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Consumers spark retailer price war
Cape Town - With consumers buckling under rising food, fuel and electricity prices, the gloves have come off as supermarkets go to war for their share of an already tough market.
Whether it’s aggressive discounting, absorbing increasing costs on staple items, or customer loyalty programmes, all South Africa’s major supermarket chains are trying to give struggling customers value for money while pursuing aggressive expansion strategies both locally and into Africa.
Retail figures for June from Statistics SA indicate that the retail market grew just 1.9 percent year on year, with the biggest growth in textiles and clothing, hardware and “other” retail segments. General dealers such as supermarkets grew just 1.5 percent.
And as major retailers Shoprite, Woolworths and Massmart released their annual results this week it became clear that consumers, particularly low-income ones, are starting to feel the pinch.
The Shoprite group, Africa’s largest retailer, posted annual results last week that saw growth slow down in the second half of the year – particularly in its Shoprite brand. Its no-frills USave and Checkers stores performed well.
“Growth within South Africa was hampered during the year by widespread labour unrest, rising costs fuelled by a weak rand, falling commodity prices and consumers’ lack of disposable income due to their high level of indebtedness,” chief executive Whitey Basson said.
As a result, customers were shopping less frequently, and closer to home.
Basson said the weaker rand was likely to continue to affect customers, and that the group would aim to maintain its low prices by absorbing some of the inflationary costs.
Christo Wiese, executive director of the Shoprite and the Pepkor group, said tough market conditions were “nothing compared with the difficulties we have dealt with over the decade in retail”.
For the group and for other supermarkets, the magic formula seems to be in expanding into Africa, lowering prices, and capturing the higher end of the market locally.
Checkers, which Shoprite has over the past few years positioned as their higher-end brand, now sees more than half its customers coming from the top income groups. The group also saw excellent growth outside of South Africa too; it has 192 stores in 16 countries.
Woolworths also saw excellent growth in its food retail sector according to the results released on Thursday.
Chief executive Ian Moir said they were consistently gaining market share by introducing more brands and bulk items, while also lowering prices. What helped was that Woolworths customers were traditionally “upper end”.
Pick n Pay said earlier this year when it released its results that the year had “reflected a mixed result for the retailer.
The company’s spokeswoman Tamra Veley said while market conditions were tough, “we have a relentless focus on value, quality and service”.
The chain had issued more than six million “Smart Shopper” loyalty cards.
“Every second our business is open, 10 smart shopper cards are swiped in our stores.”


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BURLINGTON, Ont. — Nancy Zuccarelli has joined the Canadian management crew as SVP of Gross sales at Sodexo Canada. Zuccarelli brings greater than 20 years of expertise in foodservice and facilities-management sectors to her new function, with a powerful deal with monetary evaluation, enterprise progress and constructing a tradition of excellence.
With accountability for overseeing all features of Sodexo Canada’s gross sales operations, technique and nurturing consumer relationships, Zuccarelli can also be targeted on fostering a thriving office and constant tradition of accountability.
“Having Nancy on our management crew is a large win. She brings a recent perspective, revolutionary concepts and a deep understanding of our trade,” says Johanne Bélanger, CEO, Sodexo Canada. “Nancy’s management and fervour for creating win-win options with all stakeholders will assist drive our firm to new heights.”
“This can be a pivotal time in our trade with so many alternatives,” says Zuccarelli. “It’s an honour to hitch this dynamic crew and contribute to our enterprise progress. I stay up for supporting the gross sales crew to proceed delivering distinctive service and additional strengthen our trade management place.”

domain: news


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In a strategic move, Google India Digital Services Pvt and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) have forged an agreement to extend their services beyond the borders of India. Alphabet Inc.’s Google Pay, a major player in India’s mobile-based payments system, is set to leverage the vast transaction volume it generates every month to expand its services internationally.
The accord, announced on Wednesday, solidifies the collaboration between Google India Digital Services Pvt and NPCI, the entity behind India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The primary objective is to facilitate international payments for Indian travelers and lay the groundwork for UPI-inspired digital payment ecosystems in other countries.
In line with NPCI’s commitment to enhancing India’s standing in the global digital payment landscape, this partnership aims to streamline remittances by reducing reliance on traditional money transfer channels.
The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government’s explicit goal of globalizing UPI. Recent collaborations between India and Singapore resulted in the interlinking of their systems for real-time money transfers, and similar arrangements are being explored with nations such as Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.
Highlighting the UPI platform’s robust performance, recent data from the Reserve Bank of India reveals transactions amounting to ₹17.4 trillion ($209 billion) in November alone. This collaboration between Google and NPCI is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing the reach and impact of India’s digital payment ecosystem on the global stage.


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Citi’s mobile app is lagging behind its peers
- Most of Citi's mobile banking initiatives and upgrades aren’t evident in customers' mobile banking experience yet
- It is increasingly hard as a financial services brand to be everything to everyone; unlike its U.S. peers doing just that, Citi is focusing on certain segments
Citi’s mobile app is lagging behind that of its large bank peers, for now.
The fourth-largest bank by assets grew its total active mobile users 21 percent year over year to nine million, the bank reported last week in its fourth-quarter earnings.
By contrast, Chase reported 30.1 million users, Bank of America 24.2 million and Wells Fargo 21.2 million.
Citi’s growth rate for 2017 was stronger though, at 21 percent year over year, than its peers.’ Chase reported 13 percent growth, Bank of America 12 percent and Wells Fargo 8 percent.
Citi offers solid mobile banking services and updates them constantly, it’s investing heavily in fintech — it has one of the most active corporate venture capital firms in the U.S. and tops its large bank peers in number of uniques fintech investments — and acting more globally than the other three. The problem is most of its efforts aren’t evident in customers’ mobile banking experience yet; there’s no actionable search option, very little in the way of help content and when it comes to two-way messaging with the bank, it again falls short, giving customers two options to reach the bank: call or write a letter (there’s a mailing address in the app). However, there’s more to its digital efforts than meets the eye.
“Citi is trying harder than others of its size to not only be doing small steps in 10,000 different places,” said Peter Wannemacher, senior analyst at Forrester Research. “They do not want to be putting on new-looking technology or have a new user interface just bolted on top of legacy systems. Everyone will do that to some extent but they want to minimize that.”
However, the low user numbers are surprising. Mobile banking in general is, still, not widely adopted by consumers. According to a recent report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, 44 percent of financial institutions tracking customer adoption now count more than 20 percent of their customers as active mobile banking users.
But still, Citi’s low user number remains surprising.
A benchmark review of digital banking services Forrester conducted three years ago found that no one was leading in mobile banking, Wannemacher recalled. All of the top five U.S. banks had, and continue to have, adequate mobile banking services but none that go above and beyond customer expectations. Since then, B of A has been the fastest mover when it comes to improvement and innovation in mobile, he added. It’s added branch scheduling tools, promotional offers, cardless ATM access and a good search function.
“Customers don’t say they want this in particular, but it’s part of the broader experience: other banks do a pretty good job of embedding marketing and sales and helping customers discover new products and services that are relevant to them,” Wannemacher said.
“These double digit growth rates are being fueled by greater speed to market with a slew of innovative features, many of which were market firsts” such as in-app card scanning to activate new cards, customized spending summaries and the ability to add an authorized card use, the bank said in an emailed statement. “In 2017, we launched over 800 digital features, a 300 percent increase versus the prior year. We are pleased with the growth we are seeing as we continue to digitize our model.”
Citi does advertise one thing in-app, at least in the iPhone app: its Citigold Wealth Management offering. In October 2015 the bank launched Citi FinTech, a unit in its global consumer bank dedicated to the development of its mobile banking services. A year later FinTech launched its first product: a mobile-first experience that would initially be tested on Citigold credit card members, who have qualifying balances of at least $200,000. That experience offers access to retail banking and investment accounts and includes a click-to-call button so they can immediately reach their relationship managers, financial advisers or a 24-hour service center.
Citigold is its fastest-growing segment, Stephen Bird, CEO of the global consumer banks, said at Citi’s Investor Day last spring. Citigold clients generate 25 times more revenue than clients in the mass market segment, and those relationships tend to be broader and deeper relationships. By the third quarter of 2017 the bank had grown its Citigold clients 28 percent and assets under management by 10 percent, chief financial officer John Gerspach said on the earnings call at the time.
The mass affluent, who tend to be more international, are obviously a focus for Citi, said Teresa Epperson, a partner in the financial institutions practice at A.T. Kearney, a global strategy and management consulting firm.
“Today tech savviness and use of mobile and digital is no longer directly correlated to age and income, it’s everyone,” she said. “If anything, higher net worth has an even higher bar for being able to access products, services and capabilities anytime anywhere.”
And Citi acts globally in a way a lot of other banks of its size don’t, Wannemacher said. Its fintech strategy — how it partners with and acquires smaller startups to improve services for customers — is as strong or stronger than anyone else’s and it’s expanding those efforts to emerging markets like Mexico and South America, unlike its peers.
“I’m not convinced that Citi knows what it wants its app to be,” he said. “It may be that they know and they’re thinking well ahead. But I worry about the fact that it is increasingly hard to be a financial services brand that tries to be everything to everyone and I wonder if that’s causing some of the lag behind some of the other companies.”


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This article is an excerpt from an article published by CSOOnline. It deals specifically with how spammers trick advertisers into thinking they have bought display media when, in fact, they have not.
Most of the contracts start off as display advertising, meaning an ad on a website that someone has to click. It’s a good bet that many of the major brands represented didn’t know their marketing campaigns were being pushed to email. The trick that ties everything together is converting email to display advertising.
“Basically, some affiliate companies are selling display advertising clicks to their customers, but what is hidden from them, much of what’s driving these clicks, is simply spam,” Spamhaus’ Anderson explained.
Several of the links used for a LifeLock campaign eventually landed on a registration page (archive copy) for the service, but the emails look like display ads. In 2015, Cloudmark reported on the LifeLock campaigns (archive link), including one that was similar to the offers RCM was sending earlier that year.
The LifeLock campaign was huge for RCM, generating thousands of dollars per-month in 2016 from AdDemand.
Another method of turning email into display advertising is to use fake search engines. Clicking a link inside an email will direct the recipient through a normal display advertising link and drop them onto a search results page, which displays ads as “search results” based on the topic of the email.
“Using the fake search engine trick is the most blatant way this is done. Yes, maybe the users are actually clicking on display ads presented within the fake search engine sites, but they are driven to those sites only through spam (nobody would just stumble across them accidentally). Even in this scheme, there are tracking codes embedded in every URL to ensure the correct spammers are getting paid for these so-called ‘display advertising’ clicks,” Anderson added.
Other business ties for RCM, include Demand Media (Leaf Group LTD.), where RCM runs two BIND rotator servers, registered under Pheasant Valley Marketing and eBox Inc.
Between October 2016 and January 2017, RCM collected $937,451.21 USD for their campaigns from various affiliate networks, including AdDemand, W4, AD1 Media (Flex), and Union Square Media. RCM campaign logs show business relationships with some of these companies dating back to July of 2015.
This is not the end:
The River City Media data breach exposed so many records and other internals, there was just no way to fit everything into a single story. In the coming days and weeks, Salted Hash will continue following the money and business connections of the group and report on additional developments.


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Revolutionizing the mobile payments industry and becoming the leading payment network in Europe. Satispay’s ambition has turned into a mission, because seven years after its launch, the proposal conceived by Alberto Dalmasso, Dario Brignone and Samuele Pinta has achieved first-class numbers, turnover and valuation. More than 3 million users and 200,000 merchants and small businesses use Satispay to settle their accounts, with the mobile app now available in four countries. Important figures symbolize a steady growth that has attracted and continues to attract the attention of many investors.
From the €550,000 with which the project was launched in 2013, it has grown to the latest €320 million all-equity Series D round announced last September. A total of 26 international investors (including China’s Tencent and the US-based Block, the former Square, a fintech co-founded by Twitter creator Jack Dorsey) have collectively funded the Italian scaleup to the tune of over 450 million euros. Thus Satispay’s valuation is over €1 billion.
The expansion in Europe and the funding result from an effective system, a payment network that bypasses banks and allows users to pay lower fees and efficiently manage their budget. Speed of service and ease of use are other factors that convince people to try Satispay because all you need to get started is an ID and the IBAN of your bank account.
Then you have to set the weekly budget available on the app, with which you can make purchases online and offline, at any point of sale, in vending machines, and at petrol stations, but also pay the plumber and electrician, mobile top-ups, slips, donations, automatic payments for your subscription services or exchange money with friends. Almost all consumer services are free, while shopkeepers only pay 0.20 euros for transactions over €10.
To find out more about the company’s present and future goals, we met Giorgio Ponticelli, Chief Operating Officer of Satispay, from 2019.
After the recent Serie D round, what is your plan of action?
In 2015, Satispay launched a payment network independent from credit and debit card circuits, with the mission to simplify everyday payments for consumers and cut transaction fees for merchants. Since then, we have tested, improved and grown our model across Italy and other European countries. We are focused on boosting our growth in Italy and continuing our expansion abroad.
Now we are scaling it and making it even more efficient with the ambition to revolutionize the mobile payment space and become Europe’s leading payment network. We are also growing and strengthening our team, adding new great talents every day, with plans to double our headcounts from 300 to 600 in the next 18 months. We are excited to see great interest in Satispay from candidates with international experience and background who will be key in our global expansion.
In how many countries is Satispay present?
Satispay is live in 4 countries: Italy, Luxembourg, Germany and France. We are following a city-by-city approach across all regions, allowing us to establish a solid and engaged community on both the consumer and merchant sides.
How many users are there of the service, and how are you focusing on its expansion?
Satispay already counts over 3.2 million consumers and 200,000 merchants across four countries, and we are committed to continuing to grow a solid and engaged community. We are laser-focused on consolidating our presence in the regions where Satispay is already live and expanding to selected cities in Italy and abroad. We are confident this approach will help us become Europe’s #1 payment network.
We are regulated as an e-money institution. Thanks to our innovative payment network, independent of credit and debit card circuits, we can provide a faster and more convenient payment experience for consumers and merchants across Europe.
What advantages does using Satispay bring to consumers and merchants?
Satispay was launched to become the everyday payment solution in Europe. Over the past ten years, consumer preferences and habits about everyday payments have drastically changed. Consumers are looking for faster, safer and more convenient alternatives to cash payments – which is at the very core of what we are doing at Satispay. Our objective is to be available for everyone everywhere, from the small merchant next door to the big online international retailer, regardless of what mobile device or bank they have.
Satispay empowers merchants, significantly cutting transaction fees and helping them transition to mobile payments. Merchants using Satispay also see an increase in in-store traffic thanks to their visibility in the Satispay app. At the same time, Satispay simplifies the experience of anything related to payments; what was difficult to pay before is all of a sudden easy and quick with our app.
What kind of features, categories or services are you working on with a view to future implementation?
At the moment, there are no urgent changes needed. We are constantly working to improve our services and provide the best experience possible to both consumers and merchants. For instance, we have increased the flexibility of our weekly in-app budget by adding an instant top-up feature, allowing our consumers to have complete control over their budget and expenses. There is also growing interest from our community to make the app available for consumers under 18, a feature we are currently considering.
Is there an element that favours your success in Italy, a country where startups can only easily emerge sometimes?
Ten years ago, the Italian government implemented a new law focused on supporting innovative startups. Indeed, Satispay, like many other tech companies, benefitted from this favourable framework. Today, as one of the very few Italian unicorns, we are committed to giving back to the country and finding ways to support innovation and the startup scene. We are creating new job opportunities and promoting healthy competition in the payment and financial service industry, contributing to a new wave of entrepreneurship within the tech space in our country.
Is there a model country in Europe for starting and growing a startup?
It is still too early to pick a real European ‘champion’. We have seen many European countries launching exciting initiatives to attract talent and create a startup-friendly ecosystem. However, there is still a lot of work to do, and, at the moment, in each European country, there are both positive aspects and areas of improvement.
To accelerate the growth of Satispay, you want to hire ‘creatives’ in different fields. What kind of people are you looking for?
Finding creatives means finding people who, regardless of their role, can see things differently and constantly challenge whether we are doing things in the smartest way. Such creativity is only sometimes learnt in a university setting. Creativity is fuelled by curiosity and eagerness to learn new skills and improve them, it’s something people have inside, and it can come from many sources: work, education or any other personal experience or interest. In that sense, we don’t see significant differences when it comes to the educational background of our candidates, on the contrary, we do see incredible talents from many different backgrounds and with different life stories. Our mission is to find them!


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The rising cost of living in Singapore, one of the world's richest countries, is a major concern for the young population, a survey conducted by Singapore Polytechnic has found.
In the last three weeks of June the Mass Media Research survey interviewed 825 people between the ages of 15-35 living in Singapore, and found that nearly 100 percent said financial stability was among their top three aspirations, along with strong family relationships and work-life balance.
Nearly all participants also said they hoped to see Singapore as an affordable place to live in five years' time.
(Read More: George Lucas unleashes 'Sandcrawler' in Singapore)
Singapore was recently ranked as the world's seventh most expensive city in Expatistan's Cost of Living index, while its property market is among the world's top ten most expensive, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Tight supply has led to a 60 percent spike in residential property prices since 2009. A new 1,000 square-foot condominium, for instance, is priced at an average of between S$1 million (US$784,683) and S$1.2 million. Meanwhile, the cost of buying a car is also high, as the law requires drivers to purchase a permit - a Certificate of Entitlement (C.O.E) - on top of the price of the vehicle.
A 10-year category A C.O.E. sold for S$72,369 (US$56,786) this month, according to Onemotoring.com, a web portal serving motorists and vehicle owners in Singapore.
It's no wonder, therefore, that young Singaporeans are fretting over whether they will be able to fund the standard of living they have become accustomed to while living with their parents.
(Read More: Is Singapore set for an Icelandic-style crash?)
21-year old Firdaus Sukiman, a student and part time worker in a coffee shop, told CNBC that the rising cost of living in Singapore was a concern for him.
"I feel like I'm under pressure while I'm studying to juggle two jobs as well," he said.
"It's not for the sake of necessities, it's so I can have money to enjoy myself and buy a beer on the weekends and alcohol is so expensive in Singapore."
Furthermore, Bobby Chen, a 31-year old Singaporean entrepreneur, told CNBC nearly all of his friends still live with their parents because they're unable to afford living on their own.
"Singapore is a small country and rental prices are high. It makes sense to live with your parents so you can save more. Unless you are very successful you would not be able to buy a private condominium while you're young," he added.
For 21-year old Firdaus, buying his own place was also something he imagined he'd have to spend a long time saving for, while he described buying a car as "unrealistic."
"Buying a car is something I'd look to do much later on as the prices of C.O.E.s are so high. My family is relatively wealthy and we'd still rather depend on public transport and taxis rather than buy a car," he added.
(Read More: In Singapore? Odds are, you're looking for a new job)
The survey findings also challenged perceptions of Singapore's youth being obsessed with material wealth, given the city state's abundance of shopping malls, designer goods and luxury hotels and cars.
It found participants described their top three concerns as happiness, peace of mind and friendship. They also hoped Singaporean society would in five years' time be more focused on work-life balance rather than academic and material achievements.
Another trend to emerge from the findings was that 61.5 percent of those surveyed have considered moving abroad, or have already done so to achieve their aspirations, while the remaining 38.5 percent are more firmly rooted in Singapore. This group showed more inclination to get married and start a family.
— By CNBC's Katie Holliday: Follow her on Twitter


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Did you forget something? Italian model Claudia Romani nips out for a walk in Miami wearing a tiny black bikini
Judging by Italian model Claudia Romani's outfit on Saturday, Miami's weather was unseasonably warm.
Actually, it was perfectly tropical and slightly cloudy, ranging between 72 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, those facts didn't play into the Italian-born model's decision to stroll around town in nothing but a black bikini, showing off her killer curves.
Little black... bikini: Italian model Claudia Romani strolled Miami in nothing but a black bikini on Saturday
Scantily clad: The outfit covered only what it needed to, showing off Romani's curves
Romani wore a simple black bikini top that could have doubled as a push-up bra and lacy bikini bottoms with a hot pink drawstring that could have doubled as lingerie.
She also wore platform heels, forcing her to walk with care.
The local Miami model also carried a black leather purse and her white iPhone, smirking while photographers snapped away, enjoying the attention.
Knowing smile: The local Miami model appeared to be enjoying the attention
The curvaceous beauty recently celebrated her thirty-first birthday.
For much of the last decade, Romani has been a regular on various 'sexiest' and 'most beautiful' lists for various magazines around the world.
In 2012, the made the finals at the VH1 Bikini Awards, barely losing to Beyonce.
Still got it: The 31-year-old Romani barely lost to Beyonce in the finals of the 2012 VH1 Bikini Awards
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Sega confirmed to GamesBeat that it has handed out layoffs at Sega Networks, its mobile division in the West.
The company attributes the changes to a new focus on IP-based games created by internal studios, bringing popular Japanese mobile games to the West, and “mass market view-per-play games designed to further Sega’s network strategy in the West.” The mobile market is worth $34.8 billion, according to market research firm Newzoo, but mega-publishers like King and Supercell dominate outside Japan. It can be difficult for other companies, even those established in more traditional gaming markets like Sega, to compete. Sega also faces competition in Japan from giant mobile hits like Puzzle and Dragons and Monster Strike.
Sega would not confirm to GamesBeat exactly how many employees it let go.
“In response to challenging and hyper-competitive mobile market conditions, Sega Networks Inc., Sega’s mobile division in the West, has refocused its operations and made a reduction in workforce,” Sega told GamesBeat. “As a result, we said goodbye to our talented friends and colleagues at Three Rings Design Inc. alongside a small number of team members on the publishing side of Sega’s mobile division.”
Three Rings Design created mobile games like Spellwood and Corpse Craft. When Sega talks about focusing on IP-based games, it likely means more titles based on its famous Sonic character. Mobile games like Sonic Dash have already done well for the company.


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Sweet Hearts Patisserie treated customers to a soft opening this week in the Clock Tower Plaza.
Walking past Sweet Hearts Patisserie this week, it was difficult to tell the specialty bakery had just opened. Owner Kristen D'Angelo had the shelves filled with some of the petit fours and French macaroons that she said she is best known for. Still, she said there is more to come, much more. She's remodeled the bakery in the Clock Tower Plaza and said she is anxious to introduce the area to everything she has to offer.
Sweet Hearts Patisserie is aiming to open in mid-March, offering "fine handmade pastries."
Kristen D'Angelo earned a following in Fairfax, VA, over the past few years baking from her home and becoming a familiar face at farmers markets there. Now, she's in the middle of renovations in a space in the Clock Tower Plaza to open her first bakery. She is aiming to open the shop by March 12. Sweet Hearts Patisserie will feature handmade pastries, including the petit fours and French macaroons she said she is best known for. "I've always wanted to have my own bakery," she said Wednesday afternoon as contractors and electricians buzzed around the shop. "This just seemed like the perfect spot." D'Angelo said she already feels at home with the other shops, such as My Butcher and More and Wine Cellars of Annapolis, that help give the small…


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Quarantine, testing, travel restrictions and city and country codes that can flip from green to red overnight: one of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic is that the world suddenly became much more difficult to navigate. In these constantly changing circumstances, Bernex and Hauzer Customer Support have worked hard to continue to take care of our customers.
René van der Vegt, Hauzer’s Manager Customer Support, says: “Many countries have once again become easier to reach. Still, keeping track of and working with various countries’ travel restrictions is an ongoing challenge. Our secretarial staff keep a constant eye on the worldwide state of travel guidelines.”
Fortunately, Bernex and Hauzer have been able to support many customers in person in the past 18 months. “It was not always easy to schedule around quarantine requirements, especially when announced unexpectedly,” says René. “Sometimes, quarantine or visa requirements made certain trips impossible. We were usually able to offer to combine the postponed work with the next visit after travel requirements ease. By now, we are almost completely caught up on the postponed visits.”
For customer support visits within the European Union, travelling by car was the most efficient. “The safest way to bring important equipment,” explains René. “The drawback is that each country you pass through has its own rules regarding testing, face masks, availability of hotels and restaurants, etc.”
To travel to China, getting a visa remains almost impossible. René: “Only one of our Venlo-based field service engineers could still get into China. To make sure we would be able to adequately support our customers in that region, we expanded the Shanghai location of Hauzer and Bernex Customer Support and hired local agencies to set up machines.”
Within China, fortunately, it is possible to travel and work fairly smoothly. People with a green health code can use almost all transportation types freely, as long as they also meet requirements from customers and hotels.
When delivering a machine to large coating service provider such as Ionbond, in-house familiarity with and expertise regarding coating machines is at a very high level. In such cases, the customer’s team was able to do the installation almost entirely by themselves, with remote support from Hauzer engineers. René: “We want to thank those customers who supported us in this way. It showed true partnership, and with our combined efforts we managed to make the most of our promised time schedules.”
One thing that proved difficult to keep in mind was that there are not just requirements for going to a job, but also for going back home. “Often, we needed the company we visited to help out with arranging Covid-19 tests for the flight home,” recalls René. “But it’s very counterintuitive to have to make arrangements for someone to be able to leave, so sometimes we’ve had to scramble to make our flights.”
Not everything is back to normal. Australia is still very difficult to get to. Visa requests for the US have a six-month backlog. “Still,” says René, “we managed to keep our service level high and have developed tactics to keep doing so for as long as the pandemic continues. For instance, we schedule longer trips and multiple service visits in countries with strict access requirements, to reduce the burden of testing and quarantine on our people and calendars.”
Should travel restrictions become more stringent again, though, Hauzer has been working on a technology that will make it easier to provide excellent service at a distance: a VR headset. René: “The goal is that engineers in Venlo will be able to see the machine as if they are standing right next to it, and use our expertise to solve issues even from afar. This technology is now in its final pilot phase, and we are looking forward to see what benefits it will bring – even after Covid is no longer a consideration.”
“I want to extend my gratitude to all our customers worldwide,” René concludes. “Despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic, we have been able to continue to offer support and deliver new machines through excellent teamwork. Sometimes with a delay, but always with mutual consideration. The patience and understanding of our customers has made all the difference, and is much appreciated.”
This article is part of the Hauzer For You issue 36. Click here to read the full magazine.


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Albertsons Companies has signed onto IBM’s blockchain initiative that aims to establish a clear line of traceability in the food chain.
The IBM Food Trust provides every party along the supply chain with a clear and complete history of any individual food item.
The Food Trust uses blockchain technology to digitalise the financial and logistical data that is amassed from a foods origin source to consumption.
Albertsons Companies operates over 2,000 stores across North America. They plan to pilot IBM’s blockchain technology by tracing bulk romaine lettuce as it leave s one of their distribution centres.
Jerry Noland, VP of Food Safety & Quality Assurance, Albertsons Companies commented that: “Multiple high-profile consumer advisories from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration demonstrate the need to find more efficient ways of tracing products and identifying likely sources of contamination in a timely manner.”
“Consequently, retailers are exploring new technologies to improve the infrastructure that underpins the global food supply chain.”
On the IBM Blockchain
Contain within the information on the blockchain is all the relevant temperature and test data. As products move across borders they gather an array of certifications and accompanying logistical data, all of which will be visible to everyone with access to the chain.
Bridget van Kralingen SVP of IBM Global Industries and Blockchain commented in a released statement that: “The currency of trust today is transparency and achieving it in the area of food safety happens when responsibility is shared.”
“That collaborative approach is how the members of IBM Food Trust have shown blockchain can strengthen transparency and drive meaningful enhancements to food traceability. Ultimately that provides business benefits for participants and a better and safer product for consumers.”
Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger Fabric
The blockchain technology been utilised in the Food Trust is not reliant on cryptocurrency as the system is built on the Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger Fabric which is the first blockchain system that runs distributed applications written in standard, general-purpose programming languages, (e.g., Go, Java, Node.js), without a systemic dependency on a native cryptocurrency.
Participants entering into the IBM Food Trust can select from three software-as-a-service modules that have a pricing structure that is scaled to suit their size.
The traceability module means the food supply chains can be transparently followed at all stages, helping to reduce food waste and enable suppliers to manage demand, as well as mitigate cross-contamination of products.
The certifications module helps verify the provenance of digitized certificates, such as organic or fair trade. While the last module allows users to securely upload and manage their data on the blockchain.


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Various supplies are available to students in need at the Pacer Free Store at Hayes High School thanks to a partnership between an intervention specialist and Common Ground Free Store.
Rebecca Saunders, an intervention specialist at Hayes, said last week the Pacer Free Store is now open and ready to assist students at the school in need of items like clothing and household goods.
Saunders said the store at Hayes came about because of her time spent volunteering at Common Ground last year.
“Shortly after Common Ground reopened after the Covid shut down, I started volunteering one evening a week,” Saunders said. “In my day job, I am a teacher for students with multiple disabilities at Hayes High School. Often times, our classroom could use some supplies like extra clothes, items for the kitchen, crafting supplies, exercise equipment, and simple household goods. There were also some items that got donated that Common Ground just didn’t have space to put on shelves. The managers would ask if I could use such items at school, the answer was usually yes.”
Saunders added many students in her classroom have medical issues that make it difficult for them to get into the community for job training and vocational skills, and she’s been trying to come up with a way to teach those skills at the school.
“At the same time, I started taking small tasks that Common Ground needed to complete to school where we would work on them and then return completed products,” Saunders said. “Some examples of these jobs are processing large packages of new socks and underwear into individual pairs, counting and packaging diapers, and wrapping individual rolls of toilet paper. After chatting with managers, Sharon Griner (executive director of Common Ground), Principal Ric Stranges, and Superintendent Kegley about a potential Hayes High School-Common Ground partnership, we started building a free store at Hayes High School that would be open to all students.”
The store is located in an office by the student entrance on the west side of the school and features an inventory of hygiene products, clothing, and other supplies that students may need.
“We have clothing, shoes, socks, underwear, backpacks, school supplies, health and beauty supplies (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, period supplies, lotion and hair care products), and a small gift section,” Saunders said. “We also have a grocery section, thanks to a partnership with the National Honor Society, where our students assemble meal bags with printed recipes like many of the meal delivery services people use today. All of these items are completely free of charge.”
Saunders said any student is able to access the store, which is partially staffed by students from her class.
“I am hoping that we are able to create a greater sense of community where all students have what they need to have a positive school experience,” Saunders said. “Our students with special needs get to have a sense of accomplishment as they learn the vocational skills needed to run a store.”
Saunders said she appreciates the support and partnership from Common Ground.
“Common Ground has been an amazing partner,” she said. “They provide us with so many opportunities for vocational skills practice. They are also very conscious about products that might be needed or wanted in the high school setting. Many of the staff members at Common Ground have high school-aged children, so they know the population well. If there is a known need, I am able to contact Common Ground and they will find the item in the store or start keeping an eye out for the needed items.”
More information about Common Ground can be found at commongroundfreestore.org.
Intervention Specialist Rebecca Saunders stocks items in the Pacer Free Store at Hayes High School last week.
Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.


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Today, Sony has announced that their upcoming game Beyond: Two Souls will be released on October 8th in North America (with details on additional territories still to come). The news puts to rest speculation about the game’s release day. Sony also announced that Spider-Man actor Willem Dafoe will join the game’s cast.
According to Sony, Dafoe will play Nathan Dawkins, “an enigmatic scientist working for a top-secret government division studying paranormal activity. His professional curiosity in Jodie, driven by personal tragedy, is a central theme in Beyond: Two Souls.”
Beyond: Two Souls was first revealed at E3 and follows the story of Jodie (played by Ellen Page), a girl who is traveling the world with her ghost buddy Aiden. The game comes from Quantic Dream, the developer behind the award winning Heavy Rain.


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Internet Technology Business and SaaS Multiples of Ebitda GF Data Resources has released its second quarter 2010 report based on activity from 154 private equity firms. The data indicates that the number of transactions is up but when looking at the multiples paid at closing, they have declined. GF Data reports that transaction volume grew by over 70% from this time a year ago. In addition, Q2 transactions grew 60% from Q1. iMerge Advisors has experienced similar results in which quality companies with continued growth over 2009, whose owners are now comfortable with the lower valuations from the peak in 2006, continue to enter the market.
Internet Technology Business Multiples of Ebitda The GF Data report indicates. That the average for all deals has come down from 6.7x to 5.6x for the same period in 2009. Companies with Ebitda between $10-$25 million yielded an average multiple of 4.8x. Companies with Ebitda between $25-$100 million saw an average multiple of 6.3x. For Internet and technology companies with Ebitda less than $5 million iMerge Advisors. Reports an average multiple of 3.7x and those under $1 million in Ebitda, multiples averaged 2.875x.
For those quality Internet businesses, we anticipate multiples to remain. Stable while not increased significantly over the next several quarters.


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THIEVES stole £6000 of cigarettes from a shop – and the CCTV system that could have caught him.
Shopkeeper Balbir Padwagga, 54, discovered the theft on Thursday morning.
He told our sister paper the Paisley Daily Express: “It’s bad enough that they stole so many cigarettes but taking our entire CCTV system too makes it
Balbir’s shop on Glasgow Road, Paisley, was targeted overnight on Wednesday. The thieves prised open its security shutters and a locked door.
Balbir’s wife Linda, 53, said: “We have been here for 30 years, working hard, and it makes me feel sick that these people broke in and helped themselves.”
Police appealed for information.


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Germany is one of the virtually environmentally friendly nations in the world. Its capacity to maintain carbon neutrality and reduce its footprint in a global economy is unmatched.
Louis Vuitton’s latest reprieve from the monotony of winter: the iconic LV Ski Collection, offering another year of beloved, seasonal essentials. Versatility, sophistication, and graphic impact define this array of active wear.
The Innovative Finance for National Forests grant program, supports partner organizations developing out of the box financial solutions to some of forest management’s most vexing challenges. One partner, The Nature Conservancy, focused on using insurance premium reductions to incentivize forest conservation. Property insurance premiums for communities, businesses, and homeowners are based on numerous factors and inputs of […]
Today, the Jaguar I-PACE, the first all-electric production vehicle from the Jaguar brand, has been unveiled to the world in a live webcast. Clean, smart and offering a wealth of driver assistance features, the Jaguar I-PACE delivers sports car performance, artificial intelligence (AI) enabled technologies and five-seat SUV practicality. British comedian and actor, Jack Whitehall, […]
On Thursday 1st March, Jaguar will livestream the global premiere of its first electric vehicle (EV), the I-PACE at 18:00 GMT. The I-PACE is Jaguar’s newest member of the PACE family and is the EV drivers have been waiting for, delivering sustainable sports car performance, all-wheel-drive agility and five-seat SUV practicality. The I-PACE will be […]


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Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch
Laura Adkins of Huntington begins painting a Halloween themed piece at The Pottery Place at Pullman Square on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013 in downtown Huntington. The Pottery Place is celebrating its 4th anniversary this Friday, September 27th through Monday, September 30th with special deals on select items.
Gallery: Pottery Place celebrates 4th anniversary
Sep. 25, 2013 @ 07:16 PM
The Pottery Place in Huntington is celebrating its fourth birthday this weekend with a special celebration to thank customers for their support.


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Dell channel partner chief Cheryl Cook said the company has not yet determined who will lead Dell’s channel operations once the merger with EMC Corp. is complete, according to a CRN report.
Cook said an announcement could come by the end of July, however.
The structure of the channel partner program once Dell and EMC merge is still being decided as well, according to Cook.
As Dell's record-breaking $67 billion acquisition of EMC comes to a close, resellers are anxious to see who will lead the combined company’s channel, as well as the structure of the channel and its channel strategy, according to CRN.
Channel partner programs are important for both companies because they currently conduct a significant part of their businesses through the channel. According to CRN, EMC does about 60% of its business through channel programs, while Dell conducts about 40% of its business through the channel.
Earlier this month, Hewlett Packard Enterprise was reportedly talking to "several hundred" Dell-EMC partners in hopes of recruiting them to sell the HPE product portfolio. HPE appears to be capitalizing on how some Dell-EMC partners are growing increasingly nervous about the coming merger.
"Those EMC partners are worried about how much R&D EMC is going to get in the future," HPE CEO Meg Whitman told CRN. "And EMC has grown through acquisitions. Trust me, there is not going to be any capital available for acquisitions for a while."


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Afshin Sazegar | "Should the trade talks fail to make any real progress in the coming weeks, US President Donald Trump could soon announce further action against China."
While Bitcoin has often benefited from tensions in the trading dispute over the past few months, Monday's Cryptocurrency is down. They yielded 4.7 percent and costs with 7683.24 dollars as little as in three and a half months.
Exactly keep in mind investors are also the largest process in the VW diesel scandal, which begins before the Higher Regional Court of Brunswick. It is about claims for damages of hundreds of thousands of VW customers.
On the economic agenda are German retail sales and the American Chicago Purchasing Managers Index. In China, two indicators for the manufacturing sector already exceeded expectations on Monday morning.


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On May 14, 2019, Catholic University in Erbil organized a seminar entitled “FinTech and its Applications Seminar.” Which was presented by Dr. Shahnawaz Ali, Head of Accounting Department
During the session Dr. Shahnawaz Ali, defined FinTech as a cross-disciplinary subject that combines Finance, Technology Management and Innovation Management. The definition had been presented to different audiences with different backgrounds, such as students and lecturers, it was found that the definition provides audiences better understanding on what is FinTech and its potential.
Moreover, in order to discuss how FinTech would create value for businesses, he summarized various FinTech applications into four major categories: i) payment, ii) advisory service, iii) financing and iv) compliance. In addition, he also discussed the emerging technologies in FinTech and how they could possibility create business values.


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GameStop president Tony Bartel has confirmed that both PS4 and Xbox One games can be re-sold at its stores, following confusion of how the re-sale of games on both formats will work.
Speaking with Forbes, Bartel said, "Both Sony and Microsoft have said games can be resold and that's exactly what we anticipated. It's a recognised way to make these games more affordable. All three new platforms understand that.
"As people upgraded to PS3 they traded in their old systems and libraries, which is why Sony made the move to not support backwards compatibility with later iterations of PS3. That's why the 'buy, sell, trade' model works well. It enables people to purchase new games by trading in their old ones. We expect to see the same thing with this transition for PS4 and Xbox One. Trade-ins allow for a seamless transition."
The common belief is that chains like GameStop and Game make the bulk of their money through repeated sales, but Bartel said that 70% of the company's $1 billion market sales comes from the purchase of new games.
What do you make of the above? It's still not clarifying much is it? Let us know what you think below.


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NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Apr 1, 2015) - Magzter, the largest and fastest-growing digital magazine store and newsstand in the world, with more than 25 million users globally, today announced the addition of over 500 new titles to Magzter GOLD, the 'all-you-can-read' digital magazine subscription service that gives users unlimited access to the largest library of digital magazines across mobile, tablet and web for $9.99 a month.
Five senior-level executives from magazine media companies have been elected to the Board of Directors of MPA – The Association of Magazine Media, it was announced at the start of the 2012 AMC – The Magazine Media Conference in San Francisco, CA, by Mary Berner, President & CEO, MPA.
Six senior-level executives from magazine media companies have been named to the Board of Directors of MPA - The Association of Magazine Media.
Necessity, it is said, is the mother of invention—and in the case of business-to-business media company Diversity Woman, that certainly seems to hold true.
"Magazine publishing, more than many other fields, has long been a great career for women …,” says Patricia B. Fox, senior vice president, operations, and general manager, Healthy Living Group at Active Interest Media. Fox, along with the other women Publishing Executive selected for its first-annual “Top Women in Magazine Publishing” feature, exemplify the greatness that women have achieved in this industry.
Black Enterprise, a business and investment resource for African Americans, relaunched BlackEnterprise.com this week with more original and interactive content and a wider, cleaner layout. The site also now features a multimedia library of free online video access to Black Enterprise’s television programming including “Our World with Black Enterprise” and “Black Enterprise Business Report.” The company’s radio program, “Black Enterprise Magazine’s Keys to a Better Life,” is also available in audio format. “With the relaunch of BlackEnterprise.com, we can leverage the phenomenal power of the Black Enterprise brand across all mediums—print, online, radio and television,” says Earl “Butch” Graves Jr., Black Enterprise’s president
In a time when publishers everywhere are scratching their heads in search of ancillary profits, brand extensions and a steady stream of advertisers, Earl Graves Ltd., Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Shutterbug magazine are examples of companies prospering from an approach that others in the industry could do well to notice: broadcasting their brand. Black Enterprise magazine, a business and investment publication oriented toward African American professionals, corporate executives and entrepreneurs, has been Earl Graves Ltd.’s cornerstone for more than 35 years. With 3.7 million readers, the monthly magazine is a major player in the publishing industry. But Earl “Butch” Graves Jr., the company's


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WASHINGTON — Apparel and textile imports hit an all-time high of 4.8 billion square meter equivalents in June, an increase of 4.4 percent from a year earlier, according to a Commerce Department report Thursday.
The rise was fueled by increased shipments from countries such as Pakistan, India and South Korea, which counterbalanced a decline of 1.3 percent in imports from China, which are restrained by quotas on some goods.
The U.S. trade deficit on all goods and services narrowed to $64.8 billion in June from $65 billion in May, the Commerce Department said.
Apparel and textile imports of 25.1 billion SME in the first half of the year were a 2 percent increase over the year-earlier period and also set a record. Those imports were valued at $42.9 billion. Despite the dip in June, China is still the largest fashion exporter and a potent force, commanding a third of the U.S. market and spurring the six-month gain with shipments of 8.1 billion SME, a 3 percent rise.
Stripping away textile goods, apparel imports from the world fell 2.4 percent in the first half to 10.2 billion SME, driven down by a 14.6 decline in China's apparel shipments to 2.4 billion SME.
This is partially due to a U.S.-China three-year deal struck in November that set quotas on 34 types of goods. The deal followed events stemming from the end of the global quota regime in January 2005, which saw Chinese imports surge and led to the Bush administration imposing safeguard quotas on a range of categories.
The move created much uncertainty in companies' sourcing plans and a strategic shift in where firms manufactured. The new restrictions on China added to the need to diversify production and have been a boon for apparel producers in other countries, especially in Asia.
The import picture is somewhat different when looking at just apparel, thanks in large part to the scuttling in January 2005 of a global system of quotas that regulated trade for three decades.
Bangladesh, with strength in cotton trousers; Indonesia, with a focus on cotton knit shirts and blouses, and Vietnam, moving ahead in several kinds of cotton apparel, all posted double-digit increases for the six months."For many of those countries, their industries were afraid of China," said Julia Hughes, vice president of international trade at the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles & Apparel. "What we have seen is that, while China is strong, it has not overwhelmed other suppliers and that there are many countries that are doing well in the U.S. market."
Without restraints on China, however, the import situation could look quiet different. Domestic textile companies fought for continued restrictions on China, hoping it would result in a stronger apparel manufacturing base in the Western Hemisphere to buy their products.
Missy Branson, senior vice president of the National Council of Textile Organizations, said the restraints on China are working to some degree.
"Are we losing some business to other Asian producers that don't use U.S. yarns and fabrics? Yes," said Branson. "We're also maintaining and sustaining business in this hemisphere, as well."
Separate Commerce Department figures show exports from U.S. textile mills, which include yarns, fabrics, sheets and carpeting, increased 2.1 percent for the first five months of this year and were valued at $5.2 billion.
Shipments to Canada increased 9.1 percent to $1.2 billion. Goods going to Colombia rose 32.2 percent to $64.6 million and those headed for Costa Rica gained 23.6 percent to $49.5 million. Exports to China have also been heading up, rising 25.9 percent to $163.5 million.
“Azzedine has been one of the biggest influences in my life. He has always been such a strong, loving, fatherly figure to me. I call him Papa. His designs are indescribably unique, they are pieces of art. He knew how to make the female form look its loveliest. I have so many memories of him; my favorite might be during my first show with him in Paris. He liked me and he wanted to help me get more work. He called all his friends at Kenzo and Comme des Garcons, and asked them to book me. They said, ‘But she can’t walk!’ And he said, ‘but she has such a great ass!' His friendship and support has been the great privilege of my career. I can't imagine life without him. Repose en paix mon Papa.” - @stephanieseymour tells @wwd. #wwdfashion (📷: @steveeichner) #alaia #azzedinealaia
Azzedine Alaïa, flanked by two of his closest friends, models Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell.
He designed Seymour’s dress for her 1995 wedding to Peter Brant, and treated Campbell (who famously called him Papa), like a daughter. For more on the legendary designer, tap the link in bio. #wwdfashion #alaia #azzedinealaia
Azzedine Alaïa's “I-did-it-my-way” ethos stood out starkly at a time when brands are experimenting with consumer-facing fashion shows, coed formats and trans-seasonal collections – anything to perk up lackluster sales of ready-to-wear in an age of Insta-everything. “It’s not creation anymore. This becomes a purely industrial approach,” the late designer told WWD in an interview last year. “But anyway, the rhythm of collections is so stupid. It’s unsustainable. There are too many collections.” Read more about the iconic designer’s life and work on wwd.com, link in bio. #wwdfashion #azzedinealaia (📷: @WWD Archive, 1986) #alaia
Sneaker reselling app @goat’s latest exhibit, "The Greatest: New York," tells the story of New York's sneaker culture. To celebrate the exhibit, an intimate crowd gathered on Thursday night at the pop-up gallery space, located at Platform in Culver City, to hear guest speaker and illustrator @esymai talk about her own rise in streetwear and women in the business. "For me I'm just someone who is creative. I like to create things," said Chang. #wwdfashion
Azzedine Alaïa, one of the most iconic couturiers of the modern era whose body-con designs defined Eighties fashion, has died in Paris. The diminutive Tunisian-born designer, known for his structured knitted dresses with fitted waists and impeccably cut, figure-hugging second skin silhouettes was deeply admired by his peers, and counted supermodel Naomi Campbell - his adoptive daughter - among his inner circle, one of a gang of glamazons including Farida Khelfa, Carla Bruni and Stephanie Seymour who became ambassadors of his style. (📷: Alexandre Guirkinger) #wwdblast


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Millennials often get the blame for ruining a lot of things—the economy, marriage, the housing market, restaurant chains, and even the napkin and pajama industries.
According to a new 2018 survey by CreditCards.com, young adults ages 18 – 37 are also less likely to tip their servers at restaurants than their older counterparts.
In fact, 10% of Americans ages 18 – 37 say they routinely leave no tip, and 1 in 3 leave less than a 15% tip for their servers. When presented with a variety of tipping options, such as at a coffee shop or after taking an Uber, 1 in 6 millennials say they choose the lowest option, and 1 in 5 give no tip.
WHY THE CHANGE IN TIPPING TRENDS?
The survey results don’t necessarily mean millennials are cheap—about 27% of millennials say they would rather pay higher prices if it means doing away with tipping. However, overall, only 21% would prefer to pay more if it means tipping less, or not at all.
The data also shows that those with more money tend to tip more, and young adults as a whole have lower incomes than those who are older and further in their careers. According to the survey, demographic groups with incomes more than $75,000 per year and those with college degrees are more inclined to do away with tipping.
That being said, tipping is still an important income component for most servers, bartenders, and others in the service industry. Generally, tipping is seen as a way for customers to have more control over their experience, while also motivating employees to provide good service
The Emily Post Institute, which provides etiquette training, says tipping “is one of the most stressful and confusing aspects of etiquette today.” It recommends tipping 15 to 20 percent on the pre-tax total at sit-down restaurants.
Some industries, like cruise lines and high-end restaurants, have done away with tipping and rather include service charges in the customers’ bills. In many countries around the world, tipping isn’t a common or even accepted practice.
OTHER SURVEY FINDINGS
- Women are more generous tippers—the median tip from women is 20%, compared to 16% from men.
- Nearly 55% of seniors ages 65+ say they tip 20% or more at restaurants. Only 35% of people under age 30 report tipping at that level.
- Customers in the South and West tend to tip less, and Southern customers are most likely to leave no tip.
- Married people tip more than those who are single, and those with higher incomes and college degrees also tip more.
This study was conducted for CreditCards.com by GfK Custom Research North America. The sample consisted of 1,000 interviews of customers ages 18 and older, conducted in May 2018.


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Fifteen vegetable products are being voluntarily recalled due to listeria concerns.
CRF Frozen Foods of Pasco, Wash., is voluntarily recalling the products, which sell under labels including Wellsley Farms Organic, True Goodness by Meijer, Organic by Nature and Schwan's.
The products were sold between Sept. 13 and March 16 in several states including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.
No illnesses have been reported in connection with the products.
For more information, visit http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm497297.htm.


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WINNIPEG – You now have the chance to help fix our health care system.
The province is launching a review to improve the system.
The Tories say the system is “not sustainable” the way it is.
That means everything from saving money to making it more efficient.
Part of the review is an online survey where you can give feedback.
Some findings from the review are expected early in the new year with a final set of recommendations due in the spring.


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Bionik Announces the Mantis PSVR Headphones
The PlayStation VR has proven to be one of Sony’s most successful accessories for its PlayStation 4, with sales already breaking the 900,000 mark. And it looks like companies have started to acknowledge that success with many announcing accessories for Sony’s VR headset. One such company is Bionik, a new gaming accessory company that has just announced a new headphone set designed for the PSVR.
Called the Mantis, the two-piece headphone set clips onto the PSVR using spring loaded clips, making attaching and detaching quick and easy. According to the company, the Mantis uses lightweight materials and is easily adjustable. It also comes in the same white and black color scheme as the PSVR. Bionik’s senior vice president of Product Development Amir Navid had this to say about their new product:
Based on the incredible growth and upside of the virtual reality industry, including positive momentum recently reported on sales of PlayStation VR, the Mantis VR headphones are appearing at the perfect time. The Mantis VR was designed for the PlayStation Virtual Reality headset with the core purpose of delivering great sound and performance while reducing the clutter and inconvenience of using traditional gaming headphones. Great care was taken to make sure that the product enhances the gamer’s experience, by consolidating key accessories into one apparatus. This integrated solution perfectly complements the existing PSVR headset. We’re excited for fans and gamers to experience audio that matches the quality of PSVR’s visuals inside and out.
The Bionik Mantis will be priced at $49.99 and is set to come out sometime in Spring 2017.


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Here are the main events that take place on Friday this could have an impact on trade.
JEROME POWELL: Chairman of the Federal Reserve Remarks to investors and economists will be the highlight of the Fed’s annual symposium in Jackson Hole.
People will be looking for clues as to where the Fed is heading with interest rates, primarily their size and duration.
With inflation around 9%, Powell will likely point out that the Fed is determined to get it back to its 2% target, come what may.
The annual symposium is titled “Reassessing Constraints on Economics and Politics” and runs through August 27.
The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge and a look at consumer sentiment also await investors on Friday morning.
INCOME AND EXPENSES: Economists surveyed by Refinitiv anticipate expenses to increase 0.4% month-over-month in July, above June’s growth rate of 0.2%. Meanwhile, personal income is expected to jump 0.6% in July, matching June’s gain.
This brings us to the PCE price index, an inflation indicator that is beginning to rival the consumer price index in popularity. It jumped 1.0% month-over-month in June and 6.8% from June 2021.
The Core PCE price index, which excludes food and energy price volatility, is expected to rise 0.3% in July. The year-over-year change in the Core PCE price index, which is the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, is expected to fall for the fourth time in 5 months to 4.7%.
CONSUMER FEELING: The University of Michigan’s final index for August is expected to rise slightly to 55.2, from the preliminary reading of 55.1 two weeks ago, which was higher than expected.
It would also mark the second increase from an all-time low.
GAP INC. : Shares rebounded 8% in pemarket trade despite the retailer withdrawing its annual forecast as the chain struggles to sell its outdated Old Navy items, while stocks pile up amid inflation burning season is forcing people to cut back on discretionary spending.
Gap, who beat quarterly revenue estimates, said sales trends improved in July and August, coinciding with lower gasoline prices.
The shift in consumer choices led to a 13% decline in second-quarter sales for Gap’s Old Navy brand.
The company’s net loss was $49 million, or 13 cents per share, compared with net income of $258 million, or 67 cents per share, a year earlier.
Gap, which recorded an inventory write-down charge of $58 million, said inventory at the end of the second quarter was 37% higher than a year earlier.
Overall revenue of $3.86 billion beat estimates of $3.82 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
DELL TECHNOLOGY: Shares lost 4% in premarket trading after the company posted its weakest revenue growth in six quarters.
Dell’s revenue rose 9% to $26.43 billion in the quarter and was roughly in line with market expectations, according to Refinitiv data.
Consumer revenue fell 9%, but orders from enterprises preparing for the hybrid working era pushed Dell’s business revenue up 15% to $12.1 billion.
Excluding items, Dell earned $1.68 per share.


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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The holidays are the busiest time of year for the United States Postal Service. In order to know gifts will arrive for the holidays, USPS suggest people order as early as possible.
The pandemic has also increased the volume of shipping this year.
“Today I went to the post office and it was really crowded,” Laura Woodason, Terre Haute resident, said. “Like really, really busy.”
Some local post offices, including two in Terre Haute, will be opened on certain Sundays in December to help manage the crowds. Mary Dando, the USPS spokesperson for greater Indiana, said there has been a positive response to Sunday hours.
“Some people just happen upon it as they’re going to their P.O. boxes or they see a crowd at the post office,” she said.
Woodason started ordering Christmas gifts in August so she would get everything in plenty of time.
“It seems like everything is going pretty well,” Woodason said. “Everything I’ve ordered, I’ve got.”
Dando said the most important thing people can do to get packages in time is to put the correct zip code. She said one wrong number can send the mail to the opposite side of the country.
“If you are doubtful about that, you go, again, to USPS.com,” Dando said. “Put in the address and it will generate the zip code.”
Dando said people can send shipping supplies directly to their doors through the website so they do not have to leave their house to mail holiday gifts. Dando also reminds people to look at the holiday shipping deadlines on the website.


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The Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards 2015 are now open for entries fromAberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Moray food and drink producers.
Organisers of this year’s event are hoping for a bumper crop of entries as they will be celebrating the harvest of 25 years of food and drink innovation from the north-east.
Award categories will include new retail product, best new food service product, best young business, food & drink entrepreneur and commitment to health and wellbeing.
Businesses who have put new products in the spotlight will be considered by an expert judging panel led by head judge Stephen Brown, Local Sourcing and Diversification Manager of Scotmid Co-operative Foods.
Commenting on the task ahead, Mr Brown said: “As a Co-operative business with its roots firmly in Scotland, we have always valued the excellent produce and foods that Scotland is able to produce since our establishment in 1859.
“Our customers love the fact that we are able to stock so many products that are produced in the communities that our stores serve.
“We are obviously delighted to be supporting the Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards and look forward to meeting and working with the producers of Grampian who are some of the finest, not just in Scotland, but across the globe.”
Joining him on the judging panel will be Graham Singer, Executive Chef of ESS Support Services Worldwide.
Graham has gained vast experience having working in many top-class restaurants, including the famous St Andrews Old Course Resort.
His culinary expertise also continues to be recognised on the world stage with the Scottish National team with whom he has competed, winning numerous gold medals in the culinary Olympics and the World Grand Prix.
Completing the judging panel is Maxine Clark, Lecturer in Food and Consumer Sciences at Abertay Unversity.
Maxine, an experienced chef, tutor and demonstrator, has worked for over 35 years in many different aspects of the food industry, including working for 20 of those years in London with food companies, magazines and publishers as a food writer and stylist.
Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council Infrastructure Services Committee, Cllr Peter Argyle, said: “I would like to thank the judges for taking the time out of their busy schedules to be involved in the Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards.
“Aberdeenshire’s rich heritage of agriculture and fishing puts us in an extremely fortunate position of having some of the very best food and drink producers in Scotland.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the new and exciting products being put forward to be formally recognised on a national platform.”
Grant Henderson of six°north brewery has been working with the Forum to promote the awards.
He said: “The calibre of the judging panel means that if they like what they see and taste, their recognition has the potential to open doors to small businesses looking for their big break.”
The winners of the awards will be announced at a presentation dinner, which will take place on Thursday, March 19, at the Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel and Spa.
For full details, category entry forms and to book places at the awards presentation dinner, go to www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/foodawards
Entries must be submitted by the closing date of Tuesday, February 3.
Supporters of the Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards are:
Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council, Ardoe Houes Hotel and Spa, Asda, AVC Media, EES Support Services Worldwide, Grampian Food Forum Steering Group Members, Highlands and IslandsEnterprise, Johnston Carmichael, Keenan Recycling Ltd, Mackie’s of Scotland, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, Scotland Food & Drink, Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, The Moray Council, The Press and Journal and Think Local.


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Kardashians sued by talent agency over claims it had a verbal agreement to set up their deals... and take a 15% cut
The Kardashians have made countless millions with endorsement deals - putting their name to everything from fake tan to detox teas, mascara and baby clothes.
Now the family is being sued by a well-known talent agency that claims it had a verbal agreement to set up deals for the reality stars.
Agency For The Performing Arts has filed a lawsuit alleging they had been tasked with finding endorsements for the Kardahian-Jenners back in 2009 - taking a 15% cut as payment.
Promo time! Kim Kardashian fronted a campaign for Sketchers; she and her sisters are being sued by a talent agency which claimed it had a verbal agreement to set up deals for the family
Having helped the family make millions by procuring deals for everything from clothing to hair products, APA claims in legal papers viewed by TMZ that the sisters ditched the agency last year.
Since March 2015, they claim, they have received no further payments from the family.
The agreement was between APA and sisters Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian and Kendall and Kylie Jenner. Rob Kardashian is not named in the lawsuit.
APA is looking for a substantial sum from the family, reports TMZ.
Remember this? She also fronted a campaign for the brand ShowDazzle
The agency has offices in Beverly Hills and around the world, and represents high-profile brands such as Marriott Hotels, Lamborgini motor vehicles and transportation company Bombardier.
In response to the lawsuit an attorney representing the Kardashian-Jenners said in a statement: 'APA's lawsuit is frivolous and the height of dishonesty.
'The Kardashians and Jenners terminated APA in March 2015 for being incompetent and breaching their fiduciary duties, which cost the Kardashians and Jenners hundreds of millions of dollars.
'Now the real story of how APA totally failed its clients will be told and APA will have to answer for its incompetence and wrongful acts.'
This is certainly not the first time the Kardashians have been sued by those wanting a cut of their enormous income.
In March this year the oldest three sisters were sued by investment company Hillair Capital Management after their Kardashian Beauty make-up line failed to produce the returns expected.
No longer upmarket enough? The girls used to front a campaign for budget department store Sears; today they dress only in designer clothes
Quick trim: Kim, 35, once fronted this diet brand
The company had injected the failing business with $10million after the family's former business partner went bust, following a court order to change the brand's name from Khroma beauty.
But Kim, Khloe and Kourtney, the suit alleges, failed to promote Kardashian Beauty on social media, leading to it's failure.
Hillair Capital Management is seeking the lost investment plus the potential profits it was predicted to make - a total of more than $200million.
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Dar es Salaam. Retail and wholesale prices for the petroleum products, imported through Dar es Salaam port, for June have gone up compared to prices recorded in early June, 2020, the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) has announced today.
The new retail prices released by the regulator which takes effect from Wednesday, July 1, shows cap price for a litre of petrol has increased by Sh173 (equivalent to 11.38 per cent), diesel has increased by Sh170 (10.98 per cent).
The utility regulator said Kerosene prices shall continue the same as those that were published on June 3 because there was no new consignment of Kerosene that was received through Dar es Salaam port in June.
Ewura’s statement shows that retail prices for petrol and diesel in Northern regions of Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Manyara will remain the same as the prices published in June.
Motorists in Dar es Salaam will buy petrol at Sh 1,693, diesel at Sh1,716 whereas kerosene will cost Sh1,568.
Those in Tanga, Same, Manyara , Arusha , Mwanga, Moshi will buy Petrol at less than Sh1800.
Ewura has attributed the prices due to the global trends that has largely affected oil prices at the World Market.
The authority has advised Oil Marketing Companies to feel free to sell their products at a price that gives them a competitive advantage provided that, such price does not exceed the price cap.


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The previous announced Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical E-mount lens for Sony full frame mirrorless camera will be priced JPY 128,000, US price around $1,200. The release date for this lens is in December, 2019.
dpreview has just completed the full review of recently released Sony a7R IV (B&H Photo Video/Adorama/Amazon) full frame mirrorless camera today. It received their gold award and 91% overall score. Currently the best camera reviewed by dpreview.
Nokishita Camera just found that Sony has registered a new shooting grip with wireless remote commander called Sony GP-VPT2BT. You can see the similar shooting grip with wireless remote commander from Meike.
Here is the first leaked image of upcoming Rumiere Noct-Master APO 75mm f/0.95 Lens. The Rumiere could be a brand that owned by Chinese company Mitakon. This lens should be available in different lens mount including Sony full frame E-mount.