text:
Media Contact: Sarah Pollo MooMobile: 916/410-7506
California Retailers Association and LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger Announce Safe Shopping For ALL Initiative
Initiative Takes the Politics Out of Wearing a Mask
Sacramento, CA – September 2, 2020 – The California Retailers Association and Supervisor Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors announced today the launch of the Safe Shopping For ALL campaign, an initiative to promote safe shopping in California. The initiative encourages consumers to wear a mask and practice social distancing in an effort to engage retailers, employees and consumers in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and any possible future waves. The statewide campaign comes ahead of an expected increase in shopping around major holidays including Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and the remainder of the 2020 holiday season.
“We know shoppers are more likely to follow the state mandate to wear a face mask if we take the politics out of wearing one,” said Rachel Michelin, President and CEO of the California Retailers Association. “We also know consumers want to see their retail stores stay open and operational and most consumers want to do their part to stop the spread of the virus. CRA is grateful to have the strong local leadership of LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger to help Californians continue on the path of keeping the economy open while bending the curve.”


text:
MORE FROM DIOR: Christian Dior SA said Thursday net profits last year reached $700.7 million, compared with $3.3 million in 2001, while operating income jumped 31 percent to $2.24 billion. Dollar figures are converted from the euro at current...
MORE FROM DIOR: Christian Dior SA said Thursday net profits last year reached $700.7 million, compared with $3.3 million in 2001, while operating income jumped 31 percent to $2.24 billion. Dollar figures are converted from the euro at current exchange. Christian Dior SA, which comprises the Christian Dior fashion house and luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, noted in a statement that it benefited from lower finance charges due to a reduced debt load. The Dior results coincide with LVMH’s 2002 results announced last week. Net profits were $609.6 million, while operating profit advanced 29 percent to $2.20 billion, as reported.
PARFUMS PROFITS: Inter Parfums Inc.’s fourth quarter came out smelling like a rose. Net profits ascended 24.9 percent to $2.8 million, or 14 cents a diluted share, from $2.2 million, or 11 cents, a year ago. Sales for the three months ended Dec. 31 grew by 36 percent to $37.1 million from $27.3 million a year ago. "The sales momentum that began in the third quarter for both our mass market and prestige lines continued in the final quarter of 2002," said chairman and chief executive Jean Madar in a statement. Over the full year, income rose 15.8 percent to $9.4 million, or 47 cents a diluted share, from $8.1 million, or 41 cents, during the preceding year. Sales advanced 16.1 percent to $130.4 million from $112.2 million in 2001. This year, the New York-based firm is looking for profits to rise 17 percent to $11 million on a 15.1 percent increase in sales to $150 million. Inter Parfums also raised its quarterly cash dividend by 33.3 percent to 2 cents a share. The company owns 77 percent of Paris-based Inter Parfums SA, which is traded on the Paris Bourse, and the French firm’s results are consolidated accordingly. The American company is traded on the Nasdaq. The group plans numerous product launches this year, including summer fragrances from Celine and Christian Lacroix; a floral version of Burberry Touch that will bow in the spring, called Burberry Tender Touch, and another Burberry women’s fragrance, which is planned for fall. The next quarterly dividend is payable on April 15 to shareholders of record on March 31.
ADIDAS ON THE RUN: Confirming preliminary figures released two months ago, Adidas-Salomon reported a 10.6 jump in net profit and 7 percent rise in group sales for 2002. The Herzogenaurach, Germany-based footwear and athletic apparel firm said net profit hit $252.6 million, up from $229.4 million the year before. Group net sales topped $7.19 billion, a rise of 11 percent when currency fluctuation is excluded. Dollar figures are converted from the euro at the current exchange rate of $1.10 per euro. Fourth-quarter operating profit rose 21 percent to $72.8 million as net sales for the 13 weeks grew 8 percent to $1.65 billion and advanced 17 percent without currency fluctuation. Adidas-Salomon also said order backlogs at the end of 2002 grew 6 percent, the "highest yearend order backlog growth rate in four years." Orders in Europe were up 10 percent, the highest rate since 1997. In euro terms, backlogs in North America declined 3 percent, but were up 15 percent on a currency neutral basis. In Asia, orders were up 11 percent and twice that much on a currency neutral basis. In 2003, the company "aims to deliver healthy top-line growth of around 5 percent on a currency-neutral basis." Adidas-Salomon said growth is expected to come from all regions, with double-digit currency-neutral sales gains expected in North American and Asia. The company is forecasting a gross margin of between 42 and 43 percent of sales, and is targeting earnings growth for the year at between 10 and 15 percent.
MOVADO’S FISCAL WATCH: Movado Group Inc.’s fourth-quarter net income rose 20.5 percent to $5.5 million, or 46 cents a share, from $4.6 million, or 38 cents, in the year-ago period. Sales for the three months ended Jan. 31 were up 6.4 percent to $79.5 million from $74.8 million. For the year, income rose 17.1 percent to $20.1 million, or $1.65, from $17.1 million, or $1.43, last year. Sales were essentially flat, inching up 0.1 percent to $300.1 million from $299.7 million. Year-ago results exclude nonrecurring accounting adjustments and charges. "Throughout the year, we continued to focus on our strategy of executive cost savings initiatives, driving productivity improvements and improving working capital management," Rick Cote, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a statement, adding: "In fact, we were in a zero net debt position at the end of the quarter, which provides us a solid foundation to execute our growth initiatives."
LAURA’S LOSSES: Laura Ashley PLC expects to close the fiscal year ended Jan. 25 with a pretax loss, before exceptional items, of approximately $8 million. The company said in a statement the loss was due to lower-than-expected sales and margins in January 2003, higher writedowns of stock, and an increase in accruals and other year-end accounting adjustments. On a more positive note, the company said it was in "advanced negotiations" with a prospective franchisee for the Laura Ashley stores in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. As reported, the company plans to shutter 35 stores across continental Europe — including all of its German units — in a bid to stem losses, but is seeking franchise partners for its remaining 18 stores, all of which are profitable. Dollar figures are converted from the dollar at current exchange.
E-GADZ: Gadzooks, a specialty retailer of casual clothing and accessories for young men and juniors, reported a fourth-quarter loss of $2.3 million, or 25 cents a diluted share, reversing a year-ago profit of $3.9 million, or 43 cents. Sales in the quarter dropped 0.5 percent to $96.8 million over $97.3 million and comparable-store sales sank 3.1 percent after a 3.9 percent decline for the fourth quarter of last year. Junior comps rose in the low-single digits, hurt by sales of denim and sweaters, while men’s stumbled in the mid-single-digit range. During the quarter, Gadzook’s incurred a $5.9 million pretax impairment charge for underperforming stores. Gerald?Szczepanski, chairman and chief executive, said on a conference call Monday that the firm plans to close 10 percent of its 434 stores by the end of the year as part of its previously reported restructuring plan to convert to an all-women’s format. The Dallas-based firm also reported a loss in 2002 of $1.3 million, or 14 cents, compared with a profit in 2001 of $6 million, or 65 cents. Sales for the 12 months rose 3.7 percent to $325.5 million over 2001 sales of $313.8 million, but were down 3.4 percent on a comp basis. Although Gadzooks’ financial results were released after the market closed, its shares closed down 12 cents, or 4.5 percent, at $2.56 on Nasdaq trading Monday, breaking its previous 52-week low of $2.59, reached on March 7.
@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

domain: news


text:
The Next Web
Textiles can be made into a form of art.
For example, a denim shirt can be worn as a necklace, or as a decorative piece.
Anzea is working on that too.
The tech giant recently launched a line of fabrics called the Anzeas Collection, a collection of materials that is made up of two types of textile: textiles made from hemp and cotton and woven fabrics made from recycled materials.
Textiles made with both materials can be used in a wide range of products, including clothing, jewelry, and accessories.
But they are not yet used in everyday life.
Anzeas says the company is working to improve on its previous technology by developing new materials and processes that allow for faster production.
It’s also trying to find ways to improve the quality of the materials used to make these fabrics, something that is a big challenge.
In particular, Anzeans fibers are typically made from polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, which is known to have high chemical stability.
An anzeas spokesperson said that the company uses only the most stringent standards of PET production to ensure the fabric is completely recyclable.
Anzas also has a partnership with textile manufacturing company Vibram to offer a range of new textiles that it says will help textile makers make textiles with the qualities and functionality they need.
Textile factories in China are also using materials from Anze’s collection to make some of the most sought-after garments, including some that are currently on the market.
But Anzeaby has not yet announced the materials it is using.
For Anze, the textile industry has always been a tough nut to crack, especially as it has had a lot of consolidation and consolidation has happened in the last 10 years.
So, even though there are a lot more manufacturers now, the industry still is not quite as integrated as it should be, said Anze.
But now that Anze is in this space, the company sees the opportunities in creating the next wave of technology, said the spokesperson.
Anza has already made some significant advances in textiles, like the use of high-density polyethylenimide, or HPD, in its fabrics.
And the company has even managed to bring back to life some of its classic denim fabrics that were made in the 1960s.
But the textile makers haven’t been able to replicate the process with a lot different materials, the spokesperson said.
The Anzeam fabric is not just about clothing, though.
Anza is also working on a line called Anzeos Fashion, which will sell fabrics made in a similar fashion to Anze clothes, but with a slightly different aesthetic.
The company is looking to launch the first version of the Anza collection in 2019, the statement said.


text:
Mobile phones face 'spam epidemic'
By Simon Hooper for CNN
More than 70 percent of mobile users consider all spam unacceptable.
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS
Follow the news that matters to you. Create your own
alert to be notified on topics you're interested in.
Or, visit Popular Alerts
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Mobile phones have become an essential business tool for many workers, but an explosive growth in junk mail targeted at mobile users could undermine their effectiveness.
A new global study reveals how a growing tide of "spam", already flooding through employees' email defenses, has now spread to phone networks in the form of unsolicited text and "missed call" messages.
And the survey, conducted by British mobile data technology company Empower Interactive, reported that although 80 percent of mobile operators accepted that spam posed a major problem, only 20 percent had implemented safeguards to protect their customers.
A third of operators admitted they had no plans at all to combat the spread of spam, despite clear evidence that most mobile phone users regard it as an unwelcome intrusion.
In a parallel survey, 65 percent of users said they already received up to five spam messages a week. Those who signed up for extra services such as ring tones or games were most likely to be targeted.
While 45 percent of operators considered that acceptable, more than 70 percent of users were opposed to receiving any unsolicited communications at all.
Last year British mobile watchdog, the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS), said it received more than 10,000 complaints about mobile spam.
'Missed call marketing'
And spammers are still finding new ways to target phone users. This week the UK's Guardian newspaper reported a new spam scam called "missed call marketing" in which computer-generated calls ring just once to leave a "missed call" message on a user's handset.
If they then returned the call they were transferred to a premium rate number, offering a cash prize but more regularly leaving victims with a hefty charge on their phone bill.
"It is completely illegal, inappropriate, unsolicited and unethical and we will take action against it," the ICSTIS told the Guardian.
Mass marketing material sent electronically without the receiver's consent is already illegal in Europe following a European Commission directive last year.
Last month Britain's main operators 3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone signed a new code of practice, welcomed by government communications minister Stephen Timms, to "combat bulk and nuisance communications."
In Japan, Vodafone KK announced on February 4 that it would establish an email address for customers to forward on any spam and promised to bar anyone caught spamming from using the network.
But Empower Interactive CEO Richard Shearer warned that tougher measures were needed to prevent phone spam reaching unmanageable levels.
"The industry is aware that mobile spam is growing at an alarming rate," said Shearer.
"Operators recognize the value of mobile messaging yet unless measures are also taken from within the industry, this problem may eventually reach the epidemic proportions of Internet spam."


text:
Nato, Afghan transit transporters go on strike
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Jan 5, IRNA -- Transporters that carry Nato supplies and Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) cargo have suspended their operations for an indefinite period, a media report said on Saturday.
'Express Tribune' reported that goods transporters' unions have staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club against the customs bonded carrier system of the Federal Bureau of Revenue's (FBR) and announced their strike.
The bonded carrier system implies that authorised licensed companies are responsible to contract cargo shipments from ports in Karachi to Afghanistan and truckers have to go through these registered firms to haul the trans-border supplies.
"Transportation of transit cargo to Afghanistan has stopped from trucking hubs of Karachi, Quetta, Torkham and Chaman in protest against the new system," said Haji Khan Dil Khan Niazi, who chairs All Pakistan Goods Transporters' Welfare Association.
"Transporters are forced to go on strike against the bonded carrier system of FBR as we are facing huge difficulties and financial losses," Niazi said.
Niazi made it clear that if the FBR did not meet the demands of transporters, the strike may also hit the local supplies of goods for an indefinite period from January 8.
"There are about 8,500 carriers which transport goods from Karachi Port and Port Qasim to domestic market, Nato, Isaf and transit cargo to Afghanistan," he pointed out, adding they would shut down in protest.
He said the FBR has issued licences to nearly 40 companies to control the transit cargo.
According to Niazi, the bonded carrier system has severely affected transporters. "Now the transporters cannot take contracts for transit cargo, unless the company, which they are registered with, allows them to undertake another company's job," he said.
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 1044288
|Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list|


text:
When dealerships remarket used cars and trucks from automakers whose new models they don't sell, they need a credible source to determine whether those used vehicles have been recalled.
Many dealerships consult safercar.gov, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's consumer-oriented website that lists recalls filed with the agency.
Although NHTSA's data are expansive, executives from two providers of recall information — AutoAp and Recall Masters — say there are risks in relying too heavily on the government site.
An AutoAp study concludes that NHTSA's data have "significant" error rates, particularly in listing model names and years. The agency did not respond to a request for comment on that allegation.
NHTSA's records often lag behind automakers' issuance of recall notices to dealers, the study says. AutoAp CEO Mark Paul cites a BMW recall notice published by NHTSA in July.
The notice identifies taillight reflectors that don't conform to federal standards on certain 2013 and 2014 5-series cars. Although the BMW notice is dated March 31, 2015, the NHTSA site states that the recall was to begin on July 24, 2017. It actually started July 27.
NHTSA began reviewing the issue in 2015, but took more than two years to complete that process. BMW began notifying its dealers of the voluntary recall on May 31 — more than a month before NHTSA offered the public notice.
Finding that out would have involved reading all related documents in NHTSA's published record — a time-consuming task. For a non-BMW dealer without access to the automaker's internal notifications, this might be confusing, or worse.
Retailing a used car covered by this recall could pose a liability for a non-BMW dealership if the car were sold without the necessary fixes after BMW issued its notice but before NHTSA published its notice.
NHTSA spokesman Derrell Lyles says the time between when an automaker notifies the agency about a safety issue and NHTSA publishes a recall notice "may depend on how long the reviewing process takes."
Lyles says the gap between a manufacturer's notification to dealers and NHTSA's publication of a recall is caused in part by the time required to enter identification numbers of affected vehicles into the agency's database.


text:
FIFA vs PES: The battle to make the best soccer game rages on
Either, both, neither?
College athletes in EA lawsuit will receive an average of $1,600
The $60 million settlement is split between 24,819 claims.
No, EA isn't reviving 'NCAA Football'
A cryptic Facebook post got our hopes up.
Play as Ronda Rousey in EA Sports' 'UFC 2' in March
Check out a new gameplay video from the PS4 and Xbox One MMA installment.
EA puts women on the cover of 'FIFA 16' for the first time
Back in May, EA announced that FIFA 16 would feature 12 national women's soccer teams, making it t...
Xbox One Madden NFL 16 bundle comes with a year of EA Access
XBox One's new bundle will have football fans cheering. The Xbox One Madden NFL 16 bundle includes...
EA shows off its stable of upcoming sports blockbusters
As expected, EA took the stage at E3 2015 to showcase the next installment of its popular sports f...
'FIFA 16' will feature women soccer players for the first time
If you're entitled to play a sport in real life, then it's only fair that you can do so from the c...
'Madden NFL 15' update will remove Ray Rice after indefinite suspension
After another video of an incident between he and his then-fiancée surfaced Monday, the Bal...


text:
Evaly Managing Director (MD) Mohammad Rassel has now been sued in a cheque fraud case in Jashore.
An Evaly customer filed the case with a Jashore Court on Tuesday (September 21).
According to the case statement, the customer named Tarafder Md Moshahedur Rahman received a National Bank cheque from Evaly as refund on 25 July. But the cheque was dishonoured as the Evaly account came out to be empty.
The plaintiff’s lawyer said the court took the case into cognizance and issued a summon asking the accused to appear before it on 3 November.Share this post:
Advisory Editor: Syed Ershad Ahmed & Khandakar Fazle Rashid
Published by the Editor from House: 41/1, Road:1, Block:A, Niketon, Gulshan-01, Dhaka:1212
Phone: 02-9862635, 01785902626


text:
Shop Equipment Limited (SEL) has recently won two gold gongs, at the 2019 POPAI Awards, which took place recently in the Royal Lancaster Hotel in Hyde Park, London.
"The first category we were nominated for was Entertainment & Leisure, and at the end, it was our Irish Times Acrylic Newspaper Tower with the iconic Tara Street clock that took the Gold Award," said Martin Hendricken Sales Manager, SEL.
"The next category that we were nominated for was Short Run Permanent Display.
"Again, we were fortunate enough to collect the Gold Award for our Heineken Zero Zone shelving unit with incorporated refrigerator!"
Best of the Best
This year's event, which was attended by in the region of 500 attendees, celebrates the 'best of the best' in British and Irish design.
POPAI UK and Ireland is a non-profit organisation which services all aspects of the retail industry and is a part of the global Shop! Network, and conduct international research on consumer habits, preferences and trends.
"We jumped in a plane, donned our tuxes and gowns, and eagerly awaited the announcements." He added.
"Altogether, it was an excellent evening showcasing the high industry standard of work, all brought together and orchestrated by POPA UK & Ireland. We are delighted with the results, and are looking to carry this momentum forward into the New Year. Watch this space!"
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.


text:
In order to reinvent others, McKinsey reinvents itself
By Dzof Azmi January 24, 2018
- Wants companies to focus on implementing digital and analytics solutions
- Need for change goes beyond improving bottom-lines, up into nation-building
"I CALL it McKinsey 2.0". Nimal Manuel (pic), managing partner, Malaysia, McKinsey & Company wants us to get to know the new, updated version of the Big Three consultancy firm he works for.
It's so important that McKinsey launched their inaugural Digital and Analytics Forum in Kuala Lumpur to press home their vision of the opportunities available to companies today.
"Fifteen percent of McKinsey's work today is work we didn't have three to four years ago. It's much more around the implementation of digital and analytics."
This is apparent from McKinsey's recent acquisition of VLT Labs, a Kuala Lumpur-based product development studio now operating under McKinsey Digital.
"By next December, (McKinsey's digital and analytics people) will make up about one-third of McKinsey's Malaysia Service."
Digitisation and analytics not an option, but a must
The push for McKinsey's transformation has been led by the market. "Innovation in McKinsey is driven by what we believe our clients need," explained Michael Gryseels, senior partner and leader of McKinsey Digital Labs, APAC.
"It's a reflection of a broader realisation in the business communities that digitisation and analytics is not an option, it's a must."
Nimal explained in detailed that there were four areas where McKinsey needed to reconfigure: Building their capability to do design work; improving development skills within the company ("we now believe all our consultants need to learn coding"); upgrading their analytics capabilities; and improving their ability to implement real solutions on the ground.
"If you take all of that together, that is now representing more than one third of our firm," pointed out Gryseels.
The writing on the wall
The sectors in the region that show the most growth are fintech, telecommunications, oil and gas and the retail sector, and the realisation that you are being disrupted can be an unpleasant surprise.
"Huawei rolled out the red carpet for us. TenCent asked, 'Who are you'?" recounted Mohd Khairil Abdullah, the CEO of Axiata Digital Services, during a CEO roundtable at the forum.
Axiata had visited the US$400 billion investment holding company in Shenzen to find out their plans.
What he learned was that they intended to strengthen their reach and grip through apps like WeChat, sharing their plans for their improved versions of phone calls and text messaging, and doing so that by understanding their customer - an advantage traditional telcos claim to have over their digital opposition.
Khairil believes his industry has now been well and truly disrupted and warns that 44% of jobs currently in the telco-as-a-utility industry will be lost in the next few years.
"Sectors who are first disrupted are the guys with the biggest burning platform and need to do something," said Nimal, pointing to oil and gas as a key example.
"What we found is that in those sectors where technology is disrupting them, they are the companies that move the fastest."
New environments with new ways of working
And now they can move faster than ever. "The cost of computing is 2% of what it used to be."
Apart from faster processors, there is now more data collected than ever, with 90% of the world's data having been created in the last two years. The demand and supply created by these two advancements have spurred the development of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
The benefits are beginning to be seen. Nicolaus Henke, the global leader of McKinsey Analytics and senior partner, explained that the telcos were now seeing costs savings of 15%-30% from digitisation, while for the banking sector, it's 10%-15%
But these benefits are only apparent when companies are set up to take advantage of the latest innovations. "Technology is not the bottleneck," said Nimal. "Organisations are the bottleneck."
"Within McKinsey we're building a capability of agile coaching and agile transformation," said Gryseels.
"(This) is to help our traditional more enterprise clients to adopt the ways of working of startups."
Apart from methodologies, they are also exploring new ways to problem-solve. "For example, we've been solving a wide variety of business problems through Design Thinking, hackathon style kind of workshops."
Ever the much-maligned powerpoint presentations may be falling out of favour, replaced by interactive prototype proof-of-concept demos.
"In five years from now, we won't just be an old and new McKinsey - we'll be a very new McKinsey across the board, that's my vision."
National opportunities and threats
However, Nimal cautions to not be distracted by the hardware. "Technology's the easy part," observed Nimal. "The harder part is the organisation and how I think about adopting this."
There are also broader issues at stake. "Once I overcome the first order challenge, then the second order challenge becomes critical: What do I do with my workforce?".
These staff risk losing their jobs if they are not reskilled, raising a country's unemployment levels and creating a digital gap if they are left behind.
This is one example of issues faced by the country as a whole if it wants to maintain its recent growth rate of 4%-5% per year.
"If you look at the next 20 years, we've got less babies being born. We've got less people entering the workforce. If we're wanting to expect the same level of growth, about 4+%, we have got to get more productive."
"So, if we want to sustain (this), we need things like digital, things like analytics""
Nimal concludes, "Malaysia as a country has got no choice but to adopt digital and analytics. If we don't, we'll be left behind."


text:
Multitel sells direct in the UK
By Euan Youdale04 March 2019
Multitel Pagliero has opened a new European operations centre in the UK.
The new venture is a strategic move by the Italian company to strengthen its international presence and improve market share. The UK is becoming one of the most important markets for Multitel’s equipment, said the company and adds to its presence in France and Germany.
It represents a change in direction in the UK follows a 30-year long partnership with UK distrubutor Access Industries and its owner Melvyn Else. “We extend our thanks to Access Industries and Melvyn for the support of our product over this time,” said Roberto Marangoni, director of international sales.
Multitel plans to build an experienced European team there at the UK base. Sales will be managed by Greg Moore, UK & Ireland account manager, and service will be managed by Ian Thomson. They both come with extensive experience in powered access equipment sales and service support.
“The new structure is part of the growing strategy in the key markets of UK and Ireland and will secure a direct and close support to our growing customer portfolio,” said Marangoni.


text:
As global emissions continue to climb and the world warms, the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural workers are increasingly at risk. While it is hard to predict exactly how a warming planet will affect agriculture around the world, one thing is clear: farmers can be on the front lines of feeding the world, improving the environment, and reducing the risks of climate change.
The agriculture sector contributes to 17% of global emissions, but innovators, entrepreneurs, and farmers are developing methods such as precision agriculture, which uses technology and monitoring to ensure that crops receive exactly what they need for optimum growth and productivity, and efficient equipment upgrades to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of agriculture.
The economy or the climate? Why not both?
Subscribe for ideas that support the environment and the people.
Another disruptive solution is regenerative agriculture, which includes practices such as no til farming, cover crops, and microbe-based fertilizers. Regenerative agriculture practices take into account the long-term health of the soil to produce more sustainable and productive food systems. The private sector is actively advancing regenerative practices to improve soil health and lower the environmental footprint of agriculture while benefiting local communities. While these practices have a positive impact on the environment, calculating the exact emissions reductions from regenerative agriculture can be hard to navigate. Thankfully, several startups have launched to monitor, report, and verify the climate impact of regenerative practices.
Here are five companies on the frontlines of the regenerative agriculture transition.
Soft drink giant PepsiCo is supporting regenerative food systems with a $216 million investment in three leading farmers’ organizations, the company said in a March announcement. Pepsi will work in tandem with Practical Farmers of Iowa, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund and the IL Corn Growers Association to establish regenerative practices on more than three million acres and remove at least three million tons of GHG emissions by the end of the decade. The initiative is part of a broader effort, unveiled in 2021, to scale regenerative farming practices across seven million acres which is equivalent to Pepsi’s entire agricultural footprint.
French international luxury goods conglomerate Kering, which owns brands like Balenciaga, Gucci, and YSL, is supporting regenerative practices in the fashion industry with an investment fund. In 2021, the multinational teamed up with Conservation International to launch the Regenerative Fund for Nature. The Fund works with farming groups, project leaders, NGOs and other stakeholders to advance regenerative farming practices along its supply chain, with the ultimate goal of converting 1,000,000 hectares of crops and pastureland into regenerative farms by 2025. Kering has subsidized projects in Argentina, France, India, Mongolia, South Africa and Spain.
In partnership with the J. Crew Group and Cotton Connect, Kering also published a landmark report in 2022 with the nonprofit Textile Exchange. The report aims to provide new guidelines for investing in regenerative agriculture initiatives in the fashion and textile industry.
Retail giant Walmart has partnered with the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative (MRCC) to expand regenerative practices. The cross-sector initiative supports on-the-ground projects across the Midwest, particularly in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. Among MRCC’s stated goals are converting 30 million acres in the Midwest to regenerative farmland by 2030 and cutting net on-farm GHG emissions by 7 million metric tons in that same year. The collaborative platform is also financially supporting thousands of Midwestern farmers in their transition to regenerative agriculture.
In addition to its work with MRCC, Walmart aims to harvest at least 20 key commodities such as coffee, paper, and tea more sustainably by 2025.
4. General Mills
General Mills has committed to implementing regenerative agriculture on one million acres of farmland by 2030. The commitment is part of the company’s broader goal of attaining net-zero emissions by 2050. In 2019, General Mills launched an open-source Regenerative Agriculture Self-Assessment Tool to help farmers worldwide “explore how their practices align with regenerative agriculture principles.” The tool works for all farmers regardless of their farm size, type of product grown (crop or livestock), or whether the farm is organic or conventional.
In 2022, General Mills unveiled plans to invest $2.3 million in regenerative agriculture initiatives across Canada.
Consumer goods company Unilever is building on its longstanding commitment to sustainable and regenerative sourcing. In 2021, the company amended its Sustainable Agriculture Code (first mentioned in 2010) to include a set of updated best-practice principles for farming. In tandem with AXA Climate and Tikehau Capital, Unilever is also eyeing a new investment tool to help accelerate the shift to regenerative agriculture. Each company is committed to donating $100 million to regenerative practices over the course of the fund’s life. Unilever aims to ultimately raise $1 billion with support from institutional and public investors.
Feeding the world and improving the environment require the widespread adoption of innovative, climate-friendly technologies and processes. The private sector is actively promoting sustainable practices in order to build more equitable and resilient agricultural supply chains.
Nathalie Voit is a freelance content creator and a graduate of the University of Florida. She is an alumni of The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program.


text:
20th Century Fox has just officially released a motion poster for next year’s upcoming Predator film: “The Predator.” This is a better look at the same poster we saw last week from the Brand Licensing Europe expo in London.
The poster shows multiple lightning strikes above a cityscape, illuminating in the impression of a Predator bio-mask. These motion posters are becoming increasingly common to generate hype for films, as Fox also showed one to promote the Blu-Ray release of Alien: Covenant.
The motion poster is a promotional feature of the recently released Predator Fan App for smart phones, and was initially unlocked by registering for the app. Be sure to check out the many features of the app yourself by visiting the iOS or Android app stores.
Here’s a still image version of the poster:
Keep checking in with Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest on The Predator! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Predator fans on our forums!
Link To Post


text:
Government has published its list of establishments where a valid vaccine certificate will be required to enter as from Monday, 17th January.
The full list is as follows:
Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne announced gave details on the new rules earlier on Thursday, which will see restaurants COVID mitigation protocols. In addition, non-client facing staff will not be legally required to have a vaccine certificate.
Click here to read the new rules in full.
Malta's electronics industry has developed into a global player with major companies having set up shop in the country
Cryptocurrencies make it increasingly difficult to locate attackers
A growing number of EV customers have waited between six to nine months for the payout


text:
WASHINGTON — Wal-Mart Stores will apply a “Great For You” icon to fresh fruits and vegetables and select Walmart Great Value and Marketside items beginning this spring.
The labeling system was designed to encourage consumption of fruits, vegetables, fiber-rich whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds and lean meats, while limiting total, trans and saturated fats, sodium and added sugars found in such items as sweetened oatmeal, granola bars and frozen meals.
A 100% whole grain, single-ingredient product like barley or popcorn qualifies for the seal as do unflavored, low fat or nonfat milk and yogurt. Eggs, seafood and poultry that meet or exceed the USDA’s definition of lean will likewise bear the icon.
Developed in consultation with food and nutrition experts, nutrition criteria was informed by authoritative guidance from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Agriculture and Institute of Medicine. A complete list of nutrition criteria can be found at www.walmartgreatforyou.com.
Great For You, which was revealed at an event here Monday, drew praise from First Lady Michelle Obama. “The healthy seal will be another tool for parents to identify the best products for their kids. Giving parents the information they need to make healthy choices is a key piece of solving childhood obesity," she said.


text:
The deal was a shot in the arm for a sector that has been recovering from a period of turbulence that saw funding drying up, employees moving out or getting laid off.
Reliance Jio to fund a digital products and services ecosystem centred around its core service.
It’s a painstaking process. But if you don’t invest the effort, you could be out of luck – and pretty soon out of job.
The announcement comes days after the United States banned American firms from selling chips and other components to Chinese telecoms company ZTE Corp for seven years, a move that rekindled discussion in China about the need for self-sufficient tech supply chains.
While Amazon and Flipkart are currently burning cash to bring more buyers and sellers on board, the Alibaba-backed online marketplace is planning to get ahead of its rivals by selling products in bulk to offline consumers, including small businesses.
“It is the time to fix it. It is the time for the CEO to really take it seriously. I think the problems will be solved,” Ma told delegates to the annual conference on the sunny island of Hainan.
Paytm Mall deploys the latest investment from SoftBank and Alibaba to beef up its technology and build superior logistics among other things.
China's State Council has reportedly issued an ambitious policy blueprint, calling for the country to become "the world's primary AI innovation centre" by 2030.
A Walmart spokeswoman said the firm had entered into a "partnership" with WeChat Pay in western China, which was a "business decision" to improve customer experience.
Apple chief Tim Cook said "well-crafted" regulation was required, while IBM Corp chief Virginia Rometty said users should have more agency over their own data.
Flipkart is now going to set up such a hub near Kolkata on 80 acres for East and North-East, days after announcing a similar facility near Bengaluru spread across 100 acres to cater to the South.
What Chinese companies do have is innovation, flexibility and the ability to develop new products at great speed whenever they spot a market opportunity.
The Internet company has set up over half a dozen data centres in the Asia Pacific region, which includes one in Mumbai as late as November to woo businesses.
China aims to get its home-grown, overseas-listed companies to float on the domestic exchanges through the depositary receipts route, people with knowledge of the matter said, in a plan that would pit Shanghai and Shenzhen against Hong Kong in the battle to host China's tech giants.
The company is reportedly also in talks with several other investors like Singapore’s Temasek Holdings and China’s Primavera Capital Group to raise another Rs 1,000 crore.
The investment was made in Flipkart India Private Limited in February, according to documents filed with the Registrar of Companies, which were sourced from data intelligence platform Paper.vc.
As homegrown mapping company MapmyIndia moves from automobile navigation to connected devices like phones, it steps on the territory of internet giant Google.


text:
…and yet, branding never comes up in most conversations about innovation. It’s not even mentioned on a rather comprehensive Wikipedia page discussing the topic. But in a world increasingly being transformed by digital capabilities, a company's brand is a critical element of innovation – and it may be the most valuable and differentiating one.
In case you enjoyed the summer at the beach and missed it, Unilever created a new billion-dollar brand in July that should get your attention now that you’re back at work. The New York Times covered the acquisition and pointed out the connection in their story $1 Billion for Dollar Shave Club: Why Every Company Should Worry. Here's a quick recap as it relates to innovation:
- Razors and blades aren’t really innovative
- Buying things on the internet isn’t really innovative
- Combining the two isn’t really innovative either (Dollar Shave Club has other internet based competitors, including Harry’s, and even category leader Gillette had an internet subscription service)
So what “innovation” did Dollar Shave Club create to warrant Unilever paying $1 billion to acquire them? They built a strong and compelling brand, and turned customers into active brand ambassadors – at one point, they had over 50,000 people per month referring a friend.
B2B companies take note: this isn’t just a B2C phenomenon. Almost half (49%) of B2B marketers list their peers and colleagues as a top source of information after web searches in Demand Gen Report’s 2016 B2B Buyer’s Survey Report, rising significantly from 20% in 2015. Laura Ramos, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester notes 74% of buyers go online for business purchasing, and more than half (53%) would rather research online than speak with a salesperson. As these statistics and the Dollar Shave Club example demonstrate, building brand ambassadors for your new innovations can be a critical element of success.
Innovation will continue to incorporate advances in products and offerings as well as business models and business configurations. But if you aren’t integrating brand into the discussion you’re missing a valuable tool in your approach. If you’re responsible for innovation, talk to us about how brand can help.
About the author: As an executive at two leading global companies and founder of two high growth bio-material companies, Andy Shafer developed a unique understanding of the dynamics required for success at both start-up and Fortune 50 multi-national companies. Initially a Slack and Company client, he now brings his expertise and experience developing business strategies, commercializing innovation, and building brands to our team and clients as a Senior Advisor.


text:
Expensive Designer Sunglasses Aren’t Worth a Human Life
There is a well-known secret in the fashion world: people will spend exorbitant amounts of money on designer labels despite quality, craftsmanship, and materials not being any better. It is the nature of the beast. But is it possible that we are taking this beast too far? Is it possible that fashion marketing has created a monster?
The impetus for this post is a December 6, 2019 news article published by WDIV in Detroit. That piece highlighted how Cartier Buffalo sunglasses are all the rage in the Motor City. They are also getting people killed. Take a few minutes to read the story and you might come to the conclusion that we’ve gone too far. Expensive designer sunglasses are not worth human lives.
Sunglasses as Status Symbols
At Olympic Eyewear in Salt Lake City, Utah, designers work as hard as anyone to come up with attractive designs they believe their customers will appreciate. Olympic Eyewear designs more than two dozen brands sold by retailers across the country. Retail prices for Olympic Eyewear brands are a fraction of the cost of Cartier’s.
A pair of Cartier Buffalo sunglasses will set you back $2,500. In some parts of the country, they are considered a status symbol. Those who can afford a pair have apparently reached some level of success that the rest of us can only hope to achieve. But stop and think about that for just one minute. A society that measures success by way of possessions is one that seems to have lost its way.
According to WDIV, an 18-year-old man paid the price for that measure in May 2019. He was approached at a gas station by another man who attempted to steal his sunglasses. He was shot when he resisted. WDIV went on to highlight several more cases involving Cartier sunglasses in the city.
Just Metal and Plastic
It is tragic whenever a life is needlessly taken. But to know that people are being injured and killed for their sunglasses is both mind-numbing and sickening. It doesn’t matter whose name is on your shades. Sunglasses are nothing more than pieces of plastic and metal held together with screws.
There is no way the materials used to make Cartier sunglasses cost $2,500. It would be a miracle if they cost more than $100. Anyone who would threaten someone’s life over a pair of sunglasses has big problems.
An Age of Materialism
Designer sunglasses that sell for thousands of dollars are not a problem in and of themselves. The United States operates under a capitalist economy which affords consumers the right to buy whatever they want to buy. Likewise, that same system gives manufacturers the freedom to create what they want to create. And yet, it all seems quite materialistic.
One of the fundamentals of capitalism is that companies will only sell what customers want. The fact that designers can sell extremely expensive sunglasses is a testament to the reality that people want to buy them. So in the end, materialism goes back to us.
We live in a world that places a premium on possessions. And as far as possessions go, many of us place a high value on brand names. What so many people do not understand is that branding is exclusively a marketing function. It has nothing to do with quality or craftsmanship.
Thankfully, Detroit police report fewer crimes involving Cartier Buffalo sunglasses these days. But the fact that they even have to talk about it says something. No matter what sunglasses you buy, remember this: no brand name is worth a human life.


text:
In the recently concluded WWDC 2015, Apple introduced a brand new subscription based music service across many countries. Apple Music started on the 30th of June and has already received rave reviews from many quarters.
Compared to the likes of Pandora, Spotify and others, Apple was a late entrant in streaming music. Even the fact that Apple decided to enter subscription based music is surprising, considering that Steve Jobs was totally against such a model. Instead, Apple offered downloadable music through the iTunes platform, and later started iTunes radio. But as times changed, and with the spread of broadband networks across the world, people were more receptive to subscribing to media databases online than to buy them à la carte. Spotify and Netflix are just two examples of this changing trend.
Apple has traditionally resisted following popular trends. In the era of Steve Jobs, Apple was definitely a bit close-ended in terms of adopting feedback from outside. But over the years, Apple has become much more flexible. And that is a very good thing. This New Apple, as I would refer to it, has brought in many good changes which can give it a wider appeal, especially in developing countries.
In terms of features, Apple Music is similar to other subscription music streaming services. No ads, downloadable music, curated playlists. I have still not had a chance to review the app and its interface. But what I want to talk about here is something unique in terms of the subscription pricing itself.
Apple has done is to keep difference subscription prices worldwide. In the US, the individual subscription plan comes at a price of $9.99 per month, whereas in other countries, it is much cheaper. In India, the corresponding plan comes at Rs120 per month (which is effectively around $2). This is a dirt cheap option for most people, even without the lack of good alternatives for English music. Of course, varied pricing across countries is common. A part of it is due to fluctuating currency rates as well. But this is something much more than that. This is an aggressive move by Apple to push itself into countries where pricing is a delicate subject.
And this is where the new Apple shines. The old Apple would have probably kept the same (or similar) pricing for various countries, regardless of the market saturation and purchasing power. Even in India, only recently has Apple accepted the fact that price is one of the most important factors for us to consider one product over another. And that applies just as much to a pair of shoes as it does to a Mercedes Benz. Apple has reduced the prices of their smartphones in order to make them more palatable to the
nitpicking value-conscious Indian consumer. Sadly, this insight was ignored by Blackberry worldwide, and look at where it stands now.
Now I’m not particularly an Apple fanboy. I thrive on the Android ecosystem, and still maintain that Android provides a more flexible platform for power users. But what Apple has done with its music streaming (and to a certain extent, with its reduced phone prices) is to open up themselves to the Indian consumer. And by that I don’t mean just the rich or the privileged, but the burgeoning middle class who will dictate the spending trends of the country in the next decade. And by understanding the psyche of the crowds, Apple can find itself court-side seats in the whole game.
Apple is also planning to introduce its music service even to Android, an exciting step that would probably have been blasphemous during Steve Job’s tenure as the captain.
What is even more exciting is that both these events have the potential to set the trend for other streaming media subscription based services. Netflix is already planning to open shop in India. It will only be a matter of time before Spotify, Google Music and others do the same. And if the price points are something similar to what Apple has set, there are going to be definitely some “Achhe Din” for the connected Indians.
Update: Apple has also introduced lower priced app tiers for people in countries like India. Just an example, the premium version of Camscanner is priced at Rs 10. This is brilliant and can definitely increase appstore purchases by consumers in India.


text:
Friendable, Inc. (OTC PINK:FDBL), today announced that it has received an investment commitment in the amount of $1.615 million and in connection with this commitment, the Company has completed the acquisition of live streaming video technology from Hang With, Inc.
Under the terms of its agreement with Hang W/, Friendable will receive a royalty free, perpetual license to integrate and utilize the Hang W/ live streaming video technology within the existing Friendable app or outside the current app as a next generation product for specialized broadcast events.
Additionally, Friendable gains access to 8 million users who have signed up to utilize Hang W/’s live streaming video technology to attempt to convert them to Friendable users through cross marketing and promotion. The Company also believes access to these Hang W/ users will dramatically reduce its user acquisition cost.
Friendable expects that this new technology will allow the Company to extend its brand and begin to uniquely monetize the Friendable app.
These initiatives will require the development teams of both Friendable and Hang W/ to work together with an expectation of completing the roll out of this new technology under the Friendable brand by the end of the year.
More details will be announced in the coming days.
“Our team is fully committed to taking Friendable to the next level,” stated Friendable CEO, Robert A. Rositano Jr. Friendable Inc. CEO “With the additional investment commitment the company was able to complete its acquisition of the hang W/ technology providing us with the opportunity to move into a new aspect of our business. We are extremely excited for this next generation of the Friendable app for its user growth potential and monetization.”
“We believe the Hang W/ technology will create a differentiated offering for our brand in the Live Video Streaming marketplace and allow the Company to capitalize on our many relationships in various celebrity circles,” concluded Rositano Jr.


text:
The average smartphone user checks their phone about 150 times per day. A lot of what they are checking for could be on their wrist.
Apple's rivals have lost headway in convincing American consumers to pick their tablets over the iPad, a market researcher said today.
More than one-in-four iPhone owners now using AT&T will switch to Verizon, a U.S. consumer survey said today.
The number of corporations arming workers with tablets will double early this year, a research firm said last month, citing its recent survey of 1,641 IT buyers.
The number of corporations arming workers with tablets will double early next year, a research firm said today, citing its recent survey of more than 1,600 IT buyers.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 HTC One Mini 2 android smartphone
- 2 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Windows 8.1 tablet
- 3 Medion Akoya E4110 (MD 8239) desktop PC
- 4 Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5) 4G review
- 5 Dell Inspiron 11 3000 Series convertible laptop
Best Deals on GoodGearGuide
Latest News Articles
- Court throws out $368.2 million patent award against Apple
- Software bugs most common cause for mobile Internet outages, study says
- FCC gets record number of net neutrality comments, what now?
- Subway to accept NFC payments starting in October
- Micro Focus buying Novell, Suse Linux owner for $1.2 billion
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


text:
Darrow giving away used cars with new car purchase
Faced with a double-digit drop in car sales, the Russ Darrow Group is tossing in a used car with every new vehicle purchased through Jan. 5, the dealership said Tuesday.
The reason for the offer is simple: Business is bad - really bad.
"Frankly, we've got a ton of inventory," said Mike Darrow, executive vice president of the dealership group.
The 14-location Darrow chain, based in Menomonee Falls, has about 1,000 used and more than 2,000 new cars in its inventory, Darrow said.
"We wish our inventory was 30% to 40% percent lighter," he said.
As with any offer, customers have to read the fine print. Technically, the promotion doesn't provide a free used car to buyers. Rather, it allows purchasers of any new vehicle from Darrow to buy a used car of their choice, worth up to $10,000, for $1, plus tax, title and license fees. The value of the used car offered is determined by the cost of the new vehicle, Darrow said.
For example, the buyers of pricier vehicles such as a Nissan Armada or Cadillac Escalade could receive a $10,000 used car for a buck, Darrow said. People buying inexpensive new cars, such as a Kia Rio or a Nissan Versa, would be looking at used cars in the $500 to $2,000 range, he said.
New-car buyers can either take the used car offered for $1 or kick in some of their own cash for a more expensive used vehicle.
Either way, Darrow said, the offer could help some people secure credit because a used car has built-in equity that exceeds what the customer will pay.
Darrow has dealerships in Appleton, Oshkosh, West Bend, Madison, Milwaukee and Waukesha. It sells Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Kia, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Cadillac, GMC, Mitsubishi and Suzuki.
One tactic of many
The Darrow Group's action is one of many tactics that auto dealers coast-to-coast are taking to bring customers to showrooms, said Paul Taylor, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, a trade group with more than 19,700 members.
New-vehicle sales in November were down more than 36% compared with November 2007, Taylor said. Sales are down 16.3% for the first 11 months of the year, he said.
At the Darrow Group, sales are off about 20% to 25% this year when measured on a same-store basis. The group expects to post revenue of about $335 million this year, compared with $425 million last year, Darrow said, noting that the company sold four dealerships at the end of last year.
Staffing levels are down, and some experienced salespeople are coming in on their days off to drum up business, Darrow said.
Taylor said buy one-get two offers "are fairly rare" promotions that generally work in getting a dealer attention and traffic.
"They're not typically making any money," with the promotion, Taylor said. "They're adjusting their inventories."
Recent national business updates from the Associated Press


text:
JTL Industries logs highest-ever quarterly sales volume at 81,686 MT in second quarter
The growth was driven by steady demand for structural steel tubes and pipes in both domestic and international markets, JTL Industries said in a BSE filing.
JTL Industries, which manufactures various grades of galvanised steel tubes and pipes, has reported stellar numbers in terms of sales in the second quarter (Q2FY24), led by improvement in value-added products and exports.
The company through an exchange filing said that it has logged the highest-ever quarterly sales volume at 81,686 metric tonnes (MT) in the second quarter of the current financial year. This translates into a growth of 56.78 per cent from the second quarter of the last financial year.
The growth was driven by steady demand for structural steel tubes and pipes in both domestic and international markets, it said in a BSE filing.
Auto Stocks in Focus: Maruti Suzuki scales an all-time high; Tata Motors hits a 52-week high as auto stocks rally
Entrepreneur's planner: Expert shares 5 effective strategies for business owners to adeptly prepare for emergencies
Renewable energy capacity to reach 170 GW by March 2025 on moderation in module prices: ICRA Analyst
The filing added that JTL Industries also achieved the highest-ever first half yearly sales volume at 1,59,028 MT in the first half of the current fiscal year (H1FY24). This shows an increase of 54 per cent in sales from the same period of the last fiscal.
"JTL witnessed an increase in sales of value-added products at 60,708 MT in H1 FY24, a 50.93 per cent growth from 40,221 MT in H1 FY23," it said.
The quarterly sales figure of the firm for the value-added products came in at 28,202 MT, up 14.63 per cent on a YoY basis.
JTL's export sales contributed 5.38 per cent of total sales volume in the second quarter. On a YoY basis, the export sales volume in the quarter increased by more than 14 per cent to 4,393 MT.
JTL Industries is a small-cap company engaged in the iron and steel industry. The company has a market capitalisation of Rs 3,780 crore. Its shares have delivered a positive return of 75 per cent in the last year. The counter has rallied 146 per cent in the last two years and more than 1,500 per cent in three years.


text:
A Manchester business is struggling to keep up with demand for what it deems ‘The Real Easter Egg’, with its unique religious and ethical slant.
The Meaningful Chocolate Company, based in Waulk Mill, Ancoats, became the first British company to combine faith and ethical trading practices with the lucrative Easter egg industry.
The Real Easter Egg was launched in 2010, and is the UK's first and only egg to mention Jesus and the events of the Christian period of Holy Week on the box.
David Marshall, from The Meaningful Chocolate Company said: “There are over 80 million Easter Eggs sold in the UK every year.
“With seven million people going to church at least once a month you would have thought there would have been some choice of buying an Easter egg which mentioned the religious significance of Easter.”
The egg is made from high quality Fairtrade chocolate, which means the growers get a fair price for their work. A percentage of profits go to charities such as The Tradecraft Exchange and Baby Life Line.
It is being sold in Morrison’s, the Co-op, Booth’s and Waitrose, as well as several independent shops but Mr Marshall said the product had to fight its way on to supermarket shelves.
Church leaders have welcomed the product and churches across the UK have already ordered more than 150,000 eggs for home delivery, making it the biggest selling mail order Easter egg in the UK.
Many other Manchester businesses rely on the Easter bank holiday to boost profits in an uncertain economy.
Last year statistics showed that the Easter period was worth 9% of the total year's retail sales takings.
Bars, clubs and shops have advertised a range of promotions to target customers over the weekend.
The Uber Lounge on Castle Street is hoping to attract Easter revellers with a range of chocolate cocktails such as the Chocolate Drop Shot and the Chocolate Orange Martini.
However despite heavy emphasis on the commercial side of Easter, the Dean of Manchester, Rogers Govender, is confident that Mancunians have not forgotten the true meaning of the holiday.
He said: “I don’t think it’s been forgotten at all, if you attend any services over this week you will find them packed with people. Over Easter weekend we need more seats to cope.
“Obviously shops will be looking to use Easter to increase their sales but I think you will find that many people are in Manchester to celebrate Easter.”
Reverend Govender added that although shops and businesses will be looking to increase profits over the bank holiday, many visitors will be drawn to the city for worship.
He said: “I don’t think there’s a risk of the meaning of Easter being lost, it’s a 2000 year old story and the meaning hasn’t been lost in that time.”


text:
ferragamo bag clearance, jordans with salvatore ferragamo belt – Roblox
Black Teenager Suing ‘Racist’ Barneys Over Arrest After Buying $349 Salvatore Ferragamo Belt
Barneys is on the centre of a racism row after a ferragamo bag clearance black teenager accused the high-finish department store of wrongfully detaining him after he made an costly purchase.
Trayon Christian of Queens, New York is taking legal motion against the shop, which he says targeted him as a ‘younger black American male’.
The 19-year-old claims that he was racially profiled when he went to Barneys on Madison Avenue in Manhattan on 29 April and bought a $349 Ferragamo belt. He paid with a debit card and showed a retailer clerk I.D.
Christian says that as he went to leave the store he was accosted by undercover NYPD officers, who stated someone at the store had raised concerns over the sale and the authenticity of his I.D.
“The detectives were asking me, ‘How may you afford a belt ferragamo bag clearance like this The place did you get this cash from ‘” Christian instructed the new York Day by day News.
He alleges that he was detained at a precinct in a cell for more than two hours before being released with out charge.
In keeping with Christian’s lawsuit, the incident was resulting from “discrimination based mostly on plaintiff’s race and age as he was a young black American male.”
Barney’s said that the incident was underneath investigation.
A spokesperson stated: “After rigorously reviewing the incident of last April, it is clear that no worker of Barneys New York was involved in the pursuit of any action with the person apart from the sale.”
Christian, who lives at house with his mother, returned it a number of days later and acquired his money again. “I am not shopping there again,” Christian mentioned. “It’s cruel.


text:
Nigerian social media influencer, Papaya Ex has stormed the internet with her N500k champagne invite to her housewarming party.
Recall that weeks back, the content creator had acquired a new house.
The influencer however is already making preparations for her housewarming party in grand style.
She has started handing out invitations to the grand party. Papaya Ex is reportedly giving out champagnes worth N500,000 to her party guests.
Her party invite which came with a yellow gold box, had a champagne, glass cup and lots of luxury gifts inside.
"Unboxing my House warming Ultra luxury invite package. Sunday, December 18th, 2022! When it's luxury you know it's BIGPAPS".


text:
I sat in the public gallery of the Legislative Assembly on March 13 to watch the proceedings on a small screen from 2pm to 6pm.
During his second reading speech on the Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2018, MLA John McGrath tailored his remarks to favour Dan Murphy’s Liquor Stores.
Although Dan Murphy’s told him 50 per cent of wine sales were in the $20 and above range, Cambell Stott, its general manager, said in 2015 $10 was the ‘go to’ price for an everyday wine.
As to the effect of availability and price on alcohol consumption, cheap prices do attract more drinkers as shown by the recently discounted beer prices in Subiaco at the Village Bar and The Vic, which are less than a kilometre apart.
Although at most 40 per cent of Dan Murphy’s customers may buy premium wines, the rest are buying wines from the bargain bin for $6-$10. Dan Murphy’s has 30 per cent of the liquor market in Australia in terms of total dollars spent while it costs the WA community $3.1 billion per year in police, ambulance, health services and road crashes associated with alcohol consumption.
The attempt by John McGrath to water down efforts at harm reduction does not sit well with a cash-strapped government.
The AHA wants liquor store licences not to be granted unless the licensing authority is satisfied the reasonable requirements for liquor in the area cannot be provided for by existing liquor licences.
Interests and needs of alcohol sellers have had too much sway as three Dan Murphy’s opened in Australia last December, bringing the total to 225.
For five years, the cities of South Perth and Bayswater have held off Woolworths’ ongoing bid to put a Dan Murphy’s liquor barn next to a tavern in unsuitable locations.
Enough is enough.


text:
A keyboard manufacturer is suing RIM over the Blackberry, claiming patent infringement. Eatoni Ergonomics has filed a lawsuit against RIM in Texas. The company holds a patent that it claims covers mobile keyboards with a "qwerty" design that use predictive text technology.
Ask a Category Expert
Create a new thread in the UK News comments forum about this subject


text:
Florida farmers interested in joining the state’s newly approved industrial hemp program are quickly learning the trials involved in sourcing certified seeds. According to state law, industrial hemp seeds must be certified by an agent of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA).
With only six years of research-based hemp cultivation on the books in the U.S. since the 2014 Farm Bill was signed, the sheer timing of this requirement has made it difficult to find a breeder who has earned AOSCA certification on his or her hemp genetics.
Enter Sunbelt Hemp, a seed production business based outside of Greenville, S.C.
The company’s Goliath variety, among others that are sold out as of mid-July 2020, has been certified by an AOSCA agent, making it a target of Florida hemp growers seeking a reliable, compliant seed source.
Ben Baum, H.F. Michell Co. representative in Florida, has been connecting growers with Sunbelt seeds. He has picked up on a lot of interest from Florida growers working within the bounds of that ASOCA requirement.
According to Baum, Goliath boasts a 99% germination rate. (AOSCA-certified seed batches must bear out germination rates of 80% or higher.) The certification backs up that claim and communicates to growers that there is a high degree of genetic reliability among every lot that a particular breeder produces.
Baum says that the breeders that Sunbelt has partnered with spent more than 40 years breeding THC varieties of cannabis in Europe. They bring that experience to the global industrial hemp market.
With Goliath, they bred for rich terpene levels that mirrored what customers might find in the THC-dominant cannabis market. Along with its CBD value and other minor cannabinoids, Baum says Goliath makes for a great smokable hemp flower. This will be the first year of Goliath production in Florida, but the seed has performed well through growth cycles in other hot, humid regions, according to Baum.
Jeff Greene, co-founder of the Florida Hemp Council, says that this has been a promising lead for farmers who are new to hemp and facing the question of how to source seeds or starts in a new industry. As the industrial hemp landscape continues to mature, the role of AOSCA will become more visible.
“The certification process on these genetics started long before Florida passed a law requiring it,” Baum says. “The reason behind getting certified was actually for the protection of the farmer. As in other agriculture crops, the AOSCA certification is there to ensure genetic purity and germination rates. … Sunbelt Hemp decided pursue certification as a way to move toward legitimizing the hemp seed supply chain.”
What precedes that legitimacy in hemp is a supply side rife with unmarked mason jars and germination rates hovering around the 50% mark.
Greene says that he’d recently sourced CBG seeds from a seller that came in at a 50% germination rate with a 30% male-to-female ratio. “Under current guidelines, that would be criminal,” he says, remarking on the Florida regulations.
This is where a third party like AOSCA can sort out the mismatched promises and results of a nascent market.
For Florida hemp growers interested in starts, plugs and clones, Greene says that the Florida regulations have become a bit clearer since the USDA first approved the state’s plan to run a hemp program this year.
The earlier rules mandated a quarantine on all starts that came into the state of Florida, a move designed to protect the integrity of the soil and to ward off unwanted pests. Now, Florida will allow starts to come into the state in rock wool, sterilized peat moss and coco.
“You’re able to bring germinated plants into Florida in any of those three media without a quarantine period,” Greene says. “That opened the door, and I know a lot of California genetics companies ended up getting grow houses in south Alabama and south Georgia, so that they could get us germinated [plants]. What that does is it protects the farmer from a germination issue.”
As of mid-2020, the number of states that require some form of seed certification is small—but it is increasing as more states pick up USDA approval for their new 2018 Farm Bill-sanctioned hemp programs. Kentucky, Montana, North Dakota and Rhode Island also require certification.
“It’s going to be easier to fix AOSCA than to fix the old system,” Greene says. “That’s where we landed at the end of last session.” In that time, he adds, the seed rules changed six times before reverting to the AOSCA requirement.
He puts it plainly now: “The industry needs to clean up to AOSCA standards.”


text:
The elegant canals of Venice were not designed to accommodate fourteen storey-high cruise liners. The city has always survived on its tourist trade, but increasingly this is threatening to destroy it.
"Look at how the houses vibrate every time a ship passes by!" exclaims a local resident. The cruise liners not only bring in hordes of tourists; they also pollute the city, unsettle the fragile architecture, and flood the canals. Venice makes a profit of 150 million Euros a year from its visitors. Yet, as the Mayor of Venice warns, "It may be that money makes the world go around, but our world is spinning into oblivion."FULL SYNOPSIS


text:
It has been reported that a report from ForgeRock has revealed an unprecedented 297% surge in breaches caused primarily by security issues associated with supply chain and third-party suppliers and representing almost 25% of all breaches. The report also found unauthorized access was the leading cause of breaches for the fourth consecutive year, steadily increasing to account for 50% of all records compromised during 2021. The report underscores the fact that cybercriminals continue to find new methods of attack across industries and geographies. The cost of breaches also continues to grow. In the US alone, the price of remediation from a breach has climbed annually, doubling since 2018.
If we look at the history of data breaches, we’re likely to find that many can be classified as a supply chain attack. This includes breaches of cloud providers, payment processors, logistics services and many more. Because the security of your business depends on the security of your business partners, its critical that vendor risk management practices evolve to better understand the impact of ongoing cyber security efforts. That can include any number of cyber-security efforts from vulnerability management to data flows. After all, if you’re going to trust the success of your business to a third party, that third party should have cyber security and data protection practices that are worthy of that trust.


text:
Your Disney+ is about to get a lot more expensive
When it comes to streaming services, let's be honest, Disney+ rules supreme. While Netflix paved the way with the likes of Orange Is the New Black and Stranger Things, it's largely been eclipsed by corporate greed and Disney's impressive back catalogue.
As well as boasting the pre-existing might of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, and more, Disney+ has been churning out original bangers like WandaVision and Andor. Where else can you watch Jeff Goldblum buy trainers, Kevin Bacon pop up in a Christmas special, and then binge the entirety of Grey's Anatomy?
Disney+ could be getting a price hike
You might remember when Disney was struck with a price increase in the USA last December, with the ad-free tier climbing from a reasonable $8 to $11. Now, it looks like there could be a second jump in less than a year. We know the VFX on Grogu are expensive, but come on.
According to The Motley Fool, Disney CEO Bob Iger spoke about a restructure of the Disney+ pricing model. "The pricing changes we've already implemented have proven successful," said Iger. "And we plan to set a higher price for our ad-free tier later this year to better reflect the value of our content offerings."
The good news is that the lower tier that includes ads might stay the same. Iger added, "There's going to be a substantial growth in digital advertising in this upfront." Still, with up to four minutes every hour being dedicated to ads, it's not exactly hard to spot them.
Across the board, there are some pretty major changes, with Iger previously discussing the idea of Hulu shows coming to Disney+. Netflix is known for regularly pulling content as part of a rotating roster, and according to Disney CFO Christine McCarthy, Disney+ could also focus on quality instead of quantity.
Disney ads are coming to Europe
If you're in Europe and thought you'd escaped Iger's money-grabbing ways, Disney+ has plans to release its own ad-tier options "by the end of this calendar year." Assuming it follows in the footsteps of the USA, you'll be paying the same as you are now...with ads as an added drawback.
It's all in a push to get you to stump up for the pricier ad-free tier, amidst a seeming Disney mantra of "Economic crisis, what economic crisis?" We'll have to see how well this goes down, as remember, Netflix haemorrhaged $54 billion in 24 hours when it tried to clamp down on password sharing.
Iger is right to be crunching the numbers right now. Disney+ has reportedly lost four million subscribers in the first quarter of 2023, with a mass exodus in India and 300,000 US and Canadian customers jumping ship when prices rose. Yes, we love rewatching Lost and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but not that much.


text:
After my post on Monday detailing the news that Ticketmaster, after a class action lawsuit settlement, would be offering its consumers free tickets to certain shows in the coming months, a lot of people were probably wondering what those shows might be.
Well, as of last night the list of concerts is out, and unsurprisingly, it’s not that great. As of right now, the only concerts left in New England available for your free vouchers are Duran Duran and Chic on July 17 and Keith Urban on July 25, both at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Mass., and then Cam’ron, the Underachievers and more on July 6, K. Michelle on July 12 and Bayside and the Menzingers on Aug. 21, all at the House of Blues in Boston. The closest shows after those five are in New York City, and the majority of those are cover bands. So unless you’re a huge Duran Duran fan, or you want to spend the money to travel all the way to New York City to see a Guns n’ Roses cover band, I would say you are S.O.L.
I did look at this list last night within the first hour or two of it going live, and noticed that there were way more shows available in Boston at that time, like the Joan Jett, Heart and Cheap Trick tour at the Xfinity Center, for example, as well as a handful of others. Apparently all the vouchers were snapped up in the 12-ish hours since. Basically, if you weren’t online and paying attention and available in a two-hour span after 7 p.m. last night, you weren’t going to get any tickets you were interested in. And I’m not surprised — given the way Ticketmaster spent nearly 20 years ripping off music fans with exorbitant shipping and convenience fees, why would you expect them to change? Ah well. It was fun thinking we’d all get free tickets to fun concerts all summer. Thanks for nothing, Ticketmaster,


text:
Digital TV News: Fox
Liberty Puerto Rico launches Hub TV powered by TiVo
Sep 16, 2020 – Liberty Puerto Rico has launched Hub TV. Developed by Liberty Latin America (LLA) and TiVo, Hub TV is an IPTV console that uses the TiVo platform to give customers a personalized multimedia entertainment experience.
News categories: Liberty Puerto Rico, TiVo, Waldo Hooker, Android TV, Big Data, Digital TV, IPTV, Puerto Rico, Set Top Box
OzTAM adds co-viewing to BVOD reporting
Sep 10, 2020 – OzTAM has introduced CTV co-viewing data to its VPM Report. The enhancement evolves the VPM service from a 1:1 people-to-device measure for BVOD to reflect that people often watch BVOD content together on a CTV.
News categories: OzTAM, Doug Peiffer, Advertising, Australia, Big Data, Digital TV, Market Research, OTT
Subscription home entertainment soars in Australia
Aug 17, 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has boosted home entertainment subscription services in Australia according to Telsyte. Australians added 5.6 million new subscriptions to the end of June 2020, an increase of 18% from a year ago.
News categories: Telsyte, Foad Fadaghi, Australia, Digital TV, Market Research
FOX News launches international D2C streaming service
Aug 11, 2020 – FOX News Media has launched FOX News International, a live digital streaming service of linear networks FOX News Channel and FOX Business for international users, with availability in 20 countries by the end of the year.
News categories: FOX News, Suzanne Scott, Digital TV, Germany, Mexico, OTT, Spain, UK
SLING TV in-app guide integrates local OTA channels on LG Smart TVs
Aug 6, 2020 – SLING TV has announced a feature that integrates free, local over-the-air (OTA) broadcast channels into the SLING TV guide on 2020 LG Smart televisions with webOS 5.0, without the need to switch inputs or applications.
News categories: SLING TV, LG, Jon Lin, Digital TV, OTT, Smart TV, Terrestrial, USA, UX
Amagi delivers 30+ live and linear channels on The Roku Channel
Jul 29, 2020 – Amagi has announced that it now delivers 30+ live and linear channels to The Roku Channel, with Amagi delivering brands such as beIN, Buzzr, Cinedigm, Condé Nast, MGM, PeopleTV, Tastemade, TYT Network, and Yahoo Finance, among others.
News categories: Amagi, Roku, Srinivasan KA, Ashley Hovey, Content Distribution, Digital TV, OTT, Worldwide
iSpot provides attribution and OTT measurement for OpenAP ads
Jul 28, 2020 – OpenAP has announced a partnership with iSpot to enable activation of attribution and OTT measurement for ad campaigns in the OpenAP Market. OpenAP members include AMC Networks, FOX, NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS, Univision and The Weather Channel.
News categories: OpenAP, iSpot, Ed Davis, Stu Schwartzapfel, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, OTT, USA, Worldwide
Subscription TV soars during Australian lockdown
Jul 21, 2020 – New data from Roy Morgan reveals that Australians added new subscription TV services at an astonishing rate during the lockdown period, with subscriptions up 878,000, or +5.9%, in only three months.
News categories: Roy Morgan, Michele Levine, Australia, Cable TV, COVID-19, Digital TV, Market Research, OTT, Satellite
COVID-19 will accelerate pay-TV revenue decline in Australia
Jul 10, 2020 – Pay-TV service revenue in Australia is set to decline at a CAGR of 3.2% from $2.6bn in 2019 to $2.2bn in 2024 due to declining cable and DTH TV subscriptions and falling pay-TV ARPU, according to GlobalData.
News categories: GlobalData, Deepa Dhingra, Australia, Cable TV, COVID-19, Digital TV, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite
- Kaltura to migrate Cellcom TV to the Cloud
- Smart Home device market remains resilient despite pandemic
- Roku OS 9.4 to begin roll out to Roku devices
- Armstrong secures VOD launch with Verimatrix
- Global SVOD revenue to grow to $100 billion
- Amazon announces new Fire TV devices and redesigned UX
- ENENSYS announces ATSC 3.0 head end for hybrid delivery
- 605 signs measurement and analytics deal with Walmart
- AdLedger pilots OTT video ad deployment using blockchain
- VR market to grow despite pandemic blow to location-based segment
- Graham Media renews with Comscore for TV measurement
- 317 million SVOD subscriptions for the U.S. in 2025
- Clearcable adds Minerva Networks IPTV platform to offering
- BARB issues invitation to tender for five contracts
- Amino helps Colsecor add SENSA OTT to legacy set-top boxes
- 3SS provides technology for STINGTV app from Yes
- Discovery acquires assets of adtech start-up AdSparx
- SimulTV picks Limelight Edge services for global video delivery
- U.S. pay TV suffers historic cord-cutting
- SpotX unveils programmatic solutions for linear Addressable TV


text:
Fitness trackers get people moving
- Many fitness trackers motivate users by pitting friends and strangers against one another.
Marisa Geitner will be the first one to admit she is obsessed with her Fitbit.
Any given day, you can see the president and CEO of Heritage Christian Services sporting a black plastic band on her wrist.
Ask her family members, who often spot her pacing in the hallway of their Bristol, Ontario County, home. That is, when she's not climbing the stairs or lapping the dining room table.
"I get a little obsessive about reaching my daily goal" of five miles, she said with a laugh.
The personal fitness tracking craze — counting steps taken, calories burned, hours slept and sharing it all online with an ever-present cheering or jeering social network — has boomed in recent months.
While fitness trackers serve as excellent motivators, users must remember that the technology will not work in a vacuum, said Dr. Joanne Wu of Rochester Regional Health System, a physician, yoga/fitness instructor and wellness coach.
"Don't get caught up in expensive machines," she warned. "You have to bridge the gap and make your actions a reality."
Fitness trackers and mobile phone apps "are almost like personal fitness coaches," Wu said. Some require data entry, such as logging food and liquid consumption. While a helpful tool, many users are "married to the numbers," she said.
"Life is not exact," Wu said. "You have tough days and tough weeks. As long as you are enjoying the process of exercising and have a comfortable, safe place to work out," you understand what's most important.
Many fitness trackers use gaming to motivate users by pitting friends and strangers against one another, all competing to see who logs the most steps or travels the farthest distance.
Gaming is a huge draw, especially for women, she said. "It keeps people moving with the ability to connect with a virtual community. You feel like you aren't alone on your journey."
Trackers like the Nike+ SportWatch GPS will track calories burned, distance, pace and, if a GPS function is on, a route. Once uploaded, others can view the data. And that, many say, keeps them accountable.
The Garmin Vivofit is among many fitness trackers to record steps taken, calories burned and sleep patterns. It also has a heart monitor. The Vivofit and the Jawbone tracker both also will alert you if you've been sitting for too long.
Jessica Keipper, 33, of Chili already exercised six times a week — running, spinning and lifting weights — before she bought a Fitbit for Christmas.
"At first, I was kind of mad I spent the money on it because it seemed like a glorified pedometer," Keipper said. "Then I started realizing how much more it could do."
Her favorite feature? The sleep tracker — with two toddlers, ages 2 and 4 — Keipper said she can easily review her sleep patterns.
She said a weekly email outlining her workout stats, including how many calories she burned, also serves as her online food log. As a result, she said, she can quickly spot successes and failures.
That said, no one should base food choices on how many calories the device says have been burned, Wu warned. The gadget doesn't consider your gender, metabolism, body type or fitness history.
Though popular, not everyone loves the rainbow of rubber bracelets.
Courtney Wink, 32, of Rochester received a chemical burn from her fitness tracker last spring. Sure, Wink said she was notified that her Fitbit had been recalled several weeks before the incident, but said she figured since she hadn't had a problem with her device, she was in the clear.
"I was stupid about it," Wink said. "I didn't want to return something I was using."
Ultimately, she received a refund and spent the money elsewhere. Her parents stopped wearing their Fitbits around the same time, she said, recalling that both had health issues and removed the bands because the trackers repeatedly reminded them of their lack of movement.
"They didn't want the negative reinforcement," she said. "I did find mine motivating and (it) kept me more active. Now that I don't have one, I don't have the same motivation and I'm not moving as much."
The $100-plus bracelets are considered a luxury fitness tool by many.
"If you have spare money to spend and will use it, great," Wu said. "It's not the end-all, be-all but can be a great tool."
Last month, Geitner spent a two-hour webinar walking on a treadmill — so she could log her daily steps — while also giving the topic her undivided attention.
"I wasn't looking to multitask because I already was," she said. "I was moving, but I was focused and tuned in."
Geitner said she's been using pedometers for years, but started using a Fitbit more than two years ago when she purchased her first model off eBay.
"I was always looking for ways to stay active," she said. "I love how easy they work and how accurate they are. I want to be motivated. And I am."


text:
Google has announced that it will be redesigning the interface of its AdWords service in conjunction with a 12-month-long project to assist marketers in helping to reach consumers in the ever-increasing multi-screen world.
This will mark the first-ever time that Google has brought in a major overhaul of the AdWords interface in no less than 15 years. The decision has come at a period when there’s growing complication for marketers attempting to connect with consumers. This applies not just to multiple devices, but also via the medium of video and display through platforms such as YouTube and Search too.
You can expect to see the new look incorporate Material Design, the design language that’s at the core of Google apps, including Gmail, Maps, and Search.
Jerry Dischler, vice president of product management, AdWords, took to a blog post on Monday 28th March and had this to say: “This rise in complexity has created the need to reimagine AdWords, and over the past year, our product teams have been thinking hard about how we can make AdWords as relevant for the next 15 years as the first 15. From creating a single Shopping campaign to updating thousands of text ads, we needed to do this in a way that works well for all advertisers around the world, regardless of size or objective.”
A number of selected advertisers will be invited during 2016 and 2017 to try it out and offer Google’s team some feedback. The invites will be sent based on a series of factors, Google has said, although they did not go as far as to disclose them, they intend to include a range of advertisers both small and large.
While we’re waiting to find out if we’ve been invited we’ll be here to help you with any Magento eCommerce needs you have!


text:
Market Access & Reimbursement
Are you sure you'd like to remove this alert? You will no longer receive email updates about this topic.
Latest From Market Access
Nathalie Moll, secretary general of biotech industry body EuropaBio, is to be the next director general of EFPIA, the federation that represents the R&D-based pharmaceutical industry in Europe. With issues such as the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, the EU’s inquiry into medicines access and pricing, and the implementation of the new Clinical Trials Regulation, EFPIA’s new leader will have a lot of weighty dossiers to deal with.
New proposals by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration include developing a list of unauthorized drugs that could be made available to patients faster and more easily. A decision to include a product on the list would not be appealable, the TGA says.
Alexion is blaming arbitrary pricing systems in Europe for its reimbursement woes with ultra-rare disease drug Kanuma, but one analyst told the Pink Sheet that more creativity is needed from pharma when it comes to pricing orphan therapies.
Survey finds patient assign greatest value to a drug’s effect on multiple sclerosis symptoms.
Novartis CEO Jimenez suggests Trump Administration may help remove regulatory barriers to US outcome-based contracting between manufacturers and payers; Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy plans policy initiative to promote value-based purchasing for drugs, medical devices and gene therapy.
Medicaid rebates have been a fact of life in the pharmaceutical industry for 25 years. But the Affordable Care Act repeal-and-replace debate may open up the possibility of eliminating the mandatory rebates – and the requirement that all drugs be covered by the program.
You must sign in to use this functionality.
Please Sign In
All set! This article has been sent to email@example.com.
All fields are required. For multiple recipients, separate email addresses with a semicolon.
Please Note: Only individuals with active subscriptions will be able to access the full article. All other readers will be directed to the abstract and may purchase the article.


text:
It’s always a mistake to read too much into Apple’s event invites, so first let’s just go with what’s explicit: Apple’s yearly developer conference, where for the last few years it has unveiled new versions of iOS and Mac OS to developers, is scheduled for June 10.
But according to a growing consensus of rumors, based equal parts on reporting and safe assumptions about what Jony Ive, who is now in charge of iOS design (he formerly focused on hardware), we can expect a fairly noticeable change in how iOS will look. It will be, in a word, flatter, and have fewer material-inspired textures.
In any case, with Ives’ help, it’ll have a pretty convincing product video:
- In case you missed it: Trump and Clinton roasted each other at a charity dinner and it was awkward AF 😬
- Think before you trust Facebook: Hyperpartisan pages are posting false or misleading information up to 38% of the time 💻⁉
- A Mexican judge has approved the extradition of drug cartel leader Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán to the United States.
- This guy casually sat in a flooding Starbucks during intense storms in Hong Kong and became the internet's newest hero.