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Soon your facemask could be even better at protecting you from coronavirus with a light-up notification when it detects COVID-19.
Here’s the Buzz: Researchers at MIT and Harvard are working to embed masks with sensors that light up to signal the presence of the virus.
Scientists said the sensors would offer a quicker and more sensitive form of detection than traditional diagnostic tests.
It could be useful in hospital waiting rooms, or places like airports where you need to screen large numbers of people quickly.
Research is still in the early stages.
Apple reopens St. John's Towncenter store
Apple is reopening 25 more stores this week in six states. Jacksonville’s St. John’s Town Center location is on the list.
Here’s the Buzz: An Apple executive says re-openings are based on local official guidelines.
The company also released it's blueprint for reopening, saying customers will be required to wear a face mask inside the stores. Apple will provide you with one if you do not’ have one.
The store will limit how many people can be inside at a time and customers will have their temperature checked before entering the store.
Target extends 'Hero Pay'
Target has become the first major retailer to extend "hero pay" to its hourly employees.
Here’s the Buzz: In an email to workers Monday, the company’s CEO said target's a number of benefits would be extended, including its two-dollar per hour temporary wage increase through July 4.
The increase was implemented on March 20 to all store and distribution center hourly employees.
Many other retailers have let their temporary wage hikes expire.
Cold showers amid the pandemic
The key to starting off your day right could be taking a cold shower in the morning.
Here’s the Buzz: Psychologists say there are several benefits to cold water in this pandemic.
It could help with everything from stress relief, to sleeping better.
They say swimming outdoors is the most effective cold-water activity to boost your mood, but a chilly shower will still do the trick.


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Bitcoin economy new hope maybe is Africa
Freetown City, the capital of Sierra Leone, called Bureh fashion accessories company in December last year through the payment processing company BitPay accept bitcoin, to create the first rung of bitcoin economic region of South africa. Although since accept bitcoin since the total trade accounted for a very small, the company’s co-founder Daniel Hyman still said bitcoin is full of opportunity.
Bitcoin success potential has been widely recognized by the industry in africa. Bitcoin because of no need to open bank accounts to fast, free money remittance to you want to transfer for any place, it is an alternative currency for the African region bitcoin is particularly useful, and it can also reduce the cost of cross-border trade.
Across the continent, the possibility of bitcoin change is very large, South Africa and Kenya bitcoin economy is growing, but so far, bitcoin development in West Africa has been unable to accomplish something.
Hayman said that the peace and stability of the entire western region has reached the highest level in history, the Bureh and the bitcoin ecosystem will be a good chance. He said: “I personally believe that bitcoin has beyond the existing financial infrastructure across South Africa’s potential. I don’t know when it will happen, but in five years I can see will bind a bitcoin account in the world every one on the mobile phone. I can order from New York and pay, yes, we can do.”
Global remittances industry currently valued at over $500 billion per year, in 2012, alone in Africa the remittance is about $60 billion, while providing bitcoin remittance service BitPesa and providing mobile remittance service M-Pesa is particularly valuable, because they eliminate the risk of fraud, cost uncertainty, and improve the transaction speed and conversion rate.
Hayman said, if you want to catch up with the Kenya mobile phone bitcoin bank’s footsteps, it is still a long way to go, but in the entire region, this progress is on the rise, he added:
“I don’t know whether Bureh can become a major competitor in the field of bitcoin, but one thing can be sure of is that we believe bitcoin can flourish in the banking system in underdeveloped regions.”

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The automobile industry in Israel is majorly import driven, with the United States, Japan, South Korea, and France the prominent source of origin of vehicles. The vehicle registration in the country has been registering a year on year growth of exceeding 4% over the past couple of years. Also, the climatic conditions of Israel are characterized by hot and long summers. Thus, reducing the overall life span of a tire to around 12 months. Eventually, promulgating the tire industry of the country.
Replacement Demand Outpaced OEMs
The replacement demand for tires has totally outperformed OEM due to vast customer base, with rising vehicle ownership rates. According to Central Bureau of Statistics, the motorization rate (passenger cars) of the country was around 32% in 2014. This has improved marginally, touching around 33% in 2018. While, the overall motorization rate has been around 30%, considerably improved from around 22% in 2008. Therefore, with this improving vehicle population, the demand for replacement tires is expected to outperform OEM during the forecast period as well.
Passenger Cars tires sales has been bourgeoning due to robust sales of passenger cars. The car registration in the country has been rising at a considerable pace. The fleet size of passenger cars has rising at a considerable pace till 2016 that stood around 247,300 units but then the sales of passenger cars witnessed a slump from 2017 and 2018 estimating to be around 257,465. Moreover, the demand for OTR vehicles and light commercial vehicles has been soaring which will emanate the demand for tires during 2020-25. All weather tires are being demanded by the country as the climatic conditions of Israel are characterized by hot and long summers. Thus, reduces the overall life span of a tire to around 12 months. The dominance of all-weather tires is anticipated to prevail during the forecast period.
Furthermore, the rim size of 16” and 17” are gaining traction and the leading OEMs such as BMW, Ford, Mercedes, MAN and Renault are using larger rim sizes in the vehicles to change the old conventional aesthetics of the vehicles coupled with improving the load bearing capacity of the vehicle as revealed by MarkNtel Advisors’ in their research report, “Israel Tire Market Analysis, 2020”.
According to the MarkNtel Advisors the major leading players are Alliance Tires, Giti, Bridgestone, Continental, Hankook, Michelin, Pirelli, Toyo, Sumitomo, Goodyear Tire among others. General Motors and Michelin developed a tire built on fiberglass chassis that will replace the traditional tire in passenger cars within five years in 2019.
“Israel Tire Market Analysis, 2020”, provides comprehensive qualitative and quantitative insights on the industry potential, key factors such as trends, drivers, hotspots and opportunities and challenges available for Israel Tire market providers across the globe. Moreover, the report also encompasses the key leading players in the industry, along with competitive benchmarking and competition matrix and company profiling.
1. By Type of Vehicles (Passenger Car, Light Commercial Vehicle, Buses and Trucks, Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles, Off the Road (OTR), Two Wheelers, Three Wheeler)
2. By Demand Category (OEM and Replacement)
3. By Type of Tires (Radial and Bias)
4. By Sales Channel (Dealer/Exclusive stores, Online and Others)
5. By Season (all season, winter and Summer)
6. By Price Category (Low (Up to USD90), Medium (USD91-USD140), High (Above USD140))
7. By Rim Diameter (Upto 12”, 12.1” to 15”, 15.1.” to 18”, 18.1” to 20”, 20.1” to 22.5”, 22.6” to 26”, 26.1” to 35”, 35.1” to 47”, Above 47”)
8. By Region (East and West)
9. By Company (Alliance Tires, Giti, Bridgestone, Continental, Hankook, Michelin, Pirelli, Toyo, Sumitomo, Goodyear Tire)
Key questions answered in the study:
1. What are the current and future trends of the Israel tire market?
2. How the industry has been evolving in terms of end-user demand and application areas?
3. What are the future plans and customer expectations of end-users across the globe?
4. How the competition has been shaping across the countries followed by their comparative factorial indexing?
5. What are the key growth drivers and challenges for the Israel tire market?
6. What are the customer orientation, purchase behavior, and expectations from Israel tire suppliers across various regions?


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Grab the remote, set your DVR or queue up your streaming service of choice! GLAAD is bringing you the LGBTQ highlights on TV this week. Check back every Sunday for up-to-date coverage in LGBTQ-inclusive programming on TV.
Netflix’s new holiday home makeover show called Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas will be released Wednesday on the streamer. The four-part series follows out interior designer Benjamin Bradley (aka “Mr. Christmas”) as he transforms families and communities with elaborate home makeovers full of holiday cheer. Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas: Wednesday, on Netflix.
Between The World And Me, based on Ta-Nehisi Coates’ #1 New York Times bestselling book, is coming to HBO as a special event this Saturday. Based on the 2018 staging of the book at the Apollo Theater, the HBO Special will combine elements of the Apollo production, including powerful readings from Coates’ book, and incorporate documentary footage from the actors’ home life, archival footage, and animation. The special will feature out activist and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Alicia Garza, out activist and writer Janet Mock, and out actress Mj Rodriguez. Between the World and Me: Saturday, 8pm on HBO & HBO MAX.


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Shares of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) continue to consolidate above its major exponential moving averages, after failing to breakout above the critical resistance at 88.59 on Thursday. This key level is proving to be a strong resistance zone since September. A strong trend would not be in place unless the
AMZN – Amazon.com Inc is an e-commerce company, engaged in the sales of variety of products and services online.
AMZN – Amazon.com Inc
|Fundamentals||Previously closed at||602.00|
|Analyst opinion||Amazon reported its Q1 earnings yesterday after market close, and it crushed all estimates to announce an EPS of $1.07 and a revenue of $29.1Billion, up 28% from last year. Revenue from AWS, its cloud storage services is up 64% and it accounted for 56% of the company’s profits this quarter. In the global market Tablet sales is down, but Amazon managed to ship 2.2 million tablets in Q1, which is more than 5400% rise! Analysts. Credit Suisse raised its price target for Amazon to $880.|
|Sentiments||Due to Amazon’s amazing revenue reports, the shares were up 9% pre-market.|
|Social Media Pulse||The stock has 22% lower social chatter than usual.|


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Controversial shop moves from Buckhannon
The owners of Mom and Pop’s Hippy Shop have spent the past week relocating from their shop that was once across from Buckhannon City Hall to a new Weston location.
The shop had opened at 57 East Main St. in Buckhannon in October.
Dave Matthews with Lewis County Addressing and Mapping said the owners had applied for an address for their new shop location along U.S. 33 East near Weston Ford.
The Buckhannon City Council has been working on an ordinance that would ban the sale, possession and use of synthetic drugs.
By unanimous vote, the City Council approved the first reading of the proposed ordinance at Thursday’s meeting.
“I’m terribly, terribly happy that the Mom and Pop’s Hippy Shop has closed down across the street,” Councilman Ron Pugh said. “I’d like to thank the youth and the adults that appeared at City Council. Coming and telling us what they would like to do, that’s one of the most important things that you can do.”
A representative of the shop posted a statement on Facebook, saying, “Everything we sell is legal in the state of West Virginia. We cannot help if everyone does not agree with what we sell. Then again we do not agree with everyone’s opinions.”
In another Facebook post, a representative wrote, “We will no longer be selling potpourri, and we will no longer have the adult backroom. We will be reopening next Monday.”


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Mentioned here are some tips that will help you design and implement an effective digital media approach.
M-AdCall was awarded 2015 Digital Startup of the Year at the 5th India Digital Awards, held at IAMAI's India Digital Summit recently.
Koramangala being a hub for restaurants, pubs and other offline categories, is providing a major chunk of Lookup's partnerships in Bengaluru.
This is GSF’s second vertical. Last week, it launched a programme to mentor start-ups using only mobile as a medium for their products and services.
While Screwvala will bring in the initial investment of Rs 150 crore, Saikumar will head the company as its managing director.
SVG has platforms that can work on mobile, web and banners and is on track to earn revenue of Rs 210 crore this fiscal.
The huge social network has become a key source of news for many users, as part of a dramatic shift in how people get information in the digital age.
Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos' vision of becoming a tech and media powerhouse, however, has drawn protests from an investor community.


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How Are Consumers Driving Healthcare Innovation?
This article is part of ParkerWhite's weekly series,"Health and Wellness This Week,” a roundup of the latest healthcare marketing news and what it means for your marketing strategy.
Consumers Are Big Players in the Healthcare EconomyThanks to the ACA and changes to the healthcare economy, consumers are influencing healthcare more than ever. They're changing the way companies deliver care, forcing companies to think about product personalization, and voting with their dollars in crowdfunding campaigns.
Is Harmony in the Life Science Industry Possible?
In an article titled,"Is 2014 the Kumbaya Moment For Life Science Companies?" on MD+DI, Senior Editor Arundhati Parmar analyzes a PricewaterhouseCoopers report from earlier this year that shows 53% of pharma and life sciences CEOs are planning to enter into a strategic alliance or joint venture in the next 12 months. He notes that there's been a lot of collaboration in this sector this year:
- Boston Scientific as the first founding medical device partner of Optum Labs
- Aetna and Medtronic's announcement of a strategic partnership
- Medtronic's purchase of Cardiocom, expanding into disease management
- Covidien's acquisition of wearables maker Zephyr Technologies
Parmar concludes:"an existential threat is leading doctors to the arms of payors and payors and device vendors to embrace. Perhaps the Kumbaya moment in the healthcare world has arrived.”
Marketing Strategy Insigh: tAs healthcare companies focus on providing experiences across the continuum of care, companies will have to look beyond single-dimensional brand experiences and identify opportunities to increase brand touch points. Delivering on your brand promise will require more than just providing a product or service - companies will have to show they're committed to patients on a more holistic level. As companies look to partnerships and strategic collaborations to fill these voids, they will have to think carefully about how this affects their brand.Without a strong, healthy brand, it's possible that having multiple brands involved will dilute your brand, make it less clear, or make it disappear into the background. Stake your claim now -own your brand, with the intention of keeping it alive and well for the long-term future, by investing in it. Now's the time to make sure your brand is stronger than ever.
I Want It My Way: Product Customization in Nutrition Products
FoodProductionDaily.com reports on insights from Frost & Sullivan about the direction of the nutrition industry - towards increased personalization based on individual health needs. According to Brian Balmer at Frost & Sullivan, universal monitoring of traits like blood glucose, hydration, vitamin and mineral levels will allow personalization of nutrition. There are several ways this trend could manifest itself in the commercialization of nutrition products in the next 10 years, including packaging innovation and digital integration.
Marketing Strategy Insight: Personalization is nothing new to marketing. Just think about how personalization has affected other industries, such as Nike's personalized sneakers or Dell's personalized laptops. This highlights how important understanding the consumer will be to commercial success. You'll need to master your buyer personas. You may want to consider using social media listening software to mine consumer insights for product and packaging innovation. Social listening data could also contribute to improved social media buyer personas and a more targeted marketing strategy.
Digital Health Companies Leverage Crowdfunding on Indiegogo
Mobihealthnews reports six new projects on Indiegogo this month:
- UpRight: posture correcting wearable
- InstaMD: multi-use headset connects you to your doctor in real-time
- Traq Me: manage diabetes through text messaging
- Vidameter: wearable device for holistic health, wellness, and safety
- LifeKeeper: wearable device for prevention of heart attack and stroke
Marketing Strategy Insight: Companies are now using crowdfunding websites like Indiegogo to raise funds for health products, a sign of how much more power is in the hands of consumers than it used to be. In order for these companies to get their projects off the ground, they will have to do a good job articulating their value proposition clearly, succinctly, and digitally. The companies that stand out on Indiegogo already have a brand. There's a level of consistency to the look and feel and a clearly defined brand platform. Credibility is important, too. Your project page should show a level of professionalism. Consider a video to introduce your product, the inspiration behind it, and the team powering it. Take advantage of the opportunity to link out to your website and social properties to keep people connected to your campaign beyond their initial interaction. Getting brand advocates early on is key to spreading the word. Social proof can help propel your campaign forward.
Like this article? Don't forget to subscribe to get insights delivered to your inbox weekly. Check back in next week for another roundup of healthcare marketing news.


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The increase in projected revenue was driven in part by the expected scaling of sales and profits in Pennsylvania.
The leading North American MSO—and Green Fund Paper Portfolio mainstay—TerrAscend Corp (CSE:TER) saw its shares rise to 46.40 in value by close of trading Friday this week, after the company announced its preliminary financial results for Q4 2020.
The quarter saw net sales increase by 28% $65 million—representing 152% year-on-year growth—while full-year net sales and the company's adjusted EBITDA are expected to be $198 million and $60 million, respectively.
The increase in projected revenue was driven in part by the expected scaling of sales and profits in Pennsylvania—as the result of its recently completed cultivation footprint expansion—along with an ramp up in revenue from the company's New Jersey cultivation facilities.
"Our fourth-quarter results demonstrate robust sequential revenue growth and continued expansion of EBITDA margins, which reflect the strong fundamentals of our business," TerrAscend CEO and Executive Chairman Jason Ackerman said.
"During the quarter, we realized sales from key expansion projects in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California, that together with our pending entrance into the Maryland market, position the company for continued growth in 2021."
This also echoes comments made by Ackerman in November 2020, when he stated that the company has continued to focus on building its, "footprint in the northeast, including completion of an additional 25% cultivation expansion at our Pennsylvania facility in Q3, which began selling into the market in November."
"In New Jersey, where I believe we will be a major player, sales from our newly operational cultivation facility and our first retail location in Phillipsburg are expected to begin in the coming days."
"I look forward to realizing the full benefit of our substantially larger cultivation and manufacturing capacities across our system, including our recently announced Maryland acquisition, to further accelerate our revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth in Q4 and beyond," Ackerman said.
Disclaimer: Past performance is not an indicator of future performance.
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Exclusive news, analysis, and commentary on the global chip industry, including key political developments and trade conflicts.
The AI semiconductor giant’s stock tripled last year — and it’s jumped nearly 50% already in 2024.
Not every company that produces chips for cars, medical equipment, or smartphones is taking part in the semiconductor boom.
Semiconductor-design software maker Synopsys stepped into the Matrix on Tuesday to acquire Ansys, maker of powerful simulation software.
The center of gravity in the US-China battle for semiconductor supremacy is shifting to an unlikely part of the country: Upstate New York.
Nvidia continues to patent tech to expand its AI ecosystem as other tech firms play catch-up.
NVIDIA wants it’s chatbots to get to know you really, really well.


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Men spend more online for luxury items than women, says an iProspect study. ‘The Affluent Male: What His Online Behavior Can Teach Luxury Brand Marketers’ says 40 per cent of males with salaries of more than $100,000 annually shop online at least twice weekly and those who shop multiple times spend in excess of $30,000 annually. Top sites visited include Amazon, Yahoo, Google, eBay, MSN, Bing, and AOL. Most affluent males want detailed product information and simpler, yet more focused messages. Nine-one per cent access a PC at least once daily, while 77 per cent have a mobile smartphone and 50 per cent have a tablet. Affluent males with daily access to tablets are 32 per cent more likely to make a purchase on that device.
245 Fairview Mall Drive, Suite 501, Toronto, ON M2J 4T1


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As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Mike Thompson is privy to all kinds of sensitive material on matters of national importance. But he can't find out what's happening with the Rancho Feeding Corp. in Petaluma.
None of us can. And we agree with the North Bay congressman that with each passing day it gets more troubling.
More than five weeks have passed since initial actions were taken at the Rancho's Petaluma plant, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has yet to release information about what is happening.
Rancho Feeding Corp.
All the public knows is that what began as a investigation by federal agents and Petaluma police at the Petaluma Boulevard North plant on Jan. 10 quickly evolved into a recall of meat processed on a particular day. Within a few weeks, Rancho had expanded the recall to include all 8.7 million pounds of beef processed at the plant last year.
And it has grown from there. As reported, some 1,600 food distributors in the United States and Canada have now recalled beef and other products made with Rancho meat. These include frozen sandwiches and frozen hamburger patties sold at Wal-Mart.
This week, the list of recalled items was expanded to include certain batches of El Monterey's Beef & Cheese Taquitos and Ranchero Steak Tornados, products made by Ruiz Food Products in Dinuba and distributed in the United States and Canada.
The USDA has said little so far other than alleging that Rancho “processed diseased animals” without a full inspection. Both the department's Office of Inspector General and its Food Safety and Inspection Service are conducting separate investigations.
Meanwhile, the company's owners, who have ceased operations and reportedly are in negotiations to sell the plant to a San Francisco-based operator, have been tight-lipped, saying only that the recall was made out of “an abundance of caution.”


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Certainly, this is set to increase further as the population expands and consumer preferences change. However, there are significant challenges that could stand in the way of increasing production to meet this growing appetite.
But New Zealand faces opportunities with a growing population and the need to grow fresh produce. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Auckland, and its surrounding rural land. The population is set to rise to 2.3 million by 2043, straining natural resources and infrastructure. And growers are feeling that pressure.
The Pukekohe growing hub straddles the Auckland and Waikato District boundaries, and it is key to sustaining the fresh food supply to the country’s largest city. The squeeze on prime growing land in the Pukekohe hub, access to water, and the tensions between the existing industry and new neighbourhoods all mean a more considered and concerted approach to planning is needed.
That is why Horticulture New Zealand commissioned an economic analysis. This suggests that over the next 25 years, the Pukekohe hub could face constrained horticulture production. In undertaking the research for this report, a range of growers, retailers and distributors were able to provide valuable views on the importance of the Pukekohe growing hub.


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TurboTax is releasing seven teaser advertisements ahead of its 30-second game-day spot to demonstrate the importance of technology to people, and the positive effect of technology on doing taxes. The leader in tax software doesn’t have much to prove is seeking additional subscribers to its popular program. In addition to the TurboTax Super Bowl Commercials, make sure to listen for the Turbotax radio commercial.
The company is relying on the expertise from various fields, including astrophysicist Nobel laureate George Smoot and theoretical physicists Dr. S. James Gates and Michio Kaku, to demonstrate the effectiveness of Turbo Tax software. A pretty unique way to go about creating a SuperBowl Ad. Not sure that everyone will know who these accomplished individuals are when they see the ads.
Intuit’s Consumer Tax Groups’ Senior Vice President of Marketing has said it was the first time they were working on solving the uncertainty and self-doubt that many people have regarding their taxes by showing how the software delivers an effortless and innovative solution so they can be sure their taxes are done appropriately. The campaign, which was developed in partnership with the Wieden + Kennedy ad agency, involves radio, digital, social media, and the Super Spots.
The Brand has so far released three Super Bowl teaser ads and has plans to release three more this month. In addition to its teaser ads and the 30-second spot, TurboTax has indicated that the campaign will also include two Spanish-language ads. Are you looking forward to the TurboTax Super Bowl Commercials?TurboTax Super Bowl Commercials, Confirms Doing Taxes Made Simple by Steve Coach


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No Wii U games on Nintendo Direct today
There won’t be any new information on specific Wii U games in today’s Nintendo Direct broadcast, as Nintendo announced on their Facebook page. Shame, but it just makes the wait for E3 that much more exciting!
We can deliver all the latest Wii U news straight to your inbox every morning. Want in?


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There has been a lot of talk recently about phishing and brand reputation, specifically how phishing attacks often have a major negative effect on how customers view a particular brand. After a phishing attack, many customers lose trust in a brand.
What happens when you lose your customers’ trust?
Successful brands are built on trust. You’ve spent years building your brand and earning your customers’ trust. Don’t leave your brand equity vulnerable to an attack that could cost you your current and future customers.
Your Brand is at Risk
It’s with good reason that, according to Frost & Sullivan, 71% of security executives consider “protecting their brand” as their top priority. Each year, hundreds of brands are targeted by cyber criminals who are launching targeted phishing attacks. According to the most recent Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) Phishing Attack Trends Report, the number of brands targeted for phishing attacks reached the highest levels on record last year.
Phishing attacks happen, but can they happen to you? They most certainly can. In fact, there are an ever-increasing amount of high profile attacks reported in the press on a regular basis. Brands who possess customer data that is considered highly desirable to hackers are bigger targets for phishing attacks, but any brand doing business online is at risk.
Brand Damage: The Cost of Phishing to Your Brand
When a brand is attacked, there both are quantitative and qualitative repercussions. The cost of a phishing attack that affects 500 customer accounts can reach upwards of $1.4 million, when you account for the direct financial loss of funds to the cybercriminal plus the strain on internal resources to manage and investigate the crisis. That’s the immediate financial hit that you can expect, but there are long-term costs too – your reputation.
When your customers fall victim to an attack on your brand, consumer perception is that it’s all your fault. Once your brand is targeted, your customers are 42% less likely to do business with you in the future.
This sentiment applies even if the consumer doesn’t fall victim to releasing credentials. Simply receiving a phishing email is enough to write you off. Thus, your brand can be assumed as “guilty by association”. When a consumer is targeted via a phishing attack directed at your brand, the consumer has a negative experience that he/she associates with your brand. Negative experiences will certainly not increase shareholder value.
Adding further insult to injury, the media often takes note of the situation, cementing consumer perception that doing business with you is a risk. While perhaps not fair, your brand becomes caught up in the associated downward spiral. Consumers, fearful of identity theft, choose your competitor.
Be the Brand Consumers Trust
It all comes down to trust.
In many ways, you are the brand that consumers trust. You have a proven track record of delivering quality products and/or services to your customer base. But, cybercriminals are using that same strength and equity of your brand to carry out their mission.
In today’s world, your success as a brand is determined in part, by your ability to protect the safety of your customers. Building a security infrastructure that will allow your customers to do business with you safely is crucial when it comes to keeping and expanding your customer base.
What do nearly all of the recent high-profile data breaches have in common? They have all been traced to sophisticated threats and cyber criminals. While there are many disagreements in the security industry, after every significant breach nearly everyone agrees that it was sophisticated (Twitter, Apple, and the Department of Energy are some of the unfortunate organizations to be compromised by a sophisticated attack recently).
On the surface, it isn’t hard to see why. First, technology vendors need attackers to be super sophisticated, because simple tactics couldn’t circumvent their products, right? For victims of a breach, it is advantageous for it to seem as though it took a sophisticated actor to penetrate its network. And from the incident response standpoint, it behooves IR consultants to describe these breaches as ultra-sophisticated to help their customers save face.
“It’s legit,” an APT1 hacker wrote in response to a recipient who questioned the validity of a spear phishing email sent by the now notorious Chinese hacking group. This recipient had the awareness to initially question the authenticity of the phishing email, but when APT1 responded, it added an element of trustworthiness to its communication, one that could trip up even a savvy employee.
This is one of the tactics Mandiant® described in its report about APT1, and is something we at PhishMe® have observed as well from both our customers and our contacts in the industry. To address this issue, we rolled out the Double Barrel, a new scenario type that will simulate the conversational phishing techniques used by advanced adversaries like APT1. This has been in development for months, and it was a happy coincidence that we rolled this out the same week that Mandiant provided the world with a concrete example.


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During the decade of 2010-2019, the closure of several high-profile businesses sent shock waves through the San Fernando Valley.
In San Fernando, J.C.Penney closed its store in 2012 after anchoring the plaza for several decades. Since the department store left the downtown district, many family-owned shops and restaurants in the San Fernando Mall have been grappling to attract foot traffic. Several small businesses abandoned their leases.
In other parts of the San Fernando Valley, two Sears stores are slated to close in 2020 after Transform Holdco acquired the remaining assets of bankrupt retailer Sears Holdings Corp. earlier this year and announced about the shuttering of nearly 100 of Sears and Kmart locations.
For two locations in North Hollywood and Northridge, this holiday season was the last one to enjoy.
Across Southern California, the stores’ closure will leave about 1,220 people out of work, according to data from the state Employment Development Department.
What will replace the iconic stores? We will likely find out in 2020.
In Woodland Hills, Toys “R” Us closed its doors about a year ago after filing for bankruptcy in 2017.
Still, the property, located in a shopping plaza across the street from Westfield Topanga & The Village in Warner Centre, didn’t sit abandoned for too long.
About a year after the store closed, a new supermarket has been approved for the building formerly occupied by the toy chain. Earlier, Amazon.com Inc. said it will open a grocery store next year at 6245 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Amazon.com Inc. said it will launch a new type of grocery store next year. The job postings published on the e-commerce giant’s website describe the future shop as “Amazon’s first grocery store.”
The company spokesperson didn’t clarify the name of the future store, what can kind of products it will carry or if it will launch more similar locations in other parts of the city.


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Netflix is Raising Their Prices – Are You Paying?
We have some not-so-great news to start the week: Netflix just announced it will be raising it’s prices, and by quite a lot.
Netflix sent out an email around midnight on Monday (I got mine on EST time at 4 a.m.) to subscribers letting us know they’ll be rolling out new pricing starting at the next billing cycle, which for me in the beginning of December.
I currently pay for the Premium account with includes four screens for my family members, and added another extra member for my grandmother when “The Queen’s Gambit” came out (she loved it!). Here’s the email I received from Netflix:
That may not seem like a huge increase month to month, but if you do the math that’s about $276 a year, from $240.
I’m all about more value for my membership, but they are vague and – call me a skeptic – I’m sure there’s a reason behind this that they’re not disclosing. This is part of the Streamflation trend, with prices going up on other streaming services too.
So, are you going to pay the surcharge or leave for another streamer? I haven’t decided yet and would love to hear your thoughts!


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There was a sharp drop in the number of staff working for large US firms in canton Geneva between 2008-2018, according to the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham), and the canton is struggling to attract new US businesses.This content was published on August 27, 2019 - 13:51
According to Amcham's annual reports, 16 American companies, mostly large industrial multinationals based in the canton, reduced the size of their total workforce between 2008 and 2018 by 10.4%. In 2018, there were 13 US multinationals employing just over 6,700 staff.
The downsizing and decline in attractiveness have been caused by "new uncertainties linked to Swiss political life" as well as international competition, explained Amcham Director General Martin Naville in an interview External linkwith the Tribune de Genève newspaper on Tuesday.
Last year, consumer goods multinational Procter and Gamble (P&G) employed 1,800 people in Geneva, 1,000 fewer than ten years earlier. Meanwhile, chemical manufacturer DuPont employed only 450 people, compared with 750 in 2008.
Other big US firms which have been based in Geneva for a number of years include J P Morgan bank (1,000 staff), Cargill (400), Caterpillar (400), Ralph Lauren (350), Manpower (300) and Bunge (250).
Naville said many American companies are now reluctant to set up in Switzerland, and Geneva in particular.
He said two ongoing initiatives in Switzerland calling for “responsible business" and "moderate immigration" were particular sources of concern for investors.
He added that Geneva faced stiff competition from business sites in the Netherlands and Ireland. Recently, Uber, Tesla and Netflix have chosen a European base in the Netherlands, while Airbnb, LinkedIn and Twitter located to Ireland.
In recent years, no new American company of any size has established itself in Switzerland, said Naville.
But there are still several success stories. The US pharmaceutical firm Covance now employs 720 staff in Geneva. Meanwhile, the luxury sector seems to be holding up well and has strengthened its presence. Cosmetics specialist Coty had 600 staff last year, compared to 167 ten years ago, and Elizabeth Arden now employs 150 in the canton.
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Multi-channel is the future for experimental Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer has put multi-channel at the heart of its strategy, with its stores regarded as just as important as its developing online and mobile channels, as it experiments with all parts of its business. By Glynn Davis
Presenting at the recent World Retail Congress 2012 in London Laura Wade-Gery, executive director of multi-channel and e-commerce at Marks & Spencer, highlighted some of the changes taking place within the business.
"Multi-channel is a huge opportunity. There are plenty of places in the UK where a full-line clothing offer [in an M&S store] is not around the corner," she says, adding that changes in customer behaviour will drive online growth well into the future.
It is around 9% today but Wade-Gery suggests it could be 20-25% by 2020 and “might even be more” as retailers improve their online capabilities, varied delivery options become available, and new technologies such as tablets and augmented reality gain a footing.
Despite M&S having a core shopper aged 55-plus years old Wade-Gery says this is not affecting online sales as 85% of this grouping is today online. Tempting this group online are the unique products of M&S. "What we sell is only available at M&S. We don’t sell commodity products. This is a unique differentiator for us," she explains.
With a true multi-channel spirit Wade-Gery says the online offer is providing the opportunity to “get the stores to work harder and to give a better experience to customers”. Part of this was the launch of Click & Collect in 2009, which has been extraordinarily popular for many retailers.
For M&S 40% of online orders are regularly collected in-store, which helps drive further sales from this footfall. "We’ve worked hard at bringing online and in-store together," says Wade-Gery.
This has also involved using kiosks to provide "inspiration" for the company’s home category and for its fashion ranges via its ‘Style Online’ initiative that has been rolled out to 13 stores. This aims to inject some ‘fashionability’ into its smaller stores.
"As our stores get smaller we take out more fashionable products and resort to staples. But we lose excitement. Style Online is the answer. We’ve brought in digital screens, samples and trained staff with iPads to create a style boutique. Small local stores become a more fashionable experience," explains Wade-Gery.
Free wi-fi is also being rolled out – again because she believes it will bring more value to the in-store shopping experience. This follows M&S’ early belief in the power of mobile when it became the first high street retailer to launch a mobile-optimised site.
But it is not only in the UK where the company is targeting growth as Wade-Gery says its multi-channel strategy is extending into other territories. For France the future is a combination of a few stores and a transactional website. And from the end of the year M&S will be transactional online in a total of 10 countries.
This all combines to provide challenging times for M&S and other retailers embarking on their multi-channel journeys. "It’s not easy stuff. We’re making big investments including a big distribution centre. We’re experimenting as we don’t know what will work," she says.
Don't miss the Retail Bulletin's 4th Multichannel Retailing Summit, 6th February 2013. The day's theme is 'Connecting everything in the new omni-channel world retailing environment: 360° loyalty solutions to maximise sales effectiveness at every customer touchpoint.
Click here to view the programme and Register.
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Hewlett Packard is to turn up the heat in the low-end PC market with a machine which will sell for less than $800. The Pavilion 3620, which is selling in the US for $799, includes a 200MHz Pentium MMX...
Companies are challenging Amazon in retail and cloud
Cosmetics firm is undergoing a top-to-toe tech refresh with GDPR compliance thrown in
DFS resorts to cloud to help handle spikes in online demand
Economy and business performance not a problem, reckon small firms
Charity engages Braintree to move away from previous payment system which was in danger of failing and losing millions of pounds of donations, admits CTO


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This time of year brings the joys of planning construction operations around inclement — and unpredictable — weather.
But recent commentary from the Builders Merchants Federation suggests a perfect storm is brewing on the horizon and is on its way.
With reports of roofing products not being available until August 2021, the industry is facing a continued knock-on effect from last year's lockdown.
Increased shipping costs, congestion problems, shortages of empty containers are all leading to predicted shortages of construction materials. If you add to that a spillover effect from factories being closed (globally) from April and May 2020 due to coronavirus restrictions, and top it off with the implications of Brexit, then we have the makings of a perfect storm.
All of this at a time when many builders' merchants and DIY stores have reported a sales bonanza as people spent lockdown renovating their homes (Kingfisher — which owns B&Q — has reported sales up by 17%). Demand is (apparently) already outstripping supply for products ranging from roof tiles to screws.
And all before we start factoring in the impact of the current lockdown. While undoubtedly creating opportunities for UK-based manufacturers and suppliers, the industry depends on access to goods from around the world to keep running.
Construction — and, in particular, housebuilding — has been one of the rays of light in economic snapshots from 2020. Considering the sector is critical to the UK's economic well-being, is it time then for a more sector-based approach to business support to weather this perfect storm?
The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) said it has received reports of some roofing products being unavailable until August, while timber prices are surging by an average of 20%.


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In total, PepsiCo, Duluth Trading, and WebstaurantStore will invest $400 million to expand in DaKalb, Bartow and Bryan counties.
PepsiCo Beverages North America's expansion of its City of Tucker, GA manufacturing facility will create at least 136 jobs in DeKalb County.
Carvana will create an additional 3,500 jobs with its Metro Atlanta expansion, while Titan Steel Doors will create 90 new jobs in Hart County.
Germany-based vehicle technology company Continential will create more than 45 new jobs with an expansion of its ContiTech Vibration Control business unit in DeKalb County, IN.
The online retail giant's new 700,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Gwinnett County, GA will be the first of its kind in the state.
Forest River will invest $2.9 million to expand in Butler, IN, creating up to 125 new jobs by 2019.


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Cannabis Culture is proud to be the first news organization to report that United Kingdom marijuana activist Colin Davies and Dutch coffee shop guru Nol Van Schaik will be opening the first marijuana coffee shop in England in September.
Davies and Van Schaik were already allies in the European medical marijuana movement. When major British politicians and officials began openly calling for cannabis decriminalization earlier this year, the pair decided that the UK was ready for a cannabis retail system modeled on the Dutch approach to cannabis sales.
Davies is already famous for giving marijuana to the Queen Mother and Prince Charles, and for twice being acquitted of marijuana cultivation charges. He founded and manages the British Medical Marijuana Cooperative, which provides medpot to a growing number of patients.
Now, Davies is poised to make history.
“Nol and I feel that the time is right to be open and honest about the need for cannabis in England,” the soft-spoken Davies said. “We’ll be opening the country’s first public marijuana shop in mid-September, near Manchester. We’re calling it ‘The Dutch Experience.’ We’re going to provide low-cost marijuana to medical users, subsidized by sales to recreational users.”
Van Schaik owns and manages three renowned coffee shops in Haarlem, Holland, 20 minutes from Amsterdam.
“I’m helping Colin make this an authentic Dutch experience,” Van Schaik explained. “He’s got so much heart, and so much good sense, and we’re setting up his shop so customers can enjoy the place and get the best marijuana possible for the best prices.”
Local authorities where Davies intends to open his shop have given mixed signals concerning cannabis cultivation and sales, but Davies says he isn’t worried about government interference.
“We’re going to have a grand opening ceremony attended by Wernard Bruining, who created the first Dutch coffee shop, Mellow Yellow. We’ll have cannabis activists and patients from across Europe. The police know that juries don’t want to find me guilty for cannabis offenses, and that public opinion is solidly against the war on marijuana. Europe is fast moving toward a rational marijuana policy. I’m grateful for Nol’s help in bringing the Dutch experience here to England. We’re going to have a great time helping a lot of people get the healing herb,” he said.


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D. Pelligra Architects to design new Steelastic Co. headquarters
New headquarters to keep growth-minded Steelastic in Akron
by Chris Sweeney of Rubber & Plastic News
Nov. 10, 2013
Steelastic Co. is building a new headquarters in Akron, relocating seven miles from its current location in a move centered on growth.
“The main reason was for our growth and anticipated additional growth,” said Steelastic president Paul LaMantia. “It’s going to double our assembly space, which will allow us to respond to our customers quicker.
“We will also have more effective assembly space than we currently do,” Mr. LaMantia said. “We’ll also quadruple our space for engineering and development for new products.”
Steelastic will share the new building at the Ascot Industrial Park with another Heico Cos. subsidiary, RMS Equipment LLC. The two companies currently are spread out over four buildings.
Steelastic has set a target completion date for the building of early in the third quarter of 2014.
The entire manufacturing area of the new building will be under crane, said Armand Massery, Steelastic continuous improvement manager.
At present, two of the three buildings Steelastic is using do not have cranes, while the other uses just one crane. The headquarters will have four that also will be able to handle more weight, Mr. Massery said.
The new headquarters will include expanded lab and development areas, which Mr. LaMantia said will be used to continue to differentiate and add to the company’s product line.
The company is spending multiple millions of dollars on the new headquarters. Mr. LaMantia said Steelastic and RMS Equipment will make the investment through parent firm Heico.
Steelastic is committed to remaining in Akron.
“We considered other sites in the Akron area,” Mr. LaMantia said. “Akron brings the expertise in the area, machine-building experience, tire and rubber experience, the University of Akron, and we wanted to maintain our current work force.”
David Pelligra and Architects Inc. is designing the new building. Mr. Massery said the company has a longstanding partnership with the architect firm, and Steelastic used it for previous growth initiatives within its current operation.
(Chris Sweeney is a reporter with Rubber & Plastics News, a sister publication of Crain’s Cleveland Business.)


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- Cryptocurrency prices have rebounded significantly this year, but the space remains barren compared to pandemic hysteria
- Institutional money is flowing out at an alarming pace and there is no guarantee it will come back
- 2022 scandal so big that capital is reluctant to go back
Saying “2022” to someone remotely involved in the cryptocurrency industry sends shivers down their spines. It was a year filled with scandals, embarrassment, and most of all, price crashes.
Bitcoin It’s a good indicator of how the industry is moving. The world’s largest cryptocurrency peaked at nearly $69,000 in November 2021. A year later it was $15,500.
Since the low in November, the price has risen significantly. Bitcoin is currently trading around $29,000 amid softening inflation data and growing optimism about the future of interest rates after winter.
But things are different. And despite these price increases, there must be some concern that the cryptocurrency industry has suffered an indelible blow to its reputation. did you give?
Justin Chapman, Head of Digital Assets and Financial Markets at Northern Trust, summed up these concerns: interview “Client interest has definitely fallen off the cliff in terms of institutional interest in crypto,” he said on CNBC this week.
“After 2022, it’s definitely quieter institutionally,” he continued. “Before that, we were seeing traditional fund managers trying to launch crypto funds, ETPs in Europe that are the equivalent of ETFs in the US, but it has really quieted down. Even hedge funds are definitely reducing their exposure within that particular space.”
This evidence goes beyond anecdotal. We have compiled several reports on the huge outflow of funds from the cryptocurrency market recently. One of my favorite charts to show this extent is looking at exchange stablecoin balances. In November, he said, more than half of the total balance of stablecoins has evaporated from exchanges since FTX collapsed. in short, $22 billion outflow.
The market depth of the exchanges is similar: the capital is just ran away.
Cipher messed up when camera is on
The surge in cryptocurrencies during the pandemic has arguably put them on the main stage, influencing an unprecedented amount of money into the sector. The scale of such scandals, especially his FTX and LUNA bankruptcies, raises concerns that institutional money will never return at the same pace.
When Tesla bought Bitcoin and put it on its balance sheet, it felt like the beginning of a movement for the entire crypto industry. Funds from the currency settlement were flowing into space like a tsunami.
But then I got a crash. Not only that, but the total lack of regulation in this area, along with a lack of risk management, has put the entire industry into a very public and dishonorable tailspin, resulting in bankruptcy after bankruptcy.
Today, regulators are working hard and the US environment is becoming more and more hostile. In February, his BUSD stablecoin under the Binance brand was shut down. Infamous FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried awaits trial as Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao accused the CFTC of operating a “deliberately opaque joint venture” indicted. This includes charges of “failure to implement basic compliance procedures designed to prevent and detect terrorist financing and money laundering.” Coinbase has been issued his Wells notice by the SEC, warning him of impending lawsuits for securities violations.
How many hits can one industry take?
Bitcoin is somewhat detached and uniquely positioned as the first cryptocurrency, and the goal of being a store of value means it at least has a goal. But for the rest of the crypto, not all points are clear, nor are the future prospects.
Krypto was given the perfect setting. It was an explosive bull market dating back to 2009. This has been fueled by historically low (sometimes negative) interest rates, plus a pandemic that has kept everyone stuck at home with stimulus checks. Arrived just as the DIY investment started.
Publicly traded companies entered, countries declared fiat currencies (El Salvador, Central African Republic), and clients called their fund managers and asked how they could purchase these mysterious virtual coins.
Years later, the space’s reputation is in tatters. Retail money may come and go, but massive amounts of institutional cash can prove difficult to recoup, and the lofty dream of decentralized altcoins revolutionizing global life is certainly More fancy. Most fund managers don’t want anything to do with crypto right now, nor should they.
Even after prices rose this year, most coins are still trading well below their peaks. Even Bitcoin is down 58% from its highs. Not only that, the liquidity of most coins remains low, volatility is high, legal issues for cryptocurrency companies are increasing, and the regulatory landscape is more uncertain than ever.
Crypto prices may be rising. But the space is still barren compared to the bull market hysteria. And there’s not much evidence that institutional money will pay off any time soon.


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- The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the Bahrain Economic Development Board, has opened applications for the 100 Arab Startups shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution in 2019
- Startups can apply now to join the vibrant community and participate in the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, which will take place on 6-7 April at the Dead Sea, Jordan
- Selected startups will benefit from a tailored programme with industry and government leaders to discuss the future of their industries
- Deadline for application is 13 March 2019
The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the Bahrain Economic Development Board, has opened online applications for 100 Arab Start-ups that are shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution in 2019. Selected startups will meet business leaders and policy-makers at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, which will take place on 6-7 April 2019 at the Dead Sea, Jordan.
“A wave of young companies and entrepreneurs are changing the economic landscape of the Arab world. By championing innovative and pragmatic solutions, startups are improving people’s everyday lives and drive new forms of regional cooperation. At the Forum, we believe startups embracing the potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution play a key role in shaping the future of their industries and their societies at large,” said Mirek Dusek, Deputy Head of the Centre for Regional and Geopolitical Affairs and Head of the Middle East and North Africa at the World Economic Forum.
A selection committee made up of some of the regional leading experts on the startups ecosystem will work with the World Economic Forum and the Bahrain Economic Development Board to select 100 promising Arab startups to join the Forum’s meeting at the Dead Sea.
- Khaled Talhouni, Managing Partner, Wamda Capital
- Hala Fadel, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Leap Ventures,
- Ahmed ElAlfi, Founder and Chairman of Sawari Ventures
- Abdulrahman Tarabzouni, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Saudi Technology Ventures (STV)
- Amir Farha, Co-Founder and Managing Director. BECO Capital
- Areije Al Shakar, Director and Fund Manager, Al Waha Venture Capital Fund, and Senior Vice President of Bahrain Development Bank
- Mirek Dusek, Deputy Head of the Centre for Regional and Geopolitical Affairs and Head of the Middle East and North Africa, World Economic Forum
To be eligible, companies should:
- Have received at least one round of funding from outside investors
- If early-stage, be generating revenue with demonstrated early success or have a working prototype that is ready to launch
- If late-stage, be considered a leader or high-potential company in their field
- Demonstrate a commitment to making a substantial long-term impact on Arab business and society
- Not be a subsidiary or a joint venture
The Forum’s Global Shapers, Young Global Leaders and business community will also have the opportunity to nominate promising start-ups for consideration by the selection committee.
Startups should complete the application form by 13 March 2019 at http://wef.ch/arabstartups19apply
Successful applicants will be contacted by 21 March with further instructions.
This initiative aims to further integrate the Arab world’s most promising startup entrepreneurs into a national and regional dialogue on pressing challenges. Selected entrepreneurs will take part in the official programme where they will engage with industry and government leaders to discuss the future of their industries and how to add value to society.
Travel and accommodation will be covered for the 100 finalists.


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Vegan Mainstream: “Since 75 percent of foods found in your grocery store have been genetically modified, I truly believe that we are participating in a wide-scale uncontrolled experiment. And the effects may be seen in the skyrocketing incidence of disease.”
To Soy or Not to Soy?
- Michelle Schoffro Cook
- August 10, 2012
Almost everybody these days has an opinion about soy. One person touts soy’s incredible health properties and phytonutrients, while another indicates that soy is harmful to your health. What’s a person to believe? When it comes to soy, I think it’s important to weigh several factors before deciding if soy is right or wrong for your body, particularly since the issues may be different for different people’s bodies.
Soybeans have been eaten as part of Asian diets for thousands of years. However, most writers overstate the role of soy in the Asian diet, claiming that Asians eat far more soy products than they actually do.
In more recent years, large corporations began growing and harvesting soybean crops for large-scale food manufacturing. In doing so, many companies have adopted unsustainable practices such as using genetically modified soybeans, spraying plants with harmful pesticides, and even chopping down precious forest areas to maximize their profits. These types of practices not only cause widespread planetary destruction, they pose a threat to the health of people as well.
The use of toxic pesticides, many of which are known neurotoxins—they damage the brain and nervous system—is a dangerous practice no matter the food crop being sprayed. As for genetically modified (GM) foods, research is increasingly linking their consumption to serious health concerns—again, whether the crop is soy, wheat, corn, canola, or any other type.
Additionally, inadequate long-term research has been conducted on the effects of consuming GM foods; however, since 75 percent of foods found in your grocery store have been genetically modified, I truly believe that we are participating in a wide-scale uncontrolled experiment. And the effects may be seen in the skyrocketing incidence of disease. While there are certainly other factors at play with the disease statistics we are experiencing at this time in our history, over time I am confident that genetically modified foods, including GM soy and soy products, are at least playing a role in our rapidly increasing rates of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer, as well as many other illnesses. But, many of these issues are industrial farmingpractices and government policy issues rather than the fault of the humble bean.
Another part of the love-hate relationship with soy is its high phytoestrogen content. Phytoestrogens are natural plant hormones that mimic estrogen in our bodies. For some people these estrogens may help balance their hormones, particularly during the menopausal years for women who may be deficient in estrogens. However, these estrogens may throw off the hormonal balance for other people.
Keep reading to learn how soy may actually protect your body against harmful pollutants…
August 12, 2012


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NEW YORK/HONG KONG/LONDON (Reuters Breakingviews) - Corona Capital is a column updated throughout the day by Breakingviews columnists around the world with short, sharp pandemic-related insights.
- GSK earnings
- Golf M&A
ON TRACK. Like most global companies, drugmaker GSK has endured a turbulent seven months. It’s hard to tell from the company’s full-year earnings guidance, though. Back in February, when Covid-19 was largely confined to China, the $85 billion company said it expected adjusted earnings per share for 2020 to fall between 1% and 4%. On Wednesday, it reiterated that forecast, though it admitted the decline would be at the lower end of the range.
Still, it’s a remarkable outcome for GSK, which has seen demand for vaccines for shingles and other conditions drop as people stayed away from doctors while health services focused on battling the pandemic. In September, however, vaccination rates recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, the company run by Emma Walmsley is collaborating with French rival Sanofi to develop a Covid-19 vaccine, with late-stage trials due to start in December. If only that outcome were as predictable as GSK’s earnings. (By Peter Thal Larsen)
THE LINKS. Callaway, the $1.8 billion maker of golf equipment, said on Tuesday that it’s merging with Topgolf Entertainment in an all-stock deal. The golf-ball maker first invested in the tech-enabled driving range chain – which has a 30% compound annual growth rate since 2017 – in 2006. The pandemic may let it hit a birdie.
Covid-19 initially left it in the drink: Callaway’s second-quarter year-over-year net sales declined by a third. But the naturally socially distanced game then saw its popularity rise. U.S. rounds last month were up over a quarter versus September 2019, and year-to-date, they’ve risen almost 9%, according to the company. The Dallas-based company projects it will report the best third quarter in its history – with adjusted EBITDA up by over 50%.
Meanwhile, because of coronavirus shutdowns, Topgolf’s valuation – estimated at roughly $4 billion when it was considering an initial public offering earlier this year – has fallen to around $2 billion. So this deal shouldn’t leave Callaway investors in the sand trap. (By Anna Szymanski)
BUNKER DOWN. Sony is ready for another round of lockdowns. Operating profit from its video-games division topped $1 billion in the three months to September, a huge increase from a year earlier but down 15% sequentially. Vacationers taking advantage of relaxed pandemic measures across Europe and the United States over the summer is a factor. Now many European countries are bracing for another surge of Covid-19 infections, and restrictions, as the weather cools. For Sony, it’s the perfect time for them to be trapped at home with its next-generation PlayStation.
Set to launch on Nov. 12, the $500 PS5 will be the Japanese company’s first console in seven years. The head of Sony’s entertainment arm told Reuters that based on pre-orders, demand was “considerable”. An impressive pipeline of exclusive PlayStation titles like “Final Fantasy XVI” gives Sony an advantage over rival Microsoft, which will release its long-awaited console around the same time. At least for Sony shareholders, staying in may not be so bad. (By Robyn Mak)
DRINKING BUDDIES. Brewers’ China addiction is likely to intensify. Consider Denmark’s Carlsberg, which raised its full-year earnings guidance thanks to increased demand in the world’s second-largest economy. The success will not be lost on Dutch heavyweight Heineken’s new boss Dolf van den Brink, who could offer no such certainty. The mixed fortunes were reflected in the duo’s shares: Heineken fell nearly 5% on Wednesday while Carlsberg’s stock bounced 2%.
China’s recovery is lifting many boats. Although it was ground zero for the pandemic, the People’s Republic has deftly arrested the virus. That led to a 4% sales boost for Carlsberg in the quarter ending Sept. 30. Heineken also saw double-digit volume growth in China, but its focus on the United States and Europe, where countries like France are considering national lockdowns, makes it vulnerable. Pivoting east is becoming the easiest way to put some fizz into earnings. (By Aimee Donnellan)
DETHRONED. No need to wait for Brexit: London’s Heathrow has already lost its mantle as Europe’s busiest airport to Paris’s Charles de Gaulle, thanks to Covid-19. The revelation was made by Heathrow’s boss John Holland-Kaye, as he announced terrible third-quarter financials. The airport lost 1.5 billion pounds in the first nine months of 2020, an average of 5.5 million pounds per day. It also attracted 300,000 fewer travellers than Paris’s 19.3 million during that period.
Holland-Kaye blamed the United Kingdom’s slow adoption of passenger testing, which he sees as an alternative to a 14-day mandatory quarantine. The first UK airport testing only began in October and is available in two of five terminals. Heathrow has enough cash to stay open for the next 12 months even without revenue. France, however, may go into another lockdown, sending shares of De Gaulle operator ADP down 6% on Wednesday. The busiest-airport crown may yet return to England. (By Karen Kwok)
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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Dogs are cleaner than the average beard, according to a recent study.
Researchers compared the number of bacteria found in the fur of man’s best friend to the face fur of man. After swabbing a sample of scruffs, the team says bearded men harbor “significantly more” microbes than dogs do.
Sharing Is Caring
A scanner shortage prompted the research. According to the study’s authors, only a few veterinary clinics in Europe have MRI machines reserved for animals as they are costly to buy and maintain. The study’s team conducted its comparison to see whether dogs are hygienic enough to share the machines with people.
Their conclusion? Sharing poises no risk to humans — good news for Fido.
Science Or Pogonophobia?
Newshub reached out to several unshaven dog owners for comment about their pets’ allegedly more sanitary coats.
“Well I mean he doesn’t bathe at all,” said one bearded respondent about his dog. “[My beard] gets shampooed at least three times a week.”
“[My hair] is definitely cleaner than hers because she’s been in the lagoon and there’s stuff in that lagoon I just can’t get out of her hair no matter how much I wash and brush her,” said another. “It’s all about manscaping isn’t it, it’s all about taking care of yourself.”
Keith Flett, founder of the Beard Liberation Front, told the Daily Mail he doubted the study’s findings.
“There seems to be a constant stream of negative stories about beards that suggest it’s more about pogonophobia than anything else,” Flett said.
So Fresh, So Clean
Experienced pogonophiles suggest a grooming regimen that includes washing, conditioning, and trimming.
Esquire recommends a few products for keeping facial hair luscious (and sanitary). Beard oil and disinfecting balm can prevent coarseness, breakouts, and the dreaded beard itch. The men’s fashion magazine even suggests purchasing beard-specific brushes.
And, hey, why not? They seem to work well for dogs.
Image by Pexels.


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New report highlights the growth in the sharing economy
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It’s been hard to escape the rise of the sharing economy in the last few years, with an ever growing number of industries affected by collaborative start-ups providing platforms for us to share our goods and services with one another. A new report published recently by Vision Critical and Crowd Companies highlights just how rapid this growth has been.
The report, called Sharing is the New Buying, saw over 90,000 people surveyed to find out how they were engaging with the collaborative economy. It emerged that over 25% of the population is now regularly using sharing platforms, be that AirBnB or Kickstarter, eLance or TaskRabbit. The report goes on to predict that this participation rate is expected to double in the next year.
Users in the sharing economy were typically in one of three main groups:
- Non sharers – these are people that have yet to engage with the sharing economy, albeit they have expressed a willingness to do so in future.
- Re sharers – are people that have sold goods person to person via services such as eBay.
- Neo sharers - are people that have used the sharing economy at least once in the last year.
Almost half of the neo sharer category fall into the 18-34 age bracket, which is perhaps to be expected for any new technology. As we’ve seen with social networks however, the baby boomers are quick to flock to something they perceive as valuable, which perhaps goes a long way to explaining why an increasing number of brands are looking to get in on the sharing economy.
The report explains how these companies won’t succeed unless they understand the drivers behind the success of the new economy. It suggests that these core drivers are:
- Less buying and more sharing requires companies to shift away from measuring success in terms of units sold as opposed to units used. As you can imagine, this marks a substantial shift in business model for many companies.
- Less consuming and more producing sees a clear alignment with the growth of the maker movement that is only going to be accentuated by the rise of 3D printing. Companies such as Threadless are already thriving by providing a marketplace for customer designed products. This will be a natural extension of that.
- Less working and more freelancing is likely to see the Free Agent Nation finally emerge as a more substantial movement. This provides a new environment, not only for sourcing talent, but also changes the competitive environment, with rivals increasingly coming from talented freelancers.
- Less regulation and more risk will see some governments attempt to get to grips with the new environment as much as companies will.
With Jeremiah Owyang co-authoring the report, it is a predictably insightful look at this fascinating new approach to business. Check out the report below.
Opinions expressed by DZone contributors are their own.


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Arun Sudhaman 24 Jan 2018 // 1:20PM GMT
DAVOS — Advertisers have an obligation to address inequality and bias, said P&G North America president Carolyn Tastad at a panel discussion in Davos today.
Tastad, speaking at the Equality Lounge, pointed out that this approach had resulted in P&G tackling gender inequality via its #LikeAGirl and #ShareTheLoad campaigns.
"There is an obligation within advertising to think about what stories you want to tell," said Tastad. "We have to think about our stories in terms of how we cast characters, the roles those characters play, or the issues they take on."
"When it’s done right it can build brand equity, sell product and influence mindsets," added Tastad.
Tastad was speaking in a discussion entitled Flipping The Script with The Female Quotient CEO Shelley Zalis and journalist Tina Brown, the latter of whom pointed out that popular culture such as advertising spots or TV shows like Big Little Lies "are the things that change mindsets, far more than any homilies or declarations on top of the mountain, dare I say."
Tastad noted that the challenge lay in finding the insight that would turn a campaign into popular culture. "When you relate to storytelling it has such tremendous impact and can really spark a movement."
As the world's largest advertiser, P&G can bring enormous influence to bear on issues such as gender, racial, sexual, disability and socio-economic inequality, added Tastad. "From a P&G standpoint, we are very committed to leveraging our voice in media and advertising to really tackle bias. It is not only our opportunity but our obligation to have our voice stand for something."
At an earlier Equality Lounge discussion, meanwhile, Unilever CMO/CCO Keith Weed also outlined how the group’s advertising was changing after it researched across the industry and found only 3% of all ads showed women in leadership positions, 2% showed women with obvious intelligence and 1% showed women with a sense of humour.
Weed made his comments during a panel that shared personal stories from senior female marketers on using their voice in the workplace and as leaders, featuring Uber chief brand officer Bozoma Saint John, Facebook’s VP of global marketing solutions Carolyn Everson, JP Morgan Chase CMO Kristin Lemkau, Ad Council CEO Lisa Sherman and Zalis. The panellists agreed on the need to build more empathy, authenticity and vulnerability into corporate culture.


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Apple is spending $100 million bringing some Mac manufacturing back to the U.S, CEO Tim Cook said today in an interview.That sounds like good news to those who are worried about the decline of U.S. manufacturing.
But to others, it’s just a PR stunt with limited real value.
One of them is SumOfUs, a corporate watchdog group that describes itself as “fighting for people over profits.”
“Apple has a track record of announcing changes in its supply chain as PR stunts,” the organization’s founder and executive director Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman said. “Apple has spent $650 million just on advertising for the iPhone alone since it launched. They’re talking about spending less than 20% of that on this shift. They’re talking about moving 1/10th of 1 percent of their global production costs.”
There’s no question that $100 million worth of manufacturing investment locally is a drop in the bucket. And there’s also no question but that Apple is starting with some of the least profitable segments of its product line-up. iPhone, iPad, and iPod, after all, account for some 76 percent of Apple’s total sales.
But Cook’s statement mentioned that iPhone and iPad processors are manufactured in the U.S. as well. That the glass is made in Kentucky, and that all research and design is done in California.


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Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is the country’s largest membership-only warehouse and one of the biggest retailers in the world.
Its stock is up by 6.96% year-to-date. But has lost approximately 6% form its highs of $182.45 over the last 5 days, amid April earnings, according to which the company’s net income dropped by 6% to $515 million. However, total revenue in the period increased by 6% to reach $29.77 billion. Earnings per share came in at $1.17 per share, less than the consensus estimate of $1.36 per share. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) membership grew by 5%, and comparable sales were up 3%. After the April report, Stifel reiterated a Buy rating on Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) stock and set a price target of $185. Stifel’s analyst Mark Astrachan thinks that Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) continues to “meaningfully outperform” broader retail trends, driven by its superior value proposition.
Baird’s analyst Peter Benedict thinks that Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) 3% increase in comparable sales actually translates to 4.5% – 5.0% increase if we take into account the Easter calendar shift. The analyst thinks that the future prospects of top-line growth of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) are strong as deflation is expected to moderate in the future, and problems in the tobacco business are also expected to subside. Last year, Costco started drastically decreasing tobacco products at its stores amid declining demand. Baird has a $200 price target on Costco stock with an “Outperform” rating.
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Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) competes with its competitors like Walmart, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale by offering products at lowest possible prices, and basing its business model on memberships. The company earns a substantial chunk of its revenue from its membership fee ($55), which have an 87% renewal rate worldwide.
Last month, Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) increased its dividend by 11.1%. The company announced $0.50 per share dividend, or $2 annualized dividend, up from the prior dividend of $0.45. After the dividend increase, Deutsche Bank reiterated its ‘Buy’ rating on the stock and gave a price target of $187.
Last month, Barclays analyst Karen Short increased Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) to ‘Overweight’ from ‘Equal Weight’ and also bumped up the stock’s price target to $185 from $175.
Unlike major retail companies which are getting hammered due to Amazon’s rising influence and changing market trends, Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is well positioned and seems to be safe from this trend. Barclays recently said in a report that Costco is “well protected” from Amazon. Food remains the top strength of Costco, as 80% of the shoppers surveyed by Barclays said they prefer to visit Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) physical stores to buy food items.


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Future plc, the U.K.-based enthusiast publisher with a U.S operation in San Francisco, released half-year results for its fiscal 2011 and digital has become the star performer.
The company’s revenues for the period were down overall to about $111 million (£68.8 million), from $115 million (£71.4 million) in same period 2010. EBITA shrank to $3.9 million (£2.4 million) from $7 million (£4.4).
EBITA for the UK group was about $8.8 million while the U.S. and central costs dragged it down, each coming in at about a negative $2.4 million.
According to the company, digital efforts compensated for the decline in print contributions for the U.K. division, while the U.S. wasn’t so lucky with a 25 percent decline in print advertising for the period, along with continued investments in growth areas. Overall U.K. revenues declined about 3 percent for the period, while U.S. revenues dropped 6 percent.
According to Future, digital content revenues grew 30 percent for the period and the segment now accounts for 34 percent of advertising revenue.
Digital edition and tablet product sales have increased ten-fold year over year, says the company, which have helped propel the digital segment into profitability for the first time ever, as initially reported by PaidContent.
U.K. group digital profits were $1.8 million (£1.1 million), while U.S. digital profits were $800,000.
"The arrival of tablets has finally delivered on the promise of mobile accelerating digital consumption," said Future CEO Stevie Spring in a statement.
Spring said the company is grossing $161,000 per month in tablet-related sales.
The U.S. group–which accounts for about 29 percent of overall revenues-saw tougher challenges for the period. Revenues declined by 7 percent and circulation revenue dropped 10 percent. The circ decline was attributed to the closing of the Pregnancy group, a phasing out of low-yield subscribers and a smaller retail footprint due to bookstore closures and a shrinking independent retailer pool.
However, digital advertising revenue is now 36 percent of overall ad revenues for the U.S. group and the Future Plus custom publishing division doubled its revenue for the period through launches for Knitting Today, Blizzard and "bespoke" apps for Best Buy and yarn manufacturer Coats and Clark.
The company’s complete first-half financials are here.


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Today we got our first glimpse of the "new" Newell Brands Inc. (NWL) , which this morning reported second-quarter results that for the first time reflect a multitude of completed and planned divestitures.
Newell has completed the sale of The Waddington Group and Rawlings Sporting Goods, but also will be selling a host of other business, including recognizable brands such as Jostens, Goody and U.S. Playing Cards. Adjusted earnings per share of 82 cents beat the 77-cent consensus estimate. However, total revenue of $3.73 billion missed the $3.83 billion consensus. "Core" sales, which exclude divestitures and planned divestitures, however, dropped more than 6%, with Learning & Development down 14.5%.
Newell has struggled in recent years; the stock is down 45% over the past year and currently trades near a five-year low. The business combination of Newell-Rubbermaid with Jarden, announced in late 2015 and completed the following year, created a who's who of brand names but has not worked well. Pressured by activists, including Carl Icahn, who effectively has five seats on the board of directors, the company is well into efforts to raise $10 billion via the sale of some of its businesses.
Clearly a company in transition and enormously disliked by the market, Newell ended the quarter with $2.28 billion in cash and $10.5 billion in debt. Net debt of $8.2 billion is down from $10.6 billion for the same quarter last year, a step in the right direction but still considerable. The company plans to continue paying down debt with divestiture proceeds, but also will be buying back shares, and in June increased its total share repurchase authorization from $1.1 billion to $3.6 billion.
Newell is projecting adjusted earnings per share of between $2.45 and $2.65 for 2018, putting its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio in the 10 to 11 range. Consensus estimates for next year put the forward P/E at about 9.5.
I am not sure the market will take kindly to today's results, and while this company remains on my radar, I'd like a lower potential entry point.
Newell was one of three potential turnaround/tax-loss selling candidates I identified in early December. It's also the one that has not worked, as it's down 12% since then. The others, Dine Brands Global Inc. (DIN) (up 58%) and Supervalu Inc. (SVU) (up 64%), have done OK, with the latter up big in late July after United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) agreed to purchase it for $32.50 a share.


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Burger King UK & Ireland has appointed Smirnoff brand director Philip Almond as its new marketing director.
Almond replaces Lorraine Thomson, who quit the Diageo-owned burger chain to join Internet portal Excite Europe as marketing director (MW June 22).
He has spent the past five years in senior marketing roles at UDV UK, also part of Diageo. He was most recently brands director for Smirnoff and Ready to Drink Group.
Almond oversaw the “No Imperfections” ad campaign for Smirnoff Red. He was also responsible for the launch of Smirnoff Ice, achieving first year sales targets in three months.
Before joining UDV, Almond worked for knitwear company Coates Viyella and for Ogilvy & Mather.
Almond, who starts his new role on November 1, will oversee marketing strategy for 630 Burger King restaurants and report to the chain’s president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, AndrÃ© Lacroix.
Burger King’s creative account is handled by Lowe Lintas. Media planning on the £11m business was recently moved from Lowe into Carat, which also handles media buying.
It is unclear whether Almond has been replaced at UDV UK. The company recently merged with Guinness.
Don Goulding has been named Great Britain managing director of UDV Guinness.
Burger King courted controversy from food watchdogs when it introduced a loyalty card for children (MW August 10).


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Aside from all the other health risks, processed foods also affect your ability to concentrate. And the effects can be even worse if you already suffer from a leaky gut.
There was an average 11 percent drop in ability to focus after eating the equivalent of a Big Mac or Burger King Double Whopper, researchers at Ohio State University discovered. They gave 51 women a processed meal or a healthier alternative and tested their ability to focus before and after eating.
The desire to eat processed food can be higher during times of stress, such as the Covid-19 lockdown, but it's a false friend. Aside from affecting our ability to focus, it can also increase the chances of depression and anxiety and increase gut dysfunction.
"When people are more anxious, a good subset of us will find high-saturated-fat food more enticing than broccoli," said researcher Janice Kiecolt-Glaser.
The research also shows the connection between our gut and brain, and people with gut problems could feel the bad effects of unhealthy food choices even more acutely.
The researchers aren't sure how these effects would play out in the world outside the laboratory, but it could impact on the way we drive or interact with others.


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July chip sales rise 2.9%
SEPTEMBER 9--Global chip sales reached $11.7 billion in July, a 2.9% increase over the June level of $11.4 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA; www.semichips.org).
SEPTEMBER 9--Global chip sales reached $11.7 billion in July, a 2.9% increase over the June level of $11.4 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA; www.semichips.org). On a year-to-year basis, chip sales in July were up 8% from the $10.8 billion in revenue recorded in July 2001, the first year-over-year increase since February 2001.
"The July data, and the year-on-year increase, confirm that a moderate but sustainable recovery continues, putting us on track for 7% to 9% sequential growth in the third quarter," said SIA president George Scalise. "Growth continues to be most robust in the digital consumer market, including DVDs, video games, and digital cameras, as reflected in increased demand for standard cells, consumer ASPs, optoelectronics, and flash-memory chips in the month."
Although the PC sector grew modestly, it continues to lag historical trends, reflecting subdued IT investment levels. As inventories and supply and demand come into balance, the pricing environment has stabilized.
For the year as a whole, worldwide chip sales are expected to exceed 2001 levels by 3%. The industry continues to forecast accelerated growth rates exceeding 20% in both 2003 and 2004, led by rapidly increasing demand for digital consumer and wireless products.


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Proposed federal asbestos regulations do not mention former operations in province
BAIE VERTE, NL — Baie Verte Mayor Brandon Philpott says it’s time for all key players to start talking about the open pit and exposed asbestos fibres at the former Advocate Mines site again.
His comment came following Canada’s recent action toward its promised ban of the use, sale, import and export of asbestos and products containing that hazardous material.
The federal health and environment departments are supporting changes to eliminate the market for asbestos products in the country. The proposed regulations include an exemption to allow for cleanup of asbestos residue around former mines in an attempt to redevelop the sites. Continue Reading →


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Posted by Dale Buss on May 10, 2012 09:03 AM
A&P to make CEO its spokesman in new marketing campaign.
Bed Bath & Beyond sees novelty in buying Cost Plus.
Brad Pitt is the new face of Chanel No. 5.
Burger King spurs sales with turnaround efforts.
Cadillac to debut instrument console that functions like an iPad.
Cisco sees grim outlook for tech sector.
Coca-Cola redefines its marketing around Super Bowl, and signs Danica Patrick as ambassador.Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on May 24, 2011 11:00 AM
Joe Jonas discusses why he's launching a solo career, above, to inspire kids to apply to for a one-day celebrity mentorship in Acuvue's new contest aimed at teens. Besides the 21-year-old Jonas brother, other celebrities in Acuvue's new promotion (which invites teens to apply with a video on the brand's YouTube channel) include actress Meaghan Martin, singer Charice, world champion runner Allyson Felix and actor Sterling Knight.


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The Food and Drug Administration told over a dozen companies to stop selling cannabidiol-infused food products and stop making inflated health claims about their products.
CBD is a non-psychoactive marijuana ingredient which has medicinal properties. Yet the FDA has only approved one CBD product.
Epidiolex treats some rare forms of childhood epilepsy. Other CBD products, such as health supplements and edibles, have not been reviewed.
Regulators are especially concerned that CBD products, which have not been proven safe, are often marketed to infants and children.
Companies in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New York, and several other states all received warning letters.
The FDA Review Process
CBD-infused products have been available for quite some time, even before the 2018 Farm Bill legalized cannabidiol, at least to some extent. But for some reason, regulators have not spoken out against such products until now.
For many years, pundits have criticized the FDA for its slow drug and device approval process.
Many of these commentators probably had financial links to drug companies that wanted to sell risky medicines and make lots of money, but that’s the subject of another blog.
Partially in response to such criticism, regulatory wait time has decreased significantly since 1993.
For example, so-called priority review times have decreased from nearly two years to just over six months.
In fact, wait time is almost nonexistent in fast-track reviews. This drug and device review process covers the following four categories:
- Fast Track: If a new drug or device addresses a serious condition which, as far as the FDA is concerned, there is no effective treatment, regulators quickly approve the product for sale and do not ask too many safety-related questions.
- Breakthrough Therapy: Many drugs and devices qualify as breakthrough therapy. The FDA expedited approval if the product is a “substantial improvement over available therapy.” Pretty much every new or improved product arguably meets that standard.
- Priority Review: The FDA promises to approve the product within six months. That guarantee probably means that some issues get overlooked.
- Accelerated Approval: Congress substantially expanded this program in 2012, If the product treats a serious condition and has an even theoretical advantage over existing treatments, fast approval is all but assured.
The bottom line is that the FDA is no longer the consumer watchdog agency that it was back in the day.
For the most part, these regulators have only one mission: to quickly approve unproven drugs and devices so consumers can have more choices and these companies can increase their profits.
So, FDA approval is no guarantee of product safety. If the drug or device causes injury, the manufacturer may be strictly liable for damages.
These damages normally include compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages are usually available as well.
Procedurally, these claims usually go to Multidistrict Litigation courts. MDL claims are consolidated in one court for pretrial purposes.
So, plaintiffs can pool their resources together. Additionally, once one case settles, the settlement momentum builds and spreads to other cases, sort of like a falling line of dominoes.
Dangerous Food/Drug Products and the Discovery Rule
The statute of limitations is another procedural rule that often comes up in these cases.
Typically, victims have only two years to bring dangerous drug and other tort claims. Otherwise, they lose the chance to obtain fair compensation.
The delayed discovery rule protects victims in these cases.
To see how this rule works, let’s examine a hypothetical case.
Assume Felix takes Drug X for a few months in 2017. In 2018, the company amends the warning label to account for heart problems among people with certain pre-existing conditions.
Felix, who has such a condition, develops a heart problem, and he goes to the doctor in 2019. In 2020, he stumbles upon some information on the Internet discussing the link between Drug X and heart problems.
In 2021, his attorney files legal paperwork.
The drug company would argue that the statute of limitations, which according to them expired in 2019, precludes his claim.
But according to the delayed discovery rule, the clock does not begin ticking until Feliz discovers the full extent of his injury and he links that injury to the defendant’s misconduct. So, the SOL does not expire until 2022.
Dangerous food and drug products often cause serious injuries, and the FDA is not as vigilant as it used to be.
For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in New York, contact Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. We handle these claims on a nationwide basis.


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Prices of dairy products rose in Fonterra's latest GlobalDairyTrade auction, the third straight gain on the sales platform, led by cheddar and anhydrous milk fat, while milk powder prices fell.
The GDT-TWI Price Index rose 0.7% compared to the last sale two weeks ago. The average winning price gained to $US3348 a metric tonne. Whole milk powder, the biggest product by volume, fell 1.9% to $US3276 and skim milk powder dropped 1.7% to $US3402.
Fonterra's brokers may be cheered as the gains come as it enters the bookbuild for the $525 million Fonterra Shareholders' Fund, which gives outside investors access to the co-operative's dividend payments.
The auction comes as the Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Commodity Index of 19 commonly traded commodities is at its highest level in a month, having gained 1.6% overnight.
The total volume sold fell to 48,335 tonnes from 54,106 tonnes two weeks ago.
Anhydrous milk fat rose 1.2% to $US3066 a tonne and cheddar jumped 12.4% to $US3436. Only one contract date traded for butter milk powder, due February 13, at a price of $US3615. Lactose was not offered for sale.
Milk protein concentrate fell 1.8% to $US6040 a tonne and rennet casein was unchanged at $US7916.
There were 147 winning bidders over 11 rounds. There were 186 participating bidders out of a total number of qualified bidders of 726.
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Tully's to sell coffee shops to Colorado's Kachi for $4.3M
Tully’s Coffee Corp., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October, will sell its chain of coffee shops in Washington and California to an affiliate of the Colorado-based private equity firm Kachi Partners for $4.3 million, the company said in a release.
Subject to court approval, the sale will be completed by December 31st, with alternative bids accepted until Dec. 27th. If the deal closes as expected, Kachi will continue operating existing stores under the Tully's name.
“With this agreement in place with Kachi, we believe the business is positioned to emerge from this process in early 2013 and that we will be a much stronger company as a result,” said Scott Pearson, CEO of TC Global Inc., which is doing business as Tully’s Coffee.
According to a bankruptcy filing, 56 potential buyers for Tully's were contacted, and Kachi made the best offer out of 13 companies that expressed interest. Kachi has agreed to pay $1.25 million in cash on closing and to assume $2.8 million in liabilities and other obligations, including $1 million in gift card-related liabilities.
The company closed 19 unprofitable stores after its Chapter 11 filing and says it has since seen improvement in same-store sales.
Tully’s currently operates 47 company-owned stores in Washington and California and has partnerships with franchisees and grocery chains in the Western United States and Asia. It employs 515 people across the business.
Jeanne Lang Jones covers retail and real estate for the Puget Sound Business Journal.
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