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Principal: Alex Constantinople, CEO
Ownership: Next Fifteen Communications Group
Offices: San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles
Revenue: $25 million
The OutCast Agency saw an increased number of leads last year. CEO Alex Constantinople says a lot of companies were seeking the firm’s expertise to tell their "innovation story."
"Our innovative services saw growth and we did a lot more video work last year," she explains. "We were helping clients with content creation, offering social, digital, and creative services."
The firm saw a revenue increase of 19% from 2013 to $25 million, which exceeded expectations by 6% and outpaced last year’s growth of 11%. New business was worth $4 million, while organic growth garnered $5.6 million. Profit margin was 30%.
"The volume of incoming leads and more people looking for services was a surprise," the CEO says.
Making sure the firm has the right talent to handle client demand is a priority for Constantinople.
"We don’t want to grow too fast, so we are making sure we develop people and that they do the best work for our clients," she adds.
To contend with growth, the firm opened an office in Los Angeles in July.
"With the growth in the tech space in terms of venture funding, we thought it would be a good time," says Constantinople of the new office.
In 2014, the firm added Etsy, Rent the Runway, West Elm, Patagonia, business development adviser Assembled Brands, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, app Talko, IT systems management and security startup Tanium, and WeWork, a real estate business focused on startups.
In addition, the firm became AOR for Enjoy, a startup headed by Apple’s former head of retail Ron Johnson, which aims to aid shoppers making online purchases.
Projects the firm has been working on include helping ride-sharing company Lyft with buffing its image by trading in its hallmark fuzzy mustaches that drivers place on the front of their cars for "glowstaches" – plastic glowing mustaches – that are attached to drivers’ dashboards with magnets.
It also supported e-commerce startup Minted.com as it entered the fabric and home decor product categories last fall. Client losses included Dolby, EMC, consumer robotics and AI startup Anki, Samsung, and software company Zuora.
Recognition for staffers
Among the firm’s major hires was Zak Brazen, who was brought on as creative director. And all SVPs became partners in 2014 in recognition of their efforts to grow the business, Constantinople says.
Staff turnover at OutCast was 19%. Looking down the new business pipeline, digital healthcare is an area that Constantinople says has "popped." OutCast hopes to add more clients to its healthcare portfolio this year, she adds.


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We all knew that Hogwarts Legacy was bound to be a big success. Although the game has been mired in controversy due to its affiliation with author J.K. Rowling—and more specifically, her views on trans people—the promise of a grand open-world adventure set within the “wizarding world” of the Harry Potter books has proven just as popular as one would guess. And then some, apparently.
We reported last month that the game had sold over 12 million copies in its first two weeks. And as reported by Christopher Dring of GamesIndustry.biz, those launch sales were 100% bigger than those of Elden Ring, which was almost undisputedly the biggest game release of 2022. In fact, according to Dring’s Twitter post Hogwarts Legacy is already about to overtake Elden Ring’s lifetime sales.
Last month, UK game sales (digital & physical) are 11% up over last February, and that's due to Hogwarts Legacy. The game's launch week sales were 100% bigger than last year's big title: Elden Ring. It's already on the brink of over-taking Elden Ring's lifetime sales
— Christopher Dring (@Chris_Dring) March 6, 2023
As we also reported last month, Elden Ring crossed the 20 million units sold threshold just a few days before the one-year anniversary of its release. So going by Dring’s information we can assume the Hogwarts Legacy is also approaching that impressive figure. Of course, in the case of Hogwarts Legacy that figure would be all the more impressive given that the game has only been out for less than one month at present (the previous-gen entries have been pushed back to May).
In fact, Hogwarts Legacy has become the biggest non-FIFA game launch ever in Europe, as GamesIndustry.biz also reported. This comes as game sales overall are down from this time last year across the board.
All of this makes it clear that Hogwarts Legacy is a sales force to be reckoned with. A TV series over at HBO is also in the works, and a Hogwarts Legacy art book and game guide also just went on sale.
Hogwarts Legacy is available for Windows PC and current-gen systems Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
Featured image via Digital Trends.

domain: news


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The nationwide emergency declaration introduced on Friday by President Donald Trump did not dampen the temper of traders, as the federal government averted the market closure and optimism. commerce talks that stored American shares afloat within the early afternoon.
greater and headed for his fifth win in six classes. The Dow Jones Industrial Common index rose zero.9%, however 1.four%, whereas the Nasdaq Composite index added zero.5%.
All sectors of the S & P 500 Index have been black markets, with finance main the pack, up 1.eight%. Industries and vitality, with respective will increase of 1.2% and 1%, have been the 2 finest performers.
Mr. Trump declared the nationwide urgency to bypass Congress and safe $ eight billion in funding for the development of the wall alongside the border. US-Mexican border. He made the announcement after agreeing to signal a spending invoice earlier than the Friday deadline stopping a brand new authorities from closing, however did not safe the funding that he looked for its border fence. Mr. Trump's assertion ought to propel america into a brand new spherical of authorized struggles between the president and his opponents.
On the commerce entrance, america and China hope to increase the truce on their tariff dispute past the deadline of March 1. That is regardless of the shortage of progress because the sixth spherical of government-level negotiations that led to Beijing on Friday. Chinese language President Xi Jinping introduced that US and Chinese language negotiators would meet once more subsequent week in Washington.
Buyers digested a set of US financial knowledge, together with an industrial manufacturing that had unexpectedly dropped in eight months and missing economists' consideration. expectations for a rise.
In the meantime, a preliminary studying of client sentiment from the College of Michigan had elevated in February greater than anticipated. Contrasting knowledge launched on Thursday confirmed an sudden drop in retail gross sales on the finish of final yr, amid considerations over US client confidence.
Amongst client corporations, PepsiCo introduced Friday a forecast of decrease income this yr, regardless of sturdy natural income progress within the fourth quarter. That adopted the warning Thursday of his rival Coca-Cola in opposition to slowing gross sales. However traders appeared to disregard the gloomy outlook, as Pepsi shares rose three p.c.
The proprietor of the Sharpie pen and Crockpot producer, Newell Manufacturers, was the most recent, down 19.5% after asserting a drop in gross sales this yr. will miss the estimate of Wall Avenue. The US tractor producer Deere, which reported quarterly income that missed analysts' estimates, citing commerce and tariff considerations, recovered a few of its losses in morning buying and selling and fell 1.6%.
Efficiency of the benchmark 10- The US Treasury rose 1.1 foundation factors to 2.668%, whereas the two-year delicate inventory rose 2.three factors fundamental at 2.516%.
The DXY index, which tracks the greenback in opposition to a weighted basket of friends all over the world, has diminished a few of its achieve in morning buying and selling and has modified little to 97, 03. It reached its highest stage in two months this morning.


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Plastics has a story to tell, and it's a good one, according to one of the largest processors in the world.
Berry Global Group Inc. has its roots in Evansville, Ind., but operations around the globe, — thousands of employees in more than 130 locations.
CEO Tom Salmon, who has been in the top job for a little more than a year, believes people who work in the industry can have a voice in the plastics debate.
The company recently launched an internal program called Plastics Ambassadors. The goal is to educate and advocate about the benefits of the plastics industry.
The Berry program comes at a time when the Plastics Industry Association also realizes the need for the trade group's member companies to engage in conversations.
CEO Bill Carteaux recently indicated the effort, called "This Is Plastics," will "inspire meaningful discussions about the power of plastics."
Following Berry's recent announcement of its Plastics Ambassadors program, Salmon participated in a question-and-answer interview.
Q: How long have you been thinking about this idea and can you provide some background of how it evolved?
Salmon: Through our work with the Plastics Industry Association, we have uncovered an immense amount of potential within our industry and the stories simply are not being told. Our story of positive outcomes that plastics provide, whether it be from food preservation, agriculture, and an array of other industries, we, as an industry, are creating products that help save and improve lives every day.
It is time these stories are told. Our position is simply that if you look at the facts, there's a tremendous amount of positive information to consider. And we want to make sure our employees know that story, and as much as we can guide the broader industry, we want our suppliers, peers and customers to know and feel prepared to share that story as well.
Q: For perspective, just how big of an image problem do you think plastics have in general?
Salmon: We, as an industry, need to do a better job educating people about the facts around plastic. Plastics generate less than half of the CO2 emissions of alternatives; they use a fraction of the energy and natural resources of alternatives. Think about packaging that extends the shelf life of fresh food, healthy food.
Our agriculture products improve crop yields. Our nonwovens help reduce the risk of infection in hospitals. All across our industry, we're making products that help save and enhance lives every day.
Q: Why is it time now to tell a new story?
Salmon: It's always a good time to do what's right. We feel strongly about our company mission of "Always advancing to protect what's important." We want to show the many ways plastics protects the things we care about most. We had an opportunity to present at the World Petrochemicals Conference, and that really served as a catalyst.
It is important that the Berry culture reflects that of advocates for the plastics industry. We encourage other companies to do the same. The Plastics Industry Association has been a valuable resource and can provide the same to the entire industry.
Q: What's your vision of a strong and unified voice about the positive aspects of plastics?
Salmon: We've met with suppliers, we've connected with industry associations, and we've spoken with and listened to a lot of voices. And we hear two things pretty consistently.
One is that there are a lot of really positive efforts underway throughout the supply chain, whether it's products, resins or capture systems. And the second thing we hear is that we need to do a better job of telling our story.
We acknowledge the areas where more work is needed. But what we can and must do now is change the vision we project. We, the plastics industry, are the key drivers to how we are perceived.
Q: What will Berry specifically do to champion this effort?
Salmon: This isn't about Berry being a champion for this effort. The plastics industry as a whole has a tremendous opportunity to engage with one another strategically to tell a different story.
Q: How will you engage others?
Salmon: We are encouraging the industry to take a more collaborative role in educating consumers of the benefits plastics can provide. We launched an internal program called Plastics Ambassadors to lead education and advocacy among our employees and internal stakeholders.
We are engaging with resin suppliers, industry associations, and other partners to work together strategically to tackle this challenge more broadly. This is an opportunity for our industry to act and collaborate with one voice.


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When it comes to the Star Wars franchise, die-hard fans and memorabilia go hand in hand. Over the last few years, Columbia, has released a line of winter gear inspired from Star Wars, including recreations of articles worn in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and The Empire Strikes Back.
But the brand is leaving the big screen behind and taking inspiration from behind-the-scenes with a parka that was made popular by the crew on the set of the 1979 hit.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away a film crew was sent to Norway’s Hardangerjøkulen glacier. They faced driving snow, whiteout blizzards, and sub-zero temperatures all to bring the hostile, barren planet of Hoth to life.
In light of the climate conditions, the cast and crew of the film were given full snowgearsnowsuit, including the unique blue parka, to help them keep warm on set.
On Dec. 7, Columbia Sportswear is dropping a limited edition recreation Star Wars™: Empire Crew Parka that is built to survive a Hoth-like winter.
While the jacket is not a stitch-by-stitch collectors piece, it honours the attributes of the original jacket; with bright orange shoulder stripes, large removable faux-fur hoods and the patch featuring a flaming Vader and the Empire logo. The recreation has been improved with Columbia’s weather-defying technologies. The waterproof, breathable outer layer paired with thermal-reflective lining and insulation will keep wearers warm and protect protect against the most extreme weather conditions.
The jacket is unisex and can be purchased online and in select Columbia-branded retail locations for $650 CAD.


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Nike has completely sold out of Kobe Bryant gear
Nike is officially all sold out.
A search for either “Kobe” or “Kobe Bryant” on the retailer’s website shows no available goods, and immediately redirects to a company statement, titled, “In Memory: Kobe Bryant.”
“Kobe was one of the greatest athletes of his generation and has had an immeasurable impact on the world of sport and the community of basketball,” the statement reads. “He was a beloved member of the Nike family. We will miss him greatly. Mamba forever.”
A representative for Nike confirmed it had sold out of Kobe Bryant gear and would not say when the products may be back in stock.
Bryant spent 20 years in the NBA, all with the Los Angeles Lakers, before retiring in 2016. Throughout the course of his career, he won five championships, two NBA Finals MVPs and two Olympic gold medals.
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- Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office being sued after former cadet reports abuse
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- Three toys recalled in U.S. for excessive lead paint
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- DPS offers apology to family of rape victim from more than 50 years ago
- Hawaii’s Mauna Loa is erupting for the first time since 1984
- Lawsuit against Arches National Park after incident resulting in the death of a woman


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The first Monday of May was always a special night in the fashion industry.
Usually today, our favorite A-listers, which include models, artists and industry insiders arrive at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in their most avant-garde looks to celebrate an evening of fashion. However this year due to the current pandemic, this year’s Met Gala will take place in an intimate setting on September 13 according to Vogue.
While the gala is not taking place today, more information was released on fashion’s most important night. Through a virtual press conference, it was revealed that the gala will be introduced in two-parts “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” and “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.” The Gala will bee cochaired by Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman, and Naomi Osaka, additionally including honorary chairs Tom Ford, Instagram’s Adam Mosseri, and Anna Wintour
Each year our favorite celebrities arrive to the museum dressed in the most fashionable way to correlate with the theme of the gala, sponsored by a designer and accompanied with an exhibit. Past themes have included Alexander McQueen’s Savage Beauty and Schiaparelli and Prada’s Impossible Conversations. While the visibility of Black women at the Met Gala has been debatable over the years, we always slay. Whether it’s Lil’ Kim showing up alongside Marc Jacobs in 2005 or Rihanna wearing that iconic Guo Pei couture gown in 2015, Black women make the Met Gala unforgettable.
Scroll through a few of favorite our Met style moments throughout the years.
Source: Read Full Article


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Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun: Mi Note 2 will come with a surprise32
The executive, who said on Wednesday that the Mi Note 2 is currently under mass production, wouldn't say what the mystery is all about. Perhaps it has something to do with the price of the phablet, which might reside in the area of $300 USD.That would be amazing for a phone with those specs.
The Mi Note 2 is rumored to be coming to market in the middle of next month. Xiaomi is said to be hoping that the handset makes up for what apparently has been a disappointing launch of the Xiaomi Mi 5s. According to one report, only Qualcomm's ultrasonic fingerprint scanner embedded in the display, and the screen's Force Touch feature saved the phone from being a disaster.
source: Tautio (translated) via XiaomiToday


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Though Ippudo was one of New York City’s most popular ramen shops for many years, its landing in Los Angeles was a bit more tempered. The big Japanese chain opened in Santa Monica last year with a solid response, but its seaside location relegated it to mostly tourist traffic. On August 30, Ippudo will open at a choice West Hollywood corner with patio seating and an expanded menu that goes beyond just ramen bowls that should widen its appeal for locals.
The Hakata-style ramen shop first opened in Fukuoka, Japan in 1985 and came to the U.S. in 2008 with a hot New York City location in East Village. Since then, it’s opened everywhere from Thailand and Australia to even Paris, France. Up north, the chain opened two locations in the San Francisco Bay Area, with a third planned in Cupertino. Ippudo is clearly trying to become the biggest ramen restaurant chain in the world, picking key global cities to expand to.
The bigger izakaya-style West Hollywood menu includes octopus takoyaki, fried tebasaki chicken wings with a special black pepper sauce, pork belly chashu rice, cod roe rice, and boiled gyoza dumplings. Like other Ippudo locations, this West Hollywood outlet will also serve its famous pork buns modeled after Momofuku Noodle Bar’s most popular dish, with either chicken karaage, pork belly, or eggplant and mushroom as fillings.
Once Ippudo opens in West Hollywood next week, it will serve from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. FYI, the first 100 diners on August 30 will get a voucher for a free bowl of ramen on a subsequent visit, plus a gift bag.
Ippudo. 8350 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA.


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The (IGI) International Gemmological Institute in Hong Kong has certified synthetic laboratory grown diamond weighing 10.02.
The synthetic diamond is produced by Russian company, New Diamond Technology based in St. Petersburg.
IGI laboratory said the 10 carat synthetic diamond has a unique technology behind synthesizing processes, significantly more advanced than other laboratory created diamonds.
The size and exceptional colour are comparable with the best of the natural diamonds.
New Diamond Technology hopes to unveil the stone at the JCK Vegas show.


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Declining sales of stainless steel kitchen appliances are triggering a freefall in nickel prices. Tags have dropped 30 per cent this year, and some traders say prices will drop another 25 per cent by the end of the year. That’s despite announcements of several mine closings: Xstrata in the Dominican Republic. BHP Billion, and Industrial Metallurgical Holding. Nickel producers are getting hit with a double whammy of lower prices and higher costs for sulfuric acid, which is used to extract nickel ores. Refrigerator sales are off 9 per cent this year and electric ovens are off 14 percent.
The FDA has just released draft guidelines for using 3D printing in the design, development, and manufacture of regulated medical products. Although the recommendations are non-binding, they do set some much-needed parameters.
HP's industry-changing 3D printing announcement for commercial-scale end-production wasn't the only news of note at RAPID 2016 this week. Here are six more game-changing software and hardware news items, plus some videos explaining HP's technology.
HP has launched its long-heralded Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology for commercial-scale end-production, plus an ecosystem to go with it. The package could change the entire industrial market for making end-products with additive manufacturing. At the very least, it will be game-changing.
Focus on Fundamentals consists of 45-minute on-line classes that cover a host of technologies. You learn without leaving the comfort of your desk. All classes are taught by subject-matter experts and all are archived. So if you can't attend live, attend at your convenience.


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First-Half 2018 Dairy Cow Slaughter Hits Levels Not Seen Since 2013
Dairy producers are sending their cows to slaughter at a rate not seen since 2013, when producers culled nearly 1.56 million head in the first six months of the year—the same pace as this year. At the same time, the cost for replacement heifers is at lows not seen in many years.
“Low springer values imply that the supply of heifers for sale outweighs demand, and that suggests producers have little appetite to expand their herds. This could set the stage for a contraction in the U.S. milk herd,” says Sarina Sharp, analyst with the Daily Dairy Report. “But given the opportunity for producers to replace cows inexpensively, production per cow is likely to remain high.”
The price being paid at auctions across the country for quality Holstein springers to replace milk cows has averaged near $1,200/head over the past month, putting the cost of replacement heifers at lows not seen in decades, notes Sharp.
According to USDA’s monthly Livestock Slaughter report, dairy cow slaughter continued to decline seasonally in June but was still running above the levels of the past several years. Dairy producers sent 237,500 dairy cows to slaughter in June, up 0.3% from a year ago and the second highest total for any June since at least 2000, behind only June 2009, when 256,000 cows were slaughtered. So far this year, dairy producers have culled more cows each month than in the previous year. For the first six months of 2018, slaughter was 4.9% higher than the same period a year ago.
This year’s high slaughter rate does not appear to be the result of the size of the nation’s milk herd or the size of the replacement herd, notes Sharp. According to USDA’s Cattle report, there was no change in the number of milk cows and heifers expected to calve, compared to a year ago.
“June’s dairy herd was exactly the same size as the herd was a year ago,” Sharp says. “In the first part of the year, some of the increase in dairy slaughter could be attributable to the larger year-over-year milking herd, implying that the strong slaughter rate was not necessarily the result of a higher cull rate, but in May and June, the milk cow herd was basically on par with last year’s,” Sharp notes. For the first six months of this year, the U.S. milk herd averaged only 0.21% larger than last year’s herd.
“Similar to what was occurring in 2013, today’s dairy producers are also struggling with poor margins, and a growing number are selling their herds or filing for bankruptcy. Dairy cows and replacement heifers are losing value as a result,” Sharp notes. In 2013, dairy cow slaughter continued strong through the second half of the year, reaching 3.08 million head, the largest cow slaughter since at least 2000.


text: Death Stranding finally releases this year and many are still wondering about the game’s premise. With Kojima stating in the past that this game will be different from traditional video game genres. Emphasizing that Death Stranding is not a “shooter” or a “stealth” game. As I'm getting similar questions so I shall re-post. DS is not a stealth game. Could move subjectively but not a FPS shooting game either. By incorporating with the concept of connection(strand), it's totally brand new genre called action game/strand game(social strand system). pic.twitter.com/1KaQUVH9zL — HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) June 5, 2019 This does echo what Kojima has stated in the past. With Death Stranding almost breaking the traditional norms of video games for something new. These are bold statements and has me excited about the final product. Death Stranding will be coming exclusively to PS4 on November 8, 2019.


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Samsung plans initial production of ‘five million Galaxy S7 phones’
Samsung is planning to launch two different versions of its new flagship smartphone: a 5.2-inch flat-screen version, and a 5.5-inch, curved-screen
Samsung Electronics, the world's top smartphone maker, plans an initial production run of about 5 million of its upcoming Galaxy S7 smartphones, South Korea's Electronic Times reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources.
The paper said Samsung is planning to launch two different versions of its new flagship smartphone: a 5.2-inch flat-screen version, and a 5.5-inch, curved-screen version that will be called the 'Galaxy S7 edge'.
Samsung plans to initially make 3.3 million of the flat-screen devices and around 1.6 million of the curved-screen version, the report said, with plans to launch the handset in February.
A Samsung Electronics spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.
Samsung unveils Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy Edge PlusBoth models are said to be packed with the latest, top mobile hardware, HD displays and 4GB of RAM Technology
Samsung releases world’s thinnest and lightest tabletThe S2 tablet is the newest addition to the brand's series is 5.6mm thin and weighs as little as 265g Technology
Samsung predicts record S6 sales will halt profit slideThe Galaxy S6 is the sixth edition of the South Korean electronics giant’s high-end, signature handset Business


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COLUMBUS, Ind. — Reported volumes of used Classes 3-8 truck sales recovered in September after an extended summer slump, according to a report published by ACT Research. Volumes were mixed on a channel-by-channel basis, falling in the retail market, but gaining ground in the auction and wholesale markets, according to the report.
“The majority of this month’s sequential improvement can be attributed to a very solid month in the auction segment,” said Steve Tam, vice-president, commercial vehicle sector with ACT. “The average selling price for total used Classes 3-8 fell month over month. Average age continues to be the most consistent, least volatile of all the metrics measured. Both age and mileage numbers are expected to increase throughout 2011.”
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- GENERAL NEWS
Firm to Distribute Pollen-Detecting Robots across Japan
10:15 JST, January 31, 2023
CHIBA — A weather forecasting company is preparing to distribute pollen-detecting robots across the nation from Chiba Prefecture.
Weathernews Inc.’s spherical “Pollen Robo” device measures 15 centimeters in diameter and has been designed to roughly resemble a human face. The robot detects pollen via a built-in sensor and will be installed at about 1,000 locations nationwide.
Eye-like lights installed in the device change to one of five different colors — white, blue, yellow, red or purple — depending on the amount of pollen each robot detects. The data are automatically uploaded to the company’s website and smartphone app.
According to the Chiba-based company, this year’s pollen count is expected to be higher than last year in the Kanto and Tokai regions and western Japan. In the Kanto region, cedar pollen is expected to begin spreading in early February and peak around late February, while Cypress pollen is predicted to start spreading in late March.
"SOCIETY" POPULAR ARTICLE
AI-generated Child Porn Floods Japan-based Website (Update 1)
Bears Sighted in Tokyo Suburbs, Including near Mt. Takao (Update 1)
Tokyo Dips below 10 C; Temperatures Fall in Japan
Junko Ohashi, singer of ‘Silhouette Romance,’ dies at 73
X Japan Bassist Heath Dies at 55; Yoshiki Thought to Have Returned to Japan for Him
JN ACCESS RANKING
- BOJ Ueda: Japan Increasingly Likely to Hit Inflation Target
- Japan April-Sept. Current Account Surplus Hits Record High
- Japan 2023 Food Exports Reach 1 Tril. Yen at Record Pace
- 69.7 Bil. Yen in COVID-19 Loans to Small Businesses Uncollectible


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Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Elsa, Ariel, and the rest of the Walt Disney clan, enjoy it while you can — your days are numbered! That’s if the richest man in China gets his way and fulfills his ambition to put Disney to the sword and end its worldwide dominance.
You wouldn’t think that declaring war on Disney would be the brightest move to make — after all, the granddaddy colossus of the entertainment world now owns a stable of characters, which includes Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Luke Skywalker, and Kylo Ren. A pretty formidable bunch to go toe to toe and trade blow for blow with by anyone’s standards.
However, the new supervillain who has waged war on Disney may not have any special superpowers, a magical hammer, or a cool iron suit to get physical in, but he does have a lot of cold hard cash. In fact, he’s China’s richest man, and that’s some serious dollar, baby.
The Daily Mail reports that 61-year-old Wang Jianlin is estimated to be worth more than £20 billion, and he has splashed $3.4 billion of his seriously large fortune to open a mammoth theme park in Nanchang, in southeastern China, which he believes will spell the end of Mickey Mouse and herald the demise of Donald Duck. Oh, quack!
What’s more, Mr. Wang has expressed his desire to open 15 more parks in China by 2021 in a bid to keep Disney out of his homeland. And as the 29th richest man in the world, he certainly has the bottom line to make such a brash move.
To rub salt into an already raw wound, Wang Jianlin’s Wanda City theme park, which opened its doors last week, is a direct challenge to Disney’s brand new $.5 billion park, which will open for business in Shanghai later this month.
And if the battle lines weren’t already clearly visible, senior Disney officials were incandescent with rage after Captain America and Snow White characters were spotting mingling and chatting with guests at the Wanda City site.
In the aftermath of having some of their best-beloved characters kidnapped and forced to parade around a rival company’s park, Walt Disney released a statement that pretty much said if Mr. Wang wants a war, he’s got one.
“We are perplexed that Mr Wang would choose to do public battle with us, or attempt to undermine our business in any way.
“We have a good relationship with Wanda, particularly in the film distribution business, including in the United States.”
Yet, Mr. Wang remains unperturbed and unruffled by the combined might and majesty of Walt Disney and has picked up the gauntlet, snarling, “A tiger cannot take on a pack of wolves.”
“This craze for Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck is over, the period when we would blindly follow where Disney led has been gone for years.
“They have cloned past accomplishments without innovating. We want to ensure that Disney will not be able to make a profit in this sector in China for between 10 and 20 years.”
However, experts believe that the Wanda group’s lack of experience in the theme park market will undermine Wang’s ambitions.
The huge Wanda Park complex includes a giant mall and a 200-acre park that boasts what is said to be the longest roller coaster in China. There’s also a cinema complex that grants visitors the opportunity to fight 3D monsters, but it’s unlikely the Wanda Park will provide a true challenge to Disney’s Shanghai gamble, which includes the largest Walt Disney Castle ever created.
As Mickey Mouse once famously said, “Don’t stress over anything you can’t change.”
[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]


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Diamond Vault, a locally-owned jeweler in Sarasota, is preparing for a healthy holiday season this year. Check out what some of the trends will be for the holidays in this week’s What’s In Store video.
Interested in being apart of the What’s in Store video series? Pitch your story ideas to Justine directly by emailing her here.
The Italian brand is known for its racing heritage. Most remember the Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider Dustin Hoffman drove in “The Graduate.” The brand is now a subsidiary of Fiat Group Automobiles and is making a comeback in the U.S. The brand left Southwest Florida in 1995.
The first Alfa Romeo to hit Southwest Florida will be the 4c – a luxury high performance sports car, which starts at $68,400.
Some Southwest Florida residents have been waiting to get their hands on the sports car for more than three years, said Tim Reeher, sales manager at Sunset Alfa Romeo Fiat.
“There’s a huge pent up demand for this brand,” Reeher said. “There’s no other Italian sports car out there that you can buy for under $100,000.”
The first car will arrive next week, but more are coming.
“We hope the 4c, which is the halo car for the brand will garner interest,” Reeher said. “The plan is to then introduce several more affordable models, something more comparable to a BMW 3-series or a small high end SUV next.”
Sunset Alfa Romeo Fiat, located at 7641 South Tamiami Trail, is among nine other Fiat dealerships in Florida that will sell the Alfa Romeo cars.
Saks is the latest upscale retailer, behind Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, to push forward with its outlet line instead of the full-line department stores. The Off 5th stores range in size from 25,000 to 28,000 square feet and will be modeled in the brand’s “luxury in a loft” store design, according to a statement.
“We look forward to the continued expansion of the Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th store base into new markets and to provide our customers with a state-of-the-art shopping environment,” said Robert Wallstrom, President of Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, in a statement. “The seven new stores are located in key communities and will be important additions to the company. We are excited to serve the customers of these communities with premium designer brands at an extraordinary value.”
The outlets are expected to open in the Palm Beach Outlets in West Palm Beach, Fla; The Outlets at Bloomfield in Pearl, Miss; Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, Va., Outlet Shoppes at Louisville/Lexington,Ky.; Twin Cities of Eagan in Minneapolis, Minn.; The Mayfair Collection in Mayfair, Wis.; Easton Gateway in Columbus, Ohio.
Saks Off 5th stores will sell merchandise for men, women and children, as well as jewelry, beauty items, shoes, handbags and sunglasses.
In celebration of the openings, each new store will host local launch festivities with special discounts and giveaways.
Saks operates an existing Off Fifth outlet store in the Ellenton Premium Outlets in Manatee County.
Photo by Dan Wagner, Herald-Tribune staff.


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Green Light Turns Yellow for China's Ride-Hailing Industry
(Beijing) — Tough new local restrictions being imposed on China's burgeoning ride-hailing industry threaten the livelihood of Beijing businessman Jia Guobin.
Since 2014, business has been booming for Jia as rapid expansion of the Internet-based ride-hailing sector resulted in an explosion of demand for the cars he leases to drivers. But regulators in the city now plan to require that all drivers have Beijing household registrations. That would slam the door on migrant workers from other regions, who account for more than 80% of the drivers working with Jia.
Local authorities in other cities are imposing similar limitations. It's a chilling development for the new ride-hailing industry after the central government in July gave it the green light. China became the first country to create a formal legal framework for a business that had operated in a regulatory gray zone for years. The central government left it to local officials to work out the details.
Ride-hailing companies continue to fight regulatory and legal battles in countries around the world as the business poses a threat to conventional local taxi enterprises. Britain and Australia have set strict restrictions for ride-hailing, while countries such as Germany, Spain and France have blocked services aligned with San Francisco-based Uber Technologies Inc. Some U.S. states and cities have also banned Uber, and the company is fighting dozens of lawsuits, according to its website.
In China, most of the 8,500 conventional taxi companies are backed by local governments. Taxi drivers in many cities have staged protests against ride-hailing, accusing the Internet companies of unfair competition, including heavy subsidies for drivers and deep discounts for riders. Critics also argue that the ride-hailing companies run de facto taxi services without being subject to the same regulations and supervision as formal taxi operators.
Beijing's Jia works with Didi Chuxing Technology Co., the dominant ride-hailing company in China with more than 90% of the market. Didi recently acquired the Chinese unit of Uber.
As Didi faces new limitations in cities across China, the policy uncertainties are likely to hurt the company's valuation as it prepares for a U.S. initial public offering in 2018, according to one industry expert. A round of fundraising earlier this year totaling $4.5 billion valued the company at $35 billion.
Jia's company manages more than 10,000 vehicles leased to Didi drivers. In addition to auto rents, his company earns fees from Didi for driver training and management. If the city's regulators implement their proposed requirements on local household registration, known as hukou, Jia says, his company will lose 40% of its revenue.
His business is part of a nascent industry that includes several internet companies besides Didi, thousands of car rental companies and 1 million drivers. Tougher rules looming in the biggest cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, may force most cars and drivers out of the market, some experts said.
The rapid expansion of the ride-hailing business has shaken the long-established urban transportation market, posing unprecedented challenges to the regulatory system, said one transportation expert who asked not to be identified. This spurred regulators to float stronger measures in hopes of regaining control of the sector, the expert said.
While local regulators cite concerns about traffic and safety, industry experts said rigid new restrictions are a setback for urban transportation management that will restrain the development of the new business and hurt consumers.
As of June, Didi said, its 15 million registered drivers, many of whom work only part time, provided 14 million rides a day. Pre-merger Uber China, the second-largest player, said it provided 40 million rides every week.
As of early November, 58 cities published draft regulations on ride-hailing under the central government guidelines issued in July. Interpretations of the guidelines vary significantly as most big cities introduced tougher restrictions, while smaller cities set lower barriers.
Beijing and Shanghai, which released draft rules on Oct. 8 for public comment, set the most stringent requirements on ride-hailing services, stipulating that drivers be local residents and that vehicles be locally registered.
If adopted, those policies will sharply reduce the number of drivers eligible for the Didi platform and push up fares while reducing driver income, Didi said. In Shanghai, Didi has 400,000 registered drivers, but "fewer than 10% of the drivers and their vehicles can meet the requirements," said a Didi staffer who asked not to be named.
The Hangzhou regulation, which took effect Nov. 1, also requires drivers to have a local household registration or to be a tax-paying resident of the city holding a temporary residence permit for at least one year before registering with a ride-hailing company. The two other biggest cities, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, didn't set requirement on drivers' residency but listed rigid technical standards on vehicles such as size, age and emissions.
In Shenzhen, Wang Guoping runs a business similar to that of the Beijing businessman Jia, renting 190 cars to Didi drivers. The southern city's government proposed that cars used for ride-hailing must be less than 2 years old. That would disqualify more than 60% of Wang's vehicles. Shenzhen agreed to offer a two-year transitional period for ride-hailing companies to adapt.
The central government's July guidelines classified car-hailing platforms as "internet-booked taxis." Liu Xiaoming, vice minister of transport, said at a news conference that the ride-hailing sector aims to provide a "differentiated" service with better quality, not to compete directly with taxi drivers.
The central government statement fanned expectations that while it regulates ride-hailing, officials would advance market-oriented reforms for managing the traditional taxi industry. Taxi companies have long been known for inefficiency, reflecting rigid government control over fares and the number of vehicles.
However, Fu Weigang, executive director of the Shanghai Institute of Finance & Law, said local governments' draft regulations have shown little sign of such reforms. Instead, most local authorities are trying to put ride-hailing under the same old regulatory framework used for taxis, Fu said.
Some taxi companies have responded to the challenge of ride-hailing by setting up their own platforms to compete with internet companies. For instance, since September 2015, Shouqi Group in Beijing has been leasing or selling vehicles to drivers who register on its ride-hailing platform. As of Sept. 28, more than 10,000 drivers in 28 cities have registered with its platform. Dazhong Transportation Group, Shanghai's largest taxi company, also launched its own ride-hailing service in March.
It is unclear how the ride-hailing companies will cope with the new rules. But one staffer at Dazhong said that if the proposed rules are fully implemented, the company will have to drop all migrant drivers from its platform and increase fares, making ride-hailing more expensive than traditional taxi services.
A manager at an Internet ride-hailing company told Caixin that companies are negotiating with Beijing city authorities for a transitional period. Several other industry insiders said there is little hope of persuading regulators to make major changes in draft rules. The best that ride-hailing companies can do is to try for longer transitions and lenient enforcement.
As the unrivaled titan in the market, Didi faces the biggest challenges. At Thursday's meeting of the Ministry of Transportation on local ride-hailing regulations, Didi became the target of criticism for increasing subsidies to drivers and riders, Caixin learned from knowledgeable sources.
Didi President Liu Qing responded at the meeting that Didi is not ready to end discounts as doing so might upset its users.
Established in 2012, Didi has poured billions of dollars into subsidies to win market share, backed by investors that include Apple Inc., China Life and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. The company has gradually reduced discounting after the merger with Uber China. But in the face of the looming pressures posed by the new regulations, Didi on Tuesday again raised subsidies.
In a June interview with Caixin, Liu said Didi will stop subsidies when drivers on its platform can get enough orders to make profit. But Zhou Hang, founder and CEO of smaller rival Yidao Yongche, has expressed concerns about Didi's subsidy-driven growth, saying drivers and riders lured by discounts are highly sensitive to price changes and will be difficult to retain without them.
The user base is crucial for Didi to maintain growth. In 2015, Didi made money in only about half of the 400 cities where it operates. According to company financial documents obtained by Caixin, Didi lost 12.2 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) last year with revenue totaling 2.6 billion yuan. Most of the company's revenue came from ride fares and advertising.
"Even without the new regulations, Didi has come to a challenging point for making profits," one of Didi's investors said.
Contact reporter Han Wei (email@example.com)
- MOST POPULAR


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Last week, for the first time in history, more people were using mobile platforms than computers to visit shopping sites. Data from over 100,000 ecommerce stores showed that 50.3% of traffic was coming from mobile platforms (40.3% from mobile phones, 10% from tablets) and only 49.7% from computers.
There has been a lot of talk and waiting, but the results now show that the mobile platform is now the most used way for people to shop online.
The recent rise in mobile traffic, is partly to do with social networks becoming such a major marketing platform for businesses. The research also suggests that the mobile platform and social media are used for more impulse purchases while computers are used for a more considered purchase.
The rise in the mobile shopper brings another trend to our attention that is being called “always-on shopping”.
Midweek, the majority of shopping site traffic tends to be from computers. While at the weekend mobile traffic tends to dominate.
There appears to no longer be major spikes in a certain point in a week where people are doing most of their shopping, people are always shopping.
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CASE STUDY 3.1 - NESTLE'S RESPONSE TO GREENPEACE'S SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
On 17 March 2010, Greenpeace posted a spoof video online which criticized Nestle for acquiring palm oil, which is used in products such as Kit Kat and Rolo. The criticism related to the sourcing of palm oil from unsustainable producers in Indonesia who are levelling rainforests, and in doing so threaten the remaining habitat of orangutans. The video featured an office worker who opens a Kit Kat bar to take a break but then essentially consumes an orangutan finger rather than chocolate. Greenpeace posted the video on You Tube after its direct discussions with the company had stalled. Greenpeace felt that Nestle should have followed other companies such as Unilever, Kraft and Shell which had ended their contract with their unsustainable palm oil suppliers. One supplier in Indonesia, the Sinar Mas Group, in particular, was known to burn forests to clear land for palm oil plantations. Besides contributing directly to an increase in carbon emissions, the clearing of land alfo endangered already threatened species such as Sumatran tigers and elephants, and orangutans. According to Greenpeace, it had targeted Nestle as it is 'the largest food and drinks company in the world, and already a major consumer of palm oil — the last three years have seen Nestle's use of palm oil almost double. Considering its size and influence, it should be setting an example for the industry and ensuring its palm oil is destruction free. Instead, Nestle continues to buy from companies like Sinar Mas, that are destroying Indonesia's rainforests and peatlands'.
When the video was posted, it took Nestle by surprise. In a direct attempt to quell the storm, the company decided to ask You Tube to remove the video for copyright infringement. Yet, this had the opposite effect. Visitors who wanted to view the video saw the following statement: 'This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Societe de Produits Nestle S.A.' The video itself was quickly reposted on other sites such as Vimeo, as well as the Greenpeace site. Arguably, it also came across, even unwittingly, as an admission of guilt, and very quickly the protest went viral with the video being shared amongst protestors and consumers, and with many of them turning to the company's Facebook site. There, thousands joined to post negative comments. The initial censorship had thus mobilized social media activists, whose actions on the Facebook page were being re-tweeted and reached a global audience. Interestingly, these activists had not been part of the Greenpeace action, but had very quickly organized themselves around what they saw was an important campaign.
The moderator of the Nestle Facebook page was woefully unprepared for this kind of onslaught and became more bitter and rude in his responses. Instead, a more diplomatic and humane tone would probably have been fitting, but it demonstrated how unprepared Nestle was in terms of a social media strategy. The moderator threatened Facebook users with the removal of posts on its fan page that contained altered versions of the company's logos such as a Kit Kat logo that had been altered to read 'killer'. This led to a further discussion between one Facebook user and the Nestle moderator, which ran as follows:
Nestle : 'To repeat: we welcome your comments, but please don't post using an altered version of any of our logos as your profile pic — they will be deleted.'
Facebook user : `Hmmm, this comment is a bit "Big Brotherish", isn't it? I'll have whatever I want as my logo pic thanks! And if it is altered, it's no longer your logo is it!'
Nestle, : 'That's a new understanding of intellectual property right. We'll muse on that. You can have what you like as your profile picture. But if it's an altered version of any of our logos, we'll remove it from this page.'
Facebook user : 'Not sure you're going to win friends in the social media space with this sort of dogmatic approach ... Social media is about embracing your market, engaging and having a conversation rather than preaching.'
Nestle : 'Thanks for the lesson in manners. Consider yourself embraced. But it's our page, we set the rules, it was ever thus.'
This and other similar exchanges only fueled the fire further, and rather than being a single offhand comment, the sarcastic tone of the moderator continued. His comments were widely re-tweeted and further swelled the number of visitors to the Facebook site. By 18 March 2010, the Greenpeace video had been reposted on You Tube, Vimeo and other sites, and had been watched more than 300,000 times. The video, together with the Facebook comments, also gained major news coverage around the world. The issue, in other words, had gone mainstream with reports on Sky News and NBC and newspaper coverage in The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Nestle's reputation was severely damaged and there was a slight dip in the share price the day after. As one Facebook fan wrote:
'Hey PR moron. Thank you for doing a far better job than we could ever achieve in destroying your brand.'
The campaign had built such a momentum that Nestle found itself not only cornered by Greenpeace and social media activists but also by its own consumers who threatened to boycott the firm. On 19 March, the company apologized for its handling of the comments on its Facebook site: 'This [deleting logos] was one in a series of mistakes for which I would like to apologize. And for being rude. We've stopped deleting posts, and I have stopped being rude.' On the same day, Nestle announced on its Facebook site its intention to use sustainable palm oil by 2015: 'Hi everyone - We do care and will continue to pressure our suppliers to eliminate any sources of palm oil which are related to rainforest destruction. We have replaced the Indonesian company Sinar Mas as a supplier of palm oil for further shipments.' Greenpeace, however, continued to challenge Nestle for its sourcing of palm oil, claiming that some of its sourcing was still indirectly linked to Sinar Mas. The company then announced on 13 April that its chairman had written to Greenpeace to call for a ‘moratorium on the destruction of rainforests’ and to work together in achieving this goal. In May 2010, Nestle joined the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, a partnership of companies and other parties aimed at eliminating unsustainable production. The company also moved ahead with its target of only sourcing certified palm oil by 2015 and had conducted an in-depth analysis of its supply chain to ensure transparency and report on its progress. The company chose The Forest Trust (TFT) as a credible external partner that would audit and certify the sustainability of its palm oil suppliers.
A year later, Nestle also added the new post of Global Head of Digital and Social Media to its corporate communication team. The incumbent in the role, Peter Blackshaw, set up a 'digital acceleration team' as part of Nestle's efforts to monitor social media sentiment 24 hours a day. When issues connected to Nestle emerge in social media, ,the team coordinates internally with the relevant departments but also externally with suppliers, campaigners and consumers, to work out a response. In addition, Nestle's executives from around the world are made aware of the team's efforts and achievements, and are able to visit the team at its base in Switzerland to learn about managing social media communications. In the end, Nestle realized that engaging with its critics was more effective than trying to control and shut down discussion on social media.
Nestle's brand revival is one of the classic cases to talk about.
we should perceive how it unfurled
It's a stun that hit. abrupt ban by an administration organization on maggi - it's flagship food brand. The initial response is that not to remark to a lot or boast about their brand.
Prior to making a decision about their call, we should remember that it is a food ware (okay, brand !), low value , small volume SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) sold in colossal volumes to be a 2-minute food.
The stakes are high, you end up being fouling up - you are bankrupt because at the end it's food.
So stage 1:- Tell the world that your contribution is safe - not hazardous ! without that nobody accepts whatever the company says.
And the data sampling process at govt organization can turn out badly - it's picking not many single digit units from a huge number of SKUs delivered at different focuses.
So first of all... demonstrate we are acceptable and say to the world we are great.
Indeed, there's a period lapse in containing the negative progression of information which can be avoided by assuring the customer fraternity that Nestle is investigating the issue genuinely and they are ready to do anything to secure health of shoppers. Be that as it may, there was top management rearranging happened to watch the issues.
stage 2:- interface the customer once we are demonstrated acceptable.
Nestle came up with campaigns that connected and done by their cherished customers.
This progression played beautifully and here we can perceive how they are into family units again.
I can characterize the initial response is a less hesitant, may be feared by their grossroots in food business however their subsequent half was amazing.
The other way company would've done is - combat the ban with cleanchits from private labs and assured safety to purchasers at the earliest.
Otherwise that the revival is an amazing comeback by a corporate to handle the masses with taste and flavor.
Please please like the answer.......
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AdvoCare to Pay $150 Million to Settle FTC Pyramid Charges
Health and wellness products MLM allegedly rewarded recruitment over product sales.
FTC alleges Vemma is a pyramid scheme and freezes assets.
Vemma Nutrition, an Arizona-based dietary supplement Multilevel Marketing – a way of distributing products or services in which the distributors earn income from their own retail sales and from retail sales made by their direct and indirect recruits. and energy drink company, was shut down by the Federal Trade Commission after the agency filed a complaint in federal court accusing Vemma of operating an illegal pyramid scheme. The FTC’s actions come after TINA.org, which conducted a two-year investigation of Vemma’s marketing practices, filed complaints against the company with the agency.
After filing a sealed complaint against Vemma, which markets mangosteen-based supplements and weight-loss products, and heavily recruits students with promises of riches as part of its Young People Revolution, the FTC was granted a court order to freeze the company’s and CEO Benson K. Boreyko’s assets as well as a temporary restraining order and the appointment of a temporary receiver. Also named in the court documents is top-ranking Vemma distributor Tom Alkazin and his wife, Bethany. (Find court documents here.)
“Defendants are running a global pyramid scheme that has likely victimized hundreds of thousands or millions of consumers” the FTC said in court filings released to the public Tuesday.
“This action against Vemma sends a clear and definitive message to the entire MLM community — stop making favorable income claims when the vast majority of your distributors are making next to nothing or worse, suffering financial loss,” TINA.org Executive Director Bonnie Patten said.
This is not the first time that the FTC has come knocking on Boreyko’s door. A 1999 FTC consent order currently prohibits Vemma CEO Benson K. Boreyko and representatives from his company from making unsubstantiated health claims about the supplements. Boreyko did not return a request from TINA.org for comment about the FTC’s actions.
TINA.org started warning consumers about Vemma in July 2013 after it received complaints from college students about the company’s aggressive recruitment tactics. Its investigation of Vemma spanned more than two years during which time TINA.org published more than 20 articles disclosing misrepresentations and illegal health claims made by top company leaders, and a rising number of complaints to the FTC from parents and teenagers that the company is a pyramid scheme with cult-like qualities preying on high school and college students.
Cathy W., a parent who filed complaints about Vemma with TINA.org and the FTC after her son joined the company in college, said she was thankful to learn of the FTC action.
“My family lost six-to-nine months of enjoyable time together and spent that time worrying and arguing instead. I consider Vemma and BK Boreyko to be the lowest kind of evil imaginable to take advantage of impressionable and enthusiastic young people,” said Cathy, who wanted to keep her identify protected. “I sincerely thank TINA and the FTC for their work.”
TINA.org first alerted the FTC to the company in April 2014 when Vemma was deemed a pyramid scheme in Italy. TINA.org again notified the agency about the company in June 2014, tipping officials to numerous outrageous health claims made by top distributors, including that Vemma could help treat cancer, Alzheimer’s, AIDS, and even save a dying dog. Despite Boreyko’s public promise as CEO to step up compliance efforts, TINA.org continues to expose unsubstantiated health claims made by distributors, in part with a Twitter campaign launched last November that employs the hashtag #VemmaTruth.
From God’s Recipe to the mangosteen miracle
Boreyko, who was steeped in the MLM industry from an early age when his parents joined Amway and he managed his own distributorship, founded Vemma in 2004 with his sisters, Lauren and Karen. The new company was born following an FTC crackdown on the Boreyko family’s previous company, New Vision International, for making illegal health claims regarding a supplement called God’s Recipe, which distributors claimed could treat and/or cure ADD and ADHD. With Vemma, the family introduced a new line of supplements based on mangosteen, a tropical fruit that the company combined with vitamins, minerals and aloe, and advertised as a powerful liquid antioxidant that distributors could market to “create a life of wealth and happiness.”
Originally headquartered in Scottsdale (the company has since moved to Tempe), Boreyko, who never went to college, pitched Vemma to young people as an alternative business opportunity, tapping into the energy and unease among students increasingly saddled with loan debt and the sagging economy of the Great Recession. In 2007, Vemma entered the energy drink market, introducing Verve as a “healthy” alternative. The pitch took hold among young adults.
Young People Revolution
Within a few years, young Vemma affiliates at Arizona State University launched the Young People Revolution (YPR) movement that expanded across the country and overseas.
Students were coached on how to pitch the supplements and recruit new team members. Leading the training at Vemma’s conferences and seminars were often Tom and Bethany Alkazin, who were key distributors in New Vision and quickly became top-ranking affiliates in Vemma, earning more than $17 million. Their son, Brad, became a key figure in the YPR movement. The Alkazins pitched a workbook called “Roadmap to Success” that instructed recruits that one of the primary ways to market Vemma and Verve is by promoting the supplements as products that can help with health problems and “prevent disease.”
Vemma grew, boasting sales of more than $200 million and expanding to 50 countries. It held training events and conventions, sometimes near college campuses, that attracted crowds of excited recruits. But with its expansion came increased scrutiny. Complaints started to mount in the U.S. and overseas from worried parents alarmed that their children were dropping out of college and tossing aside future endeavors to join Vemma.
Parents told TINA.org that their children blew through bank accounts, joining the company after attending meetings they were invited to on social media where they were pressured into purchasing $500 starter packs on credit cards and enrolling in the company’s auto-delivery program. But after joining, most affiliates were just left with an abundance of products they couldn’t sell and empty pockets. In fact, last year, nearly 80 percent of Vemma distributors lost money.
As criticism mounted, TINA.org continued to report on Vemma, publishing a database of illegal health claims made by affiliates, debunking income claims, and posting an official translation of a decision by the Competition and Markets Authority in Italy, which deemed Vemma a pyramid scheme (Vemma has appealed this ruling).
As the YPR movement grew and complaints mounted, the company also caught the attention of national and local media, such as Rolling Stone, Al Jazeera, the Today Show, the Sunday Times of London, and the Cincinnati Enquirer, all of which published stories on Vemma, often referencing or seeking information from TINA.org.
Cognizant of the increased scrutiny, Vemma started to change its pitch, banning teens under 18 from becoming affiliates, providing college cash bonuses as an incentive instead of just a car bonus, revamping its compensation plan ever so slightly, and publicly asserting the company was stepping up its compliance efforts to police distributors making illegal health and financial claims. At one point, in 2014, Boreyko told the New York Post the company was making changes because “I always want to stay on the good side of the FTC because they have guns.”
And the new pitch, said Boreyko, was to “under-promise and over-deliver.”
Vemma’s structure ensures that most participants will not earn substantial income- a fact that Defendants fail to adequately disclose.
William Keep, dean of the business school at The College of New Jersey and pyramid scheme expert, who issued a warning to students on campus about Vemma, called for better regulation to protect consumers from predatory schemes.
To declare to a group of prospects that ‘we have a game plan to get you earning $500, $5,000, or even $50,000 per month,’ belies the true nature of the business model, one that pits each representative against each other in an all-against-all competition for sales. The high earnings of a few come to a large extent from the necessary lack of success of many. To further this message by pointing to success examples that were most probably rigged illustrates the pernicious nature of these types of schemes.
A hearing in Arizona federal court is scheduled for Sept. 15.
More of TINA.org’s investigation of Vemma can be found here.
This story was updated on 9/2/15.
Health and wellness products MLM allegedly rewarded recruitment over product sales.
More than 97 percent of DSA member companies use or have used misleading income claims.
Lawsuit against Herbalife claims attending events is a losing strategy.


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KIM CAUGHEY FORREST, SENIOR ANALYST, FORT PITT CAPITAL
"It's a fit from a product standpoint. I'm just not sure about the price, that's what they have to explain to us.
"Texas Instruments has been a pretty prudent company. There is either some kind of buried patent (owned by National Semi) that is unbelievably attractive to them, or there were other bidders and they felt pressured to get it.
"Digital chip makers like Intel used to disdain analog, but it's the way you get information in and out of these mobile devices. So it could be the deep pockets of Intel. Or it could be a Chinese foundry" also interested in National Semi.
HENDI SUSANTO, ANALYST, GABELLI & CO
"It's more than 10 times EV to EBITDA��� I think the premium is high. This deal came as a surprise. First, TI will have additional fabs. I expect some product overlaps in analog and mixed signals."
TORE SVANBERG, ANALYST, STIFEL NICOLAUS
"National Semiconductor was a company that was struggling to grow its business, whereas TI was a company that really wanted to continue to emphasize analog. So it makes sense for both companies.
"The multiple is about four times sales. If you look at that on a historical basis that's probably average. I do recognize that's a high multiple based on National's price today, but four times sales does not seem too high or too low, especially for a company that generates gross margins in the high 60s.
"Strategically, it makes a lot of sense. A few years ago, TI announced that they were increasingly getting out of wireless business and really focusing on analog and this is part of that strategy. They had also expressed that they want to increase their share in analog and certainly with National they will be able to do that. They have about 13 percent share of the analog market today. When they acquire National, that share will probably start to touch 20 percent.
"TI has definitely done a lot of acquisitions in analog in the past and they've done those pretty well. They have a good track record in integrating other analog companies."
MAHESH SANGANERIA, ANALYST, RBC CAPITAL
"National was trading at a discount so if you make up for that, it's probably not a huge (premium). There was concern they were going to underperform in terms of revenue growth.
"It gives TI a product portfolio for the mobile segment. Twenty-five percent of National's revenue comes from power management for handsets, which TI competes with, but I think that combined they can make it much better. There's probably a lot of synergy."
KEITH WIRTZ, CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, FIFTH THIRD ASSET
"At first blush, this looks like a good strategic move on Texas Instruments' part. TI has been focused on analog chips and this seems to be a good fit based on where Texas Instruments is going.
"Looking at the financial terms, I don't think this will be dilutive."
DOUG FREEDMAN, ANALYST, GLEACHER & CO
"They've got the ability to take this product portfolio and bring it into a lower-cost manufacturing footprint, possibly.
"It's about gaining product portfolio. It's a product portfolio addition. There's also sales-team synergies. You're getting rid of a sales and marketing force that all called on the same customers.
"We're basically overselling analog, in 10 different analog companies all selling to the exact same customers with an end market that is growing 3 to 4 percent.
"End markets aren't growing fast enough to justify all these companies in this space."
SRINI PAJJURI, ANALYST, CREDIT AGRICOLE SECURITIES
"It's certainly a surprise because TI management has been saying they're not interested in large acquisitions. They have built a lot of capacity in the past few years.
"It's a huge premium. National hasn't done a whole lot, it's been a beaten-down stock. The deal wouldn't have happened at a lower price.
"It's difficult to buy a company when the stock is beaten down, (you) have to pay a premium.
"Obviously they have a lot of capacity, it will take time for TI to transfer National's products into their factories."
BRIAN COLELLO, ANALYST, MORNINGSTAR
"It's very surprising. Texas Instruments has made some shrewd investments to expand their production capacity in an attempt to gain growth organically. We thought that would drive growth.
"Analog (chip) acquisitions of this size are fairly rare, so this deal is surprising to us.
"It will improve TI's position in power management chips, that's where National has particular strength. I'm very curious to hear what they say on the call on their strategy of combining the two firms."
(Reporting by Noel Randewich in San Francisco, Bill Rigby in Seattle and Jennifer Saba, Paul Thomasch and Jennifer Ablan in New York)


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Apple unveils thinner, more powerful iPhone 5
Apple on Wednesday introduced its new iPhone 5 - a lighter, thinner and more powerful version of its iconic mobile device, staking its claim to leadership in the red-hot smartphone market.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook called the launch "the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since the iPhone."
The company called the iPhone 5 "the thinnest smartphone in the world," with an anodized aluminum body that is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than iPhone 4S.
It features "diamond cut chamfered edges and glass inlays for a truly incredible fit and finish," an Apple statement said.
At a packed launch event in San Francisco, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller said of the new iPhone: "It is an absolute jewel. The software and engineering that went into this product is the most challenging our team has ever taken on."
Apple will start taking orders for the phone Friday and begin shipments September 21 in the US, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan, and the phone will be available in 100 countries by the end of the year.
Pricing for US customers will start at $199 with a two-year contract.
The introduction has been among the most keenly anticipated in the tech world, with rumors and leaks over several months about the new device from the biggest company in the sector.
Schiller said the new, taller iPhone features a new design to nestle in one's palm to naturally align with thumbs and works on the faster mobile Internet networks known as LTE.
"When you carry your phone it should fit beautifully in your hand, that is just how we designed iPhone 5," he said.
"Everything you do looks gorgeous on this beautiful widescreen display," he said, describing the so-called Retina high-definition four-inch (10-centimeter) display used on other Apple devices.
The new device features Apple's own new A6 processor, which according to Schiller doubles the speed for loading Web graphics.
Battery life, a key complaint of smartphone users, is extended to eight hours with mobile phone and browsing and 10 hours if Wi-Fi connections are used.
Apple has also installed its own mapping software, upgraded its voice-activated assistant known as Siri and incorporated Facebook in the iOS software.
Analysts expect Apple to sell tens of millions of the new iPhones in the coming months, luring in smartphone buyers who have been waiting to upgrade.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said it is possible Apple may ship between 48 million and 53 million iPhones in the fourth quarter and "up to 266 million" in 2013.
She said the company could sell eight to 10 million in the third quarter, or in the opening days it becomes available.
A JPMorgan Chase analysis said at least eight million will be sold in the US market this year, enough to give a half-point boost to US economic activity.
But NPD analyst Stephen Baker said the key US market has "very different dynamics" than for previous iPhone launches and that means Apple may not have the same impact.
"The US smartphone market appears to be an increasingly mature one," he said.
Because Apple has already captured a large chunk of the market, Baker said it would be "more difficult for Apple to easily take share from weakened competitors, because many of the easy share gains have already been accomplished."
Apple has fierce customer loyalty and has been rapidly gaining users, but has failed to keep pace with smartphones powered by Google's Android operating system.
Research firm IDC said Apple had 16.9 percent of the global smartphone market, with 68 percent of the market held by makers of Android phones, led by Samsung.
Apple is engaged in litigation with Samsung over patent infringement and is seeking to ban US sales of some Samsung devices after a major court victory in California last month.
Apple shares, which hit record highs this week and extended the company's position as the world's most valuable firm, rose a modest 1.39 percent to $666.79 on the news.
Nicholas Carlson of the website Business Insider said most of the information about the new phone had already leaked.
"The lack of surprise doesn't make the iPhone 5 a bad phone... just kind of boring to learn about," he tweeted.
Ben Reitzes at Barclays said much of the news was already known "but we believe that this launch will be very successful... We believe today's announcement marks the beginning of a distinctive holiday season for Apple that blends today's iPhone launch with the iPad mini launch."
Apple is widely expected to launch a smaller version of its market-leading iPad tablet computer later this year.
Wednesday's launch event also unveiled a new lineup of music players including the iPod touch, which looks like an iPhone without mobile connections, and the iPod nano.


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COMPANY NEWS; Grace Sees Gain
Published: May 12, 1987
Peter J. Grace, chairman of W. R. Grace & Company, said the company would earn about $3.50 a share this year, a big improvement over the big losses in 1986, when it took write-offs for restructuring. In 1986, Grace lost $472.3 million, on sales of $3.73 billion, after writing off $590 million for restructuring and other costs. The company earned $47.8 million in the first quarter of this year. After its annual meeting, Grace also said the company was negotiating to sell its fertilizer business.


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Finally, some promising news out of Quebec. I have long wished for Quebec's wineries to get more retail exposure in their home province, and the SAQ announced that it will hold sections specifically for Quebec-made wines. Here's a short radio interview with Anthony Carone
of Vignoble Carone
, in the Lanaudière Valley.
It would be great for Vintages to follow suit and at least feature a Quebec wine or two now and then.


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What else is going on in the world of travel tech? A round-up of other stories from across the industry...
- P&O Cruises has gone social for its 175th anniversary with applications for its dedicated website and Facebook page. The cruise specialist used Headstream for the apps with existing fans encouraged to upload a P&O Cruises Postcard Memory to a timeline while a Photo Mosaic app asks people to upload a photo and become part of a giant mosaic. Headstream has also developed a dashboard drawing all social media mentions around the event.
- WAYN (Where Are You Now?) is claiming a milestone with 20 million registered user, 10 million added in the past five years. The travel social network, founded in seven years ago, says it now attracts between seven and eight million unique users a month with approximately 200 million page views served.
- Singapore Airlines spin-off low cost carrier Scoot is tying up with Expedia Affiliate Network for a white label deal to include hotel content on its website. Bookings via EAN will be available via the Scoot site, targeting passengers using the airline to destinations in Australia, China and Thailand. EAN already works with Tiger Airways, Jalan and WebJet in the region to provide hotel product.
- Avis is trialling portable wifi networks for customers using Edinburgh Airport in Scotland. The paid-for units are small enough to fit in a pocket or back and give car hire users access to web networks throughout the UK. The devices allow a user to connect up to five separate devices - such as a phone, laptop, tablet, etc - at any one time.


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Stockholm, February 23, 2021 - Internet Vikings, a European global cloud hosting provider from Europe, has announced the launch of a cloud hosting platform in Singapore.
SoftSwiss Game Aggregator statistics further highlight that cryptocurrency is currently actively used by the whole world, with increasing interest in Canada, Russia, and Latin America.
JCM Global’s award-winning line of transaction solutions has been helping operators make real connections with customers for decades.
PokerStars MEGASTACK, has added an additional stop to its schedule in Malta this October, PokerStars, the flagship brand of The Stars Group Inc.
An Integrity Program will be implemented by PGA TOUR which will take effect on January 1, 2018.
Pragmatic Play has agreed a deal to provide its expanding portfolio of high-quality games to leading operator, Bethard Group.
Marathonbet is delighted to announce its loyal customers will now be able to enjoy an extensive Bingo offering.
CasinoCoin has been taken over and relaunched with the aim of bringing cryptocurrency gaming to a wider audience.
ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD hits the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila on 10 November.
NOVOMATIC has entered a licensing agreement with Miramax® for the rights to produce casino games based on the film ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’.


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Developer: Midtown Mile hasn't changed
- Doug Sams
Maybe everyone isn't on board with a new concept for the Midtown Mile.
Shirley Gouffon, a senior vice president with Selig Enterprises, sent an e-mail to Atlanta Business Chronicle this morning saying, "Selig and [its partner] Daniel Corp. have not bought into these ideas and are in total disagreement with many of the positions outlined."
Selig and Daniel Corp. are developing 12th & Midtown, a more than $1 billion mixed use project that is taking shape in phases and that helps form the heart of the Mile.
One of intown's most ambitious development plans during the past boom, The Midtown Mile was to include 1 million square feet of storefronts on Peachtree Street, with an emphasis on luxury retail. The concept underscored the exuberance of the times.
Gouffon agreed the economy has changed in recent years, but plans for the Mile have not.
The 12th & Midtown project, alone, still has a goal of 500,000 square feet of retail on the Mile.
"And that will include a luxury component," Gouffon said.
Also, 1 million square feet of retail from the Arts Center to North Avenue is still possible in the next five or six years, as the economy recovers, Gouffon said.
Some Midtown Mile developers, however, believe that plan might be unrealistic today, given the profound changes to the economy.
The concept would still include the pursuit of national retailers such as CB2, the Chicago-based home furnishing chain that opened at 12th & Midtown last year, and H&M in Atlantic Station. Both retailers target the young, hip and affluent Midtown resident that wants nice, but affordable, things.
Another Atlanta store for Apple Inc. also remains on Midtown Mile's wish list.
One common theme emerging in interviews with developers such as Jamestown and North American Properties (Atlantic Station owner) is that Midtown wants to further distinguish itself from Buckhead, a center for luxury retail in Atlanta.
Developers plan to take a unified Midtown Mile concept to the International Council of Shopping Centers event in Las Vegas later this month.
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Talk of a U.S.-Mexico trade war is hitting the stock market hard on Friday.
This U.S.-Mexico trade war has President Donald Trump planning to introduce a 5% tariff on goods from Mexico. This will start on June 10 and will increase by 5% each month until October. This will have the tariffs reaching a total of 25%.
Why exactly is President Trump planning to start a U.S.-Mexico trade war? The President of the United States is pushing for the tariffs on Mexico in retaliation to illegal immigrants crossing the border into the U.S.
As a result of the U.S.-Mexico trade war news, the stock market has been taking a hit today. This includes the dropping 300 points this morning. The news has Mexican stocks falling and also saw the peso decline in value.
Some analysts are expressing concerns about the U.S.-Mexico trade war. This includes worries about President Trump using tariffs in reaction to non-economic issues. Others worry that the trade war with Mexico will be too much since the U.S. is already in a trade war with China as well, reports CNN Business.
Here is President Trump’s Tweet about the U.S.-Mexico trade war.
“On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP. The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied, at which time the Tariffs will be removed. Details from the White House to follow.”
As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.


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The Devil May Cry series is set to receive a board game adaptation, with a Kickstarter for Devil May Cry: The Bloody Palace headed by Steamforged Games teased to launch later this year.
Revealed through a post to the company’s official website, Devil May Cry: The Bloody Palace will have a Kickstarter campaign starting sometime in Q2 2019.
Though no other information was given on their funding goal or the firm end date for the campaign, the project does have a wider final release window of 2020.
In the game, players take on the role of some of the Devil May Cry series’ most prolific demon hunters from Dante and Nero to Trish and V.
They then compete to defeat enemies in the most stylish ways possible, racking up style points in the process. Whoever accrues the most points by the end of the game wins.
“Featuring all of the adrenalin-fueled intensity that fans new and old will remember, we couldn’t be more thrilled for players around the world to experience our next video game adaptation for the tabletop!” Steamforged wrote in their official announcement.
In particular, the project is one near and dear to the heart of Steamforged’s creative director Mat Hart, and one he’s pushed himself and his team to do justice by.
“As a long-time fan of Devil May Cry and given my background, I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the team working on this board game,” Hart says.
“From the beautiful sculpts through to the subtle yet dramatic depth of gameplay, we’ve captured the very theme and essence of all that is awesome about Devil May Cry.”
The project will be the second Capcom property-based board game the company has produced. Steamforged also made the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 2 board game, which was also funded via a Kickstarter campaign.
It also comes at a time when the Devil May Cry series is enjoying a revitalization. This is thanks to the release of the positively received Devil May Cry 5, the latest mainline entry in the series which wraps up the Sons of Sparda story arc.
“We are delighted to be working with the folk at Steamforged Games to bring the demons of Devil May Cry to life on players tabletops,” Brian Ayers, senior brand manager at Capcom, says in the official announcement.
“Following the recent success of the latest title in the series Devil May Cry 5, we believe that the brand is stronger than ever and can’t wait to see players enjoyment on playing the upcoming board game release next year.”
For our thoughts on Devil May Cry 5, check out our full review here.


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London transport authorities have tightened the reins on crypto advertising following a number of rulings by the UK’s marketing regulator.
Short of an outright ban, a spokesperson for Transport for London (TfL) told The Block that the body is not currently approving any adverts which “look to promote [crypto] products in a similar fashion to those being investigated.”
TfL has been monitoring crypto advertising since 2018, but only recently decided to take a harder line on ad approvals.
A spokesperson from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said that the regulator is “proactively monitoring” the situation as firms push to market products. The watchdog is set to issue new guidance on crypto ads early in 2022.
Advertising industry sources, who asked not to be named due to commercial sensitivity, told The Block they have been having trouble getting crypto-related adverts for clients signed off, including ones promoting NFTs.
The new stance from TfL is said to have come into effect following the ASA investigation into Floki adverts, which had breached its code.
These ads urged consumers to look to the token if they had not been quick enough to buy into other popular cryptocurrencies such as Dogecoin before meteoric price bumps.
“Missed Doge? Get Floki,” said one strapline.
In December, the ASA issued a ‘red alert’ warning on the marketing of crypto-assets, banning seven separate ads in one swoop.
Companies whose ads were deemed to have broken the rules at the time included trading platforms eToro and Coinburp; exchanges EXMO, Luno, Kraken and Coinbase; as well as a promotion from pizza chain Papa John's.
© 2023 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.


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Weekend of action planned to pressure Walmart to stop selling guns
Calls for Walmart to stop selling firearms grew louder as a coalition of unions and organizations said they would stage rallies nationwide this weekend to pressure the country's largest retailer to use its influence to push gun reform.
Guns Down America says that Color of Change, MoveOn, and the American Federation of Teachers are among the organizations joining it at Walmart stores across the U.S. to not only call on the company to stop selling guns, but demand that it support gun buybacks and use its clout to push for a ban on military style weapons.
The coalition also wants its campaign to go viral, launching the #Walmartmustact challenge. Visitors to Walmartmustact.org can print out a letter asking the retailer to stop supporting NRA backed politicians along with the other demands. Then they're being asked to take a picture, tag their friends, and deliver the letters to a Walmart store manager.
Will the latest mass shootings bring change?:After Newtown, Pulse, Vegas stirred little change, gun-control advocates hope latest shootings push tougher laws
Gun control is topic on campaign trail:America's politicians talk gun control and presidential blame following two mass shootings
"We really believe that given its enormous size, Walmart will be able to shake up this conversation ... both in Congress, but also with the gun industry and gun manufacturers,'' says Igor Volsky, founder and executive director of the group Guns Down America. "They need to begin using those relationships, using their leverage, using their clout, to do everything they can to keep their customers safe. To keep their employees safe ... I think that's their responsibility.''
A Walmart store in El Paso, Tx was the site of one of two mass shootings the weekend of Aug. 3 that together left 31 people dead, dozens more injured, and the nation tense and shaken. Days earlier, two Walmart managers were killed by a gunman described as a disgruntled employee in a store in Southaven, Mississippi.
In the wake of those shootings, Walmart removed violent video game displays and signs from stores. And last Wednesday, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a note to store employees that "we will work to understand the many important issues that arise from El Paso and Southaven, as well as those that have been raised in the broader national discussion around gun violence."
"We will be thoughtful and deliberate in our responses,'' he continued, "and we will act in a way that reflects the best values and ideals of our company, with a focus on serving the needs of our customers, associates and communities."
For now Walmart continues to sell guns. But the pressure to get the retailer to stop is building.
As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 76,000 people had signed a petition on Change.org calling on Walmart to halt firearm sales. Several democratic presidential candidates, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, have echoed that demand.
And last weekend, Guns Down America says 150 people gathered at a Walmart near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla where 17 people were killed in a mass shooting last year, to deliver a letter asking the location end gun sales.
With legislation that would expand and enhance background checks law languishing in the Senate, advocates say that Walmart can also play a pivotal role in getting conservative lawmakers in particular to take action.
"There is no bigger traditional retailer than Walmart,'' says Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was among those killed in Parkland, and whose group Orange Ribbons for Gun Safety is part of the coalition demanding Walmart do more. Walmart "gives the politicians the cover to say 'If Walmart can take such a stand, we need to do so as well.' ’’
The American Federation of Teachers has also joined the effort. In a letter to McMillon dated Aug. 7, Randi Weingarten, the union's president, warned Walmart that if it doesn’t take action, its 1.7 million members might take their business elsewhere.
“If you choose to act, it could change our national conversation in an instant,’’ Weingarten wrote. “And if Walmart continues to provide funding to lawmakers who are standing in the way of gun reform, teachers and students should reconsider doing their back-to-school shopping at your stores.’’
Walmart has taken actions around the sale of weapons and ammunition in the past that have drawn praise from some gun control advocates, including stopping the sale of handguns everywhere but Alaska, ending sales of modern sporting rifles and starting last year, prohibiting sales of firearms to anyone under 21.
But Guttenberg says that's not enough.
"We can’t continue going forward the way things are,'' he says. "We’ve got to make a change and that involves government and legislation and changes of law. But it also involves business ... It is time for them to demonstrate that they're ready to be a part of this cultural change.''


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CII’s ICT conference for Gen Next governance Tuesday
New Delhi : The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will Tuesday hold an information communication technology (ICT) conference here involving Gen Next, the industry chamber said.
“CII is all set to hold a conference on ICT Innovations for Next Generation with an aim to showcase the best practices, innovations and technologies in the ICT sector and the role of youth, which can bring about a revolution in the society,” it said in a statement.
“This conference will provide a strong footing for promoting entrepreneurship and growth of small businesses which are one of the key drivers of economic growth of the nation,” said conference chairman Vijay Thadani, who is also chief executive of NIIT.
In the current scenario, businesses are becoming increasingly agile, and technologies such as social media, mobility, analytics and cloud computing (SMAC) are coming together to unleash unlimited opportunities.


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Petro-Canada Lubricants’ Traxon line of gear oil has expanded to include Traxon Synthetic MTF 75W-80 – a manual transmission fluid that can offer extended drains up to 400,000 kilometers, deliver all-weather support, and reduce maintenance costs in the process. The […]
Wajax is now the exclusive Canadian distributor of B’laster penetrants, lubricants, and rust inhibitors.
Users of Liquid Wrench’s new Pro Penetrant and Lubricant will know exactly where they’re applying the stuff thanks to FlashSight – an LED light mounted above the spray nozzle.
The new Roadranger Products Lubrication manual provides easy access to details about the type of lube you need.
Imperial Oil provides tips on storing and handling lubricating oils and greases.
Chevron offers 85 years worth of ‘Lubrication’ magazine free of charge
Fuel-friendly Roadranger synthetic gear lubes are now available from all truck OEMs
SAN RAMON, Calif. — Chevron will begin a re-branding process of its commercial and industrial lubricants (C&I), which will eliminate the Texaco name for those products.
Castrol Heavy-Duty Lubricants has introduced Elixion, engineered to help fleets reduce their operating costs while protecting engines better and longer.


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Use Glass Baby Bottles to Avoid Microplastic Particles
Polypropylene baby bottles—which comprise 82 percent of the global baby bottle market—release an “extraordinary” number of microplastic particles, reports a new study by Trinity College Dublin. In a study published in Nature Food, which covered 48 regions worldwide, researchers found that flexible plastic baby bottles release as many as 16.2 million particles per liter. “A study last year by the World Health Organization estimated adults would consume between 300 and 600 microplastics a day—our average values were on the order of a million or millions,” study co-author John Boland told The Guardian. He called for more studies to understand the implications, saying the researchers were “absolutely gobsmacked” by the numbers. The microplastics are released when heated liquid is used to sterilize the bottles and to dissolve powdered formula and when the bottle is shaken to dissolve the powder. The higher the water temperature, the greater the release of particles. Polypropylene bottles have a “5” on the recycling symbol on the bottom.


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We Have Great News About Spirit Halloween in Bozeman
If you are ready to get your spooky season started, this is one store that can fill your every need.
October is less than two months away, and every store you walk into has several Halloween items you can buy. It could be candy, decorations, or other related Halloween items, and people are excited. There is one store in particular that folks have been waiting to open, but there have been some issues.
A couple of months ago, we discussed how Spirit Halloween was having trouble finding a location for this year. Every year, Spirit Halloween needs to find a new spot to set up its store, and it can be rough with all the new businesses coming in and occupying space.
Well, we have some good news.
Spirit Halloween has found a spot to open up in Bozeman for 2023 and will open soon. According to sources, Spirit Halloween will open at the old Bed, Bath, and Beyond store on 19th Avenue by Saturday, September 9th.
Spirit Halloween is the one-stop shop for decorations, costumes, makeup, and more. If you want to get your costume shopping done early and not wait until the last minute, we highly recommend it.
Spirit Halloween is also looking for people to work the store this year. This is a fantastic opportunity to make extra cash before the popular holiday and help folks find their costumes.
Halloween is a beloved time of year for many in the Gallatin Valley and if you want your house to look the spookiest, Spirit Halloween is the place to go and get hooked up.
For more details, check out Spirit Halloween.