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The debate over whether inflation is a macroeconomic or micro economic problem has been raging for decades. Some economists say that the aggregate impact of inflation on an economy cannot be compared to what happens in specific markets, while others argue that it can, and do so regularly. The question raises many interesting questions about how best to measure the cost of living and wage growth across economies
The “minty bets” is a bet that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates. The candidate, Joe Biden, is betting on inflation as the reason to raise interest rates.
On Wall Street, there’s a saying that the stock market is actually a market of stocks: a collection of many different components that frequently move to their own rhythm.
The consumer-price index, on the other hand, is a price index. Inflation is caused by both macroeconomics (when overall expenditure exceeds the economy’s ability to produce goods and services) and idiosyncratic behavior in one sector or another (microeconomics).
The most important economic issue now is whether inflation hit 7% in December, the highest since 1982, as a result of macroeconomics or microeconomics. Some Democrats have recently relied heavily on the microeconomic explanation while also adding a moralistic layer.
“Market concentration has enabled huge firms to hide behind claims of increasing costs to fatten their profit margins,” Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said Tuesday during a hearing on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s nomination for a second term. President Biden attributed the spike in meat costs on consolidation in the meatpacking business last week. He announced steps to increase independent meat processing, saying, “These firms may utilize their position as intermediaries to overcharge grocery shops and, ultimately, families.”
Some opponents allege that firms become more greedy or consolidated in the previous two years, although White House officials deny this. Instead, they suggest that because of the well-documented, decades-long trend toward consolidation, corporations might hike prices even higher in the event of a pandemic, disrupting supplies.
In textbook models, monopolistic businesses have greater prices and profits than competitive ones. They are less certain if prices grow quicker and hence contribute to inflation in such circumstances. According to economists Steven Salop of Georgetown University and Fiona Scott Morton of Yale University, it is theoretically plausible. “If scale efficiencies lead to mergers and accompanying plant or logistical consolidation for each business,” they wrote in a 2020 study, “then the risk of disruption—e.g., disease, earthquake, or nuclear power plant meltdown—will lead to a bigger cost and price effect than if there is more variety.”
According to a White House official, demand for beef, poultry, and eggs has increased as a result of the epidemic, but prices for beef and poultry have risen more than eggs because “eggs are a lot less concentrated industry.” He cited a cyberattack on meatpacker JBS SA last year, which knocked down a substantial portion of the country’s meat supply, as “evidence of the risk of concentration.” (Meat and poultry processors face the same difficulties as the rest of the economy, according to the North American Meat Institute: rising energy prices, labor shortages, and transportation issues.)
On Tuesday, pre-owned autos were for sale at a dealership in Detroit.
Bloomberg News/Bloomberg News/Matthew Hatcher
Officials at the White House claim that the role of concentration to inflation is modest. They don’t blame increasing automobile costs on a lack of competition, for example. They oppose price regulations, as advocated by those on the left. They have recognized the independence of the Federal Reserve.
They also don’t believe that inflation has grown primarily as a result of excessive demand, spurred in part by Vice President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, and that the only way to remedy the problem is to tighten monetary or fiscal policy.
“If automobile costs are too high right now, there are two options: boost car supply by building more cars, or lower demand by making Americans poorer,” Mr. Biden said last week. “The second camp has a lot of individuals… It is unacceptable to me.”
Jerome Powell said the Federal Reserve will utilize its instruments to tame inflation at his confirmation hearing for his second term as chairman. Graeme Jennings/Press Pool photo
As a result, administration officials claim they are attacking the macroeconomics of inflation from the supply side, rather than the demand side, by addressing bottlenecks at ports, increasing the number of truckers, and asking Congress to provide affordable child care and preschool to enable more parents to work. Officials in the government claim that his long-standing call for stricter competition enforcement is complementary to the battle against inflation. Mr. Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers member Jared Bernstein remarked, “You have middle-class people suffering genuine strain.” “Here’s our toolkit,” the president says. Let’s make the most of it and do whatever we can to assist these families.”
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
Higher interest rates or pro-competition measures from the White House are more successful in controlling inflation. Participate in the discussion below.
The White House’s quest for increased supply and competition to lower costs makes economic sense. However, as an anti-inflation approach, it is unlikely to succeed. Many of these projects are insufficiently large and will take too long to affect inflation. It might take years to significantly increase the supply of meatpackers and trucks. The White House’s attempts to lessen the backlog at West Coast ports have yet to yield results.
Worse, the emphasis on industry-level solutions is omitting something crucial. Individual prices, like individual stocks, nearly always represent a combination of idiosyncratic and larger variables. Even if supply-chain disruptions subside, there is enough evidence that inflation is being influenced by other, larger influences. The median price rise in the CPI, calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland to remove any goods with large price changes, was 3.8 percent in December, the most in 30 years.
Meanwhile, a surge in demand for employees, along with a labor pool cut by retirements and Covid-19, drove unemployment down to 3.9 percent in December. As a consequence, there are near-record vacancies and quick pay increases, which, although good for workers, may prevent inflation from returning to the Fed’s aim of 2%.
President Lyndon B. Johnson regarded inflation as a microeconomic issue in the late 1960s, and he opposed tougher monetary and fiscal policies. Higher inflation became entrenched as consumers and businesses adjusted their pay and price-setting behavior. There are many changes between today and then, but it is useful to remember the commonalities.
Greg Ip can be reached at [email protected]
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Apple introduced its iPhone 12 lineup earlier this week consisting of four smartphones — iPhone 12 Mini,...
HomePod Mini: Two years ago Apple forayed into the smart speaker segment with the HomePod, which was...
iPhone 12 Price has leaked, no AirPods Studio or AirTags on October 13th event. Apple might release new HomePod Mini along with iPhone 12. Check details here!
Apple just sent out invites for the launch of next iPhone — the iPhone 12 series on October 13th. What to expect? Let's find out.
So just the phone in the box, eh?
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RBS leads group of lenders planning buyout bid of Game Group
Royal Bank of Scotland is leading a group of lenders to stricken Game Group who are working on plans to buy the slimmed-down retailer out of administration.
Game’s British operations are expected to go into administration today, with the consortium of existing banks understood to be among the list of three potential bidders.
Stricken: Game's British operations are expected to go into administration today
Administrator PwC is expected to announce the closure of loss-making stores within Game’s 600-strong estate, putting at risk 6,000 jobs, before attempting to sell off the profitable remainder.
Bids are also expected from US rival Gamestop and OpCapita, which recently acquired the struggling Comet electrical retailing chain and has already tabled an offer for Game.
The RBS consortium is expected to roll the existing debt of about £85m into the new company.
On Wednesday Game suspended its shares on the London Stock Exchange, saying it had filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator because there was no value left in the business.
The move followed a host of profit warnings and the failure of various suppliers, including Electronic Arts and Nintendo, to go on providing new games.
The retailer has a £21m of rent bill due today and a £12m in wages due the following weekend, although PwC is expected to honour any wages owed.
There is also £10m in VAT and £40m owed to suppliers. Game’s trading over the crucial Christmas period had been dire.
But the business looked like it had won a new lease of life when its banks delivered £60m in refinancing.
Things then took a turn for the worse when worried suppliers refused to deliver new products.
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WASHINGTON D.C. (9/20/13)--With the opportunity to create over 140,000 jobs, small business owners' primary concern is gaining access to additional capital to grow their businesses. During The Hill's Policy Briefing Panel on Small Business, Credit Union National Association Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, Bill Hampel, along with other industry leaders, discussed what small businesses need from the U.S. Congress to be successful.
The main message was simple: remove the barriers that prevent small
|The Hill's policy briefing entitled "Small Business Voices" was live streamed on the publication's website. Shown here, Credit Union National Association Chief Economist Bill Hampel notes that credit unions and small banks have increased their small business lending by 50% since the beginning of the recession. (CUNA Photo)|
businesses from growing by allowing them more access to capital, and don't hurt small business by destroying consumer confidence with unnecessary drama over the looming federal debt ceiling.
Panelists Mike Roach and Anne Zimmerman, small business owners from Oregon and Ohio, both suggested that passing the Credit Union Small Business Jobs Creation Act, which would eliminate the artificial cap on how much credit unions can lend to small businesses, would be a good start to helping small businesses gain access to additional capital.
Zimmerman was rejected by big banks when she went to purchase the building she runs her business in and had to rely on credit unions and community banks to fund her acquisition. Her story reflects the same message that many small business owners shared during CUNA's National Small Business Hike the Hill Day in 2012.
"Credit unions and small banks have increased their small business lending by 50% since the beginning of the recession," said CUNA's Hampel. This type of growth, even during the recessionary period, demonstrates that credit unions have the capital and means to help small businesses succeed and could do even more if Congress were to lift the artificial cap on their lending capabilities.
The panel also expressed concern about the government's looming budget debates this fall. Business owners are just beginning to win consumers' trust back and a government shut down or failure to raise the debt ceiling would only hinder consumer spending and weaken consumer, ultimately hurting the growth of small businesses, they observed.
The long-term federal debt outlook is another major concern for small business owners. Hampel indicated that although the federal debt ratio is in a stable place right now, if Congress doesn't address the explosive growth of entitlement spending, primarily Social Security and Medicare over the coming few decades, the country would indeed face a fiscal crisis.
The panel's conclusive suggestion for Congress to help small businesses was to work to eliminate the barriers that hold them back from growing. Rather than Congress being a negative force, find positive ways to help small business and thus the economy by passing legislation such as the Credit Union Small Business Jobs Creation Act, which would increase the credit union member lending business cap to 27.5% of assets, up from 12.25%. The panel stressed that the legislation would not cost taxpayers any money but it would reap huge benefits for consumers and small businesses alike.


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Twitter has introduced a new way for content creators to earn through the micro-blogging platform. Starting this week, some Twitter users will be able to add Tip Jars to their accounts to let viewers support their activities on the social media service.
The new Tip Jar icon will be seen on some Twitter profiles next to the Follow button on the profile page. Those who are able or wish to add the feature to their profile will be able to enable a list of payment services or platforms through which their audience can support their cause. All these payment options will be listed under the Tip Jar icon.
In a recent blog, Twitter mentions these services to include Bandcamp, Cash App, Patreon, PayPal and Venmo. Android users will also be able to send tips within Twitter Spaces. Twitter clarifies that it takes no cut from these tips.
“You drive the conversation on Twitter, and we want to make it easier for you to support each other beyond Follows, Retweets, and Likes,” writes Esther Crawford, Senior Product Manager at Twitter, in the blog.
For now, the feature will be seen by those using Twitter in English across iOS and Android. As for receiving tips, Tip Jar has been rolled out to a limited group of people from around the world for now. This group includes “creators, journalists, experts, and nonprofits.” Twitter promises to bring the new feature to more people and across more languages going forward.
Those wanting to add the feature to their profiles will be able to do so by selecting the payment service of their choice and adding their accounts on the particular service as an option for viewers. Any tips from the audience following the setup will be transferred straight to the listed account.
Twitter says that this is the first step by the platform to enable people to receive and show monetary support on Twitter. Going forward, the platform might bring in a new revenue generation model for content creators. Though this can be expected only once, Tip Jar sees a wider use of the micro-blogging service.


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Global research and development budgets for drones is expected to hit 4 billion dollars by 2020 according to Statista. This, says freelance writer Jocelyn Brown, signals the increased application of drones, across various industrial sectors.
The adoption of LED technology has grown significantly in the last decade, driven by lower prices of lights and potential energy savings. By 2020, it is estimated that 6 out of 10 lightbulbs will be LED.
SIGFOX, a provider of dedicated communications service for the Internet of Things (IoT), and WND, the company launched to extend SIGFOX’s network across Latin America, announced they have begun deploying SIGFOX’s dedicated IoT network throughout Brazil.
Sweetch Health, which has developed a “digital vaccine” for diabetes, has raised US$3.5 million in a Series A round led by Philips, a health technology company, and OurCrowd, a equity crowdfunding platform. Participation from prior investors also included Pontifax L.P. and Lionbird L.P.
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My philosophy professor used to say: everyone serves a purpose in life, even if they only serve as a horrible example for others.
A more accurate description of Nestle's mishandling of a big fracas in social media could hardly be written. It started with an initiative by Greenpeace to get Nestle to stop using palm oil in its products, contending that the harvesting of palm oil was damaging the environment. The organization created a faux Nestle Kit Kat logo, and posted a video on You Tube. Then - you guessed it - Nestle tried to have You Tube take the video down, and things spun out of control from there, with Nestle doing dumb things ranging from the outright idiotic, like deleting critical comments on their Facebook fan page, to the inane and passive aggressive, like correcting critics' spelling errors.
And of course, you can never put the social media genie back in the bottle, can you? Everyone who knows ANYTHING about social media can write the rest of this story without even knowing the facts. There's certainly no shortage of good summaries of Nestle's missteps all over the blogosphere now, but a couple of good summaries, along with advice for the company, can be found here and here.
Nestle's resistance to Greenpeace's request for them to stop using palm oil predictably evaporated, and they did soon announce that they wouldn't use it any longer. (They simply posted this "announcement" on their press page, no sign they had much clue as to how to get this into the fracas for real). The bigger story now, however, is how the firm mishandled its own customers' sentiments and comments. From their actions, it is obvious that the managers at Nestle do not, in their gut, value customer feedback. Unless it leads to directly to sales or profits, that is. More than that, this Stone Age mass marketer obviously thought they could actually manage the story once it got into the social media sphere - they thought that, just like in the old days, they could manage their own brand image. How quaint. How utterly five-minutes-ago. And as we all know, the cover-up is always bigger than the crime.
This episode now will continue to live in the net and it will dog Nestle forever. I do hope business schools will take this up as a lesson in how not to manage social media. They won't have to teach this lesson to many of their students, most of whom already probably get it. But they should make this Lesson #1 in every mid-career executive education course, for all those former students who now sit in the control rooms of large corporations.


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It is undeniable that a lot of people from different parts of the world were born with a disability. Most of them were born with Down Syndrome.
In this generation, people often underestimate the power of a disabled person. They often claim that people who were born with disabilities tend to be weaker than them.
Here's a story of how a cashier defended a grocery bagger from a heartless customer who keeps on saying harmful words.
Because of the thought that what the customer was doing is wrong, the cashier then politely asked her to leave the store for saying harsh words to the bagger.
Most people really tend to be judgemental especially in terms of their physical appearance.
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Amazon opens onto a vast pharmaceutical market, launching an online delivery service of medical supplies in 45 States, the members of Prime get free two-day shipping. Shares of us pharmacy chains fell.
Amazon (AMZN) on Tuesday launched the Amazon Pharmacy is an online pharmacy that provides online ordering and delivery of prescribed medication for people with insurance and without.
The launch comes at an opportune time, as the pandemic COVID-19 buyers tend to change their habits: of medications at physical pharmacies where there are risks of infection, on purchases in online pharmacies.
Online pharmacy Amazon Pharmacy will be available this week in 45 States, not including Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and Minnesota, where the launch will happen later. The company States that it works with all major insurance companies.
On the news of the appearance of such a large competitor as Amazon stock American drugstore chains fell sharply. Shares traditional pharmacies CVS and Walgreens fell by 8.6% and 10.7%, respectively, shares of Walmart (WMT) also fell 2% as the company with the largest network of physical supermarkets in the United States also placed pharmacies in its supermarkets. The company’s shares GoodRx, a service which helps consumers find discounts on prescription drugs fell by 22.5%.
Amazon shares, an increase of 69.7 percent from the beginning of the year, on Tuesday rose slightly.
Amazon Pharmacy will be another big plus for clients with an annual subscription to Prime because they get free two-day shipping on medicines. According to the statement CEO Amazon Jeff Bezos, in January the number of Prime members has reached 150 million people (a number equivalent to almost half of the population of the United States).
“We think that this new advantage will bring huge benefits to our members,” said Jamil Ghani, Vice President of Amazon Prime. “This is true because people are trying to do more from the comfort of home”.
Amazon Prime members will receive discounts on some
generic drugs thanks to the cooperation of Amazon with a savings program Inside Rx.
Additionally, Prime customers can also get a bonus card benefit card, which can be used at 50,000 pharmacies including CVS, Walmart, Rite Aid and Walgreens. According to the company, this can be useful for customers who urgently need medications and who are unable to wait for two days.
Additional advantages Amazon Pharmacy are:
order history in accounts and data on medicines;
consultation pharmacists 24/7;
in addition, the Amazon Pharmacy pharmacists check orders for the safety of simultaneous use of drugs.
Customers that do not have a Prime subscription, you can get free shipping for five days, or pay $5.99 for a two-day delivery.
Amazon also said that it will not abandon its business PillPack (acquired in 2018) as this service is designed to deliver packets of drugs each day to 30-day schedule.
T. J. Parker, Vice President of Amazon in the pharmaceutical industry, which previously was co-founder of PillPack said storing and collecting information on the health status of clients within Amazon Pharmacy will comply with Federal HIPAA regulations, and the company does not transmit pharmacies to advertisers or marketers without your permission.
Parker said that Amazon currently there are no usual pharmacies, and declined to disclose further plans. However, Amazon owns a chain of stores Whole Foods and stores Amazon Fresh, which can add to the pharmacy or the cell for collection of medicines.
Online pharmacy Amazon Pharmacy is the largest promotion company on the market with a turnover of $300 billion, its competitive advantages threaten the dominance of traditional pharmacies in that market.


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Cuba has announced that it will recognize — and regulate – cryptocurrencies for payments on the island, potentially allowing it to avoid US sanctions.
The central bank will create regulations on cryptocurrencies and determine how to license suppliers of related services within the communist state, according to a resolution published in the Official Gazette on Thursday.
The news comes as bitcoin has risen in popularity in Cuba among some tech-savvy groups, since it has become increasingly difficult to transmit and spend US dollars on the island, in part due to tightened embargo regulations enforced by former US President Donald Trump.
While some anticipated President Joe Biden to follow in the footsteps of previous President Barack Obama and strive to normalize ties, he has instead taken a tougher stance, slapping further sanctions on Cuban leaders in response to the country’s unusual demonstrations.
El Salvador recently declared that it will acknowledge the usage of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin as a means to boost remittances from its people living abroad, prompting Cuba’s action.
The currencies, which fluctuate in value dramatically, are generally decentralized and rely on widely spread blockchain computer codes to keep track of transactions.
They are popular with those seeking to dodge government laws, such as evading US limits on transferring money to Cuba, since they may be used for long-distance transactions that are allegedly anonymous.
The central bank can approve the use of cryptocurrencies “for reasons of socioeconomic interest,” according to the resolution, with the state ensuring that activities are supervised.
It further stated that no illicit activity may be part of the operations.
Some Cubans are already utilizing such devices, typically via gift cards, for internet transactions, according to a local bitcoin specialist, programmer Erich Garca.


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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It started with toilet paper. Then frozen fruits and veggies. Then dairy products and meat. The coronavirus put a pinch on food supplies here in the United States.
As it turns out, however, the pandemic is only a symptom of a much larger problem.
In this podcast from our archives, KOIN Digital Reporter Hannah Ray Lambert and KOIN Podcast Network Executive Producer Ian Costello take an in-depth look at the food supply chain to find out why the problems we’re seeing now may have actually started in the mid 1980s.


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Barclays has suspended debit and credit card payments from UK customers to Binance, citing recent Financial Conduct Authority action against the crypto exchange.
Barclays sent text messages to customers on Monday stating: "As you've made a payment to Binance this year, we wanted to let you know that we're stopping payments made by credit/debit card to them until further notice. This is to help keep your money safe."
Customers can still withdraw funds from Binance, says Barclays, which says it has taken the measure "following the FCA warning to consumers".
Last month the FCA issued a consumer warning that "Binance Markets Limited is not permitted to undertake any regulated activity in the UK".
NatWest recently said it has blocked payments to a small number of crypto firms, while Santander is reviewing its position, according to the FT.


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News that holiday company Mark Warner has pulled out of Praia da Luz’s Ocean Club resort has been doing the rounds of mainstream media – particularly in UK – and been angled to suggest that the holiday resort has somehow been further stigmatised by the legacy of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact, we are told, what has happened promises to bring a whole new wave of business both to the Ocean Club and the village of Luz.
Portugal Resident got wind of the story before Christmas when internet forums began speculating that “the curse of the McCanns has finally done it to Praia da Luz”.
They were reacting to the announcement online by The Vacation Company website which said: “We regret to inform you that Mark Warner no longer have a contract with the Ocean Club and therefore this property has been removed from their Summer 2015 programme with immediate effect.”
But as Ocean Club manager Donna Hill told us, they were reacting without knowing the facts.
Mark Warner’s owners, Mark Chitty and Andrew Searle, had simply decided to offer the Ocean Club exclusively to travel company Thomas Cook.
Chitty and Searle’s holiday company has pulled out of Portugal – not because of any fall-off in business over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann but because Thomas Cook has offered them “a very good deal”, said Ms Hill.
“We’re all excited about it,” she added. “This is actually a golden opportunity for the Ocean Club as now everyone staying here will come from the same operator and we will be able to offer the same services for all our guests.
“This didn’t happen before as we had some people staying on the resort that came through Mark Warner and others that didn’t.
“It made organising activities extremely difficult, whereas now we’ll be able to put things on for everyone equally.
“We are all looking forward to it – and we’re hoping for an excellent 2015 season!”
In fact, despite the Madeleine “legacy” which still sees periodic moments of media chaos as police return to the Algarve to initiate new inquiries, business in Luz has been steadily growing with locals last year reporting a very good summer all round.
“It’s what everyone wants,” explained one shopkeeper. “We all just want to get on with our lives and our businesses and forget the bad press attached to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.”
By NATASHA DONN [email protected]


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The Cabra area is set to be transformed by by the construction of a new Lidl concept store.
Granted permission back in March, work on the new mixed-use development is already well underway.
The project is located at the junction of Old Cabra Road and Annamoe Road, and will feature a café, four houses, a bathroom and tile showroom, hardware shop and a Lidl.
The plans are similar to a number of proposals that budget supermarket plan to build across the country, with one such development already nearing completion at Lidl's national headquarters in Tallaght village. On site there includes a new Lidl concept store, with plans to develop retail units on the site.
Other new stores on the horizon for the German chain include locations in Swords and Glenageary.
This will result in good news for the areas, as Lidl chiefs plan to hire 600 employers in Ireland over the next two years, with at least 30 staff expected to be hired for each new store.


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Japanese retailer dave’s in Seattle loses over $30 million in stock
Posted On July 29, 2021
Seattle’s largest Japanese department store and its owner have been left scrambling after losing over $300 million in sales.
The Seattle Times reported Tuesday that daves department store in Seattle lost about $10 million in merchandise in the past two years, a loss that has affected all the store’s employees.
The loss is so bad, one employee said it affected his work as a manager.
The store’s loss will cost the retailer millions of dollars in sales and tax revenues, and could cause it to lay off its full-time employees, the paper reported.
The retailer’s Japanese operations were set to open in 2018.
The company is expected to be the first Japanese-owned store to open on the West Coast, but some stores in other states have struggled to compete with it, like Costco, the Associated Press reported.
Costco announced this month that it would close the last of its locations in the Seattle area and open new ones in Arizona, Florida, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The news comes at a time when Costco is trying to get more shoppers to buy from online.
Costco started offering its first-ever loyalty program in 2017, which allows shoppers to earn points toward Costco membership, discounts and other perks.
Costco has also recently announced a new $10 membership offer for women, and is now expanding its membership offerings in the U.S. and Canada.


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ELVT stock forecast
Our latest prediction for Elevate Credit, Inc.'s stock price was made on the April 21, 2020 when the stock price was at 1.17$.
In the short term (2weeks), ELVT's stock price should outperform the market by 9.15%. During that period the price should oscillate between -10.76% and +26.66%.
In the medium term (3months), ELVT's stock price should outperform the market by 17.83%. During that period the price should oscillate between -26.86% and +57.30%.Get email alerts
Create a solid portfolio with ELVT
About Elevate Credit, Inc.
Elevate Credit, Inc. engages in provision of online financial services for subprime credit consumers. It offers online credit solutions to consumers in the U.S. and the United Kingdom who are not well-served by traditional bank products and who are looking for options than payday loans, title loans, pawn, and storefront installment loans. The company was founded on January 31, 2014 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, TX.
At the moment the company generates 747M USD in revenues.
On its last earning announcement, the company reported a profit of 0.73$ per share.
The book value per share is 2.63$
Three months stock forecastApril 21, 2020
|Revenue USD||Gross Margin||Operating Income||Operating Margin||Net Income||Earnings Per Share||Dividends||Payout Ratio||Shares||Book Value Per Share||Operating Cash Flow||Cap Spending||Free Cash Flow|


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Didi Chuxing (Didi Global, Inc.), the largest ride-hailing company in the world, was reprimanded when it opened on the New York Stock Exchange after regulators warned it needed to shore up its data security issues. Meituan, China’s massive shopping and coupon app, was recently fined $533 million for “anticompetitive behavior.” Alibaba, owned by tech billionaire Jack Ma, had to pay a $2.8 billion fine for the same reasons. Antitrust regulators dinged Tencent, Baidu (China’s Google alternative), ByteDance (parent company for TikTok), and ecommerce company JD.com Inc. The billion-dollar online private tutoring industry sank after the Chinese government declared that after-school tutoring is now non-profit only. Then the online gaming industry was hit when the Chinese government declared children are only allowed to play for a few … Continue reading Will China’s Huge Tech Sector Crackdown Stifle Innovation?
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Hemel Hempstead could benefit from new street hubs that would provide free Wi-Fi, phone charging and emergency calls.
Plans have been submitted by BT proposing to build hubs at six locations: next to Costa Coffee on Maylands Avenue, next to B&M on Marlowes, opposite Mayfair Fitted Furniture on Marlowes, outside Carphone Warehouse on Marlowes, outside the BP petrol station on Breakspear Way, and outside Physique Gym on Marlowes.
This follows similar hubs in other locations across the UK including Birmingham and Sheffield.
A BT spokesperson said: “We are currently exploring where street hubs could be introduced in Hemel Hempstead and have submitted applications for six potential sites where they could be effectively introduced.
“We believe visitors, residents and businesses in the area would benefit from the improved functionality offered by street hubs including free ultra-fast W-iFi, rapid device charging and the ability to be fitted with mobile signal boosting 4G and 5G cells.”
Dacorum Borough Council has been contacted for comment.
Photo credit: BT


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Eric Broadley created Lola in 1958. It became a big name in racing. However, in 2012, the company faced bankruptcy. By 2013, all parts of the company went out of business. Then, in 2022, Till Bechtolsheimer bought Lola’s rights and property. He wanted to make Lola a trusted option for racing teams and car brands again.
Now, Lola has joined hands with Yamaha Motor for a Formula E team. Yamaha will provide the electric motor, and Lola will assemble the rest of the powertrain. They have worked together for 18 months and plan to test their car in June.
In Formula E, all cars use a 350-kW electric motor. The rules might change in 2025 to allow the front motor to drive the front wheels too. Yamaha already has a motor designed for the Subaru STI E-RA, which could fit the Formula E regulations.
Lola isn’t just helping Yamaha. They might offer their powertrain to other teams later on. Mark Preston, Lola’s motorsports director, wants to build a unique electric platform. Before joining Lola, Preston led the DS Techeetah team to two Formula E championships.
Lola also plans to work on hydrogen-powered cars for the Le Mans race in 2027. They prefer a fuel-cell setup but are open to other ideas, like hydrogen-based engines.
Currently, there are 11 teams in Formula E. Lola, and Yamaha might take over one of these teams instead of adding a new one.


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Two senior employees of Acer were indicted on Friday for making Tw$2.17 million ($72,300) through insider trading.
Acer India has announced the 3G-enabled variant of Iconia W4 tablet in India, the first country to get this device, at Rs 29,999.
Liquid Leap, a one-inch touch-screen smartband with fitness tracking, phone and SMS notification and music control, will be sold together with the Liquid Jade smartphone in selected markets from the third quarter, Acer said.
Stan Shih founded Acer in 1976 and built it into the world's second-largest PC maker in its heyday, and one of the best known Taiwanese brands internationally.
The Indian industry termed the Narendra Modi government’s maiden Railway Budget as growth-oriented, but expressed apprehensions over effective implementation of proposals related to foreign direct investment (FDI) and public-private partnerships.
Trade and industry in Seemandhra finally has its fi ngers crossed that TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu will wave his magic wand in the region and replicate his success in making Hyderabad a global investment destination.
Come June 2, industries and businesses in the state are expected to experience some hiccups as certain government services are slated to come to a grinding halt post bifurcation.
Acer on Wednesday said it has appointed co-founder and board member George Huang as new chairman.
Blackpool manager and former England midfielder Paul Ince has been handed a five-match stadium ban for his behaviour towards match officials.


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For the last three years, Ninja and Fortnite have been synonymous with each other. Now, Tyler Blevins has his own skin inside the game.
“It happened. It’s official, we finally got a Ninja skin. In the game. In Fortnite. We did it,” he said during a stream yesterday morning.
The new skin uses Blevins' likeness and features his logo, trademark blue hair and headband. It'll be available for Fortnite players to purchase between the 16th and 19th January, though the price is unknown until it hits the store.
“I’m just really excited about this, I’m excited to share this with you guys,” Blevins continued. “If you put the time in, the effort in, anything is possible. That’s just facts.”
Blevins' skin is the first in a new 'Icons' series. Epic Games has confirmed that fellow gaming creators TheGrefg and Loserfruit will both see an Icons collaboration. Other well-known personalities across gaming, music, film, and fashion will appear in the series, but Epic is yet to confirm a full list.
I've dreamt of having a skin in Fortnite since I started playing the game. Today, my dream becomes reality. Get the Ninja Fortnite Skin in the Epic store Thursday 6 p.m. CST-Sunday 7 p.m. Don't forget to use code NINJA! #NinjaSkin #EpicPartner pic.twitter.com/xTn9UlbkGI— Ninja (@Ninja) January 15, 2020


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Energy BBDO announces Daale Carter as its new MD
Carter brings a breadth of integrated marketing services expertise, ranging from digital media strategy, to social media strategy, search, performance marketing, shopper and beyond.
Carter brings a breadth of integrated marketing services expertise, ranging from digital media strategy, to social media strategy, search, performance marketing, shopper and beyond, that will help Energy BBDO continue to deliver “creativity that meets people where they live.”
“In our search for the next Managing Director of the agency, we were seeking a leader with a digital and experience-first mentality who intimately understood changing consumer behaviour as well as the rapidly evolving platforms they frequent. From the moment we met Daale, we knew she was exactly that person” said Jeff Adkins, CEO of Energy BBDO.
With over 18 years of experience, Carter’s client and category experience fits very well with Energy BBDO’s client portfolio and includes; Spirits & Beer (Jim Beam, Miller, Constellation Wines), Fashion (Puma, K-Swiss, Givenchy, and LVMH), Gaming & Tech (EA Sports, HTC Beats, and Samsung), Cosmetics (Makeup Forever), Water (Voss), CPG Food (General Mills), and much more.
Carter was also recognised by the industry for her innovative vision with awards including Google and Oracle Excellence Awards, among others.
“I’m thrilled to be joining a team that marries inspiring creativity with digital-first activation thinking. I look forward to pairing my passion for brand building and transformation to help revolutionise the way we connect our creativity with consumers” said new Managing Director Daale Carter.
Born and raised in London, Carter originally study law at University of Westminster before starting her marketing career. She moved to the U.S. 11 years ago and currently lives in Austin, TX with her husband and her four boys. When she is not working, Carter can be found traveling around the world, exploring different cultures with her camera and nourishing one of her passions, photography.


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Seamless East Africa is the annual event where East Africa’s payments, fintech and financial services industry connects. Bringing together visionaries and innovators from across the industry who are creating new ways to spend, manage, save, borrow, share and protect money.
Chace Hatcher and Mac Funchess from DFT Empower will be participating in a round-table discussion about financial inclusion sponsored by DFS Labs.
|While traditional players in the payments space persist to remain ahead of the game and become innovators of their own accord, a new breed of fintechs like DFT Empower are rising to the challenge. And they are quick, convenient, cheap and millennial-friendly. Banks are seeking to partner with cutting-edge startups whilst also developing and launching their own fintech products.|


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Coinbase is acquiring a minority stake in Circle Internet Financial. The Centre Consortium, which manages the USDC stablecoin, is being dissolved and Circle is bringing the stablecoin completely in-house. The second largest stablecoin, which was launched through the Centre Consortium partnership, will now be managed by Circle.
Coinbase and Circle announced the major news in a blog post. The amount of stake acquired by Coinbase was not disclosed. Although support will be added for six additional blockchains, the details were not included in the recent announcement. In September, Circle had stated its plans to add Polkadot, Near, Optimism, and Cosmos in 2023. Following this, Coinbase launched its own network called Coinbase Base.
There have been significant developments in the world of dollar-pegged stablecoins recently. Most recently, fintech giant PayPal took a step to challenge the dominance of Tether‘s USDT and USDC by introducing its own PYUSD token in collaboration with Paxos. Considering PayPal’s deep connections in payments and remittances, it could prove to be a formidable competitor.


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In March 2018, Google posted that it would be banning any and all advertisements involving cryptocurrency from its AdSense and AdWords advertising platforms in June 2018, and now the time of reckoning has come.
Google’s new financial products policy explicitly states that the ban will include but not be limited to initial coin offerings (ICOs), cryptocurrency exchanges, cryptocurrency wallets, and cryptocurrency trading advice. This is a thorough blanket ban of all cryptocurrency ads through Google’s advertising platform, which is the largest provider of internet ads. Google advertising revenue exceeded USD 27 billion for quarter 4 of 2017, 84% of all of Google’s revenue, and is on track to exceed USD 100 billion per year.
Due to the massive size of Google’s advertising services and its dependency on it for most of its money, Google must ensure advertisers that it is a safe and wholesome advertising ecosystem. This means nothing illegal should be advertised, including scams of any sort, since that would make people distrust Google ads.
Unfortunately, there has been a significant number of cryptocurrency-related scams commonly involving ponzi schemes like Bitconnect and OneCoin where investors are guaranteed unrealistic profits, but in reality are only paid from new funds entering the system until the system eventually collapses.
With the rise of ICOs, there have been plenty of scams that have promised a new cryptocurrency to investors but instead disappearing with investments and releasing nothing. Pincoin defrauded investors of USD 660 million, for example.
Even cryptocurrency exchange advertisements can be scams; scammers have been known to set up fake cryptocurrency exchanges that look legitimate. The same technique can be used to make fake Bitcoin wallet websites that steal access to legitimate wallets.
Google has probably grown tired of dealing with complaints and lawsuits from users of their ads regarding cryptocurrency scams, which is likely a contributing factor to the ban. It would be easier for Google to just ban everything involving cryptocurrency than to dedicate a team to filter through cryptocurrency ads to determine authenticity.
Although many will find it unfair and unfortunate that legitimate cryptocurrency businesses will no longer have access to the biggest advertising platform on the internet, some see this development as positive for the industry. No longer will scammers be able to snare victims by purchasing Google ads, and any legitimate services can advertise themselves on other platforms such as BitcoinTalk and Reddit.
The reality is, if a cryptocurrency company is truly legitimate and its products and services are valuable, it should be able to grow without purchasing the help of advertising.
Follow BitcoinNews.com on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bitcoinnewscom
Telegram Alerts from BitcoinNews.com at https://t.me/bconews


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No backward capability…yet: The PS4 won’t be able to play PS2 or PS3 games, it’s true.
But Sony’s stated hope is that eventually, by utilizing the cloud and the PS4’s existing streaming abilities, that emulation of the entire Play Station line’s library of games will be possible at some point.
Broadcast worldwide, with an admittedly shaky feed, Sony spoke about its new hardware, new games and new plans for the future.
The event ultimately lasted about two hours, and there remains much to dissect.
Credit: Emanual Dunand / AFP/Getty Images Video game designer Mark Cerny talks as Sony introduces the Play Station 4.
Credit: Emanual Dunand / AFP/Getty Images Christopher Vincent Metzen of Blizzard Entertainment announces "Diablo III" for the Playstation 4.
Credit: Emanuel Dunand / AFP/Getty Images PS4 is finally here.
Sony delivered its next-generation console plans to the world Wednesday, debuting the Play Station 4 during an event in New York City.
What wasn’t mentioned in the event was whether Sony would continue its current Play Station Plus system, which provides basic online gameplay and functions for free while putting a cost premium on additional features, or if it would move toward something like Xbox Live, which puts a paywall on pretty much anything worthwhile.
“Infamous: Second Son,” teased a storyline apart from the first two games, featuring what may have been a new protagonist with the same projectile and mobility-based superpowers.
The hardware specs: The PS4 will feature an X86 CPU, enhanced PC GPU, 8GB unified memory, local HD and GDDR 5 system memory.
So let’s run through the biggest announcements, and absences, from Sony’s major conference.
Release date: At the very end of the event, Sony revealed a vague launch window for the console — “Holiday 2013.” Whether that means October or December remains to be seen, but at least there’s confirmation that the PS4 will launch this year.


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Yakima Valley to Wallonia: Two new craft beers to try
Beerista: A new collaboration IPA from Eight Degrees, a saison from Yellow Belly and next weekend’s Beer Bazar at 57 the Headline
Two beers to try: Eight Degrees’s latest release Yellow Ball, a soft-bodied and sweeter IPA, and Yellow Belly’s special edition Where’s Wallonia saison
It’s interesting to see a few of the classic, clear IPAs reappearing on the shelves, though there’s no denying that most new craft beers these days are of the hazy kind. Eight Degrees’s latest release is called Yellow Ball, and it bucks the trend by pouring a deep and clear gold.
This double dry-hopped IPA, at 5.9 per cent, is unlike most of the soft-bodied and sweeter northeastern IPAs that are dominating the market at the moment. It’s got bags of lovely, refreshing hoppy aroma and flavour, with a bit of tropical fruit, and has a more malty profile and an assertive finishing bitterness.
Yellow Ball is the creation of a three-way collaboration between Eight Degrees, which provided the malt, Bale Breaker Brewing in Washington choosing hops from Yakima Valley, and Revolution Brewing in Chicago having its pick of yeast.
Eight Degrees – which was bought by Irish Distillers, the makers of Jameson, in May 2018 – has eight collaboration beers planned for 2019. It’s all part of their Rack ‘Em Up series to celebrate their eighth birthday, so it’ll be interesting to see what collaboration comes next.
Where’s Wallonia was first made by Wexford’s Yellow Belly in 2016 and has just been re-released. This special edition saison comes in a lovely, brightly-coloured 440ml can that will probably remind you of a certain children’s book. You’ll get a little bit of honey and melon, a hint of spice and it’s refreshingly light-bodied and dry, just as a saison should be. Worth seeking out while it’s around.
If you’re looking for some quality beer next weekend, 57 The Headline on Clanbrassil Street Lower, Dublin, is holding a Beer Bazar on Saturday, April 6th. Some of Dublin’s best producers will be on hand, offering tastings and take-home beers, from noon to 6pm – and there’ll be hot dogs.


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Showtime has hired former Turner executive Michael Engleman as its chief marketing officer.
Engleman will have oversight of the premium cable outlet’s marketing, creative advertising and digital media divisions. He also will oversee marketing for Pop TV and Smithsonian Channel, which, like Showtime, are part of CBS Corp. Engleman will report to Showtime chairman and CEO and CBS chief creative officer David Nevins.
“Michael is a brilliant and experienced marketing leader whose calling card is his clever, original vision,” Nevins said Monday in a statement. “His ability to thrive within the sensory overload of modern-day media on all platforms sets him apart, making him the ideal choice to articulate the next generation of Showtime Networks to all audiences.”
Engleman is taking over for Don Buckley, who is departing Showtime after eight years to pursue other opportunities. HBO’s Chris Spadaccini was recently upped to chief marketing officer for WarnerMedia Entertainment, adding TNT, TBS and TruTV to his portfolio.
Prior to joining Showtime, Engleman was chief marketing officer for TBS and TNT, where he was in charge of all branding and marketing, including digital and social and the creation of a new content marketing group designed to leverage opportunities in a multiplatform media world. He oversaw the marketing campaigns that helped launch shows like The Alienist, The Last O.G., Full Frontal With Samantha Bee and Claws, among others.
Engleman joined Turner in 2016 as executive vp entertainment marketing and brand innovation after having held a similar post at NBCUniversal’s Syfy and Chiller.
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Apple (News - Alert) historically has not been the first to enter a new market. Instead, it has waited, sometimes succeeding, and sometimes failing, with a device that is “better.” Apple likely has begun that strategy with the mobile payment features built into the Apple iPhone 6.
In the past Apple has had to confront direct competitors in the form of other device suppliers. In mobile payments, Apple will face SoftCard, the AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile US mobile payments app, plus the Google (News - Alert) Wallet, Starbucks app and others in the retail payments made by mobile phones that displace payment by a credit card or debit card at a retail terminal.
In mobile payments, Apple also will face the Merchant Customer Exchange, a retailer consortium including 7-Eleven, Target (News - Alert) and Wal-Mart.
The MCX “CurrentC” network will allow customers to pay with their phones at more than 110,000 U.S. retail locations.
Some of us have argued that Apple was the one company that could really make a breakthrough in mobile payments in developed markets.
The emerging issue now is whether, in fact, Apple’s presence can transform a market that has been slow to develop, even if there have been some successes, including the branded Starbucks app and credit card readers such as Square.
Among the long-standing issues is the matter of value--whether ability to swipe a phone is sufficiently more valuable than swiping a credit or debit card at a retail terminal.
There is an argument to be made that, in fact, the incremental value is relatively small. Some might point to the high use of the Starbucks card from mobiles as an example of how much value might be added.
Others might simply counter that the value is not the swipe, it is the free coffee one earns by swiping the Starbucks app from a phone, instead of paying by cash or card.
The issue is whether Apple now has sufficient device critical-mass, retailers have enough terminals, and Apple has put into place all the needed tools and apps, to change -- and lead -- the marketplace.
If so, it might turn out that Apple grabs leadership because it changes the game, shifting from "payment" to "shopping experience."
Some argue Apple has done so. Aside from the multiple communication modes (near field communications and others), iPhones already have iBeacon, Apple’s location-tracking software, which might be strategic if the business model eventually is shown to be “marketing” rather than “transaction fees.”
Apple’s fingerprint scanners might address high end user concerns about security. Apple’s Passbook app collects virtual coupons as well.
And Apple has essentially been beta testing mobile payments in its own retail stores, where checkouts are handled by any associate with a phone or other Apple device, or on an automated basis in some cases, with no clerk at all.
We’ll have to wait and see whether Apple can succeed in mobile payments as it has with some of its devices: not being first, but being “best.”
Edited by Rory J. Thompson
Back to Mobile Commerce Insider Home


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This past weekend in New York was the annual Toy Fair event where many toy companies come from around the world to show off their new products coming out throughout the year. When you go to the event or even look at coverage you feel like a kid in a candy store as there’s just a plethora of toys from action figures to dolls and much more!
The best part of it all was that several WWE licensees were there showing off the latest WWE toy products coming out soon, including some exciting surprises like Goldberg’s very first WWE Mattel Elite figure!
Thanks to RingsideCollectibles.com for providing great photos of all the WWE items, as seen in the gallery below!
Some exciting news that came out of the event includes:
- Goldberg’s first Elite figure will come with the Mattel WWE RAW Elite Scale Ring (rumor is it lights up, too)
- There will be a Target Exclusive WWE NXT Series that seems to build Bayley’s inflatable tube men if you collect everyone in the set (also known as a Build-A-Set series) featuring Tye Dillinger and Andrade Almas’ first figures
- Mattel showed off Elite 49 and 50, featuring Shane McMahon’s newest action figure in years
- There will be a second series of WWE Zombies, featuring the likes of AJ Styles, Sasha Banks, Kevin Owens, Brock Lesnar, Steve Austin and Seth Rollins
- Defining Moments Macho Man Randy Savage from Wrestlemania 3 will include a cloth robe
- Mattel is making a Summer Slam themed series, much like the Wrestlemania series every year, that will feature an Elite Finn Bálor based off his match he won the title at as well as a Flashback Mankind, Battle Packs featuring Ultimate Warrior and Honky Tonk Man as well as a Basic series featuring Seth Rollins with a new head scan.
- There will be a second series of WWE Tough Talkers (throwback to the old WCW figures that talked to each other) as well as a unique Championship Takedown Ring playset to go with them.
- Jakks Pacific will be making WWE Wrestling Buddies, similar to those in the 80s, of John Cena and Finn Bálor
- Wicked Cool Toys will be making 31″ tall Stone Cold Steve Austin and AJ Styles figures
- Mattel is making more kids size toy belts such as the Universal Title and new SmackDown Live tag titles
- LootCrate announced a line of Exclusive WWE figures coming in the next several WWE Slam Crates in 2017, the first being Stone Cold Steve Austin. See more here.
- Storm Collectibles revealed their limited Hulk Hogan 12″ figures and statue you can pre-order on their website
- Tamashii Nations revealed a Flashback Kane figure with three interchangeable heads
- Playmates showed off the second series of WWE styled Ninja Turtles – featuring Finn Bálor, Ultimate Warrior, Roddy Piper and The Rock
Look for an article featuring the latest WWE Slam Crate plus more coverage on the new figures coming in the next Slam Crates!
For more wrestling figure news and coverage follow @WWETNAfigures on Twitter!
If you want to guarantee you get the Exclusive Slam Crate action figures, such as the Stone Cold Steve Austin, order here before April 15th plus use code MBG at checkout to save 10% on your order (for new subscribers only + must use unique link here for discount to apply)!
Toy Fair New York 2017 - WWE Toy News Coverage (Photos) - Wrestlezone


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As published by Nate Lord, Digital Guardian
23 information security experts provide tips for securing data across business partners, suppliers, and other third parties.
When companies think about security, they most often think of securing their networks, software, and digital assets against cyber attacks and data breaches. But the supply chain – whether a traditional manufacturer or service provider’s supply chain or the “data supply chain” relied on by most large companies – is also vulnerable to security risks, as has been seen in a litany of major data breaches via third parties.
Practically every company has a place in the supply chain, and supply chains are evolving to be as much about the flow of information as they are about the flow of goods and services. Thus, it comes as no surprise that supply chain security is a highly complex, evolving function, and it’s one that security pros and business executives are giving more attention as the risks facing information throughout the supply chain become increasingly obvious.
Supply chain security is every company’s responsibility. The supply chain as a whole is only truly secure when all entities throughout the supply chain carry out effective, coordinated security measures to ensure the integrity of supply chain data, the safety of goods, and the security of the global economy. To find out what tactics and methods companies can utilize to enhance the security of their supply chains and contribute to global supply chain security, we asked a panel of security experts and supply chain professionals to answer this question:
“What steps should companies take to secure their supply chains against cyber attacks/data breaches?”


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This post was originally published on this site
MARKETWATCH FRONT PAGE
U.S. stocks surge Tuesday, with investors set to return from the long Memorial Day weekend. News that human trials have begun for a potential coronavirus vaccine cheered investors. See full story.
The No. 1 thing Americans are spending their stimulus checks on — even more than shopping at Costco, Walmart and Target
‘Americans are aware of how grim the near future could be.’ See full story.
‘It’s time for China to blink first,’ says Rep. Sherman, who leads the drive to delist China stocks
Sherman says that the time has long passed for Washington to force Chinese companies to provide the same investor protections that U.S. companies have for decades. See full story.
No, America’s billionaires didn’t get $434 billion richer during the pandemic — quite the opposite, in fact
A study says America’s billionaires gained $434 billion in wealth during the crisis. A more sensible way of looking at the numbers show they lost nearly that much. See full story.
Here’s why Warren Buffett made a huge mistake selling his airline stocks
Industry insiders at these airlines are buying up shares of their companies. See full story.
MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE
Home builders have an opportunity to see improved sales by shifting their designs to meet buyers’ new preferences in a post-coronavirus world. See full story.


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CYPRESS, Calif. (Dec. 7, 2005) — Nitto Tire America Corp. has broadened its high-performance tire range with the launch of the Invo ultra-high-performance line and the debut of a competition-only line of drag race slicks.
Nitto, a subsidiary of Japan's Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd., said the asymmetrical tread patterned Invo line “offers the perfect balance between art and engineering.”
The non-directional tread design features twin water-dispersion grooves and lateral slits that provide wet traction and silica-reinforced tread blocks for lateral and longitudinal grip in dry conditions, the company said.
The Invo will be available by mid-2006 in eight sizes, ranging from 225/45 ZR17 91W to 345/25 ZR20 100Y.
Cypress-based Nitto also said it is gearing up production of the NT 1320 drag slick so that customers will have a choice of five sizes by the first quarter of 2006—25.0, 26.0 and 32.0x14.5-15, 33.0x16.0-15, and 33.0x17.0-15—and eight more soon thereafter.
The NT 1320 complements Nitto's NT-555R Extreme Drag Radial Tire line, which although designed primarily for competition drag racing, offers users limited use (6/32nds inch tread depth) on the street as well as at the track, Nitto said.
Nitto's marketing scheme for the NT 1320 includes the launch of the Nitto 1320 Challenge, a free online game that allows users to drage race against hundreds of thousands of other online racers. It's available at a separate Web site, www.nitto1320.com.


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Published Aug 01, 2019Ariana Grande has unveiled a thank u, next-inspired line of merch with worldwide fashion retailer H&M.
The collections includes plenty of baggy t-shirts, tie-dye prints, and oversized hoodies branded with phrases and song titles like "thank u, next," "7 rings" and "break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored."
There are also accessories like hats, hair clips, phone cases and socks.
Take a look at the full collection over here at H&M's online shop. Watch a video featuring dancers and Grande stans Yoojung, Mina and Yeji below.
As previously reported, Grande will release another new single titled "Boyfriend" tonight at midnight.


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IAnywhere Solutions Inc., a subsidiary of Sybase Inc., today announced the availability of two new developer products designed to help businesses create more sophisticated mobile applications.
The Dublin, Calif.-based mobile middleware vendor is launching its M-Business Anywhere Developer Edition, a platform that allows developers to make Web-based applications and content suitable for use on mobile devices with limited recoding. It also announced better integration capabilities for its SQL Anywhere Studio database development tools, which will enable developers to create more sophisticated database-oriented applications, said Ojas Rege, iAnywhere's senior director of mobile solutions.
With improved integration with SQL, developers will be better equipped to build useful, database-driven applications for mobile workers in vertical markets, said Stephen Drake program manager with Framingham, Mass.-based International Data Corp.
As businesses become more comfortable using mobile devices, they often want to move beyond simple e-mail and calendaring applications to more sophisticated applications, Rege said. For instance, many workers in the medical field already have a strong need to update databases via handheld devices, he said.
ArcStream Solutions Inc., a Watertown, Mass.-based mobile consultancy and application development company, already creates such applications for medical schools and other organizations. Andrew Robertson, director of technology at ArcStream, said that his organization has developed applications using iAnywhere's tools that allow doctors and students to input data using a handheld, saving time and avoiding the costly errors that come with entering pen-and-paper notes into a database manually.
Many hospitals and other medical buildings do not yet have Wi-Fi networks, so data captured in handheld devices is often uploaded to a database at the end of the day by syncing the handheld in a cradle. But, in many cases, syncing handheld device data with complex databases creates mistakes and repetition of data, Robertson said.
With iAnywhere's improved integration capabilities, data can now be synced up much more effectively between mobile devices and back-end systems, making the process cleaner, Robertson said.
With this release, iAnywhere is trying to leverage its parent company's developer community, which uses Power Builder, said Warren Wilson, practice director with Boston-based based research firm Summit Strategies Inc. With iAnywhere's new tools, those developers can build mobile applications.
In the long term, this release should help Sybase retain its strong position in the market, Wilson said.
"Any enterprise that is thinking about going mobile will look at Sybase and see a collection of products that are well proven and very capable," he said.


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Now that we’ve heard from the past Chairman let’s hear from the new Chairman of the Agricultural Retailers Association. He’s Dave DuFault, Simplot, pictured on the left presenting a gift to now past Chairman Gary Farrell.
Before the ceremonies took place I talked with Dave. In the coming year Dave says ARA will continue to move forward with the ResponsibleAg program that has just kicked so that retailers can now get registered via the website. Dave also will be looking at communication. “How do we take what we’re doing and just not keep it within our industry but also take it outside our industry to create a better image of what we do everyday.”
Dave also wants to pitch next year’s convention in Palm Desert, CA. I hope to be there!
Listen to my interview with Dave here: Interview with Dave DuFault of Simplot, ARA Chair


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Allure: Emma Stone’s Amazing Month of Beauty Looks
As far as we’re concerned, the highlight of a movie’s press tour is the parade of hair and makeup looks from its female leadâ€”especially when said actress is Emma Stone. Reprising her role as a very blonde Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Stone is game to try something new on virtually every red carpet. Glossy lips? Check. Blunt bangs? Check. Of course, it’s easier to take risks when you have worked with the same hair and makeup artists for years. Stone’s Spider-Man tour wrapped up in New York City last night, so we asked the actress’s glam squad (makeup artist Rachel Goodwin and hairstylist Mara Roszak) to spill the beans on Stone’s stellar month of beauty.
The one thing that never changes? Stone’s peaches-and-cream complexion. “I love her skin,” says Goodwin. And while we can’t imagine a situation where Stone would ever look bad, there’s no denying that a month-long press tour can leave you feeling sluggish. “When you’re tired, peach blush can be your best friend,” says Goodwin.
PINK IS THE WORD
We’re used to seeing Stone in bright lipstick and rich jewel tones. But a soft pale pink? That might be a first. “It’s a taupe shade with pink undertones that adds a little hint of color without looking overdone,” says Goodwin. “It’s an extremely easy shade to wear and works on almost every skin tone.”
REINVENTING VERONICA LAKE
“This is one of my top three favorite looks of the tour,” says Goodwin, who chose Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick in Rayonnante to contrast with Stone’s yellow Versace gown and Veronica Lake waves. “The juxtaposition of the fuchsia lip, the yellow dress, and her red hair just felt incredibly fun and fresh.”
LADY IN RED
Stone stepped out in the City of Light with a sharp look to match her sexy Lanvin dress. “Whenever we’re in Paris, something great happens,” says Goodwin. This time, that something great was an asymmetrical updo and a fiery red lip. “In general, pared-down skin, superdefined brows, and a bold lip is one of my all-time favorite makeup looks,” says Goodwin.
Inspired by the metallic details of Stone’s Valentino dress, Goodwin choose a shimmery silver shadow that she applied from the lash line all the way up to the brow. “The dress was on the darker side, so I wanted the makeup to feel light,” she says. “It’s also an elegant look. There’s something about being in Rome that brings out a more womanly side of us,” which also explains the gorgeous textured chignon Roszak created for the night.
Matching your makeup to your outfit has the potential to go terribly wrong, but in Goodwin’s hands it’s pure sophistication. “It worked because the blue on the dress was mostly at the bottom, it wasn’t near her face,” explains Goodwin. “If you have a dress that’s all blue, you might not want to use blue eye shadow, but if there’s a touch, it actually looks fresh and modern on your eyes.”


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Moverse ICO (MOVE) Is Coming: Fitness Meets Blockchain
Moverse, a new FitnessFi app, is launching its ICO in March, blending exercise with blockchain rewards.
With a fundraising goal of $100,000, Moverse has already secured $600,000 towards a $1 million target.
The platform requires users to own NFT sneakers for workout earnings, introducing a novel approach to fitness incentives.
Unique features include AI-driven personalised coaching, MOVEswap for liquidity, and rewards for community engagement.
Moverse is making its debut on the global stage by merging the worlds of fitness and blockchain into an innovative FitnessFi application. Targeting individuals who are keen on enhancing their lifestyle through exercise, Moverse promises a healthier life, along with blockchain-based incentives. With itsICO slated for March, the platform is generating excitement with its unique proposition: exercise to earn.
ICO Success: $600K Raised, $0.0002/Token
The MOVE token, central to the Moverse ecosystem, is set for sale at the enticing price of $0.0002 per token. Aiming for a modest $100,000 through its ICO, the company has impressively raised $600,000 out of a hopeful $1 million. This demonstrates significant market trust and interest. Furthermore, 40% of its massive 15 billion token cache is earmarked for sale to the eager public.
Moverse’s Unique Earnings: NFT Sneakers & AI Coaching
What sets Moverse apart? Entry into its ecosystem requires at least two pairs of NFT sneakers, a clever gamification element that encourages active participation. Newcomers aren’t left out. The company offers daily rewards and a trial sneaker for dedicated users. Thus, it fosters a welcoming environment for all fitness levels.
The app doesn’t stop there; it’s a full-fledged fitness realm with AI-powered coaching tailored to individual needs, covering both cardio and strength training for comprehensive health benefits. Besides, the integration of DAO and SocialFi elements empowers users to take part in the app’s evolution and revenue generation, truly democratising the fitness experience.
MOVEswap & Community Rewards
In Moverse’s universe, every step and squat counts. Beyond traditional exercise rewards, the platform introduces MOVEswap for enhanced liquidity and passive income avenues for NFT holders. The community is at the heart of Moverse, with equal earning rights, special discounts, and brand sponsorships amplifying user engagement.
Moreover, the app champions a deflationary economy through the burning of $MOVE tokens,ensuring long-term value and sustainability. High achievers can look forward to participating in sports tournaments, earning unique NFTs, and enjoying various other rewards.
Moverse is not just an app; it’s a movement towards integrating physical well-being with financial incentives. Furthermore, it promotes a balanced, healthy lifestyle powered by the latest in blockchain technology. As the ICO date approaches, the fitness and crypto communities alike are watching with bated breath, ready to MOVE into a new era of health and wealth.


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Mama Fu’s Franchise Group LLC is looking to enter the Dallas-Fort Worth market as part of a larger expansion of Mama Fu’s Asian House.
The Austin-based restaurant chain plans to open up to 25 locations in DFW over the next five years, said CEO Randy Murphy.
“DFW is about as good as it gets as far as restaurant opportunity,” said Murphy, whose company bought the Mama Fu’s brand in 2008. “We already have competitors there. People are going to understand our service model and have an appreciation for the food that we have. And there are a lot of wonderful retail settings for us to go into.”
Mama Fu’s, which has 13 locations in four states, started franchising a year and half ago. Murphy said he plans to open six to eight locations in 2012, three to four of them in Texas.
Mama Fu’s is negotiating a contract with a Dallas-Fort Worth-based multiunit operator, and Murphy said he expects to close three deals by the end of February in Houston, Cleveland and Mississippi as well.
Murphy has big expansion plans for the company, looking to open 130 locations across the country in five years.
Mama Fu’s works with Fort Worth-based customer analytics company Buxton Co. to figure out the best places to expand. Chris Miner, a director with Buxton, said the customer information Mama Fu’s has collected from diners and delivery is impressive for a younger brand.
“So many restaurants do not collect data because it slows things down and they do not have the infrastructure,” Miner said. “They are laying the foundation for explosive, smart growth.”
However, Murphy understands his company is still young.
Two months ago, Mama Fu’s planned to sign a deal for the entire DFW area, but now Murphy said it is getting more interest in smaller territories.
“We are a younger brand, and they want to start with a smaller territory,” said Murphy of the DFW area operator.
Still, he believes Asian is strong for the fast-casual segment.
“Asian is the fastest-growing segment out there,” said Murphy, citing Chipotle’s testing of ShopHouse in Washington, D.C.
In the DFW area, there are 22 Pei Wei Asian Diner locations and more then 50 Panda Express locations.
The Mama Fu’s model of “flex casual” sets it apart, Murphy said. Customers order at the counter during the day, but the restaurants switch to servers for dinner.
While most Mama Fu’s locations are 2,500 to 3,000 square feet, Murphy believes there is an opportunity for his brand in nontraditional settings, such as college campuses, military institutions, airports and corporate campuses. Total investment for traditional locations is around $550,000 to $600,000. Mama Fu’s also has a delivery business, which accounts for 15 percent of total business, Murphy said.
“If we can make a little smaller prototype and still keep the seats we need and continue to grow those off-premise sales, we can continue to keep our prototype small,” Murphy said. “There is certainly an evolution that could happen to our brand.”


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What Do New Cuba Flights Actually Mean for Travel and Tourism?
Photo by David Cogswell
The U.S.-Cuba air travel deal has been in the headlines for a couple of months now as the Cuban government and U.S. DOT pushed forward with a plan to normalize relations and facilitate travel between the two countries. Today, the agreement hashed out in December was officially signed in Havana, marking the next phase this evolving relationship, which will involve the U.S. awarding Cuba routes to American carriers.
This process could happen much faster than everyone had expected. In their announcement of the signing in Havana, the DOT also laid out a timeline for the airline application process. “DOT’s order states that applications are due March 2, 2016; answers to applications are due March 14, 2016; and replies to those answers are due March 21, 2016.”
What does this actually mean for the travel industry?
The media and travelers have been buzzing about this deal since it was first announced two months ago. The mere fact that U.S. commercial planes will soon be landing in Cuba after a five-decade absence has captured people’s imaginations.
But what does it actually mean for the travel industry going forward? When flights take off for Cuba, who will be on board? For the time being, some important travel restrictions are still in place. The Obama Administration has loosened the rules quite a bit. Anyone who can fit their trip into one of the 12 acceptable categories is able to visit Cuba right now (and will be able to visit when commercial flights take off from U.S. soil).
In addition to those traveling in a professional capacity — journalists, educators, businesspeople — people can also legally go for various religious or cultural exchange experiences.
Easier to follow the rules, but there are still rules
Basically, anyone who wants to travel to Cuba can find a good fit from among the "acceptable reasons" listed. Since last January, travelers have not had to seek approval from the U.S. State Department before going to Cuba. They simply have to make certain that their trip could fit into one of the categories.
Travel agents who are aware of the rules will be able to help their clients book flights to Cuba as soon as commercial service starts. There will probably be high demand in the initial weeks and months, especially on routes into Havana. However, there are nine other Cuban airports that are part of the air travel pact, and each has 10 daily slots for flights originating in the U.S. These secondary airports might serve as easier and cheaper access points.
But what does this deal really need?
According to some in the travel industry, things won’t really take off until the U.S. lifts all travel restrictions for Americans going to Cuba. ASTA issued a statement after the DOT announced the signing of the agreement in Havana. In it, the organization called on Congress to end the ban on leisure travel: “We estimate at least two million additional Americans could visit Cuba by 2018 if Congress were to lift the travel ban before the end of this year. While U.S. law still prohibits travel to Cuba for tourist activities, we are encouraged by the continued progress made by the Obama Administration, and we strongly urge Congress to enact the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act and fully repeal the travel ban once and for all."
Despite Obama’s moves to make travel and trade easier, Republicans in Congress are not likely to vote to lift sanctions altogether.
For many tourists and travel agency professionals, the benefits of the new airline deals with Cuba won’t actually be felt until the ban on leisure travel is lifted. All signs point to this eventually happening, but it appears that the current ban could still be in place until after November's elections.
TravelPulse founder Mark Murphy recently appeared on CBS News to share his expertise on what this could mean for travel:
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Business News›indian brand equity foundation
INDIAN BRAND EQUITY FOUNDATION
India's green energy focus in sync with ongoing G20 Presidency
The government announced an outlay of Rs 19,700 crore for the recently launched National Green Hydrogen Mission, which it said will facilitate the transition of the economy to low carbon intensity, reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and make the country "assume technology and market leadership in this sunrise sector".
Life saviors force-feed pills bitter on pocket in exchange for exotic vacations, chic cars
To keep a gauge if a doctor is prescribing drugs manufactured by particular pharmaceutical companies, medical representatives collect weekly data from all pharmacies around a doctor’s chamber. The data shows if the drug’s stock has been moving or not. If the sales slow down, that is an alarm for the MRs to visit the doctor again, negotiate and offer gifts.
Unlocking potential: India and its innovation journey
While India has made considerable progress in terms of start-ups and producing unicorns, Ministry of Science and Technology data shows that the gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) has been a meagre 0.7% of its GDP with its GERD per capita being about 43 (in current PPP $). For India to boost its innovation culture, this percentage needs to increase.
India's first semi-high speed freight train likely to chug by year end
In order to implement the PM Gati Shakti initiative in a focused manner, the Railways has created a separate directorate at the Railway Board with its branches at Khurda, Bilaspur, Delhi and Bengaluru divisions to expedite the ambitious scheme.
After Covid bashing, smart hotel companies are poised to make the best of economic revival
Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), owned by the Tata group, is a pioneer in luxury hotels. In 1903, the group started the iconic hotel that is today called The Taj Mahal Palace. The group now has more than 215 hotels, villas and restaurants, offering mid-size budget hotels to opulent multi-acre palaces. It operates in 80 locations spread across four continents and 12 countries.
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India set to manufacture containers to boost exportsWhile the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has already set up a committee to study the feasibility of manufacturing containers at Bhavnagar in Gujarat, sources said that other such hubs are also being looked at.
India antitrust body raids cement giants UltraTech, LafargeHolcim units: SourcesSeveral officers of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) were involved in search operations conducted simultaneously at multiple locations in India, late into the evening, the sources said.
Cement makers claim comes under the Bureau of Indian Standards lensThe Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), a central body responsible for the standardization, marking and quality certification of goods, has directed cement manufacturers to refrain from making claims that are not backed by the relevant Indian standards.
Hit by a virus and lockdown, the wheels are coming off the Indian logistics industryA highly fragmented and unorganised industry, India’s logistics sector is in disarray because of disruptions caused by the nationwide lockdown. What will it take for the sector to find its feet after being battered by Covid-19?
How this startup is using pen and paper to transform India’s healthcare industryDoxper, a healthtech startup, is helping doctors to digitise their case sheets using digital pen and encoded papers.
Cipla, PAG eye Wockhardt’s formulations businessWockhardt employs more than 7,000 people and has a presence in the US, Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Mexico, Russia and other countries. It has manufacturing and research facilities in India, the US and Britain, and a plant in Ireland.
37-year-old former school teacher is India’s newest billionaireByju joined the rarefied club after his Think & Learn Pvt scored $150 mn in funding earlier this month.
Arinna Lifesciences in to raise around Rs 75 crore in latest round of fundingArinna operates with 18 regional offices, more than 680 stockists and its’ products are sold in over 23 states across the county, the company website claims.
India Inc. finds pricing power in fastest-growing world economyThere have been ample signs that demand in the world’s fastest-growing major economy is well-entrenched.
The real story behind the video fuelling WhatsApp lynchings in IndiaThe text that accompanied an anti-kidnapping ad from Pak is now a grim reality in India, where a modified version of it is leading to widespread lynching.
Patanjali’s retailing empire now has competition from another spiritual guru, Sri Sri Ravi ShankarSri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living to open 1,000 retail stores for selling ayurvedic toothpastes and soaps, launch clinics and treatment centres across India.
$4.5 trillion investment talk creates a solid turf for multibagger huntersStock picker Porinju Veliyath bets infrastructure is a sure shot multibagger return opportunity.
Mobile Web is the foundation; AMP is making it strongerUsers' first interaction is with mobile web, where they can explore more information and can choose to download the mobile app, if the product will come into use frequently.
Why some of India Inc’s global deals have clicked and some have notAn India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) paper reveals that 2015-16 also saw some major overseas investments and acquisitions by Indian companies.
Just Delivr to expand operations to 100 cities over next one yearNoida-based hyperlocal grocery startup Just Delivr plans to expand its operations to 100 cities and 10,000 merchants over the next one year.
Latest e-commerce challenge: Pricey delivery boysOnline industry is beginning to face multiple pressures of high attrition, rising salaries and a potential dearth of feet on the ground.
India Brand Equity Foundation CEO Aparna Dutt Sharma resignsAccording to sources, she resigned following differences on some issues with the Commerce Ministry, the nodal agency for the Foundation.
WEF 2015: India Adda makes way for 'Make in India'The 'Make In India' lounge has also painted big hoardings like 'whatever you want to make, make in India' as also 'from satellites to submarines, from pharma to biotech'.
Retailers turn to startups like Torchsight, Shopsense with innovative technologies to take on e-tailersPushed to wall, the brick-and mortar guys are now taking fight to e-tailers by using innovative technologies, thanks to a number of new startups.
Government, pharma industry form 'India-Responsible Healthcare Trust'The government and major pharmaceutical industry organisations have come together to form the 'India-Responsible Healthcare Trust'.
Government considering legal action against US think-tank for running smear campaign against Indian pharma industryLegal consultation is being pursued through India Brand Equity Foundation and preliminary opinion of our legal counsel has advised us to do it via Indian courts, said a government official.
India will be partner country at engineering fair in GermanyIndia's participation in the world-renowned engineering and technology fair at Hannover in Germany would help in attracting global businesses.Load More
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FEASTERVILLE, Pa. - Police in Bucks County are looking to identify and locate a man who they say began throwing items inside a supermarket after employees asked him to put on a mask.
Lower Southampton Township police say the incident occurred at the ACME supermarket in Feasterville Saturday morning.
According to police, an ACME employee approached the suspect and ask that he wear a face covering while around other patrons and while shopping inside the store.
In response, the suspect allegedly began throwing various items around the store, including bags of pretzels and a bottle of hot sauce.
“Private businesses reserve the right to require face coverings in their establishments, but the throwing of items inside the store is what initiated police involvement in this matter,” Lower Southampton Township police said in a press release.
Anyone with information about the suspect or incident is asked to contact police at (215) 357-1234.
For the latest local news, sports and weather, download the FOX 29 News app.
DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP


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Analysis of the Super Bowl ads continues to pour in. With an average of 108.7 million viewers for the game, per Nielsen’s tally, brands certainly had an opportunity to reach a huge audience. So which brands fared best? Which ads were tweeted about most? Did advertisers experience any post-game lift? This article rounds up and distills the research surrounding the performance of the Super Bowl commercials.
First off, a look at the 10 most memorable commercials of the Super Bowl, according to Nielsen’s analysis. Using this measure, Doritos’ 30-second “Goat 4 Sale” wins out, with a general recall index of 138, meaning that it was 1.38 times more memorable as the average Super Bowl ad this year. Close on its heels, Taco Bell’s 60-second “Goodnight Mr. Goldblatt,” with a recall index score of 137. Read the rest at MarketingCharts.


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4A’s Marla Kaplowitz on 3 ways agencies can navigate the uncertain economy
The industry trade group is helping many agency members prepare their business for broader economic changes, from how to retain talent to honing their financial acumen.
How sportsbooks and publishers are rethinking the terms of content-based sponsorships
The economic slowdown is causing sportsbooks and publishers alike to reconsider their approaches to content-based customer acquisition campaigns.
A year after coming under Axel Springer’s control, Politico’s Europe and North American businesses are closer than ever
Politico is still realizing what a global brand might look like, but Politico EU's CRO Nicolas Sennegon is already pursuing an advertising business that extends across the pond.
SponsoredHow FAST channels are redefining primetime opportunities for advertisers
Sponsored by Vevo With the competition from content providers continuing to build, the traditional primetime TV slots are no longer guaranteeing the mass audiences they once did. Television viewership is evolving, and the primetime window of 8–11 p.m. is less broadly reflective of younger audiences’ content consumption habits. In 2022, attracting TV viewers is a […]
How publishers can prevent cyberattacks after Fast Company’s hack
Tech executives shared what publishers can do to prevent getting hacked and avoid cybersecurity breaches.
Member ExclusiveMedia Buying Briefing: How Gale became the ‘tip of the spear’ for Stagwell Media Network’s growing agency roster
Multi-discipline agency Gale was founded in 2014 as a research and CRM-driven shop that always was intended to be built upon. When media was added into the offerings, Gale hit another gear of growth.
Bryan Wiener is CEO of 360i, an agency that made the lead from search specialist to digital marketing agency. Dentsu acquired 360i in January 2010. The shop is bringing on VCU professor Mark Avnet to head its internal education program, 360iU. Wiener talks with Digiday about the prospects for the agency business, why so many people were down on agencies, the trouble with chief innovation officers and the prospects for Facebook and Twitter.
The commonly held view is that agencies are far behind the curve when it comes to changing media patterns. Is this fair?
That may be true for some agencies that are stuck in the ’90s, but some agencies are too far out on the curve for marketing programs to achieve their clients business objectives. For agencies today to be relevant and drive value, they need to develop marketing programs that solve real business problems by hitting the sweet spot in the intersection of culture, design and technology. What I don’t hear much anymore is all the noise about the agency industry going away due to disintermediation. With advertising and marketing changing as rapidly as it is, brand marketers will need strong outsourced partners that are able to innovate on their behalf. The real question is how many current agencies will be able to adapt to this new world order.
Why do you think people were so quick to declare the agency doomed?
There was a school of thought that technology was going to eliminate the need for “inefficient middlemen” between marketers and consumers. Clearly, the opposite is true as trusted advisers than can help navigate the sheer complexity of the landscape are in higher demand than ever before. There was also a lot of legitimate criticism that many agencies were not well structured for the 21st century. But the best firms have adapted. I’m extremely bullish on the marketing services sector’s long-term growth potential as more investment dollars move from media into services and the landscape continues to fragment.
It used to be that agencies hired chief digital officers. Nowadays they’re hiring chief innovation officers. Progress?
If we all subscribe to the idea that technology is changing marketing, then digital and innovation has to be in everyone’s DNA if you’re going to move the needle for marketers. Technology is a driver of culture – if you don’t understand it, then you can’t become a part of it and certainly can’t integrate cross-platform marketing programs that will resonate with consumers. Since agencies are inherently structured around a distributed architecture of talent broken down by client teams, any capability that’s centralized with a guru or a chief is not going to scale for clients. That’s why the educational part is so important, both within the agency as well within client marketer organizations.
Facebook was recently tabbed as the new king of display advertising. Is it the new AOL/Yahoo, or is that a bad comparison?
As I tweeted last week as soon as I saw the eMarketer report, categorizing Facebook in the display category is fairly misleading. Facebook has created a category of social advertising that is a cross between search and display. The ad format is much closer to search while the targeting and environment is closer to behavioral display. There is no question that Facebook is the king of social media, and in fact, has created a parallel universe to the “mainstream Web.” While I’m a huge believer that earned media has more influence than paid media every day of the week, I’m also a big believer in the growth of brand display advertising as a high-growth form of advertising. Brand display advertising will evolve into an important distribution platform for marketers for content, conversation and commerce. We’re not quite there yet but the IAB Rising Stars units are a step in the right direction. Cross media measurement, of course, is still a huge obstacle that needs to be tackled.
Can Twitter ever become a big ad platform?
Ever is a long time. What’s clear is Twitter’s audience is large enough to provide the necessary reach in order to be a scalable ad platform. Whether or not there is an ad format that will be both accepted by consumers and effective for marketers is an open question. Facebook faced the same skepticism a few years ago with its ad platform due to constant comparisons with Google and they’ve managed to build a huge business, so I wouldn’t bet the farm against Twitter.
Digiday Top Stories


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ODESSA, TEXAS (Big 2/ Fox 24)- Valentine’s Day may be just one day a year for us but Florists have been getting ready for the holiday for months.
“It gets to my heart whenever people or men don’t care how much they spend and that shows me how much love they have for their wives or their girlfriends,” says the Owner of Jazmine’s Fashion and Flower Shop Yvonne Roman.
She says between ordering all of the flowers from their supplier, taking and arranging orders and then delivering them it’s all hands on deck and a good chunk of their yearly revenue comes from that one day.
“I myself have delivered before and it’s just amazing you know just to see how happy some of them get. They wanna cry and it’s fulfilling to know that you just did something nice for them from their loved one.”
Just how much do American’s spend on Valentine’s Day?
The National Retail Federation expects them to spend around $27-billion; that’s 32% more than last year. A number that doesn’t surprise Roman at all.
“Five hundred dollars, yes, a guy came in and he bought a big teddy bear, he bought stuff for his kids and then arrangements as well flower arrangements, and I was like ‘wow!’ Once a year $200, $300 is nothing compared to everything that they share with each other and how much they love each other.”


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Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and several ministers on Friday visited Infobip headquarters in Vodnjan, as part of a visit to Istria County, and the PM said that the company's global platform, present in over 70 countries, showed the strength of the flagship companies of Croatia's ICT industry.
Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Davor Filipovic told the press they had listened to Infobip executives’ experiences and advice on how to digitally transform Croatia and that they were informed about the company’s latest acquisitions. He added that the government would do everything to fully support Infobip in further development.
Saying this was the third time that government representatives had visited Infobip, one of the company’s leading people, Roberto Kutic, said they were honoured because they closely cooperated with the government.
We informed them about our business activities, our latest acquisition, and our plans in Croatia and internationally, said Kutic, adding that Infobip was among the top ten companies in Europe and that its goal was to grow further.
Earlier this week, Infobip reported that it had concluded the acquisition of the US Peerless Network company, a global Voice over IP provider, for $200 million.


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Car and light truck sales dropped sharply last month. (Just back from vacation and finally looking at the data.)
There’s obviously a lot of volatility in the data, so don’t panic. But this is definitely trending down. Sounds like this could be the first real hint of housing market problems spilling over into consumer spending. Could also be a lagged effect of first quarter weakness.
Either way, I’m dialing up my attention to consumer spending these days.
Business planning implications: Companies selling discretionary products or services to consumers should watch their numbers carefully. If you don’t have an early warning system set up already, it’s high time. Check out Chapter 6 of Businomics.