us closer together as an organisation.
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The Philippines is becoming a motorcycle production hub in the region with local producers, the latest of which is Honda Philippines Inc., now exporting locally made units, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said.
“Honda will start exporting its motorcycles to New Zealand this quarter,” Lopez announced at the Security Bank’s 2021 Economic Forum The Future of the Philippine Manufacturing Industry on the future of motorcycle manufacturing in the country as he cited the growing number of foreign motorcycle producers in the Philippines.
Other recent developments in the industry include Yamaha’s expansion in Batangas to produce new models in the country creating 1,000 more jobs.
Other expansions by local producers include the Ayala-led KTM operation for the assembly of big bikes for the domestic market, as well as export to China and other ASEAN countries.
Today, Lopez said, there are about four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers and assemblers
In addition, there are about 12 from China, and one European.
“I think this is really a fast growing sector for transportation and mobility,” he said.
Based on DTI monitoring, Lopez said the domestic motorcycle industry grew by 22 percent as of January 2021 compared to the previous year.
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Manila Office Investment and EPA Advisor Tomohiro Ando cite the huge Philippine market for motorcycles of more than 2 million units annually as unique in the world.
“I think in the long term the Philippines has good potential,” he said referring to potentials in the local market and as production base for exports to other ASEAN countries. With production volume of more than 1 million annually, Ando said this should motivate investors. He also cited the competitive factor in the country with the improvement in market access because of the regional free trade agreements that the Philippines is a part of.
Meantime, Lopez said that DTI has been courting the big guys in the manufacturing sector to consider the Philippines if not set up research and development.
This is the reason for the DTI’s push to make the Philippines also an AI Center for Excellence and R&D capabilities so that “We can really attract all those big companies to do more high value adding services
here in the country.”
He noted of the decision of Dyson to set up its R&D center in the Philippines.
“So we’re inviting more and more of the you know Dyson-like companies to consider Philippines,” said Lopez adding the DTI is talking more of hyperscalers, those that can build more data centers and infrastructures here in the country.
“As you know in Singapore, Vietnam are reaching saturation point, and that’s the reason why we’re pushing for Philippines also as the alternative location for those kinds of operations that are high technology,” he said.
He said that very competitive incentive packages await mega investors and R&D facilities under the CREATE Law. In addition, the President is also allowed under the law to sweeten an incentive package to very strategic investments.
Under the law, corporate income tax rate on large corporations will go down to 25 percent from the current 30 percent and 20 percent on micro, small and medium enterprises. Projects also enjoy special CIT of 5 percent for a certain period once their income tax holiday expires. Aside from the regular tax perks, companies are also given 50 percent tax deduction on their expenses for training and R&D expenses.


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With the arrival of the GTX 1080 Ti, prices are falling on its predecessor, the still stupidly powerful GTX 1080. That's good news for gamers shooting for the top-end and UK-based retailer, Overclockers, has slashed some more off the price of one card from Gigabyte.
The G1 Gaming GTX 1080 can now be yours for just £479.99, down from its original retail price of over £600. If VR or 4K gaming are something in mind, then the GTX 1080 will do a sterling job. And if you grab one of these you'll have a little extra left over to spend on other goodies as well!


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Shop.org: Online retailers prep for holidays early
Washington, D.C. – Many online retailers are starting or have started their holiday preparations early this year. According to Shop.org’s eHoliday survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, 74% of online retailers had started preparing for the 2013 holiday season by July of this year, and 51% plan to start their holiday promotions by Halloween.
Online retailers are also looking to mobile commerce to boost profits this holiday season. More than half (57.4%) have invested in optimizing their mobile websites, nearly four-in-10 (38.3%) have invested heavily in the smartphone user experience, and one-quarter (25.5%) say they invested in mobile commerce apps for smartphones.
Retailers will also tap specific mobile marketing tools to attract holiday shoppers this year. At the top of the list of mobile tactics for more than half (55.3%) of retailers: mobile email optimization. Additionally, 44.7% will use smartphone paid search campaigns, two in five (21.3%) will use SMS campaigns, and 17.0% will use QR codes or other barcode scanning promotions.
Looking for heightened return on their investment, many companies will focus more on social media this year. More than half (54.8%) will increase their use of Facebook in November and December, and 59.5% will increase their use of Pinterest. Additionally, 55% of companies surveyed will increase their use of Instagram.
Other findings include:
- About seven-in-10 (68.8%) online retailers say that at least 20% of their total 2013 online marketing budget goes toward holiday marketing, and two-thirds (66.6%) say that at least 20% of their total online promotions budget goes towards holiday promotions.
- More than one-quarter (27.3%) say they will offer free shipping earlier because of the economy and 31.8% plan to offer discounts earlier than they did last year, and another 31.8% will increase their use of daily deals for their customers.
- 16.3% of retailers will offer their first holiday free shipping offer by the week of Oct. 28; more than one-third (34.9%) say they already offer year-round free shipping, compared to 23.1% last year.
“Retailers have been preparing for holiday for months, smartly investing in what’s important to online shoppers: value, free shipping, a user-friendly site, and flexible returns, among other features,” said Shop.org executive director Vicki Cantrell. “Retailers understand that holiday shoppers also look for merchandise selection and quality, and have boosted inventory to offer ample selection and exclusive products to help customers find just the right gift for everyone on their list.”
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March 29, 2022 1:48:10 pm
The influx of new investors in the crypto space has given cyber criminals new opportunities to target unsolicited individuals. Security researchers with Eset have uncovered 40 copycat of well-known cryptocurrency wallets. These crypto wallets hide malicious trojans inside them engineered to steal all your crypto assets.
These malicious apps were able to steal victims’ secret seed phrases (passcodes used to access crypto wallet) by impersonating Coinbase, imToken, MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Bitpie, TokenPocket, or OneKey.
For the uninitiated, a crypto wallet is where all your cryptocurrency lies. This includes your tokens or coins, and non-fungible-tokens (NFTs) too. A crypto wallet can be accessed via something called as a seed phrase—which is the equivalent of a password or passcode. Hackers want to gain illegal authorisation to your passcode, because once they have it—they can steal all your crypto-assets.
Distribution channel: Telegram, websites
Telegram, is a widely used messaging platform. But, it has also become a hub for pirated files, documents, and also a favourite place for crypto enthusiasts to recieve update about an upcoming airdrop, a token, or an NFT. However, the messaging platform is now being used by hackers to promote malicious copies of such crypto wallets.
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“We assume these groups were created by the threat actor behind this scheme looking for further distribution partners, suggesting options such as telemarketing, social media, advertisement, SMS, third-party channels, fake websites etc,” Eset researchers said in a blog post. It is worth noting that all the identified groups were communicating in Chinese.
These Telegram groups serve as a distribution channel. Any person distributing this malware is offered a 50 per cent commission on the stolen contents of the wallet, as per the Eset researchers.
Not only Telegram channels but the distribution of malicious wallets was also being done using two legitimate websites, targeting users in China. On these websites, in the category “Investment and financial management”, researchers found upto six articles promoting mobile cryptocurrency wallets using copycat websites, leading users to download malicious mobile applications claiming to be legitimate and reliable. These posts abuse the names of legitimate cryptocurrency wallets such as: imToken, Bitpie, MetaMask, TokenPocket, OneKey, and Trust Wallet.
Targeting Android and iOS users
Hackers seem to target Android and iOS users differently. On Android, hackers target new cryptocurrency users who do not yet have a legitimate wallet application installed on their devices. This means if the official wallet is already installed on an Android smartphone, the malicious app can’t overwrite it because the key used to sign the counterfeit app is different from the legitimate application. That is the standard security model of Android apps, where non-genuine versions of an app can’t replace the original.
However, on iOS, the victim can have both versions installed – the legitimate one from the App Store and the malicious one from a website.
Eset researchers have advised users to download and install apps only from official sources, such as the Google Play store or Apple’s App Store. For iOS device, downloading apps only from the official App Store, being especially cautious about accepting configuration profiles, and avoiding a jailbreak on this platform are the most advisable prevention recommendations.
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All of us tech geeks recall Minority Report, right? Well, for those of you who do, you’ll love what the geniuses over at MIT have come up with: it’s a pointing device. But this one is different, and, unlike a traditional mouse, this pointer is controlled by your hands.
MIT students Tony Hyun Kim and Nevada Sanchez decided to work on this project in 2009, and, impressively, they managed to acquire all the necessary parts for under $100.
Similar to the iPhone/iPod Touch, the gloves allow interactions like pinching, grabbing, zooming, and other familiar interactions you have with touchscreen devices. The Glove Mouse, however, takes away the touching and allows users to interact like was done in Minority Report.
Just last month they took it a step further and managed to make these gloves work wirelessly.
Now all they need are the fancy see-thru heads up displays, and they’ll have something truly unbelievable here.[via PopSci]


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Tag: Bully 2
Rumour Rockstar's Bully 2 Might Be Getting A Surprise Reveal Soon
"There's something definitely going on..."
We've heard rumours in the past that Rockstar Games might be interested in making a sequel to 2006's Bully, and a fresh report from industry insider Tom Henderson has suggested it might be happening — and sooner than we think. Henderson says information on this is blurry at the moment, but "some people...


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Over the past few years British shoppers have become much more aware of how the fish they buy came to be on their dinner plate.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which labels wild-caught fish from a certified sustainable source, says that new research year shows high levels of concern for our seas and oceans, with 52 per cent of people polled saying they have made changes to how they choose seafood in the last year, with one in five switching to a brand or product that says it helps the oceans or fish.
Erin Priddle, the MSC’s programme director for UK and Ireland, tells i: “Overfishing is increasing the pressure on our oceans, meaning the choices we make as consumers have never been more important… it’s clear that UK seafood shoppers really do care where their seafood comes from and how it is sourced, with many changing their purchasing habits.”
i's guide to helping the planet in your everyday life
While this labelling is crucial for our oceans, animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is worried about the way the fish are treated. The charity conducted an investigation which showed that many eco-labelled supermarket fish die slowly and painfully. Sea bream and sea bass, for example, are often dumped into tanks of ice slurry, thrashing around until they die. Factory-farmed fish are often put into tanks in their tens of thousands, where they spend their lives bobbing up against each other.
“When fish are killed inhumanely,” says Sean Gifford, the head of public campaigns at the CIWF. “They are highly stressed, swimming around in endless circles. This is cruelty to animals, plain and simple.”Fish that have been sustainably sourced may not have been humanely killed, says Gifford, but many consumers may think an eco-label suggests they have.
Scientists have long disagreed over the extent to which fish are aware of their existence and whether they feel pain. However, fish biologists around the world have produced a substantial body of evidence which shows that fish experience conscious pain. “Fish are one of the most misunderstood farmed animals,” adds Gifford.
“They don’t have the big beautiful brown eyes of a calf who we look at and think ‘aw’ but fish can feel pain. All farmed animals deserve to live decent lives and be killed in humane ways but fish are completely forgotten about when it comes to welfare.”The charity is calling on farmers to stun fish with an electrical signal that renders them immediately unconscious, and to use other methods that may be more expensive but are more humane. “There is a higher welfare practice that labels could require their farmers to use,” says Gifford.
If you want a better-treated fish, Gifford recommends looking for RSPCA and Organic labels, which he says are imperfect but often have a higher level of welfare. “We need better standards for fish welfare. Making new laws can take decades but the industry can make monumental change happen fast, and that’s why we hope public scrutiny will create improvements in the lives of fish.”


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Verizon has officially signed a new partnership deal with the NBA which will allow the carrier and its subsidiary-owned Yahoo to offer an array of basketball content to subscribers and via the Yahoo Sports platform. That's according to an announcement made by Verizon on January 17. The carrier says that the new partnership will open a wide variety of streaming and fantasy sports opportunities for subscribers and users on both platforms. Additionally, the two companies will be able to offer wholly unique experiences outside of the usually broadcasted games or time-restricted fantasy leagues.
As part of the new partnership, both Yahoo Sports and Verizon – via its own media platforms – will be able to offer consumers in the U.S. the ability to purchase NBA League Pass. For those who may not know, that's the NBA's official platform for presenting live games to consumers who may not otherwise have access because they weren't broadcast for them locally. Along those same lines, Verizon will also be able to offer its users up to 8 of those games as a free preview through its "It's on Us" program. Additionally, Verizon and Yahoo Sports users will now have exclusive access to a new daily show centered around NBA action, stories, and commentary. Beyond even that, original sports and sports-centered lifestyle programming will also be made available on those services. Both Yahoo and Verizon will also have some exclusive deals of their own as well. Yahoo's fantasy league sports, Yahoo Fantasy, will be getting a boost from Verizon and the NBA, as the two companies partner to enhance the service on a global scale. Alongside those enhancements, a newly created Official NBA Fantasy format, with flexible entry schedules and customized highlight packages, will also be released. Finally, Verizon has been given license to develop new augmented reality NBA content, as a result of the new partnership.
No financial details about the deal have been released, as of this writing, but the NBA is not giving away its content for free, either. As more of its content is pushed to Verizon and Yahoo's platforms, the association will be given access to a wider audience of fans across new platforms in order to further its own brand. Unfortunately, there are no specifics provided with the announcement as to when that content will begin to become available and there are likely still more details being kept under wraps. Bearing that in mind, Verizon does plan to at least reveal more information beginning at the start of the NBA All-Star Game 2018 – which takes place in L.A. on February 18.


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COVID-19 lockdown transformed consumer buying pattern in India, with the majority of consumers shifting to online platforms, even for their essentials and daily needs. Especially for e-commerce/ e-tailer players, the ecosystem has seen a paradigm shift.
In India, the e-commerce industry is expected to grow from US$ 38.5 billion in 2017 to US$ 200 billion by 2026. India e-commerce industry is expected to become the second-largest in the world by 2034. On the other hand, the e-retail industry in India is primed to reach nearly 300 to 350 million shoppers in the next five years – propelling online Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) to $100 to 120 billion by 2026. The $850 billion Indian retail market is the fourth largest market in the world.
This magnanimous growth in the industry is fueled by the increasing base of first-time internet and smartphone users, an outcome of ‘Digital India’ campaign. As of August 2020, India had 760 million internet connections.
Along with this growing online community, another aspect that has been contributing to the growth of these sectors is the unorganized nature of the household essentials market. It has opened new avenues for e-retail/ e-tail/ e-commerce companies who not only understand the consumer psyche well but are able to curate quality products and services which are synced with the requirements of today’s new-age consumers and bring them into the fold of the organized sector. As companies continue to innovate and onboard millions of shoppers, it is interesting to explore the major trends that will see prominence in this sector in 2021:
• The Reality of Online Shopping will be Enhanced by Augmented Reality: When it comes to online shopping augmented reality (AR) will become a major game-changer as it will significantly close the gap of ambiguity. It will help the customers visualize and decide the product that they want to buy. Before pressing the ‘Buy Now’ button they will be able to decide whether the furniture that they are buying would look good in their home or not. This will bring comparison for the shoppers to a whole new level and therefore help them to overcome the hurdle of not being able to see the product firsthand.
• There will be a Significant Number of People Using Voice Search: These days right from checking the weather to setting an alarm to buying products online people rely on voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Therefore, one thing that will that we’ll all see in the future is that people will order groceries with a simple voice command as it will save a lot of time on browsing especially if it’s a repeated order because one will not have to enter the brand, the address, the payment and shipping information again and again. Therefore, businesses that are looking to get into the ground floor for them there is a lot of untapped potentials.
• Chatbots will Improve the Shopping Experience: Chatbots in the coming time will serve the role of the brick-and-mortar, a greeter as well as a salesperson. They will not only be a huge help to the company as they will be able to communicate with hundreds of customers but also give them the feeling of personal attention and provide them with thoughtful recommendations based on their responses. According to a study, people actually prefer to converse with bots and other digital self-serving tools as they have a faster response time. They will drastically change the way people shop online and become one of the most important marketing tools.
• Subscription Feature to Help Customers Coming Back: For retailers, subscription plan have a number of advantages as they make it easier to predict fulfilment needs and they allow the customer to maintain and retain customers for a greater long-term value. Therefore, more and more companies will offer subscription service or monthly payment option for their purchases in the upcoming years to come.
• Sustainability will Become one of the Main Focus in the Coming Years: One topic that is getting a lot of traction and hopefully is not a passing trend, is that now more and more people are becoming aware of their role that their purchasing decisions have on the earth’s limited resources. Therefore, now the brands have to find ways to weave into their product their marketing and fulfilment strategies. Brands that work on improving their operations by working on initiatives like having biodegradable packaging, going paperless, using recyclable supplies and working on behalf of the environment will undoubtedly have a robust impact on the buying decisions of the consumers.
Overall, apart from the above, in 2021, the industry also expects increase in export revenues and increase in tax collection by exchequer. Further, these sectors have not only grown by themselves, but also is having a cascading effect on allied industries, especially MSMEs. Partnering with MSME enterprises has helped e-tailers to expand their procurement and sourcing capacity, while also contributing to the business growth of MSMEs.
We are on a strong growth trajectory, however there are still few challenges that the e-retailers in India face. Some of the key aspects which requires attention are:
• Some customers return much of the products that they buy online as there are a lot of first-time buyers and they are not sure about what to expect from the e-commerce websites, therefore, they fall prey to hard sell and when they finally receive the product, they regret their decision and end up returning the good. This in turn increases the cost as returns are extremely expensive for the e-commerce companies.
• Another challenge that companies face is that often the postal address is not correct and therefore it becomes a task for the company to deliver the product to the customer, affecting the delivery capacity of the delivery partner.
• Lastly, one of the major issues that the industry faces is the issue is maintaining a robust supply chain
To conclude, I would say that even though the per capita purchasing power is low in India, but still, it is one of the most attractive emerging market and this is one industry that is capable of doing a lot and as it is said “we don’t grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges.”
In today's fast-paced world, where convenience and speed are paramount, same-day delivery has emerged as a crucial factor in the success of online businesses. As an online store owner, implementing a reliable same-day delivery service can significantly enhance your customer experience and drive growth for your business. This article will explore the importance of same-day delivery and provide valuable insights on how to leverage this service to grow your online store in 2023.
The Rise of Same-Day Delivery
In recent years, same-day delivery has become a game-changer in the e-commerce industry. Customers now expect their purchases to arrive quickly, and businesses that can meet these expectations gain a competitive edge. Same-day delivery offers the convenience of instant gratification, eliminating the waiting time between purchase and delivery. By providing this service, online stores can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Implementing same-day delivery for your online store comes with a myriad of benefits. Firstly, it gives you a significant advantage over competitors who offer only standard shipping options. By providing fast delivery, you increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to repeat purchases and positive word-of-mouth. Additionally, same-day delivery enables you to tap into the impulse buying behavior of customers who prefer instant gratification.
Implementing Same-Day Delivery for Your Online Store
To integrate same-day delivery into your online store, you have several options.
Overcoming Challenges in Same-Day Delivery
While same-day delivery offers numerous advantages, it also presents challenges that need to be addressed to ensure smooth operations.
Tips for Successful Same-Day Delivery
To maximize the benefits of same-day delivery, consider implementing the following tips:
In the competitive landscape of online retail, offering same-day delivery is no longer a luxury but a necessity. By implementing a reliable and efficient same-day delivery service, you can differentiate your online store, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive growth. However, it is essential to address challenges such as inventory management, logistics optimization, and customer support to ensure successful same-day delivery operations.
Naveen Pandey is an accomplished Managing Director with a proven track record of success in the logistics and supply chain industry. He currently serves as the Managing Director at AIPEX WORLDWIDE (OPC) PVT LTD, a leading company in the field.
Copyright © 2009 - 2024 Franchise India Holdings Ltd


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An article published in the Food Technology magazine has explained how millennials and their unique taste preferences are the driving force behind the new snack food trends .
The demand for “guilt-free” snacks by health-conscious customers is rapidly growing. Foods like jerky or nuts that are high in protein are appealing as appetite suppressants and energy boosters between meals.
Smaller, single-serving sizes of treats like popcorn or chocolate that can be eaten quickly and on-the-go are also popular.
Also in demand among Millennials is a greater variety of choices that includes exotic flavours.
The food industry is seeing the introduction of products like nuts with rosemary and black pepper, spicy potato chips, and chocolate paired with sea salt or beef jerky.
As package sizes continue to shrink and growth drives up the average price of sweet and savoury snacks, a wide variety of flavours has become more important to consumers.
The article has been published in Food Technology magazine.
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SA tech start-up solves the Google Woza Online problem
South African tech start-up VIGO is ready to provide the next website solution to small-medium businesses (SMEs) and startups after Google SA announced the shutdown of its free website tool, Woza Online, leaving a large number of SMEs without an online presence. VIGO, a Cape Town-based online website creation platform, allows SMEs to build interactive, responsive and search-engine optimised websites in minutes from any device. The platform hosted over 2 000 websites in its debut year and, with Windows Azure as its hosting partner, was named MTN’s 2014 App of the Year for best use of Microsoft Cloud Services. VIGO is also one of Microsoft’s BizSpark and Biz4Afrika flagship tech start-ups.
“SMEs who were with Woza Online can easily switch to VIGO with no hassles or expensive designer fees,” says Carl Wallace, Founding CEO of VIGO. “VIGO’s dedicated team will assist them in the seamless transition from their current Woza websites to their brand new VIGO websites. The added benefits of moving to VIGO are brand new, fresh and modern designs, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) tools and the social media integration that SMEs need to successfully market their products and services online.”
Similar to Woza Online, VIGO makes building professional websites easy. Websites can be built and managed off laptops, tablets, smartphones and even feature phones. In addition, VIGO’s unique service offering includes:
- Unlimited Pages
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 1GB storage
- Custom domain name
- Social media integration
- Website hosting
- Email hosting
- A dedicated team of designers and developers, who can build customised websites on behalf of the user for a minimal fee of R149 per month
- Access to an online library of e-books, including books on SEO, Online Marketing and Blogging
Speaking on the features of VIGO, Carl adds: “Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of VIGO is that users only have to create their website once, yet it will continue to stay relevant. We’ve built our technology to ensure it’s always updated with the latest design and development trends. As a result, websites will continue to look, respond and perform beautifully across any new device or platform that comes out.”
One of South Africa’s top photographers, Joe Dreyer, recently created his site (www.joe.co.za) using the VIGO platform: “It is by far the easiest thing I have ever done and my site looks incredible. I can manage and update my website using my mobile phone which empowers me to make updates from anywhere in the world.”
Sarel Visser, Managing Director of Grovation, a boutique management advisory house, has also used the platform. “VIGO has solved one of our big challenges, as it makes website maintenance child’s play and has saved us a lot of money in web design and consulting fees. VIGO gives any business or individual the ability to create and maintain an incredibly professional website and blog, without having to be an IT guru. I just love this tool.”
To be able to take on all the SMEs left offline after the shutdown of Woza Online, VIGO is looking at leveraging its new national program, launched in assistance with Microsoft and Nedbank to help alleviate unemployment in South Africa. The program physically incubates 100 internet business consultants to assist with virtually incubating over 40 000 SMEs in the next two years.
In addition to being named MTN’s 2014 App of the Year, VIGO also won the 2014 NSBC Business Champion of South Africa Award and Carl received the GER Global Technology Entrepreneur of The Year.
To learn more about VIGO or to start building your website, visit: http://www.myvigo.co/


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The re-entry of Jeep into India market didn’t manage to be kicked-off even on the right foot. However, that the launch of this iconic SUV brand was put on hold within a year by parent Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) could not stop the consumers’ interest to the latest offering from the brands stable the Jeep Compass. The iconic design language of the brand makes the Compass stand out from amongst the crowd with not only pampered latest equipment in interiors but also immaculate piano black scheme on the outside.
There are three grades on offer including Sport, Longitude and Limited with 2 engine options. Transmission options feature standard 6-speed manual gearbox and an optional 7-speed DCT unit.
We wonder the upcoming Kia Seltos could fare against its big rival, Jeep Compass in the Indian auto market so we've worked on the detailed comparison of the two SUVs. Read on to find out which car is the better option for you.
The new Jeep Commander will likely be based on the recently updated Compass but will come with an extra row of seats. Slated for a launch in late 2021, check out these pictures of this Commander test mule spied in Brazil.


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Business 2.0's 101 Dumbest Moments in Business
Every year I enjoy reading through the list of the dumbest moments in business. I love the executive quotes they sometimes capture.
Speaking at an ad industry event in Toronto, WPP Group's worldwide creative director, Neil French, says there aren't more female creative directors "because they're crap" and they eventually "wimp out" and "go off and suckle something." And the boneheaded moves involving data.
In February, ChoicePoint -- the self-proclaimed "leading provider of identification and credential verification services" -- admits that it sold the personal data of 145,000 people to a number of unauthorized recipients, including an identity-theft ring in Los Angeles. ChoicePoint thoughtfully offers the victims a free credit report -- but still makes them pay to see the detailed information that was provided to the criminals.And marketing (my perennial favorite, BK delivers two years in a row!).
In July, Burger King launches an ad campaign for its new Chicken Fries featuring a faux heavy-metal band called CoqRoq. Coqroq.com initially features photos of female fans captioned "Groupies love the Coq." After the captions are removed, Burger King spokeswoman Edna Johnson tells Advertising Age that they were written and assigned randomly by computer software that has since been disabled.And of course chutzpah
"If I can help people focus on preparedness ... then I hope I can help the country in some way." -- Former FEMA director Michael Brown, just two months after he resigned in the wake of his agency's failed response to Hurricane Katrina, announcing plans to start his own disaster-preparedness consulting firm.Link
Posted by Mark Thursday, January 26, 2006 10:08:00 PM |


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COVID-19-related closings and disruptions at meat-processing facilities around the country create a conflict between keeping people safe and providing streamlined access to food.
“One challenge is state and local officials making decisions about our operations in an inconsistent manner and sometimes without recognizing that our mission is to keep families fed,” said Sarah Little, spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute (NAMI).
NAMI represents 95% of meat and 70% of turkey processors in the United States. Its facilities are subject to strict federal inspection as well as oversight from state and local health departments, she said.
“We’ve had an emphasis on maintaining an affordable, cheap food supply for our people in this country,” said Glenn Muller, executive director of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council. “In order to do that, you need to maximize all your efficiencies all the way through the food chain. And any disruption creates issues like we’re dealing with here today.”
South Dakota ordered a two-week shutdown of the massive Smithfield Foods Inc. pork-processing plant in Sioux Falls on Sunday. COVID-19 cases linked to the facility had surpassed 300 as of Monday. It was unclear whether those cases all occurred in the plant, which employs 3,700, but the rate of infection led to its being labeled an infection hot spot.
South Dakota is one of few states without a shelter-in-place order.
Smithfield said that after inventory was cleared Tuesday, the plant would be shuttered indefinitely. Workers will be paid for the next two weeks.
“If there’s anything good to come from this whole discussion, it’s that the public needs to get an understanding of how critical every phase of the food chain is and how critical every employee is to maintain an economical food supply,” Muller said.
In Columbus Junction, Iowa, a one-week suspension of production at a Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) pork-processing plant is stretching to a second week, spokeswoman Liz Croston told FreightWaves. Two dozen workers at the plant had contracted the coronavirus.
“We will extend the suspension of operations for this week,” she said. “We will continue to pay our Columbus Junction team members while they are out and will also continue to divert livestock originally scheduled for delivery to Columbus Junction to our other pork plants, where possible.”
Some other Tyson plants have scaled back operations, Croston said,
“Our meat and poultry plants are experiencing varying levels of production impact, due to the planned implementation of additional worker safety precautions and worker absenteeism,” Tyson said in a recent statement.
Where’s the beef?
In Greeley, Colorado, a JBS USA Holdings meatpacking plant closed Monday until April 24 following the deaths of two workers from COVID-19. More than 40 others had contracted the virus, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
The facility is winding down operations, with a small number of workers clearing beef inventory. Workers will be paid during the shutdown and encouraged to follow state and county shelter-in-place orders.
“While the Greeley beef facility is critical to the U.S. food supply and local producers, the continued spread of coronavirus in Weld County requires decisive action,” said Andre Nogueira, CEO of JBS USA.
Closings like the one in Greeley will impact cattle and beef prices, according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
“Plant closures or slow-downs have significant regional and national implications that will ripple through the marketplace at a time when cattle producers are already suffering from market uncertainty and economic hardship,” the NCBA said. “Every member of the beef supply chain relies on processing plants operating daily to keep product moving.”
Supply chain impact
Trucking and supply chain disruptions caused by the closings are real but temporary, Steve Meyer, a consulting economist with the National Pork Board, told FreightWaves.
“From a trucking standpoint, somebody is going to haul those pigs and animals,” Meyer said.
The temporary labor shortage suggests increased automation in food-processing plants might be a solution the next time operations are disrupted, said Syracuse University Supply Chain Professor Rong Li.
“Although they have made their supply chain responsive, going forward they need to think more about how to make their plants more automatic and easier to monitor and control remotely to hedge against the risk of labor shortage,” she said.


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Omnitracs in the News
Learn more about our solutions and subject matter experts as featured in industry and business publications.
Meet Omnitracs product experts at industry trade shows or at our annual user conference.
Catch up on the latest news from Omnitracs, including product releases and corporate initiatives.
For The Press


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Date: May 30, 2016
By: Staff writer with CNA
Several brokerages have a “buy” rating on Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc (ASE, 日月光半導體) shares after the world’s largest IC packaging and testing firm reached a deal to form a holding company with a smaller rival.
The brokerages are upbeat about ASE’s bottom line, as the deal is necessary for the local IC industry to consolidate in a bid to boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in a global market where competition has been on the rise.
On Thursday, ASE announced that it has reached an agreement to set up a holding company with Siliconware Precision Industries Co (SPIL, 矽品精密), the world’s third-largest IC packaging and testing firm.
Under the terms of the deal, each ASE common share will be swapped for 0.5 of a share in the new holding company, while each SPIL share is to be exchanged for NT$ [FULL STORY]


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Poor Paris. The city was recently voted “most overrated in the world” and tourism is down by 11% (or more, according to some reports) compared with the first half of 2008. The number of British and Japanese visitors dropped nearly 25% each, while the number of tourists from China declined by over 17%.
Mon Dieu! What’s a city to do? Well, according to the AP, the director of the Paris Tourism Office is “counting on Americans” to make up for the drop in visitors from other countries. Because the United States was hit first by the economic crisis, it is expected to recover sooner, which means more American tourists may be looking to travel before others. And the plan for luring those tourists to Paris: the promise of extended shopping hours.
Most French stores are closed on Sunday, but a new law would allow more stores, particularly those in areas popular with tourists, to stay open. The Paris Tourism Office thinks this would encourage visitors to stay through the end of the weekend instead of leaving Sunday morning.
It’s an interesting idea, but somehow I don’t think shopping is the key to the city’s survival. I like to shop as much as the next girl, and I’ve always wanted to go to Paris, but what has stopped me wasn’t the fact that I couldn’t hit the stores on Sunday, so much as a desire to score a better deal on airfare. I can never seem to find Chicago to Paris flights that aren’t at least $200 more than any other European destination. Until that changes, sorry Paris, but you can’t count on this American to help with your tourism troubles.
The internet is abuzz with news from abroad right now. Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok remains closed; India is reeling from a devastating terrorist attack aimed at British and American tourists in Mumbai; Raúl Castro is open to ending Cuba’s 40-year feud with Washington, thereby allowing Americans to travel there more “freely.” The last thing most Americans want to do right now is travel to a place where they are not welcome. We no longer want to travel because there is a greater fear of it. The state of things as we knew them is suddenly turning on its head.
Fear exists even in the most intrepid travelers. As a solo, female traveler stepping off the plane in Vanuatu, Myanmar and Colombia last year, I had little knowledge of exactly what I was walking into. However, the one thing I have going for me every time I travel to some less-trodden destination is that, although I carry a U.S. passport, I don’t look American and I’m from a state that sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles from the mainland.So, when people ask where I’m from, I tell them I’m from Hawaii. Sometimes they don’t know where that is. Sometimes they think it’s a country in itself. Only rarely do they know that it is part of the United States. There’s an advantage to looking the way I do and being from where I am: They don’t have to know I’m American. But plenty of Americans cannot hide behind their fair skin, accent, or residence, so most stay at home for fear of the unknown.
As of late, I have become increasingly interested in news from Cuba. My friend and I are planning a trip there early next year and quickly discovered a lack of resources and general antipathy for American tourism in Castro country. We hope to help out for a week in Cuba with hurricane relief, but even a complex Google search for “volunteer in Cuba” came up empty. The message coming from Cuba is clear: “We don’t want help from Americans. Stay out of our country.” This message is increasingly resounding around the globe, and the state of American tourism is, I would say, grim right now — and the hope that Obama can turn things around come January just isn’t enough to quell our fears.
You know the difference between Americans and Britons? The word of the year for 2007 stateside is “w00t” while across the pond, it’s — get this, — “locavore.” OK, it’s not quite as pretentious as it sounds, though still too much for my taste. Anyone want to venture a guess?
It means someone who eats food that’s locally grown, and who especially takes notice of seasonal available foodstuff and avoids preservatives. Meanwhile, the American word basically means “yay.” The two words come courtesy of Merriam-Webster Dictionary (based in MA) and Oxford English Dictionary (based in Oxford of course).
Good ole Webster had some pretty good words in past years, including the talk show host Stephen Colbert’s trademark “truthiness.” But this year they simply went for something fun.
The Guardian 2007 Travel Awards gave us an idea of British travel trends, so I thought it would be interesting to see some American ones.
Compiled by the US Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, the top 10 countries Americans visited the most in 2006 are:
3)UK — gives Americans “the feeling that they’re going somewhere different, but also that they’re home.”
7)Jamaica — Americans feel it’s “familiar yet mysterious”.
The list isn’t a surprise; however it’s hard to track where Americans go once they’ve left the States.
Nevertheless, basis this list, the article draws some conclusions:
- Americans are generally drawn to the familiar.
- A good section of Americans are adventurous as they venture to different continents (China has broken into the top 10), and are exploring non-cliché parts of destinations such as the UK and France.
- The economic and political image of the country Americans travel to, matters.
- The fall in the dollar is compensated for in European countries simply by spending less!
The full piece and statistics can be found here.
Call me crazy but I just don’t believe that Africans are less intelligent than Europeans or Americans. Yes, it seems like every once in a while a scientist tries to prove that Africans are somehow inferior to the rest of us. You would think there are more pressing issues out there that they could be focusing their studies on…but I guess this one gets a lot of press.
James Watson, a Nobel Prize-winner for discovering the double-helix structure of DNA, is facing backlash in Britain after making this controversial statement: “All our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours – whereas all the testing says, not really,” Watson told The Sunday Times. He recognized that the prevailing belief was that all human groups are equal, but that “people who have to deal with black employees find this not true.” As a result of his comments, the British Science Museum has canceled the scientist’s scheduled speech, saying he has gone too far. He’s since retracted his statement and apologized, but he had to scrap his book tour.
That’s the funny thing about scientists, so brilliant in their fields and so narrow-minded in other areas. Has anyone ever told this poor fellow that giving Western-style IQ tests to people worldwide is not really a fair way to assess people’s true intelligence?


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The book club members who sued the Napa Valley Wine Train after being kicked off for laughing too loud have reached a settlement in their racial discrimination case. The Aug. 22 incident received a lot of news coverage after some members of the Sistahs on the Reading Edge Book Club posted about being removed from […]
Last month, a predominately Black group of 11 women were kicked off the now infamous Napa Valley Wine train for laughing too loud. The women were members of Sisters on the Reading Edge Book Club and the incident spawned the phrase “Laughing while Black” and caused a social media storm. Anthony Giaccio, the CEO of […]
The story of 11 mostly Black women kicked off the Napa Valley Wine Train has gone viral, to the chagrin of the company. According to members of “Sistahs on the Reading Edge Book Club” another passenger had claimed they were laughing too loudly during the wine tasting trip. The women were then marched through multiple […]
[jwplatform doAROuWb] Many people have heard about the rude treatment of 11 Black women who were riding the popular Napa Valley Wine Train. The women were laughing too loudly, according to a complaint by another rider, and were kicked off the train.


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LR Grants Approval for HHI s LNG-Fuelled VLOC
South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has received approval in principle (AiP) from Lloyd s Register for an LNG-fuelled 250,000 dwt class very large ore carrier (VLOC). HHI has been focusing its efforts on LNG-fuelled ships as part of its plans to meet the market s needs for environmentally friendly shipping, ahead of International Maritime Organization s (IMO) SOx emission limitations from 2020 and increased developments in the global supply of gas.
Bulk carrier aground on Western Scheldt
Bulk carrier SBI JAGUAR reportedly ran aground shortly after 0100 CEST Mar 28 on Western Scheldt off Perkpolder, roughly halfway between Antwerp and Vissingen, while proceeding downstream, en route from Antwerp to USA. Judging from AIS, the ship encountered troubled and strayed off course, probably mechanical failure. As of 0730 CEST SBI JAGUAR was still aground, with tugs and pilot boat nearby.
Cargo ship RIX MISTRAL aground, Denmark
General cargo ship RIX MISTRAL reportedly ran aground at around 1500 UTC Mar 27 shortly after leaving Nakskov, Llolland, Denmark, bound for Rotterdam. As of 0600 UTC Mar 28 the ship was still aground, according to AIS, with no tugs nearby.
Container ship major fire deadly dice game
Container ship PUELO, berthed at Yangshan Deep Water port, Shanghai, in the morning Mar 28 reported inflammable fluid leak from one of the 20 containers on board, understood recently loaded. Watchful crew spotted the leak, alerted authorities and drained spilled fluid with sponge and rags. It was cyclohexane, a colourless, highly flammable liquid, contained in tank or barrel inside container, leaking through faulty valve at some 40 liters per hour rate. Emergency response team dealt with the leak and container, which was offloaded. On photos provided by Shanghai Maritime Bureau dangerous container and leaking tank in it. After China, the ship was to sail to Korea and then to Canada.
Port of Oakland All Set for ONE
Californian Port of Oakland doesn t expect any major interruptions in its operation when Japan s newly merged shipping line Ocean Network Express (ONE) arrives at the port s terminals next month, the port officials said yesterday. The Japanese shipping lines currently visit Oakland with eight weekly vessel services and its maiden call is set for the second week of April. That number is not expected to change as they become ONE, the port officials added.
U.S. Quadruples LNG Exports in 2017
The United States ramped up its exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2017, quadrupling the amount of cargo shipped across the globe year-on-year. Namely, U.S. exports of LNG reached 1.94 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2017, up from 0.5 Bcf/d in 2016, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows. All of the exported LNG originated from Louisiana’s Sabine Pass liquefaction terminal and reached 25 countries.
Alphaliner: Major Capacity Boost Expected in April
An abundance of new service launches will help employ container ship newbuildings and give a further boost to the charter market in April. Alphaliner informed that over the next six weeks more than 60 vessels with a total capacity of 360,000 TEU will be needed to populate the new loops. The most significant additions will be on the Far East - West Coast South America and Far East - Caribbean routes, where next month s complete revamp of the existing carrier partnerships will see the launch of eleven new strings that will replace the current service pattern on nine weekly loops.
Apeejay Shipping Expands fleet
Apeejay Shipping Limited, an Apeejay Surrendra Group company, today announced the acquisition of a 76,602 MT DWT Gearless Panamax, Japanese build. The ship has been renamed 'APJ Kabir Anand'. The expansion schedule of Apeejay Shipping has seen the company acquire 3 Gearless Panamax vessels since September of last year and increase its fleet capacity by 2,27,311 MT DWT. This takes the fleet size to 9 with a DWT of 5, 94, 558.
"This is a good time to own quality assets. A positive movement in the freight market due to general increase in demand as a result of growth in world economy and a drop in the supply, freight market is expected to be favourable for the industry in the coming years. 2018 is being projected to end as a strong year for dry-bulk shipping and 2019 is expected to follow suit. We are well poised to take immediate advantage of the positive trend in the dry-bulk market with judicious addition to the fleet with second hand tonnage at good prices. We are keeping our focus on expansion and growth and are on the look out to purchase right vessels at the right time" said Karan Paul, Chairman of Apeejay Shipping.
Apeejay Shipping, one of the leading players in the country today, is constantly augmenting and upgrading its fleet to meet the requirements of global trade. Specializing in dry bulk cargo the fleet comprises a mix of panamax and supramax vessels. Even while expanding fleet, attention has been on maintaining its robustness and trading capacity with average age of vessels within 13.5 years. Currently in operation are APJ Angad 2- 76,602 DWT, APJ Uma Kismat 74,107 DWT, APJ Mahadeva 74,677 DWT, APJ Mahakali 70,296 DWT, APJ Shirin 56,556 DWT, APJ Jai 56,594 DWT, APJ Kais 56725 DWT, APJ Jad 52,461 DWT. The newly acquired panamax, APJ Uma Kismat, for instance, has traded internationally for 16 years; APJ Angad 2 has traded internationally for 13 years and the latest acquisition APJ Kabir Anand has traded internationally for a similar over 13 years and all of these are strategic buys for the Group in the current scenario.
Working towards enhancing value by improving operational efficiencies to reduce turnaround time, Apeejay Shipping has adopted an integrated management system comprising of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 standards for Quality, Environment, Occupational Health & Safety and ISO 50001 standard for Energy management. It is one of the select few Indian shipping companies to do so.
Shipping in an era of digital transformation
The digitalization process taking place in every area will also determine the future of shipping. The changes will affect the structures and business models of the industry as well as production. "Shipping will be marked by much greater integration of individual business models, becoming part of overall logistics platforms," said Berenberg economist Dr Jorn Quitzau in the new "Shipping in an era of digital transformation" study put out by the Berenberg private bank and the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
The new technological means to process masses of data and link them intelligently with algorithms make possible an entirely new level of communication and networking. "The ability to centralize decentralized digital information on a digital platform creates great potential for organizing markets efficiently. Large platforms are inserting themselves between suppliers and purchasers, and coordinating their plans. We can expect that there will ultimately only be a few providers of logistics platforms worldwide, and that they will integrate shipping in 360° solutions much more than has been the case until now. Smaller providers, go-betweens and intermediary suppliers will come under increasing pressure," said HWWI Director Professor Dr Henning Vopel.
The networking of vessels and ports is an enormous opportunity for shipping. On both sides this will require retrofitting with high-performance digital infrastructure, glass-fibre data cables and the G5 mobile radio standard, as well as full-coverage use of sensor and satellite data. "Shipping is networking into a complex technological system through the exchange of data and digital platforms. This makes it possible to control and organize logistics chains in real time, reduce waiting times, and predict ship arrivals more accurately," said Quitzau. This increased connectivity opens up the possibility of unmanned shipping at some point in future. But the resulting economic benefits will probably be slight in comparison to those resulting from improved logistics chains, faster routes and more transparent information.
In manufacturing, great structural changes will result from 3D printing technology and the evolution of the smart factory, process automation by algorithms and robots. This will bring with it a major decentralization of production. "Bulker capacity will grow disproportionately. But the container will remain a central element of worldwide freight traffic," said Vopel.
"We expect world trade to remain on a stable growth course long-term, but the long-valid rule of thumb that 'international trade grows twice as fast as the gross world product' is a thing of the past," said Philipp Wünschmann, Head of Shipping at Berenberg. "Shipping is in the midst of a consolidation process. Shipping companies are joining up to form large providers, strategic alliances are being formed."
Romanian Seafarers Again Face Uncertainty
This is a historic year for Romania as it observes 100 years of the Great Union. Concerts, events, exhibitions and parades have been planned, and boats representing different regions of Romania will showcase its history and culture in various European capitals. But the pomp and pageantry of the Union Centenary may eclipse a smaller though equally important landmark - Romania s seafarers celebrate 25 years of sailing on the borderless seas since the fall of communism. As anniversaries go, this one is tinged with a touch of skepticism.
PH needs more work on maritime security
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday said the security threat due to the dispute in the South China Sea remains a challenge despite warmer ties with China. Lorenzana made the remarks as he received three additional TC-90 aircraft donated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force during rites held at the headquarters of the Naval Air Group in Sangley Point Cavite City.
Container ship and cargo ship collided in Great Belt, fire,
Container ship DELPHIS GDANSK collided with general cargo ship BBC NEPTUNE shortly after 0400 UTC Mar 27 in Great Belt west of Kalundborg, Denmark, while proceeding in opposite directions. Both ship were damaged, one suffered fire. Container ship DELPHIS GDANSK lost some containers. As of 0700 UTC both ships were laying dead in the water near collision site, surrounded by tugs and SAR boats. On a photo BBC NEPTUNE, which is en route from Russia to Sweden. DELPHIS GDANSK is en route from Netherlands to Russia.
AMSA Bans Containership from Australian Ports
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned the Liberian-flagged containership MSC Kia Ora from entering or using Australian ports for three months. The move comes after Vega-Reederei, the ship operator, failed to ensure that crew were paid their wages in full and on time, and that critical equipment was maintained, AMSA said.
PhilaPort Welcomes Super Post-Panamax Cranes
PhilaPort received its first two super post-Panamax cranes at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal after their ninety-day journey on board crane vessel Zhen Hua 16 from Shanghai, China. Manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), the new cranes will be 13 feet (4 meters) taller than the neighboring Walt Whitman Bridge with its boom in the upwards position. The cranes were bought by PhilaPort and Packer Avenue Marine Terminal s operator Astro Holdings as part of Governor Tom Wolf s USD 300 million Port Development Plan to increase cargo-handling capacity and efficiency to meet the vessel size growth over the past decade. Each crane has cost USD 12 million.
COSCO Shipping Names Another 20,000 TEU Boxship
China s COSCO Shipping Lines has named COSCO Shipping Leo, a 20,000 TEU containership newbuild. The naming ceremony for the giant boxship was held in Nantong on March 22, 2018. Built by Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (NACKS), COSCO Shipping Leo is the second 20,000 TEU ULCV built by NACKS for COSCO. In addition, it is COSCO Shipping Lines’ third 20,000 TEU-class vessel.
New unique cooperation for climate smart shipping launched in Sweden
A new collaboration between six organisations, called "Electromobility for Shipping", intends to promote and enhance shipping electrification, with the aim of a more sustainable future in the maritime sector, is launched in Sweden. The organisations are expected to jointly contribute to climate-smart shipping, international competitiveness and increased export opportunities for green technologies.


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Want to start your own business? The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County is accepting registrations for its StartUpSmartT seminar series designed to show you how.
The seminar will also be helpful for those who have just started a company, officials said.
“The chamber wants to give new business owners the opportunity to gain the knowledge they need to avoid the costly mistakes that many people make when they are just starting out,” said Peter Aust, chamber president and chief executive.
The series will start April 8 and run bi-weekly through July 8. Seminars will be held at the chamber’s Executive Education Center off Maxwell Road in Clifton Park.
The cost is $69 per person for the six seminars.
Topic include business liability, licensing and intellectual property, financial statements and tax planning, strategic planning, contracts and revising your business plan and presenting it to otential investors.
More information and registration is available at the chamber Web site.


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Transact365, a UK-based global payments platform powering merchants across the globe, has recorded 300% year-on-year growth in its third year of European operation.
Founded in 2017, Transact365 offers a global payments solution platform for merchants across the world in leading industries. Headquartered in London, Transact365 now works with over 800 merchants to access e-commerce opportunities in five continents through local payment processing solutions.
Since launch, Transact365 has fast become one of the UK’s leading global payment solutions for merchants looking to access emerging markets. In its second year of European operation, it recorded a 700% increase in revenue between June 2020 and June 2021.
With transaction volumes increasing, Transact365 chargeback ratio has hit an all time low at 0.004%. To achieve this industry benchmark, the payment solution platform works especially close with all its merchants on a consultancy basis, providing 24/7 customer care all the while fulfilling PCI Level 1 compliance and ensuring encryption through Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS), backed at the application level by the RSA algorithm with a key length of 2048 bits.
The growth announcement is the latest in a series of recent company milestones. In 2022 alone, Transact365 has successfully launched its payment services in India and Latin America while consolidating its existing market presence in Asia, Europe and Australia.
David Lambert, CEO of Transact365, commented on the latest growth figures as a reflection of the growing demand from merchants for payment service providers offering payment gateways.
“The scale and pace of Transact365’s yearly growth reflects the increasing demand among merchants to access both established and emerging markets through sophisticated payment systems. Up until recently, accessing all these markets was restricted by the lack of payment gateways - a challenge that has been effectively resolved by Transact365 which connects merchants with consumers around the globe.
“The fact we’ve been able to maintain a growth rate of well over 200% since our launch reflects the scale-up potential of the payments sector.
“Our mission remains the same - increasing the volume of transactions taking place on our platform, building our network of merchants and local partners in both established and emerging markets, all the while focusing on the details and driving down things such as our chargeback ratio to record lows”.


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How popular has Apple Pay been since its expansion to CIBC and RBC just over two weeks ago? So far, so good, according to CIBC. (more…)
A Twitter exchange caused the CRTC head to ask Rogers to stop blaming them for signal swaps.
BCS founder Jonathan Rotenberg shares his account of the very first ‘Stevenote’ in 1984.
Samsung is reportedly developing a Google Glass competitor dubbed ‘Galaxy Glass.’
Apple could not meet the demand for the iPhone 5S for most of the holiday quarter.
Apple publishes update to its November report on government information requests.
Apple sold 51 million iPhones between October 1 and December 31, 2013.
iPhone 6 and the next generation iPod touch are reported to feature solar-charging panels within their sapphire glass screens.
Google Chrome for iOS has received a significant update to bring automatic Google translation of websites.
Guests at select Starwood hotels will soon will be able to enter their rooms with an iPhone.
Check out this automatic bra that can only be opened with “true love” or an iPhone.


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Today, Square Enix has announced that Dragon Quest Heroes will be getting a Western release exclusively on the PlayStation 4.
Dragon Quest Heroes will be a departure from the classic, genre-defining elements of traditional Dragon Quest games, favoring the large-scale combat of last year’s popular Hyrule Warriors.
Yuji Horii, creator of Dragon Quest, and Koichi Sugiyama are both attached to the project, along with the confirmed assistance of Omega Force and Koei Tecmo Games.
No word regarding the official release date of Dragon Quest Heroes has been revealed yet, but Square Enix has stated that the game will be available in 2015.
Stay tuned for more updates regarding Dragon Quest Heroes as they become available.
“Making you a better geek, one post at a time!”


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Celebrity-backed private investor syndicate aAim has made two European retail acquisitions for a total of €90m (£61m), including its first German acquisition.
The company, which counts Simon Cowell and Sir David Frost amongst investors, has bought a 215,280 sq ft retail park near Dresden for €40m (£27m) at an initial yield of 6.5%, and a 193,752 shopping centre in Olomouc, the fifth most populous city in the Czech Republic, for €50m (£34m) at an initial yield of 6.9%.
Robert Whitton, chief executive of aAim Europe, said of the German acquisition: ‘We are very bullish about the German Retail market where we see excellent value. We intend to develop the existing shopping park further to total 365,976 sq ft thereby increasing the gross rent roll by up to 50% and to actively manage it.’
aAim was advised by Clifford Chance in Germany and Donaldsons and Baker Mackenzie in the Czech Republic.
The deals come as part of a huge continental retail spree by the company. Last week Property Week revealed that aAim are set to complete the biggest property deal in Hungarian history, and will pay €400m (£270m) for Budapest’s biggest shopping centre.


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McDonald's has a reality check for corporate America – it's impressive that millions of early-risers are in the office by 7:30 a.m., but it pales in comparison to the nation's dairy farmers.
Away from the concrete jungle and maze of cubicles, dairy farmers are well into their morning routines.
"Dairy farming is a 365-day-a-year job." McDonald's says in a new promotional video. "Hard work gets started hours before the sun rises and ends long after it sets."
The video features dairy farmers and their families from across the country, showcasing the dedication it takes to keep the nation fed.
"From the rest of us who benefit from all that hard work, we can only say ‘thanks." What you every day is truly amazing."
Click here to watch the video or click on the video above.
Consumers are loving McDonald's video, which was shown this week at the joint annual meeting of the National Milk Producers Federation, National Dairy Board and United Dairy Industry Association.
"THANK YOU for putting agriculture and farmers in a good light! In a time where too many chains are apparently "against" farms (um, where do you get your food?), this makes me so proud and happy to live and work on a farm!" one fan wrote on the YouTube page.
"I never was a big fan of McDonalds... until now. Thank you for the recognition you're giving us dairy farmers!" another fan added.


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Enterprise? Interoperability? T-Mobile is planning an event in New York and the only bit of information it is sharing about the invite-only occasion is that it's "a real piece of work."
The self-described disruptor of the wireless industry leads the way in data stashing, or rollover data, prompting rivals to follow suit. And if the UnCarrier event's new service and revelations are anything to go by, it appears T-Mobile is preparing to innovate in some form once again.
T-Mobile's latest event is scheduled for 1 p.m. on March 18 at Spring Studios in Manhattan.
"T-Mobile is rewriting the rules of wireless again! You don't want to miss it," states the invite.
For those attempting to figure out what T-Mobile is planning, they'll need to think like an "Un-Carrier." T-Mobile prides itself in making moves that aren't characteristic of typical wireless carriers--efforts it says places customers above the bottom line.
In a previous "un-carrier" move, T-Mobile ended the practice of holding back the best deals from customers wit less than stellar credit. Calling the move "smartphone equality," T-Mobile says it now, regardless of credit scores, all customers are eligible for the best phones at the best prices.
"Last year, the carriers spent billions advertising deals and plans that half of Americans can't get when signing up for wireless service. That's complete BS," said T-Mobile CEO John Legere. "We've created a better way with Smartphone Equality. Beginning now, your relationship with us counts more than your credit score - which means absolutely everyone can get the hottest smartphones at the best prices."
T-Mobile is coming off of a strong quarter, reporting the addition of 1.3 million branded postpaid customers. It says the figure tops the U.S. wireless industry.
The wireless carrier's services revenues were up by about 13.6 percent, year over year, in Q4 of its 2014 fiscal year. Its total revenues were up by approximately 19.4 percent, year over year, for the same quarter.
"2014 was the best year of growth in company history," said Legere. "Our Un-carrier moves helped us blow away the competition. The best is yet to come as the future looks bright in 2015."
For 2015, T-Mobile is aiming for between 2.2 million and 3.2 million branded postpaid additions. It is targeting between $6.8 billion and $7.2 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
Photo: Angela Weiss | Getty


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Battle of the Kings, a custom build off competition is known around the world for giving rise to some of the most innovative, beautiful, and memorable creations in terms of customised motorcycle designs by Harley-Davidson dealership staff. The 2018 edition finally debuts in India with 10 dealerships participating from different states across the country.
Limiting each motorcycle to a strictly enforced budget of no more than INR 5 lakh along with the use of Street 750 and Street Rod for the customisation process, the contest is the ultimate expression of freedom and creativity. All submissions are subjected to a public voting process initiated online from 23rd July wherein fans can vote for their favourite custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle on http://h-d.com/battleofthekings. The final winner of Battle of the Kings will be announced via microsite.
The contest involves 250 dealers from across the world to compete against each other to be one of the prodigious custom builds. A panel of judges will then pick a finalist from each region and the finalists will be sent for EICMA 2018 motorcycle show in Milan, Italy. The final winner will be announced at the EICMA 2018.
Peter MacKenzie, Managing Director of Harley-Davidson India said, “The theme of the Battle of the Kings 2018 edition reflects 115 years of Harley-Davidson. Showcasing the talent and enthusiasm of the dealership staff, the contest also demonstrates the brand’s ideals of individuality, freedom and expression while providing inspiration for our customers.”