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Dunamu, the operator of crypto exchange Upbit, signed a memorandum of understanding with credit card company BC Card on Monday to develop a non-fungible token (NFT) and metaverse-based credit card.
See related article: South Korean crypto exchange acquires stake in major bank
- Certain items purchased offline via the Dunamu BC Card will be accompanied by the issuance of a complementary NFT in Dunamu’s 2nd Block metaverse.
- Dunamu’s Upbit is the largest cryptocurrency trading platform in South Korea, dominating up to 88% of the local market last year, according to research conducted by a lawmaker using CoinGecko data.
- Major credit card companies in South Korea — Shinhan, KB, Hyundai Card and others — have launched or partnered with NFT services.
- Last year, Dunamu acquired a 1% share of Woori Financial, one of South Korea’s leading financial corporations.
- The launch date of Dunamu’s NFT credit card is yet to be decided.
See related article: Hyundai Card VP: Crypto’s ‘tulip mania’ stage is passing


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Yet another pair of young entrepreneurs are looking to capitalize on China’s air quality problems.
Two sisters from Xining, the provincial capital of western Qinghai province, have launched an online business startup selling fresh air from the Tibetan Plateau. On their page, customers are asked to choose where they would like the air to be sourced from — a mountain? a valley? — though in a video about their project published by Pear Video they appear to be collecting air from a Xining park.
Each bag costs 15 yuan and the sisters claim that they have already sold 100 bags. However, they say that they are not in the air business for the money, but to draw attention to the need for better environmental protection efforts.
On Weibo, netizens are less convinced about the sisters’ allegedly altruistic aims, pointing out flaws in their scheme and wondering how much damage they are doing to the environment by using plastic bags.
“Deceitful marketing. The air belongs to the Earth, how can you make it your private property and sell it off?” commented one netizen who said the very idea made him feel sick.
Of course, these two aren’t the first to try to get China’s choking city-dwellers to pay for more breathable air. Earlier this year, a Xi’an forestry department began selling off fresh air from the nearby Qinling mountains at 18 yuan a can. The project has received 200,000 yuan in government investment.
If you’re in the market for some more high-end stuff, you can also pay a premium online for a breath of fresh Canadian or Australian air.
[Images via Pear Video]
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For consumers in Brazil, finding and buying local, sustainable seafood is no easy task.
As it stands, farmed tilapia is the only option for domestic, eco-certified seafood. There are no other domestic, eco-certified farms and fisheries in the country.
With so few local, certified products on the market, it is no surprise that Brazilian consumers are not as aware of seafood sustainability issues than those in other regions, such as the United States and Europe. But with a population approaching 210 million, Brazil is an increasingly critical market for sustainable seafood. That is why World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is working with foodservice giant Sodexo in Brazil to help the catering distributor’s buyers choose more sustainable options.
WWF and Sodexo have been working together in other parts of the world to improve seafood procurement policies, among other issues, such as carbon, sustainable meals, sourcing of other commodities, food waste and packaging. WWF and Sodexo decided to partner in Brazil because of the company’s large regional seafood procurement volume and its on-the-ground support capabilities.
“As a large foodservice company in Brazil, Sodexo has the influence to drive more sustainable, responsible, and traceable food production, including for wild-caught and farmed seafood,” said Michael Griff, manager of seafood engagement at WWF.
With WWF’s help, the company will work towards sourcing most of its seafood from sustainable fisheries and responsible farms that meet the standards of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), respectively. WWF holds that these are the most robust and credible certification programs for wild and farmed seafood.
“Sustainable seafood is a critical aspect of our Better Tomorrow 2025 roadmap,” said Neil Barrett, Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Sodexo. “While consumption has doubled over the last 40 years, fish stocks have not kept pace. Fish is an important part of healthy diets and constitutes 17 percent of the global population’s protein intake. In addition, fish and seafood support the livelihoods of 10-12 percent of the world’s population. Our sourcing program is designed to sustain a healthy fish and seafood supply so we can continue to provide these healthy and delicious options to our customers but also to support quality of life for the communities that depend on our ocean resources.”
WWF and Sodexo will also work to improve the traceability of seafood products that the company purchases in the region; encourage suppliers to pursue third-party certifications in alignment with the Sodexo Sustainable Seafood Sourcing Guide, such as MSC and ASC; and identify regionally relevant comprehensive fishery and aquaculture improvement projects that Sodexo can engage to meet commitment goals. Improvement projects help fisheries and farms take the steps needed to earn certification against MSC’s and ASC’s standards.
“By working in Brazil to source more seafood that’s traceable and produced to MSC and ASC standards, and by supporting fishery and aquaculture improvement projects, Sodexo is encouraging real change on the water,” added Griff. “This helps sustain healthy fisheries that are vital to a healthy ocean and all its wildlife, as well as for the billions of people who rely on seafood for nutrition. It’s also important for mangroves, coasts, rivers, and other biodiverse ecosystems affected by expanding aquaculture.”


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BEIJING — With China’s new leadership pledging to toughen up on corruption, luxury brands that have been thriving in this country — often thanks to the massive gray market in currying official favor with expensive gifts — may be in for a bit of a slowdown.
Since Xi Jinping was anointed head of the Chinese Communist Party in November, paving his path to the presidency in March, Xi and others have sent a series of signals that they intend to clamp down on corruption, the systemic and unavoidable facet of China’s economic model. In the past week, two key points were revealed. First, Xi himself spoke openly of the need to punish corrupt officials, everyone from “flies” to “tigers,” a metaphorical reference to going after top government leaders who are corrupt as well as the lowly ones often used to make a point.
“We must uphold the fighting of tigers and flies at the same time, resolutely investigating law-breaking cases of leading officials and also earnestly resolving the unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems which happen all around people,” Xi said, in comments reported Tuesday by the official Xinhua news agency.
Chinese media have reported for several months that there has been a slowdown in luxury sales on the heels of hints that the new leadership might strengthen its anticorruption efforts. Caixin, an investigative business journal, reported last year that several high-end brands had already reported slowed growth in China, owing to signals that corruption might be curbed. In October, Bain & Co. predicted a further slowdown in luxury sales in China in 2013 with some brands already showing signs of strain.
Starting last summer, the country’s ruling State Council issued orders curbing local governments’ spending on trips abroad, vehicles and other high-ticket items. Observers have said the government crackdown on “bling” has resulted in less gift-giving to government officials, with watches one of the favorite gifts to give. The edict was aimed at reining in what has become a very public sore spot for China’s government. The latest indications from Xi are that the push against official corruption won’t stop at local governments.
Xi’s comments this week came just a few days after China’s surprising revelation of the country’s income gap, releasing its own measure of the Gini coefficient — a global gauge of income inequality that China has not published since 2005. While there remains widespread skepticism about the figure and the fact that China’s National Bureau of Statistics said the wealth gap has narrowed of late, that the statistics bureau chose to release its data after so many years of silence on a volatile issue was seen as significant by economists and other China experts.
The official numbers released by the statistics bureau put China’s Gini coefficient at 0.474, slightly down from last year, which would place China roughly on par with the U.S. By comparison, some earlier estimates placed it as high as 0.6, which is a much steeper scale of inequality and could undermine China’s careful efforts to maintain social stability amid rapid economic and personal wealth growth.
Patrick Chovanec, an associate professor at Tsinghua University’s management and economics school in Beijing, said he believes the more troubling issue for China is not the income gap, but rather an “inequality of privilege.” Many Chinese people at the bottom of the income gap are less concerned with the chasm than they are with the concept that the very wealthiest people in society have amassed fortunes based on family relations, personal relationships and government positions.
“There’s a sense that there are people who live according to a different set of rules, that power begets wealth and wealth begets power — that is what bothers people,” Chovanec said.
Dai Jianzhong, a labor relations expert at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said the bottom rungs of the income data in China are populated with the country’s internal migrant workers, the people who work low-end jobs that build up the economy, but rarely share in the massive profits.
Dai said income and household registration status have created what he considers a new social class system in China, similar to ethnicity. Discontent among ethnic minorities is a lesser threat than that among the economically disenfranchised.
“It is because people have a different cultural identification [through their economic status],” said Dai. “I think these conflicts will cause tension within society.”
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews


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Amazon, often a favorite of imposter scammers, appears to be fed up. It has targeted a California-based entrepreneur it said claimed to be the online retail giant in a scheme to defraud consumers.
Amazon has filed suit against “Pionera Inc,” a company it said ran a series of call centers in a scam operation that tried to convince customers into thinking they were receiving tech support on two Amazon-owned products – Prime Video and Ring.
The complaint claims that the company also obtained hundreds of dollars in fraudulent payments from victims for fake services that those consumers did not need and Pionera did not provide.
According to OpenCorporates.com, Pionera Inc. was dissolved as a corporation in February.
Amazon’s lawyers claim that once Pionera was able to convince its targets that it was there to help solve issues like a tech or account problem, the company gained remote access to those victims’ computers and could access the victims’ financial accounts.
Amazon said that the defendants targeted the public through online ads and websites, prompting consumers to call a phone number operated by Pionera personnel.
“Amazon has no tolerance for scams that fraudulently impersonate our brand, and we’re appalled at these bad actors’ attempts to deceive our customers,” Amazon Vice President of Buyer Risk Prevention, Sriram Krishnan, said in a statement given to ConsumerAffairs. “We are advocating for customers by holding these bad actors accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Consumers who own or use Apple products may recognize the name Pionera. Last year, someone on the Apple Community forum raised a question about the company, too, intimating that Pionera was possibly responsible for their iPad being hijacked and frozen, and requesting $400 for a 5-year security contract that would apparently clear up that problem.
ConsumerAffairs reached out to Manoj Goel, the person listed as CEO of Pionera and a co-defendant in the lawsuit, for comment on the allegations, but did immediately hear back.
Amazon says it is taking fraud more seriously than ever
The last couple of years haven’t been good for Amazon in regards to being impersonated. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said that Amazon was a runaway favorite for scammers from July 2020 through June 2021. Not only did reports about Amazon impersonators grow fivefold, but about one in three people who reported business scams said the scammer claimed to be from Amazon.
To its credit, Amazon says it’s had enough when it comes to scams and the company is putting its money where its mouth is.
In 2021 alone, the online retailer said it invested over $900 million globally and employed more than 12,000 machine learning scientists, software developers, expert investigators, and others to protect both it and its customers from fraud and other forms of abuse. That investment paid off, too. Amazon said that it took action against more than 350 individuals and entities involved in impersonation scams in 2021 alone.
Now, the company is taking its efforts even further. On Tuesday, the company also announced that it's launched a cybersecurity awareness campaign with the National Cybersecurity Alliance as its partner. Together, the two have developed a microsite for consumers, ProtectConnect, to offer advice about multi-factor authentication, and how to identify and avoid phishing attempts.
How can Amazon customers protect themselves from scams?
To match its investment in people who can defend against bad actors, Amazon has also added consumer-side guidance to help its customers identify whether an email, phone call, text message, or webpage is really from Amazon.
One of the things that can come in handy is Amazon’s recently released “self-reporting” tool. With this tool, consumers can report anything – such as an email or phone call – they think is suspicious and ask Amazon to investigate it further.
Amazon said that one telltale sign of a scam call is if the person on the other end tries to pressure a customer into giving out account information. If that happens, then that’s where the self-reporting tool can be of help – as can reaching out to Amazon customer service via chat or a phone call.


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More evidence that connected TVs are having a big impact on entertainment viewing and the marketplace: New research says some 42 million homes in the U.S. and Europe report using the Internet to watch television shows and movies on their TVs.
The Strategy Analytics report, from David Mercer, principal analyst in the firm's Connected Home Devices service, said connecting to the Internet and watching on TV isn't yet a daily occurrence, but it's headed that way.
"We are in the early days of the connected TV revolution, but the momentum shows no sign of decline," wrote Mercer in a blog post. "As Ultraviolet launches and Apple considers its own streaming movie service, this market is set to get a lot more interesting over the next few months."
Strategy Analytics polled 4,800 people across the U.S. and Europe for its study, Multiscreen Connected TV: Assessing Device Usage and Ownership, and found that users in the U.S. were twice as likely as Europeans to connect their TV through the Internet; 20 percent of U.S. respondents said they had watched internet content on their TV screens in the past month, compared to only 10 percent of Europeans.
That, Mercer said, is likely because both Hulu and Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) have seen strong uptake in the U.S., despite Netflix's recent stumbles.
"Digital service providers such as Netflix and Hulu have seen tremendous progress in the States in the last couple of years as they become available on multiple connected TV devices," Mercer said. "Europe has yet to find its own equivalent, although each market can name examples of localized services."
And, he said, the growth of the segment has some major implications for both device manufacturers and network operators.
"Television viewers are prepared to go to significant lengths to watch their preferred television shows or movies on the big screen," he said. "In spite of the technical challenges, many people want to be freed from the constraints of traditional, managed television services if their choice of content is not available when they want, where they want and at a price they are willing to pay."
The Strategy Analytics report said that only a portion of users currently connect TVs directly to the Internet; the most popular portals in the U.S. are gaming consoles like Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Xbox, while streaming over a home network and Internet-connected Blu-ray disc player also played significant roles. In fact, wrote Mercer, the majority of connected TV users said they used more than one device to access content. That could be because different content can be available across different devices, or, just as likely, because they're connecting to multiple TV sets in the home.
Either way, it's clear that consumers are continuing to trend toward their own form of à la carte entertainment. There's a draw, for many consumers, to that content on the Internet. And, cord-cutting arguments not withstanding (whether in the form of anecdotal or quasi-research), there's little doubt consumers are spending more time watching online video.
How do operators turn that trend in their favor? Is it OK to be a dumb pipe and just collect a toll? Or are there better ways?
I suspect that discussion will be a major component of this year's TelcoTV event in New Orleans next week. See you there.--Jim


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Apple has overcome the production problems with its Series 7 smartwatch and will start producing in series the new model from mid to late September, with a launch later that month, according to a note provided by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo said: The 7 Series production problem is mainly related to the card side. However, it has been fixed and mass production of the panel units will begin in mid-September, “reported the Arab Technical News Portal.
The 7 Series has a new design with a flat appearance reminiscent of the flat edges used on the iPhone 12 and iPad Pro. According to the analyst, Apple’s new smartwatch had to go through more manufacturing operations than previous models, due to this change in design.
Notably, the new, more durable screen uses a design in contact instead of the old design of the cable and also requires a LIPO process for the first time.
The company is also using a new OLED production line in can improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of the screen. However, this requires the inclusion of new suppliers such as LGF, Young Poong and Jabil, which in themselves may have contributed to the delay.
Koo added: “As many new screen-related productions were first adopted, the Series 7 monitor encountered reliability issues during the increased risk phase before Jabil began mass production, including mainly the Screen flickering and numbness to touch. It could be a complex manufacturing problem. These are related to LGD, Jabil or Young Poong. “
Apple has fixed the drive’s reliability issues display conducting various DOE experiment projects to find the best production setup and adjusting the qualification criteria on both sides of the display and assembly.
“We expect Jabil to start production in unit series display Series 7 in mid-September, “Koo said in the statement. Based on this new program, the analyst says the final product will begin mass shipping at the end of September.
Bloomberg in previously reported that production problems due to a design more complex meant that the launch of the 7 Series would be delayed.
Separately, agency reporter Mark Gorman recently said the device may be available in limited quantities at launch. Gorman reiterated this in a tweet after the analyst’s last note.
In his note, Kuo also indicated his optimism about the 8 Series shipments for 2022. This is because the series introduces new health management features such as temperature measurement.
This is a reference to the recently reported thermometer functionality, which Apple is said to be considering adding to the device as soon as next year.
The company plans to unveil the redesigned watch alongside the iPhone 13 range at its September 14 event.
Read More About: Business News


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West Yorkshire-based B2B solutions provider Abzorb, which inked an MVNO deal with BT Wholesale (EE) back in 2019, has entered into a new MVNO partnership with Qubiti. James Slater, director at Qubiti, commented: ‘We are excited to be working with Abzorb and to launch Q – the mobile network for UK start-ups. Q Network allows us to monitor tariff utilisation and mobile usage in near real time and provide visibility to customers so they don’t overspend and can manage their mobile bills more effectively.’
Israeli Communications Minister Yoaz Handel has granted an MVNO licence to Levit It, a company which is said to provide B2B/security solutions. When operational, the new company is expected to operate in the IoT sector. Announcing the move, Handel commented: ‘Competition is an engine of growth first and foremost. We have removed barriers and replaced over-regulation with deregulation.’
Comcast Corporation has reported that its Xfinity Mobile MVNO ended 31 December 2021 with 3.980 million subscriptions, up from 2.826 million one year earlier. The cableco notes that its annual net additions of 1.154 million represents its wireless unit’s best annual result since launching in 2017. Quarterly wireless revenues reached USD709 million, up 40.3% from USD505 million one year earlier.
Sticking with the US cable sector, Charter Communications (Spectrum) grew its MVNO subscription base to 3.564 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2021, up from 2.375 million in December 2020. Quarterly mobile revenues surged 47.5% from USD428 million in 4Q20 to USD632 million in 4Q21.
Finally, Telecompaper reports that Mobile Vikings has sent its customers an SMS informing them that they will be migrated from the Orange Belgium network to that of Proximus in the coming weeks. Customers will be notified a few days before the switch takes place, the report notes. Back in December 2020 Proximus signed a definitive agreement with DPG Media to acquire Mobile Vikings, which also includes the JIM Mobile brand. The transaction was valued at EUR130 million (USD157.4 million).
We welcome your feedback about MVNO Monday. If you have any questions, topic suggestions, or corrections, please email firstname.lastname@example.org
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database is now home to the telecoms industry’s fastest-growing collection of MVNO data, covering more than 90 countries and 1,400 virtual operators. If you would like to find out more, please email email@example.com


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Canon PhotoMarathon Asia celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
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Google's Schmidt expects more than a billion mobile devices worldwide to run its Android software in a year.
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Suppliers for what was one of China's largest online iPhone stores have been hauled to court for allegedly evading taxes.


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Russian diplomat calls to compare death tolls in Iraq under Hussein vs under US ruleRussian Politics & Diplomacy October 22, 21:00
US-led coalition delivers air strike on civilian procession in Iraq — Defense ministryWorld October 22, 18:45
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MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. Russia’s Agriculture Minister Nikolay Fyodorov on Friday called the reports on Kazakhstan’s plans to introduce restrictions on Russian products a misunderstanding.
"We are actively strengthening the Customs Union, common rules and inadmissibility of any restrictions. So, saying there is a topic of restrictions is a misunderstanding. It does not fit in with the concept [of the Customs Union] and our countries' efforts to move in the direction of not only consolidation, but also creation of a powerful union," Fyodorov said.
Earlier on Friday, the Kommersant daily reported that Kazakhstan is considering introducing restrictions on imports of a number of Russian goods as Kazakhstani producers find it increasingly difficult to compete with them in prices.
Importing to Kazakhstan is not strategically important for most Russian companies. However, such restrictions may threaten the economic integration of the two countries, the newspaper added.
Today, Kazakhstan and Russia are expected to discuss bilateral trade issues, sources in Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Eurasian Economic Commission told Kommersant. According to the sources, Astana insists on introducing restrictions or even a ban on a number of Russian products as the devaluation of the Russian ruble (by 47% against Kazakhstani national currency tenge) threatens Kazakhstan’s domestic market. The products under consideration include petroleum products, automobiles, construction and building materials, along with poultry, eggs, confectionery, flour and juices.
The source in Russia’s Agriculture Ministry said the negotiations have been held for a week, and "there are no sufficient grounds for introducing any restrictions." The Customs Union did not register a sharp growth of imports from Russia to Kazakhstan over the past weeks, the source added.


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Verizon India has received a Unified License for Virtual Network Operator (VNO) Internet Service Provider (ISP) from Department of Telecommunications.
The VNO license allows Verizon, the leading telecom operator in the US, to re-sell internet services from other telecommunication service providers in India targeting enterprise customers, Robert Le Busque, managing director of Verizon’s Australia, New Zealand and India, said.
India has telecom operators such as Bharti Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea. Verizon is yet to reveal its VNO partnership with Indian telecom operators. BSNL already has a MVNO partnership.
Verizon has booked a quarterly revenue of Rs 5.97 crore from its Internet business and Rs 199.48 crore from International Long Distance (ILD) business from enterprise clients in India during the September quarter of 2018. It has 102 Internet clients, according to the latest TRAI report.
Verizon Communications has clocked annual revenue of $130.9 billion (+3.8 percent) in 2018 from its wireless, wireline and media business.
Verizon sells Managed Network Services – including Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Virtual Network Service (VNS) bundles – with internet connectivity directly sourced from local providers.
The addition of a VNO License extends Verizon service offerings to its enterprise customers which already includes National and International Long Distance (NLD/ILD) services and Internet Services Provider (ISP) License.
India opened up the resale of its telecom services market through the introduction of VNO’s in 2016.


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The iPhone versus Android battle is about to escalate—perhaps as never before. And if you’re a premium Samsung user, then a new statement suddenly released by Apple should give you plenty of reasons to think about making the switch. In a land far, far away, Apple made a huge statement this week that …
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BONA PHARMA attended CPhi India in BEC, Mumbai from Nov. 21st to 23rd, 2016. Our booth No. is V159a in Hall 3. This is the fourth time that BONA takes part in this grand event in India.
Our remarkable advantages attract lots of customers to come to our booth. Firstly, BONA obtained US DMF No. 030606 for pill bottles in 2016 and is going to finish the registration of spray pumps in the near future; Secondly, our new high-tech park complying to US FDA standard is in construction; Thirdly, BONA have got international investment patents for several products like Child Resistant Nasal Pump, Preservative Free Nasal Pump, etc.
We received more than 100 customers who have cooperation intention during the three days of exhibition. Several top 10 Indian pharmaceutical giants like Abbott discussed business details with us in our booth. Our strong competence makes them have sufficient confidence in us.
Bona Pharma's successful participation at the 2020 Shanghai CPhI exhibition
On December 16, 2020, BONA Pharma participated in the Shanghai CPhI exhibition with its latest patented technology products. BONA Pharma exhibited a total of more than 100 products including child resistant bottles, sterile eye drop bottles, various doses of nasal spray, oral spray etc. The quality and outstanding design have won unanimous praise from customers.
Bona to exhibit at ExpoFarma Mexico in 2020
BONA PHARMA will present its metered dosed spray pumps and bottles for the first time to EXPO FARMA Mexico, which will be held at the World Trade Center of Mexico City from April 22nd to 24th, 2020. The event is the leading professional pharmaceutical show in Mexico.
Bona at Pharmapack Europe 2017
Bona attended Pharmapack Europe 2017 as an exhibitor, in Paris from Feb 1st & 2nd. The Pharmapack Europe is a professional international exhibition for the pharmaceutical packages covering plastic packages, glass packages, aluminum tubes and liners and Prefill medical devices.
Big success for BONA Pharma Technology at CPHI Shanghai 2016
BONA Pharma Technology attended CPHI Shanghai 2016 as an exhibitor this year, and proves to be one of ths stars of the engagement. The show was held in Shanghai during from June 21 through the 23rd. Many companeis and visitors met BONA Pharma Technology at CPHI Shanghai 2016 specifically to discuss drug delivery systems.
- Kelly Zhang
- Company News
- Created 22 Feb 2017
- Modified 22 Feb 2017
- Hits 1462


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Microsoft Facing Ban On US Xbox 360 Sales
The Xbox 360 era may becoming to an ignoble end, if the recommendation of the presiding judge in the International Trade Commission dispute between Microsoft and Motorla is followed.
At issue is Motorola’s claim that the 4GB and 250GB versions of Xbox 360 Slim infringe on Motorola patents because they use “Motorola-developed technology that allows set-top boxes to decode transmissions between its Droid2 and DroidX mobile devices”. Motorola filed a complaint with the ITC in 2010; in April, 2012, Presiding Judge David Shaw ruled that Microsoft had indeed infringed. Yesterday, he recommended that the International Trade Commission should ban all imports of both the 4GB and 250GB versions of Xbox 360 slim. This ban, he says, should be enforced with a cease and desist order from the ITC, and in addition, Microsoft should be forced to post a bond equivalent to 7% of the total value of all relevant models already in the US directly to Motorola.
Microsoft has insisted all along that their use of the technology was legitimate because Motorola refused to “abide by requirements set by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association to set reasonable license fees of essential technology.” They claim further that removing these Xbox 360 models from stores would be bad for consumers because it would limit choice to PS3 and Wii. Unfortunately for Microsoft, Judge Shaw isn’t having it. He rejected this argument out of hand, ruling that enforcing intellectual property rights has greater public interest than the economic impact caused by the sudden cessation of an entire wing of the video game industry.
Judge Shaw also said that “Microsoft did not even try to show that its competitors were incapable of meeting demand for the consoles,” but we’re too busy being extremely disturbed by the supposition that IP rights supersede all other concerns to notice.
It’s important to note that this recommendation is just that, a recommendation. It is not binding, and the ITC may impose whatever punishment they want. However, as a federal agency, the ITC has the power to inflict lasting punishment, and should they agree with Judge Shaw, Microsoft’s only recourse will be a court – and ultimately, a Supreme Court – challenge. I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were Microsoft’s legal team. The SCOTUS just effectively gave their approval to forcing a young man to pay a whopping $675,000 to the RIAA for the nefarious crime of having downloaded 30 songs when he was in college. They’re probably going to come down firmly on the side of IP ownership.
If the ban is ultimately upheld, it would effectively knock Microsoft out of the console game for at least a year, possibly longer. The company has opted not to unveil their next gen console, code-named Durango, in 2012, suggesting that they have a long way to go before a workable model will be ready, even if the rumors that a dev kit version is already on the way turn out to be true. Perhaps this ruling results in Durango being rushed out; no doubt Nintendo is probably crossing their fingers that they’ll have company when WiiU flops later this year.
I admit, considering how Microsoft (through the ESA) famously acted in the shadiest possible manner when they were attempting to send Matthew Crippen to prison forevs for having modded an Xbox 360 console, it’s extremely delicious to see them being brutally hoisted by their own petard. But while the schadenfreude is indeed exhilarating, the further entrenchment of the idea that we are but feudal tenants at the mercy of entities who benefit from increasingly restrictive intellectual property laws is terrifying.


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CHICAGO (CBS) -- ConAgra, manufacturer of processed food brands like Chef Boyardee, Slim Jim, Tennessee Pride, and Jiffy Pop, is cutting approximately 1,500 jobs, and moving its headquarters from Omaha, Nebraska, to downtown Chicago.
The company already has about 400 employees in Naperville, but those jobs will be relocated to the new ConAgra headquarters in the Merchandise Mart, along with the company's senior leadership team in Omaha.
The new headquarters will open at the Merchandise Mart next summer, and approximately 700 employees will be located in the new Chicago offices. The company will maintain about 1,200 employees at its Omaha offices, mainly for research and development, supply chain management, and some administrative functions.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel applauded the company's move to Chicago.
"By choosing Chicago as their new home, ConAgra Foods sees the same strengths that so many other companies see in relocating their headquarters here from our talent, to our transportation, to our quality of life," he said in a prepared statement. "This decision by ConAgra Foods further solidifies Chicago's role as one of the world's leading destinations for food processing companies. I look forward to watching them become part of Chicago's future by creating even more jobs and opening up more opportunities for the residents of our city."
The move is part of a restructuring the company expects will save ConAgra approximately $300 million over the next three years. The restructuring includes eliminating approximately 1,500 non-plant positions, or about 30 percent of ConAgra's global office workforce.
ConAgra said it expects about $345 million in one-time charges over the next couple years related to the restructuring.
"It is critical that we run as lean and as efficient and as effective as possible," ConAgra spokesman Jon Harris said.
Citing anonymous sources, the Chicago Tribune reported Gov. Bruce Rauner offered ConAgra state tax incentives to relocate its headquarters to Illinois. While the governor has frozen such incentives amid the state's budget stalemate, the incentives were offered to ConAgra before that, and will be honored.
for more features.


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Secure your spot at the 32nd edition of Palm Beach Cavallino Classic, taking place January 26-29, 2023. Experience four days in sunny Florida to share the passion for the prancing horse: the Track Day, the Tour d’Eleganza, the Party Under the Stars, the Concorso d’Eleganza, the Gala Dinner, and the Classic & Sports Sunday are key moments of Cavallino Classic.
Ticket Sales Are Open
With 150 cars adorning the beautiful lawns of The Breakers, Cavallino Classic is the world’s largest Ferrari-only concours, and one of the biggest car events of the winter season. Among those cars, the main class will be dedicated to the world’s most iconic race: the 24 Hours of Le Mans with 24 carefully selected Ferraris that once raced at the historic track.
It will be an unmissable celebration of two icons of motor racing: Ferrari and Le Mans.
Since 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has acquired iconic status by inspiring automotive excellence throughout the world. The monument of world motorsport, a jewel in the famous triple crown, has built a legacy year after year.
"Ferrari is one of the world's most iconic car makers and its return to Le Mans for the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours is an occasion for celebration," said Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club de l-Quest. "The Palm Beach Cavallino Classic is widely known as a premier Ferrari event and we are honored to be part of the concours. Many thanks to Luigi Orlandini and the Cavallino Classic organization for training the spotlight on the 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary."
"Ferrari has been a major protagonist in Le Mans for decades and we felt the need to celebrate this incredible milestone with a great lineup of Ferraris that made the history of the world's most celebrated race," said Chairman and CEO of Cavallino and Canossa, Luigi Orlandini. "In 2022 we celebrated the 75th anniversary of Ferrari with a special lineup of cars representing each year of the history of the marque, now we want to pay homage to another icon of motor racing: the 24 Hours of Le Mans."
Cavallino Classic will also celebrate a few more important anniversaries: 70 years of the 250 MM, 340MM, 625 TF, and the 735 Sport. 60 years of the 330 America, 330 LMB, and the 250 P are also up for special recognition.
Get your ticket here and discover all the available options to tailor your experience with us. By buying a ticket you will also support our charitable initiatives to help young people to seize their opportunities in life!
For more information, you can download the brochure here. Hope to see you in Palm Beach!


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AMD teams up with OCZ to launch its first SSDs, the Radeon R7 series August 19, 2014 at 8:00 am
AMD is pushing into the consumer SSD space and partnering with OCZ to do it. Will consumers bite or is AMD bringing too little to an already saturated, and highly competitive, market?
Windows 9 technical preview, the first step towards fixing Windows, may appear next month August 18, 2014 at 7:54 am
Windows 8 has been a bit of a train wreck for Microsoft as users have expressed their displeasure in the tablet-oriented direction. Windows 9 is supposed to pull it back, and the first technical preview may be just a month away.
Tesla swings by DEF CON in search of car hackers to secure the Model S August 15, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Tesla’s connected cars are tempting targets for hackers, but the company is looking to hire its own army of bug hunters to fix problems before they present themselves.
Smart tattoo generates electricity from sweat, could power future wearable computers August 15, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Joseph Wang, a researchers from UCSD, has now come up with a way to generate power for these devices without using any external equipment. The secret is to harness electrons from lactate acid secreted in sweat.
Snowden went too far by revealing the NSA’s MonsterMind cyber weapon August 14, 2014 at 10:02 am
The latest NSA program to come out of Edward Snowden is MonsterMind, an autonomous cyber warfare program that signals a sharp turn for the whistleblower.
By 2025, ‘sexbots will be commonplace’ – which is just fine, as we’ll all be unemployed and bored thanks to robots stealing our jobs August 14, 2014 at 9:04 am
According to a new report that looks at how continuing improvements to artificial intelligence and robotics will impact society, ‘robotic sex partners will become commonplace’ by 2025. A large portion of the report also focuses on how AI and robotics will impact both blue- and white-collar workers, with about 50% of the polled experts stating that robots will displace more human jobs than they create by 2025.
DirectX 12 reduces power consumption by 50%, boosts fps by 60% in new tech demo August 13, 2014 at 1:32 pm
At its Siggraph 2014 booth, Intel is showing off one of the first public demos of DirectX 12 and Direct3D 12 — and the improvement over older graphics APIs, such as DirectX 11, is really quite startling. The exact same demo under DirectX 12 consumed 50% less power than the DirectX 11 version. In a similar demo, the higher efficiency and lower overheads of DX12 allowed for a 60% increase in frame rate over DX11 while consuming the same amount of power. After an awful lot of talk about the benefits of Mantle, DirectX 12, and OpenGL NG, it’s very exciting to see an example of the actual real-world gains of these new graphics APIs.
Brace for the BGPocalypse: Big disruptions loom as internet overgrowth continues August 13, 2014 at 11:10 am
Over the past 24 hours, you may have felt some tremors of high latency and dropped connections as you surfed the internet. Usually these tremors would be nothing to worry about — they’re usually just the standard low-level interference caused by the occasional router reboot or similar — but in this case they’re actually the early rumblings of a much larger networking earthquake that could cause major outages and disruptions across the global internet. You’ve heard of the IPocalypse caused by the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses — now it’s time to learn about the BGPocalypse.
Alienware Alpha is the first Steam Machine … but it runs Windows, and comes with a normal Xbox 360 gamepad August 13, 2014 at 9:01 am
Alienware has announced that its Steam Machine — the Alienware Alpha — will be available in November for $550. Curiously, though, the Alpha — which should be the first commercially available Steam Machine — won’t ship with Valve’s purpose-built Steam Controller. The Alpha also won’t ship with SteamOS. In fact, the Alienware Alpha is basically just a mid-spec Windows 8.1 PC that boots straight into Steam Big Picture Mode. Considering Steam Machines were meant to usher in a new era of Linux-based living room game consoles, with a magical gamepad that makes PC games playable from your couch, what exactly is Alienware playing at?


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At age 49, Louis Alexander has been arrested at least 71 times for everything from drunkenness to burglary to rape and kidnapping in Massachusetts and nearby states.
At age 26, his son, Michael Alexander, already has been arrested at least 16 times in Massachusetts, mostly on drug charges, and once in Broward County on credit-card fraud charges.
So Fort Lauderdale police had a question when they arrested the pair Thursday on 14 charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, forgery, grand theft, petty theft and uttering a forged instrument.
``What are they doing out of prison? That`s what the prosecutor and myself down here find strange,`` said police Detective Jim Ives.
Records show that the father spent nearly seven years in a Massachusetts prison in the 1970s -- on sentences totaling at least 42 years -- while the son apparently has managed to avoid prison.
``This guy (the father) has a file that makes Dillinger look like a baby,`` Ives said. ``He has done adultery, attempted murder, fraud, narcotics, burglaries.``
Father and son were arrested Thursday on allegations that they nearly ran over a security guard with their 1983 Cadillac El Dorado after he caught them charging merchandise with a stolen credit card, Ives said.
Ives said the two had stolen a credit card from a woman in a bar, then used it to charge $756.79 in clothing, jewelry and other items June 7 at a department store in the Galleria mall in Fort Lauderdale.


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Many businesses are now suffering ‘business fatigue’ syndrome and declining con dence, says Medac
by NURUL SUHAIDI / Pic by TMR FILE PIX
UP TO 580,000 businesses — representing 49 % of the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector — are at risk of closing down by October, Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (Medac) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (picture) said.
He said Malaysia’s MSME sector, which accounts for close to 40% of the country’s GDP, is on the brink of collapsing should the current nationwide lockdown continue.
“If we don’t do something to help them now, I am worried that many of these MSMEs will fail and will not be around to help rebuild the economy once businesses are allowed to open.
The longer businesses are not allowed to operate, the longer it will take to recover,” Wan Junaidi said in a statement yesterday.
“It is time we look at other holistic measures on how to deal with this other than lockdown,” he added.
To make it worse, he said many businesses are now suffering “business fatigue” syndrome and declining confidence as a result of lockdown.
This illustrates the harsh reality faced by local MSMEs and he urged for remedial action on the matter.
Failure to resolve the issue and prolonged lockdown, he added, will have a terrible impact on the country’s socioeconomic landscape, affecting the rakyat’s general wellbeing and happiness.
Last month, The Malaysian Reserve (TMR) reported that more than 50,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may be out of business should the Full Movement Control Order (FMCO) extend another six weeks.
SME Association of Malaysia national VP Chin Chee Seong said about 100,000 companies have ceased operations since the first MCO.
“The affected SMEs, especially in retail and food and beverages, are just hanging on at the edge of a cliff. About 40% have indicated that they will shut down their businesses should the lockdown continue for the next four weeks,” Chin told TMR.
Medac, from June 15-28, had conducted a survey to gauge the impact of the FMCO on the entrepreneurship landscape in Malaysia.
A total of 6,664 respondents nationwide took part in this survey. Notably, about one-third of the respondents said they did not receive the various assistance introduced by the government.
“Entrepreneurs are worried about their future, thus contributing to higher stress levels, affecting their mental and emotional wellbeing,” Wan Junaidi added.
The survey uncovered approximately 60% of entrepreneurs suffering from some type of mental illness during the lockdown.
The top three factors that influence entrepreneurs’ mental health are income loss, debt and financing issues, as well as risk of business closure.
The survey also found that over 90% of these entrepreneurs have no insurance and 70% have no safety nets to fall back on should they lose their jobs.
“People are becoming increasingly unhappy. The lockdown has hit the society at the core with the financial worries and inability to socialise,” he said.
Medac had announced that it will utilise the RM100 million allocation to help micro-enterprises in the non-essential sector, or the First Close, Last to Open (FCLO) category, severely affected by the lockdown.
The ministry identified around 1,400 FCLO entrepreneurs to participate in this programme from 14 non-essential businesses, including post-natal, spa and wellness, homestay, sports and recreation, and many more.
The FCLO Recovery Programme — a collaboration between Medac and two of its agencies, Tekun Nasional and National Entrepreneurship Institute — will provide up to RM10,000 micro-financing and benefit around 10,000 FCLO entrepreneurs.


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03:48AM, Wednesday 31 October 2012
Clothing worth more than £1,250 has been stolen from two Windsor stores just days apart.
Police have today released CCTV images of a man and a woman following the two thefts that happened in September.
The first theft happened at 4pm on Thursday, September 27, at the Superdry store in Peascod Street in Windsor. Thieves made no attempt to pay for jackets – worth a total of £625 – that they put in a wheeled shopping case, before walking out.
A second incident happened three days later at 3.30pm on Sunday, 30 September, where six jumpers were stolen from Jaeger. The jumpers are thought to be worth £642.
PC Elisabeth O’Brien, of Windsor police station, said: “I would urge the couple shown on the CCTV images to come forward and speak to the police as soon as possible.” She added: “I would also like to hear from anyone who can help identify this man and woman.”
The man is described as being of stocky build, approximately 5ft 11ins in height, and between 30 and 35-years-old. He is said to have been wearing casual clothing on both occasions, and of having dark, shoulder-length hair.
The woman is said to be of slim-build, approximately 5ft 5ins in height, and between 25 and 30-years-old. She is thought to have been wearing tight jeans and casual clothing, and is also said to have dark, shoulder-length hair.
Anyone with information should phone 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
An independent report into a Conservative councillor has found a breach of the Royal Borough’s code of conduct in a document seen by the Advertiser.


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The Scuderi Spice Company offers innovate flavors, takes pride in being local
Mike Scuderi’s dining room doubles as a spice pantry. While he has everyday spices like cumin, thyme, salt, and pepper, the ones that line his shelves are far from your momma’s collection of everyday seasonings and rubs.
On his shelves you’ll find bottles labeled with names like “Coffee Thyme,” “Go Cluck Yourself,” and “Hook Lime and Sinker.”
We Buy Cars – Jerry Ray Davis Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
These are blends that Scuderi sells through his family business, The Scuderi Spice Company, which is now in its first year as a vendor at the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market.
Scuderi said he started The Scuderi Spice Company after seeing and trying blends from other small spice vendors.
“I like to try and support smaller guys,” Scuderi said. “I noticed that some of them fell short of my expectations, so I started doing it on my own. It turned out that I had a knack for it, and it just grew from there.”
The company, which started with five flavors, now has 13 flavors for sale. Each blend is carefully formulated by Scuderi himself.
“I might formulate it two or three different times before I decide this is the formula,” Scuderi said.
While the company has more traditional spices, Scuderi said he makes an effort to be innovative.
“I have a spice called ‘Apple of My Pie’ which is designed for pork as a barbecue rub. It’s very apple forward because pork and apple go so well together,” Scuderi said. “I probably went through four or five different things that have apple flavoring in them to see if that ingredient is something that I could work with until I settled on the final product.”
Most recently, Scuderi has developed a spice called “The Doctor Will See You Now,” which is a Dr. Pepper cake-inspired rub.
Scuderi said the community’s reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We have been floored with how well we’re being received,” Scuderi said. “Even though we’ve only been here since last October, we’ve been getting a lot of repeat business at the Farmers’ Market.”
The consistency of the Farmers’ Market is important for both the community and local vendors, Scuderi said.
“A lot of people come and get their vegetables for the week and they know it’s going to be fresh. They know it’s going to be quality because it’s coming from right around the corner,” Scuderi said.
The quality of being local is something that Scuderi is particularly proud of.
“We didn’t take out any loans to do this. My wife does all of the designs on the website and all the labeling and we go to the Lion’s Den in Philpot to do the mixing,” Scuderi said. “It really is home-based.”
Originally posted in Owensboro Times
presented by Independence Bank
July 29, 2023


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CUNA is now America's Credit Unions.
A stronger voice to advance the credit union industry.
Credit union marketers have been so busy trying to attract new members they’ve had precious little time to consider what might happen if they were wildly successful. Bank Transfer Day—Nov. 5, 2011—and the months surrounding it saw hundreds of thousands of consumers join credit unions. That qualifies as “wildly successful.” The new challenge for credit unions: Now what?
Suddenly, the credit union conversation has shifted from attracting new members to welcoming new members. That puts member onboarding strategies on center stage.
Onboarding traditionally has been a concern of the human resources department. It had to do with the quality of a new employee’s first 60 or 90 days on the job. If a new employee felt welcomed—was given a mentor, took part in orientation, and was quickly embraced by a team or work group—that person would probably become a productive, long-term employee. If not, that new employee felt neglected or isolated, and was more likely to move on.
Now, onboarding strategies are a key component of member relationship management. These strategies help credit unions convince new members to move beyond solitary account relationships and use checking and deposit accounts, online banking, bill payment, mortgages, and other products and
Lessons of November
Bank Transfer Day highlighted the need to roll out the red carpet to new members. The Facebook-fueled campaign encouraged consumers to move their money from big, national banks to credit unions and other local, community-based financial institutions that charge lower rates and fewer fees.
Many consumers answered the call: Credit unions added approximately one million new members during the fourth quarter of 2011, according to CUNA estimates. In addition, there was 7.2% annualized growth in the number of share draft accounts for fourth quarter 2011 compared with an average quarterly growth rate of 3.2% from 2008 through 2010, NCUA reports.
Fueling the Bank Transfer Day movement were young consumers who embraced its social marketing approach, says Mike Schenk, CUNA’s vice president of economics and statistics. That makes the event and its aftermath “a tremendous opportunity for credit unions to gain ground in attracting young adults, an underrepresented membership segment.
“While these young members will initially bring deposits to credit unions, in the long run they’ll also bring loan relationships with them,” Schenk says. “This will be a very positive development over time.”
Holding on to these new members, he adds, will depend on how well credit unions:
“What matters most isn’t the exact number of new members gained,” Schenk says, “but what credit unions do with these new members.”
The fourth ‘bucket’
Consumers who switch financial institutions typically fall into one of three buckets, says Ron Shevlin, senior analyst at Aite Group. Consumers switch because they experience:
Bank Transfer Day represents a fourth bucket of motivation by appealing to those who want to do business with a different type of organization. Shevlin says that makes Bank Transfer Day a one-time event rather than an ongoing pipeline of new members.
“Long-term, sustainable growth will come from better product performance and better customer service over time,” he says.
Shevlin says an effective onboarding process requires collecting information about members through brief surveys that explore satisfaction with the new relationship, their preferred communication channels, products they currently use, and when they expect to need certain products such as mortgages or auto loans.
He advises credit unions to focus onboarding efforts on new members who use products that offer a high potential for ongoing interaction, such as checking accounts or credit cards. Members who join through accounts that require minimal interaction, such as indirect auto lending, are less likely to be receptive to your onboarding efforts.
Next: Touch points


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Western Colorado Marijuana Industry Braces for Grand Junction Introducing Dispensaries | Business
OSince the official opening of marijuana dispensaries in Grand Junction, this could ignite a spark for the city’s economy – while also having a brutal impact on the incomes of communities in western Colorado that have profited from pot shops for years.
Next week, the Grand Junction City Council is expected to consider a proposed marijuana retail ordinance. The order will include criteria for awarding 10 recreational marijuana licenses using a merit-based approach. As the largest city on the West Rim, Grand Junction has long been seen as a potential gold mine for dispensaries.
Companies hoping to obtain one of the 10 licenses have already started scouting for locations. Sid Squirrel, an associate broker at Bray Real Estate, said there was “definitely” interest in future dispensary locations across the city.
Squirrel thinks dispensaries will have a “double” impact on commercial sales and commercial leasing in the city.
“Firstly, there will be 10 dispensaries, and those locations will either be leased or sold, which will take retail locations that have been sitting idle out of the market, so that’s a good thing that will increase the occupancy level of the retail spaces in the Valley,” Squirrel said. “The second thing is that when they determine and select licensees, there will be a bunch of slots that will be blocked by groups that have not been selected and they will go back into the market.
While dispensary zoning is yet to be decided by City Council, the Horizon Drive District plans to have a maximum of two dispensaries on North Horizon Drive near Interstate 70, according to Vara Kusal, executive director of the Horizon Drive Neighborhood Business Improvement Association.
“We’ve actually heard from several landlords who have been inundated with inquiries to sell or rent properties,” Kusal said, adding that some business owners have been called daily about their property.
“There is a lot of interest from other businesses due to our location just off I-70. They seem excited about the draw, more people are coming. Hope they patronize restaurants and more hotel business is always nice.
SIGNAGE IS A CONCERN
The only caveat to having dispensaries near the freeway, Kusal said, is that the Horizon Drive Association’s Business Improvement District doesn’t want these businesses erecting large advertising signs for themselves. .
She thinks people will be able to easily find the stores without giant neon green leaves lighting up the night sky.
“We repeatedly ask that we would like to see some limitations on signage,” Kusal said. “We’re hoping not to have the kind of big, bold signage you see in other areas. We believe these stores can be found without the need for those big, garish signs. We repeatedly ask the city council to take these limitations into account. Palisade has limits on signage, and I think that’s a really good idea. »
According to Brandon Stam, executive director of the Grand Junction Downtown Development Authority, while nothing is official, it’s likely the downtown will have at least one dispensary, but marijuana businesses won’t be allowed on Main Street, or du unless they won’t be on the ground floor of Main Street.
Among the businesses hoping to enter the Grand Junction market is The Green Joint, based in Glenwood Springs with additional stores in Parachute and Rifle.
Green’s co-owner, Dan Sullivan, has been an active participant in dispensary-themed board meetings. Sullivan welcomed the city council’s decision in January to take a merit-based approach to licensing.
Sullivan is confident The Green Joint will be part of the Grand Junction dispensaries, citing the company’s ties to the West Slope already. He said the company has for years employed Grand Junction residents who commute to Parachute or Rifle every day, so a location in Grand Junction would reward those employees as much as its customers.
“It’s the largest community on the West Rim, so the opportunity is significant,” Sullivan said. “We have a lot of repeat customers driving from Grand Junction to our other locations, especially Parachute, so the convenience factor will be great for a lot of people.
“It’s a potential future crown jewel, so to speak.”
The Happy Camper Cannabis Co., based in Bailey in the mountains southwest of Denver, has a popular location in Palisade and could also expand to Grand Junction.
The Palisade Dispensary is already in motion, with plans to move from River Road behind the Golden Gate gas station to exit 42 of I-70. This move will result in less congested traffic along River Road and will also provide easier access for loyal customers and drivers traveling through the Grand Valley.
Colleen Scanlon-Maynard, one of three owners of The Happy Camper, said the business isn’t ‘afraid of competition’ if it doesn’t receive a license for a location in Grand Junction, but she’s optimistic .
“We have a very successful, good and solid business. We are highly respected throughout the state. I think if they go on merit, we would definitely get in,” Scanlon-Maynard said. “I think we would be admitted, but if we don’t, it’s business. Companies cannot worry about other companies. You do your business the best you can do your business, and the customers will come.
“Those who choose not to come are fine.”
The owners of The Weedery, Palisade’s second dispensary, declined to comment for this story, but had recently attempted to move to a larger location.
Weedery owner Jesse Loughman had wanted to buy and open a location in the old Grande River Winery near I-70, but his offer was rejected by city administrators.
Administrators rejected a request that would have allowed it to move operations to a March 2021 meeting, saying a marijuana outlet there would detract from the aesthetics and character of a key entrance to the city.
Wine County Inn representatives have openly opposed the proposed move. Grande River Winery, which was first licensed in 1987, was later purchased by the owners of Wine Country Inn in a deal in June.
Administrators then approved the plan to relocate The Happy Camper to its location behind the Golden Gate convenience store and gas station near I-70 in August. Council justified their decision by saying that the easternmost location of the Junction 42 area was better suited for business development since it accommodated similar uses.
Those who stay in Grand Junction instead of continuing to frequent Palisade, De Beque, or Garfield County for their weed needs could result in lower sales for those other locations and, therefore, lower tax revenue later for those little ones. cities.
The Happy Camper and the Colorado Weedery are not only the only two dispensaries in Palisade, but they have long been the only places Valley residents can legally buy marijuana without venturing into De Beque Canyon.
For Palisade Mayor Greg Mikolai, a “definite impact” on revenue is inevitable. The uncertainty stems from the magnitude of this impact ultimately.
“Will our income be cut in half? Will it be just a percentage, like 10% or 25%? We don’t really have a good indication or a good idea of what it could be yet,” he said. “Part of that will depend on where the clinics are, to be perfectly honest. If they’re mostly on the west side of town, we might not see as much of an impact as if they were much more spread out.
“Also, it may depend on the number of people at a time. We know there will be an impact. There must be. On the other hand, our crystal ball is just not as clear as we would like.
Mikolai discussed some of Palisade’s options for mitigating the impact. For one, Palisade’s ordinances require a maximum of three dispensaries in the city.
He said there had been “problems” with opening a third dispensary, but the city is “cleaning up” its ordinances to clarify the process for opening a third marijuana store.
He also mentioned that the city was considering raising its sales tax by 2% to be more in line with the rest of the valley, but due to inflation and other concerns, he felt it would not be. not prudent for the city to approach it as a ballot. question at this time.
“There’s really no other plan in place regarding Grand Junction’s impact on our retail revenue other than to watch it closely over the next year and watch our spending and be cautious about where our money is going in the next fiscal year and maybe even in the next fiscal year,” Mikolai said. “We’re lucky to have an extremely decent reserve at this point, so I don’t think we We’ll really start to feel a huge pinch forward, maybe well into 2023.”
The only other town in Mesa County with dispensaries is De Beque. The city has four dispensaries: Elk Mountain Trading Post, Kush Gardens, Tumbleweed, and Buds Premium Cannabis.
De Beque town administrator Caré McInnis said the impending expansion of dispensaries in Grand Junction is on the town’s radar.
McInnis noted that dispensaries aren’t the only facet of the marijuana industry in town. There are two cannabis growers there: Hava Gardens and the soon-to-open Flower Collective. She believes these growers will help maintain De Beque as one of the West Slope’s top sources of marijuana.
However, regardless of the impact of the Grand Junction dispensaries, McInnis believes the cannabis industry provides more than just money to De Beque, and that connection will continue to be strong no matter what the larger community does. town in Mesa County.
“The industry certainly brings a lot of benefits to the city outside of taxpayer dollars,” she said. “They have been beneficial in many ways. There are the jobs they bring to our community, and they are significant contributors to our community, in terms of services and contributions and so on.
“We value them more than their tax money.”


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There is “brilliant” potential for vehicle-to-grid charging technologies to sweep the UK, but only if the industry can bring prices down.
That’s the view of Tom Pakenham, director of electric vehicles at OVO and Kaluza, who said that V2G technologies could “unlock the potential of the car in ways smart charging just doesn’t”.
Kaluza parent company OVO is one of a select few energy companies in the UK currently installing domestic V2G chargers in the UK and currently has around 30 installed, forming part of a major government-backed competition to help boost the technology.
Pakenham says that expanding these technologies to a mass market of a million cars had the potential to be brilliant but, on top of ensuring that customers had the “right habits” and the right relationship with their supplier, technology costs would have to come down.
Read more: Current News


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Last month, Lincoln unveiled the 2020 Navigator with a slew of tech now fitted as standard, including Lincoln’s Phone As A Key technology introduced in the all-new Aviator along with power running boards, heated and ventilated front-row seats, and a wireless charging pad.
Lincoln hasn’t announced pricing details for the 2020 Navigator yet, but we were expecting a price increase since Lincoln’s large SUV is loaded with more standard tech. Now CarsDirect has obtained order guides confirming the 2020 Lincoln Navigator’s pricing – and there are some significant changes to the order sheet.
Previously, many of these features were only available in the Select trim with the Technology Package. Buyers also get the aforementioned heated & cooled front seats, power running boards, and wireless charging, so we can’t really complain about the price increase.(Source)
— Automobilnews (@Automobilnews1) August 21, 2019


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By Werner Vogels, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President, Amazon
Over the last year, I’ve seen some of the most technologically advanced organizations innovate using cloud solutions, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and computer vision (CV). Many of these innovations will drive meaningful improvements to the way we live in the coming years.
Here are the five technology areas I’m most interested in watching evolve in 2023:
1. Autonomous systems transform supply chains
Over the last few years, we’ve all seen the fragility of the global supply chain. But I’ve also seen at Amazon how modern technology can drive stability and efficiency, even in uncertain times. And as this technology becomes easier to adopt by others, it will transform supply chains.
For example, we recently launched a supply chain solution, based on nearly 30 years of Amazon.com logistics network experience, that automatically combines and analyzes data across multiple supply chain systems and provides ML-powered, actionable insights. It makes it easier for businesses to improve supply chain visibility so they can make faster, more informed decisions that mitigate risks, lower costs, and improve customer experiences.
I also expect exciting improvements in factories, with IoT sensors that not only can predict machine failures but also prevent them, reducing downtime. In shipping, the emergence of digital freight networks that traverse countries will provide real-time data that allows carriers to optimize shipping routes and change course in response to unexpected events.
2. Cloud technology redefines sports
Cloud technology is redefining how people play and experience sports. Organizations, such as the NFL, NHL, Bundesliga, and Formula 1, are using AWS to produce insights from millions of data points and performance analytics to enhance the fan experience.
On screen, data overlays and real-time insights continue to augment the viewing experience. In a few years, watching a game might look more like what we see when playing a video game today. The fan experience will evolve in stadiums as well, adopting the use of biometrics, CV, and ML to enable ticketless entry and grab-and-go purchasing.
And streaming companies, such as Veo, are using the cloud to narrow the digital divide between amateur and professional athletes. Veo built a neural network that automatically creates highlights from video streams, allowing players, coaches, and recruiters to easily find key plays and improve tactics. With Veo, more players have access to technology that was once only accessible to the elite.
3. Simulated worlds reinvent experimentation
Simulations can help us make better decisions—about road construction, warehouse organization, disaster response, and more. But organizations have been constrained by the high-powered hardware and a specialized workforce required to build them.
New technology, such as AWS solutions that make simulations easier to create and more cost effective, are changing that. For example, Terraformation is a company that has a goal to plant one trillion trees, and with AWS simulation technology it can now model the growth of entire forests, ensuring plant health and biodiversity.
Spatial computing is also becoming more prevalent because of new specialized hardware and cloud technologies that make it possible to create 3D models of nearly any environment. This will change the way industries, such as architecture and real estate, operate. In the future, 3D models will be as easy to create and consume as short-form videos.
4. Smart energy innovation improves power
Decentralized grids and energy storage are two growing areas of power innovation that will help address the energy crisis. Many communities are shifting from traditional energy companies to their own microgrids so they can sustain themselves.
In my neighborhood, we have a small microgrid, where solar energy is collected and shared among tenants. The cloud can help communities better understand their energy usage data and predict spikes, preventing outages through the redistribution of energy.
Battery storage is evolving, too. For example, Amazon is investing in new energy storage systems that can store clean energy produced by its solar projects and deploy it when solar energy is not available. The new projects include a 300-megawatt (MW) solar project paired with 150 MW of battery storage in Arizona and a 150 MW solar project paired with 75 MW of battery storage in California.
5. Custom-designed chips reduce cost and energy consumption
In the past, applications have relied on general-purpose chips, designed to satisfy a variety of use cases, from simple applications to compute-intensive analytics. But now we’re seeing the move to chips custom-built for the cloud that radically increase performance and deliver efficiencies that lower cost and energy consumption.
For example, AWS has chips for a broad range of applications, used by the smallest startups to the largest enterprises, powering compute instances that deliver up to 40% better price performance and use up to 60% less energy than comparable instances built with general-purpose chips. Because of these results, we expect to see more organizations moving to these cloud-optimized chips as we continue to push for greater performance while reducing costs and energy consumption.
Learn more about how to innovate with the cloud.
Read the full set of predictions on my blog.
To read all the pieces in our “Reinventing with the cloud” series, click here.


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Co-founders of the online payment company PayPal, which is currently owned by eBay Inc. have reportedly donated funding to Endorse Liberty, a Super PAC supporting Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul.
According to Reuters, the PAC announced on Tuesday that PayPal co-founders Peter Thiel and Luke Nosek and Scott Banister threw in money alongside Internet advertising veteran Stephen Oskoui and entrepreneur Jeffrey Harmon, who founded Endorse Liberty in November.
“Too often in this country we learn things the hard way … With its unsustainable deficits, government spending is heading down the same path. Men and women who want freedom and growth should take action. A good place to start is voting for Ron Paul,” Thiel said in a statement.
Endorse Liberty has reported spending about $3.3 million promoting Paul by setting up YouTube channels, buying ads from Google and Facebook and StumbleUpon and building a Web presence.


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Royal Mail has installed its latest high-speed parcel sorting machine in Manchester, capable of processing 157,000 parcels per day to help meet the shift in consumer demand for parcels and next-day delivery.
With parcel deliveries now representing almost £6 in £10 of Royal Mail’s revenue, the new fully automated sorting machine at Manchester Mail Centre will support the company’s ongoing transformation into even more of a parcels-led business.
There has been reports that Royal Mail is prioritising parcel deliveries during industrial action, which continues today [09 December], with further strikes planned 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December.
Royal Mail currently sorts more than 22 million parcels on average each week by automated means, with a total of 36 parcel sorting machines operating across the UK network.
With domestic parcel volumes up more than 30% compared to pre-pandemic levels, these machines strengthen Royal Mail’s drive to increase automation and operational efficiency across its business.
Grant McPherson, chief operating officer, Royal Mail, said: “Customers want more parcels, delivered the next day – including Sundays. We are investing in the latest technology to ensure we can meet this demand as we modernise our business. Our new parcel sorting machine in Manchester will help drive growth as we transform into an even more parcels-focused business.”
Royal Mail is aiming to reach 70% parcel automation by 2022-23 and the industry standard of 90% parcel automation by 2023-24.
However, some retailers are turning their backs on Royal Mail due to the ongoing disruption caused by strike action. Currys has switched to an alternative provider to ensure delivery in the run up to Christmas.
The electrical good retailer stressed that the move was just “for now”, and the Communications Workers Union (CWU) said that “business customers will be telling Royal Mail they need to get this sorted or they’ll lose contracts.”
The CWU’s members are calling for wage rises to keep pace with inflation, the union has stressed they want a resolution but “will not accept Royal Mail CEO Simon Thompson’s job-destroying, asset-stripping, business-destroying agenda”.
Royal Mail responded that after months of talks it has shared a best and final offer for pay and change. The revised offer includes extensive improvements that have been made during the negotiations with the CWU, including an enhanced pay deal of 9% over 18 months and a number of other concessions to terms and agreements.


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Startup: StarMaker Interactive
The details: Based in San Francisco, 15 people
Their story: StarMaker's iPhone karaoke app has more than 2 million active users. The app is free; songs go for 25 cents to 95 cents each. The platform really took off when the company added a game layer with scoring and prizes, product manager Reed Kavner says.
Their biggest surprise: "Users are much more comfortable sharing recordings with strangers than they are with friends," Kavner says. StarMaker's "share your recording on Facebook" feature gets middling use. When the company launched its own community boards, sharing took off.
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Today, at their E3 2018 Conference, Nintendo announced a new DLC pack for Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The pack, titled Torna, adds new story content. This expansion focuses on the game’s antagonist, Jin, and the history of his birthplace, Torna.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was released on Nintendo Switch on Dec. 1, 2017, and the game has received both paid and free updates since the release. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna — The Golden Country will be released Sept. 14 for Switch, and players can get it with the game’s expansion pass, which costs $29.99. This story expansion will also be able to be purchased separately.
Watch the trailer down below!
The base game, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, has received a large amount of praise when it released late last year.
This post was originally written by Tyler Krasnai.


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In this week’s web publishing roll up, Tina Brown, former editor of Tatler, Vanity Fair and Talk, wants you to know that “American newspapers are dying mostly because they were so dull for so long a whole generation gave up on them” and not because the internet is killing them.
Reversing the Print-to-Web Trend
Keeping that in mind, I wonder what she’d say about Condé Nast, Meredith and Hearst who are making attempts to bring back their defunct print rags or create print versions of popular websites. While this seems to go against the print-to-web trend of the past few years, it might just be an effort to capitalize on a slightly better economic outlook.
Most of the magazines looking to resurrect themselves in print are food-themed, such as Gourmet and Domino, a niche that has a loyal and often economically-viable following.
Some of the new publishing endeavors may come back as bookazines -- a term that refers to a hybrid between a magazine and a soft-cover book, which often cost more and includes user-generated content from their websites.
Press+ on Track to Innovate Online Payment Model
Journalism Online’s Reader Revenue Platform is slated to launch very soon. Press+, as it’s better known, could innovate the online pay process for newspapers. The payment flexibility that Press+ is slated to offer makes it attractive to affiliates who can choose to charge readers outside their traditional circulation, or set up a voluntary fee process. As well, it aims to let any consumer with a Press+ account enter payment information only once to use the account for any publisher taking part -- similar to the way Amazon and other ecommerce sites do.
Press+ has been in private beta for weeks and has kept the list of affiliate testers hush-hush, although it’s known that the New York Times and GlobalPost will are among the publishers who plan to incorporate Press+.
A recent memo from Steven Brill and Gordon Crovitz, the brains behind the new platform, indicated that everything is ready and their eventual launch will “equip [publishers] with market intelligence and experience so that you can incorporate best practices in your own careful launches.”
Apples & Stanzas
Last week Apple introduced iBooks, an anticipated feature of the iPad that will provide readers with more e-reader options. Less than a week later, the Amazon-owned Stanza iPhone e-books app released an upgrade in which the version notes stated: “Removed ability to share books via USB as required by Apple.”
Stanza, a leading iPhone e-book app, had previously allowed users to transfer books from their computers to the handset using both cable and WiFi via an accompanying desktop application. Only the WiFi sync feature remains.
The update confused plenty, and speculation spread about how Amazon’s prominence in the e-Book app market may prove to be one of Apple’s biggest challenges. In the end however, Apple made it known that they had “requested Stanza remove the USB functionality in their app as it was a simple case of the developer using private APIs in violation of the developer agreement.”


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Transcript for Techbytes: Tablet Price War Heats Up
In today's tech -- the tablet price war is heating up again Barnes & Noble -- cutting the price of its eight gigabyte know by twenty dollars to 179. Bucks. Which is less than Amazon's Kindle fire. The road to White House -- runs straight through your computer the political machine 2012. Lets you play as President Obama or Mitt Romney or create your own candidate trying to win the hearts and minds of voters. -- go to games dot com says it's a real political eye opener. It really does get into the -- and -- like everything that goes on everything that's. And goes on behind the teens that the real -- campaign and I think there really is kind of a big bringing experience to he had. We'll -- -- twelve is available for PCs and the contest hailing a cab in New York could be a little easier. A new app called zap cap uses GPS to send the location of someone looking for -- to a driver who also has the -- Does -- tech -- I'm John Mueller.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.


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Apple Doesn’t Need To Take 30% From Developers: Garrity on Bloomberg
Updated: Apr 23, 2021
Apple WWDC Developments – Sideshow Ahead of 5G Phone Launch
All eyes on Apple today as its first-ever virtual Worldwide Developer Conference is underway. As such events normally do, there are a range of software-related announcements that have been made such as the launch of iOS 14, the new iPadOS 14, MacOS Big Sur, TV OS and WatchOS updates as well. Bigger news is that Apple is now standardizing its devices on ARM-based chip designs in a move away from Intel. The move is intended to deliver better performance at lower power consumption than before, a (presumably) Metal-optimized graphics processor and other custom acceleration silicon. New systems will ship by the end of 2020, and the Apple silicon will roll out across the rest of the Mac line over the next two years.
Looming over the WWDC is how well will Apple be able to manage its relationships with its app-developer community going forward. At present, the third-party developers fuel a services business that generated more than $46 billion for Apple in its last fiscal year, almost 18% of the iPhone maker’s total revenue. Note that this represents a business model in which Apple has a 30% take of the revenues generated from the third-party developers apps. The company claimed last week that the App Store generated $519 billion in revenue for the global economy last year, a number that would appear to indicate that the take is more like 9% of gross revenues. Either way, it is still a high number and indicates that Apple is well-paid for playing the “troll under the bridge” when it comes to operating the App Store.
While the WWDC developments are of course of interest, the main element of interest to investors remains the prospects for the upcoming release of Apple’s 5G iPhone and the extent to which it will spark an upgrade wave by existing users so as to exploit the greater communications speed offered by 5G networks. For now, expectations are that it will catch fire and serve to unleash a 40% gain in Apple shares ahead of and during the rollout later this year.
Trump Ban On H1-B Visas Hits Tech Sector
As if almost on cue following a disastrous week-end rally in Tulsa, OK and the setback suffered last week in the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the DACA program, the Trump Administration has decided to take another shot at the knowledge-based economy by moving to ban for the rest of 2020 the issuance of H-1B visas, a move that will keep as many as 525,000 foreign workers out of the U.S..
While the decision is utterly misguided in so many ways and clearly intended to play to Trump’s xenophobic base, the fact is that decision is perhaps largely irrelevant for the following reason: COVID has demonstrated that companies, particularly high-tech companies, can operate on a distributed basis. In this regard, the notion that workforces must be co-located is becoming obsolete. In this case, in the future the need for an H-1B visa is obviated as it is possible to have the worker in question operate from overseas. Nevertheless, the hope is that the Trump visa ban order will be lifted as it would be good for the U.S. economy to have the spending within it that H-1B visa workers would bring.


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National award for Ipswich-based business lender Fleximize
PUBLISHED: 16:10 06 March 2018 | UPDATED: 11:31 07 March 2018
The British Bank Awards recognise Fleximize for its outstanding contribution to UK SMEs
Ipswich-based lender Fleximize, an alternative provider of finance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has been crowned Best Business Finance Provider at the annual British Bank Awards 2018.
The alternative lender has been recognised for its attention to customer service quality and SME-focused initiatives.
The Best Business Finance Provider award shines a light on the banks and alternative lenders who have best addressed the needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs.
The British Bank Awards establishes the best products, innovations and most trusted financial brands, decided by the customers themselves.
Peter Tuvey co-founder and managing director of Fleximize, said: “We’ve had a fantastic start to 2018, and winning this award is testament to the hard work of the whole team. Our customers are the backbone of our success, and this award, voted for by them, has given us a huge amount of confidence for the future.”
Fleximize recently closed a funding facility of £16.3m from Hadrian’s Wall Secured Investments and has lent over £65 million to SMEs in the UK since launching in 2014, with half of this lent in 2017.
In the past year, the company has rolled out its secured product and substantially increased its lending capacity, as it looks to take its lending to SMEs past £100 million this year.
The British Bank Awards took place at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London.
Fleximize is a UK-based business lender and web platform launched in January 2014 with the aim to help small and medium-sized British businesses grow by providing them with flexible financing solutions tailored to their unique needs and preferences.
It is based in the Ipswich Waterfront area.


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I was once a plantain hawker, actress Biodun Okeowo
Curvy Actress, Brand Ambassador/Influencer, and Model, Biodun Okeowo popularly known as Omoborty, who recently signed an ambassadorial deal with a fashion store has recounted the ordeal she had to go through before she finally made it in life.
The single mother of two, who has over the years grown a thick skin to criticisms from trolls, says she is elated that those who didn’t believe in her dream some years back, are now trying hard to be in her good books.
“I believe in hard work. Keep grinding, one day the people that don’t believe in you will tell everyone how they met you. Don’t relent; just keep pushing. I was once a plantain hawker. I didn’t allow my past to determine my future. My haters are at my back, they are likened to my problems, which are also at my back, but Holy Ghost is solely behind me,” she noted.


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While it’s hardly news that businesses are exposed to reputation and liability risk through suppliers, the factory collapse in Bangladesh in April has upped the ante considerably. Retailers in the United States and abroad found themselves doing damage control as the death toll topped 1,100 and company after company uncovered ties to the garment factories involved in the disaster. Responses differed from company to company, but people everywhere reacted furiously.
While there has been substantial outcry after providers of products like fruits and vegetables, tires or pet food have been targeted for harm they caused, the factory collapse may have taken public outrage to a new level. In a sign of the times, that outrage was focused through social media.
For instance, when Benetton denied any ties to the tragedy, photos of Benetton garments found in the wreckage went viral on the Internet. Similarly, when Walmart and the Gap declined to sign on to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, social media campaigns and online petitions sought to make the companies change their minds amid blistering criticism.
Many weeks later, the reputational damage continued to grow as not just the general public, but politicians and other retailers weighed in. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., after touring some of the factories in Bangladesh where U.S. garments are made, said that retailers “have to make a decision now whether you want to have blood on your labels.” American Apparel CEO Dov Charney has gone on the record saying that retailers should pay workers more or get out of the business: “They shouldn’t be making clothing. If they can’t pay $50 a week, don’t make clothes.”
Where does this leave U.S. companies? Probably looking for reputation insurance, lest trouble online translate to trouble at the cash register. A recent Harris poll indicated that almost four in 10 U.S. consumers are now unwilling to buy garments made in Bangladesh. Caroline Sapriel, managing director of international risk and crisis management firm CS&A, pointed out that companies could end up paying a price for the cheap cost of manufacturing garments in factories there.
“There have been some petitions calling for boycotts of certain retailers connected to the tragedy,” she said. While she was “not sure how much traction they have . . . so far,” she added that “[s]ocial media has been used to expose consumer/public outrage at this tragedy and . . . pockets of consumers with a higher consciousness are definitely rejecting some brands.”
Tracie Grella, global head of professional liability for AIG, said that reputation risk is “one of the emerging risks and exposures now that insurance companies are looking at.” Products that insure against reputation damage are actually fairly new, said Grella, so, even given the magnitude of the disaster, she doesn’t anticipate any changes in underwriting to such policies as a result of the Bangladesh factory collapse. However, there is always the chance that could change in the future. Information gathered each time a problem occurs provides guidance for underwriters on where industry-specific risks may lie.
One thing Grella does expect, however, is that such coverage will grow. The spread of bad news via social media exponentially increases the damage to a company’s reputation. “It could be a little restaurant down in South Carolina where something bad happens, and nobody outside the city would know,” Grella said. “Now, the whole world knows.”
George Haitsch of Willis Group recently pointed out on the WillisWire blog that risk management includes prevention of problems: “Strong risk management aligned with corporate values and business strategy works not only to manage the financial, supply-chain and reputational risks of outsourcing, but also to proactively prevent disasters before they occur. Aligning loss control best practices into contracts and partnerships can help to ensure that your firm’s brand and reputation are protected regardless of where and who is producing your product.”
Companies in search of reputation risk coverage might do well to heed his words.


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Fox Business Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
On the day the world learned of a second coronavirus vaccine, this time from Moderna after Pfizer & BioNTech's version, room-sharing giant Airbnb filed for its highly anticipated initial public offering after the closing bell Monday.
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The IPO announcement comes after online food delivery company, DoorDash, did the same last week.
INSIDE THE DOORDASH IPO
The IPO comes 13 years later after Airbnb was founded in 2007. The house-sharing platform now boasts 4 million hosts worldwide, according to the prospectus.